Day	Activity/Location
1	Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel. The hotel will be in the neighborhood of Miraflores, with good shopping and restaurants.   Have a relaxing evening or join us for an optional evening of music and fun.
2-5	Start off at 8am with a guided city tour to get oriented with Lima.  Then you will be dropped off at our first restaurant to be introduced to the gastronomy of Peru. We'll spend the next four days with Chef Rachel Rubin immersed in the fabulous fusion foods that is Peruvian national cuisine. Lima boasts a huge range of internationally recognized restaurants and you'll have a chance to visit some of the best. We will be visiting one of Gaston Acurio’s restaurants.  Gaston, a Peruvian popular chef, along with his wife, Astrid, has created a menu experience with beautiful local ingredients and is known for his European culinary background with beautifully presented gourmet dishes. Another restaurant we will visit is El Kapallaq, featuring Chef Luis Cordero Larrabure and his award winning ceviches including northern, southern and limena styles. El Rincon Que No Conoces, a Criolla Restaurant, utilizes clay pots and the slow cooking methods from the Ican traditions which are infused with African flavours. We will enjoy arroz con pato en olla de barro, slow cooked duck with Peruvian chillies and finished dark beer, aji de gallina and many more delicacies of Dona Teresa. Last we will visit a Chinese  and Japanese fusion restaurant, experiencing arroz chaufa con mariscos and other new Peruvian traditions.  Later we will meet with Chef Patricia Chong Choy, sharing the Chinese influence in Peruvian food. Early each evening, after a short break from lunch , we will reconvene for participation cooking classes and tastings with Chef Rachel Rubin at the Culinary School in Miraflores. We will provide fun evening options to further experience Peruvian culture including live music, Rosa Nautica, Penas, Costanera 700, and more.
6	Our tour continues this morning with a short flight to Cuzco, capital of the old Inca Empire.  After getting acclimated join Rachel on a short walking tour to the San Pedro Market to source local ingredients for an afternoon picnic.  Then you will proceed on to an included city tour and head up above the city for spectacular afternoon views and enjoy a picnic prepared by Rachel.   In the evening you'll have chance to try some famous dishes from the Altiplano including "cuy" (guinea pig) or alpaca.
7	Enjoy a beautiful morning train journey across the high plain above Cuzco then down the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu.  After a guided tour, take time to independently explore this magnificent site. Return train journey to Cuzco in the late afternoon.  Free evening in Cuzco.
8	Departure Day.  An early morning flight to Lima. International flights may depart any time after 12.00pm midday. Please let us know if you would like additional accommodation or guide services at the end of your tour.

 

TRIP DETAILS
8 days: US$2965Currency Converter
Next Departure: March 22-29, 2009
Limit 12 travelers per group.
Reserve your space now!
 

Joining the tour
On all Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by one of our representatives (holding a Southern Crossings placard), who will accompany you to our joining hotel.  No bargaining or being ripped off by airport taxis! 


What's included in the trip 

• Airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip

• Southern Crossings bilingual guide

• All other internal transport (excluding transport to optional restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)

• Internal flights, Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima

• Seven nights of hotel accommodation

• Participation culinary classes by Chef Rachel Rubin.

• Breakfast included with all hotel stays

• Machu Picchu tour, including bilingual guide, return Vistadome train fare, transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and one-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary

• Cuzco city tour, including picnic

• Lima city tour

• Cuzco Visitor's Ticket, which gives entrance to the major ruins, churches and museums in and around Cuzco

• Southern Crossings T-Shirt or Cap

 

What's not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport taxes (approx. US$40), pre- & post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature. Travel insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we do require that you have a policy. Check www.travelguard.com to purchase a policy for your trip.

 

Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima: $180 double/$150 single
In Cuzco: $120 double/$100 single

 

 

PRE-TRIP PLANNER

 

Required documents

All travelers to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at least six months from
date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S., Canadian, Australian or New Zealand
passport holders. For other nationalities, please consult the nearest Peruvian embassy or consulate.  An onward ticket and proof of funds may also be required at entry and
should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks, currency, or a bank
statement, from the bank or printed off the internet, are sufficient for proof of funds.

 

Required immunizations

No immunizations are required of travelers to these areas of Peru.  Travelers may wish to receive hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all other standard vaccinations.  No areas visited on this trip are malarial or yellow fever zones.  Please consult your physician or local health department for more information.

 

Things to bring

One should come well prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and for
extremes of sun and the possibility of rain. A list of things to bring would include:

·         Passport and, if necessary, visa

·         Traveler’s checks and/or cash card

·         Airline ticket and Travel Insurance Policy

·         Photocopies of airline ticket and documents

·         Wearable pouch for documents and money

·         Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase

·         Smaller, comfortable day pack

·         Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in

·         Sandals or flip-flops 

·         Rain poncho or jacket

·         Waterproof pants

·         Sun hat

·         Hat for cold weather

·         Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)

·         Scarf and gloves

·         T-shirts

·         Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments

·         Towel and swimsuit for hot springs

·         Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)

·         Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)

·         Sunscreen

·         Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)

·         Lip balm

·         Earplugs

·         Alarm clock or watch

·         Sanitizing hand wipes or gel

·         Camera and film/digital memory cards

·         Camera batteries

·         Playing cards, games, reading material

·         Prescription medications

·         Toiletries

Note that common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such toiletries as
toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine hygiene items are
available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear and care, extra
large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera batteries. Also note that most digital
camera memory cards can be downloaded and burned onto a CD in internet cafes in
any large city.

 

Climate

Rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud forest, and
one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will visit is as follows:

Cuzco: days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy.  Nights are cold in Cuzco.

Machu Picchu: similar to Cuzco but a bit warmer and with more chance of rain.

Lima: warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain but often overcast.

 

Money guide

The unit of currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current currency conversion

 

Currency Converter

 

Automatic cash points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa, MasterCard, Plus, and
Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler's checks (American Express is
best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances are also options.  Do not bring Money
Grams or International Money Orders, as they are extremely difficult to exchange. Banks
and exchange houses are available in Lima and Cuzco.  For currency, U.S. dollars are recommended and most easily exchanged.  Please note that cash must be untorn.  It
can be older-looking, but even the slightest tear on an edge will make it un-changeable.  Acceptable bills come out of the ATMs in country.

Expect to spend about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water or soft drink in Peru. 
Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect.  Alpaca sweaters, for example, run between $5 and $30.