info@southerncrossings.com
Bookmark Ctrl + D
Interested in a tour? Email us, call us at the numbers listed above or simply fill out this form.
Kids TV Series Are We There Yet?
| Day | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Lima. |
| 2 | Market and Culinary City Tour in Lima |
| 3-4 | Culinary and Cooking Classes and Dinner in Lima |
| 5 | Flight to Cuzco and City Tour |
| 6 | Culinary class in Cuzco |
| 7 | Machu Picchu |
| 8 | Departure Day |
Culinary Peru
8 days: US$3100 per person
Domestic flights included
(What’s Included)
This eight-day culinary tour in Peru takes us to Lima the gastronomic capital of the Americas to dine at award winning restaurants and learn to cook mouth-watering Peruvian dishes. Later set off to colonial Cuzco for a cooking class to discover the great tastes of the unique Cusqueñan cuisine. The trip is rounded off with a visit to world famous Incan archeological site of Machu Picchu.
We’ll have a chance to experience Peruvian national cuisine in both Lima and Cuzco, through participating in cooking classes, market city tours, course luncheons, and restaurant kitchen tours. This tour is for those who share a love of all things culinary and wish to combine their culinary interests with a visit to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. And as on all Southern Crossings trips, you’re taken care of from beginning to end: airport transfers are included!
Culinary Tours are a great way to learn about the different culinary influences in Peruvian food and how they came about through others utilizing what was available locally. You will learn about ceviche, aphrodisiac, 100% grass fed products, Latin/Asian Fusion, Peruvian and more!
Depart any day and customize your tour at no extra charge! Discounts for groups of 6 or more.
CULINARY PERU TRIP ITINERARY
| Day | Activity/Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel. If arriving during the day, you will have time to explore the capital and get orientated before the culinary adventure begins. |
| 2 | Start off at 8am with a guided city tour to get oriented with Lima. Then we head to our first restaurant to be introduced to the gastronomy of Peru. Lima is billed as the cuisine capital of Latin America, and with a wide variety of dishes and incredible blend of spices it doesn’t disappoint. |
| 3 | We start today’s culinary experience with a visit to a local market where we will talk with our favorite vendors about the amazing variety of seasonal local ingredients and get expert advice on what ingredients to purchase for our class. Then we will head to our chef’s apartment in Barranco, a district known for its bohemian character and is home to famous Peruvian writers of the 20th century. Our hands-on class begins with an introduction to local plates and tapas. In our class, our chef will teach you specific and essential techniques used in Peruvian cooking and show you how to utilize the local ingredients to create mouth-watering Peruvian dishes. We will start our gourmet feast, tasting the delicious food we have prepared for lunch or dinner and enjoy the beautiful view of Lima’s coast. |
| 4 | Continue the incredible journey of discovery and learn to perfect your cooking skills in another culinary seminar. Work with the best ingredients under the supervision of top chefs to master the sophisticated blend of spices and ingredientes that makes Peruvian food so mouth-wateringly good! Today after making our purchases at the market we will prepare ceviche, lomo saltado, causa and pisco sour. Round off the trip in Lima with an evening meal in a top restaurant. |
| 5 | A short flight this morning brings us to Cuzco, capital of the old Inca Empire. On your included city tour, we’ll have time to explore Cuzco’s markets, Inca walls and churches as well as the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsaywaman above town. |
| 6 | Continue the exploration of the fantastic gastronomy of Peru, in the form of the very different but equally delicious Cusqueñan cuisine. You will head to a local market in the center of Cuzco to try different produce. After that set out for a cooking class to discover the sizzling and unique tastes of the Cuzco region. |
| 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, hike one of the surrounding Inca trails or try and climb Huayna Picchu for incredible panoramic views of the archeological site. Return train journey to Cuzco in the late afternoon. Free evening in Cuzco. |
| 8 | Departure Day. 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$3100 per person
Domestic flights included
Depart any day!
Is this trip for me?
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 hassled by airport taxis!
- Private airport pickup at the beginning of the trip and drop off at the end of the trip
- Southern Crossings bilingual guides
- Domestic flights, Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
- Seven nights of 3 star hotel accommodation
- Private participation in three culinary classes – 2 in Lima/1 in Cuzco
- 1 Dinner at a top restaurant in Lima
- Breakfast – included with all hotel stays
- Private 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
- Private Cuzco city tour
- Private Lima market city tour
- Cuzco Visitor’s Ticket, which gives entrance to the major ruins, churches and museums in and around Cuzco
- 24 hour customer support line (while on tour)
What’s not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport taxes (approx. US$32), 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. Medical travel insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we do require that you have a policy, cancellation insurance is advisable. Any medical insurance is acceptable, we recommend Travel Guard. Click on the logo below for a quote:
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip.
In Lima/Cuzco/Machu Picchu: $140 double/$130 single.
If time permits we reccommend an extra night at Machu Picchu and/or an extra night to include a day Culinary tour to the South of Cuzco to try Ginnea pig, Chicharron and Duck.
Accommodation Upgrades
This tour includes 3 star hotels. We would be happy to give you an upgrade to four or five star. If you would like to select a specific hotel, take a look at the accommodations page above and let us know your preference. We can then work it into your custom itinerary.
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
- Reading material
- Prescription medications
- Toiletries
- Notebook and pen to write down recipes
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. 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. Currency Converter
“We LOVED Southern Crossings. They usually do not book groups of larger than 8 people which is great. Our tour was just me and Maria! They met us at each travel point; everyone was terrific; they called the first evening to see if we were ok; the guide in Cuzco and all of the 3 days to and from Machu Picchu was fabulous!! He had walked the Inca trail 183 times and knows the whole area extremely well. So our day trip in Cuzco, area trip the next day and M.P. were all extremely well done. We also had the same driver everywhere we went. They just did a fantastic job.You can certainly recommend them to everyone for Machu Picchu.”
-Linda Jean Cohen Levin, USA – Inca Blitz
“The staff and all connected with Southern Crossings are the best! It made our trip so wonderful and stress free to have all the details taken care of. I wish I had someone like Karen to organize everything in my life so well.
Every location we went to everyone with Southern Crossings were so helpful and kind that it made our trip go extremely smoothly, from the pick-up at the airport, to the guides, to the drivers and all the staff at the hotels, it was awesome. Thanks for taking the ordinary to the extraordinary.”
-The Hammond Family, USA – Inca Blitz
“Wonderful holiday in wonderful location. Southern Crossings were superb in their organisation and interaction with us; always supportive and available but never fussing. They made all the difference to our holiday and we would recommend them to anybody who wanted a special holiday in Peru.”
- Julia, Tim and Toby Bishop, UK – Islands Express