Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Cusco
You'll get picked up at the airport and driven through the mountains to reach Cusco. Once at the hotel, there's time to settle in before heading out for a welcome dinner. Later, walk around the city streets on your own to get a sense of the place and how things work here.
- Start point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (Touch down in Cusco)
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Welcome dinner)
Optional Activities
- Evening stroll around surrounding city streets
- Day 2
Cusco to Andahuaylillas
Start the day with breakfast, then spend the morning checking out Inca ruins around Cusco like Sacsayhuaman, Pucapucara, Qenqo, and Tambomachay. The afternoon takes you through the city's key religious sites including the Cathedral, San Blas Church, and Koricancha. You'll have a traditional lunch, and then head to your hacienda home in Andahuaylillas for the rest of the week.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Inca ruins: Sacsayhuaman, Pucapucara, Qenqo, and Tambomachay
- Tour of Cathedral
- Tour of San Blas Church
- Tour of Koricancha (Inca Temple of the Sun)
- Traditional lunch
Landmarks Sacsayhuaman Pucapucara Qenqo Tambomachay Cathedral of Cusco San Blas Church Koricancha 
- Day 3
Andahuaylillas
This morning involves touring historic cathedrals in the region, followed by time at a local after-school program where you'll work with kids ages 7-12 on arts and crafts, games, and English homework. In the afternoon, you'll learn about Peruvian cooking techniques during a demonstration at the program or hacienda.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Tour of area historic cathedrals
- Introduction to local after-school program for children ages 7-12
- Arts & crafts activities with children
- Games with children
- English homework assistance
- Cooking demonstration of Peruvian cuisine
- Day 4
Andahuaylillas
After breakfast, join local women for a workshop on making traditional dolls using local textiles and colorful Peruvian fabrics. You'll learn their techniques and create your own doll. The afternoon brings you back to activities at the after-school program in Andahuaylillas where kids have planned sack races, kite flying, soccer, or other games.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Workshop with local women making traditional dolls
- Learn doll-making with local textiles and Peruvian fabrics
- Make your own doll
- Participate in after-school program activities: sack race, kite flying, soccer game or other activities
- Day 5
Andahuaylillas
The morning involves attending a traditional shamanic ceremony where you'll make offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth). After that, you'll travel about 30 minutes from the hacienda to an all-boys orphanage to play sports and continue cultural exchange with the children there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Traditional shamanic ceremony
- Make offerings to Mother Earth (Pachamama)
- Visit all-boys orphanage
- Play sports with orphanage residents
- Day 6
Andahuaylillas
You'll spend time at the Q'ewar Project, which focuses on empowering the local community through doll and jewelry making. Tour the different areas including the preschool, volunteer housing, ceramic studio, doll-making studios, and gardens. Watch local women working on their crafts, and try making jewelry with a professional silversmith.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Tour of Q'ewar Project premises
- View preschool
- Tour volunteer housing
- Tour ceramic studio
- Tour doll-making studios
- Tour gardens
- View doll-making process with local women
- Jewelry making workshop with professional silversmith
- Day 7
Andahuaylillas
Visit the homes of women from the Q'ewar Project to see rural life in this region. Depending on what's needed, you might help with a small community project. Your final volunteering session at the after-school program happens in the afternoon, followed by a special dinner at the hacienda where you'll spend time with the students you've met all week.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner at hacienda with after-school program students)
Included Activities
- Visit homes of Q'ewar Project women
- Experience rural region life
- Possible assistance with community project
- Final volunteering session at after-school program
- Dinner at hacienda with after-school program students
- Day 8
Sacred Valley
Head out to explore the Rio Urumbamba Valley, known as the Sacred Valley, where colonial towns and weaving villages dot the landscape. You'll see condors flying overhead while touring colorful markets and visiting the Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo during a full guided tour of the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Full guided tour of Sacred Valley
- Explore colorful markets
- Visit Inca citadel of Pisac
- Visit Inca citadel of Ollantaytambo
Landmarks Pisac Ollantaytambo 
- Day 9
Machu Picchu Excursion
An early train (possibly departing at 3:30am) takes you through the mountains to Machu Picchu. You'll have the mid-morning to explore this famous archaeological site, then grab lunch in Aguas Calientes before taking the train back to Cusco for your final dinner there.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Aguas Calientes), Dinner (Final dinner in Cusco)
Included Activities
- Early-morning train to Machu Picchu
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Afternoon train back to Cusco
Landmarks Machu Picchu 
- Day 10
Departure or Optional Extension
If you're heading home, you'll be driven to the airport for your flight. If you're interested, there's an optional extension available that lets you see the Salt Mines of Maras, Rainbow Mountain, and other sites in the region.
- End point
- Cusco, Cusco, Peru (Return Home or continue onto Rainbow Mountain Extension)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
Optional Activities
- Extension to Salt Mines of Maras
- Extension to Rainbow Mountain
- Additional optional activities on extension
Landmarks Salt Mines of Maras Rainbow Mountain
