Peru With Purpose:
A Family Journey Through the Andes
12
DAYS
4
DESTINATIONS
3
BIOMES
Explore Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and Tinajani Canyon
12-day adventure through Peru
Embark on a journey through Peru where landscape and heritage meet to shape every moment. Begin in the coastal districts of Miraflores and Barranco, cycling through streets rich with history and tasting the region’s celebrated flavours with local experts.
Venture into the Sacred Valley and feel the hush of ancient places at Sacsayhuamán. Explore the dramatic salt pans of Maras and the circular terraces of Moray, and choose adventures that place you directly in the landscape whether on an ATV or a canopy line above the trees.
Walk the Inca routes to Machu Picchu and rest at the tranquil Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel, where the forest becomes part of your stay. Meet artisans at vibrant markets and learn how traditional crafts and stewardship sustain local communities and ecosystems.
This itinerary is designed to deepen your connection to place, to leave you with lasting impressions, and to support the people and wild places that make Peru so extraordinary.
Trip Highlights
Sacred Valley Regeneration with Acción Andina
Spend a day inside one of the most ambitious ecological restoration movements in the Andes, guided by local conservation leaders. Visit high-altitude tree nurseries, witness native polylepis reforestation and learn how communities are restoring entire watersheds tree by tree. This rare, behind-the-scenes experience directly supports the people safeguarding fragile mountain ecosystems and reviving ancient stewardship traditions.
Community Empowerment at the Sol y Luna Foundation
Visit the Sol y Luna Foundation to see how education and care are transforming lives in the Sacred Valley. Your time here supports a vibrant community initiative nurturing local children, families and cultural heritage.
Slow Travel & Heritage Preservation aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer
Journey through the heart of the Andes aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer, where slow travel becomes a form of preservation. This iconic train supports regional economies, celebrates Andean craftsmanship and cuisine and reduces the environmental footprint of long-distance travel. As landscapes unfold, from high-altitude plains to remote mountain communities, you’ll experience Peru at a gentler pace, allowing deeper connection to place, culture and the living heritage of the Andes.
Regenerative Travel with a Lasting Impact
Throughout your journey, stay in pioneering ecolodges that support local communities and preserve critical ecosystems. From rainforest restoration to species recovery, your trip supports ambitious conservation goals - helping to protect 30 million acres of land and sea by 2030. Travel here is not only sustainable, but regenerative and transformative.
Activities tailored for all experiences
Soar through the Andes by Zipline
Scale the Sacred Valley’s towering cliffs on a guided via ferrata route before gliding across the valley on a series of ziplines with breathtaking mountain views. This high-adrenaline adventure offers a rare vantage point over one of Peru’s most dramatic landscapes.
Kayak the High-Andean Huaypo Lagoon
Paddle across the still, glassy waters of Huaypo, a pristine lagoon perched at 3,550 metres and surrounded by the snow-dusted peaks of the Urubamba and Vilcabamba ranges. As you navigate its peaceful expanse, take in the raw beauty of the Andean highlands and the communities who depend on its waters.
Ride Through Ancient Landscapes by ATV
Explore the iconic salt pans of Maras and the enigmatic agricultural terraces of Moray on a guided ATV adventure through open valleys and golden fields. This exhilarating journey reveals the ingenuity of Inca engineering amid sweeping Andean scenery.
Wander the Markets and Artisan Quarter of San Blas
Stroll through Cusco’s vibrant San Pedro market, where local produce, traditional textiles and Andean flavours offer a colourful glimpse into daily life. Continue into the historic neighbourhood of San Blas, meeting artisans whose craft preserves centuries of cultural heritage.
Your Journey Overview
Explore Peru
Journey through Peru’s Sacred Valley, altiplano and ancient landscapes, where Inca heritage, high Andean wilderness and living tradition converge. From exploring the terraces and temples of Machu Picchu to walking sacred trails with llamas and experiencing Pachamama rituals, each moment offers a deeper connection to place.
Traverse the mountains aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer, waking to sunrise over Lake Titicaca, then venture into Tinajani’s sculpted canyons and vibrant communities. This is Peru at its most elemental – a journey of culture, nature and quiet transformation.
Welcome to Lima
Your journey begins in Lima, Peru’s dynamic coastal capital, where ancient civilisations, colonial history and contemporary creativity exist side by side. Set dramatically above the Pacific Ocean, the city’s clifftop parks and oceanfront promenades offer sweeping views that contrast beautifully with its historic heart. Explore Lima’s UNESCO-listed colonial centre, where grand plazas, ornate churches and centuries-old balconies tell stories of conquest, resilience and cultural fusion.
Beyond its colonial past, Lima reveals much deeper roots. Discover pre-Inca archaeological sites that speak to Peru’s earliest civilisations and provide essential context for the sacred landscapes you will encounter later in the Andes. Encounters with local artisans, neighbourhood markets and living traditions offer an early connection to the country’s enduring cultural heritage.
Lima is also the gastronomic capital of Latin America, and your time here introduces you to the flavours that define Peru’s identity. Drawing on influences from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon, its cuisine reflects biodiversity, tradition and innovation in equal measure. From refined dining to vibrant local eateries, each meal tells a story of place and people.
As a starting point for your Journey With Purpose, Lima offers a meaningful introduction to Peru’s diversity, creativity and cultural depth. It sets the tone for the regenerative, community-connected experiences that follow in the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and beyond.
A delicious introduction to Peru
Enjoy a delicious introduction to Peru with a culinary expert who guides you through Barranco’s bohemian streets, revealing the cultural stories behind traditional home-style dishes, centuries-old recipes and locally sourced sweet treats. This immersive experience highlights how Peru’s cuisine reflects its geography, history and community traditions.
Later, explore the vibrant districts of Miraflores and Barranco by bike, riding along coastal paths and through artistic neighbourhoods alive with murals, galleries and music. Along the way, pause to learn about Lima’s architectural evolution, its creative spirit and its deep connection to the Pacific Ocean, offering a relaxed yet engaging way to experience the city like a local.
Exceptional Stay at Hotel B
Into the Sacred Valley: Ancient Engineering & Living Traditions
After flying to Cusco, begin with a visit to the impressive Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán, where vast stone walls and panoramic views offer insight into the ingenuity of Inca engineering and the site’s spiritual significance. From here, descend into the warmer, gentler climate of the Sacred Valley, allowing your body to acclimatise as the dramatic Andean landscapes unfold around you.
Along the way, enjoy an immersive corn-focused experience at Hacienda Sarapampa, learning about Peru’s extraordinary biodiversity and the cultural importance of maize, followed by a thoughtfully prepared four-course lunch showcasing local ingredients. Continue to the Sacred Valley and arrive at Sol y Luna, where you settle into your private casitas set amid blooming gardens and towering peaks. Days here unfold at an unhurried pace: savouring seasonal cuisine, wandering nearby trails and villages and easing into the valley’s natural rhythm, rich culture and crisp mountain air.
Exceptional Stay at Sol Y Luna
Sacred Valley from New Heights
Enjoy an exhilarating ascent up a 400-metre via ferrata, climbing securely along the cliff face as the Sacred Valley opens up beneath you in ever-widening panoramas. Reaching the summit, settle into a striking glass capsule suspended high above the valley for a truly unforgettable lunch, where locally inspired dishes are served against a backdrop of soaring Andean peaks and terraced landscapes shaped by centuries of human stewardship.
Afterwards, experience the valley from a completely different perspective as you descend via a thrilling circuit of six ziplines, gliding above rivers, fields and ancient trails. This high-adrenaline experience blends adventure with awe, offering a playful yet powerful connection to the scale, beauty and energy of the Andes.
Community & Conservation in the Sacred Valley
Visit the Sol y Luna Foundation to see how the lodge’s founders have transformed a deep commitment to community into lasting educational opportunities for local children and families. Walk through the school, meet educators and learn how inclusive programmes, ranging from early education to health and social support, are creating meaningful change for more than 200 students across the Sacred Valley. This visit offers a powerful example of how responsible tourism can directly strengthen communities and preserve cultural heritage.
Later, deepen your connection to the land through an encounter with Acción Andina, the award-winning organisation leading one of the Andes’ most ambitious ecological restoration movements. Meet the local conservation teams working to revive fragile mountain ecosystems and visit a high-altitude tree nursery, where native Polylepis seedlings are cultivated alongside food crops. This community-led approach not only restores biodiversity and watersheds but also supports local livelihoods, reviving ancient traditions of stewardship that continue to shape the Andes today.
Where Water, Land and Tradition Meet
Begin your day paddling across the tranquil waters of Huaypo Lagoon, a sacred high-altitude lake framed by sweeping views of the Urubamba and Vilcabamba mountain ranges. This peaceful experience offers a moment of reflection and connection to the natural rhythms of the Andes, followed by a relaxed lakeside lunch surrounded by open skies and mountain air.
Continue on to Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca villages, where daily life still unfolds along ancient stone streets and original water channels. Wander through the village and its impressive ruins, visit a local family to gain insight into traditions passed down through generations, and enjoy a traditional Pachamanca meal, cooked beneath the earth using ancestral techniques. In the afternoon, shift into adventure mode with an exhilarating ATV excursion through some of the region’s most striking geological landscapes, revealing the Sacred Valley from yet another unforgettable perspective.
Exceptional Stay at 1N Inkaterra Pueblo Hotel
Into the Heart of Machu Picchu
Journey through the Sacred Valley by a combination of scenic train and road, following ancient corridors that once connected the Inca world. As you approach Machu Picchu, the landscape shifts from open valley to lush cloud forest, building anticipation for your arrival at one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological sites.
During your guided visit, explore Machu Picchu’s iconic temples, ceremonial spaces and lesser-known corners, learning how the citadel was designed in harmony with its dramatic mountain setting. Take time to absorb the sweeping Andean vistas that surround the site, and, for those seeking a physical challenge, opt to climb Huayna Picchu for a breathtaking perspective over the ruins below.
In the afternoon, return to the Sacred Valley, where the pace softens. Reflect on the day’s discoveries while enjoying local flavours and the comfort of your surroundings, allowing the significance and scale of Machu Picchu to settle in before the journey continues.
Above the Clouds of the Andes
Begin your day with a private, expert-led exploration of the legendary 15th-century Inca citadel, uncovering the history, myths and extraordinary engineering that allowed Machu Picchu to thrive atop a dramatic Andean ridge. As you move through its ceremonial plazas, temples and terraces, gain deeper insight into how the site was designed in harmony with the surrounding mountains and sky.
Later, descend from the citadel and enjoy a scenic return journey to Cusco aboard the Vistadome train, where panoramic windows frame rivers, valleys and cloud forest along the way. A private transfer completes the journey, offering a comfortable and reflective end to a day immersed in one of the world’s most remarkable cultural landscapes.
Exceptional Stay at Belmond Palacio Nazarenas
Llamas, Rituals and Local Life
Walk alongside gentle llamas through the Temple of the Moon, a site long associated with Inca ritual and astronomy, as local guides share the significance of sacred huacas and the enduring Andean traditions connected to the surrounding landscape. This slow, mindful walk offers insight into the spiritual relationship between people, animals and land, culminating in a Pachamama offering that honours Mother Earth and the balance between nature and community.
Later, shift into the rhythm of everyday life in Cusco with a visit to the lively San Pedro Market, where stalls overflow with local produce, traditional foods and handmade goods. Continue to the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas, wandering its narrow lanes lined with artisan workshops, galleries and historic buildings, and gaining a deeper appreciation for the creativity and living culture that define modern Cusco.
Exceptional Stay at Tinajani
Across the Andes to Lake Titicaca
Journey from Cusco to Puno in refined comfort aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer, South America’s first luxury sleeper train, gliding through the vast Andean plains and past ancient sites that whisper of centuries of history. As the train climbs to La Raya Pass, watch the sun set over sweeping highland landscapes, painting the mountains in warm hues before retiring for the night. Awake to the soft glow of sunrise over Lake Titicaca, one of the world’s highest navigable lakes, and take in the serene waters framed by distant peaks.
Arriving in Puno, the folkloric heart of Peru, step into a vibrant tapestry of highland culture, where colourful traditions, music and artisanal crafts reflect the enduring spirit of communities shaped by the sacred lake. This introduction to the region offers both a breathtaking journey through the Andes and a meaningful connection to the people and landscapes of southern Peru.
Hiking, Heritage and High Peaks
Tinajani invites guests to immerse themselves in the wild beauty and deep cultural richness of the Colca Valley, where towering canyon walls and sweeping Andean landscapes provide a dramatic backdrop for exploration. Hike along trails that reveal the region’s unique geology and biodiversity, encounter local communities who carry forward centuries-old traditions, and witness the majestic flight of Andean condors soaring above the valley.
Between archaeological excursions that illuminate the area’s pre-Inca and Inca heritage, restorative wellness experiences designed to connect you to the natural surroundings, and photography sessions capturing the striking scenery, each day at Tinajani is thoughtfully curated to create a meaningful and immersive connection with the people, land and spirit of this remarkable Andean region.
Through the Highlands to Cusco
Travel from Tinajani to Cusco aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer, a luxurious sleeper train that offers a seamless blend of comfort, style and discovery. As the train winds through the Andean highlands, you’ll encounter expansive plains, remote villages and dramatic mountain landscapes unique to this region.
Onboard, enjoy thoughtfully designed cabins, refined service and gourmet meals that showcase local ingredients and culinary traditions. This memorable journey showcases the natural beauty of the Andes, allowing you to experience the region in a relaxed, meaningful and immersive way.
Our purpose
Journeys With Purpose engage guests with the world’s most ambitious and exciting conservation projects across our seven continents. We believe travel can be a powerful force for learning, for expanding horizons and shifting perspectives on the magic and wonder of our natural world.
Our journeys invite you to step outside of your daily ecosystem and engage with new cultures, environments and people in the world’s wildest corners. At this moment in history, we are placing unprecedented pressure on the planet and wildlife, communities and nature is under threat. True wilderness is increasingly rare, yet there are remarkable examples of nature rebounding, and flourishing.
These conservation successes showcase the resilience of our natural world, and our journeys serve to spotlight, and support, these projects. Whether on a safari, diving trip or mountain expedition, by travelling with JWP you contribute to our mission: to conserve and restore 30 million acres of land and 30 million acres of seas by 2030. We are proud members of 1% for the Planet, through which we donate 1% of our annual revenue to grass-root initiatives.
Journeys With Purpose is also a member of The Long Run, a Conde Nast Traveller specialist travel agency, and a Certified B Corp, awarded “Best for the World: Environment 2022”.
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WHY TRAVEL WITH JOURNEYS WITH PURPOSE
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The planning process
Each journey is thoughtfully crafted by our specialists to your preferences, to offer a profound connection with the natural world, inviting you to slow down, immerse and reconnect.
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Travel With
Purpose
From arrival to return, every detail is taken care of. You’ll travel responsibly, connect deeply and come home part of a story much bigger than your own.
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