Peru and Colombia are two of the most compelling countries in Latin America, with dramatic histories and an embarrassment of World Heritage-listed riches, from Machu Picchu and Cusco to the Coffee Triangle and Cartagena. Travel over the mighty Andes on an epic journey from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean coast, staying in the most talked-about hotels and guided by A&K experts throughout. Unearth the treasures of pre-Hispanic and Colonial-era Peru and Colombia and discover the highlights of their most dynamic cities: the world-class fusion cuisine of Lima, the contemporary art of Bogotá, the heady rhythms of Cartagena.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Indulge in delicious ceviche and pisco sours in Lima, the gastronomic capital of the Americas
- Feed alpacas and watch as their famously soft wool is woven into textiles in the beautiful Sacred Valley
- Unravel the mysteries of Machu Picchu, as mist drifts over the ancient stones and emerald terraces
- Explore the heritage of the ancient Incan capital of Cusco, over 11,000ft up in the Andes
- Gaze on 34,000 pieces of golden artefacts at Bogotá’s Museum of Gold to discover how the precious metal has shaped the country
- Sip world-beating coffee amid views of lush farms and towering wax palms in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle
- Soak up the sultry atmosphere of Cartagena and learn to salsa in its sultry bars
The Jewel of the Caribbean
Cartagena, Colombia
Exuberant, colorful, tropical and beautiful, Cartagena is widely regarded as Colombia's crowning destination. Visit its colonial walled city and walk its picturesque streets and plazas. Not to be missed are the imposing Castle San Felipe Barajas, a masterpiece of Spanish colonial military engineering built to defend the city from pirate attacks, and the imposing church of San Pedro Claver with its fine collection of stained-glass windows.
EXPERIENCES:
Sail across the bay at sunset, looking back at the fortress walls, and master the rhythms of salsa, merengue, reggaeton and bachata at a local dance academy.
Coffee beans and wax palms
Eje Cafetero, Colombia
The quality of the beans grown in central Colombia’s volcanic-rich soil is not the only reason people flock to the Coffee Triangle: the landscapes are also astonishingly beautiful in their own right. Don’t miss the Cocora Valley, a dreamlike cloud forest swaying with the tallest wax palms in the world.
EXPERIENCES:
After an immersive visit and tasting at a coffee estate in Armenia, walk through the majestic Cocora Valley with a guide, and wander through the colorful town of Salento.
Iconic art and historic architecture in Colombia’s lofty capital
Bogota, Colombia
Set more than 8,500ft above sea level, Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, is a modern metropolis that benefits from a year-round spring-like climate. Stroll the lively Paloquemao market and sample local delicacies at its food stalls. Explore La Candelaria, the oldest part of Bogotá, with its colonial-era architecture. Visit the Botero Museum to view works by acclaimed Colombian artist Fernando Botero, alongside pieces by Picasso, Renoir and Monet. The fascinating Gold Museum, which boasts 34,000 pre-Hispanic artefacts, is also not to be missed.
EXPERIENCES:
On a tour of the city tailored to your interests, understand the process that led to peace on a walk that takes in Fragmentos, an installation by native artist Doris Salcedo featuring a floor made from melted rifles.
A historical city in the sky and the gateway to Machu Picchu
Cusco, Peru
Built in the shape of a puma by the Incas, Cusco stretches like a slumbering feline along the Huatanay valley. Far from sleepy, spirited cevicherias in San Blas, a UNESCO-protected historical quarter and steep cobbled streets make the gateway to Machu Pichu a worthy warm-up to the main event. Perched in the Andes at 11,200ft above sea level, you’ll find remnants of Inca temples dedicated to the worship of the sun and 16th-century Spanish colonial churches, plus locals adorned in traditional attire that showcase the craftsmanship of Andean culture.
EXPERIENCES:
Tour the cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and the impressive Santo Domingo Temple, built over the Incan Koricancha, or Temple of the Sun.
Peru’s most iconic landmark, the Lost City of the Incas
Machu Picchu, Peru
No amount of visitors can detract from the mystery and magic of the Incas' great 15th-century citadel in the mountains – particularly when the terraced plateau and the peaks at either end are wreathed in cloud from the surrounding rainforest. Getting to Machu Picchu involves the four-day, 27-mile Inca Trail hike at around 13,830ft above sea level, followed by a tough 90-minute climb up a 2,00ft-high mountain; or the somewhat easier option: in five-star luxury aboard Belmond's Hiram Bingham train from Cusco. Either way is worth it to marvel at Incan engineering and the view from the Sun Gate, which aligns with the sunrise at the summer solstice.
EXPERIENCES:
Explore the ruins without the crowds in the early morning and late evening, discovering the significance of the site with an expert guide and soaking up its special energy on your own.
Woven textiles and traditional farming in a verdant Incan valley
Sacred Valley, Peru
Shaped by the mighty Urubamba River, the Sacred Valley is a peaceful patchwork of fertile farmland and ancient communities that continue to survive on time-honored farming practices and handicrafts. It’s packed with beautiful and exhilarating trekking routes, as well as the Incan citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo.
EXPERIENCES:
Visit the Sulca Textiles Museum in the company of an expert A&K guide where the wool from llamas, alpacas and other camelids is deftly woven into textiles. Guests can also visit the Children of the Rainbow School, where at-risk children are given a head-start, supported by A&K Philanthropy.
Peru’s coastal capital where surf, ceviche and pisco sours are only the beginning
Lima, Peru
With 80 miles of coastline and virtually no rain, Lima’s unique position on Peru’s Costa Verde means the capital is spritzed in salt and soaked in sunshine. The 18th-century haciendas, baroque stonework and colonial architecture are upstaged by the country’s pre-Columbian history on display at museums like Pueblo Libre’s Larco. Surfboards are strapped to mopeds that dip between the mansions of Miraflores, whilst pisco sours are shaken to the beat of peñas in Barranco. Lima's much-starred restaurant scene is so effervescent that the city is widely acknowledged as the culinary capital of Latin America, and shows no signs of dimming; the city has more than 16,000 cevicherias (UNESCO has declared Peru's staple dish one of Intangible Cultural Heritage), while chefs like Virgilio Martínez and Pedro Schiaffino are innovating with indigenous ingredients from Andean tomatoes to Amazonian river snails.
EXPERIENCES:
Dig into the city’s rich cultural history with guided tours of the Museum of Contemporary Art and comprehensive Larco Museum, home to a private collection of pre-Columbian artefacts.