The top sights of Peru

Day 1: Arriving in Lima, you will be driven to your small, colonial-style hotel, the Castellana, in the modern residential district of Miraflores.  Restaurants, boutiques, and the Pacific coast are within walking distance (or a short taxi ride).

Day 2: At leisure in Lima.  You can pre-book a city tour or explore yourselves the atmospheric colonial centre, with monumental architectural masterpieces such as the cathedral and Presidential Palace, and narrow streets lined with mansions featuring ornate wooden balconies. Breakfast included.

Day 3: Fly to Arequipa where your hotel is the family-run and very friendly La Casa de Mi Abuela, set in sunny gardens with a pool, a few blocks walk from the beautiful main plaza. Breakfast included.

Day 4: This compact colonial city of gleaming pearl-white churches, mansions and family homes, and flowery colonnaded squares sits in an oasis at the foot of the volcano el Misti, with a sparkly river running through it. It is easy to explore on foot, with museums, religious buildings and markets not far from the centre. Don’t miss a visit to Santa Catalina Convent (English guides available at the door), a village-within-a-city with tranquil tiny patios and alleyways enlivened with fountains and colourful plants. Breakfast included.

Day 5: Fly to Juliaca on the shores of Lake Titicaca, high on the Andean plateau. Drive to Puno,  lively port and University town, and your central hotel, the Sillustani. Breakfast included.

Day 6: Take a boat trip out on the gleaming Lake and visit the reed islands of the Uros Indians. Everything is made from reeds - houses, tools, ornaments and artesania. You can even eat them. Breakfast included.

Day 7: Travel by comfortable coach to Cusco. The route is scenically stunning, and there are stops at cultural sites such as the Temple to Viracocha at Racqchi and the baroque church at Andahuaylillas.  Your hotel, the centrally-located San Agustin Internacional, is conveniently located for sight-seeing. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 8: A full-day guided trip out into the gorgeous countryside surrounding the city. The Sacred Valley is peppered with the vestiges of the Inca culture, with the temple-fortress at Ollantaytambo possibly the most impressive.  You’ll also visit the celebrated indigenous market at Pisac, a little town dating back to the time of the Spanish domination of the country. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 9: It is easy for you to explore the treasure trove which is Cusco on your own, as all the major sites are close to your hotel; or guided tours are available. The Inca heritage breathes through its precision masonry and temples, alongside colonial churches and cathedrals - both austere and ornate -  and you can enjoy the bustle of modern-day markets. Breakfast included.

Day 10: The big highlight, a full-day excursion by train to Machu Picchu, the ruined citadel which sits astride a mountain swathed in sub-tropical forest on the way down to the Amazon jungle.  Voted one of the modern world’s seven wonders, this extraordinary spectacle never disappoints.  Overnight at the Inti Inn in the village nearby. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 11: Return to Cusco and your hotel by train through the Urubamba gorge, with views of vertical cliffs and the tumbling river. Breakfast included.

Day 12: A further day at leisure to explore and enjoy the many excellent cafés, bars and innovative restaurants. You might walk up to the temple fortress of Sacsayhuamán, or take a tour there which will also include visits to three other neighbouring Inca sites. Venture further afield by booking an excusion to the colonial village of Maras and the Inca site of Moray on the high plains, or go on an optional guided walk or bike ride.  Breakfast included.

Day 13: Fly to Lima airport for your flight home. Breakfast included.