This unusual private tour of Peru explores the Inca heartland in the Andes, and includes attractions in and around Cusco and Lake Titicaca. Fly up to the Andes from Lima and stay in historic Cusco, the former Inca capital and a treasure trove of Inca stonework and colonial architecture. Continue by road into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. 

Next is a rail journey alongside the tempestuous Urubamba river through a narrow gorge leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, set on a mountain saddle above the valley. Finally travel to shimmering Lake Titicaca on the altiplano, visiting islands and local communities as well as the ruined artefacts of a long-gone pre-Columbian civilisation.

What makes this holiday special is its community focus: you are staying at two hotels set up to support a street children’s charity established by a Dutchwoman, you visit indigenous communities on the Uros and Taquile Islands of Lake Titicaca and stay with a local family on the shores of the lake. This gives you the opportunity to engage with local people and learn about their lifestyle at first hand.