A land of treasures archeological, cultural, and natural, Peru draws those eager to learn about the distant past—and encounter a fascinating present of colonial and indigenous influences. This is a small group trip of not more than 25 people.

 

Begin in the Peruvian capital Lima with a city tour and visit to the Larco Herrera Museum, and then fly to Cuzco, the archaeological hub of the Americas. Acclimate to the high altitude as you tour Cuzco, the beautiful Sacred Valley, the Indian market at Pisac, and the extensive ruins at Ollantaytambo. Board the train for Machu Picchu—the stunning "Lost City of the Incas" and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stay overnight and take advantage of prime viewing opportunities before the crowds arrive. Travel overland through Peru's rugged altiplano with its snow-capped mountains and remote villages to Lake Titicaca, one of the world's highest navigable lakes. Enjoy a boat ride to the Floating Islands and Taquile Island, known for the superb locally crafted textiles. A five-day/four-night post-tour option to the Amazon Rainforest is available for those wishing to discover its extraordinary flora, fauna, and villages.

Day 1: Depart Miami at midnight on your overnight Lan Peru flight to Lima.

Day 2: Enjoy lunch at the hotel before heading out to discover the treasures of this historic capital city—the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum with its acclaimed collection of erotic pre-Columbian pots, the bustling Plaza de Armas, the Government Palace, the San Francisco Church with its famous catacombs, and the 16th-century Santo Domingo Church. Enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

Day 3: After a morning flight to Cuzco, enjoy lunch before continuing north into the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Valle Sagrado de los Incas) and the town of Pisac, the largest fortress-city complex of the Incas. Stop at a colorful Quechua market set amid the mountains and arrive at your hotel mid-afternoon; there's time to rest and relax before an "Offering to the Earth" ceremony.

Day 4: Embark on an exploration of the Sacred Valley, a beautiful and historic region with agricultural terraces virtually sculpted from the mountainsides. Visit a farming village where natives live much as their ancestors did, then continue on to a colonial village known for its saltpans developed by the Inca and still in use today. View the circular terraces of Moray. After lunch at a local restaurant, tour the massive ruins at Ollantaytambo, where work mysteriously halted centuries ago.

Day 5: Take a train to Aguas Calientes, then a 20-minute bus ride to Machu Picchu, the fabled "Lost City of the Incas," perched in a high saddle surrounded by Andean peaks. This UNESCO World Heritage Site encompasses five square miles of terraced stonework linked by 3,000 steps. Lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge overlooking the ruins, then return to Aguas Calientes and spend the afternoon relaxing or exploring.

Day 6: Before the tourist-filled buses arrive from Cuzco, take a second guided tour of the ruins, with time to admire the play of early morning shadows on the surrounding peaks. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch—and perhaps to buy woven blankets or alpaca sweaters—then board a mid-afternoon train for Cuzco.

Day 7: The Inca Empire's former capital and the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city, Cuzco bears the marks of its mixed Spanish-Inca heritage. Visit the grand Plaza de Armas, the main square, surrounded by arcades and lovely houses with ornate carved-wood balconies and terra cotta roofs, and the 16th-century Cathedral boasting gold- and silver-plated altars and famous paintings. Visit the Church of Santo Domingo, then head to Sacsayhuamán, the impressive Inca ruins whose ramparts are made of massive, precisely fitted boulders, some 33 feet high. Lunch with local Cuzco families in their homes, and enjoy the afternoon at leisure to wander through Cuzco's craft stalls. Tonight is free to dine where you wish and perhaps take in Cuzco's nightlife.

Day 8: Depart for Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. As you travel through the rugged snow-capped Andes dotted with small villages and herds of llama and alpacas, stop along the way at the ruins of the Incan holy site Raqchi; La Raya, perched on Peru's altiplano (high plane) and home to the Llama and Alpaca Research Center; and the ceramics center of Pucara. After reaching your hotel on the shores of Esteves Island, go into town for dinner on your own and perhaps see some of the traditional dances for which this area is well known. Puno is one of Peru's best places to buy woolens and alpaca sweaters.

Day 9: Spend the day exploring the fascinating life of Lake Titicaca, South America's largest lake. By boat, visit the Floating Island of Los Uros, where the top-hatted Uros people live on "islands" made of the reeds that grow in the lake's shallows. Visit Isla Taquile, known for the high quality textiles crafted by the Taquilenos. Witness the breathtaking natural beauty of Bolivia's snow-capped Cordillera range as a backdrop to the deep blue of Lake Titicaca.

Day 10: Visit the mysterious stone burial towers (chullpas) at Sillustani, overlooking Lake Umayo, then transfer to the airport for your afternoon flight to Lima. Celebrate your Peruvian adventure at a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 11: Depart for the airport and your flight to Miami.

Faculty Guide: Mark H. C. Bessire, director of the Bates College Museum of Art and a lecturer in the humanities, will accompany the trip. He is currently developing exhibitions funded by the museum's Synergy fund, which is designated for projects combining interdisciplinary research and programming across the liberal arts. His current projects include Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale, Green Horizons, and a Chinese photography exhibition to coincide with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. His publications include Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale, William Pope.L: The Friendliest Black Artist in America, Wenda Gu: Art From Middle Kingdom to Biological Millennium, and Beyond Decorum: The Photography of Iké Udé. He holds a B.A. from New York University, an M.A. from Hunter College, and an M.B.A. from Columbia University, and he was a Helena Rubinstein Fellow at the Whitney Museum of American Art and a Fulbright Fellow in Tanzania.