The Andes and the Coast

Arrive in Lima, where Peru’s capital stretches along the Pacific beneath the cliffs of the Costa Verde. Settle into your hotel and ease into the journey at a relaxed pace, perhaps beginning with your first taste of the city’s celebrated culinary scene. Lima sets the stage for the contrasts ahead, combining colonial architecture, sophisticated neighbourhoods and a remarkable pre-Hispanic heritage before the journey climbs into the Andes.

Explore Lima’s remarkable cultural range, beginning with the Museum of Contemporary Art before turning further back in time at the Larco Museum. Its collection reveals the sophistication and artistry of Peru’s pre-Columbian civilisations through ceramics, textiles and precious objects spanning thousands of years. Between visits, immerse yourself in the capital’s celebrated gastronomy, where ceviche and pisco provide a distinctly Peruvian complement to a day devoted to the country’s artistic heritage.

Leave the coast behind and journey into the Sacred Valley, where the Urubamba River winds beneath immense Andean peaks. Ancient agricultural landscapes, traditional communities and formidable Inca sites reveal how deeply the valley’s history remains embedded in the land. Visit a local workshop to see how llama, alpaca and vicuña fibres are transformed into finely woven textiles, gaining insight into techniques that continue to connect contemporary Andean life with generations of craftsmanship.

Venture deeper into the Sacred Valley, where remote settlements cling to steep Andean slopes and agricultural terraces demonstrate techniques refined over centuries. Continue to Moray, an extraordinary complex of concentric terraces descending into the earth. Their scale and precision provide another perspective on the ingenuity of Inca civilisation, while the surrounding mountains create a spectacular setting for a day focused on the relationship between people, agriculture and altitude in the Peruvian Andes.

Continue through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where monumental terraces rise dramatically above one of the Andes’ best-preserved Inca settlements. From here, travel deeper into the mountains towards Machu Picchu, the extraordinary citadel concealed among cloud-forest peaks. Explore its stone structures, terraces and mountain setting with an expert guide, uncovering the engineering and mystery that have made this UNESCO-listed site one of South America’s defining archaeological treasures.

Continue to Cusco, set high in the Andes within the Huatanay Valley. Once conceived by the Incas in the form of a puma, the city remains layered with evidence of its imperial past. Above Cusco, explore Sacsayhuamán, where enormous stone blocks were fitted together with extraordinary precision. Back in the city, centuries of Inca and Spanish influence overlap in plazas, streets and buildings, creating one of South America’s most compelling historic centres.

Spend another day exploring Cusco’s rich architectural and cultural layers. Wander through San Blas, where colonial streets lead past artisan workshops and intimate restaurants, before discovering remnants of Inca temples alongside Spanish churches built after the conquest. At more than 11,000 feet above sea level, Cusco remains deeply connected to its Andean identity, with traditional craftsmanship and dress providing a living counterpoint to its monumental archaeological and colonial heritage.

Bid farewell to Peru and continue to Bogotá, Colombia’s high-altitude capital. Set approximately 8,500 feet above sea level, the city combines a cool mountain climate with an energetic cultural scene of markets, historic neighbourhoods and internationally renowned museums. Settle into your surroundings and enjoy an introduction to the Colombian Andes, beginning the second half of a journey that now shifts from Peru’s Inca heritage towards Colombia’s art, history, coffee culture and Caribbean coast.

Begin among the colour and energy of Paloquemao Market, where flowers, fruit and local produce offer an introduction to Colombia’s extraordinary biodiversity. Continue through La Candelaria, Bogotá’s atmospheric historic quarter, before visiting the Botero Museum and celebrated Gold Museum. Here, an exceptional collection of pre-Hispanic goldwork reveals the craftsmanship and symbolism surrounding the precious metal long before European arrival, bringing another dimension to Colombia’s complex cultural history.

Look beyond Bogotá’s colonial heritage to explore the events that have shaped modern Colombia. With a local expert, examine the significance of the 2016 Peace Agreement and the country’s ongoing process of reckoning with decades of conflict. Visit Fragmentos, artist Doris Salcedo’s powerful memorial and art space, whose floor incorporates metal from weapons surrendered as part of the peace process. The experience offers a thoughtful and contemporary perspective on Colombia’s history and social transformation.

Continue to Colombia’s celebrated Coffee Triangle, where volcanic soils, tropical vegetation and rolling mountain terrain create ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. Visit an estate near Armenia to follow the journey from plant to cup, discovering the care involved in growing, harvesting and processing some of the country’s most prized beans. A guided tasting reveals how altitude, soil and production methods influence flavour, while the surrounding landscape offers an idyllic introduction to rural Colombia.

Explore the magnificent Cocora Valley, where Colombia’s towering wax palms rise dramatically from vivid green hills. Continue through the Coffee Triangle to Salento, known for its colourful façades and artisan traditions, before discovering Filandia, where beautifully preserved architecture reflects the region’s cultural heritage. Together, the valley and mountain towns reveal why Colombia’s coffee-growing landscapes are valued not only for their produce but also for their distinctive scenery, traditions and sense of place.

Leave Colombia’s verdant interior and continue to Cartagena, where pastel façades, flower-filled balconies and fortified walls meet the Caribbean Sea. Spend time settling into the atmosphere of the historic city before taking to the water as evening approaches. From Cartagena Bay, watch sunset illuminate the old city and its fortifications, offering an elegant first perspective on one of Latin America’s most celebrated colonial ports.

Explore Cartagena on foot, beginning with the imposing Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, an extraordinary example of Spanish colonial military engineering. Continue through the historic centre to San Pedro Claver, uncovering more of the city’s complex colonial past before turning to one of Cartagena’s most vibrant contemporary traditions. Join a local dance experience to learn the foundations of salsa alongside rhythms such as merengue, reggaeton and bachata, ending the journey immersed in the energy of Colombia’s Caribbean culture.

Enjoy a final morning in Cartagena before transferring for your onward journey. Your adventure concludes after travelling from Peru’s Pacific capital through the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco, then crossing into Colombia for Bogotá, the Coffee Triangle and Cartagena. Over fifteen days, the route links two of South America’s great cultural landscapes, moving from Inca citadels and Andean valleys to coffee-covered hills and the warmth of the Caribbean coast.