Best of Peru

Beholding the Incan city of Machu Picchu brings back all the tongue-tied, butterflies-in-belly feelings of a school-kid crush. The new 13-day itinerary from Ker & Downey follows the classic whirlwind tour and combines sacred archeological sites with a plush Amazon trip that can only intensify the infatuation. Travelers spend two days exploring Lake Titicaca (southeast of Machu Picchu) by kayak, horseback, and four-by-four. After a visit to Cuzco and the nearby Sacred Valley, it's all aboard the Orient Express Hiram Bingham for a two-hour trip to Machu Picchu. Instead of plodding along the Inca Trail like soldier ants, guests bliss out on brunch while listening to the train's clickety-clack. An afternoon arrival just outside the Lost Citadel allows time to dip into your plunge pool at the Inkaterra Hotel, home for one night, before heading up to the site and scouting for the best sunset spots. The trip wraps up with four days along the Amazon River aboard a 130-foot-long luxury vessel with 12 suites. Guests drift along, spotting marmoset monkeys, purple piranhas, and pink dolphins.

Departures: All year

Price: $8,821, including lodging, meals, guides, and some travel within Peru; originates in Lima

Ker & Downey
Tel: 800 423 4236 (toll-free)
Tel: 281 371 2500