Exploring Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Travel Concierge’s Adventure in Peru with Explora.
One trip. Two women. One goal: To experience Peru with Explora on behalf of our Travel Concierge clients.
Why? To test out a new adventure-meets-luxury supplier—along with other travel experts from the Cadence crew—all of whom would be participating in a week-long trip to Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Designed for active travelers, the itinerary would include stops at the Maras Salt Mines, Moray’s agricultural terraces, Pisac and Chinchero’s traditional villages, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq’s Incan sites, and of course Machu Picchu’s historic sanctuary.
For an even deeper experience, guests could arrive two days early to tack on memory-making-moments in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. With “adventure” as their middle names, our very own Lana Herzan, Client Experience Director—along with Kathi Myers Couch, Client Experience Designer—raised their hands for the Peruvian assignment.
Understandably so. Explora has a reputation for one-of-a-kind immersion experiences to remote territories. In addition to Peru’s Sacred Valley, Explora offers in-depth adventures to Patagonia, Easter Island, Atacama Desert and Altiplano, and other nature-driven destinations in Argentina and Chile. What makes the Peruvian experience so remarkable is, well, according to Lana “pretty much everything.”
In this all-inclusive experience, “everything” was the key word.
Spa facilities, national parks, airport transfers, accommodations, explorations, guides, beverages, and meals are all part of the package. The last inclusion, however, is somewhat of an understatement.
Every dish at Explora’s Lodge is crafted by Chef Virgilio Martínez, owner of “Central”, named the best restaurant in the world according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.
Helping put him on the global map was “Virgilio,” an inspirational Netflix documentary about the chef’s life-changing expedition across Peru. Utilizing Andean ingredients, Martínez’s culinary journey is ultimately what had Lana booking her flight to Peru. Well, that and his other masterpiece, “MIL,” a food lab and interpretation center that has lured foodies from afar.
With gastronomy as a travel priority, Lana had done her research, making MIL a stop on her two-day Peruvian kickoff, along with wandering countless miles throughout the city. Before soaking in the sites with her eyes, she had already absorbed a great deal with her mind by reading Peruvian history books before the trip.
That’s the Travel Concierge way, she explains.
“Just learning and experiencing,” says Lana. “That’s how I like to travel, with no expectations, but plenty of surprises along the way.”
During this two-day acclimating phase, she also made it a priority to meld with the culture. At 11,152 feet above sea level, Peru is home to coca, a plant high in vitamins B and C that stabilize blood sugar, relax muscles, and improve circulation. And so, Lana modeled the local lifestyle in Cusco by drinking coca tea, known to help ease altitude symptoms.
Arriving from Northern California, she soon met up with Kathi, who flew in from Florida. While adventure was on the agenda, budget lodging certainly was not.
As a backpacker’s paradise, Cusco is often associated with buses and budgets, but in true Travel Concierge style, the Belmond Monasterio extinguished that reputation with its bespoke luxury hotel. In the heart of the city, the former 16th-century monastery is now a timeless retreat of opulent design, Baroque architecture, and Peruvian gastronomy.
After two days at Monasterio, Lana and Kathi joined the Cadeance crew in Sacred Valley. Their home for the next week was Explora’s Sacred Valley Lodge, an 80-acre estate nestled between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Award-winning architecture and spa facilities rounded out the accommodations, with over 40 guided activities to boot.
Hiking, biking, climbing, and overland explorations were on the daily menu that included full-day and half-day options to four zones within the Andean territory. Tour groups of a maximum eight travelers were led by certified, bilingual guides from Explora. The fact that they “all looked like REI models,” was a bonus, says Lana.
“The guides really made the destination come alive,” she explains.
“From their vibrant personalities to their knowledge of history, the guides really inspired us to maximize every moment of the trip.”
As advocates for conservation, guides also consider the Sacred Valley their “home.” Locals themselves, their relationships with the community allows for rich interaction with villagers, as Lana discovered during one tour that took her into an Inca home. Inside was a woman cooking over a hot stove, while over 50 guineapigs scampered across the kitchen floor. A traditional part of the Andean diet, guinea pigs are served roasted or fried on special occasions, and are considered signs of abundance and good fortune.
“It was such a different way of life,” says Lana. “Some of my favorite memories were the llamas that greeted me during daily hikes, the little girls who sang songs in exchange for the chocolate candy in my pockets, and the creamy-custard sweetness of the cherimoya fruit I sampled at the market.”
By day, Lana and Kathi packed in the activities—participating in as many as three tours in one day—to maximize their time with Explora. By night, they gathered around the table back at Explora’s Lodge for gourmet meals.
“Having the Sacred Valley as our base was only possible because of Explora,” explains Lana. “The location was enchanting, magical, and full of color that somehow changed—and grew more beautiful—every day.”
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