Premium: The Ultimate Adventure in Peru's Sacred Valley

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Peruvian cuisine is one of the most diverse in South America, shaped by a remarkable geography that spans coastal fisheries, Andean highlands and Amazonian jun…Peruvian cuisine is one of the most diverse in South America, shaped by a remarkable geography that spans coastal fisheries, Andean highlands and Amazonian jungle, alongside centuries of influence from Indigenous, Spanish, African, Japanese and Chinese communities. The result is a varied and ingredient-rich food culture, where fresh produce, seafood, grains and tubers feature prominently across different regions. Most travellers with dietary requirements will find Peru relatively accommodating, as the breadth of the cuisine means plant-based, gluten-free and pescatarian options are commonly available. It helps to communicate requirements clearly in advance, and your guide will be well placed to assist with this throughout the trip.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian -Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Peruvian vegetarian dishes rely heavily on native Andean ingredients like quinoa, potatoes, corn, and yellow chilies.

Vegan -Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Kosher -Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. The Host is unable to guarantee a separate, certified cooking/preparation area or the use of certified kosher products. They can, however, provide meals that exclude non-Kosher ingredients (such as pork and shellfish) and avoid mixing meat and dairy. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal -Certified Halal supply varies by location and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) -Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Please do consider bringing your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free -Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. Many traditional dishes are naturally lactose-free or can easily be prepared without dairy, such as grilled meats, rice and vegetable dishes.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip.

This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Clean drinking water will be regularly provided for you to refill your water bottle. To help reduce plastic waste, we recommend bringing your own reusable bottle and topping it up throughout the trip. If you’re concerned about the water quality, you’re welcome to bring additional water purification tablets.

The 5-star hotels on this trip offer a high standard of comfort, with heating, 24-hour hot and cold water, welcoming communal areas and a bar. You’ll also stay in some characterful properties that make the most of their surroundings, from colonial buildings in Cusco to mountain and cloud forest retreats. Facilities vary between properties, so while some have a pool or air-conditioning, these aren’t standard across every hotel.

Entry to the Inca Trail (including the KM104 trek) and Machu Picchu is strictly controlled through a permit system operated by the Peruvian authorities. All visitors need an entrance ticket specifying both an entry time and a designated circuit (route) through the Machu Picchu site. Your KM104 permit and Machu Picchu entrance are included in the trip price, and your local host will purchase them on your behalf using the passport details you provide at booking. Providing these details promptly and accurately is essential to securing your entrance to Machu Picchu.

There are three main circuits at Machu Picchu, divided into 10 routes. Entry tickets are released in limited numbers for specific circuits and hourly time slots throughout the day. Although thousands of visitors enter Machu Picchu daily, availability is spread across multiple circuits, routes and entry times, so individual ticket allocations can sell out quickly.

Your host will always aim to secure the best available route for the whole group at the same time, but permits can sell out months in advance. If your preferred option is no longer available when you confirm your trip, your host will secure the best available alternative.

Please make sure your personal details are complete and exactly as they appear in your passport when you book. If your details are incomplete or incorrect, your host may not be able to secure the best available circuit and entry time. Please also note that your group may be divided into two smaller groups for your visit.

Because permit availability changes rapidly, we cannot guarantee a specific circuit, route or entry time.

We recommend booking your trip at least 6-8 months in advance. KM104 permits go on sale in October of the previous year and Machu Picchu entrances are usually released in January. Popular entry slots sell out within days of going on sale. Tickets are secured with your passport details, which you must show at entry. Once booked, these tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Therefore, it is important we receive your passport details as soon as possible to secure a ticket and that you travel with the Passport provided.

If you have any questions about permits before booking, please don't hesitate to contact our support team.

The one-day Inca Trail hike begins at KM104, known locally as Chachabamba. The name refers to the distance along the railway line from Cusco. From here, the trail climbs to the Wiñay Wayna ruins before contouring along the hillside, passing through the Sun Gate and eventually arriving at Machu Picchu. This final section of the Inca Trail is generally quieter than the main route and Machu Picchu itself.

The hike isn’t technically challenging and should be manageable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Over the course of the day, you’ll tackle a total ascent of 550m and descent of 250m.

You’ll need a permit to hike KM104, which your host will arrange and is included in your booking. There are 250 permits available each day, helping to keep the groups on the trail relatively small. Arriving at Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate is a real highlight. You’ll join plenty of other visitors once you reach the site, but there’s something pretty special about seeing the ancient citadel appear after a day on the trail. And after all those steps, that first view makes the effort feel more than worthwhile.

Your local host will handle the booking of your Machu Picchu permits (opens in new tab) using the passport details you provide. Please provide your full name, nationality, passport number and date of birth when you book, or as soon as possible afterwards. These details are required to book your permits once they are released by Peru’s Ministry of Culture, and dedicated entry times and circuits can sell out quickly. Once issued, permits are non-refundable and non-transferable. You’ll need to travel with the same passport you booked with. If your passport changes after booking, let your local host know and bring your original passport with you for entry.

For each person on this trip, a $99 contribution to the Positive Impact Fund will go directly towards the following:

1. Fully offsetting the carbon footprint of your time in Peru, via a carbon sink project in Manu National Park run by Regenera Peru

2. Planting a guaranteed minimum of two native queuña polyepolis trees per person, per day, in the high Andes — helping to protect vital water sources, support hundreds of local farming jobs and regenerate the land

3. Supporting initiatives like Green Hero Peru, which provide sustainability education for up to 3,000 children each year, run clean-ups along riverbanks and public spaces, and aim to establish a new container library annually in a local community

Whilst kayaking on the Vilcanota River, you’ll use inflatable kayaks that are suitable for beginners. Depending on your group, you’ll paddle in either a single or double kayak, with a full safety briefing from your guide before you set off. There is a weight limit of 100–120kg (220–265lbs) per person, depending on the kayak type. If you’re concerned about the weight limit, please contact your host in advance so they can make sure the appropriate kayak is available for you.

For your day of e-biking in the Sacred Valley, you’ll use a Haibike S’Duro Full Seven e-bike (or similar) – a high-performance, aluminium-framed, full-suspension bike designed for a variety of terrain, from smooth roads to trails. The bikes are equipped with a Bosch Performance Line CX motor for extra power on climbs and descents, plus a Bosch lithium-ion 36V (500Wh) battery for longer rides. Each bike also has a mounted LCD display showing your speed, distance and battery level.

Before your trip, your host will ask for your height so they can provide the correct frame size. The e-bike fleet includes extra-small to extra-large frames, making it suitable for a range of abilities and fitness levels. There is a weight limit of 120kg (265lbs) and a minimum height of 1.40m (4ft 7in).

Throughout your trip, your local guide will take care of the major logistics. Occasionally, activities may need to change slightly due to circumstances beyond their control, such as the weather, but they’ll always do their best to arrange a suitable alternative.

You will have a tour leader for the duration of your trip and there will be additional activity guides for most activities. For e-biking and watersports, there will be 1 guide for every 5 customers and there will also be 1 porter for every 8 customers on the KM104 hike, who carries the lunch, first aid kit and oxygen. You will also have a cook and driver on some days.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with (opens in new tab). You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website (opens in new tab), where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information (opens in new tab) and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values (opens in new tab) – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here (opens in new tab) for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

The one thing you can say for sure about the weather in Peru is that it’s difficult to predict. You can have beautifully clear, hot days in the middle of the wet season and hailstorms in the dry season. In the Andes, there are two distinct seasons – wet and dry. This trip takes place in the dry season, from April to October, when you can expect clear skies and sunny days, with daytime temperatures of around 18–25ºC (65–77ºF). Nights tend to be colder, and temperatures can drop significantly, so it’s advisable to bring layers.