Full-Day in Maras, Moray and Chincheros Including Lunch

My husband and I wanted to learn more about potatoes while we were in Peru, the numerous varieties and the traditional cooking methods. I reached out to Cultural Immersion to see if they could help put something more unique together. They prepared such a fabulous day. We had an excellent guide who had interesting facts and stories and spoke great English, a private driver in a comfortable van, and an excellent itinerary that fit exactly what we were looking for. We visited the salt ponds of Maras, then drove to the stunning Villa Maras for our cooking demonstration, the chef showing us how to use the Pachamanca and the Huatia, two different kinds of natural ovens using river stones or mud bricks. While lunch was cooking, we toured the Incan ruins of Moray. We returned for a fabulous, huge lunch of our cooked potatoes, vegetables, meats and even dessert, all overlooking the beautiful views of the Andean mountains and Sacred Valley. The whole tour exceeded our expectations - everything was well planned and executed, we ate great food and learned a lot. I cannot recommend this company enough!

Knowledgeable guide, well timed itinerary and logistics, amazing culinary adventure. I am passionate about potatoes and asked for a custom itinerary focused on them and boy did they deliver. The itinerary seemed to be a normal one for them but the guide was clearly aware of my interest and discussed in detail how each site related to potatoes. Even questions that I thought were unrelated to my main topic (ie how many people live in a town) would be answered with a potato related fact (number of farmers and where they are in the 7 year crop rotation schedule.) I doubt many readers will be interested in the same topic but it showed me how they’re able to take an interest and deliver an impressive program. Lunch at their lodge in the Sacred Valley was sublime. We participated in constructing the two stone ovens and got great views and service once they were ready, after touring.

Fabulous tour. Carlos our guide brought us to local market where several different families exhibited their wares and showed us how the weaving and dying were done. Very interesting. Also had an encounter with a llama who was none too happy meeting our acquaintance and decided to show his displeasure ...yes, by spitting in our face. All for a good laugh. The visits to the sites was truly amazing. The concentric terraces of Moray, the salt mines of Moray and the Church in Chincheros. The lunch at Tiempo de Viaje Rafeon was delicious and well beyond our expectations. Carlos added the history and local color to the sites and the tour was well worth the money