On both our Machu Picchu routes, Tomocaya and Inca, you'll enjoy a combination of hotels and tents throughout the trip.

On arrival into Peru, your first nights accommodation will be in the 4 Star Wyndham Costa del Sol hotel conveniently located directly outside Lima Airport. After your long journey you’ll be grateful for the short transfer - you literally walk out of the airport and you are there! It’s the most convenient place to spend the night before your transfer to Cusco in the morning.

After the short domestic flight to Cusco (around 1hr 30mins) you’ll be transferred to our favourite hotel, the Tiki Wasi, which in quechua means "house of the flower" Hotel. This lovely boutique hotel has beautiful rooms with fantastic views across the city as well as a charming garden complete with hammocks perfect for an afternoon snooze! The Tiki Wasi Hotel is in the San Blas area which is the traditional old quarter of Cusco with picturesque narrow and steep streets and houses in the colonial style alongside walls of Incan stone. (NB In some instances due to capacity you may stay instead at the equally lovely Nicos Hotel also in the historical area of Cusco very close to the main square).

You’ll find lots of local bars and restaurants catering for all tastes and diets, Cusco is quite the gastronomic centre!

As you wander through Cusco’s labyrinth of cobblestone streets, you’ll see ladies in traditional attire with baby llamas (or “maybe llamas” as our guide described them in that they might be lambs!) ready to post for a tourist picture in return for a small fee.

If you are in search of a taste of the real Cusco then you really have to try these traditional dishes:

Cuy – Guinea Pig. Not one for the vegetarians but definitely a traditional, authentic and local speciality. Pachapapa Restaurant is recommended by locals and with it’s aesthetic courtyard is a great place to try Cuy or if you are feeling a little faint-hearted they do fantastic pizza too!

Traditional Peruvian quinoa soup is packed with vitamins and minerals and it’s delicious!

Choclo Con Queso - Corn and cheese, usually served as a starter this dish features a local kind of white corn, much larger than the yellow sweetcorn we are used to.

The food was fantastic everywhere we went in Cusco but I can’t move on without mentioning Nick’s Food Co. This tiny restaurant with just a handful of tables and bar seats serves up Mexican and Indian food that is out of this world. Situated on a quiet street 2 minutes from Tiki Wasi, we were so impressed with the quality of food from this unassuming place, definitely one to check out!

The Organika and Yaku restaurants are another must. I think they are sister companies but we went to both, we just couldn't help ourselves! Serving delightful provincial dishes, popular with both the locals and tourists, beautifully presented with edible flowers!

On the Trek itself you’ll be camping in tents which will be all ready and waiting for you at the end of a hard day hiking which believe me is an absolute delight! This is the time to blow up your air mattress and add any layers for the evening. The food on the trek can only be described as AMAZING! How the team managed to cook on a camping stove in a tent and produce such fantastic meals is totally beyond me. As a sample of the type of tasty treats you can expect:

Breakfast Sample Menu: Coca tea and a range of herbal teas, hot chocolate, quinoa drink, fruit and yoghurt, granola, omelette, toast and jam, juice.

Lunch Sample Menu: Grilled vegetables, potato and sweet potato dishes, white corn, fried rice, meat or fish.

Dinner Sample Menu: Guacamole and fresh nachos, quinoa & other soups like minestrone & vegetable, grilled meat, pasta, rice dishes, Andean pan chuta (traditional baked bread), pan fried fish. All evening meals included a starter, soup course and range of main dishes!

There is always a wide variety of dishes to choose from and don’t worry if you have any food allergies or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet (I’m a veggie myself and was very well catered for).

Depending on your itinerary you’ll be staying next in a good quality hotel in Ollytaytambo or Aguas Calientes. After a few days on the trail you’ll enjoy a hot shower and a comfy bed before you return to Cusco full of aching limbs, great memories and a phone full of photos!

So that’s your accommodation and food in a nutshell!