Trip Report: Buenos Aires + Peru (14 Days)

I posted here a couple months ago asking for advice for Buenos Aires and Peru. We just returned from a 14-day trip and I wanted to report back.

This turned out to be one of our best trips. We prioritized comfort, service, culture, and experiences we would happily repeat.

Flights

Internationally we flew Delta One First Class which was comfortable and reliable.

Within South America we flew LATAM which was new to us. We were pleasantly surprised and found the service very good and the flights efficient.

Buenos Aires

We stayed at the Four Seasons Buenos Aires in a Club Level one-bedroom suite. Beautiful hotel in a very central neighborhood. The staff was exceptional. On site restaurant served a good breakfast. The concierge team was a bit inexperienced except for the main guy.

One of the nicest perks was use of the house car for short trips around the city which made getting around very easy.

Highlights:

• We attended a Bad Bunny concert at River Plate Stadium with about 90,000 attendees, which was an incredible experience. It seems like everyone but me knew the lyrics. One of the great things is that they didn’t serve alcohol in the stadium which made it a very positive experience as you didn’t see a bunch of sloppy attendees.

• The following night we attended an opera at the beautiful Teatro Colón, one of the great opera houses in the world. The building alone is worth the visit.

• The famous San Telmo Saturday market was lively and enjoyable. The permanent market area has several very good restaurants and cafés worth stopping into. The streets in the area are closed and there are pop-up tents for crafts, artwork and antiques.

• Lunch at Don Julio, which is definitely a scene. We had a 1pm reservation but were seated closer to 2pm. They do a nice job taking care of you while you wait with bubbly and small bites.

Lunch turned into a relaxed three-hour experience centered on grilled meats and a very good wine list. In addition to the beef, I particularly enjoyed the blood sausage and sweetbreads, which were outstanding.

Buenos Aires felt sophisticated, relaxed, and very easy to navigate.

Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

We flew to Cusco and stayed in the Sacred Valley at the Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado, which turned out to be a stellar property.

The hotel sits along the Urubamba River in a beautiful valley setting near the Inca Trail. Very peaceful and scenic.

We stayed in a one-bedroom suite. Excellent water pressure, comfortable rooms, and very attentive service. The food was innovative and consistently very good.

The property itself offers plenty to do:

• Llamas on site

• Hiking trails

• River walks

• Cultural activities

• Guided excursions

This was an ideal place to acclimate and relax before Machu Picchu.

Hiram Bingham Train

We took the Belmond Hiram Bingham train, which departs directly from the Rio Sagrado property.

This is a full-day luxury experience with:

• Brunch and cocktails

• Live music

• Excellent service

• Beautiful scenery

A very smooth and enjoyable way to reach Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

We had a private guide and completed Circuit 2 and Circuit 3, which included both the upper viewpoints and the Temple of the Sun area.

Machu Picchu was extraordinary. The engineering is impressive, but what really stands out is the setting among the mountains and clouds with sunlight breaking through.

Textiles and Weaving

One of the most memorable cultural experiences was meeting traditional weavers in Chinchero in the Sacred Valley.

We purchased several textiles and learned about traditional dyeing and weaving techniques. Highly recommended if you’re interested in authentic crafts.

Cusco

We spent time in Cusco and had an excellent Peruvian-style roasted chicken lunch. Simple and very well prepared.

Cusco is beautiful and historic, but staying in the Sacred Valley first made the altitude adjustment much easier.

Lima

We finished the trip in Lima staying at the Belmond Miraflores Park in Miraflores.

This is a high-rise hotel in a very pleasant neighborhood with parks, running trails, and the Malecón along the Pacific Ocean directly across the street.

Service was very good. The GM and the concierge team was very helpful.

We explored both:

• Miraflores, which feels polished and coastal

• Barranco, which has a more bohemian and artistic atmosphere

Dining Highlights

Maido

We had a 13-course lunch at Maido and were fortunate to spend some time with Chef Miche who was very generous with his time.

We paired the meal with two wine flights:

• Old World wines

• New World wines

Both were excellent. My favorite dish was the yellowfin tuna sliced tableside, which was exceptional. This is apparently the number one restaurant in the world according to the world 50th best restaurants.

La Mar

Excellent ceviche and seafood in a lively setting. with President of the United States investigation with any of the other people last night.

Al Toke Pez

Casual and authentic with outstanding fish dishes. Very much worth the visit.

Lima may be one of the best food cities in the world.

Final Thoughts

This combination of Buenos Aires and Peru worked extremely well.

Buenos Aires offered culture, energy, and sophistication.

Peru offered history, landscapes, and extraordinary food.

Belmond Rio Sagrado was probably the biggest surprise highlight of the trip and I would absolutely return.

Happy to answer any questions.