PERU HIGHLIGHTS
- Stay in the Sacred Valley of the Incas including a local handicraft market visit
- Visit Chinchero, a small picturesque Andean village
- See Sacred Valley Inca ruins from the 15th century
- Take the Vistadome train journey to Aguas Calientes, Peru
- Take in the incredible site of Machu Picchu with an expert guided tour
- Discover colourful Cusco with guided tours, and enjoying free time to wander the streets of this charming town.
- Some wonderful dining experiences showcasing Peruvian cuisine
- Spend two nights at Lake Titicaca, Puno
- Visit Colca Canyon including a visit to the National Reserve Salinas Aguada Blanca
- Discover Arequipa with guided touring
- Tour, Lima, the most important American city during colonial times
- Enjoy the best of small group touring
PRE TOUR STAY OPTION:
We encourage travellers to arrive the day prior to the tour commencement. The cost of the additional hotel night of stay applies.
DAY 1
Lima, PERU
Welcome to Lima, Peru! Get ready for an incredible discovery of Peru’s highlights. Touring services commence tomorrow.
Meals: n/a
DAY 2
Lima to Sacred Valley of the Incas
Today we take a short morning flight from Lima to Cusco. We make an early start so we can make the most of the day. Enjoy the view from the sky across the Andes. Arriving to Cusco, we transfer to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. On the way we visit Awana Kancha, where you can see all the local fauna including the various camelids; llamas, alpacas and vicuna. Then, onto the captivating Pisac Market, with an enchanting essence of the Andes.
HIGHLIGHT LUNCH
Today, the group enjoys a delicious lunch at a community restaurant; all income earned by the restaurant is used for local social projects, while ingredients are sourced from local farmers. The setting is impressive, and the food will leave you wanting for nothing more.
We arrive to our hotel to enjoy our next two nights in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The evening is free for you to relax and enjoy the beautiful location of your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Lunch
DAY 3
Sacred Valley
Today we visit Chinchero, a small picturesque Andean village and visit the home of a textile artisan, where you will see some of his original work and learn about his techniques, as well as the creative process. Then visit some significant Inca ruins dating from the end of the 15th century, as well as a beautiful traditional church. Afterwards, on the road to Ollantaytambo, we stop for one of the best views of the Sacred Valley.
HIGHLIGHT LUNCH
Enjoy an unforgettable lunch in a top rated restaurant in the Sacred Valley. Experience some of the finest food in a superb setting, enjoying the essence of Peru. After lunch, onto Ollantaytambo; one of the most representative building complexes of the Inca Empire and site of one of the Spanish Conquistadors' rare strategic defeats. Famous for its terraced fields, Ollantaytambo was a very effective fortress and religious centre. From the archaeological site, look down at the town and see its incredibly narrow streets and canals that have not changed since the Incas constructed them.
After a full day, we return to our hotel for a relaxed evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Lunch
DAY 4
Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Today we visit to one of the most important tourist destinations in the world: Machu Picchu.
HIGHLIGHT EXPERIENCE
Awaiting you today is by far and away one of the high points in world tourism: Machu Picchu archaeological site. The Vistadome train journey is an experience in itself, with stunning countryside scenery as you journey to the foot hills of Machu Picchu to arrive to the town of Aguas Calientes.
Once there, we disembark the train to then then board a bus that makes the ascent to Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Take part in a guided tour, and of course take some of those iconic photos!
After our exciting morning, we enjoy lunch at a beautiful lodge at Machu Picchu. Then return to Aguas Calientes for a free afternoon, giving you time to wander around and make your own discoveries. In the evening, join together for dinner at our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 5
Aguas Calientes to Cusco, Peru
The morning is at leisure before we take a return train and travel to Cusco. The train journey takes us to Ollantaytambo Station, where you will be met and driven to your hotel in Cusco.
Cusco is located approximately 3400m about sea level and an enchanting town, packed with culture and Incan history. For some the altitude may require an adjustment, and we’ve not scheduled any activities for the rest of the day.
FREE TIME EXTRAS:
Return to Machu Picchu
For an early start take the option to return to Machu Picchu for your own time at leisure, returning in time for the return train. Must be booked prior to the final monies due date and subject to availability at the time of booking.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6
Cusco, Peru
This morning enjoy a half day tour of the city of Cusco and nearby archaeological sites.
Cusco, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site has a lot to take in. The tour begins at the Koricancha Temple, an Incan palace and main centre for the worship of the sun god, Inti. When the Spanish conquered Peru, the Dominican order built their church over this temple’s foundations – so stands today the church of Santo Domingo.
Your next destination is the main square, the Plaza de Armas and then continuing to the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, built of enormous stone blocks expertly shaped by the Incas. How did the ancients move and place these gigantic stones? Enjoy the view to Cusco from here. The tour continues with visits to the other significant archaeological sites: Kenko and Puca-Pucara.
Finally, you will visit the Inka's Expression art workshop, where you will appreciate how different Peruvian natural products are used (such as plants, fruits, vegetables among others) and you will discover their nutritional, curative and cosmetic properties.
There’s a free afternoon before joining together for dinner with a show.
Meals: Breakfast, Highlight Dinner
DAY 7
Cusco
A day at leisure. One of the loveliest of towns for a free day. In the evening why not find a local bar at try a local Pisco Sour, enjoy the crisp setting of this mountain town, steeped in cultural and tradition.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8
Cusco – Puno (Lake Titicaca), PERU
You will be picked up from our hotel to make the journey to Puno. En route enjoy the magnificent scenery of the South Valley of Cusco.
First stop is Andahuaylillas, where you will find the church of San Pedro, a beautiful seventeenth century building that has an impressive organ, decorated with angels and cherubs. Then, visit the ruins of Raqchi, also known as The Temple of God Wiracocha. At the end of this visit, enjoy a delicious and typical lunch buffet at a local restaurant.
Then, head towards La Raya, the highest point between Cusco and Andahuaylillas, where you will make a brief stop to appreciate the landscape. Afterwards, head towards Pucara, where you will visit the town and museum of this Inca military construction, which also functioned as an administrative centre. The day comes to an end as you arrive to Puno and are transferred to your hotel for an evening of leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 9
Taquile Island and Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca
The day begins early as you head out of the city of Puno to board a boat to visit islands of Lake Titicaca. The sailing day is a shared service but with a private guide for our group.
Our first island is Taquile Island. The culture on the island is old, dating back to Pre-Incan times. The islanders still live according to the traditions and beliefs of their ancestors and are world renowned for their lovely outfits and incredible textiles. In fact, UNESCO has declared the textile art of Taquile Island as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Next, while still on the island, you will visit the community of Huayllano, whose members will show you their handicraft, and farming activities. After this time of sharing, you will enjoy a traditional lunch and then sail over to the famous Uros Islands, a set of man-made floating islands in the middle of the Lake Titicaca National Reserve. Here, you will meet the islanders, hunters and gatherers and descendants of the first altiplano inhabitants, who still live on totora reed platforms. At the end of the trip you will be taken back to your hotel and the evening is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 10
Puno to Colca Canyon
An early start to make our way from Puno to the Colca Valley. First stop is Lagunillas, where you will see migratory birds such as flamingos, Andean goose, ducks and Andean eagles (`Kara Kara`), then we continue to visit the National Reserve Salinas Aguada Blanca to see the beautiful vicuñas in their natural habitat. Then, to Patahuasi, and we make a short break before the descent to the Colca Valley. We arrive to Chivay to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in a local restaurant then onto our hotel with the rest of the day at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 11
Colca Canyon to Arequipa
After breakfast, we leave early in the morning to start our visit to the Colca Valley and get to the Condor Cross, where you will have the best view of the canyon and if the weather allows it, you can appreciate the majestic flight of the condor which is the biggest bird in the world. On the return, before we visit the towns Maca and Yanque, you will appreciate the hanging tombs of Choquetico. Arriving to Chivay we stop for a buffet lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch, we go to Patapampa which is the highest point in the route whose altitude ascends up to 4900 metres above sea level and from this point we can see the Chila mountain range and the Ampato, Sabancaya, Hualca Hualca volcanoes as well as the snow-capped Mismi considered as the place where the Amazon River is born. Continuing the tour we will stop in Patahuasi and finally arriving to Arequipa at the end of the day.
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 12
Arequipa
A morning at leisure. This afternoon, there is a half day city tour walking around Arequipa We head to the historic centre and start the tour with a walk through the main square, as well as main streets of the city. You will visit the San Francisco church and the Third Order, appreciating its beautiful facades and interior architecture. Then, you will head to the Santa Catalina Monastery, founded in 1580, where you can appreciate its cloisters, picturesque streets and squares, which have remained intact over the centuries. From the end of the tour, transfer back to our hotel. We head out to enjoy dinner at a local Peruvian restaurant, featuring regional food.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 13
Arequipa to Lima
Today we take a flight Arequipa to Lima (included in your tour price). Arriving to Lima there’s a half day city tour. We visit the modern and colonial parts of the city of Lima, "The City of Kings", starting with the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro and onto the historical centre. Visit the Plaza Mayor, surrounded by the Government Palace, the Archbishop's Palace, the City Hall and the Cathedral. Then visit the Larco Museum, which houses the unsurpassed private collection of Treasures of Ancient Peru with more than five thousand years of history of Ancient Peru through more than 45,000 pieces. Finally, you will enjoy a delicious lunch in the gastronomic capital of Latin America.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 14
Lima, PERU
Enjoy a buffet breakfast at the hotel.
FREE TIME EXTRAS:
Later this morning, a Gastronomic highlight experience. The most representative flavours of Peruvian gastronomy are waiting for you. Embark on an unforgettable culinary adventure, beginning your tour at a typical Peruvian market. There you will find a variety of national ingredients, among which you will find traditional Peruvian fruit like cherimoya, lucuma and aguaymanto. Then, visit an exclusive restaurant in Lima where you will learn to prepare pisco sour and ceviche, two great representatives of the Peruvian flavour. Finally, enjoy a delicious lunch with Peru’s most important dishes.
Late check out at your hotel is arranged as part of this itinerary and your touring services come to an end in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
AMAZON JUNGLE EXTENSION (DAY 14 – 17)
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
The extension package suits an independent traveller, and is not escorted with a tour director. It is not private group touring, and services included are shared by other guests at the Amazon lodge.
Puerto Maldonado, in the Southern Peruvian rainforest near the Bolivian and Brazilian borders, is the gateway to one of the world’s most remote and extraordinary tropical environments. Your journey will take you to the heart of the Tambopata National Reserve, where you will experience magnificent beauty in the sounds, scents, colours and solitude of the rainforest. You will find yourself surrounded by a vast environment, connecting with nature in an entirely new way.
Below is a suggested itinerary for your visit to the Amazon but there are options to pick and choose activities as you please, decided when you arrive to the lodge.
DAY 14
Lima – Amazon Jungle, Peru
This morning, transfer to Lima airport for a short flight to Puerto Maldonado. You will be picked up and welcomed in Puerto Maldonado and from the first moment you will feel the spell of the jungle, taking a boat tide for 45 minutes up the Madre de Dios River to the Inkaterra Amazon Reserve.
After a short introduction, enjoy lunch with ingredients from the region. After lunch enjoy a nice tea while meeting with your guide to discuss and choose your excursions during your stay.
On your first day, it’s recommendation to take a guided walk through the rainforest on the trail network that surrounds the lodge. Here you will discover the beauty, complexity and fragility of the ecosystem and will have the opportunity to bird watch. For your first evening, a night river excursion is a good option. You witness the transformation from the daytime world to the nighttime world. Birds and other daytime animals begin to settle down for the night and give way to the species specially adapted for nocturnal life. Be alert for the appearance of nightjars, owls, capybaras and large caimans. Later you will enjoy dinner served in the main dining room and you can head back to your cabin early or join a talk about the experience of living in the jungle.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 15
Amazon Jungle, Peru
If you are an early riser or prefer to sleep in, you can choose a plan for the day that fits your preference. In any case the day begins with a lovely breakfast buffet.
During the morning you can take an excursion to Lake Sandoval in the Tambopata National Reserve. Paddle in a wooden canoe on the lake, home to many endangered species, such as the Giant River Otter, Red Howler Monkeys, Red-bellied Macaw, anacondas and the Yellow-spotted Sideneck Turtle. Head back to your lodge for lunch. In the afternoon the recommendation is to visit the Inkaterra Canopy, a 29 meters tall observation tower where you can see many species that live in the high canopy of the forest. Next you can take the Anaconda Hike, where you will walk for 30 minutes along 200 metres of wooden bridges over the marsh, looking for anacondas. If you wish, you can extend the excursion to watch the sunset in one of the canopy towers. Once back at the lodge you will have the opportunity to see a nature presentation in the Eco Centre, followed by dinner.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 16
Amazon Jungle, Peru
After breakfast explore the jungle for an hour and a half, following the Gamitana Ravine, home to piranhas, caimans, turtles and birds, until arriving to Sanipanga. Float on the river and enjoy the abundant flora and fauna of the tropical jungle. Visit Gamitana, a model ranch of the Amazon. Return to your lodge for lunch. After lunch, you will go on an excursion to Hacienda Concepción, with the possibility to see more than 200 different species of plants and learn about their uses and benefits. Next, take a 30-minute canoe ride to look for turtles, nightjars and exotic herons. Your excursion continues into the night with a night walk on the Ecological Reserve trail network around the lodge. You will enter the secondary forest and experience the mystery of animal activity that awakens in the jungle at sunset. Listen to the nocturnal sounds of the forest and discover species that only emerge in the darkness of the night. Return to the lodge for dinner and time at leisure.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 17
Amazon Jungle to Lima
Enjoy a full breakfast before departing the Amazon. It’s a 45-minute boat ride on the Madre de Dios River, back to Puerto Maldonado where you will visit the Butterfly House before departing the Amazon. Peru has the largest variety of butterflies in the world, with 3,700 known species. Then take your return flight to Lima. Connect with your onward flight or consider options to extend your stay in Lima.
Meals: Breakfast
Itineraries may be subject to change, due to circumstances outside of our control. IF there is any itinerary change prior to departure of significance we aim to inform you prior to travel. Itinerary changes while on tour will be informed by your tour leader/guide while on tour.
