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Departures:
Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.
Day 1 Tuesday
- Arrival in Lima
Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you
in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering. In the
afternoon City
Tour of Lima and Larco Museum - This half day tour visits both
the colonial and modern sections of this "City of Kings."
Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza de Armas with its cathedral
and palace, and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace modern day seat
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In modern Lima, drive along
the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro.
Continue to the Larco Museum, founded in 1926, it showcases remarkable
chronological galleries providing an excellent overview on 3000
years of development of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. Located
in a unique vice-royal mansion of the 18th century built over
a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid, is surrounded by beautiful
gardens. Features the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient
Peru and the famous erotic archaeological collection, one of the
most visited Peruvian tourist attractions.
Day
2 Wednesday - Lima / Iquitos / Ceiba Tops
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Iquitos. Reception
at the airport, brief city orientation and transfer to the Explorama
dock. Twenty-five mile journey down the Amazon River to Ceiba
Tops, where rooms with air conditioning and private bathrooms
provide the comforts of home in the rainforest. Afternoon hike
in the beautiful primary rainforest reserve surrounding the lodge
which includes many huge trees festooned with epiphytes. After
dinner there may be local flute or guitar music at the El Toucan
Bar or the guides are always ready to relate some of the many
legends of the Amazon forest. Overnight
Ceiba Tops. (B,L,D)
Day
3 Thursday - Ceiba Tops
Morning
boat ride, spotting for dolphins, to visit a small village of
Yagua Indians where your guide will explain the local Yagua Indian
culture and how it was affected by the arrival of Europeans and
the passing of time. There will also be an opportunity to see
some of the local crafts and for a demonstration of the blowgun
which some of the Yagua elders still use for hunting. Afternoon
walking excursion to the neighboring town of Indiana. Originally
a Franciscan mission, Indiana has grown into a large river community
with its own market, high school and small hospital. Overnight
Ceiba Tops. (B,L,D)
Day
4 Friday - Ceiba Tops / Iquitos / Lima
Your
choice of morning walking or boating excursion to further enjoy
the rainforest and Amazon River. Afternoon transfer to Iquitos
and to the airport. Upon arrival
at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring
to the hotel and help you in registering. (B)
Day
5 Saturday - Lima / Arequipa
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet
and assist you in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering.
Arequipa City Tour and Santa Catalina Convent - Your half day
sightseeing of this beautiful city includes a visit to the Spanish
Colonial Monastery of Santa Catalina, called "a city within
a city", which lay closed to the layman and shrouded in mystery
for over 400 years. This remarkable relic of colonial times now
is open to the public. (B)
Day
6 Sunday - Arequipa / Colca Canyon
Breakfast at your hotel. Colca Canyon 2 Day/1 Night - Early
departure towards the highlands passing through Yura-Pampa Cañahuas
and La Pulpera with good possibility of observing groups of wild
vicuñas and fighting cattle. Stop en route to see petrogliphs
in the Caves of Mollepunco and in the town of Callali to see natural
hill formations with the appearance of enchanted castles. Drive
to La Calera to enjoy the thermal baths under the stars. Return
to Chivay for overnight. (B,L,D)
Day
7 Monday - Colca Canyon / Arequipa
Breakfast at your hotel. To maximize your probability of seeing
condors we depart very early towards the "Cross of the Condor"
at about an altitude of 15,000 feet. Drive a little further in
to the canyon to see some pre-Inca ruins and watch the way of
life in this remote land. Return to Chivay for lunch and afternoon
return to Arequipa. (B,L)
Day
8 Tuesday - Arequipa / Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Cusco. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet
and assist you in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering.
Tour of Cusco and its Ruins - This afternoon's tour of the oldest
continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere includes
important landmarks of enchanting Cusco and also the nearby ruins
of Kenko, Puca-pucara, Tambomachay as well as the Sacsayhuaman
fortress. Once the center of the Inca civilization, modern Cusco
is a delightful combination of Inca and colonial architecture.
During the tour, you will visit Cusco's Cathedral, Santo Domingo
Church and the Plaza de Armas. (B)
Day
9 Wednesday - Cusco / Machu Picchu / Cusco
Breakfast
at your hotel. Full Day Excursion to Machu Picchu - Early wake
up for a train ride through the sacred valley of Urubamba to the
"Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200
feet above the valley, it was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical
jungles for 400 years until discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale
University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca "Virgins
of the Sun" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here.
Guided tour of the ruins upon arrival. All transfers are included.
Lunch is at the Orient Express' Sanctuary Lodge located just a
few steps from the Inca citadel. Afternoon return to Cusco. (B,L)
Day
10 Thursday - Cusco / Sacred Valley / Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. Full Day Excursion to the Pisac Indian
Market and the Ollantaytambo Fortress (Daily) -Morning departure
for a drive through the fertile countryside to the colonial village
of Pisac. During your visit to the bustling marketplace you will
have the opportunity to bargain with the natives for many different
types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewelry. After lunch the tour
continues to the village of Ollantaytambo for a visit to its impressive
Incan fortress. In the afternoon return to Cusco. (B,L)
Day
11 Friday - Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. Free day in Cusco for independent activities
- Wandering through this lovely city, exploring the astonishing
narrow streets of this tile roof colonial town will be your unforgettable
experience. Great buys are the traditional Peruvian handicrafts,
alpaca-wool sweaters and rugs, ponchos, pottery, gold and silver
jewelry, leather goods, etc. Because there is such a variety of
products, we strongly suggest that when you like any particular
item, you should buy it - you may not find the same item in other
store. (B)
Day
12 Saturday - Cusco / Lima / Home
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer from hotel to the airport for
your flight to Lima and then take your connecting flight to home.
(B)
*** END OF OUR
SERVICES ***
Departures:
Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.
Tour Includes: Please
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Hotels to use: Please
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Useful Information: Please
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