DESCRIPTIVE ITINERARY

EXPLORING PERU # 8     13 Days / 12 Nights
Lima, Nazca, Ica, Paracas, Cusco, Maras Salt Pools and Authentic Quechua Village,
Pisac Indian Market and Ollantaytambo Fortress, Machu Picchu
 


Departures: Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.

Day 1 Monday - 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.

Day 2 Tuesday – Lima
Breakfast at your hotel. 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.(B)

Day 3 Wednesday – Lima / Nazca
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer in bus to Nazca. Upon arrival a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering. (B)

Day 4 Thursday – Nazca
Breakfast at your hotel. Morning flight over the Nazca Lines that form drawings of birds, spiders, fishes, a monkey, and even a few unidentifiable creatures. What are these mysterious line formations of gigantic figures and who made them?…Visit to the Cantayoc aqueducts, close to town, a complex system of underground aqueducts that allowed the Nazca culture to take advantage of underground water provides evidence of this culture´s technological development in the exploitation of the land. They belong to the Nazca culture (550 AD) and are located in the Nazca, Taruga and Las Trancas valleys. These aqueducts were built in stone by "hydraulic engineers" of the Nazca Culture. It consists of a network of irrigation channels and underground aqueducts. These Aqueducts are really filtering galleries which can reach down to around 12 meters in depth. The channels have air vents which form spirals that descend to the water current and are still in use today by local farmers. Then visit to the Antonini Museum opened in 1999 that displays the discoveries of Professor Orefici and his team in the pre-Incan city Cahuachi. Supposedly the discoveries hold the key to understanding the Nazca lines. This Italian initiative presents finds of the sophisticated Nazca culture and details the process of archaeological excavations. (B)

Day 5 Friday – Nazca / Paracas
Breakfast at your hotel. Visit to The National Reserve of Pampa Galeras was established in 1967. This reserve is made up of 6500 hectares which are owned by the peasant community Lucanas located in the department of Ayacucho, province and district of Lucanas. The vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) is the most representative animal in Pampa Galeras and the purpose of this reserve is to protect these animals. We can also find the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), which live free in the pampas. The most impressive bird is the Andean condor (Vultor gryphus); we can see the pissaca (Nothoprocta ornata) and the kiula (Tinamotis penhaldii) as well. With regard to the birds, we can also find the pato jerga (Anas georgica) and the pato sutro (Anas flavirosatris). Transfer to Paracas. (B,BL)

Day 6 Saturday – Paracas / Lima
Breakfast at your hotel. Ballestas Islands Excursion - Early morning you'll take a yacht ride to the Ballestas Islands passing the Candelabro. These islands, also known as the Guano Islands, have large concentrations of sea birds and sea lions in their natural environment. Afternoon return to Lima by regular bus. (B)

Day 7 Sunday – Lima / 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 8 Monday – Cusco / Sacred Valley
Breakfast at your hotel. Full Day Excursion to Moray, Maras and Quechuas (Daily) – Pass through unspoiled and picturesque Andean communities on your way to the Incan agricultural experimental center of Moray, famous for its sunken amphitheater, made up of four circular terraces, which appear to fade away into the earth like an artificial crater. The site was apparently an Inca agricultural research station filled with fertile earth and watered by complex irrigation systems, designed for experimenting with crops at various altitudes (some of which run down to depths of 100 meters).
Continue to the impressive Maras salt pools formed by water emerging from a lake inside a mountain in the Urubamba Valley. An amazing view of evaporating ponds for the extraction of salt. Learn about ancestral techniques, which are still used, in agricultural, irrigation and salt-recollection tasks, as well as in Andean festivals and rites. After lunch, visit an authentic Quechua Village to feel the way of life of the Inca's ancestors. The Inca himself was a noble Quechua. They live off the land and are always wearing their colorful ponchos, see Quechua children scamper about while woman are weaving their family's clothes. A meaningful experience! (B,L).

Day 9 Tuesday - Sacred Valley
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 Inca fortress. (B,L)

Day 10 Wednesday – Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu
Breakfast at your hotel. Excursion to Machu Picchu with overnight stay - 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 and lunch are included. (B,L).

Day 11 Thursday – Machu Picchu / Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. Free morning to enjoy one of the most incredible sights on earth, the ruins of Machu Picchu. Take as much time as you need to study the mysterious ruins, hike Huayna Picchu, stroll to the Inca Bridge or walk toward the Inca Trail to find the legendary Sun Gate. Afternoon shuttle bus to the train station for your return trip to Cusco. Upon arrival transfer from rail station to hotel. (B)

Day 12 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 13 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)

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Departures: Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.
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