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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)
*** 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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