Departures:
Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.
Day 1 Sunday -
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 Monday
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 Tuesday
Lima / Ica
Breakfast at your hotel. Nazca Lines 2 Day Excursion with
Overnight in Ica, Locally Hosted - Today you'll travel by bus
(Cruz del Sur) along the Peruvian coast to Ica (a four hour ride).
Upon arrival in Ica a local host will transfer you to the airport
for a flight over the Nazca Lines. Are they merely huge figures
or could they be extraterrestrial landing fields? Lunch is included.
After lunch visit the Archaeological Museum of Ica. Dinner is
included. (B,L,D)
Day 4 Wednesday
Ica / 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. Lunch is included.
Evening arrival in Lima. (B,L)
Day 5 Thursday
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.
In the afternoon Arequipa City Tour and Santa Catalina Convent
- Your half day sightseeing of this beautiful city, placed on
the World Cultural Heritage list by UNESCO, features Mixed Baroque
churches and mansions from the Colonial Period like the Monastery
of Santa Catalina, called "a city within a city", a Spanish city
in miniature with stone streets, beautiful patios, and plaza.
It is a masterpiece of colonial architecture, and houses some
of the finest examples of Spanish American religious art. Since
1970 visitors have been able to stroll through the streets and
cloisters that during colonial times were the refuge of female
nobility who had decided to shut themselves away from the world
and dedicate entirely to prayer. (B)
Day 6 Friday
Arequipa / Colca Canyon
Breakfast at your hotel. Colca Canyon 2 Day/1 Night - Early
departure towards the highlands passing through Yura-Pampa Ca๑ahuas
and La Pulpera with good possibility of observing groups of wild
vicu๑as 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 Saturday
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 Sunday
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 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 10 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 11 Wednesday
Sacred Valley / MachuPicchu
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 12 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 13 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 14 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
click here
Hotels to use: Please
click here
Useful Information: Please
click here
|