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Departures:
Weekly. Itineraries are flexible.
Day 1 Thursday
- 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 Friday 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 Saturday Lima / Chiclayo
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Chiclayo. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet
and assist you in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering.
Visit the complex of Huaja Rajada which comprises two huge pyramids
mad of adobe mud in front of which there is a platform which is
to have contained the royal mausoleum. The intact remains of an
important Mochica ruler known as the Lord of Sipan were discovered
here in 1987. Then continue to the Royal Tombs of Sipan Museum,
a museum inaugurated in November 2002. Rated as one of the most
outstanding archaeological museums in South America, the building
is modeled after an ancient pyramid of the region. Here you can
find a reconstruction of the tomb of Sipan, dubbed the "Tutankhamen
of the Americas" because of the golden splendor of his tomb :
hundreds of pieces of pottery and exquisite gold jewelry. (B)
Day
4 Sunday Chiclayo / Trujillo
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer in bus to Trujillo. Upon
arrival a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the
hotel and help you in registering. In the afternoon visit the
city of Trujillo, known as "the City of the Eternal Spring", where
you will visit the Main Square, the Cathedral and the beautiful
residential and commercial areas which contain grandiose colonial
houses and well preserved porches, balconies and churches such
as the Colonial Mansions of "Casa Iturregui" and "Casa Bracamonte".
Transfer to the National University of Trujillo Museum, that contains
cultural expressions of Peru΄s diverse Pre-hispanic epochs such
as: ceramics, weavings, metal, etc. (B)
Day
5 Monday Trujillo / Lima
Breakfast at your hotel. Visit to Chan Chan, the former capital
of Chimu Empire. This Empire reached its apogee in the 15th century,
not long before falling to the Incas. The planning of this huge
city, the largest in pre-Columbian America, reflects a strict
political and social strategy, marked by the city's division into
nine 'citadels' or 'palaces' forming autonomous units. This pre-Columbian
adobe city is famous for its archaeological site in South America!.
From Chan Chan you will visit the seashore village of Huanchaco,
known for its totora seahorses - a typical small reed boat used
for fishing. Then visit one of the most important centers of the
ancient Moche. This pre-Inca civilization, a warrior culture,
once dominated the valleys of the northern coast of Peru. Experience
the amazing adobe engineering of the Temple of te Sun (sol), the
tallest pyramid in the Americas at a height of 48 meters, which
is estimated to have involved over 200,000 workers in its construction
and over 140 million adobe bricks. Steps away is the temple of
the Moon (Luna), the Moche political center where recently uncovered
friezes of mystical images are believed to belong to a divinity
of sacrifices. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima.
Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in
transferring to the hotel and help you in registering (B)
Day
6 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
7 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
8 Thursday Lima / Juliaca / Puno
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer to the airport for your
flight to Juliaca. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet
and assist you in transferring to the hotel and help you in registering.
Half Day Excursion to Sillustani Burial Towers en route - These
burial towers (Chulpas), are ancient and impressive tombs from
the pre-Inca period and they were built from a mixture of stone
and adobe, and served as burial places for chiefs and important
people. (B)
Day
9 Friday Puno
Breakfast
at your hotel. Visit to the Uros Indian and Taquile Island at
Lake Titikaka This full day excursion will take you to the highest
navigable lake in the world, to visit the floating islands of
the Uros Indians, considered themselves Lords of the Lake, and
they were convinced they had black blood because they did not
feel the cold of the lake and the winter. Continuing to Taquile
where a native community of about 400 families still lives with
the traditions of the XIV century that respect the principals
of an Incan way life. Taquile is a very important site on Lake
Titikaka for its a archeological remains, the sacred and ceremonial
sites, the festive activities, their rituals and for the daily
life of the inhabitants which is dedicated to farming, textile
production and fishing. (B,L)
Day
10 Saturday Puno / Cusco
Breakfast
at your hotel. Bus journey through the Peruvian Andes from Puno
- Today one of South America's most extraordinary overland trips
takes you by bus to Cusco passing through striking highland scenery
and picturesque Andean villages. Upon your arrival in Cusco, the
former capital of the Inca Empire, a host will meet and assist
you in transferring to the hotel and help you to register. (B,L)
Day
11 Sunday - Cusco
Breakfast
at your hotel. Free morning. 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
12 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
13 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
14 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
15 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
16 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
17 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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