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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. 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 / 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
4 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
5 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
6 Saturday - 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
7 Sunday - 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
8 Monday - 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
9 Tuesday - 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
10 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
11 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
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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