Itinerary:
Day 1, Mon: Lima
Assistance on your arrival to Lima "Jorge Chavez"
Airport and transfer to the selected hotel.
Day 2, Tue: LIMA: City Tour
Morning at your leisure. In the afternoon,
about 14:00 hours you will picked up from your Hotel for the
guided city tour by the most attractive and important sites
in Lima, the "City of Kings". The tour includes
visits to the Huaca Pucllana, and considered by the Incas
as ñaupallaqta, a "sacred village". We will
show you the Historical Center: Paseo de la República,
San Martín Square, Main Square, Government Palace,
Basilica Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, City Hall Palace,
the old streets with colonial mansions and Moorish-style balconies. We will visit the Convent and
Church of San Francisco, the greatest monumental assembly
of colonial art in America. The monks' Choir and Library;
the Vestry, with paintings by Zurbaran and Rivera; Main Cloister
decorated with Sevillian tiles from the 16th century; Moorish
arches, and The Catacombs, underground crypts from the colonial
times.
The tour continues through the more traditional Residential
Areas: El Olivar in San Isidro, Miraflores' Central Park,
and Larco Mar which has become a distinctive symbol of modern
Lima.
Day 3, Wed: PARACAS: National Reserve
/ Ballestas Island
Early in the morning, transport by
bus fron Lima to Paracas Peninsula, where we can find the
most important wildlife sanctuary on the Peruvian Coast. Boat
excursion to the Ballestas Islands, in the Paracas National
Reserve, where we can observe sea lions, boobies, pelicans,
penguins and marine birds. On the way back, from the water,
we can also see the "Candelabro" (Candelabrum),
a giant figure etched in the sand on the side of a hill in
the style of the Nazca Lines. In the afternoon travel by bus
to the city of Nazca for overnight.
Day 4, Thu: NAZCA, Nazca Lines /
AREQUIPA
Early in the morning, after breakfast,
transfer to Nazca airport for a 45-minute overflight of the
enigmatic Nazca Lines. These enormous lineal drawings of animals,
birds and geometric figures, remain etched in the desert and
they can only be appreciated from the air. At noon, travel
to the city of Arequipa (about 6 hours 30 minutes) along the
desert and coast valleys. Arrival at the White City of Arequipa.
It receives this name due to its white rock buildings, a white
rock that flows out of Misti Volcano. On your arrival at Arequipa,
transfer to the selected hotel. Free night.
Day 5, Fri: AREQUIPA, City Tour
Morning city tour of Arequipa, including
the Main Square, one of the most beautiful squares in Peru,
and the Cathedral, a prime example of XIX century Peruvian
architecture, housing beautiful treasures in gold and silver.
We also visit the La Compania Church, and ancient Jesuit temple,
maybe the most important one in Arequipa due to its history
and tradition, with a beautiful façade with carved
columns, laurel crowns, flowers, birds, etc. A more careful
look at the façade, however, reveals the limits of
European influence, as the angels have Indian faces; and indeed
one face is even crowned with feathers. Then, we will visit
the Santa Catalina Convent, a "small town" built
in the XVII century and opened to the public in 1970, after
400 years cloister. Perfectly preserved for four centuries,
you go back in time as you enter the cloister and see the
numerous, spacious patios and gardens, the kitchen and slave
quarters and stone washtubs of this convent. About 20 nuns,
of what were once 500, still live in a section of the convent.
Transfer to the hotel.
Rest of the day at your leisure.
* It is possible to do this tour starting in the afternoon
so you have the morning free.
Day 6, Sat: AREQUIPA, Colca Valley
(L) (D)
Early in the morning, depart on a wonderful
four hours bus trip to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest
canyons in the world (3,400 mts.). On the trip we drive across
Pampa Cañahuas in the Aguada Blanca National Reserve,
inhabited by herds of vicuñas and alpacas (South American
camelids). We also see beautiful pre-Columbian terraces, still
being cultivated by native Collaguas. Lunch on your arrival
at Chivay in the Colca Valley, transfer to the selected logde.
In the afternoon, we recommend you to rest and get used to
the altitude. If you are in good shape, you will have free
time to stroll by the lodge surroundings or you could take
a reparing bath at the hot springs near the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at the lodgey.
Day 7, Sun: COLCA CANYON, Condor
Cross (L)
We leave early in the morning to the
"Condor's Cross", where the biggest bird in the
world can be usually seen flying. On the way back we visit
the colonial towns and churches of Yanque, Coporaque, Achoma
and Maca. Good opportunity to appreciate the life of these
people that has changed little since Inca times.
Lunch in a local restaurant.
Late in the afternoon return to the selected hotel in Arequipa.
Day 8, Mon: CUSCO, City tour and
visit to nearby ruins
Early in the morning, transfer to Arequipa
airport to take a flight to Cusco. Upon arrival transfer to
selected hotel. After arrival we suggest some rest in the
hotel in order to avoid altitude sickness and have lunch there.
In the afternoon, we will have a guided city tour of Cusco
visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Temple of
the Sun or Korikancha Then, we drive out of the city to visit
the Inca sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the
impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman, strategically built on
a hill overlooking Cusco and famous for its enormous carved
stones, some of them standing over 9m / 30ft high and weighing
over 350 tons. Return to the hotel. Free night.
Day 9, Tue: CUSCO, Sacred Valley
of the Incas (L)
Excursion to the "Sacred Valley
of the Incas", a succession of picturesque towns, agricultural
terraces and archaeological sites. On Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Sundays, we´ll have the opportunity to bargain with
vendors or stroll at the Pisac's typical Indian market, with
a catholic mass service on Sunday (celebrated in Quechua,
the native language).
Lunch at a local restaurant in the Sacred Valley.
In the afternoon pass through Calca
and Urubamba towns to arrive to the Inca Fortress and Citadel
of Ollantaytambo, which was built to guard the entry of this
part of the valley and protect it from enemies of the lower
jungles; consisting in a series of superimposed terraces of
carved stones accessed by long staircases. We will have the
opportunity to walk through the quaint streets of the nearby
town, religious and agricultural centre during the Inca Empire,
and get a clear idea of the military strategy against possible
invasions. On our way back to Cusco we will visit the picturesque
Andean village of Chinchero where the remains of what was
the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui lies. Admire its
well preserved Inca Wall at the Main Square, visit the beautiful
colonial temple built on Inca foundations, with interesting
frescoes on the portico.
Back to Cusco in the afternoon.
Day 10, Wed: CUSCO Machu Picchu
- Aguas Calientes
The day starts with an early morning
rise to transfer to Cusco train station for a three hour train
journey to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, also known
as "The Lost City of the Incas". Arrive at Aguas
Calientes station followed by a 30-minute bus drive, climbing
6km of winding road, to the incredible Machu Picchu. Upon
arrival, we´ll participate in a guided tour of the Citadel,
visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun
Dial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows
and various burial grounds. After the tour you will have time
to stroll around the archaeological site at your leisure.
Lunch in a restaurant at Aguas Calientes town.
Overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Free night, we recommend to have dinner at the hotel selected
in Aguas Calientes.
Day 11, Thu: CUSCO, Aguas Calientes
- Cusco
Excellent opportunity to wake up early
and enjoy with a beautiful sunrise as well as stroll by the
town of Aguas Calientes and visit its thermal waters. Then,
you will have time to perform some of the following activities:
(not included in the price)
1. Visit the Citadel of Machu Picchu
for the second time.
2. For more adventurer people, we suggest to go up the Huayna
Pichu (if it is not raining) from where you can appreciate
the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being at
a high distant. Arriving at the top takes about two hours
and a half and it must be before 13:00 hours. It is necessary
to register in a office at the beginning of the trail. An
exciting adventure for the travellers who want to see, from
the top, the nature and the carved stone emerging from the
ground as a geological miracle.
In the afternoon, back to Cusco by
train, and transfer to the selected hotel for overnight. Free
night.
Day 12, Fri: CUSCO / PUNO (L)
Early (7.30 am) departure by bus to
the City of Puno, (3,860 m.a.s.l.). During the trip, we pass
by the lovely Wacarpay Lake, offering spectacular views of
the mountains reflected in its calm waters. We visit the nearby
pre-Inca citadel of Pikillacta, quechua name for "City
of Fleas", one of the most spectacular centers of the
Wari culture. These ruins consist of more than 700 structures
with some walls standing at almost 12m high.
We proceed to the beautiful town of Andahuaylillas, and visit
the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, better known as
the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, due to its decorated polychrome
ceiling. On the way, we stop in Raqchi, where we can see a
spectacular Inca Sanctuary built by the Inca Pachacutec, and
dedicated to the great Inca God of Wiracocha. It has a great
central wall with a stone base of fine Inca architecture.
Other walls are made of giant adobe bricks. The structure
also has two circular lateral columns. Around the Temple are
several buildings once used for housing and storage. About
70 km further on, we pass through La Raya Ranch where we can
see herds of vicuñas and llamas. Then we travel along
the high plateau of Collao, stopping at the town of Ayaviri,
an important livestock and textile center, to visit the impressive
Temple of Kalasaya, ruins from the ancient Pucara Culture.
Lunch in a quiet countryside restaurant, where we can enjoy
the delightful culinary art of the region .
In the afternoon, arrival in Puno and transfer to the selected
hotel. Free night.
Day 13, Sat: PUNO: Titicaca Lake,
Floating Island of the Uros and Island of Taquile (L)
Early in the morning, we will have an
unforgettable motorboat excursion on the waters of Lake Titicaca
to the unique "Floating Islands" of the Uros. These
ancient inhabitants of the lake, known as the Water Tribe,
have built their own "islands" by periodically adding
new layers of a type of reed unique to the area called "totora"
(Scirpus Totora), vegetable fibre from the Papiro family.
Their homes and boats are also made from this material. We
continue our motorboat trip to Taquile island, inhabited by
Quechua-speaking natives who have developed efficient and
unique social systems, as well as fine hand weaving techniques,
down through generations. After lunch in a local Taquile inn,
we have a walk through the various hills and archaeological
sites of this 6 km long island. In the afternoon, return to
Puno for overnight at the hotel.
Free night.
Day 14, Sun: PUNO / LIMA Chullpas
of Sillustani on route
Early in the morning, transfer to Juliaca
airport to take your flight to Lima. On the way to the airport,
we will visit the famous Chullpas of Sillustani: stone cylinder
burial chambers used by the Aymaras to bury their important
leaders. Lake Umayo, located in front of the Chullpas, adds
further beauty to the place. Here you also have the opportunity
to observe several local typical birds. Upon arrival in Lima,
ypu wait in the Airport for your international flight. If
your flight is earlier, please let us know to find the better
way to schedule the day.
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