Arrival In Lima and transport to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure with time to rest, relax and acquaint yourself with Peru’s vibrant capital, founded in 1535 by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro
Overnight: Lima
Welcome to Peru, a country of incredible contrasts and astounding treasures. This morning’s tour of Lima, with its 2000 years of history, begins at the colonial center of the city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its historic buildings surrounding the splendid Plaza Mayor. View the impressive Palace of the Archbishop with its fine carved balcony, the opulent Government Palace, official residence of the President, and the 16th century Cathedral of Lima whose first stone was laid by Pizarro. Continue to the 17th century Monasterio de San Francisco complex with its magnificent tiles, ornate carved ceilings, exceptional paintings and world-renowned library.
Spend the remainder of the day at leisure or join the optional not-to-be missed tour to the Larco Herrera Museum, considered the best museum in Lima, housed in a restored 18th century mansion. Here, admire the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian masterpieces and a stunning exhibition of gold and priceless jewels.
This afternoon, join your guide for a briefing about the wonderful tour that awaits you. Tonight, perhaps attend the optional Peruvian dinner featuring delicious local specialties along with a delightful musical performance, or try one of Lima’s world-class restaurants known for its fusion cuisine
Optional: Half Day Larco Herrera Museum (PM)
Optional: Dinner & Show in Lima
Overnight: Lima
Meals: Breakfast
Depart Lima this morning for your flight to Cusco in the Peruvian Andes. This ancient capital of the Inca Empire is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Upon arrival, transport to your hotel in this historic city and spend the rest of the day acclimating to the altitude.
Or, attend the optional Half Day Cusco Ruins tour which explores some of Cusco’s most unique Inca Ruins
OPTIONAL: CUSCO CITY TOUR
See this magical city, capital of the Inca Empire (15th Century) on a tour that includes the Main Square, the cathedral, Santo Domingo monastery, the legendary Korikancha temple and a stop at San Cristobal for a panoramic view of the city. Then, in the outskirts you will see the Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, an impressively designed fortress built of huge stone blocks, Qenqo ceremonial and ritual center, the amphitheater where sacrifices were held and Tambomachay a temple dedicated to a water cult. Return to Cusco and a brief stop at Plaza Regocijo and the Main Square to visit the cathedral, the principal church of the Diocese of Cusco
At the end of the visit, transport to your hotel
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel. Early in the morning our guided tour to the Sacred Valley will take place. We will start the tour departing through the fertile countryside, arriving in the colonial town of Pisac, where a colorful market will welcome us, continuing our route through the valley, passing by typical towns, arriving in the archaeological province of Urubamba to try a delicious lunch buffet. After we will visit an ancient but enigmatic Ollantaytambo Fortress located in a typical Inca town, composed by numerous temples and terraces. This archaeological complex is one of the biggest monumental exposures that the Inca have ever done.
Overnight at the Sacred Valley
On the second day, you will visit the Santuario Histórico de Machupicchu (Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu). Aboard a comfortable train, you will depart for the Aguas Calientes Station, enjoying a spectacular view along the way. Upon arrival, you will board a bus that will take you to the entrance gate of the citadel of Machupicchu. Rediscovered by Hiram Bingham more than a century ago, Machupicchu is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Its architectural beauty, spectacular natural landscapes and the energy held in its enigmatic structures will take your breath away. You will follow in the footsteps of the ancient Incans as you explore this magical citadel along with your guide. After the tour, you will stop at a local restaurant for lunch. Time permitting you will be able to head back to the site for a second visit.
At the scheduled time, you will be picked up and taken to Aguas Calientes, where you will return to the your hotel.
Accommodation in Aguas Calientes.
Breakfast in the Hotel.
Excellent opportunity to wake up early and enjoy a beautiful sunrise as well as taking a morning stroll by the Town of Aguas Calientes. Then, you will have time to perform some of the following activities: (not included in the overall tour price): Visit the Thermal Hot Springs or visit the Citadel of Machupicchu for the second time.
For the most adventurous people, we suggest you go up the Huayna Picchu (if it is not raining) from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machupicchu, even more amazing from it’s very high vantage point. Arriving at the top takes about two hours and a half and it must be before 1 p.m. It is necessary to register in an office at the beginning of the trail. An exciting adventure for the travelers who want to see, from the top, the nature and the carved stone emerging from the ground as a geological miracle.
Return to Cusco by train. Transport to your hotel.
Breakfast. Early 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 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 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.
Buffet lunch in a countryside restaurant, where we will enjoy the delightful culinary art of the region.
Afternoon arrival in Puno and transport to your your Hotel.
Evening free time.
Overnight at your Hotel in Puno.
Breakfast. 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 called “totora” (Scirpus totora), vegetable fiber of the Papyrus family. Their homes and boats are also made from this material. We will continue our trip to the island of Taquile. This Island is known for having the best weavers of ancient Peru. This place has preserved many rituals and the lifestyle of the ancient Incas. We will walk for about 30 minutes to the center of the island and will stay there for 3 unforgettable hours and have lunch.
Then we will descend 500 steps.
We will leave for Puno at 4:00 p.m
Evening time free time.
Overnight at your Hotel in Puno.
Meals: Breakfast
Pick up from the hotel in the city of Puno and transport on paved road to Lake Titicaca. Here we will embark on the Catamaran.
We will sail towards the island of the Sun, the cradle of the Inca Empire. In this legendary island we visit the garden of the Incas, Inca stairs and the Inca’s fountain. Then visit the Inti Wata Cultural complex, the main tourist attraction of this place. It includes a visit to the underground Museum of the Ekako, to traditional medicine centers. We will also see the Museum of construction of totora rafts. We will also visit the Pachamama agricultural Inca terraces craft Center, the Intica shelter and the largest variety of Andean camelids located in el mirador ‘Manco Kapac’. The visit to the Inti Wata complex also includes the possibility of sailing aboard a huge typical Totora raft and a visit to the Inca Palace of Pilkokaina. Afterward the catamaran will take us to the port of Chua/Copacabana. We will enjoy a buffet lunch on board.
We will then take the bus to transport you to the city of La Paz.
Upon arrival in La Paz, you will be transported to your hotel where you will have a free evening to relax and stretch your legs.
Private land transport to the city of Oruro (237km)
Lunch in a local restaurant.
3:30 p.m. Departure by train towards Uyuni and arrival
Reception and transport to your hotel.
(Land transport 3h + 7 of train) (Meals: B, L) (Walking. 1h) (altitude: 3.722m)
After a lovely breakfast, we start our adventure getting to Salar of Uyuni. Prepare your camera! The amazing white coat of the Salar de Uyuni (or Thunupa) looks like a huge glacier. We will enter the Salar by Colchani, where we will stop to visit the salt factory and we will receive comments on the salt family economy which dictates the life of this village. Once the first visit is done, we will enter the Salar and stop at the salt mounts from where we will continue to the dominating and magic Thunupa Volcano. We will ascend a part of the volcano with the car to the Coquesa Mummies. From this point we will have a nice view upon the monumental Salar. Afterward we continue towards the Incahuasi Island, one of the central tourist attractions. We will follow the little path to arrive at the top of the island from where we will get the amazing 360 º view on the Salar.
After lunch we will make our way back to Uyuni passing for a brief visit to the old train cemetery to observe and admire the bizarre landscape this place offers.
Back to the hotel to relax
In the evening we will board the night train to Oruro or direct bus connection (luxury bus) to La Paz.
(Train 7h or bus 11h direct to La Paz) (Meals: B, L, D) (Walking. 3h) (altitudes: 3.722m)
0730 hrs. Arrival in Oruro, transport to the bus station and bus ride towards La Paz, arrival at noon.
Option bus: 06:30 Arrival in La Paz, transport to your hotel.
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transport to the airport and take your flight home
Meals: Breakfast