itinerary
Lima is a bustling, busy city and one of the most important in South America. Lima is widely regarded to be the culinary capital of the continent and home to many of the best restaurants in South America. Home of the ceviche and the Pisco Sour it is a city where the past and present mix beautifully, from the colonial center to modern Miraflores, through to the ancient Incan and pre-Incan culture which can be seen in Lima’s various museums.
A city of almost 11 million people, it is nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains. This unique location means it enjoys a microclimate of zero rainfall and is spread along the coast atop cliffs that offer beautiful sunset views and peaceful boardwalks, even a short trip is guaranteed to be richly rewarding and a perfect introduction to Peru and its culture
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Today is dedicated to the Spanish influence on Peruvian culture, architecture, and development, as well as the fascinating history of Lima from pre-Incan ages to the colonial era. We start from your hotel in the morning, the tour starts in the traditional neightborhood of “Pueblo Libre”, where you can visit the Larco Museum, housed in a magnificently restored viceregal mansion atop a seventh-century pre-Columbian pyramid. Along with works of erotic art, the museum has a comprehensive pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts. Next visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion that Francisco Pizarro, the chief conquistador, gave to Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of his captains. The only home from that era that is still owned by the same family is this one.
Take a beautiful tour of the colonial downtown after that. See the Main Square to take in the magnificent Spanish Empire architecture. Admire the 16th-century Cathedral in Lima. Return to your hotel to wrap up your journey.
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After a good night sleep, we start with a good breakfast and prepare for our next thrilling chapter of our journey in Peru. You’ll catch a flight from Lima to our next destination Cusco, where our team will be waiting for you at the airport to head you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, located at abouve 2,0600 masl, lower than Cusco, good to help up for acclimatization. Get ready to dive into the rich history of this land, beginning with a visit to the enigmatic inca site in Pisac. Our local guide will walk you through the important temples, as well as the fascinating sundial carved into volcanic rock, which its purpose was to track the time. As we walk, we’ll also see the terraces that are still used nowadays. We make a quick stop at the colorful Pisac market, you can pick up some souvenirs, on the way we stop in Urubamba for lunch.
Finally, we’ll drive towards Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is an example of Inca urban planning, where locals continue to uphold their ancient traditions. Pachacútec, our 9th Inca king conquered this town, destroyed it, and then rebuilt it, being this incorporated to his empire.
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The Maras salt mines were an important part of the economy of the Inca culture and to this day the salt produced in these mines, recognizable by its pinkish hue, is amongst the most sought-after and expensive in the world. From there, we take you to the picturesque archaeological site of Moray which is a huge expanse of concentric terraces which the Incas used a botanical laboratory. Once finished with this leg of the tour, we enjoy a typical Andean lunch at the Casa de Barro restaurant.
Our next stop is Chinchero, where you can learn about the centuries-old traditional textile making so important to the Andean people. You will have the chance here to buy traditional textiles and other souvenirs for your loved ones back home. Remaining in Chinchero we take in the 17th Century church built by the Spanish invaders and then the surrounding ruins, aqueducts, and agricultural terraces that sustained the local people hundreds of years ago.
- Accommodations: Hotel in the sacred valley
- Meals: Breakfast (Hotel), Lunch
Today is the big day! Get ready to tick one of the New Seven Wonders of the World off your list as we head to Machu Picchu Citadel. Leaving the Sacred Valley by train, we enjoy a peaceful snake through the mountains, uphill to Aguas Calientes, situated at the foot of Machu Picchu. The views on the way to Machu Picchu itself are an intrinsic part of the trip itself and worth savoring. Built in the mid 1400’s it acted as a royal estate to two different Inca rulers, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui and Tupac Inca Yupanqui. After 80 years of occupancy, it was abandoned, possibly due to Spanish infiltration in other parts of Peru, and remained abandoned until the early last century when efforts Hiram Bingham brought its existence to world attention.
Machu Picchu is divided into two sectors, the urban and the agricultural. Our expert guide will take you through both and show you the key spots in the ancient citadel. The residential buildings feature exquisite stonework with no cement or mortar and are characterized by small trapezoid windows that face the morning sun. After our extensive tour, you return to aguas Calientes. We finish with a comfortable train ride back to Ollantaytambo and shuttle to Cusco.
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Today, we pick you up at your hotel for your tour of Cusco and its most important archeological sites. Cusco, known as the Imperial City, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is home to Inca structures with a smattering of colonial influence. Start visiting the traditional and bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, residence of artists and craftsmen. Discover its streets, between bars, shops and art galleries. Then continue with the iconic San Pedro market, a local market where you can explore the myriad colors, flavors, textures and traditions of modern Cusco.
The visit continues with the Plaza de Armas or main square and visit the Cathedral, finally visit the Convent of Santo Domingo, also known as the Koricancha Temple, an ancient Inca palace and cult center of the Sun God, above which the order of the Dominicans built a church. It remains standing to this day. Still standing to this day, this temple/church really is a remarkable building and an amalgamation of the two cultures..
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We set off through the astonishingly beautiful Southern Valley of Cusco towards Puno. But this trip is more than just a transfer of seven hours between two great cities, it is, in itself, a series of fascinating excursions. We will take you through the wonderful Andes scenery. First, stop in Andahuaylillas, a town located 40 kilometers from Cusco that has as its main attraction the Church of Andahuaylillas, nicknamed the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’, due to the impressive art found in it. After this, continue the route to Racchi, where the Wiracocha Temple is located, a surprising 30-meter wide by 20-meter high construction of rectangular shape. Have a tasty lunch in Sicuani, followed by a brief stop in La Raya, the highest point between Puno and Cusco, over 4,313 meters above sea level. Then, arrive at Pucara town, where the Pucara Lithic Museum is located. Developed between 100 and 300 AC, this town was the first proper urban settlement of the lacustrine highlands. Finally, head on to your final destination of Puno, your hotel.
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Transfer to the port of Puno, where a boat takes you to the floating island of the Uros. The Uros is an ancestral society that populates a series of artificial islands built with totora plant, a type of reed that grows in the Titikaka Lake. There they build their houses, also from totora. After an hour and a half ride, continue your trip to the island of Taquile. This island was part of the Inca Empire, and its inhabitants speak Quechua. Once there, receive a briefing about the island. Have a tasty lunch, and start your return to Puno.
- Accommodations: Hotel in Puno
- Meals: Breakfast (Hotel), Lunch
After an unforgettable vacation , with memories that will last a life time, it’s time to say good bye. Today we will pick you up from your hotel to take you to the airport.
