Magical Peru - Wonders of the South
Beginning in the capital, Lima, and finishing in Cusco, this 13 day circuit stops in the desert province of Ica, the culinary capital of Arequipa, the magnificent Colca Canyon, the indigenous world of Lake Titicaca and the Inca and Colonial richness of Cusco and Machu Picchu.
|
|
DAY 1 | ARRIVAL TO LIMA
Upon arrival at the Lima airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
DAY 2 | LIMA – LARCO MUSEUM & CITY TOUR Explore Lima’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, packed with fascinating historic buildings. The route begins at the traditional Pueblo Libre district, where you visit the Larco Museum, located in a beautifully restored vice regal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid from the seventh century. The museum boasts a complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver objects, as well as pieces of erotic art. Then visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains, Jeronimo de Aliaga. This is the only house from that time, still belonging to the same family. Continue with a scenic tour through the colonial downtown. See the Main Square, where you can appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire. Admire Lima’s Cathedral, built during the 16th century. Finish the trip returning to your hotel.
DAY 3 | LIMA - PARACAS / NASCA LINES OVERFLIGHT Once you have had your breakfast at your hotel, you will be collected by a representative and accompanied to the bus station to take the bus from Lima to Paracas. After four hours of travel, arrive at Pisco airport and enjoy a flight over the desert observing the mysterious Nazca lines. The small town of Nazca would go unnoticed on the map if it were not for the ancient geoglyphs etched into the sand that has given it worldwide fame. As you fly over the desert, lines take shape to form simple geometric designs, then some of the swirls and zigzags start to form more distinct shapes: a spider, a condor, a monkey, to name a few. If the weather conditions and the airspace allow, you will also fly over the recently discovered drawings in Palpa. Continue your flight over the mountains where marine fossils that date back millions of years were found and then fly back to Pisco to end your aerial experience. Once again on land, you will be transferred to the hotel in Paracas.
DAY 4 | PARACAS: BALLESTAS ISLAND - LIMA Transport will take you to El Chaco pier to embark on a boat ride to the Ballestas Islands. The Ballestas are a collection of rocky islets with beautiful geographical formations, just a few kilometers off the western coast of Peru. The islands are the ideal habitat for various species of birds and an eclectic mix of wildlife like seals, boobies, pelicans, sea lions and the endangered Humboldt penguin. Cruise around the islands’ dramatic cliffs and watch large herds of noisy sea lions relaxing on the rocks, birds stretching their wings and if you’re lucky, dolphins near to your boat. While you will not disembark onto the islands, you will get startlingly close to this impressive array of wildlife. As you sail, you will also pass the Paracas Candelabra, a huge geoglyph that has been dated to around 200 BC, although the purpose and the creator of this three-pronged carving remain a mystery. At the end of your boat tour, you will be taken to the bus station for your transfer to Lima.
DAY 5 | LIMA - AREQUIPA: CITY TOUR AND MONASTERY OF SANTA CATALINA Go on a comfortable ride from your hotel to the airport of Lima to take a flight to Arequipa. At arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. Enjoy a comfortable transfer while a guide will inform you about the attractions and services the city offers and will assist you with the check-in at your hotel. Then, it’s time to get to know the city. Start your journey in the main square, called 'Plaza de Armas'. Admire its elegant neo-Renaissance basilica cathedral and the sensational Convent of Santa Catalina, which for centuries was a 'forbidden city' in the heart of Arequipa, closed to prying eyes and the influence of the outside world. The convent was founded in the 16th century, and it was an almost self-sufficient town, made up of houses for nuns and their servants, cloisters, squares and narrow streets, kitchens and refectories, among others. The families of the nuns paid large sums of money for their daughters to be admitted, which increased the wealth and prestige of the place. Today, strolling through its colorful streets is like going back in time and allows you to understand colonial Peru. Continue until you reach the Church of the Company, perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Peruvian baroque, where you can analyze its fascinating facade. The sacristy is exceptionally beautiful, thanks to its dome and walls covered with murals that show tropical flora and fauna. The Jesuit seminary is well known for its beautiful main cloister. Finally, head to the neighborhoods of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Misti volcano, which rises above the city. In the end, you will be transferred to your hotel. *Church dress code: During the visit sleeveless and / or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, and miniskirts are not permitted, otherwise their entrance will be denied.
DAY 6 | AREQUIPA – COLCA CANYON Leave Arequipa heading to the Colca Valley passing first through the Yura district, which is characterized by having a series of impressive geographical features, such as ravines, mountain ranges and canyons. Continue through the Pampas Cañahuas Reserve, an extensive plain populated by vicuñas, one of the four indigenous Andean camelids found in Peru. You will cross the pampas, bordering the crater of the Chucura volcano to reach the Los Andes viewpoint in Patapampa, which is 4,910 meters above sea level. From here, you can see the different volcanoes that surround Arequipa. Lunch will be held in the picturesque town of Chivay, followed by a transfer to your selected hotel in the Colca Canyon to enjoy the rest of the afternoon free.
DAY 7 | COLCA CANYON – PUNO (250 km - 6 hours) Get ready for a day to remember with a trip to the stunning “Cruz del Condor” viewpoint. Take a deep breath and appreciate the immensity of the Colca Valley, one of the deepest canyons in the world, with a height of more than 4,160 meters, double of the Grand Canyon. The emotion that you will feel with this experience will increase when observing the natural spectacle of the immense condors on the canyon. Let yourself be surprised while watching the overflight of these elegant raptors, patrolling with military discipline. Back in Chivay, visit the towns of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, and in between snap some more memorable photos at the Antahuilque and Choquetico viewpoints. Then continue to Puno with a detour that takes you through Patahuasi. Along the way, observe the amazing stone forests and sky-blue lagoons populated by cranes that fill this area 4,000 meters above sea level. Arrive at Puno after six hours of this amazing journey and enjoy a well-deserved rest at the hotel.
DAY 8 | PUNO – LAKE TITICACA, UROS ISLANDS AND TAQUILE
Transfer to the port of Puno, where a boat takes you to the floating island of Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society that populates a series of artificial islands built with totora plant, a type of reed which grows in the Titikaka lake. There they built their houses, also from totora. This is why they cook outdoors, to prevent possible fires. After a journey of an hour and a half, continue your trip to the island of Taquile. This island was part of the Inca Empire and remains of the culture can still be seen when looking at its buildings. Once there, receive a briefing of the island and witness a cultural activity. Have a tasty lunch and start your return to Puno.
DAY 9 | PUNO – CUSCO (357 kms – 10 hours) After breakfast at the hotel, and at the agreed time, a transportation service will transfer you to the bus station to catch your bus to Cusco. On the way, you’ll make a number of interesting stops. The first is the town of Pukara and the Pukara Lithic Museum. This was the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. Before having lunch in Sicuani, you will stop at La Raya – the highest point between Puno and Cusco at 4,313 meters above sea level. We then head on to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site built in honor of a powerful Andean god. The rectangular construction boasts thatched rooftops 20 meters above the ground; these are thought to be the highest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas to see the main attraction: the local church, known as the "Sistine Chapel of America" owing to the high quality of art found inside. The church was built during the 16th century on top of Wari remains. Once in Imperial City, a transportation service will pick you up from the bus station and drop you off at your hotel.
DAY 10 | CUSCO - CITY TOUR AND NEARBY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES Take the morning to rest and stroll through the plazas and beautiful cobblestone streets of the city. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of this charming city, which was the capital of the Inca Empire. The tour starts with a visit to Santo Domingo Convent, a large Renaissance-baroque complex, which was built over the Inca Coricancha temple. It was one of the most important temples dedicated to worshiping the sun, and its foundations are still prominent at the base of the convent. Ancient chronicles say the temple was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Then, visit the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square. Head to the hills above Cusco to visit the remains of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, whose imposing ramparts offer a stunning panoramic view of Cusco, and the ruins of the temple and amphitheater of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas practiced agricultural rituals. Admire Qenqo and then finally visit Puka Pukara (‘Red fortress’ in Quechua) an Inca military complex located on a prominent hill. Its dwellings, squares, bathrooms, aqueducts, walls, and towers can still be appreciated. Afterwards, return to your hotel.
DAY 11 | CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY: CHINCHERO, LIVING MUSEUM OF YUCAY AND OLLANTAYTAMBO
During the morning, you are picked up from your hotel in Cusco to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban center located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archaeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then, you are transferred from Ollantaytambo to the Living Museum of Yucay, a center Andean traditions interpretations, where demonstrations of the elaboration of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are carried out in the same way in which they used to in antiquity; an original recreation of Inca traditions. In addition, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Upon arriving in Ollantaytambo, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, have a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant and feel the true spirit of the Sacred Valley, transmitted in a cozy atmosphere! Later, climb the iconic fortress, built next to a mountain. At the end of this activity, you are transferred back to your hotel. *On Sundays, also visit the local market in Chinchero.
DAY 12 | SACRED VALLEY– MACHU PICCHU –CUSCO A transportation service will pick you up and transfer you to the Ollantaytambo station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. Take the train to Aguas Calientes, travel observing the Andean landscapes during a journey of one hour and a half. Our guide will be waiting for you and will accompany you until the departure point of the bus. Afterwards, take a bus for the 25-minute journey up to Machu Picchu, known as the "Lost city of the Incas", for a guided tour. After completing the tour, you will take the bus to Aguas Calientes, where you will enjoy lunch at your selected restaurant. After lunch, you can explore the charming village and, when you are ready, board the train back. The trip by train will take an hour and a half and it will take you back to Ollantaytambo, where our transportation will accompany you back to your hotel in Cusco. *Lunch time could vary depending on the entrance to the citadel. **Due to the citadel’s limited capacity we recommend that you confirm your booking as soon as possible to proceed with the ticket purchase. Tickets are subject to availability.
DAY 13 | CUSCO - SALIDA A vehicle will take you to the airport in Cusco to board your departure flight.
|
Sample 2024 price per person, double occupancy:
List of Hotels in Various Categories |
