Day 1 – Lima

Welcome to Peru!

Upon arrival at Lima airport, you will be met by one of our representatives. You will then be transferred to your hotel, located in the residential district of Miraflores. After checking in, you’ll have time to rest overnight.

Day 2 – Lima – Paracas

Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll be transferred to the bus station to board a regular service bus to Paracas Bay. After a 4-hour journey, you will arrive and be transferred to your hotel.

The afternoon is free to enjoy the hotel’s facilities overnight. (B)

Day 3 – Paracas – Nazca

Breakfast at the hotel.

Early in the morning, we’ll take an excursion to the Ballestas Islands, located off the coast of Pisco. They are the habitat of a wide variety of marine fauna, such as the Humboldt penguin, pelicans, boobies, flamingos, dolphins, and sea lions, which can be easily observed from a motorboat. After 2 hours, we’ll return to the hotel. You’ll then be transferred to the bus station for a regular service bus to Nazca (approx. 4 hours). Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel overnight. (B)

Day 4 – Nazca – Arequipa

Early breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll be transferred to the airfield to fly over the enigmatic Nazca Lines. This enormous group of geoglyphs features a network of lines and drawings of animal and plant figures attributed to the Nazca culture, covering an area of approximately 350 km². Among the main figures, you’ll be able to see the Hummingbird, the Dog, the Monkey, the Astronaut, and more. The German researcher María Reiche dedicated 50 years of her life to studying the site, concluding that it was an astronomical calendar.

In the afternoon, you’ll be transferred to the bus station to board a regular service bus to the city of Arequipa. After a 9-hour journey, you will arrive and be transferred to your hotel overnight. (B)

Day 5 – Arequipa

Breakfast at the hotel.

This is a free day in Arequipa for personal activities overnight. (B)

Day 6 – Arequipa – Colca Canyon

Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel and depart Arequipa via Yura, passing by the foothills of the Chachani volcano, Pampa de Arrieros, and the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve, where you can see the slender vicuña. We’ll continue through Vizcachani and Pampas de Toccra, where a variety of birds can be observed. We will then skirt the Chucura crater to reach Patapampa (16,108 ft / 4,910 m) and the Mirador de los Andes (Andes Viewpoint), where you can see the volcanoes surrounding the city of Arequipa. We’ll descend to the town of Chivay for lunch (not included). You’ll then be settled into your hotel. In the afternoon, you can visit the La Calera thermal baths (entrance not included) overnight. (B, L)

Day 7 – Colca Canyon – Puno

Breakfast at the hotel.

After an early breakfast, we’ll head to the Cruz del Cóndor (Condor Cross), located 25 miles (41 km) from Chivay. This spot offers one of the most spectacular views of the Canyon and is the best place to see the majestic condors in flight. We’ll also visit the Tapay Viewpoint to admire the depth of the canyon and the town of the same name. We’ll return by visiting the towns of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma, Yanque, and the viewpoints of Antahuilque and Choquetico. We’ll return to Chivay, and after lunch (not included), we’ll depart for the city of Puno via the same road as the previous day, taking a detour at Patahuasi. From this point, the road is completely paved to Puno. Along the way, you’ll see different Andean landscapes, such as stone forests, immense lagoons with various birds, and small villages like Imata and Santa Lucia, before arriving in Juliaca. After a six-hour journey, we will arrive in Puno and you will be transferred to your hotel overnight. (B, L)

Day 8 – Puno – Lake Titicaca – Sillustani – Puno

Breakfast at the hotel.

We’ll visit the Floating Islands of Uros (12,500 ft / 3,810 m) on Lake Titicaca. Your guide will explain how the locals construct these islands from dried totora reeds. We will then return to the city of Puno.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Sillustani Chullpas, a pre-Hispanic cemetery that belonged to the Lupaca and Colla chiefdoms. Although evidence of 8,000-year-old cave paintings has been found, the main structures date from 1100 to 1450 A.D. We will then return to the hotel overnight. (B).

Day 9 – Puno – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 7:00 a.m., you’ll be transferred to the bus station to board the tourist bus to Cusco. Along the way, we’ll visit Pucara (12,795 ft / 3,900 m), where the origins of the Andean Altiplano culture were discovered; La Raya (14,222 ft / 4,335 m), the highest point of the trip, where you can enjoy beautiful landscapes and see vicuñas and llamas. We’ll have a buffet lunch in Sicuani.

Our journey continues to the Raqchi Archaeological Center (11,319 ft / 3,450 m), known as the Temple of the God Wiracocha, and the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas (10,148 ft / 3,093 m), built in 1580 and known as “The Sistine Chapel of Peru.” Upon arrival in Cusco, you’ll be transferred to your hotel overnight. (B, L).

Day 10 – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

The morning is free for personal activities.

In the afternoon, we will visit the imperial city of Cusco, starting with the Cathedral and the Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha). We will continue with a visit to the archaeological sites outside the city, such as Sacsayhuaman, a megalithic construction; Qenqo, a ceremonial and ritual center where Inca sacrifices were performed; Puca Pucara; and Tambomachay, which are important religious archaeological centers of the Inca culture overnight. (B).

Day 11 – Cusco – Sacred Valley – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, we will depart for our visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will visit the Awanacancha Textile Center, where you can see South American camelids and a live weaving demonstration by people from the Andes. Then, we will head to the town of Pisac, where we’ll explore a picturesque artisan market and see how locals still maintain the tradition of bartering for goods and food. We’ll have a buffet lunch at a local restaurant.

Later, we will go to the town of Ollantaytambo to visit the fortress of the same name. We will tour the most important sections of the site, and our guide will provide an explanation of its history. To conclude the tour on the way back to Cusco, we will visit the town of Chinchero, where you can admire the well-preserved Inca Wall in the main square and visit the beautiful colonial temple. You will then be transferred back to your hotel in Cusco overnight. (B, L)

Day 12 – Cusco – Machu Picchu – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

This day will be the highlight of our trip: the visit to the citadel of Machu Picchu. You will be picked up from your hotel very early and taken to the Ollantaytambo train station, about a 90-minute journey. From there, you will board a train that will take you to the majestic town of Aguas Calientes, a ride of about 90 minutes. Upon arrival at the Aguas Calientes station, your guide will be waiting for you to take you to the bus station to ascend to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world. The excursion will last 2 hours and 30 minutes and includes a visit to the Intihuatana (the Sundial), the Palace of the Incas, the Three Windows, and other key sites. Afterward, we will descend to the town of Aguas Calientes for shopping and lunch at a local restaurant. At the scheduled time, you will be transferred to the station to board the return train to Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Cusco overnight. (B).

Day 13 – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

This is a free day in Cusco for personal activities overnight. (B).

Day 14 – Cusco – Lima

Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll be transferred to the airport to board your return flight to Lima. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. The afternoon is free overnight. (B).

Day 15 – Lima

Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll be transferred to the airport to board your international flight. (B)