AM: CITY TOUR OF LIMA WITH LUNCH

Today on a half day tour, you will take a guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the "City of Kings". The tour includes Lima's Historical Centre, passing by Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral, and its Religious Art Museum. Its construction began on the city's foundation, on January 18, 1535.

We will visit the Convent and Church of San Francisco, considered by some as the greatest architectural complex of Colonial Art in America and Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The underground galleries or Catacombs that during the Viceroyalty served as a cemetery for the city.  Next enjoy a gourmet Lunch at one of the finest restaurants in Lima city. Here you will try local dishes which are famous all over the world!  After the inspection, return to your hotel (B, L)

LIMA / AREQUIPA

At the appropriate time, you will be met at the lobby of your hotel by one of our guides who will take you to the airport and assist you with your flight check in towards Arequipa.

Arrival Arequipa, reception at the Arequipa airport and transfer to your hotel.

PM: CITY TOUR OF AREQUIPA

Today, enjoy a city tour of Arequipa visiting the Carmen Alto, lookout in Cayma, from here you will enjoy the spectacular views of the city’s three surrounding volcanoes: Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu.  Continue your way to the countryside of Arequipa, to admire the attractive natural scenery that surrounds the city; including Inca terraces still used by locals for crop cultivation. As we continue the excursion, visit Yanahuara Lookout, to admire the magnificent views of Misti, and the opportunity to visit the famous temple and see colonial houses of this district.  Follow the excursion towards Arequipa Main Square, one of the most beautiful squares in Peru, and the Cathedral, a prime example of 19th-century Peruvian architecture, housing beautiful treasures in gold and silver. Continue with La Compañia Church, an ancient Jesuit temple, maybe the most important one in Arequipa due to its history and tradition. Then, visit the Santa Catalina Convent, a "Small Town" built in the XVIIth Century and opened to the public in 1970, after 400 years as a 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.  About 20 nuns, of what were once 500, still live in a section of this Convent.  After the tour, return to your hotel.  Accommodation at your selected hotel in Arequipa, for one night in Superior rooms.

AREQUIPA / COLCA

VISITING THE COLCA VALLEY AND CANYON

Early in the morning, depart on a wonderful four-hour journey to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world (3,400 meters above sea level).   On the trip, we drive across Pampa Cañahuas in the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, inhabited by herds of Vicuñas and Alpacas (South American camels), and from where you will see the other faces of Arequipa’s volcanoes Misti and Chachani.   Drive across various lakes, beautiful landscapes, related to this ecosystem.  A gratifying stop will make you taste “Coca Tea” in a rustic restaurant on the road.  As we continue, reach the highest point of the journey, to observe many volcanoes which are the source of the Amazon River.   On your arrival in Chivay town, lunch is included.  If the energy is still good, you might take a short walk around the town before being transferred to your hotel.   Accommodation at your selected hotel in the Colca Valley, for two nights in Superior rooms.

(B, L)

AM: VISIT THE CONDOR CROSS INCLUDING EN ROUTE STOPS

Very early in the morning, you will be driven to the observation point “Cruz del Condor”. While this is not the deepest point of the Colca Canyon, from “Cruz del Condor” you can appreciate the grandeur of the canyon and with a bit of luck, you might spot Andean condors, the largest flying bird in the world, soaring across the high plain.  On the way back, visit traditional villages with ancient terraces constructed by the Collaguas, a pre-Inka culture.  As you continue the route, stroll around the towns of Maca at the base of the volcano Sabancaya and then Yanque. The church of Yanque, with its baroque façade, is a testimony to the cultural symbiosis in the colonial era.   Transfer back to Chivay town for lunch.  After lunch, if you are in good shape, you will have free time to stroll around the lodge surroundings or you could take a repairing bath at the hotel’s hot springs. (B, L)

COLCA / PUNO

TRANSFER COLCA / PUNO INCLUDING STOPS ON ROUTE WITH BOX LUNCH

Early in the morning, depart on a wonderful eight-hour journey from Colca valley, one of the deepest canyons in the world (4,150 meters deep) towards Puno.  On the trip, drive across various villages, lakes, beautiful landscapes, related to this ecosystem.  As we continue, reach the highest point of the journey, to observe many volcanoes which are the source of the Amazon River.   On route, you will enjoy a box lunch.  Taking a detour to Puno will cross various towns passing by Juliaca and finally arrive in Puno in the early evening.  Accommodation at your selected hotel in Puno, for two nights in Superior rooms.  (B, L)

FD UROS & TAQUILE ISLAND BOAT TOUR WITH LUNCH

An active day will be awaiting you.  As the morning comes, visit the famed Uros floating islands, near the Titicaca National Reserve and meet one of the traditional families that inhabit these unique islands.  The Uro-Aymara people are a proud culture, where men skillfully navigate the lake with rafts made of reeds and woman are expert weavers. Calling themselves kot-suña or, “people of the lake,” the Uro-Aymara were once persecuted by other groups and forced to relocate to Lake Titicaca where they found refuge by creating the islands out of the totara reeds. Explore Quechua beliefs and culture through the rich weaving tradition of the Taquile islands.  Taquile vivid textiles carry complex messages about the wearer’s social status and life. While on the island enjoy a privileged microclimate and see men weaving wonderful pieces outdoors.   Enjoy a lunch against the stunning background of Titicaca deep blue skies, the lake sapphire waters and on the horizon Bolivia’s Royal Range.  Return to the hotel.   (B, L)

LAND TRANSFER PUNO / CUSCO WITH STOPS IN ROUTE

Early departure to the City of Cusco at 3,400 m.a.s.l. accompanied by our representative and private driver.  Travel along the High Plateau of the Collao, stopping at the Town of Pucará to visit the impressive Temple of Kalasaya, remnants of the ancient Pucara Culture, and the town of Ayaviri, an important livestock and textile center.  Continue passing through Abra La Raya where you will be able to see herds of vicuñas and llamas.  Buffet lunch will be served in Sicuani at a quiet countryside restaurant, where you will enjoy the delightful culinary art of the region. 

After lunch on the way to Cusco, stop in Raqchi, where you will be able to 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 made of giant adobe bricks and the structure also has two circular lateral columns; around the Temple are several buildings once used for housing and storage.   Then continue 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.  En route to Andahuaylillas you will pass by the lovely Wacarpay Lake, offering spectacular views of the mountains reflected in its calm waters. 

Continue the journey to the Sacred Vallley in Cusco, arriving in the late afternoon; upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.  Accommodation at your selected hotel in the Sacred Valey, for three nights in Superior rooms.  (B, L)

AWANACANCHA, PISAC MARKET, PISAC RUINS WITH LUNCH

Today after lunch, we will head to the Sacred Awanacancha textile center to observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel-related Andean animals – llamas, guanacos, alpacas, and vicuñas. Alpacas have thick wool and is the most used while the vicuñas are small and delicate with fur considered the finest. Awanacancha is a weaving center with the goal to keep alive the traditional textile arts. Here you can meet these four types of camelids, learn about the harvesting of the different wools, the natural dying techniques and have a chance to see native weavers from different areas showing their different weaving secrets and lifestyle.

Lunch will be served at Hacienda Sarapampa. Opened to visitors in 2015, Hacienda Sarapampa offers a unique live experience in a working farm where you can learn first-hand about the Cusco Giant White corn and its production, the hacienda life and delight yourself with a Farm lunch while you are enjoying the surrounding landscape of the farm and the Sacred Valley. Feel like a unique guest and experience the real taste of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Then continue with the visit to the town of Pisac, where the Incas built an observatory to study astronomy as well as an impressive network of cultivated terraces. After this, IF time allows, you will have the opportunity to bargain with vendors at the local handicraft market in Pisac.  After the tour, return to your hotel.  (B, L)

OLLANTAYTAMBO, CHINCHERO, MARAS SALTPANS & MORAY TERRACES

Begin your today tour visiting the fortress of Ollantaytambo which was believed to be constructed to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions of tribes from the jungle lowlands. Later, it served as a temporary capital for Manco Inca, leader of the Inca resistance in 1,537 during the Spanish conquest of Peru, who fortified the town to stop the advance, as Cusco had fallen under Spanish domination. Additionally, this place is a ceremonial center dedicated to the purification and worship of water with 150 steps built with perfectly carved stones. The archaeological site includes a series of superimposed terraces and stunning finely carved stone blocks located on the upper terrace or Temple of the Sun. Then, take a journey in time through the Ollantaytambo town with its straight streets with perfectly laid stones that feature a canal for water to run through the town. After the tour, transfer to the town of Chinchero which a small Andean Indian village. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. The village mainly comprises mud brick (adobe) houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress. The most striking remnant of this period is the massive stone wall in the main plaza which has ten trapezoidal niches.

Following, head to the salt fields of Maras and its seemingly never-ending terraces, where salt extracted from springs is stored. Although these waters have been used for centuries, even before the time of the Incas, Maras were founded by the Spanish in 1556. It is produced naturally in about 5,000 pools of approximately 5 square meters each forming different levels of terraces, nourished by salty water from a creek that permeates the pools and then evaporated by the intense sun, forming thick crystals. It is impressive to see the variety of colors created by the reflection of the sun’s rays in this field of salt deposits and to learn about the Incas striking ability to generate resources. Continue your excursion to admire the Moray terraces, believed to be a former gigantic agricultural laboratory, an astronomical observatory, or a place of worship, or maybe all three. It is thought that Moray was used for plant adaptation to new climatic environments thanks to its circular terraces in immense cone-shaped depressions of 47 to 84 m that resemble giant fingerprints or contour lines. These created a series of microclimates at the different heights of the terraces, which enabled the Incas to experimentally improve a great variety of crops. Today, it is evidence of the high level of agricultural knowledge they reached.

Lunch is settled in a country restaurant where you will taste dishes prepared with native plants and ingredients, served in a cozy environment. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. (B, L)

SACRED VALLEY / MACHU PICCHU                                                      

DAY TOUR OF MACHU PICCHU VIA VISTADOME TRAIN

This morning, you will be transferred to your train station in Ollantaytambo which is located close to the site where the old Inca hanging bridge crossed the Urubamba. Onboard the VISTADOME train you will move along the tracks following the river's course into the jungle lowlands to Aguas Calientes a.k.a. Machu Picchu Pueblo (a 2-hour ride). This is the last stop before getting to the famous archaeological complex.  Find crafts, books, restaurants, and array of hotels in this buzzling town. The bus zigzags up the steep side of the mountain for nearly 20 minutes. The pre-Hispanic engineering marvel unveils itself gradually; this was the site Pachacutec Inca (1438-1572) chose as royal retreat and where his "malqui" or mummified remains were to be worshiped. Machu Picchu or "Old Mountain" is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders, yet the traveler senses a beauty unmatched by these or any other title. How was such a work accomplished? Granite stone buildings that seem to naturally sprout from the earth instead of being constructed on it. Andean mountain aesthetics can truly be appreciated at Machu Picchu; explore the site at your own pace. Visit the Royal Mausoleum or take the path to the Inca Bridge, or the central flight of steps to reach Intihuatana. Or simply contemplate the sacred geography all around; the Urubamba nearly encircling the site and Mount Salkantay ("Wild"), overlooking the citadel from the southeast.

Buffet Lunch will be served at Tinkuy restaurant in Belmond Sanctuary lodge, beside Machu Picchu citadel.

MACHU PICCHU / CUSCO

2ND ENTRANCE TO MACHU PICCHU AND SURROUNDINGS (WITH GUIDE) 

Early wake up and get on board the shuttle bus that will take us to Machu Picchu. This morning you will return to Machu Picchu and have a guided visit at any of the attractions of the citadel. This day you will have the chance to visit the circuits that were left behind the day before.  Or this day you can visit Huayna Picchu Mountain. You may climb the Wayna Picchu (subject to space availability), which means "Young Mountain" as opposed to Machu Picchu. This ascent takes about an hour and its main attraction is the "Temple of the Moon", a complex of underground constructions, likely to have been used by the elite.

Note: Government regulations limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu daily. Entrance is subject to availability. Please book with plenty of notice so we may confirm your entrance to the ruins

After this awesome visit, return to Machupicchu town (known before as Aguas Calientes) and transfer to the train station for your Vistadome train back to Cusco city. Upon arrival to the respective train station, private transfer to your hotel in Cusco. Accommodation at your selected hotel in Cusco, for three nights Superior rooms. (B)

The morning is free for your own exploration of the city; Cusco has beautiful plazas, squares, galleries and cozy streets to explore. Ask your guide for more accurate points of interest.

PM: CUSCO CITY TOUR & NEAR BY INCA RUINS

Inca rulers once called Cusco the "Navel of the World". Cusco remains today a city that blends colonial Spanish charm with older, more austere remains of pre-Columbian glory. One can see the foundations of Inca structures on many of its city streets today.  Today you will go on a guided visit of the Imperial City of Cusco. In this Cusco city tour, you will visit the Main Plaza, which has been the scene of great historical events in the Capital of the Incas, the main Cathedral church, built of great slabs of red granite in renaissance style and thus contrasting with the baroque style silverwork which decorates its interior. You will then continue to the San Pedro Market A visit to the famous city market, known as San Pedro Market, is also included, here you can find people on a daily trade activity, find local products mixed with colors and smell of the typical Andean dishes. 

Later, you will head to the City’s nearby ruins; the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent example of Incan military power; Qenqo, a ritualistic site with subterranean galleries that form an underground maze; Puca Pucara, the red fortress and finally Tambomachay, also known as the Incan Baths. After this amazing educative Cusco city tour, you will be driven back to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure.   (B)

Day at leisure for your own activities, you may choose to visit the Rainbow mountain in a Full Day tour or visit the Humantay Lake (both activities are not included and quoted as optional with an additional cost) , or choose to relax at the hotel (B)

CUSCO / LIMA & CONNECTINO WITH YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT

At the appropriate time, your guide will take you to Cusco airport to board your flight back to Lima.

Arrive to Lima airport and you will be assisted by one of our representatives to help you with your international departure flight onto your next destination.