During this adventurous experience you will discover all the highlights of the south of Peru, starting at the coast and ending in the magical city of Cusco where you will visit the impressive Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. This incredible 10 day journey will lead you through never ending deserts, highlands, snowcapped mountains, lakes, valleys, clouds, and rain forests. Let Peru inspire you, meet new people and open your mind to new cultures.
Arrival is in Lima at anytime throughout the day. Transportation is included from the airport to the corresponding hotel, and there are no activities planned for this day until our first welcome meeting in the late afternoon, most likely in the hotel lobby. Lima is the largest city and also the capital of Peru. Geographically, Lima is located on the Pacific Coast and the 5th largest city in Latin America, followed by Mexico City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
Early in the morning (3:00 am) we will catch a local bus to head south. After three hours we will arrive in the coastal fishing town of El Chaco. Continuously, we will take a tour to the Ballestas Islands, which are two large rock formations. This place is home to a variety of sea birds and sea lions that have set up colonies around the islands. It is often possible to observe dolphins and Humboldt penguins in this area. After this excursion, we will take a bus to head back to Ica. After lunch, we will head to Huacachina Oasis. Take some time to relax. The more adventurous among us, may climb the highest sand dune and ride back down on a sand board (similar to snowboarding). At 4:00 pm we will start travelling in the sand dune buggies for a fun ride across the Ica desert until sunset.
We will spend the night in Ica.
During the morning we will visit an ancestral Nazca cemetery located in the arid desert. The ancient civilization resided here. We will discover how they persisted against the rough climate of the region. Afterwards, we will ride on a comfortable night bus to the city of Arequipa. Nazca is the name of a system of valleys and deserts on the southern coast of Peru, and is also the name applied to the culture that flourished in this region between 300 B.C. and 800 A.D. These people designed the mysterious Nazca Lines, which were enormous drawings of animals, plants and geometrical lines on the desert that can only be recognized from the air. Some famous figures in these lines are the monkey, the spider, the hummingbird, the condor and the lizard.
Transfer from the bus station to the hotel. Arequipa is the most beautiful city in Peru and is located in 2330 m above the sea level and home of the imposing Misti volcano. After lunch, we will take a guided city tour throughout Arequipa. The majority of the buildings are made of volcanic sillar. Therefore Arequipa is called the white city. The city tour includes a visit at the beautiful cathedral, the Santa Catalina convent, a visit at Yanahuara’s neighborhood and at the church. Please bring along some water for this day.
In the morning we are heading for the destination in Puno which is located on the shore of Lake Titicaca (3800m) . During our journey we encounter a beautiful landscape which provides a unique fauna and vegetation. The journey will take approximately 5 hours.
At 7:00 am we will transfer you from the hotel in Puno to the port. We continue our journey in a motor boat with a covered section in case of rain or cold weather. After 2 hours, we are going to arrive at our first stop, the Uros Islands, a group of artificial floating islands made with reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake. The reeds are fundamental resources for the life of Ureños (inhabitants of these islands).
The second stop will be at the island of Taquile. The inhabitants of Taquile have preserved their unique lifestyle, their native culture for hundreds of years. Here, men do all the knitting, while the women do the spinning. Additionally, we take a descending walk, which includes 500 steps down to the main port of the island. At approximately 2:30pm we will head back to Puno City.
An eight hour bus journey will take us through the Altiplano and the Vilcanota Valley. where we can witness the birthplace of the Amazon River located between the cities of Cusco and Puno at 3863 meters above sea level. We will have lunch on our way towards Cusco, located 3316 meters above sea level. Cusco is also known as the navel city of the World. Here we can explore the ancient city with its cobble stone streets, colonial churches, and Inca archeological sites. Cusco is located 3316 meters above sea level. This ancient city has several impressive titles such as the “Navel of the World”, “Historical Capital of Peru”, is one of UNESCO’s sacred World Heritage cities. This cosmopolitan city has a great night life where you can meet people from every corner of the world.
Our tour begins in the Sacred Valley, in the early morning we will leave Cusco. After some brief views close to the city, we reach the town of Pisac, through which flows the Urubamba River. Once there our guide will take us to the complex of the ruins of Pisac Inca citadel perched on a mountainside. After the visit we can eat something in the city center and enjoy the market of Pisac. This market offers excellent craftsmanship of the entire Sacred Valley, as well as other curiosities. Our journey then takes us to Ollantaytambo where we will visit the archaeological complex. Finally, that day we will go to Agua Calientes by train, where we’ll spend the night.
After a good night sleep, we will take the bus uphill to the mountain which bears the same Name, Machu Picchu. The tour will be guided for 2:30 hours. We will visit the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries.
In the afternoon, we will return to our hotel in Cusco.
Machu Picchu was recently honored to become part of the New 7 Wonders of the World and is one of the top World Heritage cities on UNESCO’s prestigious list.
There are no activities planned for today. Have a safe journey whether you are heading home or exploring another destination!
