|
 Tour
Description: Upon
seeing Machu Picchu for the first time, an astounded Hiram
Bingham gasped: How will anyone believe what I've found?
This program aims to recreate that feeling of awe and
discovery by exposing passengers to new experiences.
Cusco is the Sacred center of the Andean culture and was the
main city during the Spanish Colony. The city is the result
of the Inca and Spanish encounter and is considered one of
the architectural gems of the world. Here you will find a
living past, history captured amidst its walls, temples, and
even people. The Incas venerated Cusco as the "navel of the
universe", building from here the trails that united their
vast Empire. Discover attractions no other city offers as
you pass through the streets of this mystical city of
extravagant palaces and elegant plazas that shine like new
despite the pass of time. The cultural highlight of our
Cusco visit will be Misminay, the community that produces
all our porters for the Inca trail. A picnic lunch at the
community will show us how integrating local people can
build sustainable development by tourism.
The highest navigable lake in the world, the Titicaca, is
also home to the most ancient living cultures in the Andes.
Spending a day living with the people of Taquile, an island
within this lake, will open our eyes to a completely
different world. |
Day 1
- Friday CUSCO / City
tour and San Blas district
AM -
Our services will
begin with your arrival at the airport of Cusco. Our local guide
will assist you and provide the transfer to the
Casa Andina
Catedral Hotel
(or similar) where
you will check-in. Enjoy the remainder of the morning at leisure,
allowing for altitude acclimatization.
|
Contact us for International airfares to Peru,
additional services in Lima and the rest of Peru |
PM -
In the afternoon you will be picked up by your
English speaking guide for a city tour of Cusco and San Blas
district. We will visit the Imperial City,
living example of the blend between Andean and Spanish cultures. We
start our trip visiting the Santo Domingo Convent, built over the
Koricancha, an ancient Inca palace and main worship center of the
Sun God. Stop at the Main Square, where we find the
Cathedral and the beautiful Church of La Compañia. Continuing with
the tour, we walk trough a nice Inca & Colonial cobbled stone
street, where we find the famous 12 angle stone piece. We
continue to the picturesque district of San Blas, home to artists
and handicraft masters, whose workshops are located along its steep
and winding streets.
EVE - This
evening we will enjoy dinner with a folklore show at a typical
restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Cusco.
(D.)
Day 2 -
Saturday
CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY OF
THE INCAS / Sacsayhuaman - Maras - Moray - Misminay Community
AM - After breakfast we depart from the hotel for a
morning visit to the nearby Archaeological sites of Cusco, all
located north east of the main square where we can observe an impressive sample of Inca
architecture, overlooking the city. We will leave the city to visit the
archaeological sites of Tambomachay (Temple of Water), Quenqo
(underground ceremonial caves) and Sacsayhuaman, the amazing main
site of the Inca Empire. For those interested in
mysticism, the Sacsayhuaman Complex is an excellent spot to hold
meditation sessions. Late in the morning we will drive towards the Sacred Valley of
the Incas to visit the salt mines of Maras, still used
today the same way they were used during Inca times.
PM - We continue
with a
visit to Moray, a concentric circle terraced structure believed to be
an agricultural lab. We finish with a picnic lunch at Misminay,
a local community that works closely with together with our operator
in Peru. The community provides all our porters for the Inca Trail to Machu
Picchu. Our operator is developing an interesting social program to
empower this Andean community. This relationship is proving how
tourism flow can be a powerful source of sustainable development,
and passengers can see first-hand how this works. Later we arrive at
Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay
Hotel (or similar), where we check in for the
night.
EVE - Overnight at the hotel in the Sacred Valley.
(B, L, D.)
Day 3 - Sunday SACRED
VALLEY OF THE INCAS / - Ollantaytambo Fortress - Pisac market
AM - This
morning we will start with a visit to Ollantaytambo, an attractive town of Inca
origin with remarkable channels and stone streets. On its high end
rises an impressive ceremonial center, paying cult to water. It was used as
a fortress during the Spanish invasion, guarding the access to the
inferior part of the valley. Then we head for Pisac with a stop on
the way to have a classic view of the Urubamba Valley, with crops
dressing the mountains like carpets.
PM - After a
hearty lunch, we will arrive to the colorful market of Pisac, where
we will have free time to interact with the local craftsmen, or to
purchase their hand-made souvenirs.
EVE -
Overnight at
Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay
Hotel (or
similar) in the Sacred Valley.
(B, L.)
Day 4 -
Monday
MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO / The Lost
City of the Incas
AM - Today we will visit one of the most important energy centers of the
world: Machu Picchu - The Lost City of the Incas. We will depart by Orient-Express train,
traveling alongside the fast flowing Urubamba River. We will have an amazing view of the Andes
becoming the cloud forest, gate to the Amazon rainforest. Upon
arrival to Aguas Calientes, our representatives will assist you to
board the bus which will take you to the entrance of the citadel.
PM - Buffet
lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, located at the entrance
to the ruins, followed by a guided tour of the ruins of Machu Picchu. No
matter how many times you have seen pictures of the Lost City, or
how many times you may have visited Machu Picchu before, it
will be an unforgettable experience. Your professional tour guide
will transmit the history around this mysterious and charming
place to us. After the tour there will be free time to explore the site on your own. At the scheduled time, we will go
back down to Aguas Calientes
station, from where we take the train back to Cusco.
EVE - Upon arrival in Cusco transfer to
Casa Andina
Catedral Hotel
(or similar)
where we check-in for the night.
(B, L.)
Day 5 -
Tuesday
CUSCO - PUNO /
Andahuaylillas, Racchi and La Raya
AM -
Today we leave Cusco behind and travel by road to Puno. During our first stop we will visit
Andahuaylillas, a town where a precious church from the 17th
century boasting an amazing organ decorated with angels and cherubs.
Later we will stop at the Racchi archeological site, known as “The
Temple of God Wiracocha”. This is probably the tallest adobe brick
construction from Inca times. During this part of the trip you can
enjoy the wonderful scenery of the South Valley outside Cusco.
PM -
Lunch will be
served in a restaurant en route followed by a stop at Pucara and
La Raya, the highest point on the road between Puno and Cuzco, from
where we will get excellent photo opportunities. The arrival into
Puno will be in the afternoon, when you will be taken to
Casa Andina
Plaza Hotel (or
similar) for check in. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure in the
city of Puno.
EVE - Overnight at the hotel in Puno.
(B, L.)
Day 6 -
Wednesday
LAKE TITICACA / Floating
islands of Uros and Taquile
AM -
After breakfast we head out for an excursion to Lake Titicaca and as a first starting point
we visit
the floating islands of the Uros, also called Lake Town. These
islands are built using totora reed and are used as home and trade
centers for the natives, who use hand-made boats of the same
material as their means of transportation. We will go on to Taquile
Island, where the community kindly welcomes tourists, keeping their
traditions alive, as well as their costumes and colorful typical
dresses; these people are very skilled artisans and they show in
every piece of work all the techniques developed over centuries.
PM -
After lunch
we will unpack and unwind here as the night will be spent
at the local community of Taquile. Locals have adapted their houses
in order to provide comfortable places to stay for visitors, closing
the circle of services in sustainable tourism. This will be a great
experience spending
time with authentic lake dwellers.
EVE -
Overnight in Taquile island.
(B, L, D.)
Day 7 -
Thursday
PUNO - JULIACA /
Sillustani Mausoleum
AM - At the
scheduled time, we will be picked up from the island in order to go to
the airport for your flight to Lima or Arequipa. On our way to the
airport we will visit Sillustani, an archaeological site located 34
Km. north of Puno. It has the famous Chullpas, which are funerary
towers, circular in base, built from polished stone. Some of them
are 12 meters high and where used by the Collas and by the Incas.
These ruins overlook Lake Umayo, increasing the beauty of this
mystic, wonderful place.
(B.)
END OF SERVICES |
