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Tour
Description: Our "Marvelous Peru"
program combines the best of what Peru has to offer.
This 15 day program will take you on an unforgettable
journey visiting the mysterious Nazca lines and the
"Galapagos like" wildlife
on the Ballestas islands in the Pacific ocean. From Lima we travel
to Cuzco to be marveled by the culture of the Incas, not
only in and around the city but also by visiting the Lost
City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. You will get a hands-on
feel of how people live in the highlands of the Andes while
traveling by land to lake Titicaca, the highest navigable
lake in the world. People on the lake still live the way
their ancestors used to live. On the last leg of this
program you will travel to the "Jewel of the South",
Arequipa, from where we visit Colca Canyon to observe views
of the Andes that will stay in our minds forever.
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DAY BY DAY ITINERARY
- Part I -
*
For
faster download we have divided the program into
2 sections - at the bottom of the page click
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Day 1
- Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday LIMA
/ Transfer - City tour Lima Modern & Colonial
AM - Our services will begin upon your arrival at the
airport of
Lima -
Peru. After immigration and customs formalities you will be met
by our local representative outside the customs area. Here you will be
assisted with your luggage and transferred to the hotel
Sonesta Miraflores
(or similar) where you
will check-in.
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PM - In the afternoon
you will be picked up from the hotel for a city tour
of Lima, “The City of Kings”. The tour will include the most
important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square,
where we can find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the
Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. We continue with a visit to
the Convent of San Francisco, an architectonic jewel dating back
to the 16th century. At the Larco Museum we will observe
some of the best-kept collections of findings from the Incas and
Peruvian Pre-Inca coastal cultures. A highlight is the Erotic Huacos
Room, where we find a sample of small statues made of mud that show
the sexual beliefs of ancient Peruvians. On the way back to the
modern area of the city, we cross the exclusive district of San
Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, where we take a look at
pre-Inca Huaca Huallamarca. Finally, we conclude the tour in
Miraflores, visiting the “Parque del Amor” (Love Park),
an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean.
EVE - Evening at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
(No meals)
Day 2
LIMA - ICA - NAZCA /
Bus ride - Over-flight of the Nazca lines & city tour
AM -
After breakfast at the hotel you will be transferred to the bus
station where we board a luxurious motor coach for the 4 hour ride to
the city of
Ica.
The ride itself is an experience as it will take you along the
Pacific coast south to Pisco and on to Ica where we check in at
Hotel Las Dunas (or similar).
PM -
In the early
afternoon we go to the airport from where we take a small airplane for the
short flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines. It is an incredible experience to see
several figures drawn on the sandy soil, representing animals and
stylized plants, distributed over a huge area, along with lines,
trapezes, triangles and spirals, preserved for almost 2000 years,
according to specialists. On the return to the hotel the guide will
take us on a city tour of Ica, including a visit to the local museum and
one of the famous vineyards where Pisco, the national spirit, is
made. For the more adventurous we offer optional programs like dune
buggy rides or sand-boarding ... ask us.
EVE - The evening can be enjoyed at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
(B.)
Day 3 ICA
- PARACAS - LIMA / Ballestas islands boat trip - Transfer
AM -
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel followed by
a transfer to
Paracas Bay. Here we board a motorboat for a two hour
excursion to the Ballestas Islands, also known by locals as the "Galapagos of
Peru". This group of islands is located in front of Paracas
National Reserve and is part of a very large natural system of
islands on the Pacific shores of Peru. Thousands of
migratory and local birds share their habitat with large
groups of sea lions and fur seals. During the excursion we can observe a mysterious design over the hill, called “El Candelabro” (The
Chandelier).
PM - After the excursion by boat we board the bus for the return to
Lima where, upon arrival at the bus
station, we will be transferred to the hotel
Sonesta Miraflores
(or similar) where we check in for the night.
EVE - Lima is known for excellent restaurants so enjoy the
evening in the city. Overnight at the hotel.
(B.)
Day 4
LIMA - CUZCO / Transfers
- City tour of Cuzco
AM -
After breakfast you
will be transferred to the airport for your flight to
Cuzco. Enjoy
the flight over the Andes mountains with its snow capped peaks. Upon arrival
at the airport of Cuzco you will be greeted by our local representative who
will assist you and provide the transfer to the hotel
Sonesta Posada del Inca Cuzco
(or similar). Here you will
check in and
enjoy the remainder of the morning at leisure. take this time to
relax in order to
allow for altitude acclimatization.
PM -
In the afternoon you will be picked up by your
English speaking guide for a city tour of Cuzco and the 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 one of the Inca & Colonial cobbled stone
streets, 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 - Overnight at the hotel in Cuzco.
(B, D.)
Day 5
CUZCO - 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 Cuzco, 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 together with our operator
in Peru. The community provides all porters for the Inca Trail to Machu
Picchu. Local tour operators are 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,
You can see at first-hand how this works. Later we arrive at the
hotel
Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay
(or similar) in the Sacred Valley where we check in for the
night.
EVE - Overnight at the hotel in the Sacred Valley.
(B, L, D.)
Day 6
SACRED VALLEY OF THE
INCAS - Ollantaytambo Fortress - Pisac Market
AM - Wake up
in the Andes, surrounded by impressive mountains and beautiful
views. 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. From here we travel towards 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 at 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 -
We return to the hotel
Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay
(or similar)
where we spend the night.
(B, L.)
Day 7
SACRED VALLEY OF THE
INCAS - AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU / Machu Picchu "The Lost City
of the Incas"
AM - Today
we 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 at the station in the small town of Aguas Calientes, located
at the bottom of the mountain that leads to Machu Picchu, we board a bus that will
take us up to the entrance of the citadel.
PM - A buffet
lunch is served at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, located at the entrance
to the ruins, followed by a guided tour of the impressive 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,
entering the Lost City of the Incas will always be an unforgettable experience. Your professional tour guide
will transmit the history around this mysterious and charming place. Later in the afternoon
we will return to the town of Aguas Calientes where we check in at the hotel
Hatuchay Tower
(or similar).
EVE - Evening at leisure to enjoy the small town atmosphere and overnight at the hotel.
(B, L.)
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