Tour the best Peru has to offer on this 16 day holiday traveling along the desert coast, up to the altiplano and down to jungle clad ruins. From your first sip of a Pisco Sour to your last cup of corn chicha, you're sure to be charmed by the smiles, laughter and generosity of this Andean country. This tour includes Peru's greatest highlights - the Nazca Lines, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu. Complete your journey with a few nights in our rainforest lodge!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Lima
Day 2: Pisco
Enjoy a leisurely morning in Miraflores and exploring Colonial Lima. In the afternoon you'll catch a bus to the small town of Pisco, famous for the local drink Pisco Sour. An evening on the town offers your first taste of Peruvian food and a chance to Salsa dance with the locals!
Day 3: Islas Ballestas and Paracas National Reserve
Referred to as a Little Galapagos, this morning you'll depart by boat to the Ballestas Islands. Thousands of sea birds (such as Peruvian Boobies and Guanay Cormorants) circle overhead and strut along the shore, while sea lion colonies lounge on the rocks. After your island visit, it's off to the giant sand dunes of Paracas National Reserve for a bit of hiking. In the afternoon, bus to Nazca.
Day 4: Nazca Lines/Arequipa
The Nazca Lines were discovered roughly 70 years ago. Since then, these puzzling drawings in the earth have intrigued visitors and scientists. To get a bird's-eye view of the Nazca lines, take a short flight this morning. Afterwards, it's off to Chauchilla cemetery where thousand-year-old mummies lie in the open, and ancient bones and pottery shards litter the ground. This evening, a long bus ride to Arequipa, arriving around dawn.
Day 5: Free Day Arequipa
Located 7750 feet above sea level and surrounded by snowy peaks, Arequipa delights visitors with its friendly locals and colonial charm. Visit the Santa Catalina Monastery (a 4.5 acre maze of gardens, plazas, and churches in the town center), people watch in the main plaza or just relax in the colonial hotel.
Days 6-7: Colca Canyon
As rich in history as the Cusco area, Colca's pre-Inca terraces rise straight up the canyon and ancient tombs can be found perched on vertical canyon walls. You'll leave Arequipa early this morning for the deepest canyon in the world. The drive takes you back in time, past herds of llamas and alpacas and through 400-year old colonial towns.
During your two nights in the canyon, relax in hot springs and enjoy a local peña (folkloric show)! One morning you'll head to the Cruz del Condor where you'll have your best chance to see the Andean condor. In the afternoon you'll walk along the canyon edge to the pueblo of Cabanaconde for a taste of village life in the Colca.
Days 8-10: Puno/Lake Titicaca (B,D)
Take a bus to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca where you'll visit the floating islands of the Uros people and stop for the night on Amantaní Island with local families. Share in the hospitality of the Quechua Indians and experience a short day in their lives.
Day 11: Journey to Cusco
A spectacular bus ride to Cusco crosses the 14,403 foot La Raya pass. Your final destination is the Navel of the World--Cusco, Peru!
Day 12: Journey through the Sacred Valley
This morning you'll visit the ruins of Sacsayhuamán and Pisac. On your way to Ollantaytambo, you will either visit the colorful Pisac market or head into the campo on a two-hour walk past the tiny village of Moras and nearby Inca salt mines of Morays. Tonight, relax in front of a fire in the shadow of one of the great Inca citadels.
Day 13: Train to Machu Picchu
Ancient canals still bring water from the high mountains to the baths used by Inca priests, and as visitors you're welcomed to respectfully dip your hands in the cool water. After your tour of Machu Picchu, you'll return to Aguas Calientes to soak in the hot springs.
Day 14: Free Day at Machu Picchu
Today is your chance to watch the sunrise at Machu Picchu, and to listen to the spirits of the city's past inhabitants before the hikers from the Inca Trail arrive. The day is yours to enjoy these magnificent ruins at your leisure. Return to Cusco in the late afternoon.
Day 15: Explore Cusco
Today is free to relax and explore with your guide or on your own. For those bursting with energy, horseback riding, mountain biking, or even whitewater rafting (Class III-IV) can be arranged. Travelers can go on a city tour of the churches and surrounding ruins, such as the enormous Sacsayhuamán ruins that overlook Cusco (these ruins showcase building blocks the size of SUVs). You can also wander through the bustling Plaza de Armas in the heart of Cusco, shop for love potions in the local markets, or people watch from the cafes and restaurants that line these lovely streets. The evening is yours to take in some of Cusco's varied and exciting nightlife.
Day 16: Fly Lima and Return Home
Accommodations: 13 nights comfortable hotels, 1 night homestay, 1 night bus
Food Includes: All meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner); most of our hotels offer free continental breakfast.
Transportation: One local flight, buses, trains, and boats
An exciting and active itinerary that offers the best of Peru's sights, culture, and history. Experience rural villages, colonial centers, exciting wildlife, and mysterious ruins. While relatively undemanding, the long travel days and high altitudes can be tiring for some travelers.
Start Dates 2008: May 30, Jun 27, Jul 25, Aug 22, Sep 19, Oct 17, Nov 14, Dec 19
Start Dates 2009: Jan 23, Feb 20, Mar 20, Apr 17, May 15, Jun 5, Jul 10, Aug 7, Sep 4, Oct 2, Oct 30, Nov 27, Dec 25
Custom dates are available!
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Single Supplement: US$450
Note: Flight Cusco-Lima is not included. Please add $155 US (flight cost subject to change).
Personal Budgeting: Allow US$255 for meals not included, US$28 international departure tax, US$10 local departure taxes, US$135 optional excursions (US$55/185 soles for return visit to Machu Picchu, $US55 Nazca fly-over).
Pre & Post Tour Accommodations: Share US$45, Single US$90
Arrival/Departure Transfers: 1 person US$50 each, 2 or more people US$25/person
Prices are based on a 3% cash discount
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Peru
Cultural Journey
Archeology/History
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