Day 1 : LIMA PICK UP
Pick up upon arrival and overnight at Carmel Hotel or
similar located in Miraflores, Lima.
Day 2 : LIMA CITY TOUR AND GOLD MUSEUM
In the morning, Lima city tour (half day). You will be
picked up from your hotel at 10 a.m. The city tour
begins with a visit to the Plaza the Armas, which has
been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Running
along two sides are arcades with shops: Portal de
Escribanos and Portal de Botoneros. In the center of the
Plaza is a bronze fountain dating back to 1560. Located
in the Plaza is the Cathedral, note the splendidly
carved stalls, the silver covered altars surrounded by
fine woodwork, mosaic covered walls bearing the coat of
arms of Lima and Pizarro. Next to the Cathedral is the
Archbishop's Palace. Then you will visit the Monastery
of San Francisco. This is famous for the Sivillian
tilework and paneled ceiling in the cloisters, the
catacombs under the church and part of the monastery are
well worth seeing. You will visit the old colonial
streets in the center of the city, and the modern Lima
with the district of San Isidro and Miraflores. Then you
will visit the Peruvian Gold Museum; this excellent
private collection includes pre-Columbian gold, silver
and bronze, ceramics, weavings, mummies, etc. The second
floor of this museum is a remarkable arms collections
with an impressive exhibition from Spanish colonial
times. Overnight at Carmel Hotel or similar . (B,L)
Day 3 : PARACAS
Early in the morning transfer to the bus station, at
7:30 am you'll take the Royal Class motor coach (best
available) to Paracas (3 hours 1/2 aprox.). Upon arrival transfer to
Las Olas Hostal or similar, then excursion to Paracas of
about 2 h. 30 min. Paracas is one of the best marine
reserves, with the highest concentration of marine birds.
In the afternoon return to the hotel and overnight (B)
Day 4 : BALLESTAS NAZCA LINES
At 7:15 in the morning transfer to the private dock in
Hotel Paracas where you will take a motorboat excursion
to the Ballestas islands. This islands are spectacular,
eroded into numerous arches and caves, which provide
shelter for thousands of seabirds, some of which are
very rare, and seas lions. The islands are known as "the
Galapagos of Peru", at the end transfer to Nazca where
we will admire the famous Nazca lines. Cut into the
stony desert are large number of lines, not only
parallels and geometrical figures, but also designs such
as a dog, an enormous monkey, a bird with a wing span of
over 100 meters, a spider and a tree. The lines, that
represent some sort of vast astronomical pre-Inca
calendar, are best seen from the air. We will take a
half hour flight above the Lines then you'll visit to
the Chauchilla cemetery, where skulls, mummies and
pottery shards littering the desert. At 9:30 pm. you
will take the motor coach Royal Class to Arequipa where
you will arrive early in the morning (6 am) transfer to
La Gruta Hostal or similar. (B)
Day 5 : AREQUIPA
Around 3 pm you will take the Arequipa half day city
tour that includes the visit at the Santa Catalina
Monastery. The city has fine spanish buildings and many
old and interesting churches built of sillar, a pearly
white volcanic material almost exclusevely used in the
construction of Arequipa. The Santa Catalina Convent is
by far the most remarkable sight, opened in 1970 after 4
centuries of mistery. Overnight at La Gruta Hostal or
similar. (B)
Day 6 : COLCA CANYON
You will be picked up from your hotel at 08:00 am. Leave
Arequipa towards nor west direcction behind snow-covered
Chachani, Yura, small valley with thermal springs, see
wild vicuñas in Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve, alpacas
and llamas in Tocra, some bidrs like flamingoes, ibis,
andean gooze, ducks, andean eagle "Kara Kara" view point
of the Volcanoes and snow covered mountains in Patapampa
(4,800 m. - 15,000 ft.). See the Ampato, Sabancaya,
Walca Walca, etc. Chivay, capital of the valley.
Afternoon visit to the termal springs and pools in La
Calera. (Admission to the pools not included, about $2
per person). Overnight at Colca Lodge or similar. (B,L,D)
Day 7 : COLCA CANYON
Early morning after breakfast leave for a full day
excursion in the left shore, beautiful tipical towns,
like Yanque & Maca, colonial churches, gently people
with tipical needlework dresses, hundreds of pre inca
terraces still in use with andean growings like corn,
qinua, kiwicha (Amaranto), etc. Lookout of The Cross of
the Condor: see the deep of the canyon and if we have
good the flight of the Condor. Stone scale models, some
pre inca graves. (Time for lunch). Return to Arequipa
around 18:00 hrs. Overnight at La Gruta Hostal or
similar . (B,L) * Take note that not all the way towards
the Colca is asphalt paving .
Day 8 : PUNO
Transfer to the airport where you will take the flight
to Puno (airfare included), reception in the airport and
transfer to the Qelqatani Hotel or similar. In the
afternoon visit at the Sillustani Chullpas (pre-Colombian
funeral towers). The scenery is desert but impressive,
in a beautiful setting on a peninsula on lake Ayumara
about 32 Km. from Puno. Most of the towers date from the
period of Inca occupation in the 15th century, the
engineering involved in their construction is more
complex than anything the Incas built. Overnight . (B)
Day 9 : UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
You will be picked up from your hotel at 6:40 a.m.aprox.,
after a 2 hour motorboat ride, you will arrive at the
Uros island in the
Titikaka lake.
Fishermen and hunters inhabit the floating islands of
the Uros. The residents of the Uros use the cattail, a
type of rush, which grows in the lake, to create the
conditions that ensure the islands stay afloat. The
dense roots that the plants develop support the island.
The roofs are waterproof and the houses are extremely
humid because of the surrounding water. At present, they
speak Quechua and Aymara. Then we will visit the Taquile
island, where we will have lunch in the cooperative
restaurant. There is also a cooperative shop on the
plaza that sells exceptional wool goods which are of
very fine quality and somewhat expensive. Taquile Island
is famous for its craft production, particularly for its
beautiful textiles. The island is narrow at about 1 Km.
wide and 6 to 7 Km. long. The visit could be exhausting
because of the 533 steps on the stone stairway to climb
to get to the village and because of the altitude
(13,000 ft above sea level). On Taquile there are
numerous pre-Inca and Inca ruins as well as Inca
terracing. We will return in Puno in the afternoon,
overnight at the Qelqatani Hotel or similar. (B,L)
Day 10 : PUNO - CUSCO
After breakfast, transfer to the train or motor coach
station. Ten hour train or coach ride to Cusco *, across
the scenic high Andes landscapes only dotted by small
villages and herds of the llamas and vicuñas. Upon
arrival transfer to the Orquidea
Real or similar . ( B,L )
*Additional fare of US$110.00 if travelling by train.
Ask for availability.
Day 11 : CUSCO CITY TOUR
Morning at leisure. At 1:45 pm Cusco city tour. This
tour includes the major sites of historical interest in
Cuzco, such as the famous Inca Fortress at Sacsahuaman
and the Temple of the Sun. Also included in this is a
tourist card, giving you access to all the sites in the
Cuzco area as a whole (i.e., including outside of the
City itself). This tour finishes at 18:00 hrs. Overnight
at the Orquidea Real Hostal or similar . ( B )
Day 12 : SACRED VALLEY TOUR (TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND
SUNDAY)
At 8:45 a.m. we will depart for the
Sacred Valley tour, that includes: Bus service to
the market of Pisaq, visits the
ruins of Ollantaytambo, and the market at Chinchero.
There is an English speaking guide, and lunch in a
typical restaurant in Urubamba. Of course, throughout
this trip you will have magnificent views of the high
Peruvian Andes. At 18:00 hrs you arrive back at the
Orquidea Real Hostal or similar . ( B,L )
Day 13 : MACHU PICCHU
At 5:45 a.m. you will be picked up from the hotel to the
train station which leaves at 06:00 a.m. Travel will be
in a "Vistadome" Class (formerly "Autowagon"). At 09:40
a.m. you will arrive at the Aguas Calientes Station,
from where you will take a 25 minutes bus ride to the
ruins of Machu Picchu. Once there, you will take a
guided tour, with an English speaking guide. Overnight
at the Presidente Hostal or similar in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu).
(B, Box lunch)
*Optional: For lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
instead of box-lunch, add $35.00 to the tour price.
Day 14 : MACHU PICCHU
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes to continue
visiting the area and Machu Picchu (bus ticket and
entrance fees not included). At 3:05 pm we will take the
Vistadome train back to Cusco, arriving at 7:05 pm. We
will stay overnight at Orquidea Real Hostal or similar .
(B)
Day 15 : TRANSFER TO LIMA
Transfer to the airport where we will take the flight
back to Lima (airfare included). (B)
END OF OUR SERVICES
NOTE
-Daily departures
-No minimum of participants is required |