The Richness of Southern Peru

Explore the wonders of southern Peru for thirteen incredible days until you reach Machu Picchu, the jewel of the Incas. Discover the colonial past in Lima and Arequipa, two of the most important cities during the Viceroyalty with a rich architectural history of the time. Delight the view with breathtaking landscapes in the Colca Valley and Puno, with Lake Titicaca and its communities. Culminate your route in Cusco, the heart of Tahuantinsuyo, and immerse yourself in the Inca universe and its unsurpassed cosmology.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Lima: Named as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, the Peruvian capital is a sample of history and modernity.

Arequipa: Volcanoes like the majestic Misti, offering a memorable panorama, surround jewel of the colonial era and gastronomic capital par excellence, Arequipa.

Titicaca Lake: The highest navigable lake in the world, and its islands are home to several communities that keep their millenary culture alive. According to legend, it was the birthplace of Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, founders of the Inca Empire.

Cusco: The ancient Inca capital is a unique mix of pre-Columbian past with Spanish architecture. Its temples, squares and streets are surrounded by hills among which amazing sites hide.

Machu Picchu: The "lost city of the Incas". Hidden among the vegetation, get closer to our past through its rooms, temples, bridges and religious sites, built in communion with the surrounding landscape.

Day 1: ARRIVAL LIMA (15km – 20min)

Arrive at Lima Airport. Transportation service and a representative will pick you up from the airport at the scheduled time to transfer you to your hotel in Lima. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history, currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes. Alternatively, you can choose to book our Optional Tour (not included):

Magic Water Circuit with Dinner and Folk Show (shared basis):

A modern system of fountains certified as the largest in the world by the Guinness World Records. Built-in Exhibition Park, the Magical Water Circuit attracts crowds during summer and winter, being one of the new favorite attractions of Lima. See yourself and enjoy our water cruise that is followed by a unique gastronomical experience at a restaurant, accompanied by a delicious buffet dinner and amusing folk show.

Notes: Shared service. Start time: 18:00 hours. Duration 4 hours. Includes Pick-up and Drop-off, Bilingual guide (Spanish and English), Admission to Magic Water Circuit and Buffet dinner with Folkloric show

Overnight in Lima.

Day 2: LIMA: CITY TOUR

Wake up to breakfast in the hotel before hitting the streets of Lima’s old town; a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site packed with fascinating historical buildings. Start with the Larco Museum, located in the traditional Pueblo Libre district, which is housed in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum boasts the world’s most complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver objects, as well as pieces of erotic art. Then visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to Jeronimo de Aliaga, one of his captains. Continue to a scenic tour in the colonial downtown, which originates and spreads out from the Main Square. Here you can appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire and be amazed by Lima´s Cathedral. Erected in the 16th century, this building took more than 80 years to complete. After the tour, you will be transferred back to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 3: LIMA – AREQUIPA (90min flight, not included)

After breakfast at the hotel check out and drive to the airport of Lima to take a flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival at Arequipa Airport, our representative will meet you and take you to the hotel. Enjoy a comfortable transfer while a guide will inform you about the attractions and services the city offers and will assist you with the check-in at your hotel. In the afternoon, it is time to get to know the city. Start your journey in the main square, called 'Plaza de Armas'. Admire its elegant neo-Renaissance basilica cathedral and the sensational Monastery of Santa Catalina, which for centuries was a 'forbidden city' in the heart of Arequipa, closed to prying eyes and the influence of the outside world. The convent was founded in the 16th century, and it was an almost self-sufficient town, made up of houses for nuns and their servants, cloisters, squares and narrow streets, kitchens and refectories, among others. Strolling through its colourful streets will be like going back in time and will allow you to understand colonial Peru. Continue until you reach the Church of the Company, perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Peruvian baroque, where you can analyze its fascinating facade. The sacristy is exceptionally beautiful, thanks to its dome and walls covered with murals that show tropical flora and fauna. The Jesuit seminary is well known for its beautiful main cloister. Finally, head to the neighbourhoods of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Misti volcano, which rises above the city. In the end, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Overnight in Arequipa.

Day 4: AREQUIPA – COLCA VALLEY AND CANYON (170km – 3hrs)

After finishing your breakfast at the hotel, it is time to say goodbye to Arequipa and head to the Colca Valley. The route will take you through the Yura district, an area characterized by impressive geographical features, ranging from deep ravines to high mountains, waterfalls and lush vegetation. The route continues to the Pampa Cañahuas. This extensive Andean plateau is home to the vicuña, an indigenous Andean camelid that is closely related to the alpaca, guanaco, and llama. Cross the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra and skirt the crater of the now-extinct Chucura Volcano to reach the Mirador de Los Andes at Patapampa, 4,910 metres above sea level. This viewpoint offers impressive views of the numerous volcanoes surrounding Arequipa. Enjoy lunch in the picturesque town of Chivay (included) before being transferred to your selected hotel in the Colca Valley for a free afternoon.

Overnight in Colca Valley.

Day 5: COLCA VALLEY AND CANYON (140km – 3hrs)

After breakfast at the hotel, prepare for a day of high drama with a trip to the breathtaking Condor Cross lookout. Take a deep breath and appreciate the sheer vastness of the Colca Valley, which is one of the world's deepest canyons with a maximum depth of more than 4,160 meters, twice that of the Grand Canyon. The thrill of the experience is enhanced by the natural spectacle of huge condors flying over the canyon. Watch in awe as these graceful birds of prey glide over the canyon, patrolling it with military discipline. Descend to the valley floor to discover some of the rustic towns on the banks of the River Colca such as Chivay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, where quaint colonial churches are as much as part of the scenery as the peaks of the Andes. There are also stops at the lookouts of Antahuilque and Choquetico to admire majestic views of the valley. Lunch included. Continue to the Ocolle lookout to admire ‘the Amphitheatre’, a collection of pre-Inca terraces that demonstrate the impressive agricultural technology of the past, and then visit the Uyo Uyo archaeological site before returning to your hotel for the night.

Overnight in Colca Valley.

Day 6: COLCA VALLEY – PUNO (250km – 6hrs)

Start the day with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and then take advantage of your free morning to enjoy the hotel facilities. In the afternoon, we will begin our journey to Puno. The route cuts through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve and takes in the stunning stone forests of Patahuasi. The landscapes and scenery are both dramatic and enchanting; you will pass high plains, volcanoes, unusual rock formations and even lagoons, where you can spot cranes drying their wings above the water. There are several viewpoints, remote cafes that offer visitor’s coca tea and artisans selling traditional textiles and handicrafts along the route (own expense). Lunch included. On arrival in Puno, you will be transferred to your hotel.

Overnight in Puno.

Day 7: PUNO – UROS – TAQUILE – PUNO (3hrs by speedboat)

After breakfast at the hotel, travel to the port of Puno where a boat will be waiting to take you to the beautiful Uros Islands. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of human-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are regularly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. The Uros people also use reeds to construct their homes, so cooking is done outdoors to avoid possible fires! After visiting this fascinating island, sail to Taquile, a small slice of heaven that once belonged to the Inca Empire. Look around and notice traces of its Incan past in the ruins that still exist around the island. After a brief introduction, the local community will give you an insight into their customs and traditions with a cultural demonstration. Lunch is enjoyed on the island before the return trip to Puno (included). 

Overnight in Puno.

Day 8: PUNO – PUCARA – LA RAYA – RACHI – ANDAHUAYLILLAS – CUSCO (390km – 8hrs)

After breakfast at the hotel, a transportation service will transfer you to the bus station, where a representative will help you catch your bus to Cusco. On the way, you will make some interesting stops. The first is the town of Pucara and the Pucara Lithic Museum. This was the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. After a brief break at La Raya, the highest point of the trip between Puno and Cusco at the dizzying altitude of 4,313 meters above sea level, the bus stops at Sicuani for lunch (included). We then head on to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site built in honour of a powerful Andean god. The rectangular construction boasts thatched rooftops 20 metres above the ground; these are thought to be the highest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas, a town located around 40 kilometres away from Cusco. The main attraction here is the local church, known as the “Sistine Chapel of America” owing to the high quality of art found inside. The church was built during the 16th century on top of Wari remains. Afterwards, a last 40-kilometre drive gets you to Cusco, today’s final destination.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 9: CUSCO – NEARBY ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES – CUSCO

After breakfast at the hotel, take advantage of your free morning in Cusco to rest at the hotel or to explore its cobblestoned streets and shop for local handicrafts. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the former capital of the Inca Empire. The tour starts with a visit to Santo Domingo Convent, a large Renaissance-baroque complex, which was built over the Inca Coricancha temple. It was one of the most important temples dedicated to worshipping of the sun, and its foundations are still prominent at the base of the convent. Then, visit the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square. Head to the hills above Cusco to visit the remains of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, whose impressive ramparts offer a stunning panoramic view of Cusco, and the ruins of the temple and amphitheatre of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas practised agricultural rituals. Admire Qenqo and then finally visit Puka Pukara (‘Red fortress’ in Quechua) an Inca military complex located on a prominent hill. Its dwellings square, bathrooms, aqueducts, walls, and towers can still be appreciated. Afterwards, return to your hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 10: CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY: CHINCHERO, LIVING MUSEUM OF YUCAY, OLLANTAYTAMBO (100km – 2.5hrs)

During the morning, you are picked up from your hotel to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban centre located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archaeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then, you are transferred to the Living Museum of Yucay, an Andean tradition interpretation centre with demonstrations of the production of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware, following the techniques used by the ancestors. In addition, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Visit the town of Ollantaytambo upon your arrival, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca time, and have a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant (included). Fell the true spirit of the Sacred Valley, transmitted in a cosy atmosphere! Later, climb the iconic fortress, built next to a mountain and then you are transferred back to your hotel. 

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 11: SACRED VALLEY – AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES (30km – 1hr / 1.5hr by train – 30min by land roundtrip / 50km – 1hr)

Transportation service will pick you up and transfer you to the Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. Following a scenic journey through dramatic Andean landscapes, arrive at the station in Aguas Calientes. Here you board a coach for a 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu. The ‘Lost City of the Incas’ is believed to have been built in the 1450s by Inca emperor Pachacuti as a holiday retreat, yet within a century the city would be abandoned following the Spanish conquest. The Spaniards never found it, so it was spared the destruction they brought on other Inca sites. Instead, it was slowly swallowed up by the jungle and hidden from harm. A guided tour explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel, presenting its most prominent landmarks such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial, and the Burial Grounds. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. 

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Day 12: AGUAS CALIENTES – CUSCO (1.5hrs by train / 60km – 2hrs by land)

Delicious breakfast at the hotel is followed by a relaxing morning at leisure. We strongly recommend waking up early today to spend the morning over Machu Picchu and discover its secrets (Second entrance ticket to Machu Picchu and bus from/to Aguas Calientes available as an optional extra). The best views are from Huayna Picchu (Entrance to Huayna Picchu and bus from/to Aguas Calientes available as an optional extra), which is about 360 meters above Machu Picchu with an underground temple complex; and from Inti Punku, which offers even better views from about 390 meters above the citadel (access not included and subject to availability). Another option is the Inca Bridge, a secret military trial, which controlled access to the citadel (on your own). In the afternoon, transfer to the Aguas Calientes station and take the train back to Ollanta station. From here, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 13: DEPARTURE CUSCO (3.5km – 15 min)

After finishing your breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to Cusco’s Airport to continue with your travel arrangements. 

Comfortable and light clothing is recommended for visiting the coastal areas of Peru, while for the high Andean area the use of warm clothing is recommended. It is not recommended that visitors wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or short clothes when visiting religious temples or official buildings. Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay. Carry the same document that you presented to the agency, given that the train tickets and entrance to Machu Picchu will be issued with the same information. In all train services to Machu Picchu, the passenger can carry only hand luggage (backpack, bag or briefcase) weighing no more than 5kg / 11lb on the train to/from Machu Picchu. You will find your luggage at the chosen hotel. Allowed size: 62 linear inches 157cm (height + length + width).