Description

Day 01 – Friday  Lima
Arrival at the airport in Lima where you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel.

Lima was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro as “The city of the kings” and became the capital and most important city of the Spanish Viceroyalty. Today it is still Peru’s most important city as it gives home to about 9 million people, almost 30% of the national population. The historical city centre comes with splendid colonial style architecture, ample squares as the Plaza de Armas (or Plaza Mayor) and grand churches which yielded it the declaration as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. In its modern quarters such as Miraflores and San Isidro you can find present day architecture, rich entertainment possibilities and a great number of first class hotels and restaurants. Peruvian cuisine is excellent and gets more and more famous in the world and Peruvians are extremely proud of their typical dishes.

Overnight at Hotel in Lima
Category A Property: Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores or similar (standard room)
Category B Property: Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores or similar (superior room)

Day 02 – Saturday  Lima (B)
Today you will explore the city on a sightseeing tour through Lima. The Plaza de Armas with the beautiful buildings of the government Palace, the town hall, the Palace of the archbishop and the cathedral are still the most important places in town. After that you will visit the beautiful San Francisco monastery which displays the largest collection of religious art in America. The highlight of this convent is the visit of the underground vaults known as “catacumbas” or catacombs.

Proceed through the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores and to the Coastline enjoying the view over the beaches of Lima and the Pacific Ocean.

Afterwards enjoy a guided visit of one of the Lima’s most noted museums, the Larco Museum which houses the world’s largest private collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian Art. Mr. Rafael Larco Hoyle founded the museum on July 28, 1926, in the Chiclin sugar estate in Trujillo, naming it as his father as an expression of filial homage. In 1958 he moved the collection to Lima, installing the Museum in a Colonial house in the district of Pueblo Libre, where it currently functions. This locale was adapted to the characteristics style of the 18th century Colonial houses from Trujillo. The approximate 45,000 objects of the collection have been exhibited to the public in the Permanent Hall, Jewellery Vault and the Classified Storage Area ever since.

The Halls of the Larco Museum are organized by subjects. The Metals, Ceramics, the Stones, the Culture, the Great Jewellery Vault and Textile Halls emphasize the technological aspects by Pre-Columbian cultures. Finally the World’s unique Erotic Hall gives us a glimpse of the fascinating sexual life of ancient Peruvians.

Afternoon is free at leisure or take an optional tour to 1) Walking tour of Miraflores; 2) Visit of Waterpark and dinner at Cafe del Museo.

Overnight at Hotel in Lima

Day 03 – Sunday  Lima – Cusco – Yucay/Sacred Valley (B)
Transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon Arrival Transfer to the Hotel in the Urubamba Valley, known as Sacred Valley, where the Urubamba River, a headstream where the Amazon passes through.

Start the tour with a visit to Chinchero community located 28km away from Cusco. Here are the remains of what was the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui, as well as beautiful colonial temples built on Inca’s foundations. However, its main attraction is its Sunday market originally dedicated to the people of the valley to barter their products. This colourful and lively market still fascinates people with its variety of handicrafts and textiles made in true pre-Columbian style.

Then you will be transferred to “El Mirador de Racchi” where you will have a splendid view of the Sacred Valley. Afterwards, transfer to your hotel.

Overnight at Hotel in Sacred Valley
Category A Property: Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay or similar (standard room)
Category B Property: Hotel Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness or similar (deluxe room)

Day 04 – Monday  Sacred Valley (B/L)
This morning, enjoy a visit to Ollantaytambo, a typical Inca community, is included. Towering above the town of Ollantaytambo we will find the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. Steep stone terraces rising from the edge of town lead up to the fortress ruins at the top of the hill. A stone stairway leads up through the terrace walls, allowing visitors to step out on them. One of the best-preserved areas lies north of the Hanan Huacaypata square: an area of 15 blocks of houses built on top of carved stone walls.

Lunch in a typical restaurant.

For the afternoon program, the following optional tours can be booked on-site:

Optional: 1) Moray and Maras tour (4 hrs) or 2) Trekking to the terraces of Yucay (1 hr)

Overnight at Hotel in Sacred Valley

Day 05 – Tuesday  Yucay – Machu Pichu – Cusco (B)
Transfer by bus to the train station of Ollantaytambo where the tour starts by train that goes through the fertile plain of the Urubamba valley and on to Aguas Calientes. From there, small busses drive up the steep mountain to the ruin town.

Machu Picchu called the Lost City of the Incas, this cultural heritage of mankind is a beautifully located impressive stone city constructed with a technique incredible for its era and even for present times. Stone upon stone, fitted together perfectly without any cement, with impressive delicacy, exquisite detail and discrimination worthy of the world’s greatest palaces. There are many theories about Machu Picchu, but one thing is for sure – it is one of the most impressive sites in the world.

Enjoy a guided visit of around 2 hours of the ruins and return by bus and train to Ollantaytambo station. Transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Cusco – South America’s archaeological capital and oldest continuously inhabited city is now one of Peru’ s most important and most frequented tourist attractions. Nevertheless, it is still remaining its vivid legacy as the hub of the Inca Empire: Quechua-speaking Inca descendants can still be found multitudinously in the centuries-old stone-walled city streets. Cusco also boasts magnificent repositories of colonial art – fine examples can be found in the Cathedral and Museum of Archaeology.

Overnight at Hotel in Cusco

Category A Property: Hotel Xima Cusco or similar (standard room)
Category B Property: Hotel Aranwa Cusco Boutique or similar (deluxe room)

Day 06 – Wednesday  Cusco (B)
Today you will start with a half-day city tour. It will be shown the exact centre of the Incan Empire, the Plaza de Armas. There, one can find the cathedral built on the ruins of the ancient Inca Palace. The cathedral borders on other churches on both sides. The next stop will be the old town with its magnificent renovated colonial buildings; some of them are being used as hotels.
Proceed to Sacsayhuaman, a ruin site located approx. 3 km above Cusco. Sacsayhuaman also offers a fabulous view over the city. Afterwards, visit the surrounding ruins.

**Remark: To protect the historic center of Cusco, vehicles are no longer allowed in the main square.

The afternoon is free at leisure.

Overnight in Cusco

Day 07 – Thursday  Cusco (B)
Your day is free at leisure or to take an optional tour.
1) Excursion to the Rainbow Mountain
2) Cusco after dark
3) Cemetery of Cusco
4) Cusco – off the beaten track

Overnight in Cusco

Day 08 – Friday  Cusco – Puno (B/L)
A full day bus tour from Cusco to Puno leads through the Peruvian highland along snow-covered peaks of the Andes, small villages and reaches its highest point in La Raya at 4.300 m above sea level. On route you will visit the town of Andahuaylillas, the ruins of Racchi and the small town of Pucara. Lunch in a typical restaurant en route is included.

Upon arrival in Puno transfer to your hotel.

Puno – The beauty and charm of Puno town is made up by its habitant’s kind personality and by its mixture of typical Andean architecture that is to be found all way down from the sides of the hills until the bank of the Titicaca Lake. Its archaeological, cultural and architectural variety and richness owes Puno to the fact that it once has been inhabited by three different civilizations on the banks of the Titicaca Lake: Aymara, Quechua and Spanish. This multicultural origin has created a mestizo race that is also found in their artistic and cultural expression and especially in an incomparable folklore which is second to none and has made Puno the “Folklore Capital of Peru”. But the main attraction of Puno is the Titicaca Lake, a must for any visitor. The Sacred Lake of the Incas is one of the most enigmatic places in the world. It is the highest navigable lake and combines beautiful sights, culture and history.

Overnight at Hotel in Puno

Category A Property: Hotel Lake Titicaca or similar (standard room)
Category B Property: Hotel GHL Lago Titicaca or similar (superior room)

Day 09 – Saturday  Puno – Lima (B/L)
In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Puno’s dock where you will depart towards the Uros Islands on Titicaca Lake. The Uros are 40 small floating islands made of packed totora (reed), located within the Titicaca National Reserve. Here the inhabitants of the lake, the Uros, live just as their ancestors did, maintaining their customs and idiosyncrasies.
After visiting the Uros Islands we will continue by boat to Taquile Island. There are no roads or electricity in Taquile and the locals have maintained their traditions and culture and many still wear traditional dresses. The Taquileños are known for their high-quality handicrafts, especially for the knitting, which is exclusively performed by males. In the main square there is a cooperative shop, selling woollen goods and hand-woven items, as well as a small church.

A typical lunch at Taquile Island is included.

Transfer from the hotel to the airport of Juliaca.

Flight to Lima (not included) and transfer to the hotel.

Category A Property: Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores or similar (standard room)
Category B Property: Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection Miraflores or similar (superior room)

Day 10 – Thursday Lima (B)
Transfer from the hotel to the airport.

In case you have enough time before your international flight, you may choose to join an optional tour to visit Barranco district (3 hrs)

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GROUP DEPARTURE CALENDAR 2025