The Best Trip to Peru & Machu Picchu

Day 1: Arrival in Lima. Transfer to hotel.

Upon arrival at Lima airport, be greeted by our friendly representative. After a transfer to your Lima hotel and assistance with the check in, be provided with everything needed in preparation for your upcoming journey.

Use this arrival day to rejuvenate yourself by resting or enjoying hotel spa services. If arriving early to Lima, take a scenic walk to Parque del Amor (Love Park) in Miraflores for views of Lima’s gorgeous coastline or dine in at one of the many famous gourmet restaurants throughout the city.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 2: Private Lima City Tour

The capital of Lima is home to some of Peru’s oldest historical treasures amidst the modern city landscape. Join your guide for a private tour of Lima’s UNESCO-recognized Historic Center, home to the Government Palace, the Lima Cathedral, and San Francisco Catacombs. The final stop on the tour is the world renowned Larco Museum, who’s exposition of pre-Inca and Inca artifacts will encapsulate you in wonder.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 3: Lima – Ballestas Island – Huacachina

Pick up is at 5:00 AM from your hotel lobby in Lima. Drive for about 3.5 hours to the picturisque resort town of Paracas, making a quick stop along the way for a scrumptious breakfast (not included). Once at the port, board our motorized boat to the National Park island of Ballestas. Along the way we stop for pictures of the Candelabro, a etching on the desert floor similar to those found on the Nazca Lines. Continuing on our tour, we arrive at the bio-diverse island of Ballestas. Take every opportunity to see the countless marine life that calls this island home.

Spot sealions, penguins and a wide variety of bird life. The island is covered in bird poo. This bird poop is special Guano and its collected once a year and exported for the use in the manufacture of explosives. After seeing all the species on the island, we head back to port for our next excursion.

Next, start our short 2 hour drive to the town of Ica. In the town is a number of Bodegas for our Pisco and wine tasting tour. We visit at least 3 of these wineries, learning about the distillery process of Pisco and wine and enjoy a few samples. Straight after our tasting, we had over to a local restuarant for our delictable lunch.

Next, head over to the desert oasis of Haucachina. We arrive in the afternoon, depending on the season, just as the sun is getting ready to set. Our guide gets us suited for our thrilling buggy experience and our sandboarding tour. The buggy tour is full of speed and adrenaline, definitely not for the faint hearted. We stop for our sandboarding on dunes that reach 500m/1600ft for an amazing thrill. Driving through a number of dunes, we settle at the top for an unparrelled sunset views overlooking the town. After enjoying the beautiful sunset we get back on our buggy and return to Haucachina.

Time permitting, you can stroll through the town, take pictures by the emerald lake and shop for some souvenirs.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 4: Huacachina – Nazca Lines – Arequipa

After early breasfast, we drive in our private vehicle again to continue our trip to the city of Nazca. Once in Nazca, you will be taken to the local airport from where you will take a small plane to fly over the Nazca Lines.
Prior the flight watch a video about the Nazca Lines that will allow you get a better understanding of the archaeologicl zone you are about to see. This interesting documentary lasts about 35-40 minutes and provides information about the Nazca Culture, as well as the figures you will see from the air.

For this aerial tour, board a small Cessna single-engine aircraft (Station air, Sky hawk or Skyline type), which has room for 5 people, each person with a window seat. After the video, our English speaking pilot will proceed to give you a briefing about the tour and will also give each participant a map of the archaeological zone, which shows all the figures you will see from the air.

Among the figures, see an impressive representation of a monkey, a whale, a spider, a hummingbird, a parrot, a condor, geometrical shapes and hundred of straight lines crisscrossing the Nazca desert.

Afterward we visit other interesting places like the amazing Aqueducts Built By the Nazca Culture in the Peruvian Desert 1,500 Years ago.

Then, we return to Ica, to visit the highly recommednded Regional Museum of Ica. After an exciting and busy day we will take the comfortable bus to Arequipa and transfer to your hotel.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 5: Arequipa – Private Arequipa City Tour

Our guide will meet you at your hotel for a private tour of Arequipa’s highlights. Take a closer look at the mestizo baroque architecture, visit the San Ignacio Chapel, the imposing Basilica Cathedral and the Santa Catalina Monastery. Drive to a lookout point for views of the elegant Arequipa city framed by Misti Volcano.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Costa del Sol Ramada, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 6: Drive to Colca Canyon – Hot springs and relax

The 3-hour drive from Arequipa to the Colca Canyon passes through the extraordinary landscapes of the Reserva Nacional de Salinas y Aguada Blanca. Pristine landscapes dotted with animals grazing make for fantastic photographic opportunities. Before the descent, reach Patapampa Pass at a staggering elevation of 16,109 feet (4,910 meters).

Stop in Chivay village for lunch, visit Calera Hot Springs, continue to your lodge for a relaxing night. After sunset, we recommend you gaze up at the starlit skies untouched by light pollution.

• 3* Accommodations:
• 4* Accommodations: Aranwa, Sonesta or Novotel.
• Meals: None

Day 7: See Condors soar – Transfer to Puno

Your guide will meet you early this morning, the prime time to view condors, travel to Mirador Cruz del Condor where you’ll gaze in awe at the size of the condors gliding on thermal drifts over the gaping canyon below.

Return to Chivay for lunch and then begin the 5-6 hour drive to your Puno hotel. Remember that Lake Titicaca is at higher elevation than Colca Canyon. On arrival take time to rest, try out spa services, or do some light exploration while you acclimate.

• 3* Accommodations: Casa Andina Classic Puno
• 4* Accommodations: Casa Andina Private Collection

Day 8: Puno – Uros Islands – Amantani Islands

After breakfast in your hotel, the guide will pick you up and take you to the port in Puno. There, embark on a 30-minute boat ride to the floating islands. The locals will welcome and show you the island and the products they weave. Later, a 3-hour boat ride to get to the Amantani Island. At 2:30pm we arrive at our destination where our guide will introduce us to the local families who are going to share their homes with us. After lunch, hike for one hour up to the mountain called Pachataita (Mother Father).

There, enjoy an amazing view of the sunset over the lake and relax and enjoy the views. Afterwards, come back to your local home for dinner and have the opportunity to dress in traditional clothes provided by the locals and go to the local school, where a party will take place.

• Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
• Accommodation: Basic Homestay

Day 9: Amantani Island – Taquile Island – Puno.

Have an early breakfast with your local family and then take a two-hour boat ride to arrive at Taquile Island. The inhabitants still live according to their ancestral traditions and dress with gorgeous colored traditional clothes. The island is famous for the magnificent weavings that are traditionally done by the men, not the women. Have some time to learn about ancestral farming techniques and try to use a few Inca tools. Have lunch in a traditional restaurant and take the boat back to Puno and your hotel to end the tour.

• Meals included: Breakfast – Lunch
• 3* Accommodations: Casa Andina Classic Puno
• 4* Accommodations: Casa Andina Private Collection

Day 10: Puno – Rainbow Mountain – Cusco

We will pick you up from your hotel at 4am, and begin our amazing Rainbow Mountain Trek Adventure.  We set out on our drive for 4 to 5 hours to the starting point of the hike to the Rainbow Mt at Llacto (4,638m / 15,216 ft).  Along the way, there are amazing views of farming Inca terraces, traditional villages, valleys and high Andean peaks.

Herds of alpacas and llamas near your breakfast place will entertain you in the early morning. This will be a great opportunity to use restrooms and fill water bottles. Once we reach the trailhead, start on our hike following a lovely stream. As you start your hike, have views of the Ausangate Mountain and glaciers. Interact with the local people, who are still keeping traditional Quechua culture alive. Learn about their traditional clothes and the significance of the different hats worn by the men. Ask your guide to teach you a few words of Quechua!

After a total hike of 1.5 hours, we finally reach our destination: Rainbow Mountain (5,020m /16,466ft). Admire the unique beauty, have time to explore the area. Take pictures or just soak up the view. Recommended is the short hike up the neighboring mountain to get a better view and capture a better photo of the striking colors. Spend approximately 30 minutes at the top. Afterwards, there is an optional hike across to the top of the Red Valley.

This walk takes about 45 minutes longer to get back to the trailhead. At this point, hike and hour back down the way we came up where our driver will be awaiting our return and take us to a lunch. After lunch will embark on the 2-hour drive on the way to Raqchi and explore this unique and amazing Inca city. Finally, we drive 2 hours to Cusco and arrive to our hotel by 6pm.

• 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Rumipunku
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel Hotels

Day 11: Private Cusco City Tour

Immerse yourself into the story of Cusco’s past with a private guided tour of its foremost historic sites. Start with a visit to the impressive Cusco Cathedral and Coricancha temple. Then ascend above the sea of terracotta roofs as you visit the monumental Sacsayhuaman citadel.

The afternoon is yours to spend at your leisure. Explore new flavors, or pick up souvenirs at the San Pedro Market, or wander the cobblestone streets of bohemian San Blas.

• 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Rumipunku
• 4* Accommodation: Costa del Sol Ramada, Casa Andina Private Collection or Novotel Hotels

Day 12: Private Sacred Valley Tour.

We start this beautiful day at 7:30am, when your guide picks you up at your Cusco hotel in our private van. Our route to the Sacred Valley of the Incas takes us to Pisac. First stop at the Mirador of Taray to enjoy an expansive view of the Urubamba valley and its traditional farming villages. See how the agriculture in the Sacred Valley has changed very little in the past five hundred years. Drive to the archeological site of Pisac, see an impressive Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs.

Admire the carefully engineered farming terraces carved into the mountain, explore the Inca tunnel and the religious area of this important citadel. Spend about 2 hours, exploring the Inca city. Head down to the colorful market of Pisac, spend time visiting/shopping and then drive to Urubamba for lunch.

The next stop is the archeological site of Moray also known as “The Greenhouse of the Incas” a deep basin of architectural wonder. Levels of terraces are carved into a huge bowl, which was carefully engineered by the Incas. The terraces have varied microclimates depending on how deep into the bowl they are placed. Archeologists believe that they were used by the Incas to discover the optimal growing conditions for their crops and experiment in hybridization.

Continuing on we journey to the colonial town of Maras, we look down onto the pre-Inca salt mines, called “salineras” in Spanish. The salt pans and their methods have been passed down through countless generations and used for salt extraction since before Inca times. A hot spring at the top of the valley discharges a small stream of heavily salt laden water, which is diverted into salt pans and evaporated to produce salt. This is one of the few places in the world where you can find naturally pink salt!

Drive to Ollantaytambo, taking the time to explore the Inca village that has remained intact since Inca times and the massive Inca Ruins, with a tour provided by our guide. Visit the massive architecture of the Sun Temple at the top of the formidable terraces and learn about the importance of this site for the Inca during the beginning of the Spanish conquest.

After dinner, we take the train from Ollantaytambo at 7:04 and arrive at Aguas Calientes around 8:45, where you spend the night in your hotel.

• 3* Accommodation:
• 4* Accommodation:

DAY 13: CUSCO – KM 104 – WIÑAY WAYNA – SUN GATE – MACHU PICCHU

Your Inca Trail Trek Begins!

You will wake up early for your adventure of a lifetime! Your guide will pick you up at your Cusco hotel at 4am. Rest or even sleep a bit more in our comfortable, private transportation on the way to Ollantaytambo. When you arrive at the train station, the guide will give you your lunch to add to your daypack. Your train departs Ollantaytambo at 6:10 and you will have just over an hour on the train to enjoy the scenery and have breakfast (not included). Your hotel can provide you a picnic breakfast to take with you or you can pack your own breakfast.

You get off the train at the famous Km104, where your trek begins! (2,000m/6,560 ft. above sea level). After crossing the Urubamba River on a picturesque foot bridge, show your passport at the checkpoint and visit your first Inca site nearby. The first hour and a half are a gentle upward climb. Along the way, you will stop at several outlooks where you have an expansive view of the Urubamba River.

Pass through several microclimates, including a cloud forest, so be ready for damp or even rain at any season of the year. The next hour and a half are a slightly steeper uphill with a beautiful waterfall as your reward at the end of the hike!

When you cross the bridge below the waterfall, be sure to take some time for photos, you will find yourself gazing up at the spectacular Wiñay Wayna! (2,600m/8,500ft above sea level) These amazing Inca ruins have a fascinating history and some parts are still hidden by the dense jungle. Your guide will tell you all about the ruins, plus the incredible flora and fauna of this microclimate and answer any questions you have before the short 5-minute walk to your lunch spot.

Have lunch at a covered shelter at the Wiñay Wayna campground, which is the last campground for those hiking the Classic Inca Trail. Nearby are outdoor sinks to wash your hands and also restrooms. Take your time to enjoy your lunch and admire the tropical flowers around the campground. Be sure to notify us of any food allergies or dietary restrictions when you book!

After lunch, have a mostly flat walk to the Sun Gate, from which you have your first view of Machu Picchu! Though the hour-long walk is a gentle rolling up and down, it does end with a set of original steep stairs carved directly into the bedrock by the Inca. Once you reach the stairs you will know that you’re almost at the Sun Gate! As you turn the corner from the Sun Gate, enjoy your first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. So, take some time to savor the moment and take plenty of photos.

The last 60 minutes down from the Sun Gate provide many opportunities to take more photos of Machu Picchu from this unique vantage point. Don’t hesistate to ask your guide questions about these historical places on the last bit of your hike to Machu Picchu.

Once you reach Machu Picchu, you will have time to take more photos from the viewing platforms above the site (Guard House), from here take the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu. Arrive in the afternoon, as the archeological area starts to empty of tourists, which gives you the opportunity to take beautiful photos in the afternoon light with fewer people in your shots.

Take your time to enjoy this magical experience before you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes to check into your hotel. After enjoying a delicious dinner, take some time to walk around this picturesque little town, visit the hot springs or just go to your hotel to rest after such an exciting day.

• Meals included: Box Lunch, dinner in a restaurant in Aguas Calientes
• Distance: 12 kms/7.5 miles
• Time: 6hrs approximately
• 3* Accommodations: Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu or similar 
• 4* Accommodation: El Mapi or Tierra Viva Machu Picchu upgrade (superior room)
• Difficulty: moderate

***You can leave an overnight bag at the Ollantaytambo train station to be sent by train directly to Aguas Calientes (Up to 5 kilos per person).

DAY 14: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

The Full Machu Picchu Experience!

This is the day you’ve been waiting for! After an early breakfast at your hotel, take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu so that you can be there to witness the sunrise. It is a truly extraordinary site and not something you’ll want to miss! Your guide will give you a guided tour of Machu Picchu, which takes about two hours. See many of the most important parts of Machu Picchu Citadel and learn the significance of each building and temple.

When you have had your fill of the exceptional views of Machu Picchu, take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included). Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for some shopping, sightseeing or a visit to the museum or hot springs.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, following the spectacular Urubamba River. The canyon is narrow and the river has many beautiful sections of whitewater. You can also see Wiñay Wayna from the train, if you look up high on the steep canyon wall! Back at Ollantaytambo, the driver will meet you at the exit from the train station to take you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private vehicle. You can expect to arrive at your hotel by 7:00pm.

• Meals included: Breakfast at your hotel

***IMPORTANT:

• You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the same times, 2:55pm or 3:20pm, 4:22pm, or 4:43pm. The cost is $67 USD.
• Early trains can be organized by requested and it has to be done by booking time.
• The Huayna Picchu Mountain Hike depends on availability and let us know about it at booking time.
• OPTIONAL extra tickets for Machu Picchu (Circuit #1 or #2 ) will cost uS$55