Fascinating adventure & challenge in the Andes 11 days

At an agreed time, we’ll tour the city of Lima, visiting its best attractions in its three historical periods.

Modern Lima: we’ll stop at Intihuatana Park, located on the Miraflores Malecon, from where we’ll see the Pacific Ocean. We’ll start our tour of the modern residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro. From the outside, we’ll see Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca ceremonial temple in the shape of a pyramid that has survived Lima’s urban sprawl. We’ll continue our tour to Olivar Park and the Financial Center.

Colonial Lima: our tour will continue to the Historic Center of Lima, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. This is where the center of the Spanish colony was established in the 16th century and the first buildings were constructed. We will visit the Plaza de San Martin, its balconies and old houses, the Main Square and its most important buildings such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Municipal Palace, the Station of the Destitute and others.

Santo Domingo Convent: we’ll go to one of the most important 17th century convents where the relics of three important Peruvian saints are kept: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martim de Porres and San Juan Macías.

We’ll end our tour with the option of staying at the Indian Market in Larcomar or returning to the hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Lima
• Meals included: breakfast

Early in the morning, at an agreed time, we will take our transportation to Paracas. After a journey of almost 4 hours, we will arrive at the port to take a speedboat to the Ballestas Islands, a natural habitat for dolphins, sea lions, penguins, pelicans and more than 200 types of migratory and resident birds. On the Ballestas Islands we’ll pass the Candelabra, a giant hieroglyph made using the same technique as the Nazca Lines, which is a source of great curiosity due to its size and depth.

After a short rest, we’ll continue on to Ica, where we’ll visit the Plaza de Armas and explore the main streets of Old and Modern Ica. We will then take a tour of the “Tres Generaciones” artisanal winery, where we will be given an extensive explanation of how wine and pisco are made and how they are tasted. Afterwards, we’ll go to the Huacachina Lagoon, also known as “America’s Oasis”, where we’ll appreciate the wonderful desert landscape surrounded by impressive dunes. Then we’ll take a ride in a “tubular” (a type of buggy). In the evening

we will return to Lima where, after a journey of approximately 5h30m, we will arrive in Lima. Transfer to the hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Lima
• Meals included: breakfast

Depending on the time of your flight, we will transfer you from your hotel to Lima airport.

When you arrive in Cusco, our team will meet you at the airport and we will take you to your hotel where you will be welcomed with the famous coca tea.

Free afternoon for acclimatization.

The city of Cusco is located at an altitude of 3,399 meters above sea level.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Check in : 12:00 Check out : 9:00 am
• Meals included: breakfast at the hotel in Lima

NOTE: If your arrival time is after the Lima check-out time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.

On this day you will visit the best places in and around Cusco.

We’ll start with the Cathedral located in the Plaza de Armas. It is the main church of the imperial city and was built over the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. The cathedral has more than 300 paintings from the Cusco school of art.

Next we head to Qoricancha, which in Quechua means “temple of gold”. The first temple to be built by the Incas, it was once covered in large quantities of gold and silver.

We will leave the city of Cusco to visit the Saqsayhuaman complex, famous for its huge lithic blocks weighing over 150 tons. At the time of the Inca empire it was considered the Temple of Lightning, “the god Illapa”.

Next we’ll visit the temple of Q’enqo, a place dedicated to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) where you can see carved stone constructions.

Then we’ll arrive at the impressive Inca fort Puka Pukara, which in Quechua means Red Fortress.

Finally, we’ll arrive at Tambomachay, where we’ll see the sacred temple dedicated to the cult of water, which probably also served as a purifying bath for the Inca rulers.

In the late afternoon we’ll return to Cusco, where we’ll drop you off at your hotel or, if you prefer, at the Plaza de Armas.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals included: breakfast

On this day you will visit the wonderful Sacred Valley of the Incas. Also known as the Vilcanota Valley.

We’ll start the day by visiting the archaeological complex of Pisaq, located on top of a mountain. This wonderful site is made up of groups of terraces and architectural structures scattered across its slopes and on the top of the mountain. A wonderful blend of landscape and buildings. Next, we’ll go to the handicraft market where you can see a wide variety of work from ancient times.

We’ll pass through Urubamba where we’ll take a break for lunch. We will taste typical Peruvian cuisine with a variety of dishes including salads, soups, hot dishes, the famous ceviche and delicious desserts.

After lunch we’ll visit the architectural complex of Ollantaytambo, a living settlement built to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invaders. We’ll have the opportunity to walk through its streets and get a clearer idea of what this military, religious and cultural center was like during the Inca Empire.

After the visit, we’ll board the train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, the hotel representative will be waiting to take you to your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
• Meals included: breakfast, lunch

In the morning, at the scheduled time, our guide will pick you up from your hotel to go to the bus station where you will climb 400m up a winding path for 20 minutes to reach the incredible wonder of the world “The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu”, also known as “The Lost City of the Incas”. When we arrive at the citadel of Machu Picchu with our guide, we will pass through the entrance and begin the tour of the entire citadel. We’ll visit the main sites in Machu Picchu for about 2.5 hours.

We’ll return to the town of Aguas Calientes in the afternoon, where you’ll have free time to enjoy lunch in one of the many restaurants (lunch not included). After lunch, we will take the train to Ollantaytambo (depending on the availability of the train departure time). The return will follow the same route as the outward journey. When you arrive in Ollantaytambo, the train representative will be waiting to take you to the bus to your hotel in Cusco.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals included: Breakfast

Early in the morning, at an agreed time, we will stop at your hotel in Cusco to go to Collasuyo, south of the ancient capital of the Incas (Cusco) which was part of the Tawantinsuyo (4 ancient regions of the Incas). Our first stop will be after 2h (78km), in the community of Paucarpata (CUSIPATA) where we will rest and be able to buy water or energy drinks, snacks, cereals, etc. and also enjoy our buffet-style breakfast. Afterwards, we’ll continue in our transport along the road for about 1 hour, where we’ll arrive at the PHULAWASIPATA base camp and get ready for the hike, an ascent of approximately 2 hours (3.5 km). During this journey we will have the opportunity to see the impressive Hatun Ritti glacier (4825m), the different varieties of South American camelids and the wonderful reflection of the landscape accompanied by the Puka Qocha and Qomer Qocha lagoons.

When we reach the Colorful Mountain we will have enough time to take pictures of this enigmatic and incredible place. Then we’ll return to base camp, descending for approximately 1.5 hours (3.5 km), where we’ll take our transportation to Paucarpata and enjoy our delicious lunch. Finally, at around 6pm we will be in the imperial city of Cusco, where we will take you to your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals included: breakfast, lunch

On this day we will visit beautiful Inca villages with their colonial houses. On this unique and enjoyable tour we will be able to appreciate the treasures that this sacred land holds.

We’ll start the day by visiting the experimental agricultural terraces of Moray. A group of circular terraces measuring up to 150m in depth. According to historians, these constructions were an important Inca agricultural laboratory, since their platforms were built with their own irrigation channels, each with its own microclimate. What is most striking is the difference in average annual temperature between the top and bottom of the depressions, with a difference of up to 15ºC.

Next, we’ll go to the colonial town of Maras, which preserves its Andean traditions and customs. We will be able to appreciate its beautiful architecture and its houses with colonial-style stone doors.

Finally, we will visit the Maras salt mines. These mines continue to be exploited to this day, where peasants have worked daily since Inca times. At the end of the tour, we’ll return to Cusco where we’ll drop you off at your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
• Meals included: breakfast