Perú & Bolivia 12D/11N

Day 1.- LIMA TO CUSCO

Assistance at your arrival to Cusco Airport by our representative and private driver, and transfer to the Hotel located in Cusco City, located close to the main square.  Our representative will assist you with check-in procedures and provide you with a detailed itinerary and vouchers covering all the services included in your tour and additional information on the organization of your Peru trip.

Day 2.-  CUSCO  CITY TOUR + 4 RUINS

This afternoon you will go on a private escorted sightseeing tour of the city of Cusco, archaeological capital of South America. Cusco also has the finest examples of Inca history and architecture. A visit of the city’s most important historical monuments, The Plaza de Armas and Koricancha Temple, and a visit to the surrounding ruins of the Qenko Amphitheater, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, and Sacsayhuaman Fortress. After the tour you will come back to your hotel in Cusco City.

Day 3.- SACRED VALLEY TOURS OF THE INCAS

After breakfast provided in hotel, we pick you up in our touristic transport between 8:00am – 8:20am and head out to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  We will have a strategic look-out above the Taray village, see the snow-capped Veronica mountain and more of the beautiful valleys along the way. Arriving to Pisac community, we will tour a typical hand-craft market, which was long-ago known as the place to interchange products for many villages in the area.  Later, we take a guided tour of the ruins of Pisac, then continue to Urubamba for a buffet lunch.  Continuing on our adventure, we stop in Ollantaytambo to see the impressive archaeological complex which includes a unique architecture similar to the Tiahuanaco culture from the South of Peru.  Finally, we return to Cusco, taking a stop along the way at Chinchero (Village of the Rainbow) which was an important agricultural center for the Incas and that offers a rich cultural experience.

Day 4.- CUSCO TO AGUAS CALIENTES TOWN BY TRAIN

We will pick you up from your hotel in bus and transfer to the train station. After a 4-hour journey of splendid views, we arrive to Aguas Calientes town where you will spend the night in a Hotel. In the afternoon you can explore the area of this small town and also relax in the natural springs, if desired. Aguas calientes town is 1400 meters less in altitude than Cusco City.

Day 5.- FULL DAY MACHUPICCHU –  CUSCO  RETURN

After breakfast in the hotel in, we walk to the bus station to take the bus up the mountain to the Machu Picchu entrance (about 30 minutes and 400 meters above the Aguas Calientes town).  With opportunity to see Machupicchu City, your guided tour of the citadel then commences, visiting the main plaza, Circular Tower (Torre Circular), Sacred Solar Clock (Sagrado Reloj Solar), the living Quarters, Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries.  Later you will have free time to tour the rest of Machu Picchu, take photos and finally descend back down the mountain in bus to Aguas Calientes town.  Here you will catch the return train to Cusco city.

Options to climb up Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machupicchu Mountain, but must be reserved in advance

Day 6 .- CUSCO – PUNO BY TOURISTIC BUS

Morning: Breakfast provided in-hotel.  07:00 am transfer to the bus terminal for the trip to Puno. During the journey we will visit ANDAHUAYLILLAS, a major tourist attraction which has been called the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. After Andahuaylillas we will visit RAQCHI, an archaeological site where the ruins of the Temple of Wiracocha are found.

Afternoon: Arrival to SICUANI where we will enjoy a delicious buffet lunch. Then we will continue toward LA LINEA, the highest point on the route, where we will be able to appreciate the region’s

snow-covered peaks. We then continue to PUKARA and arrive to the city of Puno at approximately 5pm. Reception and transfer to hotel and spend the night in Puno.

Day 7.- FLOATING ISLAND OF UROS TOUR

Breakfast at the hotel and then  9:00 am pick up from hotel to the port of Titicaca lake.  We will have an unforgettable motorboat excursion on the waters of Lake Titicaca to the unique «Floating Islands» of Uros. These ancient inhabitants of the lake, known as the Water Tribe, have built their own «islands» by periodically adding new layers of a type of reed called «totora» (Scirpus Totora), vegetable fiber of the Papyrus family. Despite the advanced culture around them, these inhabitants continue to live like their ancestors on these artificial islands. New totora reeds must be added periodically to keep their islands from deteriorating. Their homes and boats are also made of the same material.

Duration of the excursion: 3 hours.

Day 8.- PUNO – DESAGUADERO (BOLIVIA BORDER) –  TIWANAKU – PUNO

After breakfast in the hotel, the group departs from Puno in the morning  to Desaguadero by private transportation, and then arrive to Bolivia.  After checking with the immigration office we will  continued driving to the Tiwanaku archaeological complex, known for its excellent work in pottery such as keros (ceremonial glasses), the huaco-portraits (three-dimensional portrait of a human face in a vessel) and textiles and architectural constructions with an astronomical theme. According to some studies, Tiahuanaco could be the lost Atlantis, as it is the second oldest culture in South America after Pucara (Peru); it is recognized by UNESCO. You will also visit the lithic and ceramic museum. The archaeological site of Tiahuanaco is composed of seven architectural constructions known as Kalasasaya, an underground temple, pyramid of Acapana, Kantatallita, Kerikala, Putuni and Puma Punku. It was formerly known as Taypikala, known in the Aimara language as “Central Stone”. This culture appeared in 1,000 BC, and it disappeared by 1,200 D.C.

Return to Puno in our transportation at the end of the day.

Day 09.- PUNO –  CHIVAY COLCA CANYON

Early breakfast in the hotel, pick up 06.15am and transfer to the bus station.  Along the way we can see some lakes and water birds, and a look-out point called Uncle Carlitos above the flats of Canahuasi.  There is a stopping place here with rest-rooms and time to have a tea before continuing to see vicuna animals in their natural habitat along the road-way.  We will come to the village of Chivay with transfer to appropriate hotels and time for optional visit to some natural hot-springs or typical dances in the evening.

Day 10.- COLCA CANYON – CHIVAY – AREQUIPA

Early morning after breakfast, we leave for a full day excursion. We departure to Condor’s Crossing where you will likely be able to watch the beautiful flight of the condors. The Canyon tour is an impressive vista including deep canyons, a unique culture with very elaborate embroidered dress, Pre-Inca terraces that are still farmed, and colonial churches. On the way back to Chivay, we visit the Chinina Look-out, where we will see the famous Hanging Tombs and the Hanging Bridge of Sifón that joins the town of Yanque with Coporaque, and to the right: the beautiful village of Coporaque, and the semi-circular terraces known as the «Amphitheatre»-view of the mountains. Lunch is in Chivay and then in the afternoon we return to Arequipa with final transfer to the hotel.

Day 11.- AREQUIPA – NAZCA

Transfer in the morning to the bus stations after breakfast in the hotel and leave to Nazca by 8:00 am. Upon arrival, our representant in Nazca will wait for you at the bus station and make the transfer to your hotel .

Day 12.- NAZCA LINES – LIMA

After breakfast in the hotel, transfer to the Nazca Airport for your flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines. Approximately 35 minutes flying over this enigmatic «pampas», where hundreds of years ago ancient Peruvians created huge designs, which can be seen only from the air. Afterwards, we will visit the Pre-Inca cemetery of Chauchilla. Later, we visit a ceramic studio, where a craftsman will give us a better insight about the Nazca civilization and the colorful vessels they made hundreds of years ago; We will also see the aqueducts, a place with over 40 circular aqueducts created by the Nazca people to bring water in to their crops in this dry desert land from miles away by underground tunnels. Later, there is free time for lunch.
Transfer back to the hotel to pick up your luggage and then to the bus station leaving to Lima and arriving at approx 8.30 pm.

End of Services