Best of Peru

Arrival
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Now the capital of Peru and its largest city, Lima was once called the “City of Kings” by Spanish conquistadors. If you look beyond the urban sprawl, you'll be rewarded with the National Museum's pre-Columbian treasures and Plaza Mayor's colonial splendour.

City Tour
Depart this morning on a 5 hour sightseeing tour exploring the most impressive sights of Lima along with some of our handpicked favourites. We will start in Miraflores market, a vibrant place visited by local chefs for its wonderful variety of fresh produce from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon. Take the chance to learn more about Peru’s diversity reflected in the colourful assortment of vegetables, fruits, fish and condiments.

On the way to Lima’s downtown we pass by ‘Huaca Pucllana’ an ancient adobe pyramid structure which served as one of the region’s most important ceremonial temples between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD. We continue to the San Isidro district and visit the impressive ‘El Olivar’ Park before stopping at the Pisco Museum where you have the chance to taste Peru’s national drink, the ‘Pisco Sour’ (optional, not included). Later we visit Lima’s downtown with its historic and traditional buildings: the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s palace and the Metropolitan City Hall surround the Main Square. Continue to San Francisco church and monastery, a 17th century jewel, recognised as a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

This tour finishes with a guided visit of the Larco Herrera Museum. This is a fabulous private museum with an exquisite collection of gold and silver treasures from ancient Peru. Many pieces in this museum are now world famous after having been exhibited in the best museums around the world.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city on your own.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Cusco
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

We suggest that you take it easy today to give yourself the best opportunity to acclimatise to Cusco's altitude. This city is bursting with Andean culture and is one of the great culinary destinations of South America. It also just happens to be the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the best-known archaeological site on this vast continent.

Breakfast included.

City & Ruins Tour
Your first morning in Cusco can be spent at your leisure, enjoying breakfast before exploring Cusco or relaxing at your hotel.

In the afternoon you will be met for your guided tour of Cusco and its archaeological sites. Your Cusco tour will include highlights such as Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and Koricancha Temple. We also visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of Sacsayhuaman just outside of Cusco which were once the former capital of the Incan Empire.

Breakfast included.

Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel to discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full day excursion. This fertile river valley was home to many important sites for the Incas, both strategic and religious. Your first stop will be the lookout Mirador de Taray, a scenic lookout point offering impressive panoramic views of the Sacred Valley.

Continue on to Pisaq where you will first visit the archaeological complex, the ruins of the fortress of Pisaq which are set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inca citadel are magnificent. You will visit the lower part of the complex where the agricultural area and the pre-Hispanic cemetery are located. Afterwards, visit the colourful local market and have free time to search for a souvenir or two before enjoying a typical Andean lunch at a local restaurant.

We then continue our journey along the River Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, where you will visit Ollantaytambo Ruins and one of its best preserved areas, Hanan Hucaypata.

You will be transferred to the local train station where you will catch the scenic afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. On arrival you will be escorted to your hotel by the hotel's staff. Enjoy a free evening and prepare for your early morning visit to Machu Picchu the next day.

*Option to add a night in the Sacred Valley and continue to Machu Picchu early tomorrow, giving you the opportunity to enjoy 2 visits to Machu Picchu.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Machu Picchu Tour
Today you will visit Wayna Picchu mountain. Upon entering the citadel, you will follow a short, predetermined route through a section of Machu Picchu until you reach the entrance of Wayna Picchu’s trail. Enjoy the exhilarating climb of Wayna Picchu, situated at approximately 3,000 meters above sea level. Make sure to take some impressive panoramic photos of Machu Picchu from above. Upon descending the mountain, you follow the short, predetermined route to the exit of the citadel.

Later, you will meet your guide in Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival a small coach takes you up the steep roads to the entrance of the citadel. For centuries Machu Picchu remained undiscovered by the Spaniards and has only been found in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. During a guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction, making this Inca site one of the seven new wonders of the world.

At the proper time, walk on your own to the local train station (close to artisanal market) and take the train back to Ollantaytambo where our local representative is waiting to transfer you to Cusco. In case you have left any luggage in the hotel in the Sacred Valley, it will be picked up on route.

Return to Cusco
THE BEST SCENIC TRAIN IN LATIN AMERICA, THE 360° MACHU PICCHU TRAIN.

The only train in Peru with an entertainment app on board which will allow you to learn more about the train journey and the Inca civilization. Enjoy our appetising selection of cold and warm drinks, prepared using fruit juices and Andean herbs, and our delicious gourmet and organic delights made with products from the Sacred Valley. Experience a unique way to travel to Machu Picchu from Cusco, exploring the Andean landscape like never before with wider and taller panoramic windows and an observation outdoor carriage including a bar.

You will take the 360° Machui Picchu train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo station where you will continue your journey by bus/van to Cusco. Upon arrival, our representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. In case you have left any luggage in the hotel in the Sacred Valley, it will be picked up en route.

Breakfast included.

Bus Tour to Puno
This morning you will be met at your hotel by our representative and transferred to the bus station where you will board your bus to Puno. This 10-hour bus trip takes you through picturesque Andean landscapes dotted by small villages and herds of llamas and vicunas.

Throughout the journey you will make 3 important stops: the first is Andahuaylillas, known for its baroque church dating back to the 17th-century. The second stop will be at La Raya Pass where you will climb up to enjoy a panoramic view of the snow-capped Andes. The final stop is Raqchi where you will visit the Viracocha Temple. This was the only Incan temple of the time to feature cylindrical columns covered by fine layers of clay. You will enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in Sicuani then board the bus again for the final leg of your trip.

Upon arrival into Puno you will be met at the bus station and transferred to your hotel.

There is also an option to take the scenic Titicaca train between Cusco and Puno.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Uros & Taquile Island
This morning we board our speed boat for the cruise to the Uros and Taquile Islands. By taking a speed boat we save 2-hours travel time giving you more time to explore the islands.

Our first stop is to visit the Uros Indians, who live on islands of floating reeds and, save for a few modest concessions to the modern world, still live as their ancestors would have done centuries ago.

We continue on to Taquile Island where we will tour around the ruins and visit these beautiful people, world famous for their intricate and fascinating weavings. After lunch we will return to Puno and transfer you back to your hotel.

* If you have an extra day then we recommend spending this evening in an authentic Lake Titicaca island home. On the following day you will return to Puno via Taquile Island.

* Please note: Due to the high altitude (3800m) visitors require a certain level of fitness for the walking on the islands.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Breakfast included.