Duration:
17 Days / 16 Nights
Frequency:
Every Day of the Year
Accommodations:
Hotels / Hostels
Types:
Shared
Places to Visit:
La Paz City / Tiwanaku Ruins / Copacabana / Puno / Lake Titicaca / Cusco City /Sacred Valley / Machu Picchu / Arequipa City / Nasca Lines / Lima City
AM/PM – Arrival to La Paz and then reception from the airport or bus terminal to transfer you to your selected hotel; there will be free time in the afternoon to become adjusted to the climate and the altitude.
Hotel in La Paz: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Transfer in + hotel.
09:00 am – Personal pickup from your hotel in order to start the tour in La Paz.
During the City Tour, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the natural, cultural, historical, and archeological richness of the beautiful city of La Paz, passing through several sites rich in historical value. You’ll be visiting: Plaza Murillo, the Holy Cathedral, the Government Palace, Plaza San Francisco and its accompanying church, and the Witches Market, in which the local people buy various necessities for the many ritualistic ceremonies in existence in Bolivia – including the ceremonies of Ch’alla and the offerings to Pachamama – «Mother Earth.»
After visiting the urban center of La Paz, you will pass through the Valley of the Moon, visiting also the residential neighborhoods of the Southern zone of the city. The Valley of the Moon gives every visitor a marvelous sensation of having discovered a world that has never been known and or really understood. Due to the many years of sedimentary erosion which have formed a set of amazing stony formations, it can be said that a passage through the Valley of the Moon is about as real a journey to the moon as one can get.
After visiting the Valley of the Moon, you will have free time to eat lunch on your own account – and, in the afternoon, we will take a ride on the different cable cars that pass through the city (called teleféricos in Spanish); on this ride, you will see a different perspective of the city as you fly through its skies. Throughout this sky adventure, you’ll capture a breathtaking view of the mountain Illimani, the surrounding mountains, and you will also experience the sweet mixture of modernization and tradition – all while the City of Wonders captures your heart, leaving behind an unforgettable experience. We will be taking a ride on the Green, Yellow, Silver, and Purple cable car lines.
Hotel in La Paz: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: City tour + Valley of the Moon + cable cars «Green – Yellow – Silver – Purple” (Touristic Transport, Tour guide, and Entrance Fees) + hotel.
08:00 – 08:45 am – Personal pickup from your hotel in the center of La Paz to start the trip to Tiwanaku via an asphalted highway; Tiwanaku is found 71 kilometers outside of the city of La Paz.
AM – Arrival to Tiwanaku, with a visit to the Lithic and Ceramic museums which house around 3,500 recovered archaeological artifacts, ceramic tools, and diverse stone, metal, bone, and leather pieces (monoliths, contrails, etc.) – as well as textiles; afterwards, we will visit the main archaeological site of Tiwanaku along with its principal ceremonial centers – like: the Pyramid of Akapana – which is devoted to the various religious cults and also to astronomy; the Semi-Subterranean Temple – a quadrangular construction site which contains sculptures in its walls that resemble the faces of various people from diverse ethnicities; the Templo de Kalasasaya (Temple of the Standing Stones in English) – which is the biggest temple of all of the religious centers; the Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate) – the most relevant cultural work in which can be seen the image of “Dios Sol” (Lord of the Staffs) and in which in its perimeter can be seen 48 figures which resemble winged creatures and kneeling men; and, Pumapunku. Pumapunku is outstandingly known for its perfect usage of lithic material to create immense sculptured blocks of stone. The visit to the rest of the archeological sites is approximately 2.5 hours; afterwards, we will get to enjoy a lunch that is typical to Tiwanaku, and then we will return to La Paz.
16:30 pm – Arrival to La Paz (approximate arrival).
Hotel in La Paz: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Tour to Tiwanaku (shared touristic transport, tour guide, entrance fee, lunch) + hotel.
07:00 – 07:45 am – Personal pickup from your hotel in the center of La Paz to start the trip to the peninsula of Copacabana via an asphalted highway; Copacabana is located 151 kilometers outside of the city of La Paz and the trip is approximately 3.5 hours long. The trip is taken along the border of Lake Titicaca with an impressionable view of the Andes mountain range.
Around MID-DAY – Arrival to Copacabana with accommodation in the selected hotel.
Afternoon Tour to the Island of the Sun: After lunch, we will start our tour to the Island of the Sun (Isla del Sol in Spanish), crossing the lake and arriving to the island approximately 1 hour later. Upon arrival, we will visit the archaeological sites of the religious center, Pilkokaina – the Temple of the Incas; afterwards, we will take a walk through the stairs of Yumani (created literally by the steps of our ancestors) until we reach the sacred Fountain of Youth (called Fuente de la Juventud in Spanish) where it is believed that a drink of sacred water from the fountain can purify one’s body and cause one to regain their youth; within the garden of this fountain, one can enjoy the Inka beauty which is found within. After visiting the island, we will return to Copacabana and find accommodation in the selected hotel.
Hotel in Copacabana: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Touristic bus from La Paz – Copacabana, lunch, tour to the Island of the Sun (shared boat, tour guide, entrance fees) + hotel in Copacabana or hostel on the Island of the Sun.
After breakfast, we will have approximately 2 hours to visit Copacabana; we will visit the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana, the local market – and, afterwards, we will ascend the stairs of the Calvario where we can appreciate the Yatiris, Amautas, Aymara people, and Quechua people who bless and invoke protection to every family.
13:30 pm – We will take the touristic bus to the city of Puno, Perú.
16:00 pm – Arrival to Puno, Perú (approximate arrival).
Hotel in Puno: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Visit to Copacabana, lunch, touristic transport from Copacabana – Puno + hotel.
07:00 am – After breakfast, we will head to the port of Puno to take boat transportation towards what is called The Floating Islands of the Uros. Within these artificial islands (made of cattails), actual inhabitants live; these people (millenials) – known as the water tribe – have to reconstruct these islands periodically by adding new layers of cattails because the passing of time calls for such reconstruction. The inhabitants’ homes, and their boats, are made of the same material. Afterwards, we will continue our trajectory towards the Island of Taquile where we can appreciate the typical and rustic form of the inhabitants’ homes, taking in as well the picturesque scenery; the inhabitants still maintain their customs, rituals, religion, and folkloric traditions. On the island, we will be able to enjoy a typical lunch that has its base in fresh fish.
AFTERNOON – We will return to the city of Puno.
Hotel in Puno: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Transfer to the port of Puno, Tour – Floating Islands of the Uros/Island of Taquile (touristic boat, tour guide, lunch, entrance fees) + hotel.
06:20 am – Personal pickup from your hotel and then a transfer to the Puno bus terminal.
07:00 am – We will take a comfortable touristic bus from Puno – Cusco, visiting the following places in our trajectory:
Museum and Archaeological Sites of Pukara – Pre-Inkan culture; was developed on the shores of Lake Titicaca between 100 B.C. and 300 A.D.
La Raya – The highest place in our trajectory at an altitude of 4,321 meters above sea level; we will be able to appreciate a wonderful view of Andean mountain range of Vilcanota as well as see some alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas.
Sicuani – Where we will have lunch and then continue our trip.
Archaeological Center of Raqchi – Known as the “Temple of the God Wiracocha,” this archaeological complex was in reality what is called tambo – that is, to say, it was used for commercial sales – similar to a market; in this archaeological center, you will have the opportunity to see homes, temples, palaces, astronomical observatories, food deposits, and walls. The archaeological complex is one of the most important constructions of the Inkan Imperial Empire and is characterized by its rare and extraordinary architectural technique – completely different from the rest of the Inkan constructions.
Colonial Church of Andahuaylillas – Known as the “Sistine Chapel of America,” the church is one of the best expressions of colonial and religious architecture in the 17th Century due to the ornate and exquisite decorations of the chapel’s interior that also include a profusion of wall paintings on its walls and ceilings.
17:00 pm – We will arrive to the Imperial city of Cusco and then find accommodation in the selected hotel.
Hotel in Cusco: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Transfer out/in, touristic bus from Puno – Cusco, tour guide, entrance fee, lunch (buffet) + hotel.
MORNING – After breakfast, you will have the morning free to enjoy the beautiful Inka city.
13:00 – 13:30 pm – We will personally pick you up from your hotel to visit the following attractions:
The Cathedral – Religious colonial monument of extraordinary artistic value.
Temple of Koricancha (Temple of the Sun) – Its architecture is perfect, and the stone construction is a strong indication that this temple was the most important during the Inka Empire.
Sacsayhuaman (House of the Sun) – A grand religious center of great importance. We attribute this structure to the ultimate dynasties of the Inkas; it’s located 5 kilometers from the city of Cusco.
Qenqo – Located a kilometer from Sacsayhuaman, this structure is a ceremonial center in which you can appreciate in the center of the structure a monolithic giant – possibly an animal – that was considered the principal deity of the Inkas; surrounded by niches, the Inkas made offerings to the deity.
Puca Pucara – An antique tambo, constructed by the Inkas as a point of vigilance; its construction is rustic and contains alleys, houses, and courtyards.
Tambomachay – Found 9 kilometers from the city, this could a temple dedicated to the Inka water cult – but, it’s known as the Inka bath due to the form of its fountains.
After our visit to Tambomachay, we will return to Cusco.
Hotel in Cusco: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: City Tour in Cusco (touristic transport, tour guide, entrance fees) + hotel.
08:00 – 08:30 am – We will personally pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and then take transportation via an asphalted highway towards the Sacred Valley of the Inkas; during the trajectory to this valley – which had a great transcendence in the Inka culture – we will be able to see typical villages, snowy mountains, agricultural terraces, markets that sell artisan items, and archaeological sites. First, we will visit the archaeological park of Pisaq which is situated in the peak of the mountain; this wonderful place contains groups of agricultural terraces and dispersed architectural structures on the hillside. After the archaeological complex, we will visit the typical artisan market of Pisaq – a colorful place that exhibits a grand variety of typical artisan items made by the hands of their same artisan craftsman; the most skillful looking pieces of artisan craft are ceramics and textiles. Once in this place, you will have free time on your own account to make purchases if you like before continuing our excursion. We will continue our excursion passing through the villages of the Sacred Valley; some of those villages are the villages of Coya, Lamay, Calca, Yucay, and Urubamba. Passing through these villages, we will see beautiful flowers, as well as wildlife, until arriving to Urubamba where we will then enjoy a lunch buffet in a restaurant that sells typical food of the area. Continuing, we will head to Ollantaytambo (the Living Inka City) where we will visit the archaeological park that is one of the most important and most beautiful in the Sacred Valley; this place is an administrative, political, and religious center that is permeated with streets, plazas, and Inka temples. Regarding the park, even throughout the years it still continues being inhabited by generations of people who maintain Inka traditions and customs. After our visit, we will find accommodation in our hotel that is found in Ollantaytambo.
Hotel in Ollantaytambo: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Tour to the Sacred Valley (touristic bus, tour guide, lunch, entrance fees) + hotel.
08:00 – 08:30 am – After breakfast, we will take transportation towards the village of Maras, passing through typical villages that are characterized by beautiful landscapes which we will be able to enjoy throughout our trajectory; once we likewise, we will visit the following attractions:
Village of Maras – Located in the province of Urubamba at an altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level; we will be able to appreciate the mountain range of Vilcanota, as well as the snow mountains of Chicón (5,530 meters above sea level), Putucusi (2,560 meters above sea level), and Verónica (5,682 meters above sea level). Of a truth, this picturesque village is encompassed with attractions of the colonial, pre-Hispanic, and republican periods and is highlighted by its village streets, as well as its colonial covers that sport the shields of chiefs and noble people of the 17th and 18th Centuries.
Moray – Found 7 kilometers Southeast of Maras and 53 kilometers from the city of Cusco, with an altitude of 3,385 meters above sea level, this unique archaeological group consists of gigantic natural holes that were used by the Inkan people who constructed terraces or agricultural platforms with their respective irrigation channels. Moray, a greenhouse prototype, consists of many holes – the greatest having a depth of 150 meters – and, the average height between each platform us approximately 1.8 meters. What is striking is the average annual temperature difference between the top and bottom which can reach a whopping 15ºC (59ºF) of temperature difference. In this place, there has been tremendous advances in agriculture.
Salt Mines – Located in the Northwest of the village of Maras, the salt mines consist of about 3,000 small wells which have been exploited since the Inkan period as a means of economic exchange and are still being exploited by the local people to this day. It is said that the mountain has in its interior salt mines and also salt water that emanates from the mountain; they serve during the dry season to fill wells with salt water in the form of irrigation every 3 days so that – for a month – it can solidify gradually. Once the salt is processed, it is ready for consumption in the region.
Once we have visited the salt mines, we will continue to Urubamba to enjoy lunch.
AFTERNOON – We will return to the Inka village of Ollantaytambo.
Hotel in Ollantaytambo: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Tour to Maras/Moray/Salt Mines (touristic transport, local tour guide, lunch, entrance fees) + hotel.
AM – After breakfast, we will head to the Ollantaytambo train station where we will then take a train towards the majestic city of Machu Picchu (approximately a 2-hour trip); during the trip, we will be able to appreciate some naturally beautiful landscapes.
AM/PM – Arrival to the train station in Aguas Calientes where we will then ascend via bus to Machu Picchu (approximately a 30-minute trip). Once we pass through control, you will have to show your entrance ticket – and, from that point on, the visit will be guided. We will visit the principal ceremonial centers – like: the Temple of the Sun; Intihuatana – an astronomical observatory; the Temple of the Pachamama; the Main Plaza; the Temple of the Three Windows; the Temple of the Cóndor; the Sacred Rock – amongst others. The guided excursion is approximately 2.5 hours; afterwards, you will have time to explore at your own pace the Inka city of Machu Picchu.
AFTERNOON – You will need to descend to Aguas Calientes in order to take the train in return to the city of Cusco; remember that it is necessary to be at the train station at least 30 minutes before the train departure time. The trip will take approximately 4-hours; upon arrival, you will find accommodation in the selected hotel.
Hotel in Cusco: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Transfer out/in, train from Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo and a connection to Cusco “Expedition/Vistadome” Class, bus ticket up/down to/from Machu Picchu, entrance fee, guided visit to Machu Picchu + hotel.
AM – After breakfast in the hotel, we will personally pick you up from your hotel and transport you to the Cusco airport.
AM – 45-minute flight from Cuzco – Arequipa.
AM – Approximate arrival to Arequipa, transfer to the selected hotel, and then free time until the hour of the tour.
Afternoon City Tour in Arequipa:
14:00 pm– Arequipa is a beautiful city – especially due to its natural beauty and cozy climate. We will be visiting the most relevant attractions found within the city – such as: the Main Square – one of the most beautiful in Perú; the Church of the Society of Jesus; the Temple and Plazoleta of San Francisco; and, the wonderful Monastery of Santa Catalina – the most important attraction in the city; afterwards, we will head to a beautiful place outside of the city (called Mirador del Barrio Colonial de Yanahura in Spanish) where you will be able to take some breathtaking pictures within the beautiful landscape and also of the three volcanos that encompass the region (the volcanos of El Misti, Pichupicchu y Chachani).
Hotel in Arequipa: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Transfer out/in, flight ticket from Cusco – Arequipa, City Tour (touristic transport, tour guide, entrance fees) + hotel.
08:00 – 08:40 am – We will personally pick you up from your hotel to take a touristic transport towards the North of Arequipa, passing through some interesting scenery until arriving to the Cañahuas Grasslands Reserve where we will observe the habitat of vicuñas and alpacas (Andean camelids); afterwards, we will continue to a place (Mirador de los Andes) that offers a grand opportunity of taking beautiful pictures of the mountain range. Following Mirador de los Andes, we will then head to what is called Mirador de Chivay where we will be able to admire the pre-Colombian terraces that are still cultivated by the natives of Collaguas.
13:00 pm – Approximate arrival to the village of Chivay where will then eat lunch and also eventually find accommodation in the selected hotel for the night.
AFTERNOON – We will head out to the famous thermal baths of the Calera that flow from within the interior and constitute of a temperature fluctuation between 35ºC (95ºF) and 80ºC (176ºF) mixed with cold water.
Hotel in Chivay: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Touristic transport, tour guide, entrance fees, lunch + hotel.
06:00 am – After breakfast in the hotel, we will head to what is called Mirador Cruz del Cóndor, passing through picturesque villages and beautiful landscapes along the Canyon of Colca.
08:30 am – We will arrive to the famous Mirador Cruz del Cóndor where we will be able to admire the beauty of the wonderful natural landscape that passes through the Canyon of Colca and the majestic flight of the beautiful condors that fly through the canyon; the condor is the largest fantastic bird alive. In this place, we will have time to enjoy the scenery and then afterwards we will return to the village of Chivay. During the trajectory, we will visit another beautiful place (Mirador de Chinina) which is also a typical village of Yanque where we will be able to visit its beautiful church as well pass by the village of Maca. Upon arrival to the village of Chivay, we will eat lunch.
AFTERNOON – We will return to Arequipa and then find transportation to the Arequipa bus terminal to travel to Nasca.
NIGHT – We will take a comfortable bus from Arequipa – Nasca (approximately an 8-hour trip).
Included: Visit to the Canyon of Colca (touristic transport, tour guide, lunch) + comfortable bus ticket from Arequipa – Nasca.
06:00 am – Approximate arrival to Nasca and then accommodation in the selected hotel.
09:00 am – Personal pickup from your hotel to take transportation to the Nasca airport (Aeródromo) in order to receive necessary information via video about the Nasca Lines; this video is approximately 35-minutes long – afterwards, we will board a plane which will take us over the Nasca crop circles. From the air, we will have the opportunity to appreciate the enigmatic lines that are found in the grasslands of Jumana; this set of zoomorphic, fitomorphic and geometric figures (straight lines, triangles, spirals, a bird, a spider, a monkey, flowers, etcetera) appears to be engraved on the surface of the desert plateaus.
After flying over the Nasca lines, we will continue our visit to the Cemetery of the Chauchillas – a pre-Inka cemetery that is located 28 kilometers Southeast of the city of Nasca; in this cemetery, we will observe tombs and mummies that are in good form with more than 1,000 years of antiquity. After exploring the zone of Chauchilla, we will return to Nasca and visit the workshop of a ceramic craftsman who will give us some details on the evolution of the Nasca civilization and also show us how the people of that culture made their beautiful and colorful ceramic pieces of art. Continuing, we will visit a place where informal miners usually work in extreme conditions to excavate gold from the rocks; the technique that they use dates back to colonial times and involves the use of large mortars, lots of water, and mercury. There will be an exhibitor miner who will kindly explain the whole process that this work entails.
AFTERNOON – There will be free time on your account.
Hotel in Nasca: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Tour to the Nasca Crop Circles (Overflight) + Visit to the Cemetery of the Chauchillas (Nasca Culture) + hotel.
AM – After breakfast, you will have free time until the hour of our travel to Lima, Perú.
AM/PM – We will take a bus to the city of Lima (approximately a 7-hour trip).
PM – Approximate arrival to Lima and accommodation in the selected hotel.
Hotel in Lima: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: Comfortable bus from Nasca – Lima + hotel.
09:00 am – After breakfast in your hotel, we will personally pick you up in order to take a ride throughout the city where we can appreciate its architectural, cultural, historical, and natural richness, visiting both colonial – and modern places – such as: the Main Square; the Government Palace; what is called La Basílica Catedral; the Archbishop Palace; the Municipality of Lima; the Station of Desamparados; old streets; the classic mansions of the viceregal time period; and, Moor-style balconies. After the visit, we will visit the San Francisco Church, with its majestic convent, and the Museum of Art and Catacombs. Heading outside of the antique Lima, we will visit the residential districts, passing through what is called Huaca Pucllana – a pre-Columbian archaeological site – and then we will visit San Isidro and Miraflores which offer a spectacular panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, sporting a contrast between the antique and modern parts of Lima.
AFTERNOON – There will be free time on your account.
Hotel in Lima: Provides a hotel room with private bathroom + breakfast.
Included: City Tour (touristic transport, tour guide, entrance fee) + hotel.
End of Services
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