Simply... Peru

Full Itinerary

DAY 1: PERU – LIMA

ARRIVAL IN LIMA AND ASSISTANCE TO THE HOTEL AFTER YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT TO PERU!

Welcome to Peru! Once you arrive at the international Lima’s airport, look for your Machu Travel Peru representative, who will be waiting for you. We know that you may feel a bit tired after a long flight, so we will transfer you directly to your hotel located in Miraflores touristic district. Then, we will help you to check-in and to settle down at your hotel.

Spend a peaceful time exploring the surrounding areas at your own peace! We highly recommend you to walk around the “Miraflores Boardwalk” to get the most beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean or just to stretch out your legs!.
In the evening, we recommend you to enjoy a delicious diner at one of the world-renowned restaurants in Lima “The Capital of the Peruvian Gastronomy”. Finally, spend a peaceful night rest at your hotel. Tomorrow will be a big day!

Overnight in Lima.
Meals: None.

DAY 2: LIMA

EXCLUSIVE LIMA CITY TOUR, LUNCH IN A NICE RESTAURANT WITH A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF PERUVIAN SEA.

This morning delight yourself with a delicious breakfast at your hotel.

This afternoon, your private guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to the heart of the “City of the Kings”, where you will enjoy exploring the Plaza San Martin and Jiron de la Union which is a fascinating boulevard that leads to Plaza de Armas, the main square. Following this, we will visit the Monastery of San Francisco, where you can see the enigmatic catacombs! A World Heritage listed site. This monastery is renowned for its Spanish baroque architecture. The first cemetery of Lima, the catacombs, is hidden underneath this monastery’s floors.

Then, we will go to a gorgeous seaside restaurant where we will taste the best of Peruvian cuisine. After finishing lunch, our driver will take you to your hotel where you will have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure.

Spend a beautiful afternoon at your own peace enjoying of your hotel or exploring around the Miraflores Touristic district. This evening for dining we recommend you consider the restaurants Central or Maido, both of them are considered as the best one in the country and currently holding positions #6 and #7 respectively in the world’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2018. Please remember that it is necessary to secure reservations in advance!.

Overnight in Lima.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 3: LIMA – AREQUIPA

FLIGHT TO AREQUIPA AND ENJOY A PRIVATE CITY TOUR OF PERU’S SECOND LARGEST CITY.

In the morning, our private transportation will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Lima International Airport. Our staff will assist you before you board your flight to Arequipa.

Our private guide and the transportation will pick you up for a tour of the city of Arequipa.
Known as "El Ciudad Blanca" (The White City), Arequipa is known for its numerous and magnificent temples, convents, colonial houses and palaces constructed from white volcanic stone called sillar.
First, you will find peace in the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, one of the most fascinating colonial, religious buildings in Peru. This monastery’s architectural style is mainly colonial, but of a mestizo nature. Different from other colonial heritages in this part of Latin America, in the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena the fusion of Spanish and native elements can be clearly observed.
We will then take a journey around the beautiful city of Arequipa and visit Mirador Carmen del Alto, Yanahuara, Sachaca, Tingo, Mansion del Fundador, Sabandia and Paucarpata.
We will finish our tour by visiting “Mummy Juanita”, a girl who was sacrificed by the Incas 400 years ago to honor Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).

Finally, in the afternoon, you will have time to explore Arequipa’s trendy downtown districts.

Overnight in Arequipa.
Meals: Breakfast.

DAY 4: AREQUIPA - COLCA CANYON

DRIVE TO THE DEEPEST CANYON IN THE WORLD, SPYING SOME NEW FUZZY FRIENDS ON THE WAY!

Early in the morning, after breakfast, our tour guide and private transportation will pick you up from the hotel between 07:00hrs and 08:00hrs to start our journey to the Colca Valley.

On the way, we will have fantastic views of the Misty, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes.
We will make a stop at the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve where we will see vicuñas, huanacos and other wild Andean species. We will be able to appreciate these beautiful animals in their natural environment.

We will then pass through many quaint little villages before stopping for lunch on the way to your hotel for the night.

Once we arrive to the hotel, you will have the rest of the afternoon to rest and enjoy the hotel or to explore at your leisure. Optionally, you may want to visit the local hot springs, La Calera.

Overnight in the Colca Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 5: COLCA CANYON - PUNO

GET A CLOSE LOOK AT COLCA CANYON, THEN TAKE A PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION TO PUNO.

In the morning, you will wake up at around 06:00hrs to have breakfast at your hotel before our tour guide and private transportation pick us up to continue our excursion to the Condor Cross Viewpoint. Here, we will be able to appreciate the majestic flight of the condors. These huge and wonderful Andean birds are a symbol of the Andes Mountain Range.
We will also be able to appreciate the depth of the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world, from this viewpoint.

After leaving the viewpoint, we will visit the towns of Maca and Yanque where we will see examples of typical colonial architecture. After lunch, our private transportation will drive us to the city of Puno.

This trip takes around 5 hours and, once we arrive to Puno, you will be taken to your previously selected hotel.

Overnight in Puno.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 6: PUNO - LAKE TITICACA

EXPLORING THE PRE- INCAS CIVILIZATION AND PICTURESQUE TOWNS OF TITICACA LAKE UROS AND TAQUILE.

Early in the morning, our guide and a private tricycle taxi will be waiting at your hotel to take you to Lake Titicaca’s port.

We will spend the morning navigating across Lake Titicaca on a fast boat to visit the unique Uros Floating Islands. These islands were built by their inhabitants with only totora reeds, a water plant that grows in Lake Titicaca.
You will be amazed at how the locals use totora reeds to build their houses, canoes, beds and many other objects necessary for their daily lives. As part of our visit to Uros, we will also get to take a trip on a totora reed canoe, in which we will experience a smooth and pleasant circumnavigation of the islands.
From here, we will continue to Taquile Island on a private motor boat. This journey will take around 2 hours, so you will have a chance to relax and enjoy the stunning scenery of Lake Titicaca.

Once we arrive, our staff will be waiting on Taquile Beach. We will then enjoy a locally prepared lunch of delicious and very fresh Lake Titicaca trout.

After lunch, you will have the opportunity to take a short hike around the island before we take a fast boat back to Puno.

Overnight in Puno.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 7: PUNO - CUSCO

AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY GOING THROUGH THE PERUVIAN ANDES TO CUSCO

This morning, our guide will pick you up in order to escort you to Cusco by private transportation. On the way, we will stop at some fascinating attractions.
Our first stop will be Pukara which is famous for its production of ceramic bulls which can be found on the roofs of Andean houses to bring good luck.

The highest point of the journey is La Raya (4,300m, 14,100ft), which is also the halfway point between Cusco and Puno. We will make a stop at nearby Sicuani to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in a pleasant restaurant.

After lunch, we will stop at Raqchi, a small highland town where we will see the Incan Temple of Wiraqocha and learn about the fascinating construction of its adobe brick walls that measure up to 11 meters high.
Then our journey will continue to Andahuaylillas, a church which is fully decorated with gold altars and where we will see many intriguing 16th, 17th and 18th century mural paintings.

Once we arrive in Cusco, our private transportation will drop you to your previously selected hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 8: CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY

VISIT THE LIVING MUSEUM OF AWANACANCHA, PISAQ RUINS AND A TIPICAL MARKET TOUR.

Today, we will start our journey through the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Our first will stop in the exceptional project of Awanakancha (Quechua word that means “big place where people weave”) where we will watch people, using the same techniques as their ancestors, weave the fur of the South American camelids into beautiful clothes.
We will see the complete procedure of this art as people weave textiles such as multi-colored belts and exquisitely embroidered blankets.

Then, we will continue our journey to Pisaq, a town which boasts a great Incan archaeological site and magnificent terraced fields on its mountains.
We will also get to go to the town’s traditional market which is famous for its beautiful handicrafts. This market is where villagers from the mountains come to sell and exchange their home-grown produce and unique handicrafts.

After visiting Pisaq, we will enjoy a delicious lunch.

Then, we will continue through the valley until we arrive to your hotel which is in an area of gorgeous scenery.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 9: SACRED VALLEY

VISIT OLLANTAYTAMBO RUINS, MARAS AND MORAY, THEN YOU WILL ENJOY A DELICIOUS BBQ LUNCH AT NIÑOS DEL ARCO IRIS FOUNDATION.

After a well-deserved breakfast at the hotel, our tour guide and private transportation will pick us up to start our private tour of Ollantaytambo which was one of the last Incan refuges during Spanish invasion.

We will have a tasty BBQ lunch in the Niños del Arco Iris social project where underprivileged children study and are provided with a house to live in.

Then, we will go to the Maras Salt Mines, these mines have been used by locals since Incan times as a source of salt. Through exposure to the sun, the water evaporates from the mine and the salt remains to be transported to the market and sold.
Afterwards, you will be surprised in Moray, a strange place thought to have been an Incan experimental farm. This place contains a natural depression which has been transformed into enormous terraces achieving 150 meters in height.
This facility was possibly used by the Incas to study the effects of different climatic conditions on crops. In other words, Moray was perhaps an Incan agricultural experiment station.
As with many other Incan sites, it also has a sophisticated irrigation system.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

DAY 10: SACRED VALLEY – MACHU PICCHU

ENJOY A MORNING TRAIN TRIP THROUGH THE CLOUDY FOREST AND VISIT THE MACHU PICCHU CITADEL.

Early in the morning, our private transportation will meet you at the hotel in order to drive you to Ollantaytambo Train Station. From here, you will take a one and a half hour scenic train journey to Aguas Calientes (the closest town to Machu Picchu).

“Discovered” in 1911 by US explorer Hiram Bingham, the citadel is deemed to be one of the world's finest examples of landscape architecture.
Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain” in Quechua, the ancient language of the Incas) nestles on top of a mountain and saddled high above the Urubamba River in the middle of the forest.
Machu Picchu was both a center of worship and astronomical observatory as well as the private retreat of the family of Incan leader, Pachacuteq.
Our private guide will reveal the secrets of the lost city of the Incas as we take a private tour of the city.

We will then have an exquisite lunch in the beautiful Citadel Sanctuary Lodge Hotel.

Finally, we will take a bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax for the rest of the afternoon.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 11: MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

MACHU PICCHU FREE DAY AND TRAIN BACK TO CUSCO

With no set activities planned for today, you are free to either relax or further explore Machu Picchu and the surrounding areas at your leisure.
There are plenty of hiking trails, both easy and moderate, to choose from in the area.

Later, we will enjoy a lunch in cozy restaurant on the plaza.

That afternoon, you will catch a train back to Ollantaytambo where you will take a private van back to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch.

DAY 12: CUSCO

EXPLORE THE CITY OF CUSCO IN OUR EXCLUSIVE CUSCO CITY TOUR AND EXPLORE THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES.

After breakfast, we will meet our guide for a private tour of Cusco, a captivating city that combines old world heritage and modern day dynamism. Few travelers can resist its charms.
We will visit all kinds of attractions, from the Santo Domingo Monastery, originally an Incan temple and one of the finest buildings in the empire, to the grand, colonial cathedrals of Cusco’s main square, Plaza de Armas.

Then, we will venture into the Peruvian countryside and walk around another ancient site. We will wander around the archaeological remains of Sacsaywaman, where the Incas staged a great battle against their conquerors. Here, we will also see the vestiges of the temple and amphitheater of Qenqo and the once magnificent red fortress of Pukapukara and the impressive Tambomachay.

Finally, we will return to the hotel and you will have a free afternoon to relax, shop or explore at your leisure.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast.

DAY 13: CUSCO – LIMA

FAREWELL AND DEPARTURE FLIGHT FROM CUSCO BACK TO LIMA.

Depending on the departure time of your flight, our staff will pick you up and escort you to the airport by private transportation. Once you arrive to the airport, our program will conclude.

Meals: Breakfast

This program will allow you to visit: Lima, Paracas, the Ballestas Islands, Huacachina, the Nazca Lines, Arequipa, the Colca Canyon, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Moray, Salineras and Machu Picchu. Additionally, you can add more exciting day tours in Cusco or another destination in Peru. Please see our package list for more options.