From the Sea to the Andes

Upon arrival on the first day of your trip to Peru, you will be welcomed by our personnel at Lima airport and transferred to the selected hotel.

Today, you’ll discover the historical essence of Lima through its UNESCO-listed historic center. You will be transported to the colonial era as we walk through its streets and plazas, admiring iconic landmarks such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop’s Palace. You will have the opportunity to visit one of Lima’s most iconic ecclesiastical sites, the Convent of Santo Domingo, also declared a World Heritage Site, where the relics of three Peruvian saints are kept: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres, and San Juan Macías. The tour wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country for showcasing a valuable collection of nearly 45,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts, especially from the Mochica culture. This museum stands out for being one of the first in the world to have visitable storage rooms and to provide virtual access to its entire collection. You will be amazed by the quality of its jewelry, textiles, and its enigmatic erotic room, dedicated to ceramics related to fertility.

At the coordinated time, you will be transferred to the bus station to board your regular bus to the beachside town of Paracas, located approximately 3 hours 30 min south of Lima. Upon arrival, take the 1 hour and 40-minute flight over the Nasca Lines. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to see and to photograph this immense Pre-Incan astronomical calendar comprised of extraordinary and mysterious designs that were discovered in the 1930’s. Afterward, return to your hotel.

** Important: The flight to the Nazca lines is subject to weather conditions. Don’t forget your original passport, which is required.

After breakfast, take your two-hour boat trip to the famed Ballestas Islands to enjoy the sights and sounds of fascinating Peruvian coastal wildlife, and marine animals such as sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and an endless number of migratory birds. Along the way, there will be ample opportunity to marvel at the Candelabro, a mysterious and huge geoglyph that stands watch over the Ica coastline. At the designated time, you will be transferred to the bus station to board the bus back to Lima. Upon arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel or airport.

At a coordinated hour, you will be transferred to Lima Airport to take your flight to Cusco. We suggest planing your arrival flight in Cusco before 11:30 am, so you can make it in time for your first adventure in the city. Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will be able to appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and the present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. You will arrive at the center to walk the halls of the San Pedro market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of merchants selling local products. You will also visit the Koricancha Temple, which during the Inca Empire was a major center of Sun worship and later became the site of the Santo Domingo Convent, built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque style façade built on solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cusco. To appreciate the greatness of the Incas, you will ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which with its enormous carved stone walls, constitutes one of the best examples of Inca military architecture. Next, you will tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial place where the sun, the moon and the stars were worshiped. And you couldn’t take a tour of the city without visiting the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city, built by the Spanish on top of the palace of the Inca Huiracoha. Its interior houses a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases of the Cusco School of Art. Return to your hotel after your tour.

Breakfast at the hotel, then visit Chinchero, a place where many communities are still organized under the Inca system of “ayllus” and proudly wear their typical costumes. You will take the opportunity to visit the Parwa cultural center. Here you will learn about the textile processes, the products from which the vibrant natural dyes are obtained, and the traditional weaving techniques used to manufacture them. In addition, you’ll be able to watch the artisans at work and, if you’d like, purchase some of their handcrafted pieces as souvenirs. After a short walk, you will pass in front of the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat and reach the archaeological complex. During the Tahuantinsuyo empire, this complex was an agricultural and livestock center with terraces and aqueducts. You will also discover the archaeological site of Moray, which also functioned as an agricultural research center, akin to a laboratory. Its enormous concentric terraces and the variety of microclimates they created allowed the growth of a wide variety of crops. In the valley, you will also enjoy a typical lunch and visit Ollantaytambo, an ancient military, religious and agricultural center of the Incas. Strategically located on a mountain, it offers an unbeatable view of the town. It is the only one that maintains the original Inca urban design and which can also be visited to see its stone streets, its market and breathe in the spirit of the Andes.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station to board the tourist Class Train to Machu Picchu, a great World Heritage Site. This archaeological site was hidden for centuries, until it came to light during the early 1900s by the famous discoverer Hiram Bingham. It is impossible to describe in words how you will feel when faced with the citadel, a huge complex located between the mountains and the jungle, and a wonderful challenge to your imagination. Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, you will be received at the train station and transfered uphill to Machu Picchu (approximately 20 minutes). On arrival to Machu Picchu, you will begin your tour of the Citadel where you will be able to appreciate the history of this enigmatic and impressive place. The citadel was built on a very special spot covered in vegetation between two mountains: the Machu Picchu (old mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain), at the foot of which meanders the Urubamba or Vilcanota River (lower jungle), featuring abundant flora and fauna.

Enjoy your last breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima.