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| Arequipa, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu |
Discover the ancient worlds of Peru! Visit Arequipa, "The White City," with its colonial treasures, including a 400-year-old walled convent, and historical intrigue – it is the home of Juanita, the Incan Ice Maiden. You'll travel to Lake Titicaca, meet the residents of its islands and explore their ruins on the deep blue lake.In Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire, explore the Inca's legacy in its architecture and surrounding ruins, and visit the majestic mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu, perched high in the forested mountains. Soak up the history and culture of Peru – from colonial cities to the Andes to the shores of Lake Titicaca – with this tour of its vibrant worlds!
Day 1 – Lima
Upon arrival in Lima, we meet you in the airport and take you to your hotel Costa del Sol Ramada.
Day 2 – Lima to Arequipa
In the morning, we will meet you in the lobby and assist you with check-in for the flight to Arequipa. Known as "The White City," most of the structures are built out of brilliant white volcanic stone. Once we arrive, settle into your hotel before we begin a private tour of the area.
Visit the Andean Sanctuary Museum, with its collection of frozen Inca mummies. The most famous of these is Juanita, who, dressed in ceremonial robes was sacrificed to the gods some 500 years ago and found on the nearby peak Ampato in 1995.
In the afternoon, tour the city's colonial treasures, including the neighborhood of San Lazaro, the Plaza de Armas, and the Santa Catalina Convent – a beautiful walled city with cobblestone walkways that dates from 1580 and is home to over 400 nuns. Tonight you will stay at Posada del Puente in a Junior Suite. B
Day 3 – Arequipa to Lake Titicaca
We will have the morning to explore Arequipa on our own before returning to the airport for the flight to Juliaca. We'll drive a short distance to visit pre-Columbian funeral towers of Sillustani overlooking lake Umayo. These towers were built by the Colla people, who were conquered by the Inca in the 1400s, and their architecture is said to be as complicated as that of the Incas. Each tower is about 40 feet high, made of square stones fit perfectly together with no mortar. Continue to Puno, and spend the night in Casa Andina Private Collection with a lake view on the shores of Lake Titicaca. B
Day 4 – Lake Titicaca
Spend the day on a private tour exploring Lake Titicaca and the communities that make the Lake their home. Travel 20 minutes by motorboat from Puno to the floating Islands of the Uros, whose inhabitants are descended from the Collas and the Incas. These 42 small islands have been made by hand from totora reeds that grow in the shallow waters of the lake. Marvel at how the 200 residents live on the fragile, shifting reeds, with their homes, school, church and even a post office!
Continue your tour by boating three-and-a-half hours to beautiful Taquile Island, rising out of the deep blue lake on the horizon. Spend the afternoon exploring the pre-Incan ruins and terraces scattered across the island. Meet Taquile residents as you stroll down it's quaint streets and take in spectacular view across Lake Titicaca. Return to Puno in the late afternoon. Your hotel is the Casa Andina Private Collection with a lake view. B, L
Day 5 – Lake Titicaca to Cusco
Travel by air-conditioned bus overland to Cusco. The journey travels across the barren altiplano, past scattered villages dwarfed by snow-capped Andean peaks, and remnants of pre-Inca and Inca occupation. You'll stop along the way for guided tours at the pre-Incan sites of Chokepukio and Pikillactat, built by the Huari people between 600 and 800 AD. Arrive in Cusco in the early evening and stay in Casa Andina Private Collection. B, L
Day 6 – Sacred Valley of the IncasDrive to the Urubamba Valley, known as the Sacred Valley to the Incas. An important agricultural zone, this area was once the heart of the Inca Empire, revered for its fertile soil and rich corn fields. With your group tour you'll visit the colorful market in Pisac, famous for it multi-colored beads, and browse the displays of jewelry, sweaters, and other local crafts.
After lunch at a restaurant in the valley, your group will have a guided visit to the ruins at Ollantaytambo. This sprawling Incan temple complex towers over the small town from the surrounding mountains. You'll explore the ruins and get spectacular views across the town and the valley beyond. We'll return to the hotel in Cusco for the night and stay again in Casa Andina Private Collection. B, L
Day 7 – Machu Picchu
Very early in the morning, catch the train from Cusco to the town of Aguas Calientes, and continue with a 30 minute bus ride to the mountaintop citadel of Machu Picchu. Spend the day with your guided group exploring this majestic citadel with unbelievable vistas and ancient mysteries. In the late afternoon return to the town of Aguas Calientes, in the valley below Machu Picchu on the Urubamba River, for dinner and to spend the night at Hatuchay Towers. B, L
Day 8 – Machu Picchu to Cusco
You'll have a second opportunity to explore the wonders of Machu Picchu and to better understand the harmonious mixture of architecture and topography so typical of Incan city planning. Early risers who catch the first bus to the mountaintop will be rewarded with an ancient city almost free of other visitors. In the afternoon, return to Aguas Calientes to catch the train back to Cusco. You'll stay again in Casa Andina Private Collection in Cusco. B
Day 9 – Cusco
In the morning, explore Cusco on foot with a private quide. The central plaza's site has not changed since the city was the capital of the Inca empire. You can visit fine examples of both Incan and Spanish colonial architecture at Koricancha, the Incan Temple of the Sun, and at the main Cathedral in the central plaza.
After lunch, your private guide wil take you to visit Inca sites on the outskirts of Cusco, such as the Sacsayhuaman fortress, whose giant boulders are placed to resemble a jaguar with an open mouth, the temple and amphitheater of Qenko with its underground stone altar, and the water shrine of Tambo Machay. You'll stay again in Casa Andina Private Collection in Cusco. B
Day 10 – Cusco to Lima
Return to Lima in the morning. In the afternoon, your private guide will take you on tour of the city that was once the capital of the Spanish empire in South America. You'll get to know this bustling metropolis and its rugged, Pacific coastline, and see key sites and beautiful colonial architecture. You'll have day use of a hotel room at El Pardo, and in the evening transfer to the Lima airport for your international flight. B
| Arequipa, Lake Titicaca and Machu Picchu | |
| Trip length | 10 days/9 nights |
| Departs | Tue, Thu, Sat |
| Per person cost | $2093.00 |
| Single supplement | On request |
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| Prices based on two people sharing in 3-star accommodations. Four and 5-star accommodations available on request. International and domestic airfare not included. Pricing and itinerary are subject to change until booking is confirmed. | |
Staying on in Peru? Whether your interest is archaeology, wildlife or culture, in a short extension tour you can experience more of the rich living heritage of this vibrant country. Day trips and adventure trips are also a great way to see Cusco and Lima and their nearby sights. We can even arrange hotels and transportation.
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