Highlights of Peru Tour

Today you will explore the city on a sightseeing tour through Lima. The Plaza de Armas with the beautiful buildings of the government Palace, the town hall, the Palace of the archbishop and the cathedral are still the most important places in town. You will then visit the beautiful San Francisco Monastery which displays the largest collection of religious art in South America. The highlight of this convent is the visit to the underground vaults known as “catacumbas” or catacombs.

Proceed through the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores and to the Coastline enjoying the view over the beaches of Lima and the Pacific Ocean.

Enjoy a private guided visit of one of the Lima’s most noted museums, the Rafael Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum which houses the world’s largest private collection of Peruvian pre-Columbian Art.

The afternoon is at leisure.

We recommend adding on an optional visit to the water park, which includes a dinner show (payable locally). You will visit the Parque de la Exposición, one of the biggest water parks that exists within a city. There you can marvel at different shapes of fountains illuminated with different colours. The highlight of each evening is the music show at the biggest fountain. After the show, you will stop at a famous restaurant in Barranco to enjoy a buffet dinner and a spectacular show of traditional folk dances from Peru.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival in Cuzco, you will then enjoy tour of a Chinchero community located 28km away from Cuzco . Here are the remains of what was the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui, as well as beautiful colonial temples built on Inca’s foundations. However, the main attraction is the Sunday market originally dedicated to the people of the valley to barter their products.

Afterwards, you will be driven to “El Mirador de Racchi” where you will have a splendid view of the Sacred Valley. 

Today a visit to Ollantaytambo, a typical Inca community, is included. Towering above the town of Ollantaytambo we will find the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. Steep stone terraces rising from the edge of town lead up to the fortress ruins at the top of the hill. A stone stairway leads up through the terrace walls, allowing visitors to step out on them. One of the best-preserved areas lies north of the Hanan Huacaypata square: an area of 15 blocks of houses built on top of carved stone walls. Lunch will be taken in a local restaurant.

The following optional tour can be booked and taken locally:

Optional: Moray and Maras (4h)

The excursion starts with the visit to Moray, a little Andean community which is famous for its embedded amphitheater, formed by four circular terraces which seem to disappear into the interior of the puna, like an artificial crater. Evidences seem to suggest that Moray was an important Inca agricultural research center. Finally, you will be transferred to visit the Salt Mines of Maras. With the salt which is tapped by exposing salt water that bubbles to the surface from a spring called Qoripujio in men-made wells to the sun, people earn their living. The view of this complex of nearly 3,000 wells is spectacular. The local people demonstrate the ancient techniques to visitors, even allowing you to participate. Visits are not recommended during the rainy season (November to April)

Optional: Trekking to the terraces of Yucay (1h)

An easy and relaxing hike to enjoy nature. Behind the Plaza of Yucay you will see an impressive group of terraces that follow the outline of the mountain and are still in use by the locals.The trail will take you to witness also the old Incan water channel used for the irrigation of the agricultural terraces.

Transfer by bus to the train station of Ollantaytambo where the tour starts by train that goes through the fertile plain of the Urubamba valley and on to Aguas Calientes. From there, small busses drive up the steep mountain to the ruin town.

Machu Picchu, called the Lost City of the Incas, is a beautifully located stone city constructed with a technique incredible for its era. Stone upon stone, fitted together perfectly without any cement, with exquisite detail and discrimination worthy of the world’s greatest palaces. There are many theories about Machu Picchu, but one thing is for sure - it is one of the most impressive sites in the world.

Enjoy a private guided visit of around 2 hours of the ruins and return by bus and train to Ollantaytambo station. Transfer to your hotel in Cuzco.

Enjoy a half day city tour of Cuzco, visiting the exact centre of the Inca Empire, the Plaza de Armas. Here you will see the cathedral built on the ruins of the Inca Palace. The next stop will be the old town with its magnificent renovated colonial buildings and then on to Sacsayhuaman, a ruin site that stands above Cuzco, offering fabulous views over the city. Visit a number of other Inca ruins, including Tambo Machay, the bath of the Inca, Kenko, and Puca Pucara, then return to your hotel, where the rest of the day is at leisure.

Today you will embark on a full day bus tour from Cuzco to Puno. You will travel through the Peruvian highlands along snow covered peaks of the Andes and small villages.

On route you will visit the town of Andahuaylillas, the ruins of Racchi and the small town of Pucara, lunch will be on route in a typical restaurant. 

Upon arrival in Puno transfer to your hotel.

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Puno’s dock where you will depart towards the Uros Islands on Titicaca Lake. The Uros are 40 small floating islands made of packed totora (reed), located within the Titicaca National Reserve. Here the inhabitants of the lake, the Uros, live just as their ancestors did, maintaining their customs and idiosyncrasies. 

After visiting the Uros Islands you will continue by boat to Taquile Island. There are no roads or electricity on Taquile and the locals have maintained their traditions and culture and many still wear traditional dresses. The Taquileños are known for their high-quality handicrafts, especially for the knitting, which is exclusively performed by males. In the main square there is a cooperative shop, selling woollen goods and hand-woven items, as well as a small church.

A lunch at Taquile Island is included.

Today you start your excursion to the Colca Canyon. This canyon has a length of more than 100km and its deepest point is 3,400m. Visit the Aguada Blanca National Park where Vicuñas and Alpacas can be seen. The view of volcanoes Misti, Chachani, Ampato and the still active Sabancaya is just fantastic. Enjoy lunch in a traditional restaurant before heading back to your hotel where you will have dinner. 

After an early breakfast start your trip to the lookouts Cruz del Condor, located at the deepest point of the canyon. Afterwards you will visit the colonial churches in Maca and Yanque as well as different lookouts with beautiful views.

You will have lunch in Chivay and then arrive in Arequipa in the late afternoon. 

In the morning you will be picked up from your hotel to start the city tour through Arequipa, the so called 'White City', departing through the old neighbourhoods of San Lázaro. Then visit Arequipa's Cathedral and the main square with its three portals. After, continue your visit to the Santa Catalina Convent, a beautiful and romantic place with the pure style of different Spanish cities.

You have the afternoon free at leisure.

This morning you will visit four restaurants called “Picanterías”. In these restaurants you will learn how the typical dishes from Arequipa are prepared, maintaining their customs and traditions such as cooking with firewood in earthenware pots.

At each Picantería you will taste some of the most representative dishes such as: Adobo Arequipeño, Zarsa de Patitas, Sencca, and Chupe Shrimp (soup). All dishes are accompanied by a traditional drink called Chicha de jora.

For this tour we would recommended to have only a light breakfast.

After the food tasting, lunch is included at a local restaurant.

The afternoon is at leisure.

After breakfast, transfer to Arequipa airport for your onward flight back to Lima.