Day 1: Airport – Lima Hotel
On your arrival to the Lima international airport, our staff will be waiting at the airport to take you to your hotel in the capital. You will have a free afternoon to explore the city, try out the local cuisine or relax after your international flight.
TRAVEL ADVICE
We suggest that you purchase your international flight to lima city at your preferred time, however, allowing the time to visit the most interesting parts of Miraflores. Visit the Kennedy Park, locally known as the “Cat Park” due to its feline inhabitants, The Parque del Amor, where you can spend your time, wandering around the stunning “Malecon of Miraflores”, with a panoramic ocean view of The Pacific. You can also do some handicraft shopping in Larcomar, a world class shopping centre built into the coastal cliffs and with unparalleled views of the Pacific.
Overnight: Hotel in Lima.
Check in : 12:00 / Check out : 9:00 am
Meals: none
NOTE: If your arrival time is before check-in time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.
Day 2: Lima City Tour (Modern and Colonial centres and the Santo
Domingo Convent) –03.30 hour tour
In the morning, we will head out on a tour of down town Lima where we will visit the historical sites in the centre, spanning the 3 historical periods.
MODERN LIMA: We will then make a stop off at the Intihuatana Park, found in Miraflores, with a spectacular backdrop of The Pacific Ocean. We will begin our tour in the modern, residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro. We will be able to see the Huaca Pucllana, a ceremonial temple in the form of a pyramid, which managed to survive the urban expansion of the city of Lima. We will then continue to the Olivar Park and the financial centre of San Isidro.
COLONIAL LIMA: Our tour will then take us to the historical center of Lima, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. This was the administrative center of the Spanish Invaders on their arrival in the 16th century and where they built their first buildings in Peru. We will visit the Plaza San Martín, with its stunning balconies and colonial architecture, the Plaza Mayor and its most important buildings such as the Government Palace, The cathedral, The Archbishops palace, The Municipal palace and The Desamparados Train Station, amongst others.
THE SANTO DOMINGO CONVENT : We will then head to one of the most important convents of the 17th Century, where important relics of Peru´s most worshipped Saints are found, Santa Rosa of Lima, San Martin de Porres and San Juan Macías. To finish this remarkable tour of Lima, we can visit the Indian market to buy handicrafts from all parts of Peru, head to Larcomar, or return to your hotel for the evening.
IMPORTANT ADVICE
We highly recommend a visit to the bohemian neighbourhood of Barranco, to see the famous “Bridge of Sighs” where legend has it that you have to make a wish and cross the bridge as you hold your breath, so that your wish will come true. We also recommend a visit to Petit Thouars Avenue, where you can find souvenirs and traditional handicrafts from all the regions of Peru. The “Mercado Indio” is one of the best to visit for authentic items. If you are looking to sample the best cuisine of Lima, Miraflores has a number of excellent options for delicious criolla and seafood restaurants (Rosa Nautica or Huaca Pucllana).
Overnight: Hotel in Lima
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Lima – Airport – Cusco
According to the schedule of your flight, our driver will pick you up from your hotel to the Lima international airport.
Once in Cusco, our staff will be waiting for you at the Cusco Airport, to take you to your hotel, just let us know your exact arrival time and flight number. Here, you will be welcomed with a hot cup of the famous coca tea. You will have a free afternoon to acclimatize, as the city of Cusco is at an altitude of 3,399 m (11,151 feet).
IMPORTANT ADVICE ON ARRIVAL TO CUSCO
Please be prepared for the fact that the high elevation, will make you feel more tired than normal on your arrival, so we recommend that you take the afternoon easy. If you are feeling fine, then have a cup of coca tea, which will help you acclimatize quicker. It is recommended to take a light walk, maybe to see The Plaza De Armas, to see the incredible colonial buildings, built on top of Inca foundations. It is important to drink a lot of water at high elevation, which will help you with the process of acclimatization. For the first few days at high elevation, it is also important toe at light meals as your digestion will be slower and later on you will have the opportunity to try the famous Guinea pig, a dish which was revered by the Incas and is still a national dish of The Andes and is eaten on special occasions and celebrations. One thing you must not miss on one of your free days is a visit to the “Centro QOSQO” of native art a show which demonstrates traditional dances, costume and music of the region. The show begins at 6pm, but we recommend that you arrive 40 minutes earlier and wait in line, as many people want to go to the see this unique spectacular. If you have the “Boleto turistico” included in your package, you will have free access to this incredible show.
IMPORTANT ADVICE
Drink the coca tea on offer and each morning to help you acclimatize. Remember that it has a similar effect to caffeine so don´t drink it too late in the evening or you sleep will be affected. Bring a decent and comfortable pair of walking shoes. We suggest a visit to the Plaza de Armas with its colonial and Inca temples, The Regional History Museum, The Contemporary Art Museum, the Museum of The Qoricancha, and the Museum of popular art. These places will make your trip an even more unforgettable experience and give you the perfect insight into local culture.
Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
NOTE: If your departure time is after check-out time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.
NOTE: In Cusco, If your arrival time is before check-in time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.
Day 4: Cusco City Tour (The Cathedral, The Qoricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay) – 5 hr tour
Today, we will visit some of the most interesting sites in Cusco and the surrounding area. We will begin with a visit to the Cusco cathedral found on the Plaza De Armas and is the principal church in this imperial city. It was built on the foundations of the temple of The Inca Wiracocha. The cathedral displays over 300 paintings belong to the Cusco school of art.
We will then head on to the Qoricancha which is the Quechua Word for “Temple of Gold”. This was the first temple to be constructed by The Incas, and was originally covered with large amounts of silver and gold. We will next head out of Cusco City to the close by ruins of Saqsayhuaman, famous for its enormous megaliths and giant stones, that weigh over 150 tonnes. During Inca times, it was considered the “Temple of lightening”, in honour to the deity Illapa.
We will then head to the nearby ruins of Q’enqo, a religious site dedicated to the Mother Earth where you can still see carved stones and constructions. There is also a sacrificial altar where the Incas were thought to make offerings and sacrifices to The Mother Earth. After this, we will visit the to the impressive Inca fortress of Puka Pukara, which means “Red Castle” in the ancient Inca language of Quechua. Our final visit will be to Tambomachay, where we can appreciate a sacred temple dedicated to an ancient water cult which probably also functioned as a purification bath for the Inca governors. We will then return to Cusco City, where we Will drop you off at your hotel or if you prefer in the central “Plaza de Armas”.
IMPORTANT ADVICE
The City Tour will begin in the afternoon. You will have a free morning to acclimatize and drink a coca tea with your breakfast. Wear comfortable walking shoes/boots. We suggest that you visit the Plaza de Armas with its colonial and Inca temples, The Regional History Museum, The Contemporary Art Museum, the Museum of The Qoricancha, and the Museum of popular art. These places will make your trip an even more unforgettable experience and give you the perfect insight into local culture.
Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: The Sacred Valley of the Incas – Aguas Calientes (Pisaq,
Urubamba and Ollantaytambo) – 8 hr tour
Today you will discover the incredible Sacred Valley of the Inca, also called the Vilcanota Valley after the river that flows through it.
After breakfast, we will first head to the archaeological site of Pisac, situated on the mountain top. This magnificent site is composed of many sections of terraces and archaeological structures, built on the hillside of the high mountain.
The perfect example of stunning countryside and impressive stonework, which combine to make this spectacular site. We will then head down to the town of Pisaq and its famous handicraft market, where local people sell their variety of handmade products, using techniques dating back to ancestral times. We will then head along the Sacred Valley to the town of Urubamba, where we will stop for lunch and where we will have the opportunity to sample some of the local delicacies, of the Peruvian kitchen including salads, soups, ceviche a variety of main courses and delectable desserts.
After lunch, we will visit the impressive archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, quite probably constructed to monitor the entrance into this part of the valley and protect the Incas from possible invasion. We will have the opportunity to walk through its narrow, cobbled streets and gain a better idea about how this site functioned during Inca times, as a strategic military outpost as well as a religious and cultural centre.
After the visit, we will then board the train that will take us to Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. On arrival, the hotel representative will be waiting for us to take us to the hotel.
IMPORTANT ADVICE
After a hearty breakfast and the recommended coca tea, we suggest that you just take an overnight bag /daypack to spend the night in Aguas Calientes. (Include money, light clothing, travel documents, camera, repellent, sunhat, sunscreen and personal hygiene products). Your trip will be more comfortable for doing so. The rest of your baggage can remain at your Cusco hotel as you will be returning there tomorrow.
Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Day 6: Machu Picchu – Cusco (2h30m Tour)
Early in the morning at the agreed time, your guide will collect you from your hotel to head to the bus station for the 30 minute journey up to Machu Picchu. We will zigzag up 400m of road to arrive at the “Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu” also known as “The lost city of The Incas”.
On arrival at the citadel with your guide, we will queue at the entrance to Machu Picchu and we will begin our tour of this mind-blowing, archaeological site. For 2 and ½ hours, we will visit the principal sites inside the citadel of Machu Picchu. After the guided tour, we return to the town of Aguas Calientes.
You will be able to have lunch in one of the many restaurants (lunch is not included), after which we will board the train on our return journey to Ollantaytambo (Depending on the departure time of the train) and we will return along the same road as we arrived.
In Ollantaytambo, the representative of the train will take you to the bus to head you on the final leg of the journey back to Cusco.
IMPORTANT
From the 1st of January 2019, the rules changed with regards to the Machu Picchu. The visit to the archaeological site will all be in one direction, which means that once you have passed by a certain site, you are not allowed to return. There is no re-entrance to the site, if we leave the site for any reason, we are not allowed to re-enter. The only exception to this new rule is, if you have an entrance ticket to either Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu mountain. Also, if you wish to climb one of these mountains, the guided tour of the main citadel will be reduced to coincide with the mountain entrance time. In the case of Machu Picchu Mountain, your guided tour will be for one hour to allow time for you to climb the mountain; In the case of Huayna Pichu, the tour of the main citadel will be for 2 hours.
IMPORTANT ADVICE
Before you go up to Machu Picchu, we recommend that you leave your overnight bag /daypack at the hotel in Aguas Calientes and only take water, (please remember that Machu Picchu is a plastic free zone so plastic water bottles will be confiscated on entry). passport, cash, entrance ticket, sunhat sunscreen and insect repellent. When you head back down to Aguas calientes, you can collect your overnight bag from the hotel. If time allows, we recommend a visit to the Chávez Ballón Museum, the museum of Machu Picchu. There is a free entrance after midday and you simply need to show your passport. We should also take into account that there is usually a queue for the shuttle bus, to and from Machu Picchu. There is also usually a queue for the train back to Ollantaytambo also, so we will need to allow plenty of time in each case. Your guide will be there to orientate you in the best possible manner.
Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Hotel – Cusco Airport
Depending on the time of your flight, we will collect you from your hotel and take you to the Cusco airport. This marks the end of our services.
Meals: Breakfast
Check in : 12:00 / Check out : 9:00 am
NOTE: If your departure time is after check-out time, you can use the hotel’s common areas while you wait.
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS
At the moment you depart for any of the tours, it is important to remember to safe all of the entrance tickets that have been given to you by our staff on the briefing. (BTG, BTP, Ticket Qoricancha, Consetur shuttle bus, etc.). This will help avoid the repeat purchase of any of the tickets. If you lose any of these tickets, you must buy a new one by yourself. Also please be careful with your belongings and check hotel rooms and transport for any personal items you may have left behind.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.