Peruvian Journey
Your Peruvian Journey is a comprehensive tour of Peru taking you to Lima, the City of Kings, the white city of Arequipa, the spectacular Colca Canyon, home to the majestic condor, the mystical Lake Titicaca, Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire, the Sacred Valley of the Incas before the highlight of the tour – one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, the fabled Machu Picchu.
Day 1
Arrive Lima
Arrive in Lima, capital of Peru, which was founded by the great conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535 and soon became the capital of the extensive and tremendously wealthy Peruvian Vice Regency of Spain. By the end of the 16th Century it had grown into a city of fine palaces and churches and was the cultural centre of the southern hemisphere. Today, Lima still retains the essence of the Spanish colonialism. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2
Lima
This morning, embark on a tour of colonial and modern Lima. See the plazas, colonial buildings with ornate balconies and colonial churches, gems of Ibero-American architecture. Modern Lima is a mix of architectural styles and beautiful gardens, especially Miraflores and San Isidro, popular commercial districts with excellent shops, art galleries and restaurants. Continue to the Larco Herrera Museum located in a XVIII century mansion. This famous museum has the largest and finest gold, silver and jewellery collection of ancient Peru and its ancient Erotic art collection is one of Lima’s most visited attractions. B
Day 3
Lima – Arequipa
This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your flight (not included) to Arequipa, the White City. On arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. B
Day 4
Arequipa
Today you will be taken on a tour of the White City, including the Plaza de Armas, the Jesuit Church of La Compañia and its beautifully painted chapel as well as the typical districts of Carmen Alto and Yanahuara for a magnificent view of Misti Volcano and Chilina valley. The highlight of your tour is a visit to the Santa Catalina convent which was only opened to the public in 1970. The rest of the day is at leisure. B
Day 5
Arequipa – Colca
Early pick up from your hotel for a scenic bus ride passing between the Misti and Chachani volcanoes. Travel through the Aguada Blanca Reserve where the South American camelides can be seen and the crater of the Churura volcano before continuing to the hot springs of La Calera and an overnight stay at a local lodge. B L
Day 6
Colca – Puno
Early departure to the `Condor Cross’, the best vantage point to admire the Colca Canyon and the majestic condors in flight. On the way back to the lodge, you will visit the picturesque towns of Pinchollo, Achoma and Yanque. Continue your trip through the highland to the city of Puno with lunch on the way. On arrival, you will be dropped off at your hotel on the shores of the mystical Lake Titicaca. B L
Day 7
Puno: Lake Titicaca
Get ready for a full day excursion on Lake Titicaca, world’s highest navigable lake. First, you will sail to the floating Uros Islands. The Uros people are known as the “People of the Lake”, and the islands were built out of reeds that grow about the lake called totora. They also built their houses using the same construction material. Following this unusual destination, you venture off to Taquile Island, where you will experience the islanders’ customs and traditions, their colourful outfits that follow the designs of their ancestors, and the local art. B L
Day 8
Puno – Altiplano – Cusco
Transfer to the station for your early morning bus trip across the Altiplano (Spanish for High Plain), where the Andes are at their wildest. On arrival in Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire you will be met and transferred to your hotel. B L
Day 9
Cusco
Morning at leisure. This afternoon, enjoy a city tour, which includes the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, and the Koricancha Temple. Just outside Cusco, you will visit the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a testimonial to the Incan architectural skills. Compiled of massive stones (one weighs 125 tons!) you are challenged to try to slip a piece of paper between the cracks of these blocks, cut and fitted together with incredible precision without a single drop of mortar to hold them in place. This ancient fortress where the greatest battle between the Spanish and the Incas took place overlooks the red-tiled roofs of Cuzco and the spectacular lush countryside. Also visit Qenqo (the Labyrinth), an Incan shrine dedicated to the Earth Mother, the small fortress of Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay, a sacred bathing place. B
Day 10
Cusco – Sacred Valley of the Incas
Today enjoy the Authentic Sacred Valley tour, starting with The Inca’s Balcony, a beautiful terrace with an impressive view of Chinchero, where twelves families still preserve their traditional costums, showing you the ancestral way in which they process the wool, and obtain those vivid colors for their textiles. Continue to Ollantaytambo, one of the most monumental architectural complexes of the ancient Inca Empire, one of the few places where the Spanish conquistadors lost a major battle. Very well known for its “andenes” (terraces dug into the slopes of mountains for agricultural purposes), Ollantaytambo was a highly effective fortress, that also served as a temple. Explore the town of Ollantaytambo, “the unique living Inca town”: the best surviving example of Inca city planning, with narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the 13th century. Spend the night at a charming inn in the Sacred Valley. B L
Day 11
Sacred Valley of the Incas – Machu Picchu
Transfer to Ollanta station to board your train bound for Machu Picchu Village and take the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu, a breathtaking Incan citadel. A guided tour of the ruins will have you wondering about the lives of the priests, craftsmen, and servants who inhabited this citadel and what drove them to build it on a mountain top. Excavations have revealed skeletons, artifacts and woolen clothing, but no gold. The same precise stonework as in other Incan sites in evident. Overlooking the raging Urubamba River and discovered in a hidden tangle of vines and trees atop the mountain, the city of Machu Picchu will forever hold the secret of its destruction as the Incas left no written record. Have lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge and then free time to wander the ruins. (note there is a time limit for your ruins visit. You will be advised. This afternoon take the shuttle bus back down to Aguas Calientes and your hotel. B L
Day 12
Machu Picchu – Cusco
It is said that Machu Picchu is a place of great spirituality, and the ultimate spiritual moments of the day happens at sunrise. We suggest you rise early and return to the ruins which are usually shrouded in clouds before sunrise. Perhaps climb to the summit of Huayna Picchu or up to the Sun Gate for panoramic views. This afternoon take the train to Ollanta and transfer to your hotel in Cusco. B
(Bus and entrance fee on 2nd day is included, but if you would like to climb Huayna Picchu we will need to purchase an entrance fee on your behalf. Visits are limited so Please let us know at time of booking – AU$ 25 additional)
Day 13
Cusco
Day at leisure to explore this amazing city. Perhaps take an optional tour to see the huge circular agricultural terrace built by the Incas at Moray or the well- preserved pre-Inca ruins of Pilquillacta, the remains of a 6th century fortified town of the Huari Tiahuanaco Empire. B
Day 14
Depart Cusco
Transfer to the airport this morning for your departing flight (not included) back to Lima and your Movidas Journey comes to an end. B
Image at top page by Giancarlo Revolledo on Unsplash.
Tour Cost
