13 Days Mysterious Peru Italian speaking guide from Lima

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Day 1 : ARRIVAL LIMA
1 stop
1
New Jorge Chávez International Airport
Upon landing at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, head to the Arrivals hall where a tour representative will be waiting to pick you up. You’ll then be accompanied to the transportation service that will transfer you to your hotel in Lima. Spend the rest of this first day at your leisure in Lima, the capital of Peru. During colonial times, the so-called ‘Ciudad de los Reyes’ (City of Kings) was the political, administrative, religious and economic centre for the Spanish in Peru. The historical centre is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. All in all, Lima is a modern metropolis brimming with history that is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic change. Overnight in Lima
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Day 2 : LIMA - PARACAS (260 Km – 4 hrs)
1 stop
2
Paracas
Wake up to breakfast at the hotel. Then, at 8:30, you’ll be picked up by a guide who will take you on a four-hour tour of the city. The main square is the symbolic place where the city is said to have been born in 1535. Visit the Cathedral and the Casa Aliaga, an ancient viceroyalty house handed over by Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains (Jeronimo de Aliaga) after the city was founded. Continue then to the district of Pueblo Libre for an interesting tour through the Larco Museum, founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926 and located inside a mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid. In this famous museum, you will have the opportunity to admire a complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts. After the tour, depart towards Paracas. Along the way, you will make a short stop to rest or buy something to eat and drink for the remainder of the trip. You’ll arrive at 17:00 at your hotel, where you’ll check in and spend the night. Overnight in Paracas
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 3
PARACAS – OVERFLIGHT NAZCA LINES (optional) – ICA – PARACAS (140 Km – 2 hrs)
1 stop
3
Paracas
Breakfast at the hotel. Relaxing morning and the possibility to use the hotel's wellness services or transfer to Pisco airport to board the small aircraft to fly over the famous Nazca lines (optional with extra cost). Admire the zoomorphic figures, visible only from above which still represent one of the great mysteries that fascinate man today. You will be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the landscape where marine fossils of 150 million years are found. (Optional excursion is subject to weather conditions with the risk of cancellation). In the afternoon visit the huge sand dunes that draw the horizon of Ica using the "tubulares", four-wheel drive vehicles, light and powerful, able to climb loose sandy slopes and thus offer an adrenaline-pumping experience. The pilots of these special cars will go through places unreachable by other vehicles, turning the journey into a real adventure! Overnight in Paracas
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Day 4 : PARACAS – BALLESTAS – LIMA (260 Km – 3 Hrs)
1 stop
4
Lima
Early in the morning transfer to the Paracas pier and embarkation for the visit of the Ballestas Islands, also called the Galapagos of Peru, where among others you can admire the nice blue-legged boobies and colonies of sea lions. At the end departure for Lima. ( The excursion is carried out with a motor launch shared with other international passengers. However, customers will have their own private guide in Italian. The excursion is subject to weather conditions with the risk of cancellation). Overnight in Lima
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Day 5 : LIMA – AREQUIPA: CITY TOUR & SANTA CATALINA MONASTERY (by flight - not included)
1 stop
5
Wake up to breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport and depart to Arequipa (flight not included). Upon arrival in Arequipa transfer to the hotel. At 14:00, you will rendezvous with your guide at the hotel to enjoy a thrilling 4-hour guided tour of the ‘White City’. Marvel at some of the city’s most renowned sites, including the Convent of Santa Catalina, the Plaza de Armas and the Cloister of the Company of Jesus. Then, in the areas of Yanahuara and Chilina, you will be able to contemplate the breath-taking views of the Misti Volcano. Later that day, visit the Santuarios Andinos Museum, where you can see the famous mummy Juanita – a young Inca woman sacrificed to the gods more than 500 years ago on the Ampato Volcano. After the visit, return to your hotel at around 18:00. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure. Overnight in Arequipa
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 6
Day 6 : AREQUIPA – COLCA (165km – 3 hrs)
1 stop
6
At 8:30 and after breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up and taken on a leisurely trip to the Colca Valley. The route drives you through the Pampa Cañahuas in the Agua Blanca National Reserve, the beautiful natural habitat of the ‘vicuñas’ (a camelid similar to the llama with a more delicate, highly prized wool), which you might get to see ambling around the scenery. During the journey through the valley, you will also be able to admire the stunning pre-Colombian terraces, cultivated to this day by the Collaguas indigenous people. At about 12:30, we will reach the town of Chivay, where we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Then we’ll finally make it to Colca at about 14:00. After checking into your hotel, you are free to spend the rest of this day at leisure. Overnight in Colca
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 7
Day 7 : COLCA CANYON - PUNO (300 km – 6 hours)
1 stop
7
After finishing your breakfast at the hotel, your guide and chauffer will be waiting to pick you up at 7:00 to take you to your next destination: Puno. You will be driven there in a private bus and after the first leg of the journey, you’ll stop en route at ‘La Cruz del Condor’, where – with a little luck – you will get to admire the majestic Andean condor gliding through the air. What’s more, the view is spectacular from this location, and you can lose yourself in the details of the scenery as you contemplate the immensity of the Colca Valley. It’s not hard to believe that it is the deepest canyon on the planet – it’s 3,000 metres deep! Continue your journey and admire the breath-taking scenes that accompany you throughout the trip. You’ll eventually make another stop for a box lunch. At 17:00 you’ll be dropped off at your hotel in Puno. Check in and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Puno.
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 8
Day 8 : PUNO - LAKE TITICACA: UROS & TAQUILE - PUNO
1 stop
8
Today breakfast at the hotel is followed by a trip to the port of Puno, departing from the hotel at 7:00 once you have been picked up by your guide. At the port, you will climb onto a boat to the beautiful Uros Islands, where you will spend the day. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of man-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are constantly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. The Uros people also use reeds to construct their homes, so cooking is done outdoors to avoid possible fires! After visiting this fascinating island, sail to Taquile, a small slice of heaven that once belonged to the Inca Empire and whose residents speak Quechua. Look around and you will notice traces of its Incan past in the ruins that still exist around the island. After a brief introduction, the local community will give you an insight into their customs and traditions with a cultural demonstration. Later, enjoy lunch on the island before embarking on the return trip to Puno at 15:30. The rest of the day is free for you to spend at leisure. Overnight in Puno
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 9
Day 9 : PUNO – CUSCO (390Km – 9 Hrs)
1 stop
9
Charge your batteries with an early breakfast at the hotel, then at about 6:20 a transportation service will transfer you to the bus station, where a representative will help you catch your bus to Cusco. An English-and-Spanish-speaking assistant will accompany you during the trip. On the way, you’ll make a number of interesting stops, the first being in the town of Pukara, where you’ll visit the Pukara Lithic Museum. This was the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. After a brief break at La Raya, the highest point of the trip between Puno and Cusco, at a dizzying altitude of 4,313 metres above sea level, the bus will stop at Sicuani, where lunch is served. We then head on to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site built in honour of a powerful Andean god. The rectangular construction boasts thatched rooftops 20 metres above the ground; these are thought to be the highest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas, a town located about 40 kilometres from Cusco. The main attraction here is the local church, known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’ owing to the high quality of the art found inside. The church was built during the 16th century on top of Wari remains. You’ll arrive to Cusco at about 18:00. There, an Italian-speaking tour representative will welcome you and accompany you to the hotel. Overnight in Cusco
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 10
Day 10 : CUSCO – CHINCHERO – SACRED VALLEY – AGUAS CALIENTES (75 Km – 2 hrs by land/ 2 hrs by train)
1 stop
10
Start the day with breakfast at the hotel before hopping onto a transfer at 7:00 to Chinchero, an originally Inca historical and artisan centre. Here are the archaeological remains and one of the first Catholic churches in the country, dating back to the 17th century. Chinchero, located at 3,762 metres above sea level, offers a privileged view of the Sacred Valley. Like most of the towns in the region, Chinchero also suffered the ‘extirpation of idolatries’, an action that replaced traditional deities with Catholic ones during colonial times. After a tour, continue to Maras and visit the Inca salt pans: about 3,000 ponds used by the Inca people for extracting salt that was then exchanged for other products of the empire. It’s a magical place full of extraordinary colour combinations as the sun plays on the salt and water. Later, go to Ollantaytambo for lunch at 13:00. Ollantaytambo is a typical, though still inhabited, example of Inca urban planning. Admire the imposing archaeological site that was a place of refreshment and lodging for groups undertaking long journeys. Lastly, hop onto a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. Once there, you will be met by a hotel representative who will walk you to the hotel. After checking in and before dinner, you will receive all necessary information for the Machu Picchu visit the following day. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 11
Day 11 : AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO (2 Hrs by train / 75 Km – 1.5 hrs by land)
1 stop
11
Wake up early in the morning for breakfast and then, at about 6:00, join your guide on a journey to Machu Picchu. Your guide will accompany you to the bus, which will be shared with other tourists. Once you’ve made it to the world-renowned site after a short bus ride, join a 2.5-hour-long guided tour of the citadel. During the tour you will get to visit the main square, the royal apartments, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock and the cemetery. At the end of the visit, you’ll return to Aguas Calientes for lunch. In the afternoon, at about 14:30, hop onto a train back to Ollantaytambo Station, where a private vehicle will be waiting to transfer you to your chosen hotel in Cusco. You’ll be dropped off at about 18:00. Overnight in Cusco
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 12
Day 12 : CUSCO: CITY TOUR & ARCHAELOGICAL SITES
1 stop
12
Today breakfast at the hotel is followed by a pick-up at 8:30 for a fascinating four-hour tour of the city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire back in the 15th century. During the tour you will be able to see many famous sites, including the Main Square, Regocijo Square, the Cathedral, the Monastery of Santo Domingo and the legendary Korikancha Temple. Afterwards, visit the archaeological sites of Kenko, Puca Pucara and the extraordinary fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which offers an extraordinary view of the city of Cusco. Once the tour is over, you will be dropped off at your hotel at 13:00. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to spend at your leisure. We recommend you wander through the streets of the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas, which used to be inhabited by the Inca nobility. Its imposing stone buildings are just a few steps from the famous Main Square or Huacaypata. At about 19:00, enjoy dinner and a folklore show at a local restaurant before being returned to the hotel at 21:30. Overnight in Cusco
12 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 13
Day 13 : DEPARTURE CUSCO
1 stop
13
New Jorge Chávez International Airport
After finishing your last breakfast at the hotel, your representative will assist you with check out and accompany you on the short transfer from the hotel in Cusco to the airport. Although this is the last day of your journey through some of the most fascinating places Peru has to offer, we hope that your memories of this remarkable country, bursting with both culture and history, will last a lifetime. Breakfast included
12 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Rates do not apply to Peruvians or residents with more than 60 days of stay. If passengers are Peruvians or exceed 60 days of stay, sale taxes (18%) will be collected by our local operator
• Please note that Check In in most hotels begins at 13:00 hrs. Clients will be subject to the availability of the room if they arrive before, waiting in the hotel lobby
• Important note: The Juanita mummy will not be exhibited during January, February, March & April. For these months, a replica or other mummy from the area will be displayed in the same place.

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