Discovery of Peru

Arrival at the Jorge Chavez airport in Lima. Reception and transfer to the city.

Lima was founded January 18, 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, known as the “Ciudad de los Reyes” ( “the City of Kings”). Its city center has been classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1991. It is the capital and commercial, financial, cultural and political heart of Peru.

Departure for the city tour. Visit the Historical Center of Lima: « Plaza de Armas » is Lima’s main square with the Presidential Palace, the Municipality and the cathedral with its the baroque façade (external view). Continuation of the visit by the Convent of San Francisco, beautiful colonial architectural complex with its cloisters decorated with frescoes depicting the life of San Francisco and tiles from Seville. A fabulous library and catacombs used to bury the dead at the times of the colony make it famous. You can still admire the colonial balconies in the facades of some buildings such as the Torre Tagle Palace, the former train station “Desamparados” created in 1851 in the center of Lima, close to the Main Square.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

The tour continues through modern neighborhoods, closer to the sea, that have become today the new arts centers, cultural, trade and business of the city while remaining pleasant places of residence. It passes through the park El Olivar (Olivet park) located in the heart of the current district of San Isidro, a garden of olive trees planted in the sixteenth century. In 1560, the mayor of the city of Lima has made three sow olive trees in these fields. Three centuries later, there are nearly 3000 trees, today it remains half. Arrive in the “White City”, so named because of its constructions of sillar, a kind of volcanic tuff. Installation in the hotel and hospitality with a welcome coca mate.

Dinner not included. 

Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit by foot the « Armas Square » of the city of Arequipa, considered one of the finest in the country. This square space is surrounded by volcanic stone buildings with beautiful arches. In the center of the square is a bronze fountain with three basins crowned with a figure (angel or man) with a trompete called “Tuturutu”. The Cathedral (outside) can not go unnoticed on this site. Built in 1621, it was rebuilt following a fire in 1844. The last work dates back to 2002 after the last earthquake.

On a corner of the square is the church and cloisters of the Society of Jesus, whose construction began in 1595. The church consists of a nave and two aisles. The interior is decorated with altarpieces in heavy carved wood, gilded with gold leafs of 18K. In the old sacristy is the Dome of St. Ignatius with its polychrome frescoes representing the tropical flora and fauna. Church cloisters allow neighbors to appreciate the work carved on stone characteristic of the colonial mestizo art.

Optional: visit the Monastery of Santa Catalina.

Lunch in a local restaurant

Bus departure to Puno with English speaking guide.

You will reach the famous Altiplano. These great wild plains extend between the snowy peaks of the Andean Cordillera. These virgin lands is where the air is thinner, and you can feel an amazing spectacle of purity.

Installation in the hotel (welcome with coca mate tea)

Dinner not included. 

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure on tuc tuc taxi motorbike typical local transport to the port of Puno.

Excursion to Lake Titicaca, legendary lake that whose waters rose from couple Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo to found the Inca Empire.

Visit to the floating islands of Uros.

In these islands made of “reeds” live families who devote themselves mainly to fishing with rudimentary nets and raising ducks.

Their survival depends on the lake’s resources.

The reed is used in the manufacture of houses, rafts and crafts.

Continue to Taquile Island inhabited by a very hospitable Indian community who are excellent weavers.

A developed road takes you to the top of the island.

Contemplation enchanting landscapes of the Lake and the Cordillera Real in Bolivia.

Lunch with the locals.

Return to the hotel by private transportation Puno.

Dinner not included

Overight at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the station and departure by non-private tourist bus with English speaking guide.

The scenic beauty deserves this trip, you will cross unforgettable landscapes, through the Andes to the Altiplano, and pass through many villages of craftsmen (potters and weavers mostly).

The highest pass of the course is in La Raya (4312 m), which represents the division between the Altiplano region and the mountain region.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Arrive in Cusco.

Dinner not included

Installation at Hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure to the village of Pisac 32 km north of Cusco. Visit the village of Pisac to participate in the market.

Starting with the main square where a Pisonay centennial hanging moss lies, the whole village has become a fair, mainly on Sundays, offering visitors a colorful folklore show with displays of fruits and vegetables on the floor and the stands where you can buy handicrafts made from all corners of the region: multicolored fabrics, knits, traditional ponchos, jewelry, antiques, ritual objects and more.

Very near, you will find a beautiful bread oven whose visit is well worth a few photos.

Continuation to the Maras Salt mines*.

These salt mines cling to the hillside and divided into many saltwater pools, among the oldest of Peru. They were already used before the arrival of the Incas in the region.

Breakfast in a local restaurant.

Continue to Ollantaytambo, visit the “village” of which the layout of streets, squares, and foundations of houses is Inca.

Explanations given by the guide. Free time for mini shopping on the main square.

Dinner not included. 

Night at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure to the Ollantaytambo train station to take the Expedition train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu). Ascension mini bus for a dizzying climb that takes you around the site. Visit Machu Picchu. Guided tour of Machu Picchu, the “lost city” 110 km from Cusco, discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Following extensive clearing work done, the surprising beauty of the site and its beautiful construction in perfect harmony with the mountain have been developed.

The citadel, is undoubtedly one of the architectural and archaeological monuments, the most important of the planet. It is situated at 2400 meters above sea level in the province of Urubamba, department of Cusco. Machu Picchu is formed of stone constructions unfolding on a low and narrow hill, bounded by a cliff of 400 meters, a canyon overlooking the Urubamba River.

The function of the citadel is immersed in a mystery that archaeologists have been able to clear up to now. They study the history and function of this stone city of almost a kilometer long, built by the Incas in this magnificent geographical area where the Andes and Amazon meet. End of the visit, return by mini-bus to Aguas Calientes

Lunch in a local restaurant. And continuation by train to the Sacred Valley. Arrive at the station of Ollantaytambo and on to Cusco.

Dinner not included. 

Overnight hotel.

Breakfast.

Visit the magnificent temple “Koricancha” site where in the Empire period hosted sacred relics from the territory. It was a place of very high importance for the Inca ritual while political and religious building.

After conquering Spaniards partially destroyed the Koricancha preserving some of its walls as the foundation for the construction of the Dominican church and its monastery. It includes the famous temple dedicated to the Sun whose rounded walls of polished stone are considered the best works of the Incan art.

Then walk in the march of San Pedro, central market of Cusco.

Walking tour of the street Hatun Rumilloc where the famous stone is located : 12 corners perfectly flush in the wall that contains it. The street changes its name to the San Blas street to get sloping towards the district of the same name. San Blas is a district of artisans, one of the most picturesque places of the city.

City tour on foot: « Plaza de Armas », where according to legend, sank the gold stick of the Inca Manco Capac, indicating where to base this city that would be the capital of the powerful empire . External view of the cathedral.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

Free afternoon.

Optional : The entrance to the Cusco Cathedral during the visit of the city of Cusco.

Optional : Visit the Surrounding Ruins

Departure to visit the Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park, consisting of: the amphitheater of Kenko, religious temple complex form; Puka Pucara Red Fortress Inca military construction composed of terraces and staircases; Tambomachay also called “Bath of the Inca” because of its thermal waters channeled; Sacsayhuaman, cyclopean fortress defending Cusco, consisting of three walls of 300m long.

Dinner not included

Overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast.

At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport and flight to Lima

Lunch not included.

International connecting flight.

At the scheduled time transfer to Lima airport. Assistance with boarding formalities for international flights. 

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