Peru’s Sacred Valley

Bienvenidos! Your journey through the mystical country of Peru begins today. With Indigenous cultures dating back millennia, Peru is a fascinating land of diverse wildlife and soaring mountains. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 2pm at your hotel in Lima, where you'll meet your tour leader and others traveling in your group.

After the orientation meeting, you’ll be led on a walking tour through the centre of Lima by your Tour Leader. While Peru's capital officially began life in 1535, when Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro founded the city on the Day of the Three Kings, settlements had been scattered through the valley since before the time of the Incas. The city was built on top of an existing palace and temples that belonged to the local chief who had little choice but to move on. Lima was in its prime during the Spanish colonial days and much of the city's attraction now lies in its well-preserved historic centre. Your tour starts with a panoramic view of the “Pucllana Pyramid” a magnificent ceremonial and archeological centre built in the 4th century A.D. and considered a “sacred village” by the Incas. The Viceroyalty of Perú was the most important of the Spanish Empire and Lima was its capital. Then, you’ll head to the colonial side of the city where you'll see attractions like the Cathedral, the Viceroyalty of Peru, the main places of Lima's Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace, the City Hall, and other important monuments.

Return to your hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner at Mangos Restaurant (set menu), located at Larcomar mall, which includes a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean (https://mangosperu.com/).

Note: Check-in at hotel – 14h00

Arrival Transfer

• NOT included

Included Activities

• Welcome meeting at the hotel
• Walking tour of the historical centre of Lima
• Dinner at Mangos Larcomar Restaurant (set menu)

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to the airport to take the included flight towards the imperial city of Cusco.

Arrive in Cusco, historic heartland and former capital of the Inca Empire. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Cusco (3,450 meter-high) is a stunningly beautiful city and a favourite destination of many visitors to Peru. As you wander the streets and side alleys of the city you will witness the perfect tapering Inca stonework that provided the foundations for many of Cusco’s colonial and modern buildings. The city itself is the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city and was the home of the Inca Empire for two centuries before the Spanish built their first capital here. Today Cusco is a fascinating combination of both cultures.

In the afternoon, you’ll have a guided walking tour of the most characteristic places in the centre of Cusco. On the way you’ll see the Stone of Twelve Angles at the Inca Roca Palace, on Hatun Rumilloc Street. You’ll visit the Qoricancha temple, considered the most sacred Inca building. According to archaeologists it housed over 1000 priests and attendants. It was built over an Inca palace dedicated to the worship of the Sun. Then, you’ll head to the heart of the city, “the Plaza de Armas”, surrounded by colonial arcades and four churches. Here, you’ll appreciate the façade of the beautiful “Cathedral” of Cusco, built in the XVI.

Included Activities

• Group transfer from Lima hotel to the airport, in private service
• Domestic flights from Lima to Cusco
• Group transfer from Cusco airport to the hotel, in private service
• Walking city tour around the center of Cusco including the Qoricancha Temple, in private service

After breakfast, you will be picked up for your journey through the incredible Sacred Valley in private transportation. Known as Wilcamayo to the Incas, the lush, fertile valley has long been the main source for growing food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces carved high into the valley walls.

On the way, you’ll visit the Maras Salt Ponds where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Then, head to Moray, where huge circular agricultural terraces were built by the Incas on limestone sinks, which served to plant various crops. It is said to have a cosmological significance, however, the Incas used the terraces as an agricultural laboratory to determine the optimum conditions for each species in varying altitudes.

Then, enjoy lunch at UNU restaurant - a wonderful establishment that offers delicious Peruvian and Cusco food. The restaurant is situated next to the church of Tiobamba, literally in the middle of "nowhere", so the full panoramic landscape offers breathtaking views.

After lunch, you will head to a local Andean community in the Sacred Valley to learn about local lifestyle. Here you’ll learn about the weaving process where the women of the community will show you ancient techniques of weaving, dyeing, management and production of South American camelid fibers. With this activity, women can support and help their families, providing food, home, health and studies to their sons.

In the evening, you’ll drive along the Urubamba River towards the town of Ollantaytambo, a magnificent example of Inca urban planning. It's one of the few places where the Incas defeated the Spanish. You’ll spend the night in this beautiful Inca town.

Included Activities

• Full day visit of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, including Maras salt ponds and the agricultural terrace of Moray, in private service.
• Visit to an Andean community including weaving demonstration, in private service.
• Lunch (set menu) at Unu Maras restaurant (https://restaurantguru.com/UNU-restaurante-Landscape-and-Gastronomy-Maras).

After breakfast, you will explore the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo, an important Inca construction built during the height of the Inca Empire. This is an extraordinary site, sitting beside an amazing rock formation representing the Inca God, Wiracocha.

Afterwards, you will head to the local train station to board the tourist train towards Aguas Calientes, a little town close to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The train ride to Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful journeys that visitors can experience in this country.  After passing the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the train starts to descend gradually along the edge of the wildly rushing Urubamba River, until it finally reaches the cloud forest. After about a two-hour train ride, you will arrive in the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will be staying overnight.

The remainder of the afternoon will be free. We recommend discovering this beautiful town, visiting the open-air market, and exploring the streets.

Note: INCA RAIL carriages / vans do not have luggage racks on board. Each travel ticket entitles its bearer to board the train / vans with only one piece of hand luggage (backpack, handbag, or briefcase) weighing no more than 08 kg/17 lb and with dimensions of no more 46 linear inches / 118 linear cm (height + length + width).

Included Activities

• Guided tour of Ollantaytambo Inca ruins
• Tourist train tickets from Ollantaytambo town to Aguas Calientes town on Inca Rail - The Voyager service (https://incarail.com/the-voyager-machu-picchu-train)

After breakfast, you will be taken to the Machu Picchu ruins starting with a short bus ride up the steep, zigzagging road to the impressive Lost City of the Incas. This is one of those genuinely magical places, and your first glimpse of these ruins in the mist will be something to remember forever. The site is perched high in the Andes, surrounded by verdant cloud forest, with the river Urubamba running through the gorge far below. Hidden away on a ridge, Machu Picchu is invisible from below, so it's no surprise it remained a secret for so many years (until 1911).

Explore the upper terrace with your guide first, making sure to get that great portrait! You will then take a guided tour of the ruins, learning more about these 200 or so houses and temples. It's fascinating to be able to gaze down on the city from above and imagine how it would have looked during the height of the Inca empire. Catch the bus back into town and enjoy lunch at Indio Feliz restaurant.

In the afternoon, take the tourist train back to Ollantaytambo and make the rest of the journey to Cusco by private vehicle (2 hours).

Note: According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a pre-determined route within the site. This route must be followed in one direction only and once the guided visit commences, exiting and re-entering the site is not permitted. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted.

Included Activities

• Shuttle bus tickets from Aguas Calientes town to Machu Picchu site (round trip)
• Visit of Machu Picchu site, in private service
• Lunch (set menu) at Indio Feliz restaurant (https://indiofeliz.com/).
• Tourist-level train tickets from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo town on Inca Rail The Voyagser service (https://incarail.com/the-voyager-machu-picchu-train)
• Transfer from Ollantaytambo train station to Cusco, in private service

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Cusco airport to take the short flight to Juliaca (1 hour). Upon arrival in Juliaca, you will be transferred straight to your hotel in the city of Puno (48-kilometer distance – 1 hour approx.).

Puno (3,860-meter-high) is home of the Titicaca Lake, the world’s highest navigable lake which is surrounded by a group of beautiful islands full of colour and wildlife. This is an historical land with ancient Quechuas communities as the Aimaras, Uros, Pacajes and Paquinas and also one of the most important cultures of the Andes. The Spanish founded the ancient city of Puno in 1668. It is colourful, friendly city offering a mixture of traditions.

Included Activities

• Group transfer from Cusco hotel to the airport, in private service
• Domestic flight from Cusco to Juliaca (Economy class)
• Group transfer from Juliaca airport to Puno hotel, in private service

Today, you will enjoy a full day boat tour on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. A visit to the Uros and Taquile Island will be an amazing opportunity to get to know this very unique Andean culture, floating on reed islands in the middle of the lake. The lake contains numerous islands whose inhabitants continue to live as their ancestors have in custom and tradition. “The Uros Floating Islands”, are a small community that has lived on these reed Islands for decades. Centuries ago, the small Indigenous Uros community conceived of the islands as a way to isolate and protect themselves from rival tribes, the Collas and the Incas. The Uros people harvested the reeds in the shallows of the lake, bundled them together tightly and built floating island platforms complete with reed houses and canoes, creating their own little world.

After strolling around the floating Islands, you will continue towards the “Taquile Island” (1 hour approx.), where about 2,200 people now live. Taquile residents are known for their kindness, their ancestral weaving skills, and  their pre-Columbian constructions and lovely countryside. On the island you will find fine handwoven textiles and clothing, which are regarded as among the highest-quality handicrafts in Peru. Here, you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch.Then later in the afternoon, you will return to Puno by boat.

Included Activities

• Full day visit of the Titicaca Lake including Uros and Taquile islands, in private service.
• Traditional lunch at Taquile island.

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Juliaca airport.

On route, you’ll visit the archaeological site of Sillustani, where you will see the burial site, providing interesting insight into the Andean culture. Sillustani is a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo. The tombs, which are built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas, are the vestiges of the Colla people, Aymara, who were conquered by the Incas in the 15th century. The structures housed the remains of complete family groups, mostly limited to nobility. Your visit in Sillustani will also offer a wonderful panoramic view of Lake Umayo.

Continue your journey to Juliaca airport for your included flight to Lima.

Once in Lima, you’ll be transferred to your hotel located in the tourist neighborhood of Miraflores.

Included Activities

• Group transfer from Puno hotel to Juliaca airport, in private service
• On route, visit of Sillustani site, in private service
• Domestic flight from Juliaca to Lima (Economy class)
• Group transfer from Lima airport to the hotel, in private service

This is the last day of what we hope was a wonderful journey through Peru, discovering some of the country's most beautiful nature and cultural highlights.

As there was little time spent in Lima at the start of the trip, you may choose to stay on for a few extra days to make the most of your visit here. We’ll be happy to assist in booking accommodations (subject to availability) and extra activities. If you decide to stay on, visit some of the museums and tourist places you didn’t cover during your tour at the beginning of the trip.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight - either returning home or continuing on to the Galapagos Islands as a planned extension of this trip.

Note: Check-out at the hotel is at 12pm.

Included Activities

• Transfer from Lima hotel to airport, in private service

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