PERUVIAN
ANDEAN
CIRCUIT
Discover the wonders of Peru! Travel the Andean country, visiting its main cities and cultural attractions. Finish this majestic trip with the mystic "Lost city of the Incas."
PERUVIAN ANDEAN CIRCUIT
EXPERIENCE 12 DAYS OF PURE ADVENTURE
Discover the wonders of Peru during 12 incredible days crossing this fascinating Andean country, visiting the main cities and cultural attractions. Starting in the city of Lima, the tourtakes in the desert province of Ica, the gastronomic capital of Arequipa, the Colca Valley, the indigenous worldcentered on Lake Titicaca, the Inca and colonial heritage of Cusco, and finishing in Machu Picchu, the fabled ‘Lost City of the Incas’. Groups vary in size, but are typically made up of about 6-10 travelers.
Tour Program
Lima, Nasca, Arequipa, Colca, Puno & Cusco
DAY 1 - LIMA
On arrival in Lima, you receive assistance at the airport and are transferred to your selected hotel. Rest of the day is free at leisure to get to know the city. Accommodation.
DAY 2 - LIMA
City Tour: Cathedral, Casa Aliaga and Larco Museum. Explore Lima old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with fascinating historic buildings. Accommodation.
DAY 3 - LIMA, PARACAS, ISLAS BALLESTAS, ICA, NAZCA
Transfer to Lima station to catch early morning bus to Paracas. Embark on a boat tour to the wild and inhospitable Ballestas Islands, whose only habitants are colonies of boobies, penguins, pelicans, and sea lions among other species. This is a natural reserve with beautiful geological formations, impressive fauna, and the ruins of a pre-Inca culture that was able to develop a successful society in adverse conditions. After docking back in Paracas, transfer to Ica to visit the Regional Museum, which houses important collections of pre-Hispanic archaeological remains. After lunch, afternoon transfer in regular bus service to Nazca. Transfer to your selected hotel. Accommodation.
DAY 4 - NAZCA, NAZCA LINES FLIGHT, AREQUIPA
Transfer to the airport to board on a 90-minute flight over the Nazca Lines. Observe these mysterious lines and geoglyphs in the form of animals, which have been carved into the desert for some 1,500 years. The representations of figures such as a condor, a whale, a monkey, and even a man who looks like an astronaut are an incredible sight. You will also be able to observe the recently discovered Palpa Lines, which feature designs known as ‘the Star’, ‘the Woman’ and ‘the Traveler’. Return to the airport and transfer to Paracas. The rest of the day free at leisure. In the afternoon, transfer to the bus station to take a 10-hour trip to Arequipa. On arrival, receive assistance at the bus station before transfer to your selected hotel. Accommodation.
DAY 5 - AREQUIPA
City Tour and Santa Catalina Convent. Enjoy a tour of Peru’s third-biggest city, which is popularly known as the ‘White City’ because of the sillar volcanic rock used in many of the buildings. Accommodation.
DAY 6 - AREQUIPA, COLCA CANYON AND VALLEY
Drive through the Yura district in route to the Colca Valley. Yura is characterized by a number of dramatic geographical features such as gullies, mountain ranges, and canyons. Continue through the Pampa Cañahuas Reserve, an extensive plain populated by vicuñas, one of the four indigenous Andean camelids found all over Peru. Cross through the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra, skirting the crater of the Chucura Volcano to reach the Los Andes scenic lookout in Patapampa, which is 4,800 meters above sea level. From here, you can see the various volcanoes that surround Arequipa. Lunch in the picturesque town of Chivay. In the afternoon, transfer to your selected hotel in the Colca Valley. Rest of the day free at leisure. We suggest a visit to the local hot springs. Accommodation.
DAY 7 - COLCA CANYON AND VALLEY, PUNO
Prepare for an exciting day with a trip to the breathtaking Condor Cross lookout. Take a deep breath and appreciate the sheer vastness of the Colca Valley, which is one of the world’s deepest canyons with a maximum depth of more than 4,160 meters – twice that of the Grand Canyon. Descend to the valley floor to discover some of the rustic towns on the banks of the River Colca such as Chivay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, where quaint colonial churches are as much part of the scenery as the peaks of the Andes. There are also stops at the scenic lookouts of Antahuilque and Choquetico, where you can admire majestic views of the valley. After lunch, travel to the western shore of Lake Titicaca. The route cuts through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve and takes in the stunning ‘stone forests’ of Patahuasi. On arrival in Puno, transfer to your selected accommodation. Rest of the day free at leisure.
DAY 8 - PUNO – TOUR TO THE UROS ISLANDS & TAQUILE ON LAKE TITICACA
After breakfast, transfer to the shore of Lake Titicaca to enjoy a motor boat cruise, alighting at a number of the islands in the lake. The first stop is at the unique Uros Islands. There are more than 40 of these floating islets, which are made entirely from totora reeds plucked from the lake. Meet the Aymara-speaking islanders and learn all about the making of the islands. Continue the voyage of discovery to the timeless Taquile island. Unlike the other islands, its residents speak Quechua. It was part of the Inca Empire and it is still possible to notice vestiges of said culture in their buildings. Upon your arrival, you will receive a brief explanation of the island and will attend a cultural activity. Return to Puno after lunch. The rest of the day free at leisure. Accommodation.
DAY 9 - PUNO, CUSCO
Transfer from your hotel to the bus station to travel to the former Inca capital. Travel through the jaw-dropping landscapes of the highland plateau, which are dotted by Andean hamlets and herds of grazing llamas and vicuñas. Stop en route at the archaeological site of Pukara, which dates from 200BC to 300AD, as well as in Raqchi to admire the ruins of an Inca temple built to worship Wiracocha, one of the most important Inca gods. There is one more stop before Cusco at Andahuaylillas, a picturesque town famous for the beautiful 16th century Church of St Peter the Apostle. It boasts a gilded baroque interior and frescoes so delicate that it is known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’. Upon arrival in Cusco, transfer to your selected accommodation.
DAY 10 - CUSCO
City Tour and Archaeological sites. Enjoy a guided tour of this charming city, which was the capital of the Inca Empire. Accommodation.
DAY 11 - CUSCO, MACHU PICCHU, CUSCO
After breakfast at the hotel, head to Poroy Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. After a scenic three-and-a-half-hour journey through dramatic Andean landscapes, arrive at the station in Aguas Calientes. Here, you'll take a 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu itself. The ‘Lost City of the Incas’ had lain abandoned in the heavens for four centuries until American explorer Hiram Bingham happened upon it in 1911. Machu Picchu is believed to have been built in the 1450s by Inca emperor Pachacuti as a holiday retreat. The Spaniards could not find it so it was spared the destruction they wrought on other Inca sites. Instead, it was slowly swallowed up by the jungle and hidden from harm. The guided tour explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel and the most prominent landmarks among the 200 or so buildings such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial and
the Burial Grounds. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch at the famous Café Inkaterra, a beautiful thatched-roof restaurant hemmed in between the railway and a mountain. Accommodation.
DAY 12 - CUSCO - LIMA
Transfer to Cusco Airport to return to Lima. Assistance provided at airport.