Day 1: International Arrival - Lima
Welcome to Lima. Upon our arrival, we will be assisted at Lima Airport and then transferred to our hotel. You will have the afternoon free to rest.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Lima.
- Meals included: None.
Day 2: Lima
Enjoy a free morning.
2:00 PM: City Tour of Lima: Historic Center, Santo Domingo Convent, and Larco Museum.
Approximate duration: 5 hours.
Today, we will delve into the historical essence of Lima, preserved in its Historic Center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will travel back to the colonial era as we walk through its streets and plazas, admiring emblematic monuments such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop's Palace. We will have the opportunity to enter one of Lima's most iconic ecclesiastical spaces, the Santo Domingo Convent, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which houses the relics of three Peruvian saints: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres, and San Juan Macías. The tour would not be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country for its valuable collection of nearly 45,000 pre-Hispanic artifacts, especially from the Mochica culture. This museum is notable for being one of the first in the world to have open storage areas and to provide virtual access to its complete collection. We will marvel at the quality of its jewelry, textiles, and its enigmatic erotic room, dedicated to pottery alluding to fertility.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Lima.
- Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 3: Lima – Paracas
At the agreed time, we will be transferred to the bus station to board our bus to the city of Paracas.
Reception at the bus station and transfer to our hotel.
OPTIONAL: Nazca Lines Overflight (Half-day tour)
Overflight departure time subject to weather conditions. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the local airport to board the small aircraft that will fly you over the incredible Nazca Lines, located in the pampas of the same name. There, you will see the numerous geoglyphs, representing stylized figures of animals and plants, distributed among an enormous labyrinth of straight lines, trapezoids, triangles, and spirals, etched into the earth and preserved for nearly 2,000 years.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Paracas.
- Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 4: Paracas - Lima
8:00 AM: Ballestas Islands Tour (Half-day tour)
Approximate duration: 3 hours.
Today we will experience marine life. We will depart from "El Chaco" pier, which hosts a variety of dining options. We will board the boat to get a first look at "El Candelabro," an enigmatic silhouette that rises from the sandy hills and whose origin remains a mystery. It is estimated to be over 2,500 years old and served as a beacon for sailors; today it is considered a National Cultural Heritage site. Further on, we will head to the Ballestas Islands, an impressive meeting of desert and sea. These three islands host extraordinary monuments sculpted in rock, as well as a diversity of wildlife, including endemic and migratory species. The islands are home to mammals, such as sea lions, and 18 species of birds like the Humboldt penguin, the red-legged cormorant, the guanay, among others. Finally, we will return to the pier, leaving behind this extraordinary marine landscape.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the Paracas bus station.
Bus from Paracas to the city of Lima. | Duration: approx. 4 hours.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Lima.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Lima.
- Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 5: Lima - Cusco
Transfer from your hotel in Lima to the airport to board your flight to Cusco. We suggest your arrival flight to Cusco lands before 11:30 am to be on time for your first excursion in Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be assisted at Cusco Airport and then transferred to your hotel. Travel duration: approximately 30 min.
Recommendation: Upon arriving in Cusco, it is essential to dedicate at least a few hours to initial rest to facilitate acclimatization to the altitude. You can use this time to explore places in the city center, avoiding physically demanding activities. For this reason, it is advisable to opt for light meals during the first few days. Coca tea, or "mate de coca," is a valuable ally during this time. Hotels usually provide hot coca tea at the reception; do not hesitate to try it!
1:00 PM: Half-day tour: San Pedro Market, Korikancha Temple, Cathedral, Sacsayhuamán, Kenko.
Approximate duration: 5 hours.
This charming half-day tour of Cusco offers us history, living culture, and art. We will appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. We will reach the center to walk the aisles of the San Pedro Market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, it now brings together hundreds of local product vendors. We will also visit Koricancha, which during the Inca Empire was a center of worship to the Sun, upon which the Santo Domingo Convent was later built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque-style facade built upon the solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the cultural syncretism of Cusco. To appreciate the grandeur of the Incas, we will ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuamán, which with its enormous carved stone walls is one of the finest examples of Inca military architecture. We will also tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial site dedicated to the worship of the Sun, Moon, and stars. We could not tour the city without visiting the Cathedral, the most important temple in the entire city. It was built by the Spanish over the palace of the Inca Huiracocha. Its interior holds a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases from the Cusco School.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Cusco.
- Meals included: Breakfast.
Day 6: Cusco – Sacred Valley
7:00 AM: Essence of the Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Textile Session, Moray, and Ollantaytambo.
Approximate duration: 10 hours.
In the Sacred Valley, we will find ancient history and living culture. We will visit Chinchero, where we will learn about its traditional textiles and the symbolism embedded in its designs and colors by visiting the Parwa Cultural Center. We will have the opportunity to appreciate the textile process for each piece, the materials used, the method for obtaining their natural dyes, and the weaving techniques passed down through generations. Furthermore, we will be able to see the artisans at work. We will also visit the Chinchero archaeological complex, one of the most impressive in the area, which during the Tahuantinsuyo (Inca Empire) was an agricultural and livestock center, with terraces and aqueducts. Nearby, we will see the exterior of the Church of Our Lady of Monserrat, built in 1607 over the ancient Inca palace. We will continue delving into the Inca world at Moray, which during the Tahuantinsuyo functioned as a laboratory and agricultural research center according to some studies. Its enormous concentric terraces and the variety of microclimates they create allowed for the growth of a wide variety of crops. We will enjoy local flavors at a restaurant during lunch and continue to Ollantaytambo, an ancient military, religious, and agricultural center of the Incas. We will tour the main temple and the terraces of the stone fortress. Its fortress, a display of Inca power, is strategically located on a mountainside, where we will explore its main temple, terraces, and fountains, while enjoying an unbeatable view of the town—the only one that maintains the original Inca urban layout.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in the Sacred Valley.
- Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.
Day 7: Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu - Cusco
Recommendation: Due to train policies, each person is limited to carrying only one piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 5 kg in a small backpack for their stay in Machu Picchu. Therefore, we recommend bringing only the essentials. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and mosquito repellent can be very useful for your comfort during this excursion.
5:50 AM: Visit to Machu Picchu with Voyager train round trip (Full-day tour)
Approximate duration: 15 hours.
One of the most important tourist landmarks in the world awaits us: Machu Picchu! Our adventure will begin aboard a train bound for Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, a picturesque town at the foot of the iconic Inca citadel. During the train journey, we can enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings, with impressive views of majestic mountains, rivers, and small towns of the Peruvian Andes; a visual feast that fills us with anticipation for the visit to the wonder that is Machu Picchu. After a short bus ride up from Aguas Calientes, we will find ourselves facing one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World – it will be an unforgettable sight! From there, we will explore the incredible ruins, learning all about the history and mysteries held within this mystical and impressive place. With incomparable landscapes everywhere, there will be plenty of opportunities to take spectacular photos! Once we have been recharged by the magical energy of Machu Picchu, we will return to Aguas Calientes where we will have free time for lunch and to explore the streets a bit before boarding our return train.
- Accommodation at the selected hotel in Cusco.
- Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.
Day 8: Cusco – International Departure
At the scheduled time, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight.
- Meals included: Breakfast.
