LIMA – PARACAS

Today we will take you from your Hotel in Miraflores to the bus station to travel to Paracas. Upon arrival in Paracas we will begin with a visit to the Paracas National Reserve.

In the Paracas National Reserve: We will visit the flamingo or parihuana viewpoint; We will appreciate "The Cathedral", a unique natural formation product of the erosion of the wind and the sea; Red Beach, unique on the Peruvian coast; Marine Fossil Remains and we will conclude at Lagunillas Beach, where we can have lunch and enjoy the beach.

After our visit we will go to our hotel to rest and have a relaxing afternoon enjoying the surroundings of the Paracas resort.

PARACAS – BALLESTAS ISLANDS – TRIP TO NAZCA

Today we will pick you up from the hotel at 07:30 am to take you to the Ballestas Islands. The visit lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. The first stop is at the impressive geoglyph “El Candelabro” which is estimated to be more than 2,500 years old.

Then we continue in the direction of the Ballestas Islands. On a good day you can appreciate the diversity of marine life, starting with the sea lions, the Humboldt penguins, the Tendrils with their magical colors and the Blue-footed Booby, among others. The boats are safe and equipped with all the comforts, they are provided with life jackets, a cabin with a bathroom and they will be accompanied by a guide who will provide you with all the information about the place. At the end of the tour we will take you to your hotel.

In the afternoon we head to the Paracas bus station, to board the bus to Nazca. In Nazca, a representative of the company will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Nazca.

NAZCA LINES OVERFLIGHT AND TRIP TO AREQUIPA

In the morning at an agreed time, we will pick you up from the hotel to take you to the Nasca airfield. The overflight of the Nasca lines is done in small Cessna 208 aircraft. From the air you will see at least thirteen figures from the Nazca Calendar such as the dog, the hummingbird, the spider, and the hands. You will also see many trapezoid figures and hundreds of enigmatic straight lines engraved on the surface of the Nazca Pampa.

Many Peruvian and foreign scientists and researchers have passionately studied the enigmatic Nazca lines. There have been many conjectures regarding the function these geoglyphs served. The latest studies propose that the lines were calendrical and astronomical signs. The archaeologist and mathematician Maria Reiche is the most recognized researcher for having dedicated her life from 1937 to 1998 to studying, preserving and disseminating this legacy of the Nasca culture. Reiche explains in his books that the lines were intended to point to the sun and the celestial bodies on the distant horizon, therefore confirming the theory that the Nasca lines served as an astronomical calendar.

You will have time to have lunch before we transfer you to the Cruz del Sur bus terminal to continue the trip to the city of Arequipa. The bus leaves at 2:30 p.m. Upon arrival in Arequipa, a company representative will take you to your hotel.

CITY TOUR IN THE MORNING AND FREE AFTERNOON IN AREQUIPA (GROUP)

We will begin the excursion around 08:30 am heading towards one of the traditional districts of our city, the Cayma district, taking the Chilina bridge as a route, from where you can at the same time have a view of our city and its cut terraces. by the Chili River. In Cayma we will visit its main square and temple, where the Dominican monks built a hermitage in 1544 and today it is a sanctuary of the Virgin of Candelaria.

After this visit we will continue towards the Añashuayco area; place where the emblematic “sillar” is extracted (The white volcanic stone that is used in the construction of colonial buildings in the city of Arequipa). Upon arriving in Añashuayco, your guide will give you information about the origin and geological formation of the quarries and we will have the opportunity to observe the extraction of ashlar (volcanic Tufo).

We continue towards the Yanahuara district; paying a visit to the popular Antiquilla market, which today maintains the colonial infrastructure of ancient Arequipa and then continuing to the Plaza de Yanahuara, characteristic for its viewpoint, where you can have a view of the city and our volcanoes and a short walk through its typical streets. We head towards the Plaza de Armas, where your guide will give you a review of its history and characteristics of its construction, as well as details of our Cathedral. The tour ends by taking clients to the entrance of the Santa Catalina Monastery; where your guide will provide assistance for those who wish to visit the monument.

COLCA CANYON (GROUP)

We will leave around 07:30 am. along the northern route from where you can see different views of the Misty, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes. We will continue the tour in the direction of the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve (Pampas Cañahuas) where you can see the beautiful vicuñas in their natural habitat. Then we will pass through Pataguas, a place from where we can see the Puruña stone forest formed by natural erosion.

We will continue to Vizcachani and the Toccra wetlands where you can observe Alpacas, Llamas and different varieties of wild birds, many of them in the migratory process.
The next place we will visit is Patapampa, the highest point of the route whose altitude rises to 4900 meters above sea level. From this point you can see the Chila mountain range and the Ampato, Sabancaya and Hualca Hualca volcanoes, as well as the snow-capped Mismi, considered the place where The Amazon River is born because it is the furthest tributary.

From this place we will begin the descent towards the Colca National Park, arriving first at the town of Chivay, and then heading to your hotel, where lunch will be waiting for you. We will offer you accommodation in a beautiful hotel that has its own hot springs which you can enjoy during the afternoon and have a well-deserved rest.

VISIT OF THE CRUZ DEL CONDOR AND BUS TO PUNO

After breakfast we leave for the viewpoint known as “La Cruz del Cóndor” where we will stay for approximately 2 hours. In this beautiful place you can appreciate the depth of the Colca Canyon in its greatest dimension and also the flight of the condor at a short distance.

On the way back we will pass through the towns of Pinchollo, Maca and Achoma from where we will observe archaeological remains, pre-Inca agricultural terraces and beautiful panoramic views of the Colca Canyon.

The last visit of the morning is the town of Chivay where travelers going to Puno stay to board the tourist bus that leaves at 1:30 p.m.

FLOATING ISLANDS UROS AND TAQUILE ISLAND (GROUP)

The island of Taquile is located 36 km from the city of Puno and the trip to Taquile by speedboat lasts only 2 hours. This program is created to maximize your time on the islands and patiently discover the living culture of your islands.

We will start the tour around 07:00 am. Our first point of visit will be the floating islands of the Uros where we participate in a cultural demonstration that allows us to discover the Uro way of life and better understand their reality and daily life.

Then we will continue towards Taquile and arrive at one of its main ports to climb a gentle slope towards a local community. This walk lasts approximately 1 hour and during the tour the guide will make us discover many aspects of the local culture of Taquile. We will have lunch in a family restaurant and then we will descend a very gentle slope appreciating the wonderful landscapes of Lake Titicaca. Finally we will return to Puno arriving around 4:00 pm at our destination.

CROSSING THE ALTIPLANO BY TOURIST BUS

This service is the best option with a good quality/price ratio to travel from the city of Cusco to the city of Puno or vice versa. During the trip you will make stops at places of tourist interest. The bus leaves at 7:00 am from the private bus terminal in Cusco and arrives in Puno at approximately 5:30 pm.

Service includes a Spanish/English speaking travel assistant and a buffet lunch. The travel itinerary is the same if your trip starts in Puno and the destination is Cusco. In Puno the buses leave from the public bus terminal.

FREE MORNING AND CITY TOUR (GROUP)

Today you will have the morning free to explore the city at your own pace. The afternoon will begin (1:00 pm) with a visit to the Cathedral of Cusco, which was built on top of the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. The cathedral houses many relics and treasures, especially paintings from the renowned Cusco School of Painting.

Next, we visit the most revered temple in the Inca Empire, the Temple of the Sun or “Qoricancha. After this visit we headed towards the monumental fortress/sanctuary of Sacsayhuaman with its enormous walls of megalithic stones weighing more than 300 tons that left the conquerors surprised. The visit is completed with the archaeological site of Q'enqo, which may have been an Inka ceremonial center, the site of Puka Pukara, and the visit ends by visiting Tambomachay, the water temple where there are aqueducts carved in stone and designed to channel the water flowing from a nearby stream.

This day we recommend you rest and take the time necessary to help your body adapt to the altitude. We suggest drinking lots of water, sugary infusion, or consuming something sweet (candy is good, but not chocolate).

PISAC MARKET – RUINS – OLLANTAYTAMBO AND TRAIN TO MACHUPICCHU (GROUP)

This day we will take you to discover the beautiful sacred valley of Cusco leaving around 07:30 am. The optimal climate and geography of this valley gave rise to fertile lands that, with the Incas, became an important center of agricultural production and home to temples, fortresses and magnificent terraces.

Visit to the archaeological site of Pisac, the next visit will be the old constructions of the Pisac National Archaeological Park, which is made up of groups of archaeological remains, among which stand out platforms, aqueducts, paths associated with walls and portals, canalized water channels, cemeteries and bridges.

Visit Pisac Market Then, you will visit the picturesque town of Pisac whose main activity is the making and sale of textile items as well as other products. Here you will have a short free time to visit the town's markets and buy some souvenirs from your trip if you wish. you want it. Lunch in Tunupa Restaurant Visit to the Ollantaytambo fortress You will visit the picturesque town of Ollantaytambo and its monumental fortress that was built in a place on two mountains from where you can dominate the entire valley. An important military, religious, administrative and agricultural function is attributed to this place. After your visit to Ollantaytambo you will go to the train station to take your train to Aguas Calientes where upon arrival a representative of the company will be waiting for you to take you to your Hotel and tell you the time of your briefing for your visit of the day. in the morning.

MACHUPICCHU AND RETURN TO THE SACRED VALLEY

Machu Picchu Inca citadel built to conquer tropical lands at lower altitudes and take advantage of the wealth of exotic fruits, medicinal plants and the diverse fauna of the jungle.

Machu Picchu is considered one of the greatest works of architecture and engineering of all time. It is currently considered one of the 7 wonders of the modern world. Very early in the morning, you will take the bus that will take you to the archaeological site where your guide will be waiting for you. The guided tour of Machu Picchu lasts approximately 3 hours and covers the areas of greatest importance and interest.

After the guided tour you will have enough free time to explore all the details of the citadel as you wish. At noon you will descend to the town of Aguas Calientes to have lunch and take the train back to the Ollantaytambo station and finally we will transfer you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

VISIT OF PISAC, INKARRIY MUSEUM AND RETURN TO THE CITY OF CUSCO (PRIVATE)

Today you will visit the archaeological site of Pisac that shows us beautiful terraces, housing structures and Inca aqueducts. If your visit falls on a Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday you will be able to experience the vibrant atmosphere of market day where a huge offer of varied Andean crafts and textiles is concentrated.

Visit Inkariy Museum The next visit is the Inkariy museum. This museum successfully manages to transmit valuable archaeological information to an audience of all ages with simple and educational language. In a very well planned chronological tour, the history of the pre-Columbian societies of the north and south of Peru will be completed and culminates with the splendorous Inca empire. The museum offers a delicious lunch made with Andean products from the region. Finally we will transfer you to the city of Cusco, upon arrival you will be able to rest the rest of the day at your hotel.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT CONNECTION

At a required time, we will transfer you to the Cusco airport, you will take the flight to Lima and connect with your international flight back home.