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Lima – Arequipa
- Colca Canyon – Lake Titicaca – Cuzco – Inca Trail
to Machu Picchu
Day 1: Lima You are welcomed by our staff at the airport and transferred to your hotel. During the ride we will tell you about Lima and Peru and go through your itinerary day by day. We will also answer any question you may have.
Day 2: Lima (B) After breakfast, a guided tour of colonial and modern Lima which includes the cathedral built in 1654 where the remains of Francisco Pizarro rest, the Main Square with a bronze fountain from 1650 and some unique tree balconies, the San Francisco monastery with the famous catacombs and the modern areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. We end the day with a visit to the famous Gold Museum, a unique private collection of amazing gold artifacts from the Inca Empire and other ancient Peruvian cultures such as Chavin, Mochica, Nazca, Paracas, etc.
Day 3: Lima-Arequipa (B) Transfer to the airport for the flight to Arequipa, the most beautiful city in Peru. Pick up and transfer to your hotel. Rest and relax in the morning to get used to the altitude. In the afternoon a city tour of Arequipa where you will visit the Chilina valley and the old San Lorenzo district. You will get a nice view of the city and you will visit the Main Square and the Cathedral as well as the extraordinary Santa Catalina Monastery that are built of volcanic lava and is dated back to the 16th century. You will end the day with a visit to Juanita, the best preserved mummy in the whole America, which was found in 1995 during an expedition high up in the mountains. (In Arequipa it is possible to do river rafting, mountain biking, trekking, and other adventure activities. Let us know if you want to add a day for this.)
Day 4: Arequipa – Colca Canyon (B) After breakfast you are picked up at the hotel for your 2 day Colca Canyon tour. You will pass the hot springs in Yura and then ascend to the Pampa de Cañahuas National Reserve where you will see groups of Llamas and Alpacas. After a few more hours the descent to the Colca Valley begins and you arrive to Chivay, the most important village in the Valley. You are dropped off at your hotel and you can enjoy a free afternoon in the Colca Valley which can be used to visit the hot springs.
Day 5: Colca Canyon – Puno (B) Early in the morning we go further into the Valley towards the deepest part of the Canyon called Cruz del Condor. The scenery from this point is spectacular and hopefully you will see the great condor flying by just above your heads. The condors are most likely to be seen April-October but they are also seen during other periods of the year. After a short walk along the Canyon it is time to go back to Chivay from where you take the bus to Puno (6 hours). You are picked up at the bus station and transferred to your hotel.
Day 6: Lake Titicaca (B, L) After breakfast you are picked up for your guided tour of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. On the first stop you will visit the floating reed islands of Uros. The inhabitants will show you how the islands are built and you will go for a short trip in one of their reed boats. Then you go to Taquile, a truly beautiful island where the locals live as they have been doing during centuries with their small scale agriculture and animals. You walk around on the island with the guide and after lunch it is time to go back to Puno where you will arrive late afternoon and get transferred to your hotel. (It is possible to stay overnight on the island in a family´s home. This is a very nice and special experience which we really recommend, keep in mind that the houses are very rustic though.)
Day 7: Puno – Cuzco (B, L) Transfer to the bus station for the tour that will take you to Cuzco. The bus trip over the altiplano is very beautiful and you will do several stops on the way to visit museums, Inca ruins and small villages. You will also make a stop for lunch. You arrive in the afternoon to Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire. We pick you up and transfer you to the hotel.
Day 8: Cuzco (B) Free morning. In the afternoon a guided tour of Cuzco and the four famous Inca ruins that are located in the outskirts of Cuzco, the water temple Tambo Machay, the fortress Puca Pucara, the Oracle place Qenqo, and the impressive fortress and temple of Sacsayhuamán. Three enormous stones, each one weigh 120 tons, form three perfect zig-zag walls and the view over Cuzco is wonderful. Then you do a walking tour of central Cuzco with visits to the Cathedral, Main Square and the Sun Temple of Korikancha. (There are many adventure activities you can do in Cuzco if you have enough time. River rafting, mountain biking, trekking, and hot air balloon rides are just a few examples of what you can do. Please ask for further details.)
Day 9: Sacred Valley (B, L) Today you will do a full day excursion to Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You visit the village of Pisac that was founded during colonial times and is located at the foot of some impressive Inca ruins. Visit the Pisac market on the Main Square where the Indians sell their products and handicrafts. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays are the busiest days, but the market is always open. After lunch, visit Ollantaytambo, the only Inca village that the Spaniards never conquered, and explore the ruins located above the village. On the way back to Cuzco you will visit the typical market in Chinchero.
Day 10: Inca Trail (B, L, D) You are picked up at your hotel in Cuzco and driven on a scenic two-hour route through the Sacred Valley until you reach Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo you will be prepared with equipment, food, and porters for the trek. A good idea is to bring coca leaves for altitude sickness relieving tea and wooden walking sticks to help you on the trek (trekking poles with metal tips are not permitted). Once set you will continue on to Piskacucho by bus (altitude: 2700m). After crossing the Piskacucho bridge over the Urubamba River the trek starts. You now have a 12 km hike ahead of you before the day is over. You start with walking on flat terrain along the river until you take a break at the community of Miskay (altitude: 2800m). The path then continues a bit steeper towards a high plateau. From here you will have a spectacular view of the Inca ruins of Patallacta (altitude: 2750). The trek then goes on for two more hours before you reach the site where you´ll have lunch. After lunch it is only 2 hours left before you reach the campsite of Wayllabamba (altitude: 3000m). The highlights of this path are the views of the Vilcanota ridge on the other side of the Urubamba River and the snow-capped Mount Veronica.
Day 11: Inca Trail (B, L, D) The second day of the Inca Trail is the toughest one. After an early wake up and breakfast you will ascend for 9 km, surrounded by plush vegetation and crisp streams. It is important to take it easy and to take many shorter breaks to not exhaust yourself. You will take a longer break at the Llulluchapampa village and after that it is time to hike the highest and most famous mountain pass; the Abra Warmihuaña or “Dead Woman´s Pass” (altitude: 4200m). This hike takes around 2 hours and the last part before reaching the top is quite tough because of the altitude so it is even more important to take breaks. At the top of the Dead Woman´s Pass you can relax for a while and take some photos before you continue. Then you descend on a winding 2,5 km path of steps that crosses a natural valley, the habitat of much wildlife. You will have lunch along the way and continue to the campsite in the Pacamayo Valley (altitude 3600m). There you will rest and relax and have a nice dinner.
Day 12: Inca Trail (B, L, D) Today you will trek 15 km along an impressive and archeologically rich path. First you will ascend to the Runkurakay Pass (altitude 3970m). Halfway through the pass you will encounter the ruins of Runkurakay, an Inca watch-house. On the following pass you will have great views of the mountain ranges of Vilcabamba and Pumasillo. You then continue on to the spectacular ruins of Sayacmarca (altitude: 3624). After this you will trek through the cloud-forest to the last climb that will lead you to the third pass, the Abra de Phuyupatamarca (altitude: 3700m). Then the trail goes mostly downhill to the archeological site of Phuyuoatamarca. This ruin is called the “Town above the Clouds” and is surrounded by Inca terraces consisting of sophisticated irrigation and fountain systems. By sunset you will reach the ruins of Wiñaywayna, or “Forever Young”. This is believed to have been a center where water was worshipped, flower enthusiasts will be pleased to see the pink orchids in addition to learning about the ruin. Very close by is the camp site where you can find hot showers and a restaurant. Tonight you say goodbye to the cook and the porters who will leave early the next morning on the train back to Cuzco.
Day 13: Inca Trail (B) You wake up at 4:00am and have breakfast at 4:30am in order to start the trek at 5:00am and reach the Inti Punko, or the “Sun Gate”, by 6:00am. The trek will take you through a narrow trail of cloud forest. As you reach the Sun Gate, just before sunrise, the fog will lift and Machu Picchu will be lit with sunlight. The view is truly magical and awe-inspiring. You then descend to the citadel to start the two hour tour during which you will learn everything about Machu Picchu. After the tour you have plenty of free time. Some people choose to climb the lush peak of Hyana Picchu. From there you will have a great view over the ruins and the surroundings. It is a tough climb though, especially after 4 days of trekking, so extreme caution must be taken. In the afternoon you take the train back to Cuzco. We pick you up at the train station and transfer you to the hotel. (If you want to stay a night in Aguas Calientes to go back to Machu Picchu on the following day this is possible of course, ask for details.)
Day 14: Cuzco – Lima (B) Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. End of our services
PRICES Group excursions:
Private excursions:
Price includes:
Price does not include:
Note 1: Because of the nature of hotels and the travel industry, it is not always possible to secure the hotels and lodges listed in the itinerary. Tailor Made Peru will endeavour to secure the hotels listed in your itinerary. However, Tailor Made Peru reserves the right to secure the next best available option or an upgrade in the event that the original hotels are not available or overbooked. Note 2: Please insure that your passport expiration date is good for at least 90 days past the end of your tour. Note 3: Please make sure to inform Tailor Made Peru of any health or dietary restrictions. Note 4: Tailor Made Peru strongly recommends that all clients purchase travel insurance after booking your tour to cover your investment.
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Tailor Made Peru (registered
as TM Destinations SAC)
Address: Malecon Cisneros 980:401 - Miraflores
- Lima - Peru
info@tailormadeperu.com