ENIGMATIC PERU LIMA – AREQUIPA – PUNO – CUSCO MACHUPICCHU 12D/11
Summary
ITINERARY
Peru is a megadiverse and multi-cultural country that you will simply fall in love with. Your vacation in Peru will be like nothing else you’ve ever experienced. On this journey, you are going to discover its most visited destinations: Lima, South America’s capital of fine dining; from there, it’s off to Arequipa and a Colca Canyon tour and vistas of incredible volcanoes. From there, Puno and Lake Titicaca. Last but definitely not least is Cusco, from where you will travel to Machu Picchu and take an exciting Machu Picchu tour. Give yourself the gift of a Peru vacation, a luxurious experience of travelling from the Pacific coast to the tops of the Andes on a Peru tour where you get to see a little of everything: history, archeology, nature, and especially culture. Peru awaits you.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Lima.
Upon arrival to lima we will be waiting with your name and we will transfer you to your hotel.
Overnight Lima
Day 2: City tour in lima.
The day begins with an excursion to the historic center of Lima, the famous “City of the Kings” and part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. You will walk through the Main Square and visit its principal landmarks. You will then continue to the Santo Domingo Convent, a 16th century architectural masterpiece, where you will learn some of the history of two of our patron saints: Rose of Lima and Martin of Porras. Later, you will continue the tour to the city’s modern sectors: the exclusive district of San Isidro, Lima’s new financial center, and Miraflores, with a stop at the “Parque del Amor” (a sort of lover’s lane) and its incredible view of the Pacific Ocean. Next stop is the Larco Musuem, whose specially selected private collection shows more than 3000 years of Pre-Columbian history.
Overnight Lima
Day 3: Arequipa – excursion through the city and a visit to the Santa Catalina Convent
You will leave Lima for the city of Arequipa and, upon reaching it, tour the city and its famous historic downtown, also inscribed on UNESCO’s Cultural World Heritage List. Just a few blocks away sits the Santa Catalina Convent, a grand 16th century religious complex and sanctuary. After that visit, you will end the day at two traditional districts of the city: Cayma and Yanahuara.
Accommodations for the night in Arequipa.
Overnight Arequipa
Day 4: Colca Canyon tour
Today, you will make your way to one of the world’s deepest canyons: the Colca Canyon, 165 km from the city of Arequipa. Along the way, you will pass through Pampas Cañahuas, a plain in the midst of the Aguada Blanca y Salinas National Reserve that will open the way to experiencing the adventure, culture, and history that envelopes this peculiar setting, surrounded by peaks and precipices. You will also stop at Patahuasi, a small village in the valley, and then later ascend to 4000 m. The route continues to the town of Chivay, a fascinating community, whose citizens are incredibly warm and welcoming. It also boasts a Pre-Incan bridge, a small 18th century Colonial church dedicated to Assumption Mary, a lively market, and proximity to the La Calera hot springs. The afternoon is free to enjoy those thermal waters or the comfort of your hotel.
Accommodations in chivay
Day 5: Cruz del Condor and transfer to Puno
The day begins with an early drive to the Cruz del Condor, a natural lookout some 60 km from Chivay and the perfect spot for watching the world’s largest bird, the majestic Andean condor, glide of the winds. On the return, you will stop by the village of Pincholo, famous for its cheeses and retable artisans, and then the town of Maca to visit its charming handicraft market and Colonial church. The last part of the day is the drive to Puno.
Accommodations in Puno
Day 6: Lake Titicaca and the floating Uros and Taquile islands
Today will be a full day excursion on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake at 3808 m, and you will visit its main attraction: the floating Uros Islands, which lay just 6 km off the Puno Bay. 35 minutes from these is Taquile Island, where the community will, after giving you a traditional welcome, show you their customs, like their traditional and colorful outfits, and teach you what the knitted patterns mean. From this spot, the views become even better. The color of the lake turns a deeper blue, and the setting takes on an even more special mood.
Accommodations in Puno.
Day 7: Departure for Cusco – La Raya, Raqchi, and Andahuaylillas
You will be taken to the bus station, where you will begin your trip to the city of Cusco. A vacation in Peru would be incomplete without a few days in this historic place. There is a scheduled stop at the La Raya Pass, the natural border between the departments of Cusco and Puno, which is a prime location for taking impressive photos. Afterwards, you will tour the Incan archeological site of Raqchi, renowned for its massive temple to the god Viracocha. Next on the itinerary is a stop at the village of Andahuaylillas, where you will see an actual architectural masterpiece: its main church, built in the 17th century, whose finely painted interior walls will astound you.
Accommodation in Cusco.
Day 8: Excursion in the city and visit to Sacsayhuaman and nearby archeological sites
You will tour the city today and enjoy the amazing Colonial center, an inheritance from its Andean and Hispanic past as well as an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Two of the city’s famous landmarks are on the schedule, as well: the Korikancha, or “Temple of the Sun, and the Cathedral, home to finely carved wooden art pieces and impressive altars. The tour continues to Sacsayhuaman, an Incan fort constructed from menhirs that guarded the Imperial city. There are three other important archeological sites, not far at all from the city, that you will visit: Qenko, Tambomachay, and Puca Pucara.
Accommodations in Cuzco.
Day 9: Free day. Explore the city on your own!
Enjoy an afternoon off in Cuzco. Relax, look around, and admire what you see.
Accommodations in Cuzco.
Day 10: Authentic Sacred Valley
Discover the best of the Sacred Valley of the Incas through this route starting on the Inca’s Balcony, in Chinchero, a beautiful place with an impressive view, where twelves families still preserve their traditional costums, showing you the ancestral way in which they process the wool, and obtain those vivid colors for their textiles.
Afterwards, we will get to Ollantaytambo, one of the most monumental architectural complexes of the ancient Inca Empire, one of the few places where the Spanish conquistadors lost a major battle. Very well known for its “andenes” (terraces dug into the slopes of mountains for agricultural purposes), Ollantaytambo was a highly effective fortress, that also served as a temple. Then, we will follow to the town of Ollantaytambo, “the unique living Inca town”: the best surviving example of Inca city planning, with narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the 13th century.
Accommodations in Cusco.
Day 11: Travel to Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas
The landmark on today’s itinerary is the icon of Peruvian tourism: the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, the great Incan outpost. Visiting Machu Picchu starts off with a train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes, the departure point for the ascent to the Stone City. Once at the top, your Machu Picchu tour starts for real. After the visit is completed, you will descend and return to the city of Cusco.
Accommodations in Cusco.
Day 12: Return to Lima. International Departures
At the scheduled time, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight to Lima.
Included/No Included
Included in the tour:
- 2 transfers to Lima Airport Hotel Airport
- 01 comercial fly from lima to Arequipa
- 1 City tour to the “City of Kings”
- 1 Nights at selected hotel in Lima including breakfast (as accommodation) HOTEL MARIEL /HOTEL
- 1 Nights at selected hotel in Arequipa includes breakfast (according to accommodation) HOTEL EL FUNDADOR
- 1 night in selected hotel in Colca Canyon includes breakfast (according to accommodation)
- 1 Bus ride from Arequipa to puno
- 2 nights in selected hotel in Puno includes breakfast (according to accommodation) HOTEL CASONA PLAZA
- 1 guided tour of Cusco and Puno 1 includes lunch (Full day 08:00 hrs – 18:00 hrs)
- 1 Tour Lake Titicaca, Uros Island, Taquile
- 5 nights in selected hotel in Cusco including breakfast (as accommodation) HOTEL MAYTAQ WASIN BOUTIQUE / HOTEL RUINAS/ HOTEL THE BEST WESTERN
- 1 transfer to Cusco hotel.
- 1 City tour of Cusco and Surroundings (Afternoon 13:30 hrs – 18:30 hrs)
- 1 Tour Machupicchu Expedition Train (Full Day 06:00 hrs – 20:00 hrs)
- 1 Tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas 1 includes lunch (Full day 08:00 hrs – 19:00 hrs)
- 1 Transfer from your hotel to the airport
- 1 flight from cusco to lima.
CANCELLATION POLICY
CANCELLATIONS POLICY.
Cancellations regarding the company determines the amount to be deducted by the various expenses incurred in case of cancellation will be deducted as follows:
Cancellations and requests for refunds must be submitted by email and include all relevant information and will be answered within before 48 hours.
VERY IMPORTANT:
If a cancellation is received until and including 45 days before the date of arrival in Peru, the total payment will be refunded in full, minus the full administrative costs. (25% of the contract price)
- Cancellations 30 – 20 days before departure you have pay the 50% of the total expenses
- Cancellations 20 – 10 days before the departure you have pay the 60% of the total expenses
- In case of No – Show or cancellations 6-1 days before days before the start of your trip there will be no refund. you will be required to pay 100% of the total cost.
CHANGES
Itineraries may suffer, for technical reasons of force majeure beyond the control of the operator change without notice.
RESPONSIBILITY
Mapi Travel Agency E.I.R.L. It is a direct operator of differents excursions detailed on our website but acts as an intermediary between the user and the different companies whose services are used in the lodgings, airlines, restaurants, transport or other, having no responsibility for the shortcomings, delays, theft, accident or other damages that passengers have third-party services. Our company may change the order of the tour of tours, whenever deemed strictly necessary for security or better success of the service, without removing any services unless the weather or passenger safety (strikes, fires) conditions do not permit. Mapi Travel Agency E.i.r.l will not be responsible for any additional expenses incurred by the passenger as a result of the above causes.
We ask you to report before hiring our services, about any limitation of this nature, in order to recommend the special services.
All our transportation have travel insurance.