Peru in Brief

Day 1: Arrive Lima / Cuzco (City Tour & Nearby Ruins)

Early morning arrival in Lima, assist at Lima airport and continue flight to Cuzco. Meeting services upon arrival and transfer to your hotel.

Afternoon tour of Cuzco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere. Nowadays Cuzco is a delightful combination of Inca and colonial architecture dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. During the tour we will visit Cuzco’s most important landmarks such as the Cathedral, Santo Domingo Church dating back to the 17th century built on the foundations of Inca Coricancha temple of the Sun and the Plaza de Armas, Main Square of the city. We also visit the famous San Blas artisan’s quarter. Next we drive out of Cuzco to visit the nearby ruins of Sacsaywaman whose gigantic 3-tiered walls are built from 18-foot boulders and weigh over 200 tons. We also visit the temple and amphitheater of Q'enko and the fortress of Puka Pukara and the ritual Inca baths at Tambomachay.
Overnight in Cuzco.

Day 2: Cuzco (Urubamba Sacred Valley, Pisac & Ollataytambo Ruins)

This morning we depart for the drive through the "Sacred Valley" of Urubamba and checking-in to our hotel. After check-in we begin our tour of the valley visiting the Spanish Colonial village of Pisac and the Pisac Indian Market. Here you will have the opportunity to bargain with the local artisans for a variety of Peruvian handicrafts, jewelry and excellent bargains on Alpaca. Following lunch we visit to the village of Ollantaytambo, an ancient fortress of temples and terrace that tower over the valley, the best surviving example of Inca city planning, with narrow cobblestone streets that have been continuously inhabited since the 13th century. Among the Ollantaytambo ruins that are the most visually spectacular are the rising terrace walls that served as an integral means of defense; something that would come in handy upon the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors.
Overnight in Cuzco. (B,L)

Day 3: Cuzco (Maras Salt Pools & Moray Agricultural Ruins)

Morning excursion to the Inca agricultural experimental center of Moray, famous for its sunken amphitheater, made up of four circular terraces, which appear to disappear into the earth like an artificial crater. The site was apparently an Inca agricultural research station designed for experimenting with crops at various altitudes. It is believed that the system of using terraces and watered by complex irrigation systems, enabled the Incas to grow more than 250 plant species. Next we continue to the impressive Salt Pools of Maras emerging from a salt spring underneath the Urubamba Valley that is fed into terraced evaporative pools as a way of harvesting salt. Here we learn about ancestral techniques still used in current day agricultural, irrigation and salt-recollection tasks, as well as in Andean festivals and rites. Return to the hotel for overnight.
Overnight in Cuzco. (B,L)

Day 4: Cuzco - Machu Picchu (Visit Ruins)

Early morning transfer to the train station to board the Vistadome Train traveling through the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu often dubbed the "Lost City" of the Incas. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, this significant archaeological find is situated along remote mountains, amid a semi-tropical jungle and therefore was hidden for 400 years until discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham of Yale University. From the train station, our tour bus will make the ascent to this ancient citadel to explore the temples, altars and more than 200 buildings. Standing at the top of a steep, forested hill overlooking the Urubamba River, the citadel was hidden by dense vegetation for centuries until Hiram Bingham began to clear the site. Today the city has been completely restored and even if it has lost some of its mystery it still remains an unforgettable sight. The tour includes visits to the temples, plazas, palaces, watercourses and residential areas. After lunch more exploration on your own before returning to the hotel for overnight. (B,L)

Day 5: Machu Picchu - Cuzco (2nd day Entrance to Machu Picchu)

Morning is free to visit the ruins once again on your own. If you feel a bit more adventurous we suggest a hike along steep stone-paved trail of Huayna Picchu, the pyramid-shape mountain above Machu Picchu for a breathtaking view of the site. Afternoon return by train back to Cuzco for overnight.
Overnight at the hotel in Cuzco. (B)

Day 6: Depart Cuzco / Lima (City and Larco Museum)

This morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. Meeting services at airport and transfer to our day room to freshen up.

Welcome to Lima. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro, this colonial city became the political and military capital of the New World until it was declared the capital of Peru in 1821. Lima is more than a city to rush through on your way to other destinations in Peru. It is a city rich in culture and things to do and see. Here you can tour the museums displaying the history and anthropology of the past, the richness of the Inca empire, the many regional varieties of the country, plus enjoy the neighboring beaches and sports, plus a zoo where you can see many of the country's wildlife up close. Enjoy Lima!

This afternoon a tour of the city beginning with a drive to the Park of Love in Miraflores, the modern downtown with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Continue to the modern residential suburb of San Isidro, followed by a drive to the colonial area and to the Plaza de Armas where you will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace and the City Hall. Nest it’s on to the XVII century church and cloister of San Francisco, a world cultural heritage. Continue to the Larco Herrera Archaeological Museum which exhibits the world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian art boasting an astonishing array of gold, silver, semi-precious stones.

Remarks

Not included: Gratuities of any kind; airport departure taxes; meals unless included in the itinerary.

Please inquire about our special airfares on American Airlines, LAN or Copa for this package.