INTRODUCTION This tour is a suggested itinerary designed by our specialist team! Choose this itinerary or alter it to design your own Journey. Enjoy this 12-day journey to, a land of contrasts and rich in culture, legend and folklore. The trip starts in Lima, the capital of, where you can experience the colonial City of Kings on foot. Fly to Cusco and wander through its narrow cobble-stoned streets and markets. Discover the treasures of the Sacred Valley, walk around the Incan salt evaporation ponds, hike near Pisaq and marvel at the views of the Andes Mountains. Be astonished by your first view of Machu Picchu, before exploring the incredible Machu Picchu ruins. End your discovery of with a visit to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world where you will step foot on the floating reed islands of Uros and the beautiful island of Taquile. ITINERARY
DAY 1: Arrival transfer in Lima On arrival, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. This service includes a driver and local English speaking guide who will provide you with any useful information needed for your stay. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it. Should you not be able to locate them, please refer to the front of your itinerary for emergency contact details of our representative office. Lima, the capital of, sits on the country's arid Pacific coast. Founded in 1535, its colonial centre is well preserved, but today Lima is a bustling metropolis and one of South America s largest cities. The city is home to the various museums including the Museo Larco that houses a collection of pre-columbian art and the Museo de la Nación, tracing the history of s ancient civilizations. Lima is known as the gastronomical capital of the Americas, encompassing specialties from ceviche and traditional coastal cooking to refined global fare. It even boasts several of the top restaurants in the world. DAY 2: Lima City Tour & Larco Museum with Lunch This morning you will be collected from your hotel for a city tour of Lima and visit to the Larco Museum. First, visit the modern district of San Isidro and Miraflores, where you will have a view of the Pacific Ocean from the Parque del Amor (Love Park), then continue with your tour of the ''City of Kings'' which begins in the downtown colonial district. Visit Plaza de Armas, where you will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop s Palace, City Hall as well as the XVII century San Francisco Church and catacombs (a World Cultural Heritage Site). Visit Larco Museum, a privately owned museum of pre-colombian art and housed in an 18th century building and built over a 7th century pyramid. After your visit in the museum, enjoy lunch at the museum's restaurant overlooking the gardens. After lunch, you will be taken to your hotel.
DAY 3: Arrival transfer in Cusco On arrival, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall and proceed through the left exit door where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it. Should you not be able to locate them, please refer to the front of your itinerary for emergency contact details of our representative office. You will be collected from your hotel for a sightseeing tour through Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire. Visit the fascinating Qorikancha Temple of the Sun, the 12-Angled Rock and the Cathedral, built on the ruins of an Inca Palace. From here head to the archaeological remains located around the city, including the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo (giant rock), the ancient site of Puca Pucara and finally the Water Temple of Tambomachay. On completion of your tour, you will be taken to your hotel. Included in your tour price is the BTG (Tourist Ticket of Cusco) which allows you entrance into 16 attractions around Cusco in ten days. DAY 4: Maras and Moray Tour We will pick you up from your hotel on our bus to start our tour to Maras, located on the West of Cusco to 3300 m.a.s.l. which has an interesting mix of Inca and colonial influence. Then, we will visit Moray located about 7 km to the southwest of Maras; it is an impressive Inca ruin of giant terraces in the shape of nearly perfect circles that is believed to have been used for agricultural experimentation because of the increasing temperature of the terraces as you descend further into the complex and the well developed irrigation system. From here we will head to Salineras, the salt ponds. The ponds are filled from a natural underground salt spring that comes from the adjacent mountain. The people have worked and harvested the salt the same way since the time of the Incas. You can watch them work and even buy a small bag of the fresh salt to take home and use in your kitchen. Finally transfer back to Cusco.
DAY 5: Sacred Valley - Exploring Pisaq The town square is often the center of activity throughout this region, but so too is the town market, and none is more alive than the famous market at Pisaq. With products ranging from produce and meats to textile dyes and artisanal crafts, this market is an adventure unto itself. A morning visit to Pisaq will inspire you with a small taste of the rich culture yet to be explored. Travelers seeking inspiration in nature can opt for a short hike surrounded by amazing views of the Andes Mountains that guard this magnificent valley. Later that day, begin a more grounded exploration with a visit to the ancient hamlet of Viacha, where the sacred craft of artisanal potato farming dominates daily life. A hands-on lesson from its multi-generational farmers will show you their unique agricultural techniques and will give you some insight into the history behind the 3,800 different types of vian potatoes. After lunch, this introduction to the Sacred Valley culminates in an off-the-beaten-path tour of the Pisaq archeological complex, visiting the majestic mausoleum and the beautiful architectonic sites of its surroundings. DAY 6: Lares Region - Inca Sites & Villages Now that you have gotten a glimpse into this rich Andean tapestry, Day Two offers the opportunity to go even deeper with an exploration into the heart of the Lares region. Along the celebrated Inca Weaver s Trail, snow-capped peaks and endless herds of llamas and alpacas guide the way to local villages where close descendants of the Incas still live, and where both women and men are expert weavers. Afterwards, you will explore the hidden towns of Choquecancha and visit the unique archeological site of Ancasmarca, which is located in the main entrance of the Inca Trail towards the jungle. An optional afternoon hike further into Lares brings these illustrations to life. Finally, a night spent at the lodge in the remote village of Huacahuasi, where the locals are both our partners and the actual lodge-keepers, gives insight into the evolving role of the original Andean people in both the culture and commerce of modern-day Cusco.
DAY 7: Sacred Valley - Expedition to Ollantaytambo Early in the morning explore the Huacahuasi communities and get to know their traditions and daily activities. Keep exploring the sacred valley of the Incas and visit the museum of vian History. Afterwards, enjoy a country lunch near the Urubamba town. Whether you choose a fullday hike along an actual Inca trail, a mountain bike adventure through the hills, or a day of meandering through its maze-like streets and sampling its local delicacies, Ollantaytambo will delight you with its unique combination of cozy town and majestic surroundings. DAY 8: Sacred Valley - Discovering Ollantaytambo From its beginnings as the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti to a stronghold against the Spanish conquistadors for Manco Inca Yupanqui, the fortress at Ollantaytambo was regarded by the Incas as one of their most important ceremonial centers. As your guide leads you through a morning tour of its grandeur and explains its strategic architectural planning, you will also get a sense of its mystical history a perfect introduction to the wonder of Machu Picchu. At noon, with the storied history of Ollantaytambo still on your mind, you will embark on a scenic train ride through the Andes along the famous Urubamba River to the town of Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. A somewhat ramshackle town reminiscent of the American Wild West, its charm lies in a history that began as a small railway stop and evolved into a bustling town whose streets still flank the train tracks.
DAY 9: Machu Picchu - The Sanctuary At dawn, you begin your journey to Machu Picchu with a rollicking uphill bus ride. As you enter the Sanctuary (as locals refer to it), the morning sun rises over the iconic Sun Gate and washes the structures and terraces with resplendent light. Prepare to be awed by the imposing and skillful architecture of the Watchtower, the Temple of the Sun, and the royal Inca residences, among many others. Take a moment to quietly sit and listen to the wind or to meditate and absorb the mystical energy that envelops you. Your imagination will soar as you contemplate the history of Machu Picchu and its mysterious origins. Some may even choose an uphill hike on Huayna Picchu for dramatic views from the Urubamba River valley to the edge of the Amazon Jungle. Either way, you will be touched by a feeling of peace and rejuvenation which will linger even as you journey back to the city lights and hustle and bustle of Cusco. DAY 10: Transfer to the bus Station You will be collected from your hotel at the appropriate time and transferred to Cusco bus or train station for your onward journey. The best way to travel the incredible route between Cusco and Puno and visit Lake Titicaca with unrivalled service at your beck and call aboard Rail's Titicaca Train. Enjoy the open-air observatory car and the two dining cars decorated in the style of the Pullman cars of the 1920s. Dine on gourmet food and experience personalised service. The Titicaca Train service operates Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays departing at 0750 hours and arriving at 1808 hours. On arrival, please make your way through to the Arrivals Hall where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel. He/she will be holding a sign with your name on it. Should you not be able to locate them, please refer to the front of your itinerary for emergency contact details of our representative office.
DAY 11: Titicaca Uncover by Speed Boat Early this morning you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the port to board a fully equipped speedboat with on board service to visit various islands on Lake Titicaca. First stop is Taquile Island where you will explore a scenic and less touristy area. Enjoy time on a pristine sandy beach to relax and feel the serenity of Lake Titicaca. We then hike along a pre-inca trail with spectacular landscapes of the island, visiting families of weavers to learn about their textile art and symbolism. In 2005, "Taquile and its Textile Art" were proclaimed "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. After three hours on Taquile, board the speedboat for a short journey to the community of Santa Maria-Llachon, on the tip of the Capachica Peninsula. This is a picturesque off the beaten track destination. We are welcomed by the small Quechua speaking community and introduced to an intensive cultural experience, observing the traditions of the community and participating in an ancient ceremony to learn about their magical world. Experience the preparation of "Pachamanca", a traditional way of cooking meat, fish and potatoes using underground ovens, and one of the main dishes of vian cuisine. Enjoy these delicacies in a small, but scenic restaurant (included in tour price). For the more adventurous there is an optional kayak along the coast of Llachon. After lunch we leave Santa Maria and arrive at a remote area of the National Reserve of Lake Titicaca to explore Uros Ccapi. These are considered to be the last authentic floating islands, less commercial and little visited. The Uros are descendants of one of the oldest cultures in South America. There are optional tours in reed boats before we depart back to Puno. On arrival at the port, you will be transferred to your hotel. Please note this is small group tour. Please note there is a minimum number of passengers requested to operate this tour from December to March, if the required number of passengers is not reached we will offer you a similar alternative. Please also note that between the months of January and March the ceremony of "Pachamama" will be subject to weather conditions.
DAY 12: Transfer to the airport for onward destination Transfer from your hotel to the airport, stopping on the way to take in the pre-inca burial ground of Sillustani. Here you can wander through the remarkable tombs built from volcanic stone, known as Chullpas which reach heights of up to 12 metres. Overlooking the beautiful lake Umayo, Sillustani is considered to be one of the most important necropolises in the world. INCLUSIONS & DETAILS Accommodation Deluxe Airport transfers and transportation as detailed on the itinerary Twin-share accommodation according to the itinerary Breakfast daily and other meals as stated Guided tours and entrance fees as stated on the itinerary Inclusions Domestic Flights - LIM/CUZ and JUL/LIM Difficulty Rating 1 (Easy) Single Surcharge FROM US$1,700 - subject to season and availability, contact us for more details. Notes Contact us for more details Price Dependent upon Season and availability SUSTAINABILITY Chimu Adventures undertakes a number of sustainability measures within its operations including: 1) Only using local guides and office staff to both maximise local employment opportunities and minimise carbon footprints. Local guides also ensure you benefit from the intimate knowledge, passion and culture of the country you re visiting. 2) Where possible, using locally owned and operated boutique hotels to maximise the return to the local community. 3) Chimu s Pass it on programme has provided funding to hundreds of local community projects in Latin America. Our aim is to empower local communities, helping them to develop their own infrastructure for the future. Since 2006, we have been working with Kiva (a well-known Non-Governmental Organisation), providing hundreds of loans to local
businesses all over South America. 4) In our pre tour information we provide a range of tips and advice on how to minimise your impact on both local environments and communities. 5) Chimu Adventures offices also take a number of sustainability measures including carbon offsets for company vehicles and most staff travel. Chimu Adventure s internal processes are also structures to create a paperless office and to reduce waste. There are also internal programmes to help staff minimise their carbon footprint such as our staff bike purchase assistance plan which encourages office staff to commute to work via bicycle. Currently almost half of our office based staff commute to work via bicycle.