14 days
Lima - Puerto Maldonado - Cusco - Puno - Arequipa
A representative from Andean Exclusive Tours will be waiting for you at Lima Airport with a sign bearing your name. Once you meet the representative, they will take you to your hotel for check-in, for which you will only need to present your passport, as all hotel reservations will be confirmed prior to your arrival. Our representative will provide you with a briefing of your trip and will answer any questions you may have.
Lima is the capital of Peru, founded on January 8, 1535. This date coincides with 'The Descent of the Three Wise Men,' and that is why Francisco Pizarro, its founder, christened it as 'the City of Kings.' Lima saw the presence of several pre-Inca civilizations, such as the Lima culture, which constructed the Huaca Pucllana. Another archaeological site is the Huaca Huallamarca.
The Larco Museum contains approximately 5,000 years of ancient Peruvian history, and your guide will summarize it in simple words for you to understand this complex history. The complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens and it is located at 18th-century viceregal mansion. It was one of the first museum in the world to have visitable storage facilities and to provide virtual access to 100% of its collection, thus promoting the multidisciplinary research that Rafael Larco Hoyle initiated from the very beginning.
Then we will continue our visits to downtown of Lima city where we can visit The Cathedral, The Santo Domingo convent, the main square, the famous house of Casa Aliaga and having the opportunity to enjoy a nice walking surronding by the neocolonial style buildings.
On this day, we will take the connecting flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, our representative will take you to board a 45-minute boat journey along the Madre de Dios River, offering you the opportunity to witness the Peruvian Amazon. We will arrive at the Inka Terra Amazonica lodge, where you will spend the night. Once settled into the lodge, relax and enjoy your lunch in the dining area. In the afternoon, you can choose from 14 different excursions, and for your first day, we recommend:
In the jungle, nocturnal animals differ from those of the daytime, and on this excursion, we can revel in a nocturnal paradise during a boat ride on the Madre de Dios River. We will learn about their habits and observe nightjars, owls, capybaras, and caimans.
Following your return from your excursion, enjoy dinner, served in the main dining room from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. After dinner, you may retire early to your own cabaña, or join in on a talk about the experience of life in the rainforest, as you listen to the intriguing sounds of the jungle at night.
Located only 45 minutes by motorboat from Puerto Maldonado, the Reserva Amazonica lodge offers rustic elegance in each of its 35 thatch-roof cabins that incorporate local materials into the design. The lodge is designed to flow with the natural surroundings and to have a minimal environmental impact, which means warm water showers and low-impact electricity that is limited in the evenings. All of the cabins have screened porches with hammocks, ceiling fans and lanterns for the night. The lodge has a bar, gift gallery space, balconies for bird watching, daily tea time, pampering services at the Ena Spa on the banks of the Madre de Dios River, an elevated canopy walkway and a restaurant in the main building serving tasty meals with local ingredients.
Today, we will take the flight from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco, where you will be greeted by a representative from Andean Exclusive Tours. They will introduce you to your assigned driver and guide. In our private vehicle, we will head towards Pisac, a town in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and along the way, we will make some important stops.
On our way to Pisac, we will make a stop at the Awanacancha alpaca ranch, where we can see llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas of different breeds and sizes. We will learn about their use in textile garments and a bit of the history behind their fine and delicate wool.
Upon reaching the town of Pisac, we can visit and explore a craft market, fresh produce, and the customs of the town. Then, we will head to the Pisac archaeological center, where we can witness Inca masonry and the impressive terraces surrounding the mountain. Here, we will also have a stunning top view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The entire visit will be guided by our assigned professional guide.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas offers many breathtaking places to explore, and today we will visit some of them. We'll begin the day by departing from your hotel in Cusco (11,152 feet) and heading to the town of Chinchero (12,500 feet). In Chinchero, you can find artisanal centers where families craft various garments using the wool of the alpacas they raise. You can also take a tour of the Chinchero ruins, located adjacent to the main town.
From this point, we will embark on a mountain hike. The hike is of moderate difficulty, and it's important to take into consideration the high altitude at which we are located. During the hike, we will be accompanied by llamas and their caretakers. We will walk for 11/2 to 2 hours and have the opportunity to observe the cultivation of potatoes and grains in the Andean region. The locals will explain to us in Quechua about the care of the plants and their use both within the community and commercially. Feel free to ask them any questions you may have.
Once we have reached the highest point of the hike, we'll be able to take a break, snap some photos, and enjoy a snack. Afterward, we'll begin our descent towards the ruins of Machucollca. The views in this area are breathtaking, and if you're feeling adventurous, you can even lead the llamas that accompany us. Your guide will always be by your side to provide explanations about both the local residents and the ruins. We will conclude the hike in the community of Raqchi.
Once in Raqchi, we will receive a warm welcome from one of the families in the community, allowing us to enter their home and enjoy a lunch prepared with the products we just saw during the hike. The menu may vary depending on the season of your visit. After finishing lunch, we will witness a weaving demonstration and you will learn how they spin, dye, and weave the wool of their alpacas. We conclude this day by returning to your hotel..
On this day, you will be picked up from your hotel to head to the Ollantaytambo train station, where, in approximately a 2-hour journey, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscapes on the way to Aguas Calientes. The train boasts spacious windows, allowing you to continuously admire the scenery. Once we arrive in Aguas Calientes, we will proceed to the Machu Picchu citadel. During a 3 to 4-hour tour, you can choose the places you wish to visit, and your guide will accompany you throughout, explaining its history and addressing any questions you may have. After concluding the tour, we return to the town of Aguas Calientes.
This day is when we will visit Machu Picchu. We will take the bus from Aguas Calientes to the Inca citadel, where your guide will provide a complete tour of the places you choose to visit. Feel free to ask any questions you have about the ancient Inca citadel and the new wonder of the modern world. At the end of the tour, we will return to Aguas Calientes by bus.
We will leave the incredible Inca citadel of Machu Picchu to return to Cusco on a luxury train, where you can enjoy a very pleasant landscape on the way back and, depending on the trend, enjoy a performance by the train staff. The train journey lasts nearly 2 hours, and the drive from Ollantaytambo to Cusco is also 2 hours.
Upon arrival at Ollantaytambo train station, you will be met by a representative of Andean Exclusive and transferred approximately 2 hours to your hotel in Cusco.
Cusco is one of the most beautiful cities in Peru, steeped in history and culture. It is considered the navel of the world and was the capital of the Inca Empire of Tahuantinsuyo. The Tahuantinsuyo Empire covered an area of 2,500,000 square kilometers across the lands that now belong to Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Colombia.
The tour begins with hotel pickup, first visiting the main cathedral of Cusco and the Temple of Qoricancha, also known as "The Temple of the Sun". You will also have the opportunity to stroll through the streets of Cusco and visit the San Pedro Market, which is the most popular market in the city of Cusco. Finally, we will visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, an impressive construction located just outside the city of Cusco.
On this day, we will pick you up from your hotel to begin your journey to Puno. Along the way, we will be visiting tourist attractions such as the Andahuaylillas Temple and the archaeological site of Racchi, which is an unusual Inca archaeological site with unique features such as its construction in adobe. We will continue on to La Raya, which marks the border between Cusco and Puno and is also the highest point on the route. Here, we can enjoy a box lunch, take photographs, and stretch our legs. During this journey, there are other tourist attractions that you can discuss with your guide if you'd like to visit them. We will arrive in Puno (12.560 ft) and enjoy a view of Lake Titicaca before heading to your hotel for check-in.
On this day, you will travel in a shared car to the famous floating islands of the Uros, located in the Titicaca National Reserve. Here, you can immerse yourself in the proud culture of the Uros people, where men are skilled raftsmen and fishermen, and women are expert textile artisans. The Uro Aymara people refer to themselves as "kot-suña," which means "people of the lake." The islanders will welcome you with cheerful songs, and then invite you to sit together to learn about the process of constructing the islands.
After listening to explanations from the guide and the island residents about their way of life, you will have the opportunity to ride on a totora reed raft on the lake and take some photographs. Later, we will board our motorboat again and return to the city of Puno. Finally, we will head to your hotel to conclude the day.
This day you will depart from the White City of Arequipa (7660 ft.) in your private transport towards the Colca Valley. As you leave the city and gain altitude, the landscape gradually changes to match the altitude of the valley, which is 12,000 ft. Along the route, you will pass through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve, one of Peru's two protected areas dedicated to preserving the vicuña, a wild Andean camelid whose soft fur is used in the production of fine textiles and garments internationally. You will acclimatize in Patahuasi by having some coca tea to aid in acclimatization. Upon arrival in the Colca Valley, you will be transferred to your hotel for the night.
In the morning, you can choose from the following activities or simply relax at your hotel:
Uyo Uyo Ruins: Visit the pre-Inca ruins of Uyo Uyo on a approximately 2-hour hike. You can adjust the duration based on your interests. Start in Yanque, pass by the Sifon Bridge, observe the ancient food storage units, and explore the ruins before returning. Canocota Canyon Hike: Enjoy a 3-hour hike through the lesser-known but stunning Canocota Canyon. It includes a moderate ascent and beautiful landscapes. It ends at the La Calera thermal baths. Chimpa Fortress Hike: Embark on a 4-hour hike to Madrigal Chimpa Fortress. Observe ancient terraces and panoramic views during the ascent. Explore the archaeological site before returning.
In the afternoon, we will visit the colonial church of Lari and then head towards the famous Condor Cross, where we can observe the flight of the condors. It is not guaranteed 100% that we will be able to see the condors in flight, but there are high chances of seeing them from this point. The Andean condor has a wingspan of 3 meters when its wings are spread and is one of the largest birds in the world.
On this day, a representative from Andean Exclusive Tours will be available to assist you with your international flights. They will help you with all the check-in procedures and accompany you to the departure area of your flight. End of our services.
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