Peru is an ancient place with many mysteries that we still do not fully grasp. This private tour and certified guides will explain what they know, but theories vary. It is always a lot of fun to come to your own conclusions about how and why the Nazca lines were built, possibly for visitors from outer space or something much more earthly. There is also the curious, precise construction and building techniques of the Inca in places like Machu Picchu and Cusco temples. The stones, with no mortar, are so perfectly placed, that a sheet of paper cannot slip between them.

 

πŸ“ This tour includes sensitive destinations, therefore we request you to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

🍏 All food on this tour is prepared mostly with local ingredients.

πŸƒ Hotels with this mark are sustainable. We hope you will take them into account when making your reservation.

 

TRIP SUMMARY


Day 1: Lima

Day 2: Lima: City tour – Lunch – Barranco

Day 3: Lima – Ica: Vineyards, Huacachina & Dune Buggies

Day 4: Nazca, Lines Overflight – Paracas

Day 5: Paracas – Ballestas Islands – Lima

Day 6: Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley

Day 7: Machu Picchu, Citadel Excursion

Day 8: Chincheros – Maras & Moray – Cusco

Day 9: Cusco: City tour & San Pedro Market

Day 10: Cusco – Lima

 

Day 1: Lima

Upon your arrival to the Lima Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our representatives, who will provide a brief introduction to the city and our services while driving you to your hotel in Miraflores. You will have the remainder of the day free to relax and get acquainted with the city at your own pace. Depending on your arrival time, we have plenty of suggestions for you so you can make the most of your first day in Lima.

Meals: None provided
Accommodations: (S) Tambo Hotel πŸƒ, (C) San Agustin Exclusive, (P) JW Marriott Lima πŸƒ

Day 2: Lima: City tour – Lunch – Barranco

Get ready to explore Lima and all it has to offer! Our tour starts in the morning with a visit to the Historic Downtown area. First, you will stop off at the Main Square, where you will walk through its most important streets and observe its architectural monuments like the Cathedral and the Government Palace. Afterwards you will head to the San Francisco Convent and its renowned catacombs. Lunch will be at a traditional restaurant where you will enjoy classic Peruvian cuisine, as well as learn how to prepare a Pisco Sour, PeruΒ΄s signature drink.

You will complete your tour of Lima with a visit to the Bohemian neighborhood of Barranco, a neighborhood called home by countless artists, photographers, and authors. Walk along beautiful streets lined with Republican houses, admire the splendid views, and visit the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), the source of inspiration for one of Peru’s great composers, Chabuca Granda.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: (S) Tambo Hotel πŸƒ, (C) San Agustin Exclusive, (P) JW Marriott Lima πŸƒ

Day 3: Lima – Ica: Vineyards, Huacachina & Dune Buggies

This morning, we have an early departure heading south along the Pan-American Highway to the valley of Ica located 186 m / 300 km south of Lima and surrounded by the endless sand dunes of the Ica desert.

Ica is well know for its warm and dry climate, perfect for cultivating grapes. We’ll make a short stop for a guided tour through an historical vineyard where world-class wine, as well as our famous Pisco liquor, is made. Afterwards, you will enjoy a traditional lunch highlighting the delights of southern peruvian cuisine.

We then leave for the natural lagoon of Huacachina, known as the Oasis of America.

Optional: From this beautiful landscape we go racing across the desert aboard powerful dune buggies, feeling all their speed and adrenaline. We will make stops along the giant dunes where you can go sandboarding, which is a lot like snowboarding only without the snow – it’s a marvelous, one-of-a-kind experience. After observing the sunset from the vastness of the desert we go back to Huacachina and relax in our charming hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) El Mirador Ica, (C) Hotel El Mirador – Junior Suite, (P) Hotel Las Dunas

Day 4: Nazca, Lines Overflight – Paracas

You will start this amazing journey with a flight over the Nazca and Palpa Lines and gaze down at giant drawings of animals and geometric figures ranging up to 984 feet (300 meters) in size, some of them include: hummingbirds, spiders, monkeys, fish, sharks, orcas, and lizards, etched on 84 square miles of desert plains. We will enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant in Nazca City.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: (S) San Agustin Paracas, (C) Hilton Paracas πŸƒ, (P) Libertador Paracas πŸƒ

Day 5: Paracas – Ballestas Islands – Lima

Today we will have an early rise and board the fully equipped speedboat departing from the Libertador Pier towards the Ballestas Islands, also known as the little Galapagos because of the great variety of marine wildlife that inhabit them. En route, our boat stops to observe the β€œThe Chandelier”, an enigmatic figure that can only be seen from the sea. You will explore caves and rock formations that have been carved by the sea and wind over time and will be able to observe sea lions, penguins, seagulls and a wide variety of marine fauna.

In the afternoon we will head to Lima where we will spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch
Accommodations: (S) Tambo Hotel πŸƒ, (C) San Agustin Exclusive, (P) JW Marriott Lima πŸƒ

Day 6: Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley

At the scheduled departure time, you will be met by our representative at your hotel and escorted to the airport. Upon arrival to the City of Cusco, you will be welcomed by a Peruvian Sunrise representative, who will drive you along scenic roads to your hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

For lunch, you will enjoy a traditional Peruvian – Andean cuisine at Tunupa Restaurant, conveniently located in a beautiful setting overlooking the Urubamba River. In the afternoon, you will continue to visit Ollantaytambo, an old Inca fortified village where we may observe some of the best examples of Inca architecture in the region. Surviving structures here include multiple walls and towers that were used to protect the citadel from possible invasions.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Casona de Yucay, (C) Sonesta πŸƒ, (P) Rio Sagrado

Day 7: Machu Picchu, Citadel Excursion

After a very early rise, you will board the train from the Ollantaytambo Station heading to Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes). This train journey is a spectacle in itself! You will be able to appreciate the Peru’s immense biodiversity, as you witness the landscape transition from Andean green fields to lush rainforest, descending alongside the Urubamba River.

Upon arrival to the Aguas Calientes train station, you will take a 20 minute bus ride up to the site of Machu Picchu. You will explore this enigmatic sanctuary where your expert guide will lead you through the ruins, providing archaeological and historical information on key areas of interest, including The Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana (the Sun Dial) and the Sacred Plaza. You will appreciate the most amazing views from the top of the citadel! This is an opportunity to revel in the energy and atmosphere of one of the most significant and spectacular archaeological sites of the world, set high in the cloud forest.

You will also have the opportunity to see Llamas meandering around in their natural environment.

After descending to Machu Picchu Pueblo, you will have some free time for lunch, and wander through this picturesque town. In the afternoon, you will board the return train to the Ollantaytambo Station, where one of our representatives will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) Casona de Yucay, (C) Sonesta πŸƒ, (P) Rio Sagrado

Day 8: Chincheros – Maras & Moray – Cusco

Today you will experience a full-day private guided excursion through the Sacred Valley on our way back to Cusco.

First, you will visit the ruins of the Andean village of Chinchero, located high-up on the windswept plains of Anta (12,342.52 feet). You will find yourself surrounded by gorgeous views overlooking the Sacred Valley and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. This excursion combines Incan ruins with a typical Andean village, a colonial church, some wonderful mountain landscapes, and a colorful traditional market.

We continue on to visit the sites of Maras and Moray. En route, you will have one of the best panoramic views of the valley. First, we will stop at the ancient salt mines, nearby the town of Maras, then, at the huge circular agricultural terraces at Moray built by the Incas in natural sinkholes on a limestone plateau overlooking the Urubamba Valley. Afterward, we head to Cusco where you will spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch
Accommodations: (S) San Agustin Internacional, (C) Sonesta πŸƒ, (P) Palacio del Inka πŸƒ

Day 9: Cusco: City tour & San Pedro Market

Today we will explore the amazing city of Cusco, which was the Capital of the Inca empire and one of the most historical cities in the Americas.

In the morning, you will begin your tour visiting the Fortress of SacsayhuamΓ‘n, one the most important military and ceremonial centers in Incan times. We will continue our tour strolling through the main square, where you will be able to explore the Cathedral and admire its exquisite vestibules and priceless paintings from the Cusco School of the 17th and 18th centuries. Just a few blocks away, you will explore one of Cusco’s most impressive buildings, Qoricancha or The Temple of the Sun, whose interior walls were said to have been covered in gold. As you return to the lower part of the city, you will stop off at the San Pedro Market, where you will be mesmerized by the variety of unique and traditional produce and discover new aromas and tastes of the region.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: (S) San Agustin Internacional, (C) Sonesta πŸƒ, (P) Palacio del Inka πŸƒ

Day 10: Cusco – Lima

At a set time our representative will accompany you to the airport to take our flight back to Lima and connect with your international flight home.

Meals: None provided

INCLUDED

  • Hotel accommodations for 9 nights with breakfast, as described in the itinerary.
  • Private transportations hotel / airport in every destination.
  • Private guided excursions as described in the itinerary.
  • Bus tickets Lima – Ica and Paracas – Lima.
  • Private transportation Ica – Nazca – Paracas.
  • Nazca Lines overflight.
  • Ballestas Islands tour by speed boat in shared service.
  • All admission fees.
  • 3 Lunches included.
  • 1 Box Lunch included.
  • Train tickets to & from Machu Picchu.
  • Bus tickets to & from Machu Picchu.

 

NOT INCLUDED

  • International & domestic airfares, unless specifically mentioned.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Items of personal nature such as gratuities, internet charges, excess baggage charges, laundry, beverages and meals not described in the itinerary.

PRICE PER PERSON

  • Standar:  $ 2380
  • Comfort: $ 2595
  • Premium: $ 3639


Discounts:

  1. Student Discount:

    All travelers under the age of 17 will have a discount. If you are 25 or younger, you can get a special discount with your student card. Please advise by email to give you a code for the discount.

  2. Comunidad Andina De Naciones:

    Special discounts for residents of the Andean Community of Nations.

    Andean Community: corresponds to residents of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Changes: You can make changes to your reservation up to 48 hours before your trip at no additional cost.

No show and Cancelations: If you cancel 30 days before the trip before 6:00 pm (Lima time), a 60% administrative charge will be applied. After this time, there is a cancellation or no show charge of 100%.

WHAT TO PACK?

  • Travel Documents: Passport, travel insurance, flight tickets, and any necessary visas.
  • Tickets: Ensure you have your train and entrance tickets printed or downloaded to your mobile device.
  • Clothing and Accessories: Comfortable walking shoes for city tours and excursions, Sandals or flip-flops for beach visits or relaxing, Lightweight, moisture-wicking clothing for day trips, Jacket or sweater for cooler evenings, Swimsuit for possible beach or pool activities, Rain jacket or poncho for unexpected showers.
  • Sun protection: Pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect yourself from the sun’s rays at high altitudes.
  • Personal Items: Prescription medications and a basic first aid kit, Biodegradable soap and shampoo for use in eco-friendly hotels, Insect repellent, Toiletries (eco-friendly options if possible)
  • Electronics: Camera or smartphone for capturing memories, Power bank for recharging devices, Travel adapter for electrical outlets in Peru.
  • Water bottle: It’s essential to stay hydrated at high altitudes. Bring a refillable water bottle.
  • Cash: Bring cash in local currency in case you need to buy anything or tip your guides.
  • Other Essentials: Snacks for the journey (considering local and sustainable options), Spanish phrasebook or language translation app, Guidebook or maps for each destination, Travel pillow for comfort during long journeys.
  • Footwear: Comfortable walking shoes, Sandals/flip-flops for warmer days, Closed-toe shoes, Sturdy hiking shoes.
  • Optional Items: Binoculars for bird watching in Paracas, Portable umbrella for sun or rain protection, Travel journal for documenting your experiences.  
What's the best time to visit Peru?

The best time to visit Peru is during the dry season, which typically runs from May to September. However, each region has its own climate, so it's essential to check the weather for specific destinations on your itinerary.

How should I handle altitude sickness in Cusco?

Stay hydrated, take it easy on the first day to acclimate, and consider drinking coca tea, a local remedy. If symptoms persist, consult a healthcare professional.

How long is the Nazca Lines overflight?

The flight usually takes around 30 to 40 minutes, providing ample time to see the mysterious Nazca Lines.

 What can I expect during the dune buggies experience in Huacachina?

You'll enjoy an exhilarating ride through the desert dunes, often combined with sandboarding. It's a thrilling adventure with stunning views.

What wildlife can I see at the Ballestas Islands?

The Ballestas Islands are known for their diverse marine life, including sea lions, penguins, and various bird species like pelicans and boobies.

Are there vegetarian options available during the Machu Picchu excursion?

Yes, most tour operators and restaurants offer vegetarian options. Inform your guide about any dietary preferences in advance.

Reviews

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