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Day 1 : LIMA PICK UP
Pick up upon arrival and overnight at Carmel Hotel or similar
located in Miraflores, Lima.
Day 2 : LIMA CITY TOUR AND GOLD MUSEUM
In the morning, Lima city tour (half day). You will be picked up
from your hotel at 10 a.m. The city tour begins with a visit to the
Plaza the Armas, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO. Running along two sides are arcades with shops: Portal de
Escribanos and Portal de Botoneros. In the center of the Plaza is a
bronze fountain dating back to 1560. Located in the Plaza is the
Cathedral, note the splendidly carved stalls, the silver covered
altars surrounded by fine woodwork, mosaic covered walls bearing the
coat of arms of Lima and Pizarro. Next to the Cathedral is the
Archbishop's Palace. Then you will visit the Monastery of San
Francisco. This is famous for the Sivillian tilework and paneled
ceiling in the cloisters, the catacombs under the church and part of
the monastery are well worth seeing. You will visit the old colonial
streets in the center of the city, and the modern Lima with the
district of San Isidro and Miraflores. Then you will visit the
Peruvian Gold Museum; this excellent private collection includes pre-Columbian
gold, silver and bronze, ceramics, weavings, mummies, etc. The
second floor of this museum is a remarkable arms collections with an
impressive exhibition from Spanish colonial times. Overnight at
Carmel Hotel or similar . (B,L)
Day 3 : PARACAS
Early in the morning transfer to the bus station, at 7:30 am you'll
take the Royal Class motor coach (best available) to Paracas (3 hours
1/2).
Upon arrival transfer to Las Olas Hostal or similar, then excursion
to Paracas of about 2 h. 30 min. Paracas is one of the best marine
reserves, with the highest concentration of marine birds. In the
afternoon return to the hotel and overnight (B)
Day 4 : BALLESTAS NAZCA LINES
At 7:15 in the morning transfer to the private dock in Hotel Paracas
where you will take a motorboat excursion to the Ballestas islands.
This islands are spectacular, eroded into numerous arches and caves,
which provide shelter for thousands of seabirds, some of which are
very rare, and seas lions. The islands are known as "the Galapagos
of Peru", at the end transfer to Nazca where we will admire the
famous Nazca lines. Cut into the stony desert are large number of
lines, not only parallels and geometrical figures, but also designs
such as a dog, an enormous monkey, a bird with a wing span of over
100 meters, a spider and a tree. The lines, that represent some sort
of vast astronomical pre-Inca calendar, are best seen from the air.
We will take a half hour flight above the Lines then you'll visit to
the Chauchilla cemetery, where skulls, mummies and pottery shards
littering the desert. At 9:30 pm. you will take the motor coach
Royal Class to Arequipa where you will arrive early in the morning
(6 am) transfer to La Gruta Hostal or similar. (B)
Day 5 : AREQUIPA
Around 3 pm you will take the Arequipa half day city tour that
includes the visit at the Santa Catalina Monastery. The city has
fine spanish buildings and many old and interesting churches built
of sillar, a pearly white volcanic material almost exclusevely used
in the construction of Arequipa. The Santa Catalina Convent is by
far the most remarkable sight, opened in 1970 after 4 centuries of
mistery. Overnight at La Gruta Hostal or similar. (B)
Day 6 : COLCA CANYON
You will be picked up from your hotel at 08:00 am. Leave Arequipa
towards nor west direcction behind snow-covered Chachani, Yura,
small valley with thermal springs, see wild vicuñas in Pampa
Cañahuas National Reserve, alpacas and llamas in Tocra, some bidrs
like flamingoes, ibis, andean gooze, ducks, andean eagle "Kara Kara"
view point of the Volcanoes and snow covered mountains in Patapampa
(4,800 m. - 15,000 ft.). See the Ampato, Sabancaya, Walca Walca,
etc. Chivay, capital of the valley. Afternoon visit to the termal
springs and pools in La Calera. (Admission to the pools not included,
about $2 per person). Overnight at Colca Lodge or similar. (B,L,D)
Day 7 : COLCA CANYON
Early morning after breakfast leave for a full day excursion in the
left shore, beautiful tipical towns, like Yanque & Maca, colonial
churches, gently people with tipical needlework dresses, hundreds of
pre inca terraces still in use with andean growings like corn, qinua,
kiwicha (Amaranto), etc. Lookout of The Cross of the Condor: see the
deep of the canyon and if we have good the flight of the Condor.
Stone scale models, some pre inca graves. (Time for lunch). Return
to Arequipa around 18:00 hrs. Overnight at La Gruta Hostal or
similar . (B,L) * Take note that not all the way towards the Colca
is asphalt paving .
Day 8 : PUNO
Transfer to the airport where you will take the flight to Puno (airfare
not included), reception in the airport and transfer to the
Qelqatani Hotel or similar. In the afternoon visit at the Sillustani
Chullpas (pre-Colombian funeral towers). The scenery is desert but
impressive, in a beautiful setting on a peninsula on lake Ayumara
about 32 Km. from Puno. Most of the towers date from the period of
Inca occupation in the 15th century, the engineering involved in
their construction is more complex than anything the Incas built.
Overnight . (B)
Day 9 : UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
You will be picked up from your hotel at 6:40 a.m., after a 2 hour
motorboat ride, you will arrive at the Uros island in the Titikaka
lake. Fishermen and hunters inhabit the floating islands of the Uros.
The residents of the Uros use the cattail, a type of rush, which
grows in the lake, to create the conditions that ensure the islands
stay afloat. The dense roots that the plants develop support the
island. The roofs are waterproof and the houses are extremely humid
because of the surrounding water. At present, they speak Quechua and
Aymara. Then we will visit the Taquile island, where we will have
lunch in the cooperative restaurant. There is also a cooperative
shop on the plaza that sells exceptional wool goods which are of
very fine quality and somewhat expensive. Taquile Island is famous
for its craft production, particularly for its beautiful textiles.
The island is narrow at about 1 Km. wide and 6 to 7 Km. long. The
visit could be exhausting because of the 533 steps on the stone
stairway to climb to get to the village and because of the altitude
(13,000 ft above sea level). On Taquile there are numerous pre-Inca
and Inca ruins as well as Inca terracing. We will return in Puno in
the afternoon, overnight at the Qelqatani Hotel or similar. (B,L)
Day 10 : PUNO - CUSCO
After breakfast, transfer to the train or motor coach station. Ten
hour train or coach ride to Cusco *, across the scenic high Andes
landscapes only dotted by small villages and herds of the llamas and
vicuñas. Upon arrival transfer to the Orquidea Real or similar . (
B,L )
*Additional fare of US$110.00 if travelling by train. Ask for
availability.
Day 11 : CUSCO CITY TOUR
Morning at leisure. At 1:30 pm Cusco city tour. This tour includes
the major sites of historical interest in Cusco, such as the famous
Inca Fortress at Sacsahuaman and the Temple of the Sun. Also
included in this is a tourist card, giving you access to all the
sites in the Cusco area as a whole (i.e., including outside of the
City itself). This tour finishes at 18:00 hrs. Overnight at the
Orquidea Real Hostal or similar . ( B )
Day 12 : SACRED VALLEY TOUR (TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SUNDAY)
At 8:30 a.m. we will depart for the Sacred Valley tour, that
includes: Bus service to the market of Pisaq,the ruins of
Ollantaytambo, and the market at Chinchero. There is an English
speaking guide, and lunch in a typical restaurant in Urubamba. Of
course, throughout this trip you will have magnificent views of the
high Peruvian Andes. At 18:00 hrs you arrive back at the Orquidea
Real Hostal or similar . ( B,L )
Day 13 : MACHU PICCHU
At 5:30 a.m. you will be picked up from the hotel to the train
station which leaves at 06:00 a.m. Travel will be in a "Vistadome"
Class (formerly "Autowagon"). At 09:40 a.m. you will arrive at the
Aguas Calientes Station, from where you will take a 25 minutes bus
ride to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Once there, you will take a
guided tour, with an English speaking guide. Overnight at the
Presidente Hostal or similar in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu). (B,
Box lunch)
*Optional: For lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge instead of box-lunch,
add $35.00 to the tour price.
Day 14 : MACHU PICCHU
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes to continue visiting the area
and Machu Picchu (bus ticket and entrance fees not included). At
3:30 pm we will take the Vistadome train back to Cusco, arriving at
7:25 pm. We will stay overnight at Orquidea Real Hostal or similar .
(B)
Day 15 : TRANSFER TO LIMA
Transfer to the airport where we will take the flight back to Lima (airfare
not included). (B)
END OF OUR SERVICES |
click to enlarge
Lima Plaza
de Armas
Chan-chan
Nazca
Lines
Colca Canyon
typical
native fishing boat
Sun Island
Cathedral
Machu
Picchu
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