11-Day Trip to the South of Peru

Arrival in Lima and private transfer, with only driver, to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will begin the tour in the wonderful Larco Museum, located in Pueblo Libre district, where you can see a complete collection of more than 5000 pieces of ceramic, as well as gold and silver, and pre-Columbian erotic art. Then, we will go to the historic center to visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion with beautiful rooms full of invaluable art and history. We continue to the Plaza de Armas, where we find the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Municipal Palace, and other important buildings of the colonial era, where we will visit the Cathedral built in the sixteenth century. After the visit, you will be transferred to the airport to take the local flight to Arequipa. Arrival in Arequipa, and private transfer to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning for personal activities. In the afternoon, the journey begins with the transfer from the hotel to the center of Arequipa city, in the colonial district of San Lazaro, place where the city has been founded. Then, we will visit the Main Square, one of the most beautiful in Peru, and neighbor of the imposing Arequipa cathedral built in the seventeenth century and completely rebuilt after several earthquakes. We will see the Cathedral and the Church Compañía de Jesús (1590), considered a classic example of the local baroque architecture that keeps inside a sample exceptional paintings and murals. From there we will go to Santa Catalina Monastery, an authentic medieval cloister built in 1579 and is still in use to this day. Then, we will visit Yanahuara and Carmen Alto districts to have a Panoramic view of the countryside, without a doubt a fantastic image. Return to the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will depart at 8:30 am from Arequipa, driving 160 km to Chivay Town. On the route, we will pass through the towns of Yura, Pampa de Arrieros and Pampa Cañahuas, where it is located the National Reserve of Vicuñas Aguada Blanca, and we can see these beautiful camelids. We will continue the tour visiting more small towns, and have wonderful views of the volcanoes from the viewpoint. We reach Chivay, and you will have free time for lunch and rest. Then, we will visit the town and market of Chivay. Transfer to the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast very early in the morning, we will start at 06:15 am to go to the famous point "Cruz del Cóndor". We are going to arrive on time to have a pleasant view of the canyon depth and if time allows, majestic images of the Condors flight. After the visit, 320 km will be traveled with beautiful landscapes on the way to Puno. We will pass through diverse and small Andean villages, until we reach Puno. We will transfer you to the hotel, and overnight.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the lake port of Puno, where a regular boat will take you to the floating islands of the Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society that populate a series of artificial islands built on the basis of the totora plant, which grows in the same lake. The islands are constructed by weaving the totora in the places where it grows thicker and forming a natural layer. On top of it they built their houses, also of totora, and cook outdoors to prevent possible fires. After Uros visit and, an hour and a half boat trip, you will continue your journey to the island of Taquile. This is Quechua, unlike the other Aymara speaking islands on the lake. It was part of the Inca empire and vestiges of this culture can still be seen in its constructions. Once there you will be given a brief explanation of the island and witness a cultural activity. After lunch, you will return to the port of Puno, where our transport will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the bus station to take the tourist bus to Cusco (8 hours). We will start the tour at the Museum of Pucará. This museum has an excellent collection of monoliths, stone sculptures and ceramics belonging to the culture of Pucara, a civilization developed in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia. Then, we will arrive at the highest point of the road known as the Raya pass, located at 4,335 meters above sea level. This is the border of the cities of Cusco and Puno, and here, we are going to make a short stop to admire the snow-capped Chimboya and take pictures of beautiful landscapes. The tour to Cusco by bus continues until we reach the city of Sicuani to enjoy a buffet lunch in a local restaurant, that offers local and regional dishes, vegetables, desserts and hot drinks like mate de coca. The bus ride continues until reach the archaeological site of Raqchi, located at 3,450 meters above sea level. The temple of Wiracocha was built next to the Vilcanota River during the fifteenth century. The last visit will be in Andahuaylillas, located at 3,093 meters above sea level. This lovely Andean town has an incredible jewel of the architecture dating back to the seventeenth century known as the Sistine Chapel, with an impressive work covered in gold leaf and paintings of the art school of Cusco. We will arrive at the bus station in Cusco, and we will transfer you to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. In the afternoon, we will start the tour visiting the Temple of the Sun well-known as Koricancha. This symbolic place has a clear example of the fusion between Incan and Hispanic cultures, and its base was used to build Santo Domingo’s Church and its famous convent. Then, we’re going to visit the Cathedral located in the Main Square, to appreciate a beautiful religious paintings of the Cusco School. The Cusco City Tour continues in Sacsayhuaman, an amazing archaeological complex with huge carved stones which fit each other in a perfect way, and it is said that it was built by more than 20 thousand men, and took over 70 years to finish it. Then we will visit Qenqo religious temple, place where the Incas worshiped their Gods like the Sun, the Moon and the Earth. You will have an incredible experience exploring through its underground galleries, and admire a semicircular amphitheater. We will continue this entertaining excursion in the military compound of Puca Pucara, which means “Red Fortress” for its reddish infrastructure. Then we will go the water’s worship center of Tambomachay, with aqueducts and waterfalls provided from nearby springs. At the end, we will drop you off at El Regocijo Square. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will pick you up from the hotel in Cusco, to start a 30 Km. journey until Pisac. This fantastic place has an amazing market, and archaeological temples of stone buildings, with incredible views to the valley and the magnificent Inca platforms. Then, we will continue until Urubamba to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, and later we will reach Ollantaytambo. Its temple was the headquarter of Inca’s army, as well as a religious and agricultural place. It has stunning views, and more than a hundred Inca platforms with an advanced irrigation canal for that period. We will visit Chinchero, and its typical and colorful Inca market, full of traditional craft as ceramics and Andean looms. After this unique experience, we will go to Ollantaytambo´s train station to take the Train Expedition to Aguas Calientes. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. You’ll have a short meeting with the guide to organized your visit to Machu Picchu for the next day. Overnight.

Early morning, you will board the bus to go up the winding road to Machu Picchu, amid a spectacular view of the Urubamba River and its canyon. The Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, will astonish us with its terraces, ceremonial shrines, steps and urban areas. Energy is all around us. After a guided visit, you will have time enough to stay for more time or take the bus to back to Aguas Calientes Town, and have lunch (Optional). At the agreed time, you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo to then take the tourist bus to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel located in the historical center of Cusco. Overnight at hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer with only driver to the Cusco airport to take your flight to Lima. Arrival in Lima, and international flight connection.