DAY 1 LIMA PICK UP
Transfer in a private transportation to the Deluxe hotel (Miraflores Park Hotel) - overnight (no meals)
DAY 2 LIMA CITY TOUR AND GOLD MUSEUM
You will be picked up from a Deluxe hotel.
This tour start in the morning 9:30 am. You will be picked up from you hotel. This excursion offers the best combination of the different attractions in Lima and its three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary. In Lima, there were several different pre-Columbian cultures which are dated thousands of years back. Lima was part of the Inca Empire until was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro on the 18th. of January, 1535. During our guided tour we will travel along its millenary history.
ANCESTRAL LIMA At the Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological precint build in the IV century A.C., we will have a panoramic view of this magnificent ceremonial and administrative centre which was considered by the Incas a holy village. We will learn about the life and rituals of its ancient inhabitants and admire its typical piramidal building, very characteristic of sacred pre-Hispanic edifications which were adored in the coast of Peru.
COLONIAL LIMA The Peruvian Viceroyalty was the most important one in the Spanish Empire and Lima was its capital. The highlights of its historical centre are its architecture and the urban design of the city, found in the old streets filled with colonial houses adorned with Moorish-style balconies. Our trip includes the Paseo de la Republica (Promenade of the Republic), Plaza San Martin (San Martin Square) and the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), with their different buildings: Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), Palacio Arzobispal the (Archbishop's Palace), the Basilica Catedral (Cathedral Basilica) and the Palacio Municipal (Municipal Palace). We will enter the monumental Convento de San Francisco (Convent of Saint Francis), which displays the biggest collection of religious art in America. We can admire the Choir Room and the Monks’ Library, the Sacristy, with its collection of Zurbaran and Rivera paintings. The Big Patio of the Main Cloister, decorated with sevillan tyles from the XVI century, its beautiful moorish arches and its subterranean crypts known as The Catacombs, where you will feel the presence of Lima's colonial past.
CONTEMPORARY LIMA Visit to the most traditional residential areas in the capital: The Olive Grove of San Isidro, Miraflores and Larco Mar, distinctive tourist centre of contemporary Lima.
LUNCH
After Lunch, We will visit the Lima's Gold Museum, one the world's largest private collections. Displays a dazzling array of pre-Columbian gold, silver and copper works of art. Created by Peru's innovative metal-smiths, they range from civilizations of Paracas, Chavin, Nazca, Moche, Wari, Lambayeque and Chimu to Inca. The museum also houses a collection of antique fire arms from around the world. Overnight. Breakfast and Lunch included.
Miraflores Park Plaza - Lima
DAY 3 LIMA / CUSCO - CITY TOUR (Private Service)
You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco (airfare included) upon arrival reception and transfer to the Deluxe hotel (Hotel Monasterio), morning at leisure to acclimatize to the altitude. In the afternoon 2;00pm you will be taken on a Private City Tour and visit a local archeological sites, the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman and surroundings returning later afternoon 5:30pm to your hotel around and enjoy the hospitality of the local people (no meals included).
Hotel Monasterio - Cusco
DAY 4 SACRED VALLEY - PISAC, OLLANTAYTAMBO AND CHINCHEROS (Private Service)
After breakfast at 8:45am you will be start your private Inca Sacred Valley excursion where life has remained almost unchanged for 500 years. You will visit the impressive village of Pisac and the Indian market, enjoy the beautiful handicrafts on sale and wonder at the many ethnic tribal costumes worn, not just for tourists, but as part of their heritage by the local people. The tour also include the visit to Ollantaytambo fortress and the Chinchero Market Before returning to your hotel in Cusco late afternoon (around 6:30pm)(breakfast and Lunch included)
The Hiram Bingham Train
DAY 5 MACHU PICCHU 2days 1 night by train
We'll depart to the train station to our journey to Machupicchu on HIRAM BINGHAM Deluxe Train (On-board meals with Peruvian wine, cusqueña Beer, soft drinks and hot drinks,brunch on outward journey, dinner on return, on-board entertainment)(4 hours) at 12.30 pm you will arrive to the Aguas Calientes Townfrom where you will have to take 20 minutes bus to the Archeological site; follow by some time at leisure, stay overnight and dinner at the SANCTUARY LODGE.(dinner included at SANCTUARY LODGE)
Sanctuary Lodge - Machu Picchu
DAY 6 MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO
Morning at leisure by your own, you can visit the ruins early next day when the full magnificence of the site reveals itself in all its majesty (entrance for this day not included on the rate) return to Cusco where you will arrive around 21.25pm. Transfer to the Deluxe Hotel (breakfast and lunch included)
Day 7 - CUSCO / PUNO - ANDEAN EXPLORER TRAIN
This spectacular rail journey begins in the historic Cusco, towards the south of the beautiful city of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. You can choose among the carriages of the Andean Explorer to have the perfect opportunity to admire the beautiful scenery through the viewpoint of the car windows
The train begins a gentle climb to higher ground and cold. The magnificent Andean mountains dominate the first half of the trip looming over deep valleys and the meandering Rio Huatanay. Upon reaching the gentle plains is possible to see Andean vicuña and alpaca graze.
The journey is interrupted at La Raya, obligatory stop to admire the scenery from the highest point of the route.
Departure: Wanchaq station (Cusco)
Duration of the Trip: 10 Hours.
Arrival: Station Puno and transfer to the Deluxe Hotel
Day 8 - TITICACA LAKE - UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
We will pick you up from your hostel at 07.15 a.m. and we will go to our boat. Today we will visit the floating islands of Uros, located inside the bay of Lake Titikaka only nine miles away from the city (20 to 30 minutes of navigation). It is believed that the Uros were one of the first ethnic groups populating the Andean region.When the Spanish chroniclers encountered the Uros by the end of the XVI century, the Uros were still living on the lake in small reed-boats that they used as floating houses. Only in the early 60's, the Uros started to build small artificial islands with reeds for their homes. Then we will discover Taquile, the biggest island of the lake. Taquile has approximately 1,200 inhabitants. The people from this island have a Quechua origin and they are mostly small farmers. We will arrive in the northern dock of the island and we will start 1 hour hike as far as the main village of Taquile, where we will visit the plaza and the market. After lunch we will return to Puno from the main dock. We will arrive in Puno at 17:30 p.m. Transfer to the Deluxe Hotel. Overnight (b).
Day 9 - PUNO - COPACABANA - CATAMARAN - 2D/1N
Puno Departure: 06:30 Peru T.
La Paz arrival: 12:30 (Next day)
Puno - Copacabana Bus 3 hrs escort guide
Copacabana Land tour
Visits: Cathedral, Main Squaree 1/2 hr bilingual guide
Copacabana - Sun Island Catamaran
Buffet lunch on board 1 hr bilingual guide
Sun Island (South Side) Land tour
Visits:
Inca Garden
Inca Steps
Inca Water Spring
Inti Wata Complex (Exclusive)
RA Replica (Reed Vessel)
Visits: Pilkokaina Inca Palace
Activities: Ancient Sailing demostration (Exclusive) 2 hrs
1/2 hours bilingual guide
Sun Island (North Side) Land tour
Visits:
Challampampa native village
Challampampa museum
Chinkana Inca Holy Temple
Inca Sacred Rock
Activities:
Music ans garland welcome by Challampampa natives (Exclusive)
Visitor wish and offening to the Sacred lake (Exclusive)
Sailing on a Typical Sun Island Wood Vessel (Exclusive)
Kallawaya ancient Ceremony (Exclusive)
Inca Trail soft Trekking
2 1/2 hrs bilingual guide
Sun Island (North Side) Buffet Dinner
Sun Island natives folkloric demostration on board
Catamaran Overnight
Day 10 - 15 Jul - SUN ISLAND - CHUA - LA PAZ (BOLIVIA)
Sun Island - Chua Catamaran
Buffet breakfast on board 2 1/2 hrs bilingual guide
Chua - La Paz Bus 1 1/2 hrs bilingual guide
La Paz arrival: 12:30 - Transfer to the Deluxe Hotel
Day 11 - LA PAZ CITY TOUR AND MOON VALLEY (Private service)
We will visit a typical Indian market, the famous Witch Doctor’s market and the San Francisco Colonial Church. The tour continues to the Plaza Murillo, where the cathedral, the Government Palace and the National congress buildings are located. Then, we will visit the famous colonial street “Calle Jaén” where interesting museum are clustered together, followed by the visit to the open-air museum from the Tiwanaku Culture. To change scenery, the tour continues to the residential areas of Obrajes, Calacoto and La Florida.
The tour ends with the visit to the unique Moon Valley, place where the erosion has caused stony forms that giving the sensation to be in a real lunar landscape.Overnight at Deluxe Hotel (B)
Day 12 - LA PAZ TO UYUNI - PRIVATE SERVICE
Transfer from hotel in La Paz to Airport for your flight to Uyuni. upon arrival reception and transfer to the Salt Moon Hotel (private service)
Day 13 - UYUNI AND “PESCADO” ISLAND
Breakfast, visit to the Inca Huasi Island , also well known as the “Pescado Island” ( Fish Island ) located in the centre of the salar at 100 km from Uyuni and 40 km from Jirira. This is the main destination for most salt-desert tours. It is a remarkable and otherworldly place – a hilly outpost covered in trichocerus cacti and a flat, white sea of hexagonal salt tiles. A large population of stranded viscachas (Andean rodents) inhabits its rocky slopes which also afford views of the slat flats that are reminiscent of the Polar region, dominated by the colors blue and white, but with images of hills turned to one side by 45°. Fish Island is an oasis with a unique and isolated ecosystem that is populated by cacti up to 10 meters high. Photographers will find that Fish Island is one of the best sites in the world to indulge their passion. After a snack return to Uyuni sighting salt the water ponds; We stop at Colchani where we will observe manual salt production and processing to iodine salt., Transportation form The Salt Flat Uyuni to the lagoons is by 4 X 4, then Transfer to the Salt Moon Hotel. Overnight.
Day 14 - UYUNI TO LA PAZ
Transfer to the airport for your flight to La Paz. Upon arrival you will be taken to the Deluxe Hotel. Overnight (b)
Day 15 - TRANSFER OUT
Transportation to the airport to take your international flight ( airfare not included).(B) *Check out of the hotel is at noon.
INCLUDE:
Domestic airfares, nights at select hotel based on double occupancy, all transfers, professional bilingual guide service, entrance fee, transportation and meals as specify in the program.
NOT INCLUDED:
International airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, extra expenses for flight cancellations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, reconfirmation of international flights and items of personal nature.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Visa Requirement for US Citizens to enter in Bolivia
If you are North American and have decided visit Bolivia, you must take note of this recent information: In the first hours of 2007, The Bolivian President Evo Morales suppressed by decree the right of US citizens to enter this country freely, in reciprocity with a similar measure taken by the US government. Also the citizens of Angola, Bhutan, Chad Republic, Congo, Ruanda, Somalia, Yemen Republic, Indonesia, China and Taiwán has been affected by this decree Please make sure to have all necessary documents before traveling!