Southern Peru 12 Days

DAY 1: LIMA ARRIVAL    

A member of our staff will be waiting for you at the airport, with a sign with your name on it, to transport you to your hotel, where all will be set for your arrival. Lima is a friendly city, so relax and get ready for the next morning.

Overnight at: Hotel

DAY 02: LIMA – BALLESTAS ISLANDS – ICA (B)

Early in the morning (3:00 am) we will catch a local bus to head south. After three hours we will arrive in the coastal fishing town of El Chaco. We will then take a tour to the Ballestas Islands, Peru´s equivalent of the Galapagos. Home to a hundreds of sea birds and sea lions, it is often possible to observe dolphins and Humboldt penguins weaving in and out amongst the waves. After this excursion, we will take a bus back to Ica. After lunch, we will head to Huacachina Oasis where you can take some time to relax under the shady palms. The more adventurous among you may climb the highest sand dune and ride back down on a sand board (similar to snowboarding). At 4:00 pm we will start travelling in the sand dune buggies for a fun ride across the Ica desert until sunset.
We will spend the night in Ica.

Overnight at: hotel

DAY 03: NAZCA – CHAUCHILLA CEMETERY – NIGHT BUS TO AREQUIPA (B)

During the morning we will visit an ancestral Nazca cemetery located in the arid desert. The ancient civilization resided here. We will discover how they thrived despite the rough climate of the region. Afterwards, we will ride on a comfortable night bus to the city of Arequipa. Nazca is the name of a system of valleys and deserts on the southern coast of Peru, and is also the name applied to the culture that flourished in this region between 300 B.C. and 800 A.D. These people designed the mysterious Nazca Lines, which were enormous drawings of animals, plants and geometrical lines on the desert that can only be seen from the air. Some famous figures in these lines are the monkey, the spider, the hummingbird, the condor and the lizard.

Overnight at: HOTEL

DAY 04: AREQUIPA –AFTERNOON CITY TOUR  (B)

Transfer from the bus station to the hotel. Arequipa is the most beautiful city in Peru and is located in 2330 m above sea level and sits in the shadow of the imposing Misti volcano. After lunch, we will take a guided city tour throughout Arequipa. The majority of the buildings are made of white volcanic rock leading to Arequipa being called the white city. The city tour includes a visit at the beautiful cathedral, the Santa Catalina convent, a visit at Yanahuara neighborhood and the church. Please bring along some water for this day.

Overnight at: HOTEL

DAY 05: AREQUIPA – COLCA CANYON – CHIVAY (B)

The trip towards the Colca Canyon will take us 5 hours through breathtaking scenery. As we drive through the amazing Andean landscape of snow-capped mountains and volcanoes (at the highest point we’ll be at 4,900m above sea level), keep watch for the llamas, alpacas and vicuñas that are so common here. Finally, we arrive at our beautiful lodge, after which you might want to take a swim in the natural hot springs of Chivay while drinking a Pisco Sour. The Colca Canyon is considered the second deepest canyon in the world and is shaped by hundreds of Inca terraces where mostly potatoes and Andean cereal crops are cultivated. The majority of these terraces are still used by local farmers.

Please note: during this day we will reach a high altitude. That means the weather fluctuates between severe heat during the days and extreme cold nights. This is a prime opportunity to purchase an alpaca scarf or sweater for an unbeatable price.

Overnight at: hotel

DAY 06: CRUZ DEL CONDOR – CHIVAY – PUNO (B)

On this day, we will visit the Cruz del Condor to observe the majestic condors flying followed by an adventurous walk over the canyon. Afterwards we will take a bus to reach Puno (3820m), situated on the South at the shore of Lake Titicaca

Overnight at: Hotel

DAY 07: LAKE TITICACA: UROS ISLAND – TAQUILE ISLAND (B, L)

At 7:00 am we will transfer you from the hotel in Puno to the port. We continue our journey in a motor boat with a covered section in case of rain or cold weather. After 2 hours, we are going to arrive at our first stop, the Uros Islands, a group of artificial floating islands made with reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake. The reeds are fundamental resources for the life of Ureños (inhabitants of these islands).
The second stop will be at the island of Taquile. The inhabitants of Taquile have preserved their unique lifestyle, their native culture for hundreds of years. Here, men do all the knitting, while the women do the spinning. Additionally, we take a descending walk, which includes 500 steps down to the main port of the island. At approximately 2:30pm we will head back to Puno City.

Overnight at: hotel

DAY 08: TOURIST BUS PUNO – CUSCO  (B)

Breakfast at hotel; you will be picked up at 06:00am from your hotel in Puno and then transferred to the bus station where you will board the bus to Cusco.

The trip from Puno to Cusco takes the better part of the day, with stark, beautiful scenery on route as you travel through the high Altiplano region. You will enjoy several short stops to take in panoramic views and visit historical ruins in Pucara, La Raya, Raqchi, Andahuaylillas and Sicuani, where you’ll have a delicious buffet lunch and taste the unique Andean flavor.

Upon arrival, reception and transfer to your Cusco Hotel.

Overnight at: hotel

DAY 09: SACRED VALLEY – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES (B, L)

Early in the morning we will leave Cusco at 8:00 AM. We will stop at the city of Pisac (or Pisaq), through which the River of Urubamba flows. Here we will enjoy the weekly market where you can buy textiles, pottery and other souvenirs. We will then take the bus uphill to the ruins complex of Pisac, an Inca citadel perched on a mountainside. Our journey will continue to Ollantaytambo, where we will visit the archaeological complex. In the afternoon, we will travel to Agua Calientes by train, where we’ll spend the night.

Overnight at: hotel

DAY 10: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO (B)

After a good night´s sleep, we will travel by train and then by bus to the mountain of Machu Picchu. The tour will be guided for 2:30 hours. We will visit the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries. You will have some free time to discover the secrets of that mysterious place on your own.

In the afternoon, we will return to our hotel in Cusco.

Overnight at: HOTEL

DAY 11: AFTERNOON CITY TOUR – CATEDRAL, QORICANCHA, 4 RUINS (B)

In the morning we will have some free time. The city tour will start at 1:20 pm. We will start at the cathedral which is situated at the Plaza de Armas. Followed by the Temple of Sun which is known as Qoricancha. This temple was considered as the most important temple during the Inca times. We will go to the other significant and large Inca archaeological sites. We will explore the megalithic fortress of Sacsayhuaman, built with huge boulders that weigh more than one hundred tons. Then we will visit the Qenqo archaeological site made of limestone with dozens of carvings and niches, once used as a mummifying center. Finally we will visit the closest ruins of Tambomachay, a temple used for the worship of water. Tambomachay still has well-preserved water channels and an ancient ceremonial bath place. This ruin of PukaPukara is only 300 meters away.

Overnight at: HOSTEL

DAY 12 TRANSFER HOTEL – CUSCO AIRPORT (B)

We will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport of Cusco so you can take your flight back home. We at Peru Andes Top hope you enjoyed, like we did, this challenging adventure, with the aim of being able to see you again soon and enjoy another remarkable story together