Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco and the Inca Trail (16 Days / 15 Nights)
Meals provided= (B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner
Day 1: Lima
Upon your arrival in Lima, we will pick you up from the International airport of Lima and we will take you to your hotel located in Miraflores. You will have the remainder of the day to relax or walk around. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 2: Lima – Arequipa (B)
At 9:00a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a city tour. During this city tour, we will take you to downtown Lima where you will visit the Cathedral, the main square, the Catacombs, the San Pedro church, and the “Plaza San Martin”. This tour will include a visit to the Gold Museum. After enjoying the beautiful architecture and art of downtown Lima and the Museum, we will take you to the airport in order to take an evening flight to Arequipa. Upon your arrival to the airport of Arequipa we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in downtown Arequipa. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 3: Arequipa (B)
At 9:00a.m., you will start a guided city tour. This tour will include a visit to the Cathedral, the Monastery of Santa Catalina, and Yanahuara. After your tour, you will have the remainder of the day to enjoy the beautiful colonial style of the city. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 4: Arequipa – Colca Valley (B), (L)
At about 7:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel. A comfortable minibus will take you to Chivay, where the Colca Valley is located, after about a 4 hour trip. On the way, you will observe llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas in their natural habitat as well as several Andean birds. Upon arrival in Chivay, you will enjoy lunch and after that you will be accommodated at your hotel. In the afternoon you will enjoy the natural hot springs of the region. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 5: Colca Valley – Arequipa (B), (L)
At about 7:00a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a guided tour of the beautiful Colca Valley. Your first stop will be the Condor Cross where you will observe the impressive Andean condor flying in its natural habitat. After watching this spectacle, we will take you to the Andean town of Maca where you will visit the local church and rest before continuing. Upon arrival to the town of Chivay, you will enjoy lunch and immediately after we will take you to your hotel in Arequipa. You will be in Arequipa at about 5:00p.m. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 6: Arequipa – Puno (B)
Early in the morning we will pick you up from your hotel and we will drive you to the airport of Arequipa where you will take a flight to Juliaca. Upon your arrival in the airport of Juliaca we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in Puno, where the Lake Titicaca is located. On the way, you will have a guided visit of the Sillustani tombs. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 7: Puno – Uros and Amantani Islands (B), (L), (D)
At 7:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to take a motorboat through different Andean islands located in the Lake Titicaca. Your first stop will be the floating islands of Uros. These islands are made out of totora. After interacting with the locals for about an hour, your motorboat will take you to the natural island of Amantani where you will spend the night with a local family. Your host will provide you lunch and dinner.
Day 8: Amantani and Taquile Islands – Puno (B), (L)
At about 7:30a.m., you will say goodbye to your hosting family and then a motorboat will take you to the Taquile Island. At Taquile, you will observe the local customs of the natives and you will eat lunch at a local restaurant. You will be back in Puno at about 5:00p.m. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 9: Puno – Cusco (B), (L)
At 7:00a.m., you will take a tourist bus towards Cusco. This ride will last about 8 hours. Your first stop will be the town of Pukara. At Pukara the Pre-inca culture of the same name ruled prior to when the Incas conquered the area. Your next stop will be the town of Sicuani where you will enjoy a typical buffet style lunch. After lunch, you will visit the ruins of Raqchi where the temple of the Wiracocha deity is located. Your next stop will be the town of Andahuaylillas. At Andahuaylillas, you will visit the church known as the Sistine Chapel of South America. You will arrive in Cusco at about 5:00p.m. Upon arrival, we will pick you up and we will drive you to your hotel located in downtown Cusco. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 10: Cusco (B)
At 2:00p.m., you will start a guided city tour. This tour will include a visit to the Cathedral, the Temple of Qoricancha, and the Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. This tour will let you learn about the Inca culture as well as some aspects of the conquest of the Inca’s Empire and the colony. At about 6:00p.m., you will be back at your hotel. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 11: Cusco – Sacred Valley of the Incas – Ollantaytambo (B)
At about 8:30a.m., we will pick you up from your hotel in order to start a guided tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This tour will let you observe an amazing view of the Urubamba River and the valley as well as a visit to the ruins of Pisac and the marketplace of the same name. After lunch, which is not included on the package, we will take you to the Andean town of Ollantaytambo where you will have a guided tour of the incredible Inca ruins of the town. You will spend the night at this enigmatic town.
Day 12: Ollantaytambo – Piscacucho – Huayllabamba (B), (L), (D)
At about 8:30a.m., your guide will pick you up from your hotel and at that time you will meet your group for the hike. Once your entire group gets together at the main square of Ollantaytambo you will head to the Km. 82, also called Piscacucho, where you will start the trek. The Inca Trail will take you through beautiful landscapes towards your lunch camp located near to the ruins of Llactapata. After lunch, you will continue your hike towards your first campsite located at Huayllabamba located about 10,160 feet above sea level. Once at your campsite you will eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 5 hours.
Day 13: Huayllabamba – Pacaymayo (B), (L), (D)
After breakfast you will start the most difficult day of the trek. You will hike at a constant incline until you reach the pass known as Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman’s Pass located about 13,770 feet above sea level. The views at this point are incredible. After resting, you will start going down towards your campsite named Pacaymayo. At Pacaymayo you will enjoy lunch and dinner. If it is not cloudy at night, the sky will provide you an incredible sky full of stars. Today you will hike for about 6 or 7 hours.
Day 14: Pacaymayo – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñaywayna (B), (L), (D)
After breakfast you will start the most beautiful day of the trek. Your first stop will be the ruins of Runkurakay and then the second pass of the trek named after the ruins. Your next stop will be the ruins of Sayacmarca. After a short tour at Sayacmara, you will eat lunch and then you will start hiking again. On the way to your last campsite at Wiñaywayna you will stop at the ruins of Phuyupatamarca. At the camp you will be able to take a hot shower and then eat dinner. Today you will hike for about 7 hours.
Day 15: Wiñaywayna – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo – Cusco (B)
You will eat a very early breakfast around 4:30a.m. and then you will start your hike towards the gate of the sun or Intipunku. If it is not cloudy, you will have an amazing view of Machu Picchu. Once at the Citadel, you will have a guided tour of about two hours. After that you will have time to wander around or climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain. Around midday, you will meet with the rest of the group to take a bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, you will take a train towards Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival to the Ollantaytambo train station, transfer to your hotel in Cusco will be provided. You will spend the night at your hotel.
Day 16: Cusco - Lima (B)
Today, we will pick you up from your hotel and we will drive you to the airport of Cusco in order to take a plane to Lima. End of our services.
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