Arrive to Lima today.

Lima, capital of Peru, which was founded by the great conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535 and soon became the capital of the extensive and tremendously wealthy Peruvian Vice Regency of Spain. By the end of the 16th Century it had grown into a city of fine palaces and churches and was the cultural center of the southern hemisphere. Today, Lima still retains the essence of the Spanish colonialism.

Upon arrival to Lima, you will be welcomed outside of Customs by an English-speaking assistant holding a sign with your name on it. This representative will direct you to your awaiting vehicle and driver, and accompany you to your hotel to assist with check-in.(Private Transfer)

Note: Medical “Assist Card” insurance for the entire journey within Peru, with 24 hours medical assistance is provided to assist any relevant issues with altitude or any sickness.

Today you will visit the modern and colonial parts of the city of Lima, known as The City of Kings.

You will head to the Historical Center and arrive at the Main Plaza, where you can take pictures of the amazing colonial architecture that surrounds it.

Then, visit the Cathedral, where you will appreciate the Renaissance style of decoration, as well as its apostles’ statues.

Then, you will walk to the impressive Santo Domingo Convent, which will astonish you with its colonial style.

Upon leaving the Historical Center, you will head to the HuacaPucllana, a pre-Inca archaeological complex in the district of Miraflores, which was an important ceremonial and administrative center of the Lima culture, between 200 and 700 AD. In a guided tour, you will explore the different areas of the huaca and learn about the lifestyle of its former inhabitants.

Once all activities are completed we will transfer back to your hotel.

Balance of day at leisure.

(B.) (Private Tour)

Suggested Restaurant: Huaca Pucllana.

The view of the 1,500-year-old, pre-Incan ruins is reason enough to visit this beautiful restaurant, but the food is a close second. Rough-hewn columns hold up the dining room’s soaring ceiling, but the best tables are outside, with a view of the huaca (ruins), which are spectacularly lighted at night. The novo andino cuisine includes a crunchy quinoa salad with soterito (fresh cheese, tomato, onion, fava beans, corn, and rocoto chilis) and grilled alpaca in a porcino mushroom sauce with corn soufflé. House versions of popular dishes such as chupe de corvina (a creamy sea bass soup) and cabrito al horno (roasted kid) are simply works of art.

This morning we transfer you to the airport for your departing flight to Cusco.

On arrival to Cusco you will be met at the airport by a local representative who will transport you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas (8,500 feet elevation), a long, fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco (11,000 feet elevation) and Machu Picchu (8,000 feet elevation). Starting here helps you adjust to the high altitude of the Andes and is a great way to see how the local people continue to live in the traditional Andean manner.

After check-in, you can relax in the peaceful garden surroundings of your country hotel as you settle in and acclimatise to the altitude. (B.) (Private Tour) (Private Transfer)

Note: Due to the altitude, we recommend that you avoid any strenuous activity for the remainder of the day. We suggest that you rest for one to two hours after checking in to your hotel, prior to commencement of any physical activity. To further reduce the effects of altitude sickness, we recommend you also drink plenty of fluids: water, fruit juices, herbal tea or the local ‘mate de coca’. It is highly recommended to avoid caffeinated beverages and alcohol.
Remember: Altitude affects each person differently so symptoms may vary greatly, so please be alert to any possible symptoms and if in any doubt seek medical advice.

Today we discover the best of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

You will head towards Moray, a fascinating archaeological site in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Its huge concentric terraces were used by the Incas as a botanical laboratory.

Then, you will visit the Andean Misminay community, where your local hosts will welcome you with music and dancing, invite you to experience a bit of their daily life activities and serve you a delicious meal made with native products.

After experiencing living culture in Misminay, you will continue to Ollantaytambo, where you can visit the archaeological complex of the same name, one of the largest in Peru, strategically located on top of a mountain.

Afterwards, you will descend to the town of Ollantaytambo, which stands out for maintaining the Inca urban planning as part of its original urban layout, with some buildings and narrow stone streets. Here you can tour the town and visit the local market.

(B.) (Private Tour)

Note: This evening, pack an overnight bag for your stay at Machu Picchu, your main luggage will be transferred back to Cuzco and placed in secure storage and will be made available to you when you check in to the hotel. You must carry your passport with you.
When packing your bag please bear in mind the below luggage requirements for Peru Rail passengers travelling to Machu Picchu: Each Passenger is allowed to carry only light baggage on board the train, with a maximum weight of and measuring 157cm (length + height + width) due to limited space availability.

Awaiting you today is by far and away one of the high points in world tourism: Machu Picchu, where you will definitely have an experience you will never forget.

You will be transferred from your hotel to the train station in Ollantaytambo this morning. Your luggage will be collected and transferred to your hotel in Cuzco for storage while you are at Machu Picchu. We recommend you do not leave valuables in your luggage.

Board the Vistadome Train to Aguas Calientes; a 90 minute journey. Your Vistadome service departs at (to be advised) and you need to be on the platform 30 minutes prior to departure. The Vistadome is the ideal train for those who want to be in contact with the environment and appreciate the wonderful journey to Machu Picchu. Surrounded entirely by glass and wagons with large panoramic windows offering incomparable scenic views and numerous opportunities to capture amazing pictures, Vistadome travellers feel connected and part of the impressive landscape of Peru. Perurail provide travellers on board personalized and first level service to give them an unforgettable life experience.

Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes train station one of our local staff will be waiting for you holding a sign with your name/s on it. After a short briefing, explaining about your full day tour inclusions & timings you will be introduced to your expert guide for the rest of the day. At this point your luggage will be taken by a porter to your hotel. Your guide will walk with you for about 5 min to catch a bus, which takes 30 minutes to reach Machu Picchu (buses depart every 10 minutes and the first bus departs 05:30)

A 2 hours 30 minutes guided tour of the ruins will have you wondering about the lives of the priests, craftsmen, and servants who inhabited this citadel and what drove them to build it on a mountain-top. Excavations have revealed skeletons, artefacts and woollen clothing, but no gold. The same precise stonework as in other Incan sites in evident. Overlooking the raging Urubamba River and discovered in a hidden tangle of vines and trees atop the mountain, the city of Machu Picchu will forever hold the secret of its destruction as the Incas left no written record.

You will visit following points in Machu Picchu:

01 Entrance
02 Ceremonial Baths
03 Inka House
04 Temple of the Sun
05 Botanical Garden
06 Square of the Temples 07 Intiwatana
08 Llamacancha
09 Sacred rock
10 Temple of the Condor 11 Agricultural Zone
12 Exit

The guided tour will end a few meters from the Machu Picchu exit. It is not allowed to return on the way that has already been visited

At the proper time, you should exit the citadel and enjoy your buffet style lunch at the Sanctuary Hotel.

Your return mini-bus transfer to Aguas Calientes is included; buses leave approximately every 15 minutes. The village of Aguas Calientes is very small; on arrival please ask for directions to your hotel. Most properties are within a 5- 10 minute walk from the bus terminal. Your luggage will be made available to you after you have checked in.

Tonight enjoy a la carte dinner.

Please note: if you would like to climb Wayna Picchu the next morning (the mountain that rises over the ruins) you will need to let us know as the number are restricted.

The climb to Huayna Picchu is considered one of the best short hikes in the world. Reaching its summit is a great feat and will be the greatest adventure of your life, climbing its zigzag paths and stairways carved in stone, you can test your physique and the temper of your nerves. But once at its summit you will feel a great sense of satisfaction and peace, the view of Machu Picchu and its surroundings is spectacular and unique. Also in the mountain Huayna Picchu you will be able to find excellent Inca remains, like their viewpoints, rooms and platforms; You can also see the magnificent Temple of the Moon, an attraction that can only be seen climbing Huayna Picchu.

There are 2 entry schedules for the Huayna Picchu Climb. From 07:00 – 08:00 or 10:00 – 11:00.

We highly recommend booking the first entry as the views are spectacular.

As per the regulations of your ticket you are entitled to 4 hours within the citadel. The trek will take approximately 3 hours, so you will another hour to explore the Machu

(B. L. D.) (Shared Guide) (Private Transfer)

Return to Machu Picchu this morning to continue your unguided exploration of this extensive site; your return mini-bus tickets and entry to Machu Picchu are included. We recommend rising early and taking one of the first buses; the ruins are much quieter in the morning and seeing the mist clear as dawn breaks is a wonderful sight.

There are many things to see and do at the site, including the hike to Inti Punku, the Gate of the Sun.
Morning visitors to Machu Picchu must leave the ruins by 12pm.

Take a mini-bus back to Aguas Calientes and have some free time for lunch or visiting the souvenir shops. Please make sure you allow enough time to collect your luggage from your hotel before returning to the train station to take the afternoon Vistadome train back to Ollantaytambo, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Cuzco, where the bulk of your luggage will be waiting.

You will have the balance of the day free to relax and explore this historic city.

Cusco is another of the highlights of a trip to Peru, a fascinating city built on the foundations of the former Incan capital. You can observe massive Incan walls along many of the streets of the city. The city has a vibrant atmosphere and many excellent restaurants.

(B.) (Private Transfer)

Note: you MUST bring the previous day’s ticket to enter Machu Picchu today without a guide.

You will visit the city of Cusco, known as the Imperial City and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Here you will start your tour at the iconic San Pedro market, a local market where you can explore the colors, flavors and traditions of modern Cusco.

The visit continues with the Koricancha Temple, an ancient Inca palace and cult center of the Sun God, above which the order of the Dominicans built a church, which remains standing to this day.

You will continue ascending to the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, an impressive example of Inca military architecture.

Afterwards, you will explore  Q’enqo archeological site, where important Inca ceremonies took place.

Finally, you will arrive to the Plaza de Armas (main square), where you will visit the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city.

(B.) (Private Tour)

Suggested Restaurant: Cicciolina

Around the same time that Cusco started hosting a new type of tourism other than backpackers, four friends decided to open a Bodega, a place to meet, chat over a plate of tapas and share a drink. Eight years later, Cicciolina restaurant Cusco has kept this energy, especially at night, where conversations in various languages can be heard at the long candle-lit bar or high wooden tables.

Here sharing is made easier by the warm, inviting atmosphere of this old colonial building combined with the mediterranean influence felt in the decor (red walls, peppers and garlic hanging from the ceiling…) and in the menu. Everything is orchestrated in two tiny open kitchens, where you can observe the choreography of creation from the cozy bar, feeling almost like part of the family.

“Cicciolina” is worth a visit to enjoy a glass of wine or a coffee and the relaxed atmosphere, but you only truly discover the dimension of this restaurant by trying a few of its dishes.

Today enjoy free time to relax, shop or explore more of Cuzco’s sights.

Note: Today you should use your ticket called “Boleto Turistico” that was included on your city tour program. This boleto Turistico (Tourist Ticket) gives you entry to 16 places: Saqsayhuaman -Q ́enqo -Pukapukara – Tambomachay -The Cathedral -San Blas -Museo de Arte Conteporaneo – Museo de Arte Popular -Museo de Sitio Qoricancha -Museo Histórico Regional -Parque Arquelógico de Pisaq -Ollantaytambo -Tipón (See Oropesa-pages) – Pikillaqta – Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo Danzas Folklorica – The ticket gives you entry for one visit at each place.

Some of these places are visited during your city tour. However, on your free time in Cuzco you will be able to use this Bolesto Turistico to visit the rest of the museums, churches and sites.

On the backside of the ticket you will find information about opening and closing times and some telephone numbers etc. You will also find a map of the central parts of Cuzco (where the old parts that form a Puma are marked), and a little map that gives you a hint on where some places outside Cuzco are located (Machu Picchu, Chinchero, Pisaq, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, etc.)

Please keep this ticket “Boleto Turistico” until the end of your stay in Cuzco area. You will need it to gain entry to different local touristic attractions. If you misplaced it will attract new charges.

(B.)

Suggested Restaurant: Pacha Papa.

If you’ve been putting off trying the famous Andean dishes of guinea pig or alpaca, then wait no longer. This fabulous restaurant is hands-down the best place in town for Peruvian food. Modeled after a typical Peruvian open-air quinta, wooden tables are scattered around a large patio. The menu takes influences from all over Peru, and the waiters are happy to explain what makes each dish special. Try the delicious anticuchas de alpaca, skewers of tender alpaca meat with local spices, and don’t miss the sensational adobo de chancho, a tangy pork stew with meat that melts in your mouth.

Today at schedule time we will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Quito, Ecuador.

Upon arrival to Quito, you will be welcomed outside of Customs by an English-speaking assistant holding a sign with your name on it. This representative will direct you to your awaiting vehicle and driver, and accompany you to your hotel to assist with check-in.

(B.) (Private Transfer)

This morning your guide and transportation will pick you up and take you on a comprehensive walking tour of the Colonial District of Quito.

On this tour you will visit some of the most famous squares, churches and colonial buildings of the city including the Independence Plaza where you can admire the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace.

Furthermore, you’ll visit the San Francisco Church and the Basilica of Quito, the oldest Church in South America made almost completely out of volcanic stone. Then head to the ‘Panecillo Mirador’, the most famous hill of Quito, where you can take pictures of both colonial and modern Quito.

While walking through the city your guide will help you appreciate the eventful past of Ecuador including the Inca Empire, the Spanish invasion, and its push towards independence.

Return to your hotel with the rest of the day at your leisure.

(B.) (Private Tour)

AM – Barranco (Genovesa Island):

Dry landing.

Be marvel at the variety of sea life that uses the crevices of the lava cliffs for shelter. Red-billed Tropicbirds fly overhead, switching between their nests and the bay, and a small colony of fur seals may be found near the landing site. You will be dropped off at a steep stairway that begins on rocks at the foot of a path that leads through a seabird colony full of Nazca and Red-footed Boobies. At the plateau, the trail continues inland allowing you to see more nesting booby colonies in the thin Palo Santo forest. Near the end of the trail, over a rocky lava plain, Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrels can be observed flying in all directions. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of a Short-eared Owl.

• Difficulty level: moderate
• Type of terrain: rocky-lava
• Duration: 45-minute walk

PM – Darwin Bay:

Wet landing.

Disembark onto a small sand and coral beach. A short trail heads west along a tidal lagoon and then up a rocky hill that leads to a point overlooking the cliffs and Darwin Bay. Along the trail near the tidal lagoon, visitors will see pairs of Swallow-tailed Gulls, Lava Gulls, Yellow-crowned, and Lava Herons. The trail continues through Palo Santo trees, Opuntia cacti, and Saltbushes inhabited by Great Frigate birds and Red-footed Boobies. This is one of the few places on the islands where visitors are guaranteed to see Red-footed Boobies. It is estimated that more than 200,000 Red-footed Boobies live in the trees and bushes of Genovesa.

• Difficulty level: moderate
• Type of terrain: sand and lava.
• Duration: 2:30-hour walk

(B. L. D.) (Private Transfer) (Shared Guide)

AM – Rabida Island:

Wet landing.

Dark-red sand covers the unique beaches of this island, home of sea lions colonies; Rabida is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos Islands due to the diversity of its volcanic geology. Nesting brown pelicans are found from July through September plus nine species of the famous Darwin’s finches. Here a dinghy ride along marine cliffs is done, to observe nesting seabirds. Snorkel off the coast, where marine life is particularly active.

• Difficulty level: easy
• Type of terrain: sandy
• Duration: 1.5-hour walk / 1-hour snorkeling / 1-hour dinghy ride

PM – Bartolome Island:

At the center of the archipelago, Bartolome (Bartolom ) is one of the most frequently visited sites of all the islands. The highest point is only 374 feet (114 m) above sea level and it has a surface area of 0.74 mi (1.2 km). The island is separated from the island of Santiago by Sullivan Bay. It is an excellent site for snorkeling, filled with the breathtaking volcanic landscapes that make this corner of the world so unique. The first landing possibility is by a dock, made out of lava and concrete, which soon turns into a wooden staircase built to avoid erosion and consists of 372 steps. It leads to the island’s summit, where you will find what probably constitutes the most photographed site in the Galapagos: the Pinnacle Rock. Due to its altitude, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable. Pioneer plants can be observed, which are called this way because they are the first to establish roots on new ground. They include Tequila Nesiotica (which is endemic to the island) and Chamaesyce (known as sand mat or spurge in English), lava cactus, and Scalesia bushes. Behind the beach, there are dunes covered by mangroves. The second type of landing possibility is at coralline beach next to Pinnacle Rock which is a wet landing site. From this point, you will be able to snorkel among tropical fish, perhaps sea lions and penguins as they rest on the lava floors of the intertidal zone and sometimes decide to take a dip

• Disembarking:
• Landing 1): dry, trek up Summit Trail.
• Landing 2): wet, to visit Bartolome Beach.
• Type of terrain: sandy volcanic ash trail and 372 steps in a wooden stairway.
• Difficulty level: intermediate.
• Duration: 1:30 hour hike, 1 hour beach time, swimming, or snorkeling.

(B. L. D.) (Shared Guide)

AM – Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island): On the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd from an internal lagoon. Turtles visit the calm waters, peaking their heads above the surface, while the fish and rays circle below. White-tipped reef sharks can be seen beneath the boat, plus seabirds including pelicans, herons, and egrets feed on the cove.

This cove has been declared a “Turtle Sanctuary.”

• Difficulty level: easy
• Type of terrain: none
• Duration: 1-hour dinghy ride

PM – Baltra Airport: 

After the visit, you will go to Baltra Airport for your flight to Ecuador mainland.

On arrival to Guayaquil or Quito your tour comes to an end.

(B.) (Shared Guide) (Private Transfer)