Arrive Lima and transfer to hotel
None
This morning, the highlights of your private Lima city tour may vary depending on your time frame and may include: the Paseo de la Republica (Promenade of the Republic), Plaza San Martin (San Martin Square) and the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), with their majestic buildings: Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), Palacio Arzobispal, (Archibishop's Palace), the Basilica Catedral (Cathedral Basilica) and the Palacio Municipal (Municipal Palace).
Transfer to airport for flight to Cusco where you’ll be met by your guide for your transfer to the Sacred Valley to acclimate.
A local guide will assist you in the transfer from your hotel to the airport for the hour-long flight to Cusco.
Once you arrive in Cusco, exit the airport and look for a local representative holding a Premier Tours sign with your last name on it.
To help you acclimate to the altitude, you'll head directly to the Sacred Valley which is lower in elevation.
From Cusco, it’s roughly a two-hour drive to the Sacred Valley. Your guide will share his wealth of information about the lives and history and culture of the Incans, including geography, architecture, legends and mysteries about these ancient people. You are dropping in elevation to about 9,000 feet once you are in the valley.
En route to the Sacred Valley, you’ll stop at Awana Kancha, a community-run textile initiative. More than 400 families contribute their ancestral knowledge of weaving. Here you’ll find beautifully crafted blankets, hats and textiles coveted the world over in traditional bright reds, oranges and yellow colors. You’ll also find four members of the cameloid family (the llama, alpaca, vicuna and guanaco). Llamas are the most recognizable species, but alpacas have the most commonly used thick wool, while the vicunas are much smaller in size. Their fur is considered the finest.
The Indian markets in the Sacred Valley are a photographer’s dream. You’ll visit Pisaq, located about an hour outside of Cusco, where you can easily barter and shop for souvenirs. Among the popular items you’ll find are locally made pottery, handicrafts, wool products, hats, weavings, jewelry, toys, textiles, beads and even antiques. Farmers come down from the highlands to sell their vegetables as well. You’ll often find open air grills with roasted cuye (guinea pig) on the menu! Nearby ruins are an added attraction, including 17th century churches and plazas, Inca terraces and walls. Pisaq Market is open daily. You can walk or drive up to the nearby ruins of a citadel which overlook stunning vistas.
The rest of the afternoon is at leisure for you to acclimate.
PRO TIP: Local “mate” tea is found everywhere and is a natural herbal alternative to help you adjust to the Andean high altitude (11,300’ above sea level in Cusco). We recommend that you keep hydrated and drink lots of water (“sin gas” refers to non-carbonated water, “con gas” refers to carbonated or still water), limit your physical activity, and avoid smoking and alcohol if possible for the first 24 hours in the Andes.
Breakfast
Breakfast, Lunch
Spend the day with the Huilloq community with a pachamanca, a traditional feast, at El Albergue.
Breakfast, Lunch
The Via Ferrata & Zip Lines with lunch at Sky Lodge: https://naturavive.com/web/via-ferrata-2/
Return to your Sacred Valley lodging.
Breakfast, lunch
Meet up with a local family and head off for a lovely hike in the stunning Andean Urubamba mountain range, accompanied by their pack of llamas. They’ll share stories about the eco-system and family life as you pass through the rural countryside. Go at whatever pace you’ll feel comfortable with.
Return to Cusco.
Transfer to train station to board the luxury Andean Explorer train, a Belmond experience – 3 days and 2 nights in a cabin across the Andean Plateau – Peruvian Highlands itinerary
https://www.belmond.com/trains/south-america/peru/belmond-andean-explorer/peruvian-highlands
See train itinerary
See train itinerary
Arrive in Arequipa. Transfer to hotel.
This private guided tour of Arequipa is a must. Founded in 1540 on the site of an Inca town, Arequipa stands on an oasis in an arid plain and grows crops for local consumption. In a region prone to earthquakes, the city was almost totally destroyed by one in 1868, but its lovely examples of Spanish colonial architecture were restored. The most recent major earthquake occurred in 2001. The light-colored building stone, sillar, has given Arequipa the name "White City."
By far the most interesting place to visit is the convent of Santa Catalina. Built around 1580 and expanded in the 17th century, this is probably the largest convent in the world. At one point, 450 nuns lived there, totally cut off the outside world and living a secretive life. Santa Catalina wrapped itself in mystery and silence until 1970 when a big part of the convent opened its doors for the public for the first time. There are still nuns living in the north area of the complex.
Also included: Arequipa’s famous mummy, Juanita, also known as the Lady of Ampato, the well-preserved frozen body of a girl from the Inca Empire.
Lunch at Zig Zag.
Dinner at Cirqa.
Morning at leisure. Transfer to airport for flight to Lima.
You’ll have a dayroom at the airport hotel until it’s time for your flight to USA.
Breakfast
Arrive USA
