Unique Peru : Lima, Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco

Upon arrival at the Lima airport, a transportation service and a representative will pick you up to transfer you to your hotel. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history, which is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes.

Your hotel is in Miraflores,  a scenic coastal district of Lima with the Pacific Ocean nearby. 

CHECK IN: 15:00

Breakfast at the hotel, but keep it light as your taste buds are in for a treat today!

Get ready to bike* off your airplane legs off on a foodie tour of Lima. Start in the district of Miraflores, pedalling along the Malecon with a spectacular view over the Pacific. Cycle the scenic promenade, overlooking the oceanfront cliffs on route to your first stop - a seafood lunch featuring  Peru's world famous ceviche. Throughout your journey, delight in fresh local delicacies unique to Peru before topping off your tour with a craft beer tasting. 

Return to the hotel to rest your full stomach.

Later in the day, you will be picked up from your hotel to explore more of the city, including a panoramic view of the districts of San Isidro. Then,  you will head to the Pisco Museum for a demonstrative experience. Here, you will learn about the history, the varieties and the tradition around this national drink. The activity of approximately one hour includes the preparation of a cocktail by an experienced bartender and the tasting of ´tapas´, to accompany the drink. The perfect activity to complement and close the day after visiting the city.

Finally, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Optional (pre-book): dinner at the Cala Restaurant, overlooking the ocean.

*this is a unique foodie tour on bicycle, but a walking tour can be arranged if you prefer

Breakfast at the hotel today before setting off for a tour of the city.

Lima is Peru's captial, and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore the architecture, take in a panoramic view, and visit some important sites.

After the tour, you will transfer approximately 3.5hrs to Paracas, a small coastal town. Paracas has one of Peru's most bountiful seas due to the cold water currents with a high-density planktonic community that feeds a large variety of mammal species such as whales, dolphins and sea lions. 

Arrive at your hotel and have some time to relax, enjoy a cocktail and the sunset!

CHECK IN: 14:00

Today you will enjoy a morning  boat tour to the famous Ballestas Islands, located 45 minutes from the coast of Paracas.

The islands gather an impressive animal wildlife consisting of guano birds, penguins, tendrils, boobies and sea lions that curiously approach  boats and jump around them.

After your boat tour, return to the hotel for lunch before this afternoon's air adventure.

In the afternoon, you will take a flight* of Nazca Lines. From the skies, you will see the famous lines in the  Nazca desert that depict monkey, spider and condor. If weather conditions permit,  you will also fly over Palpa.

*if a flight is not appealing to you, we can arrange for an afternoon in the Paracas National Reserve. This reserve contains beautiful rocky cliffs and formations, and a variety of fauna. 

Today you will tour the huge sand dunes of the Ica desert in sand cars - lightweight but powerful four-wheel drive cars capable of climbing slopes of loose sand and offer an adrenaline experience. 

Enjoy a delicious lunch at Hotel Las Dunas.

After lunch, you will head to the "El Catador" artisanal winery, where you may watch the production process of wine and pisco (Peruvian brandy), which has remained unchanged since 1856. Next, you will go to the Vista Alegre winery, an industrial winery that has the capacity to produce 5 million litres of Pisco per year. Here, you will learn about the manufacturing process. After touring the winery, we invite you to taste some varieties of pisco and sweet wines.  

After your visit, you will be transferred to your hotel, where you can unwind for the day, and enjoy dinner.

CHECK IN: 16:00
 

Today you can rest up as you are transferred to Arequipa. Upon arrival you will be taken to your hotel.

Optional (pre-book): dinner at Zig Zag.  Located in a cozy house in Arequipa, in front of the beautiful square of San Francisco, the Zig Zag restaurant offers alpandinos dishes - creative fusion,  created by Michel Hediger.

CHECK IN: 14:00

Today you will have a tour of the city to take in some historical and cultural sites.

The route begins in Arequipa´s Main Square, one of the most beautiful squares in Peru. Facing this square is the imposing Cathedral, built in the 17th century. From there, continue to the Monastery of Santa Catalina, a cloister and small religious citadel built in 1579, still in use to this date. Then, visit the Church of the Compañia de Jesus (1590). Considered a classic example of local baroque architecture, it houses an exceptional collection of paintings and murals. Lastly, visit the districts of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto for a panoramic view of the Arequipa countryside.

For lunch, you will enjoy a meal at  Chicha Restaurant by Gaston Acurio.

Today you head to the Colca Canyon, and take in many magnificent sites along the way.  You will pass by the rugged scenery of Yura, go through the Pampa Cañahuas Reserve where vicuñas (similar to llamas) can be spotted, and then head up to the crater of the Chucura volcano.  From there, continue one last leg of the way to reach the Mirador de los Andes at Patapampa, a stunning viewpoint 4,800 metres above sea level with impressive views of the volcanoes surrounding Arequipa.

Lunch is served in the town of Chivay before checking into your hotel.

The afternoon is at your leisure to take in the views or take a dip in the hot springs!

Dinner at hotel.

CHECK IN: 13:00

This morning you will head to Condor’s Cross, where you can contemplate the view of the Colca Valley (one of the world´s deepest canyons) and see the large, majestic condor soaring over the valley, only a few meters away from where you stand.

Later, you will continue  your journey to Puno with a detour that takes you through Patahuasi. Along the way, observe the amazing stone forests and sky-blue lagoons populated by cranes that fill this area 4,000 meters above sea level.

Arrive at Puno after this amazing journey and enjoy a well-deserved rest and dinner at the hotel.

CHECK IN: 12:00

Today you will head out by boat to the floating island of the Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society that populates a series of artificial islands built with totora plant, a type of reed which grows in the Titikaka Lake. This community also builds their houses from totora.

Then, continue your boat trip to the island of Taquile, an island that was part of the Incan Empire and whose inhabitants still speak quechua. Have a tasty lunch on the island before you return to Puno.

Dinner at the hotel.

Today you make your way to Cusco. On the way, you’ll make a number of interesting stops, such as Pucara (the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca) and Sicuani, Racchi (Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site), and Andahuaylillas (with a local Church , known as the "Sistine Chapel of America"). 

Lunch will be served along the way.

The evening in Cusco will be at your liesure.

CHECK IN: 23:00

Today will start with a  short trip to Lake Piuray in the Sacred Valley,  where you can enjoy a stand-up paddle board  for an hour or so.  Here, you can also relax, swim, and sunbathe while taking in the views.

After the activity, you will visit the archaeological remains of Maras and Moray. Maras is an impressive complex of salt mining, and Moray a mysterious site of circular terraces.

Lunch will be served at Chuncho restaurant and then visit Ollantaytambo, a typical example of urban planning of the Incas still inhabited like in the past. You will find here a great archaeological complex called fortress although it was a tambo, a resting and lodging place for long distance travellers. Finally return to your hotel in Cusco.

Later in the day, you will participate in a briefing at the hotel, where a guide will give you information about the trek on the following days.

Today you begin your Salkantay Trek!

After an early breakfast, we pick you up from your hotel and leave the city of Cusco in the morning. On the route we take a short break in Mollepata before ascending a winding mountain road to a place called Soraypampa (12,690 ft). Here, we meet our emergency horse and begin the trek toward Salkantay Pass (15,213 ft). At the pass we stop enjoy the views of snowcapped peaks of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range in every direction, with the glaciated south face of Salkantay towering above us where Andean condors can be seen. From the pass we descend towards Wayracmachay to enjoy our lunch and then continue descending along the left bank of the Salkantay River. Observe the landscape become increasingly green, changing from highland to jungle or cloud forest. Feel the warm air rising from the jungle, accompanied by colorful butterflies and striking orchids, while arriving to the second camp at Andenes (9,481ft.), a beautiful spot surrounded with vegetation. Dinner will be served at the campsite.

Salktantay Trek (Day Two)

Today we hike along the Santa Teresa River Valley, through more populated rural areas. We pass through banana, granadilla, avocado and coffee. A hot picnic lunch is served along the way. After lunch, we hike for about 2 hours before a private vehicle meets us for a short drive to the beginning of the Llactapata Inca Trail (30 minutes or so). From the head of the newly restored Inca trail, we easily make our way to the last campsite at Lucmabamba. In the evening we will have a coffee taste demonstration with our host, a local family. Dinner will be served and then spend the night in the camp.

Salktantay Trek (Day Three)

After breakfast, we will head uphill for 2-3 hours towards Llactapata Pass (8,974 ft) and descend to the archaeological complex of the same name. We will enjoy a distant but spectacular view of Machu Picchu Sanctuary from the southeast, a view few travelers get the chance to admire. Lunch is served in a scenic viewpoint, looking out to Machu Picchu. After that, begin the final descent to the Aobamba River through lush bamboo forests, orchards and coffee plantations. Finally we will get to the Hydroelectric Power Station, to board the train to Aguas Calientes and spend the night.

CHECK IN: 13:00

After an early breakfast, we make our way to the bus station for the ride up to Machu Picchu. The guided tour of the sanctuary lasts two hours and at the end, you shall have free time to explore the place at your leisure, or simply relax and meditate. We will return by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch at Café Inkaterra.

In the afternoon, you will have free time to explore the town.
 

In the morning, take the train back to Ollantaytambo. At your arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco city.

Afternoon Tour in Cusco (Optional - today, or tomorrow):

Lunch will be served at the Inka Grill Restaurant. After lunch, visit Sacsayhuaman, one of the most emblematic constructions of the Incas (located just minutes from the city, it is a World Cultural Heritage Site listed by UNESCO) built by Pachacutec in the 15th century. 

Continue your tour along the San Blas neighborhood, originally inhabited by the Inca nobility who built impressive stone constructions within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas. Unmistakable Inca walls can still be seen at the base of many buildings. Today the neighborhood is a delightful cluster of cobblestone streets popular among artisans who sell their handcrafts on the street. Continue to the Plaza de Armas and enjoy a panoramic view of the Cathedral, it’s construction began in 1560 and ended only in 1654. It took nearly a century to complete. For this purpose hundreds of stones were extracted and transported from the fortress of Sacsayhuaman under the command of the Ecclesiastical Council and the burden of thousands of Indians. The tour ends with a panoramic view of the Coricancha, also known as "The Temple of the Sun"(or Quri Kancha 'Golden Temple'), was built by Inca Pachacutec becoming the base of the Santo Domingo Convent at the arrival of the Spaniards. At the Coricancha homage was payed to the Sun ("Inti") during the Inca Empire, a time when the whole building was covered with gold.
 

CHECK IN: 23:00

Enjoy a pleasant transfer from the selected hotel to the airport. A representative will assist you along the way.