Upon arrival in Lima , you will be met at the airport outside the arrivals area by a local representative holding a Premier Tours sign. You’ll be assisted with your luggage and transferred to your accommodations for the evening. PLEASE DO NOT MOVE BEYOND THE GATED INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS AREA. STAY IN FRONT OF THE MAIN FLIGHT SCREEN AND DO NOT EXIT THE BUILDING.
Our local representatives will provide entrance tickets and transportation details during your itinerary.
PPRO TIP: LUGGAGE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS FOR PERU RAIL TRAINS TO MACHU PICCHU: Updated Sep 2023
When traveling to Machu Picchu on the Belmond Hiram Bingham, PeruRail Vistadome, or PeruRail Expedition: one bag or backpack (carry-on luggage) with a maximum weight of 11 lb., measuring no more than 62 linear inches/157 linear cm (height + length + width). Please coordinate luggage storage / options with your guide, who will assist with arrangements.
PRO TIP: HOTEL PICK-UP TIMES FOR PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS
Your local guides will coordinate all your transfers for flights and daily excursions with you upon arrival. Private morning tours generally start between 8:30 - 9:00 AM, and afternoon tours tend to start at 2:00 PM unless otherwise requested.
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Be prepared for an early morning departure at 4:00 AM! From Lima, it is a 3.5 hr drive to Paracas. PRIVATE TRANSFER.
En route, you'll stop for a SHARED departure on board a small boat to visit the Ballestas Islands, also known as the Little Galapagos. Composed largely of rock formations, these islands are an important sanctuary for marine fauna like the guanay guano bird, the blue-footed booby and the tendril. Other notable species include Humboldt penguins and two varieties of seals (fur seals and sea lions), among other mammals. On the way to the islands, on the Paracas Peninsula, visitors will notice El Candelabro, a large-scale geoglyph that may have served as a beacon to mariners. The mystery as to the origins of this particular geoglyph is ongoing with much speculation.
Continue on to your hotel, where you'll have the afternoon free to enjoy this beautiful property and its amenities.
Breakfast
Morning at leisure on your own.
DESERT ADVENTURE (4 hrs) Hotel pick up at 5:00 PM.
The Paracas Desert, the driest in the world, is full of history, culture and amazing views where the winds blow eastward. Enjoy a luxury picnic in a magical environment under the stars after an amazing drive through sand dunes in 4x4 vehicles. Do not miss this incredible experience where you and nature will be the main characters.
FOR THE NAZCA LINES TOMORROW: The guide will confirm transfer times for tomorrow's activities as airline schedules change frequently due to weather conditions.
Breakfast, Dinner
MORNING - NAZCA LINES OVERFLIGHT BY SMALL PLANE
Transfer provided to local airport.
Flight from Pisco International Airport at 9:00 am
Tour: Ocucaje Valley, (panoramic view of the mountains that keep marine fossil remains of 150 million years old), Santa Cruz, Palpa, Viscas, Ingenio Valleys, where the Paracas and Nazca cultures (800 BC - 700) developed d.c.)
You can see 19 classic geoglyphs: 1. The Whale, 2. Astronaut, 3. Monkey, 4. Dog, 5. Hummingbird, 6. Spiral, 7. Spider, 8. Condor, 9, Seaweed, 10. Alcatraz/Flamingo, 11. Pelican, 12. Parrot, 13. The Hands, 14. The Tree, 15. Lizard, 16. Flower. Feel: 17. The Traveler, 18. Fertility, 19. The Royal Family.
Return to the hotel in time for lunch (not included).
AFTERNOON - PARACAS NATIONAL RESERVE WITH PRIVATE GUIDE
With its stunning beaches, rocky coastline, and wildlife viewing opportunities, the Paracas National Reserve is a great place to visit during your trip to Peru.
Wild flamingos viewing - The pink coloration of its plumage comes from the large amount of carotenoids in its diet, which is mainly based on shrimp, plankton and algae. After enjoying these beautiful birds, we will continue to the Interpretation Center of the Paracas National Reserve, where we will learn about life in ancient Paracas. We will have the opportunity to observe human skeletal remains, including skulls of some of the first inhabitants of Paracas who performed cranial trephination, a type of cranial surgery in which holes were scraped or drilled in the heads of those who had suffered an injury to the skull. skull. This ancient Peruvian practice was the first known cranial surgery. Evidence of this practice was found for the first time in the world in Paracas. It seems to have been developed as a response to the types of weapons (slings and clubs) used in those early times, dating from around 7000 BC. C. You can see these remains and some ancient artifacts, and know their origin and uses. You will also learn about the flora and fauna of the Paracas National Reserve and how the pre-Inca cultures lived in this environment, mainly dedicated to fishing.
Breakfast
MORNING WITH PRIVATE GUIDE - HUACHACHINA OASIS VISIT LAGOON VISIT
Pick up time at hotel is 9:30 AM.
We’ll meander over to the Oasis of Huacachina. This resort town grew up around a small natural lake in the desert, which is rumored to be inhabited by a mermaid! The town is surrounded by undulating sand dunes. We’ll enjoy a relaxed lunch (not included) at a local restaurant before heading back to Lima, having witnessed a mystery that has not yet been fully explained even by today’s experts.
In the afternoon, you will return to Lima (3.5 hr drive) via PRIVATE TRANSFER.
Afternoon return (3.5 hr drive) to Lima.
Breakfast
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, Lunch
For a more in-depth understanding of the Sacred Valley, it’s worth visiting Maras and Moray, two sites that are often missed by travellers on a fast track to Machu Picchu. Famous for its salt evaporation ponds, Maras is found down a canyon that descends to the Rio Vilcanota. The view from above the terraced ponds are incredible. All of the ponds are polygon shaped with the flow of water carefully controlled and monitored by the workers. Shared maintenance is split among villagers.
In Moray, the deep bowl-shaped hollows here look like a Roman amphitheater. They are circular in shape and have stairlike terraces climbing up to the valley floor above. The full purpose behind these concentric terraces isn’t fully known. However, it is widely believed that the ruins were once an agricultural laboratory used by the Incas. The circular terraces that lie here are thought to have been used as an agricultural research station. Their depth, design, and their orientation with regard to the sun and wind are all telltale signs that they have a specific purpose. Because of the different conditions at each level of the terraces there is a difference in temperature of 15 °C (27°F) from the top to the bottom. For many, it’s considered a sacred site.
Picnic lunch included.
Breakfast, Picnic Lunch
* Your guide will coordinate storage of the rest of your luggage while you overnight at Machu Picchu. You will need to pack only a small overnight bag or backpack.
* Please have your passport ready today as you will need to show it to board your train to Machu Picchu, for the shuttle ride to the ruins, and then to enter the ruins.
Morning transfer to the train station for the nearly two hour ride aboard the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. A light snack and small drink is provided on board. The route follows the Urubamba River gorge to the hilltop village of Aguas Calientes, located at the foot of Machu Picchu.
The scenery is stunning, and your guide will share amazing information about this area.
Disembark from the train with your guide for the short walk to where shuttle buses depart for the ruins, known as the famous Lost City of the Incas. Hotel porters will be waiting to collect your overnight bag as you exit the train to bring directly to your hotel. It will be waiting for you there when you return at the end of the day.
The ride up to the ruins follows a one of a kind, zig zag route that takes about half an hour.
Your guide will take you on a guided hike along the many trails in one of the Seven Wonders of The World. You’ll find llamas wandering through the citadel – a terrific photo op! From the view at 7900 feet above sea level, the world is at your feet. For hundreds of years, until the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it in 1911, the abandoned citadel’s existence was a secret known only to peasants living in the region. The site stretches over an impressive 5-mile distance, featuring more than 3,000 stone steps that link its many different levels. There is so much to explore.
Return with your guide to Aguas Caliente (now known as Pueblo Town) using one of the shuttle buses later this afternoon.
Those on private tours will lunch at the legendary Sanctuary Lodge, the only hotel at the foot of the citadel.
PRO TIP: LUGGAGE WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS FOR PERU RAIL TRAINS TO MACHU PICCHU: Updated Sep 2023
When traveling to Machu Picchu on the Belmond Hiram Bingham, PeruRail Vistadome, or PeruRail Expedition: one bag or backpack (carry-on luggage) with a maximum weight of 5.0 kg/11 lb., measuring no more than 62 linear inches/157 linear cm (height + length + width). Make sure it is locked and has your contact information on it.
PRO TIP: There are bathrooms located outside the Machu Picchu entry point (cost is a few soles, the local currency). There are NO BATHROOMS once you enter the ruins.
Single entry into Machu Picchu only and circuits are one way only. You are not allowed to enter the ruins, exit, and return into the ruins again.
Walking sticks are allowed inside the ruins ONLY if they are rubber-tipped.
No food is allowed inside Machu Picchu. We recommend bringing a small water bottle for the hike.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
* Please have your passport ready today as you will need to show it to board your train for the shuttle ride to the ruins, to enter the ruins, and to board the return train to the Sacred Valley.
Today you'll be accompanied by your private guide as we include your shuttle ride, entrance fee and hiking permit to a second Machu Picchu mountain trail. Keep in mind that hiking the trails can take up to two hours or more, so plan your day accordingly.
Lunch is included in town before boarding the Vistadome Observatory train to the Sacred Valley.
Your luggage will be delivered from the hotel to the train station in time for your scheduled Vistadome Observatory train departure to Ollantaytambo (1.5 hr ride with beautiful vistas). A light snack and small drink will be provided on board. Your driver will be waiting at the train station with the rest of your luggage for the drive to Cusco (approximately 1.5 hr drive).
Estimated arrival into Cusco is very late afternoon.
Breakfast, Lunch
Today you'll enjoy a private half-day city tour (2-3 hrs) to several ruins as well as the Cathedral of Cusco. Among the highlights will be many of Cusco’s ruins scattered about the cobblestone streets, churches, plazas and Incan walls. Most likely you will visit Sacsayhuaman (pronounced almost like “Sexy Woman” and means “satisfied falcon in the Quechua language), which rests on a mountaintop overlooking the valley, and consists of three outer lines of gargantuan walls, 1,500 ft long and 54 ft wide, surrounding a paved area containing a circular stone structure believed to be a solar calendar. The ruins also include a 500,000 gallon water reservoir, storage cisterns, ramps, citadels and underground chambers. The 'fortress' is composed of three large terraced walls, which are said to represent the 'Teeth of the Jaguar' (the original city of Cusco was said to have been in the shape of a jaguar). Above the magnificent terraces are the remains of circular structure called Muyuqmarka.
Tambo Machay is situated on a hillside 5.6 miles from Cusco. The Incas may have used this complex for religious ceremonies for worshipping water or for other rituals that included the use of flowing water. Specialists called it a "royal bath." Incan rulers stayed here only with the most loyal of followers, family members and personal guards while the rest of the people would stay at the nearby Puca Pucara (included if time permits).
Kenko (“zig zag” in Quechua) is an archaeological about 4 miles north east of Cusco. It is one of the largest huacas (holy places) in the Cusco Region. Many huacas were based on naturally occurring rock formations. It was believed to be a place where sacrifices and mummification took place.
Koricancha (Temple of the Sun) is built with many construction mechanisms used by the Incas, such as the vertical inclination of walls, trapezoidal shape of the structures, irregular shapes and rounded edges. Increased breadth on the bottom coupled with ~ 3-5 degree inclination gives the walls remarkable stability that has withstood centuries of earthquakes, which are common to the area. The staggered and mortar free assemblage of the stones also makes them seismically resistant in strong earthquakes because the stones are able to wiggle in place, thereby releasing the seismic stresses, settle back into position and then lock after earthquakes. These combined methods make the structures basically earthquake proof.
Afternoon at leisure.
Breakfast
A private transfer is provided for your flight back to Lima.
Upon arrival in Lima, you'll be met by a local guide and taken on a private city tour of Lima.
Lima was part of the Inca Empire until was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro on the 18th of January, 1535. The highlights of its historical center are its architecture and the urban design of the city, found in the old streets filled with colonial houses adorned with Moorish-style balconies.
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).
Lunch at Cafe Larco included.
Depending on your international flight schedule, you can depart late tonight or tomorrow.
Breakfast, Lunch
Arrive USA
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