Wonders of Southern Peru

Arrive in Peru’s sprawling capital city and receive a welcome at Lima airport, a Peru Machu Picchu tours representative will meet you there and accompany you by private vehicle to your hotel, showing you the city as you go.

* Lima is home to the Government palace and World-renowned & award-winning restaurants.

Meals: Not included.

Discover Lima’s fascinating history on a guided city tour. Your adventure begins with sightseeing around the historical city center (UNESCO World Heritage), colonial churches, palaces and promenades. The day ends with a visit to Larco Herrera Museum, one of South America’s best museums.

Enjoy the rest of the day at your own leisure.

* Visit the vibrant suburb of Miraflores or the bohemian district of Barranco, and sample some local culinary delights or a glass of Peru’s national drink ‘Pisco sour’ at one of the many cafes, bars and restaurants in the neighborhood. Suggested restaurants!

Meals: Breakfast.

Transfer to the bus station and leave for Pisco, a modest fishing village bustling with everyday life. Here many people are dedicated to handicrafts and industrial fishing activities. It is a perfect place to sample one of Peru’s most famous dishes, “Ceviche,” and one of Peru’s most famous spirits, Pisco (Peruvian brandy).

Meals: Breakfast.

Start the day out with a three-hour boat journey where you will see a wide variety of wildlife including birds, sea lions, penguins and pelicans. Later you’ll continue with the equally spectacular tour of the Paracas National Reserve. This park of desert laden with rolling hills was declared a National Park and Wildlife Reserve in 1975 and boasts a fascinating natural rock formation called the “Cathedral.” After this, you’ll stop at the small lakeside oasis town of Huacachina. Surrounded by giant sand dunes, this is a great place to strap up and give sand boarding a shot. To end the day, you’ll arrive in Nazca by bus.

Meals: Breakfast.

On this day, you have the option of seeing the mysterious Nazca Lines from the sky with a short plane ride. Then, explore the eerie desert graveyard of Chauchilla, where the arid conditions have naturally interred the remains of the Nazca people placed here. Transfer to the local bus station and take the bus to Arequipa city.

Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner.

Enjoy the day at your own leisure. There are lots of things to do and see in the city such as a visit to the Juanita mummy museum, admire the city’s architecture, sip on a hot drink at one of the local coffee shops, and enjoy local fare at one of the many restaurants. Try the classic spicy dishes in Arequipa such as rocoto relleno (stuffed chili pepper) or chupe de camarones (prawn soup) — best enjoyed in the city’s communal picantería restaurants.

Optional add-on: Book a city tour in the afternoon, where you can explore the city’s top historical attractions including the colonial districts of St Lazarus and Yanahuara, the Monastery of St. Catherine (a 16th century colonial enclosure that once housed 600 nuns), the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa, as well as two locations that provide excellent views of the city and its surroundings.

Meals: Breakfast.

Start the day by spotting llamas, alpacas and vicuñas on the way to Chivay. Gaze in awe at the depth of the Colca Canyon while keeping an eye out for resident Andean condors, one of the World’s largest flying birds. Spend the day relaxing in the thermal baths, dining on llama steak, and listening to live Andean music at a local restaurant. Catch the bus to Puno city.

Meals: Breakfast (2), lunch (1).

Float along Lake Titicaca, the World’s highest navigable lake 3,800 m / 12,540 ft. Visit the floating islands of Uros constructed entirely from reeds and home to an ancient community whose ancestral lineage stretches back to Pre-Inca times, after, sail to Taquile Island where the community’s men craft handmade woolen clothing, honored by UNESCO for their weaving skills, and learn about the local culture and traditions during a homestay with a local family.

Meals: Breakfast (2), Lunch (1) and Dinner (1).

Start with a transfer to the bus station and journey to Cusco city. Stop along the way to appreciate the scenery and the majestic Andean mountain range. Stop for a quick visit to Raqchi, a historic Inca temple, and admire the Andahuaylillas church also known as “The Sistine Chapel of South America.”

* Optional train: The train journey from Puno to Cusco is one of the most impressive in South America and the Andean Explorer Car gives passengers plenty of opportunities to take photos. ⇒ Check with our travel experta for availability.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Enjoy a morning tour of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire “Cusco city” – UNESCO World Heritage City, it takes you to Pre-Hispanic Inca temples, impressive Inca complexes on the outskirts of the city such as Saqsayhuaman, an Inca complex with megalithic constructions; Q’enqo, an ancient Inca ceremonial site; the Cathedral which is one of South America’s nicest Catholic churches, and finally proceed to San Pedro Market, a local farmers market where you can see fresh local produce and delicacies. You’ll discover historic plazas, quaint local coffee shops and the true magic of this historical city.

Afternoon at your own leisure.

* What to do and see in your spare time: Admire the marvelous city’s Inca-Colonial architecture, visit the Inca Museum which houses magnificent ancient artifacts and Colonial art, visit a silver workshop, learn all about the process and designs of the high-quality Peruvian jewelry or enjoy learning how to cook the most popular Peruvian dishes at a cooking class, if feeling adventurous! Try Cusco’s most traditional dish “CUY” (Baked Guinea pig) or Alpaca skewers quite popular at present.

Meals: Breakfast.

Travel by private bus through the lush terraces of the Sacred Valley, stopping along the way to gain an insight into traditional Inca culture. Here you’ll visit the Chinchero community where you can appreciate the ancient Andean traditions of weaving, dyeing, and textile-making. Meet friendly locals on a community visit before spending the night in the historic town of Ollantaytambo – a town built around an ancient Inca archeological site.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accompanied by porters, cooks and a local professional guide, embark on a four-day hike along the iconic Inca Trail. Take in the astounding panoramas, hike through dense forests and stop to observe the immense ruins of ancient villages and temples. After all that hard work, reap your rewards with an awe-inspiring visit to Machu Picchu.

Meals: Breakfast (4), Lunch (3) and Dinner (3).

Enjoy the day at your leisure. Spend some time getting to know this charming city by shopping for quirky souvenirs at the colorful local markets, mountain bike in the surrounding hills, or simply rest your weary legs at a cafe around the Plaza de Armas.

Meals: Breakfast.

Transfer to Cusco airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado (approx. 45 min).

Receive a welcome at Puerto Maldonado airport and take a transfer to the lodge.

Upon arrival, the lodge staff will take us to their office in town where you’ll leave most of your luggage in a safe storage room and continue traveling with a small pack with just the necessary items for your next two nights in the jungle. Then take a motorized canoe up river to our jungle lodge in the Madre de Dios area. The lodge is eco-friendly with comfortable rooms, flush toilets (en suite), showers (cold water only), mosquito nets and lamps. Adventure into the jungle with our local, multilingual guides and encounter magnificent fauna and flora in their natural habitat. Spot everything from macaws and monkeys to peccary, jabirus, otters and butterflies.

* Note: Your Amazon guide will provide details about the activities that you will do each day.

Meals: Breakfast (3), Lunch (2), Dinner (2).

After exploring the wilds, it’s time to jump back in the canoe and return to Puerto Maldonado.

Catch a flight back to Lima for a final night in this bustling cosmopolitan city before bidding adios to the mighty and mystical Peru.

Meals: Breakfast