Peru & Bolivia (Fully Private)
14 Days 13 Nights
Lima, Cusco, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, Maras, Moray, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Uros Floating Islands, Copacabana, Island of the Sun, Island of the Moon, La Paz, Tiahuanak
Overview:
Visit Bolivia and get to know the pre-Incan Tiahuanaku culture, where the Incan empire was originated. Explore the different islands on the highest navigable lake in the world from both the Peruvian and the Bolivian side. Come to the land of the Incas and discover the lost city of Machu Picchu on a fully escorted tour with a professional tour conductor.
Day By Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Welcome to Peru (Fully Private)
Upon arrival into Lima Airport, you can be assured that we will have a private transfer waiting to take you to your hotel in Lima. Your driver and English speaking representative will welcome you into Peru ensuring you with a comfortable and safe ride.
Overnight in Lima. (Altitude: Sea Level)
Day 2: Lima to Cusco & Sacred Valley (Fully Private) (B)
In the morning you will transfer from your hotel to Lima Airport in time for your hour domestic flight to Cusco. Upon arrival into the Inca Empire of Cusco in the morning, you will make your way via a private van to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which is located at lower elevation and will help with acclimatization. Along the way you will make a number of stops to some fascinating and photographic view points. One of the stops will be to an animal recovery centre, which houses a number of beautiful animals to include: condors, pumas, macaws, llamas and tortoises. During your time here you can enter into the condor cage and see the flight of this large bird. Another stop will be to a llama and alpaca farm, where you will be able to get real up close and personal with these wonderful creatures and even be able to feed them. At this farm, they also produce high quality pieces from the wool, which you are able to purchase. You will then continue along the Sacred Valley where your hotel is located.
Overnight in Sacred Valley. (Altitude: 2900m, 9500ft)
Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Incas (Fully Private) (B,L)
In the morning, your tour guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for your private Sacred Valley tour. We will first drive to the Pisaq town, where on Sundays is the big market day when local villagers come from the mountains and sell their home-grown vegetables. In this market it is still possible to see how people practice the trade system used in the Incan times. Here, you will be able to get great prices for goods and souvenirs. We will also have the opportunity to visit the Incredible Pisaq Ruins and then drive to Urubamba to enjoy lunch in one of the best local restaurants in the Sacred Valley. After lunch, we will head to Ollantaytambo, one of the last Inca refuges, where you will notice that the houses and building still preserve a big part of the Inca Architecture. You will enter into an Inca house and see how they used to live. We will then take you to visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, temples and terraces. You will get to witness the abandoned stones and unfinished walls, due to the invasion of the Spaniards. This tour also includes a visit to a ´Chicheria`, where you will learn the old Incan technique of producing the most popular drink in the Andes. Here you will also get to see how locals farm guinea pigs in their homes which after a few months becomes a delicious dish. Finally we will return you back to your hotel.
Overnight in Sacred Valley. (Altitude: 2900m, 9500ft)
Day 4: Incan Laboratory & Salt Mines (Fully Private) (B,L)
In the morning your private tour guide and driver will drive you off the beaten path to Maras, a typical Andean village. Here you will walk around the streets and get the sense that you have stepped back into time, due to the traditional clothing of the locals and old style buildings. If you have young children, we will surprise them with a short donkey ride around the town. We will then visit the very impressive San Francisco Church to include visits to the baptism room and bell tower, where you will have a great view of the village and its surrounding snow capped mountains. We will then drive you to the incredible Circular Terraces of Moray, which was used an Inca laboratory to acclimatize their crops. After that we will have a picnic lunch at a nearby strategic point with great views of the glaciers and mountains. Then we will head to the Salt Terraces of Maras to see and learn about an ancient pre-Incan method of producing salt. After this visit, you will have the choice of either a short hour trek to the Vilcanota River and then drive to your hotel or drive directly to your hotel.
Overnight in Sacred Valley. (Altitude: 2900m, 9500ft)
Day 5: Machu Picchu - Wonder of the World with Vistadome (Fully Private) (B,L)
In the morning your private tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel in Sacred Valley and transfer you to Ollantaytambo Train Station. From here, you will board the Vistadome Train for an hour and a half journey to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival in the afternoon, you will transfer to the ruins and have your tour of Machu Picchu, ´The Lost City of the Incas`. As there are not many people in the afternoons, it is more peaceful and enjoyable. You will learn about the history of this Incan sacred site and the tour will include visits to some temples such as the Sun and the Condor. You will also visit, whilst learn some interesting facts about the Incan sacred terraces, aqueducts and houses. After a nice sunset you will transfer back to Aguas Calientes.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes. (Altitude: 2000m, 6500ft)
Day 6: Machu Picchu to Cusco with Vistadome (Fully Private) (B,L)
Today you have another chance to visit Machu Picchu where you have plenty of time to explore this truly magnificent site on your own. There are many short trek options, such as a the one to the Sun Gate for an impressive view of Machu Picchu or a visit to the Incan Bridge, a secret entrance for the Inca Army. The most adventurous should not miss the Wayna Picchu ´young mountain climbing, which requires a very early start (5.30am) as only 400 people are permitted on this climb each day. If you prefer not to return to the Machu Picchu ruins today, you also have some trekking options around Aguas Calientes such as the easy walk to the Wandor Falls or the really challenging Putukusy Mountain climb for an impressive view of the Machu Picchu citadel. In the afternoon you will take the hour and a half Vistadome Train to Ollantaytambo, where your private driver will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.
Overnight in Cusco. (Altitude: 3400m, 11150ft)
Day 7: Cusco City & the Incan Empire (Fully Private) (B)
In the morning your tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel to begin your private city tour of this wonderful city. You will visit the well-known and beautiful Incan temple of Sacsayhuaman, where you will be amazed with the great construction work of the Incan empire and there is still mystery of how they managed to move and fit each large and heavy stone so perfectly into each other. As part of your city tour, you will also visit Cusco Cathedral, which has an UNESCO World Heritage status and is located in Plaza de Armas. Here you will see many holy Christian artifacts and artwork derived from the `Escuela Cuzquena´ (Cuzco Art School). Your tour will then take you to the Temple of the Sun, ´Koricancha`, located in the Avenida Sol. This Incan site was one of the most worshipped and most respected temples of the city. Finally we will let you experience the local life by taking you to the San Pedro market, where you will see a whole range of goods, such as gifts, crafts, clothes, meats, juices, fruits, vegetables and more. You will then return to your hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Cusco. (Altitude: 3400m, 11150ft)
Day 8: Cusco City Exploration (Fully Private) (B)
Today you have the day at leisure in Cusco to explore the capital of the Inca Empire. There are many options such as visiting some souvenir shops, tasting the local cuisine or simply relaxing at Plaza de Armas on one of the benches. Today you may also wish to take a walk around the interesting San Blas area, where you can see the fascinating architecture, some tourist shops and small art galleries.
Overnight in Cusco. (Altitude: 3400m, 11150ft)
Day 9: Cusco to Lake Titicaca (Fully Private) (B,L)
Today, at 7am, your private tour guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel for your journey to Lake Titicaca. You will travel via the south valley of Cusco passing some small Andean villages. You will make a stop at Oropesa Village, a village known for making bread in very large typical adobe brick ovens. Here you will have the opportunity to taste some typical bread made by the locals. The journey will then continue to the Andahuaylillas Church, (known as the Andean Sistine Chapel) where you will see some intriguing 16th, 17th and 18th Century Mural paintings and fully decorated gold altars. You will then stop at Racchi, a small highland town where you will see the Incan temple of Wiracocha and learn about its fascinating construction with adobe brick walls that measure up to 11 meters high. You will then continue onto a route off the beaten track whereby you will drive along the lakeside of Langui, located at 4,000 meters high, where you will be able to see flamingos, ducks, eagles and a variety of Andean birds. Here we will stop for an appetizing picnic lunch with a dazzling view of the lake and its surroundings. After lunch you will pass an altitude of 4300m, 14100ft at La Raya before heading direct to Lake Titicaca. Upon arrival at approximately 5pm, we will take you to your hotel where you have the rest of the day to relax.
Overnight in Puno. (Altitude: 3800m, 12500ft)
Day 10: Uros Floating Islands & to Copacabana (Bolivia) (Fully Private) (B)
Today a private typical tricycle taxi will be waiting for you at the hotel to take you to the highest navigable lake in the world. During the morning we will visit the highly unique Uros Floating Islands, which have been built out of only totora reeds, a water plant that grows in the lake. You will be amazed at how locals use totora reeds to build canoes, houses, beds and many other things. As part of your visit to Uros, you will ride on a totora reed canoe, which will let you experience a smooth and pleasant trip around the Islands. After this we head back to Puno in preparation for our transfer to Copacabana. Upon arrival into the Peruvian/Bolivia border, we will need to go through immigrations before arriving at Copacabana.
Overnight in Copacabana. (Altitude: 3900m, 13000ft)
Day 11: Sun & Moon Islands & to La Paz (Fully Private) (B,L)
After breakfast, we will meet you at your hotel and take you to the lake port, where you will board your boat for your tour of the Islands of the Sun & Moon. We will cross the lake for approximately one hour until we arrive at the Island of the Sun, one of the largest islands on Lake Titicaca. Here, at the south part we will take you to visit the archeological remains of Pilkokaina, an Incan temple and Yumani, where we will find the fountain that is said to grant eternal youth. We will then board our boat and travel to the north part of the island, until we arrive at the town of Challapampa. Here you will be able to see the fascinating labyrinth of Chinkana, a very large stone complex full of mazes. Here we will also visit the rock of the puma, a mysterious sacred rock. We will then enjoy a delicious lunch before continuing on our trip to have a short visit of the Island of the Moon. Here we will visit the Inac Uyu Temple, also known as the ´House of the Virgins of the Sun`, where you will learn about the culture of the island. After this we will head back to Copacabana before travelling to La Paz.
Overnight in La Paz. (Altitude: 3660m, 12000ft)
Day 12: Highest Capital City in the World – La Paz (Bolivia) (Fully Private) (B)
In the morning, we will take you for your tour of La Paz, where we start with a visit to the Killi Killi Tower, where you will have a panoramic view of the city and see its bizarre structure. We will then go to visit the Costumbrista Museum, located in Calle Jaen, a street where 3 other museums are located. Here you will learn about the history of customs and traditions of La Paz, depicted through art, photos, dolls, ceramics and miniature scenes. We will then drive through the modern area of La Paz to get to the Valley of the Moon, which is a canyon like formation of eroded rocks and pinnacles with a moon like appearance. Here you explore this beautiful valley, whilst enjoy the surrounding views and its different structures. Following this we finish the city tour by visiting the Witches Market, where you will be able to see goods used especially for rituals on sale. You will arrive back at your hotel early in the afternoon where you have the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in La Paz. (Altitude: 3660m, 12000ft)
Day 13: Tiahuanaku - The most ancient culture in South America & to Puno (Peru) (Fully Private) (B)
Today in the morning, we will take you to visit the oldest known culture in South America and its impressive archeological heritage. After travelling for an hour and a half, we will arrive at this fascinating and mysterious site located 44 miles west of La Paz and southwest of Lake Titicaca. Here you will be able to admire the ruins of Kalasasaya temple, the Sun Gate and the stone and ceramic museums. Upon walking through the ruins, you will discover the Akapana Pyramid, the Kalasasaya Palace. After this visit, we will take you to your hotel in Lake Titicaca.
Overnight in Puno. (Altitude: 3800m, 12500ft)
Day 14: Lake Titicaca to Lima (Fully Private) (B)
Today your private driver will pick you up at your hotel 3 hours before your domestic flight to take you to Juliaca Airport. Along the way there is the option of visiting the archeological site of Sillustani. This is a complex that encloses very tall towers made of giant stones that were used in the Incan times as sacred burial places. If you decide to take this extra tour you will also get to visit some local houses where you will learn the daily life in this part of the Andes. Your flight will take approximately 2 ½ hours from Juliaca to Lima in time for your international flight.
Your Cultural Immersion Peru Package Includes:
- All domestic flights in Peru
- All transfers and transportation
- All excursions and tours
- All site and attraction entrance tickets
- A professional English speaking tour guide tour with all excursions
- A professional driver with all transfers
- Meals as indicated (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
- All accommodation based on double occupancy
- Round trip train to Machu Picchu
- Local taxes
Your Cultural Immersion Peru Package Does Not Include:
- International flights
- Airport taxes (US$6 domestic departures, US$30 international departure)
- Additional add on activities
- Tips and extras
