10 Days Best Of Peru, Lima, Cusco, The sacred valley & Machupicchu

DAY 1.- ARRIVAL IN LIMA & TRANSFER TO YOUR HOTEL..

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your adventure begins with a welcoming greeting at Lima airport to transfer you to your hotel.

Enjoy the Capital of Peru, known particularly for its excellent cuisine and good museums, as well as the historic down-town areas. your Travel Designer can arrange a tour for you should you wish and you’ll have all of our recommendations at hand for the best things to see and do in the city to make the very most of your stay.

Lodging: Lima – Hotel MiraMar*** or similars.

DAY 2.- LIMA CITY TOUR & FLIGHT TO CUSCO.

Drive to the historical center of Lima and the Plaza Mayor, where the Government Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace are located. Move along to the San Francisco Monastery and step inside Casa Aliaga, one of America’s best-preserved colonial mansions. Located across from the Presidential Palace in colonial Lima, Casa Aliaga was built in 1535 by Don Jeronimo de Aliaga, a member of Pizarro’s conquering forces. Seventeen generations later, Casa Aliaga is still inhabited by the Aliaga family, whose heirlooms include beautiful original furniture.

Continue to the district of Pueblo Libre, to visit the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion. The museum holds the most extensive collection of pre-Columbian art in Peru, featuring many fine examples of textile work. Also found in the museum are the materials and tools used by ancient Peruvians to produce their work in ceramics and metal, huaco pottery, gold and silver pieces with semiprecious stones and erotic art pieces.

In the afternoon we will transfer you to the airport in Lima for your flight to Cusco. We will be waiting for you at the airport in Cusco, to bring you to your hotel.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco ****  or similars.

DAY 3.- SACRED VALLEY TOUR & TRAIN TO MACHUPICCHU.

Guiding you through to the fertile Sacred Valley, once the spiritual and commercial heartland of the Inca Empire. You will be collected from your hotel by your expert, local guide and private vehicle to be driven firstly to The Animal Sanctuary of Cochawasi, located in heart of the valley: here we may observe many of the native Andean species such as the puma, Andean cóndor, alpacas, and many more.

Your next stop will be the Incan fortress of Pisaq. where you can see the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2000 tombs. There we can admire the incredible farming terraces carved into the mountain and the religious area of this important citadel.

After Pisac we head to Urubamba where we have a delicious  buffet lunch (Not Included).  Then we continue on to Ollantaytambo, the oldest continuously occupied town on the American continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their canals, have not changed much from the time of the Inca Empire, giving you a feeling of what it would have been like to live during this time.

In the afternoon we will board the train to Machupicchu town.

Lodging: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu.

Waman Hotel Machupicchu *** o similars.

DAY 4.- PRIVATE TOUR OF MACHUPICCHU WITH OVERNIGHT.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel your private guide will take you on a comprehensive tour of the Machupicchu citadel, really bringing it to life by detailing the history, significance and myths surrounding it as well as taking you to the hidden corners and best viewpoints. Then after your guided tour, you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch before an afternoon at your leisure. You can explore the areas around Machu Picchu or carry on exploring the ruins.

Return in the evening to overnight at your hotel in the Machu Picchu area.

Optional:

The trek to the peak of Huayna Picchu: Huayna Picchu is the mountain that stands next to Machu Picchu. It is a 45 minute hike to the top. Going back down is quite steep, if you are scared of heights. This is done after your tour of Machu Picchu. The cost is $35 per person to hike. Arrangements need to be made at least one month in advance, due to popularity.

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging.

The trek to Machu Picchu Mountain: It has the most spectacular view, It is a 1.5 hours hike to the top. Located to the southwest of the citadel of Machu Picchu with a height of 3,050 m (10,007 ft.), This trek offers unparalleled views of the famous Inca sanctuary and also panoramic views of the surrounding mountainous landscape. The cost is $35 per person to hike.

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging.

Lodging: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu.
Waman Hotel Machupicchu *** or similars.

DAY 5.- MORAY – MARAS SALT MINES – CHINCHERO & ANDEAN WEAVING CENTER.

In the morning we will board our train to Ollantaytambo and then we will begin our tour visiting to Moray, an ancient construction designed for agricultural investigations and studies of different crops in a range of altitudes. Here the many concentric “rings” of terraces produce a fine gradient of micro-climates; the warmth of the lowest central ring slowly dissapates as the rings ascend outward and upward, creating reductions in temperatures until reaching the ground-level norm.

Your next stop will be The salt mines of Maras, which is about 2 miles away. This village is known as a former salt-producing center that is thought to date back all the way to pre-Inca times. There are over 3000 salt pools all carved into the mountain side, being filled daily by a little stream of water.

Finally We will visit Chinchero, on this site we will appreciate the Inka walls that are very well preserved in the main square as well as many altars directed to the four cardinal points. We will also visit the beautiful colonial church, unique for its work of art. Continuing, we will participate in a wonderful exposition of Andean weaving art; During the weaving we will become familiar with the wisdom of Andean weavings, such and as they are maintained long before Inka times.

Lodging:  Chinchero Boutique Hotel*** or similars.

DAY 6.- QUAD BIKE ATV TOUR – KAYAKING “MAMA PIURAY” & ZIPLINE ADVENTURE.

After a delicious breakfast, You will be collected from your hotel by your expert, local guide, then you will be given the ATV and all the complete equipment such as gloves, helmets and others. You will also be accompanied by our experienced instructor and our professional guide, who will provide you with all the necessary information on the proper use of the ATVs and the complete description of the route. Once we finish this brief orientation, we will begin our trip, through the best of the landscapes of Chinchero, until the Piuray lagoon. During the tour we will have nice spots with wonderful views of the whole archaeological site of Chinchero, the Sacred Valley and extensive fields of Andean crops.

Once we reach the Piuray lagoon (where the ATV tour will be finished), we will start our second adventure “KAYAKING IN MAMA PIURAY”, a beautiful lagoon located in the heart of the Andes. Its waters feed the communities and neighboring agricultural fields and they reflect all their flora, fauna and the mountains that surround it. For about an hour and a half, we paddle through this lagoon in our kayaks, enjoying beautiful moments that allow us to appreciate the nature that surrounds us in all its dimensions.At the end of this fascinating adventure in mama Piuray, we reach the shores at the base camp. Where the local families will welcome us with some hot drinks and ready lunch, share with them a cross cultural experience while enjoying a delicious typical lunch.

Finally, Inti Peru Adventures prepares you to enjoy the best adventure from the heights of Mama Piuray. Walk and enjoy incredible views of the mountains and lagoon of Mama Piuray in our zipline, full of emotion and adrenaline. A unique experience that you can not miss.

Lodging:  Chinchero Boutique Hotel*** or similars.

DAY 7.- DAY AT LEISURE IN CUSCO.

Explore the beautiful city of Cusco at your own pace with a day at leisure. It´s time to explore the Incan Puma City.

One of the Highlights of Cusco is our central market, a wonderful way to discover the Andean culture and daily life. This vibrant spot, with its dazzling displays of fresh produce and fascinating local products, could keep you entertained for hours.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco ****  or similars.

DAY 8.- RAINBOW MOUNTAIN TOUR.

Pick up from your hotel in Cusco very early, and we will undertake a trip to the south of Cusco through the beautiful landscapes of the valley and agricultural communities. The trip will take approximately 3 hours to reach the community of Quesyuno. Once there in the community, we will have a delicious breakfast prepared by our chef from the agency INTI PERU ADVENTURES.

After breakfast we will begin our trek, following a beautiful pass between mountains, you will enjoy incredible views of the Andes, glacial peaks, red mountains, accompanied by Ausangate, the fifth highest peak in Peru. Also you wil appreciate llamas and alpacas that graze throughout the valley. Occasionally we will be observing local people moving for their daily activities.

The ascent of the route will take us a total of 4 hours approximately, taking us to our final destination the highest point of our trek, Vinincunca or Montaña Arco Iris, Here we will stop to admire and appreciate the outstanding views that we will find in all directions and also the rare geological formations with exotic colors. In the distance and below us we will see infinite valleys and glaciers until we lose sight of them.

We will stop to explore for about 30 minutes – the perfect amount of time to rest, immerse ourselves in this wild environment before starting our descent, which will take us about 3 hours. Upon returning to Quesyuno, our cook will be waiting for you with a delicious hot lunch. After lunch we will have time to make some visits to some of the homes of the community and observe the lifestyle and customs that are still practiced since Inca times. Here Quechua is the native language of the Incas, it is spoken very well, and agriculture is essential for life.

At the end of the day, our tour will conclude with the return to the city of Cusco in our private van. We will leave you at your hotel around 7:00 p.m.

Meals: Continental breakfast / snacks / fresh lunch
Lowest altitude: 4,326m / 14,189ft.
Maximum altitude: 5.20m / 16.466ft.
Distance: 15km / 9¼ mi
Travel time: 4 – 5 hours of ascent; 3 – 4 hours of descent.
Level of difficulty: Very challenging.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco ****  or similars.

DAY 9.- CUSCO CITY TOUR & FAMILY DINNER.

Your local expert guide will collect you from your hotel for a tour of the city, starting out at the Santo Domingo convent monastery. This former colonial monastery was previously the Qoricancha Temple, one of the most important temples devoted to the worship of the sun (“in our ancient language “Quechua” the Sun is called INTI”) and according to the chronicles, the Qoricancha was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature.

Your next stop will be the Plaza de Armas. After touring the most interesting sites of the city, you will be driven by private vehicle to the countryside just outside Cusco to visit some of the remarkable Inca ruins in the area such as the cult centre of Sacsayhuaman, one of the emblematic buildings of the Inca Empire (just above from the center of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site) built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th Century. It is a vast fortress built from huge stones and the way how they built and transported and worked is still a mystery. The temple and amphitheatre of Qenko, and the Red Fortress of Puca Pucara.

Places That Are Visited:

• Santo Domingo Monhastery / Qoricanca.
• Main Plaza of Cusco City – Main Square surrounded by the Inca palaces.
• Saqsayhuaman.
• Qenko.
• Puca Pucara.

At night we will have our family buffet dinner, where we will enjoy live show of typical dances from all over Peru, enjoying amazing traditional andean music.

Lodging: Cusco – Sonesta Hotel Cusco ****  or similars.

DAY 10.- FREE MORNING & TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT.

After a delicious breakfast, you will have free morning of your last hours in the beatiful archeological city of Cusco. Then according to your flight schedule we will transfer you to the airport for your flight to Lima and then flight home.

End of the tour.

INCLUDED:

• 9 night’s accommodations with 3 stars hotels.
• 9breakfasts,2 lunches.1 family dinners.
• Meet and greet airport service.
• All transportation.
• All transfers.
• City tour in Lima.
• Train to Machu Picchu.
• Tourist ticket.
• Buses to Machu Picchu.
• All entrances in Cusco.
• Andean village visit.
• Completely private tour of Machu Picchu and Cusco.
• Entrances to Machu Picchu.
• Tour leader during whole trip.
• Full support from your Travel Concierge before, during and after your trip.

NOT INCLUDED:

• International flights.
• Meals where are not stated.
• Gratitudes.
• Huayna Picchu entrance fee US$35.
• Travel Insurance – you are strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip.

THINGS TO BRING:

• Original Passport.
• Current University Card (if you are a student and want to qualify for the discount).
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho.
• Warm jacket.
• T-shirts.
• Comfortable Trousers.
• Sun hat.
• Sun cream (factor 35 or higher).
• Insect repellant.
• Personal medication.
• Camera and film.

THIS TOUR RUNS ONLY AS A PRIVATE SERVICE!
****Daily Departure with at least 2 people****

DEPARTURE DATES:

• As long as we meet our minimum of two people, our Incredible Adventure Tours can leave any day of the week, twelve months a year.