Highlights of Peru In A Nutshell 12 Days

Bon Appetit!

At 4:00 am we will pick you up from the hotel in Lima, then we will leave from the city to Paracas, at 7:45 am we will get to Paracas and we will drive to the Chaco wharf.

At 8:00 am, excursion to Ballestas islands; we will take a boat to get the national reserve of Paracas, during the excursion we will stop to see the amazing candelabra figure that was drawn on the hillside of Paracas bay nobody knows or has any idea about this figure, only some theories have some references that the pirates may have drawn to have an orientation point. Anyway our guide will share an information with you about this figure, subsequentely we will get the Ballestas Islands where we will enjoy the sea fauna, we will go around the isles, passing through the big caves, natural formation rocks that are home for pelicans, Humbolt penguins, seals, dolphins, etc. After visiting whole the isles we will come back to the Chaco wharf. At about 10:30 am we will take the excursión to National Reserve of Paracas that is protected by the national government and the only one national reserve that protects the sea fauna and flora. We will leave the place to drive through the Paracas desert on the way we will stop at a nice viewpoint to see spectacular views of Paraca’s blue sea and some natural formations. At about 1:00 pm we will drive to Ica for 45 minutes, once we arrive to Ica we will enjoy a delicious lunch, in the afternoon we will visit the artisanal winery center where we will learn about the pisco’s production process and we will taste different sort of piscos and wines, then we will visit the Huacachina lagoon, from this place we drive our dune buggies toward the great dunes where we will have so much fun with our buggies, driving through the great desert going uphills and downhills. This part of the desert is one of the most beautiful deserts in southamerica where you will have awesome views and will take great pictures, and you will have the chance to learn the sandborading which will be taught by our guide. Later on we will leave to the city of Nazca which is famous with its gigantic design drawing on the desert which are dated from 2,000 years, and you can only see from the air. When we arrive to Nazca we will go to make our check-in at the hostal where we will spend the night.

Welcome to "La Ciudad Blanca" Arequipa

At 8:00 am after breakfast we will drive to the airport to start the stroll in the plane upon the Nazca Lines. When we arrive to the airport we will get a video informative about the Nazca Lines that way to familiarize with the lines and have a better idea of these archaeological remains that we will see from the air.

The type of airplanes we use for this excursion are small airplanes, with capacity for 3 to 5 people, each one with seats to the window to see the figures correctly, the flight is for 35-minute, and during the tour you will see perfect representations of giants animals and birds; such as, condor, hummingbird, pelican, macaw, tarantula, monkey, whale, caiman, etc. Apart from these lines you will also see many other huge geometric figures that reach whole the desert and look like big landing strip.

After enjoying the Nazca Lines we will drive to the famous aqueducts of Cantalloc which were a system of underground aqueduct to supply of water the valleys that did not have water thus the peoples of Nazca Culture could defeat the long drought and the famine, then we will visit the ceramic centers where the modern potters are still doing amazing works on clay. Eventually we will drive back to lima, on the way we will stop for lunch.

Quaint villages and landscapes

We will wake up very early in the morning to drive to the airport and take the flight to Arequipa, at your arrival time in Arequipa you will meet up with our tour manager at the airport, then to drive to the hotel in Arequipa where you will get an informative breifing about the fascinating journey in Arequipa and Cusco from your tour manager, after that we will drop the lugagges off at the hotel and we will start with our excursión in the city. driving to the viewpoint of Carmen Alto, from this place we have great views of the mountains that surround the city of Arequipa, as well as we see the pre-incan terraces, at this point you have a rich history recounted by our tour guide. Consequently we drive to get the Yanahuara district to enjoy the arcades of the Yanahuara which was built on fine ashlars, and we also see the church of San Juan Bautista.

Later on we visit the great monastery of Santa Catalina, that is a large building founded in 1579 where we see a great collection of canvas, sculpture, etc. Then our guide leads us to the Basilica of Arequipa, a building with neoclassical architectural style and it is located next to the main square, next we go to see the church of Compañía de Jesus and the dome of San Ignacio, eventually we come back to the hotel.

Marvel by one of the deepest canyons in the world

We pick you up from your hotel, right away to drive to Cayma district where we visit the viewpoint of Carmen Alto from this place we see the beautiful valley of Arequipa, the Chili river, and the three volcanoes that surround the city. Immediately we drive to the Yanahuara district to visit the Mirador of Yanahuara which was built on fine ashlars and baroque style as its church that is located right beside. Following our sightseeing we go through the Fierro bridge (which was designed by Gustavo Eiffel), to get the viewpoint of Sachaca that is the highest viewpoint around Arequipa city, from this place we see the arequipenian countryside.

Next we visit a nice building called the Mansion of the Founder, where the son of Arequipa’s founder lived, it was taken once by the chilian army as headquarters during the pacific war. After that we drive to the town of Sabandia where we see the colonial hydraulic-wheel that was used to grind the grains, seeds, beans. Keep driving we arrive to Paucarpata district, just close by group of pre-incan terraces are located. Eventually we drive back to hotel in Arequipa.

Sailing the highest lake in the world

Very early in the morning we will pick you up from the hotel to drive to the airport to take the flight to Puno, after 45-minute fliying we will arrive to the airport of Juliaca where our tour manager will be waiting for you who will mee up you to transfer to the hotel in Puno, after dropping the luggages off at the hotel we will start with our excursión to the lake, we will go aboard the boat from the main wharf to the Floating Islands, we will have a 30-minute drive to get the floating islands, once we arrive the inhabitants of the islands will welcome us, then they will let us know concerning of their daily social life on the floatings islands, and we will have time to hangout with them. After being with the local ones we will continue sailing to get the next island Amantani, when we arrive to the lake-port of Amantani, the local people will be waiting for us with a big and contagious smile who will take us to their house to have lunch, in the afternoon we will explore the island and of course we will go to Pachatata ( pre-incan temple) from where we will have stunning sunset. At night about 7:00 pm we will have dinner, then we will be invited by the locals to be part of their celebration party, eventually at about 10:30 pm we go back the house to sleep.

A unique journey by train like no other

We will have breakfast made by the local family, right away to take the boat to Taquile island after 1-hour sailing we will arrive to the island, when we arrive to this island we will explore for 45 minutes the outsides of the little town after that we will have lunch at one of the local restaurants, from this island we will have awesome views of the lake, later on we will explore the little picturesque town, and we will have about 30-minute walk by a short path to get the boat. In the afternoon we will navigate for 2:30 hours back to the main lake-port, from where we will take our private van back to hotel.

Get immersed in the history and culture of Cusco

We pick you up early in the morning in our private transportation, to drive to the navel of the world city, Cusco. We will drive for whole day until Cusco through the highland towns, along the way we will have many stops, where we will visit interesting places like La Raya, San Pedro Raqchi, Andahuaylillas etc. We will be arriving to Cusco in the evening where we will make our check-in at the hotel.

Get inspired by ancient temples, roads, crops terracing, and towns of the Incas

A day on leisure in the ancient capital of the incan Empire entitled a World´s Heritage site by UNESCO. In the morning you will explore the stunning fortress-temple Sacasayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara, and Tampumachay. About midday you will have a great lunch at one of the typical restaurants, after having the lunch we continue exploring the Cusco’s antique streets, and we arrive walking to the extraordinary Temple of the sun Qoricancha, the most important religous site of the incas in the lower Cusco This sumptuous temple’s walls and floors were allegedly once covered by sheets of solid gold. This temple was once one of the most important religious site of the Incan people in the city of Cusco. On this tour we also visit a local market where you taste fresh-baked Chuta bread, and you still see some local items, articles for different purposes and aims, then you go walking to the main square in which you will feel at the plenary puma’s heart, (because Cusco the capital of the incan Empire was designed in a puma shape), and from here wou will see the colonial buildings, the cathedral and the other chuches around, eventually we go back to the hotel.

Mingle, eat, laugh with locals

Full day guided tour in the Sacred Valley, visiting important incan sites, as Pisaq, and Ollantaytambo, along with the visits to the local interesting places     ( e.g, chicheria a place where you would have a local typical corn beer and play frog game).

At each incan site you will have stunning views and rich history, and you will be amazed by the architectural styles, walls, palaces, granaries, temples, terraces, etc.

You have another way of visiting the Sacred Valley, exploring the incan sites of Chinchero, Moray, Salt Mines Maras, Ollantaytambo. We have these two options because in the Sacred valley of the Incas you have several incan sites to visit, and according to your preferences   you might disccus with your tour manager that way to provide it to you, one of the options that you would like more.

In the evening after the tour we drive to the train station of Ollantaytambo from where we will go aboard the train to Machupicchu town( estimated time of arrival to Machupicchu town 1:45-hour), when we arrive to Machupicchu town we will go to the hotel to make our check-in, and about 7:30pm we will have dinner.

Bucket list is checked

The most important day has arrived because it is the day of Machu Picchu, we will wake up very early to have breakfast organizad at the hotel, right away to go to the bust station and take the bus for 25-minute to get the Machu Picchu sacred inca city.

“what a moment” you will be very amazed of having the Sacred city right infront of you, so we will seal our feat with an epic picture with Machu Picchu at the background. After the photography session, the tour will start, where our tour guide will be the main character for three-hour on the history, arqueology, ancient architecture. Once you finish the sightseeing at Machu Picchu you will have enough time to explore the sacred city. Whether you have booked a climb to Wayna Picchu, you will climb up the mountain after or before the tour, it depends of the spaces availability for that date, more info see Wayna picchu option.

In the afternoon you have to take the bus from Machu Picchu inca city back to Aguas Calientes town( Machu picchu town), then to take the train back to Ollantaytambo train station and/or Poroy train station, where our transfer will be waiting for you to take you back to the hotel in Cusco.

Adios Peru

We will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Lima, and say good bye to Cusco. End of our service