Lima-Nazca- Arequipa-Colca Canyon-Puno-Titicaca-Cusco-Machu Picchu 12 Days / 11 Nights

Early in the morning after breakfast checkout of your hotel and take the 6-hour drive south to the small airport in Nasca for your aerial tour of the Nasca lines. These are giant figures etched in the sand that can only be appreciated fully by air. See the Monkey, the spider, hummingbird and geometric birds. These mysterious huge “drawings” are possibly an astrological calendar but their construction and true intent are a mystery still. After we take the bus to Arequipa (Bus Night Ride)

2:00 p.m. Pick up of the clients (passengers) from their hotel, we start with our tour of the most attractive viewpoints of the city called “Carmen Alto” from this place we will observe the three imposing volcanoes that surround the city of Arequipa, pre-Inca terraces and traditional agriculture of the white city.

Then we move to the district of Yanahuara to appreciate the portals of the viewpoint, continuing with our tour we go to the San Lazaro neighborhood. Afterwards, we will visit the Mansion of the Founder; a beautiful landscape, it is one of the most important and traditional mansions of the region that presents viceregal construction of the XVIII century.

(Optional visit) Monastery of Santa Catalina; It is the most important and impressive religious construction monument of Peru. Characterized by its narrow streets, gardens and squares with Spanish names and reminiscent of the old neighborhood of Granada and Seville.

Our excursion to the Colca Canyon starts at 07:30 hrs. Our clients are collected from their hotels by our local guide/representative. Afterwards we will board a small bus and will drive northwest following a paved road towards the “Colca Canyon”. Before leaving Arequipa, we will stop at a small shop where our clients can purchase some chocolates, candies and coca leaves. Later on we will continue till Pampas Cañahuas (3500 m/11,482 Ft), a National Reserve where visitors may spot some Vicuñas & Alpacas. Unlike the Alpacas, Vicuñas are wild animals, and still can be seen running freely on these high plateaus. We will stop at this national park and our local guide will provide information about these shy Andean camels. Then we continue our journey to the Colca Canyon, little further up we will stop again at the little restaurant of Viscachani, where you can enjoy a stunning scenery of the Andes and also drink a typical coca tea. Afterwards we will continue ascending a dirt road till we reach the highest point of our trip, “The Lookout Point of the Andes (4,800 m /15,748 Ft). At the very top, we will get off of the bus some minutes to observe the landscape, having in the background the volcanoes Ubinas, Mismi, Misti, Chachani, Sabancaya (active) and Ampato. Later on we will drive down hill to the main village of the Colca Canyon, the Village of Chivay (3600 m / 11.811 Ft). In this town we will have lunch in one typical Andean restaurant, where visitors may enjoy their meals accompanied by Andean musicians. After lunch our clients will be transferred to our lodge located in a little village at edge of the Canyon.

Late, in the afternoon, you may walk around the village and get to know better the rural life in this corner of Peru. By the afternoon we will go to swim and relax to the Hot Springs of the Colca Valley (35° C / 95º F), a nice pool outdoors surrounded by huge mountains. After sunset, we will return to the hostel

In order to see the mighty Condor, you will wake up at 05:00 h, breakfast will be served at 05:30 h, and by 06:00 hrs. we will be driving towards the “Cruz del Condor”, a natural lookout point where you can see the flight of the Condors (we won’t return to the hotel, which means you must bring all your staff along with you on the bus). On the road we will have the best view of the Colca Valley, as we drive along the edge of the Canyon, seeing on route ancient terraces still in use by the local farmers, who grow mainly varieties of corn and potatoes. We will make some stops for photos, and our local guide will give us a good insight into the Colca Canyon history. Here you will stumble upon a great rock, where ancient architectures carved the terraces, testing (perhaps) which parts of the Canyon were suitable for cultivation. This is a good place also to see the “Colca River” and hanging pre-Inca tombs. After approximately 2 hours we will reach Cruz del Condor, where we will spend an hour or so, observing the beautiful flight of the Condors as well as the depth of the Canyon. Eventually, we will return to the village of Chivay, passing typical towns along the way. At around 12:00 h, we will stop at a local restaurant at the town of Chivay for lunch and afterwards will continue driving to Puno. then transfer to hotel in Puno

After breakfast, we will take a two-hour motor boat excursion on the waters of Lake Titicaca, which straddles the border of Peru and Bolivia, to the unique floating “islands” of the Uros. These ancient inhabitants of the lake, known as the Water Tribe, have built their own “islands” by periodically adding new layers of a type of reed unique to the area called “totora”. Their homes and boats are also made of this material. There are over forty of these islands, which have strategic defenses such as watch towers just in case!

Then it is on to Amantani Island, which is inhabited by over 3,000 Quechua-speaking natives, still governed by their ancient traditions, whose main occupations are the production of ceramics and textiles. You can explore the Inca and Tiahuanaco archaeological remains on the island. The positive energy here is so powerful, you have an almost panoramic view of the lake and you will not want to miss the sunset and sunrise either.

Lunch is a simple affair provided by us before staying overnight at the house of a local islander, to enjoy the hospitality of a typical Amantani home.

After a good breakfast, you will visit Taquile island, a narrow, long and quite hilly island, of approximately 15 square kilometers, which was once used as a prison when it belonged to the Spanish. You will meet its inhabitants and admire their colorful textile fabrics, which has been their staple trade since time immemorial. Here you can also enjoy a highly scenic trek, followed by lunch in a local restaurant. Then you will back to puno port at 5:00pm and then transfer to the hotel in Puno.

PUKARA: It is the most important and oldest ceremonial center of the Altiplano, preceding to tiahunaco, characterized by a series oh echelon platforms ceremonial center. It’s also possible to appreciate interesting litosculptures, trails or tomb stone of intriguing personage that seems to show evidence of a brave civilization. here is where it was discovered the origins of the Andean culture in the Altiplano.

LA RAYA: Media point in the rout of Cusco – Puno. It is the highest part, it has 4335 meters above sea level, we can appreciate beautiful landscapes, llamas and vivuñas, geographic union between two cultures quechua and aymara, we can see the Altiplano arid and dry union with the quechua zone with rivers and valleys.

RAQCHI (Temple of Wiracocha God) To 121 Km of Cusco, it was an Inca church of monumental dimensions: 100 meters of length by 26 meters of wide and 14 meters of height; the temple is divided in two naves and each nave shows basics of 11 giant columns. The bases of the church are bulit perfectly carving stones continued with adobe. It is aprpreciated besides qolqas or granary places of military order, religious, Inka between others.

ANDAHUAYLILLAS: It is named the “Sixtine Chapel of America” and in some sense the comparison examples of the Andean popular religious art. The church of Andahuayliaas is a jewerly of the mestizo baroque architecture that developed in Cusco. Its nave presents profuse decoration, especially in the celling decorated with carved panels which is a recover with pan de oro (type of gold decoration). after exploring transfer to the hotel in cusco.

Upon arrival to Cusco Airport. Reception and transportation to the Hotel where you will receive an aromatic coca tea to stimulating for the height, will have the free morning to rest and also we suggest you have a light lunch in either your hotel or in one of the surrounded; in the afternoon we will depart on a City tour (entrance to the archaeological centers and museums including) we will visit the Main square, Cathedral, the Koricancha (temple of the sun) and in addition we will make a route bordering archaeological centers like Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, tour finishes 6:30pm approximately at the main square in order you can take dinner in one of the exquisite restaurants in the area, then overnight. (No meals included)

Breakfast. You will be picked up at 7:40 am. Full day excursion to the Urubamba Valley visiting: the colorful Indian market in Pisac where a mixture of color and tradition will be able appreciated besides will have a good opportunity to try our bargain skills on the free time to interact with the local craftsmen to purchase their hand-made souvenirs. The Valley has a distance of 31 km (19 miles) of Cusco, and an altitude of 2,970 ms (9,700 p), Pisac is located to the entrance of the Sacred Valley and followed by Ollantaytambo, the older town continuously occupied of the American continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their channels that have not varied from the time Inca, evoke their ancestral inheritance, lunch in a typical restaurant and after we explore Ollantaytambo we take the train at Ollantaytambo train station 2 hours to get Aguas Calientes where we do overnight (B, L)

Early breakfast and the we take the first bus at 5:30am to be at Machu Picchu at 6:00am and we get our entrance fee to climb Huayna Picchu mountain (Only 25 minutes ride by bus) where you will get a guided tour (2 hours) then free time to explore and climb Huayna Picchu mountain and after you have enjoyed the lost city of Machu Picchu, we will go down to the Aguas Calientes town to return to Ollantaytambo and then we will take a bus back to cusco.and then transfer to your accommodation (B,L).

Breakfast and according time, transportation will be provided to go the airport (B).

Add on the Nazca Lines, the Amazon Rainforest, Colca Canyon, and other extension tours or treks. Let us know.