(B)=Breakfast ; (L)=Lunch ; (D)=Dinner
Day 01 : LIMA
Arrive and transfer to your hotel. If you arrive early, we can arrange a City Tour that includes museum visits or sight-seeing excursions. Overnight at your hotel in Miraflores.
DAY 02 : Lima - Ica. (B) - Paracas -
Today you will take a first class bus from Lima to Paracas at 1:30p.m.
You will spend the night at your hotel in Paracas.
DAY 03 : Lima - Ica. (B) - Paracas, Ballestas Islands -
The Paracas National Reserve is the first marine conservation center of the country and one of the most important in the world. Established in 1975, it covers a total area of 335,00 ha. from which 117,406 are on land and 217,594 are in the ocean.
Nearby half the birds and marine mammal populations inhabiting the southern island's are protected within the fifty six hundred square mile, Paracas National Reserve.
You will take a motorboat excursion to the Ballestas islands, a critical hub for rare and endangered species including sea lions, two endangered turtles, and more than one hundred an ten migratory and resident sea birds.
After the tour you will take a first class bus to Nasca. You will have the rest of the day to rest.
Overnight at your hotel in Nasca.
DAY 04 : Ica. (B) - Nasca Lines Overflight -
You will board a 12-passenger, Cessna Grand Caravan for a 1-hour, 15-minute overflight of the mysterious Nazca Lines for this unforgettable experience. Using as their canvas Pampa Coloradan (Red Plains), a plateau 37 miles long and 15 miles wide, Nazca artists etched works of monumental proportion: a montage of geometric designs, or "geoglyphs", and whimsical portrayals of plants and animals such as the hummingbird, fish, dog, lizard, puma, spider, condor and monkey.
The lines spread over hundreds of square miles and were created by removing the rust-colored stones that cover the desert, revealing the light-colored soil beneath. In this dry, rainless environment, erosion has been practically nil, allowing the markings to endure virtually intact for 1,500 to 2,000 years.
The overflight of the Nazca Lines will be complemented by a guided tour of the vivid polychrome Nazca ceramics and world-reknowned Paracas textiles at the Ica's Regional Museum Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins. Lunch before preparing to depart to Arequipa. Overnight transfer (first class service in bed-style seats).
DAY 05 : Arequipa. (B)(L)
Breakfast on board. Arrival and Transfer to Hotel. After Lunch you'll start the City and Campina Tour combined. You will visit: Main Square, Colonial Churches ("Claustros de la Compañia") and majestic Santa Catalina Monastery, considered a masterpiece of colonial architecture, this monastery is a large complex of rooms, picturesque plazas, ornate fountains and a maze of narrow, cobblestone streets; you'll also head to Yanahuara watchtower, "Mansion del Fundador", Sabandia mill and more typical villages and nearby country resorts. Return to the Hotel.
DAY 06 : Colca Canyon.(B)
Transfer to Chivay. Visit (onthe way): National Reserve of Pampa Cañahuas (vicuña reserve). Transfer to the Hotel in Chivay. After lunch you'll prepare to head to the Thermal Waters of La Calera: this compound has several pools of thermo-medicinal waters with high amounts of sulphur and iron, which help on the treatment of illnesses such as rheumatism and arthritis. They are located at approximately 5 minutes from the City.
(bring a swimsuit). Return to the Hotel.
DAY 07 : Colca Canyon - Arequipa. (B)
Early breakfast, then you'll head to the "Condor Cross" following the Colca Canyon downstream as it gets deeper and deeper. This is the best viewpoint to admire the Colca Canyon and the majestic flight of the Condor (the bigest flying bird on earth). You will return to Chivay for lunch and prepare the return to Arequipa, on the way you'll have stops in local towns such as Pinchollo, Maca, Yanque to have a close view of andean life. Arrive in Arequipa, transfer to the Hotel.
Day 08 : AREQUIPA - CUSCO (B)
Transfer to the Airport for flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Arrival and transfer to you Hotel after a quick tour of the beautiful Plaza De Armas. You will be free for the remainder of the day to relax and acclimatize to the altitude (10,856 ft).
Day 09 : CUSCO (B)
This morning you'll have a guided CITY TOUR and 04 "RESTOS ARQUEOLOGICOS". Guided visit to the City's CATHEDRAL with magnificent colonial art and the Santo Domingo Church - KORIKANCHA which displays the best Inca stonework in Cusco, and Archeological Ruins near the city: Indian sanctuary of SACSAYHUAMAN with its megalithic stone terraces, The amphitheatre of Q’ENQO, the fortress of PUKA PUKARA and the spring-shrine of TAMBOMACHAY. Return to the Hotel.
Day 10 : CUSCO- SACRED VALLEY (B)
Today you will embark upon a day-long guided excursion through snowcapped mountains to the legendary Sacred Valley of the Incas. Begining in PISAQ, lunch buffet at URUBAMBA, then we continue to the Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO. Overnight at a local hotel.
Day 11 : SACRED VALLEY - Km 82 - WAYLLABAMBA (B)(L)(D)
Early morning bus ride to (Km82), where the trek begins. After joining the rest of the team we begin our trek along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. We will head towards our first camp at Wayllabamba, on the way we will have a good view of the archaeological complex of Llactapata, where we will have lunch. Dinner and overnight in tents at the campsite.
Day 12 : WAYLLABAMBA - PACYMAYO (B)(L)(D) (about 6 - 7 hr. trekking)
After breakfast, the toughest part of the trail begin, walking towards the highest point in the Inca Trail - Warmihuañusca or Dead Woman`s Pass (4200 m.a.s.l.) - where we will have an unbelievable panoramic view of the whole area and will observe different types of microclimates. Here, you will have a tremendous feeling of achievement mixed with relief on reaching the top. After lunch we will continue our walking down to Pacaymayu where we will camp and have dinner.
Day 13 : PACAYMAYO - PHUYUPATAMARKS - WINAY HUAYNA (B)(L)(D)
(about 7 hr. trekking)
After breakfast we start the descent towards the second most important pass of the trail at 3,850 m.a.s.l. having a guided visit at the archaeological complex of Runkurakay and the Inca citadel of Sayacmarca where lunch will be served. Continue your trekking towards Phuyupatamarka (Cloud-level town), another important archaeological monument. After a short break you will continue walking to Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young) for a guided visit of this impressive archaeological complex with a spectacular setting. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Day 14 : WiNAY HUAYNA - MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO (B)
After breakfast, have a very early start to arrive in time for sunrise at Machu Picchu. After a one hour walk through the forest towards the Inti Punku or the Gate of the Sun, also known as the Entrance Gate to Machu Picchu, where you will have the most impressive panoramic view of the citadel. Upon arrival at Machu Picchu, three-hours guided tour around the citadel, visiting the main sites and monuments. After the tour you will have some free time to wander around, then you will meet with the rest of the group to drive by bus down to Aguas Calientes. The afternoon train takes you back to Cusco, transfer to your hotel.
Day 15 : CUSCO - LIMA - RETURN HOME (B)
Morning transfer to the airport for the return flight to Lima and your connecting international flight. This marks the end of our services. Trip extensions to other regions or extra days in Lima or Cusco can be arranged.
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