Wonderful Peruvian South

Day 1: Lima

Lima
Upon arrival at the Lima airport, a transportation service will pick you up to take you to your hotel. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history, which is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes. Overnight at the hotel in Lima.

Day 2: Paracas

Lima - Paracas
A transportation service with a representative will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the bus station in Lima. From there, you will board a bus heading towards the southern coast of Peru, to Paracas, with a journey of approximately three and a half hours. Paracas is known for its mild desert climate and is an ideal destination year-round for nature and ancient history enthusiasts. Its impressive National Reserve offers stunning landscapes, rock formations, and turquoise beaches. Upon arrival at the Paracas bus station, you will head to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Paracas. Breakfast included.

Day 3: Nazca

Paracas - Nazca
Head to the El Chaco pier to embark on a one-and-a-half-hour boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. This natural reserve is known for its stunning geological formations, rich fauna, and remnants of pre-Incan cultures. The Ballestas Islands are home to a wide variety of species, including blue-footed boobies, pelicans, sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and other fascinating animals. During the tour, you will also see a mysterious linear design in the desert sand called the Candelabro. After the tour, you will continue your journey to Nazca City. You will be transferred to the Paracas bus station to take the bus to Nazca, a four-hour trip. Upon arrival at the Nazca bus station, you are transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Nazca. Breakfast included.

Day 4: Arequipa

Nazca. - Arequipa
Today, you will be picked up in the morning to fly over the Nazca Lines from the local aerodrome. From the air, you will observe giant figures such as a monkey, a spider, and a condor while trying to decipher their mysterious patterns. This enigmatic flight lasts for 30 minutes. Afterward, you will have free time in the city. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the bus station to take the bus from Nazca to Arequipa, for approximately ten hours. Upon arrival at the Arequipa bus station, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Arequipa. Breakfast included.

Day 5: Arequipa

Arequipa
Our guide and transportation will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Carmen Alto viewpoint, where you can admire the Chili River and the Misti and Chanchani volcanoes. Next, you will visit Yanahuara's viewpoint to appreciate the urban contrast and see constructions of white volcanic stone known as sillar. Afterward, the tour will continue at Plaza de Armas, a quintessential urban meeting space. Finally, you will explore the Convent of Santa Catalina, featuring plazas, cloisters, and streets. Overnight at the hotel in Arequipa. Breakfast included.
- Church dress code: During the visit sleeveless and / or low-cut garments, shorts above the knee, and miniskirts are not permitted, otherwise their entrance will be denied.

Day 6: Colca

Arequipa - Colca Canyon
Leave Arequipa heading to the Colca Valley passing first through the Yura district. Yura is characterized by having a series of impressive geographical features, such as ravines, mountain ranges and canyons. Continue through the Pampas Cañahuas Reserve, an extensive plain populated by vicuñas, one of the four indigenous Andean camelids found in Peru. You will cross the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra, bordering the crater of the Chucura volcano to reach the Los Andes viewpoint in Patapampa, which is 4,910 meters above sea level. From here, you can see the different volcanoes that surround Arequipa. Lunch will be held in the picturesque town of Chivay, followed by a transfer to your selected hotel in the Colca Canyon to enjoy the rest of the afternoon free. Overnight at the hotel in Colca. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 7: Puno

Colca Canyon - Puno
Get ready for a day to remember with a trip to the stunning “Cruz del Condor” viewpoint. Take a deep breath and appreciate the immensity of the Colca Valley, one of the deepest canyons in the world, with a height of more than 4,160 meters, double of the Grand Canyon. The emotion that you will feel with this experience will increase when observing the natural spectacle of the immense condors on the canyon. Let yourself be surprised while watching the overflight of these elegant raptors, patrolling with military discipline. Back in Chivay, visit the towns of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, and in between snap some more memorable photos at the Antahuilque and Choquetico viewpoints. Then continue to Puno with a detour that takes you through Patahuasi. Along the way, observe the amazing stone forests and sky-blue lagoons populated by cranes that fill this area 4,000 meters above sea level. Arrive at Puno after six hours of this amazing journey and enjoy a well-deserved rest at the hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Puno. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 8: Puno

Puno
Transfer to the port of Puno, where a boat takes you to the floating island of Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society that populates a series of artificial islands built with totora plant, a type of reed which grows in the Titikaka lake. There they built their houses, also from totora. This is why they cook outdoors, to prevent possible fires. After a journey of an hour and a half, continue your trip to the island of Taquile. This island was part of the Inca Empire and remains of the culture can still be seen when looking at its buildings. Once there, receive a briefing of the island and witness a cultural activity. Have a tasty lunch and start your return to Puno. Overnight at the hotel in Puno. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 9: Cusco

Puno - Cusco
After breakfast at the hotel, and at the agreed time, a transportation service will transfer you to the bus station to catch your bus to Cusco. On the way, you’ll make a number of interesting stops. The first is the town of Pukara and the Pukara Lithic Museum. This was the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. Before having lunch in Sicuani, you will stop at La Raya – the highest point between Puno and Cusco at 4,313 meters above sea level. We then head on to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site built in honor of a powerful Andean god. The rectangular construction boasts thatched rooftops 20 meters above the ground; these are thought to be the highest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas to see the main attraction: the local church, known as the "Sistine Chapel of America" owing to the high quality of art found inside. The church was built during the 16th century on top of Wari remains. Once in Imperial City, a transportation service will pick you up from the bus station and drop you off at your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Cusco. Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 10: Cusco

Cusco
Take the morning to rest and stroll through the plazas and beautiful cobblestone streets of the city. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of this charming city, which was the capital of the Inca Empire. The tour starts with a visit to Santo Domingo Convent, a large Renaissance-baroque complex, which was built over the Inca Coricancha temple. It was one of the most important temples dedicated to worshiping the sun, and its foundations are still prominent at the base of the convent. Ancient chronicles say the temple was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Then, visit the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square. Head to the hills above Cusco to visit the remains of the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, whose imposing ramparts offer a stunning panoramic view of Cusco, and the ruins of the temple and amphitheater of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas practiced agricultural rituals. Admire Qenqo and then finally visit Puka Pukara (‘Red fortress’ in Quechua) an Inca military complex located on a prominent hill. Its dwellings, squares, bathrooms, aqueducts, walls, and towers can still be appreciated. Afterwards, return to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Cusco. Breakfast included.

Day 11: Sacred Valley

Cusco - Sacred Valley
During the morning, you are picked up from your hotel in Cusco to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban center located at an elevated point with a beautiful view of the valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve the artisan traditions and the inherited knowledge of the Incas and display them in their clothes and customs. In Chinchero there are also archaeological remains and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then, you are transferred from Ollantaytambo to the Living Museum of Yucay, a center Andean traditions interpretations, where demonstrations of the elaboration of textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are carried out in the same way in which they used to in antiquity; an original recreation of Inca traditions. In addition, residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Upon arriving in Ollantaytambo, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, have a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant and feel the true spirit of the Sacred Valley, transmitted in a cozy atmosphere! Later, climb the iconic fortress, built next to a mountain. At the end of this activity, you are transferred back to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel in Sacred Valley. Breakfast and lunch included.
Note: On Sundays, also visit the local market in Chinchero.

Day 12: Cusco

Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cusco
A transportation service will pick you up and transfer you to the Ollantaytambo station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. Take the train to Aguas Calientes, travel observing the Andean landscapes during a journey of one hour and a half. Our guide will be waiting for you and will accompany you until the departure point of the bus. Afterwards, take a bus for the 25-minute journey up to Machu Picchu, known as the "Lost city of the Incas". It is believed that this archaeological site was built in 1450 by the Inca Pachacutec as his holiday home. However, a century later, the city was abandoned after the Spanish conquest, escaping the destruction that azotó other Incas settlements. Along with the guided tour, you will have the opportunity to learn about the origins of this impressive city and explore its most outstanding monuments.
After completing the tour, you will take the bus to Aguas Calientes, where you will enjoy lunch at your selected restaurant. After lunch, you can explore the charming village and, when you are ready, board the train back. The trip by train will take an hour and a half and it will take you back to Ollantaytambo, where our transportation will accompany you back to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight at the hotel in Cusco. Breakfast and lunch included.
Note: Lunch time could vary depending on the entrance to the citadel.

Day 13:

Cusco
A vehicle will take you to the airport in Cusco to board your departure flight. Breakfast included.