Enjoy the best of Peru with this memorable seven-day tour from Lima to Cusco. Visit beautiful colonial cities, see the legacy of ancient civilizations, and admire some of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet. Meet the descendants of the Incas, the indigenous camelids of the Andes, and go on a pilgrimage to the mountain peaks to visit the magnificent citadel and mountain of Machu Picchu. Join this fantastic tour and catch a glimpse of Peru´s natural beauty, history, and culture.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Lima: The capital’s architectural ensemble has earned its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, with attractions such as the Casa Aliaga, the Cathedral, and the Main Square.
Cusco: Discover the former Inca capital, observe the ruins of the former civilization and the Spanish colonial legacy, and admire attractions such as the baroque Cathedral, the Sacsayhuaman, and Puka Pukara archaeological sites.
Moray: Visit this mysterious Inca archaeological site, composed of concentric circular terraces, each with a different microclimate.
Maras: The salt deposits of this gorge offer a dazzling contrast with other landscapes in the Sacred Valley.
Sacred Valley: Discover the ancient town of Pisac and the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo among other interesting sights.
Machu Picchu: The lost city of the Incas is hidden on top of an Andean peak, offering views not only of the mountains but also of the Inca intriguing past.
Day 1: ARRIVAL LIMA
Arrive at Lima Airport where our representative will be waiting for you to transfer you to the hotel in Lima. Have the rest of the day at leisure to get to know the city. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history and the home of approximately 10 million inhabitants. The city is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes. Take the opportunity to rest and recover after the flight or head out into the city for your first glimpse of life in Peru´s sprawling capital city. Alternatively, you can book our optional Magic Water Circuit with Dinner and Folk Show:
Magic Water Circuit with Dinner and Folk Show (shared basis):
A modern system of fountains certified as the largest in the world by the Guinness World Records. Built-in Exhibition Park, the Magical Water Circuit attracts crowds during summer and winter, being one of the new favorite attractions of Lima. See yourself and enjoy our water cruise that is followed by a unique gastronomical experience at a restaurant, accompanied by a delicious buffet dinner and amusing folk show.
Notes: Shared service. Start time: 18:00 hours. Duration 4 hours. Includes Pick-up and Drop-off, Bilingual guide (Spanish and English), Admission to Magic Water Circuit, and Buffet Dinner with Folkloric show
Overnight in Lima.
Day 2: LIMA
Start your day with a tasty breakfast at the hotel. Then, explore Lima’s old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with fascinating historic buildings. Begin with a scenic tour in the colonial core and appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire. Stroll over to the impressive Cathedral, and visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains, Jerónimo de Aliaga. This is the only house from that time still belonging to the same family. Continue to the Larco Museum, located in the traditional Pueblo Libre district and housed in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built over a seventh-century pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum boasts the most complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts, as well as pieces of erotic art. Rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Overnight in Lima.
Day 3: LIMA – CUSCO (90 min by flight; not included)
After a tasty breakfast, enjoy a comfortable transfer from your hotel to Lima Airport to catch a flight to Cusco. Domestic flight from Lima to Cusco must arrive not later than 10:30hrs. Noon arrivals are too late. A representative will meet and greet you, and then transfer you to the selected hotel in Cusco. 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 worshipping of 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 amphitheatre of Qenqo, where it is believed the Incas practised 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. Your flight to Cusco is not included.
Overnight in Cusco.
Day 4: CUSCO – MORAY – MARAS – SACRED VALLEY (75 km – 2 hrs)
Depart after breakfast at the hotel, heading along the Sacred Valley towards the archaeological site of Moray, approximately an hour and a half away. As with many Inca ruins, its exact function remains a mystery though the design of ever-wider concentric circular terraces means each level had a different microclimate. Continue to Maras, where the salt ponds create a dazzling scene. The thousands of small ponds give work to and help feed many local families. During Inca times, the salt deposits were an important economic center and of great value to the imperial economy. After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Sacred Valley.
Overnight in Sacred Valley.
Day 5: SACRED VALLEY – CHINCHERO – OLLANTAYTAMBO – SACRED VALLEY (115 km – 2.5 hrs)
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and taken to visit the town of Chinchero, a traditional Cusco urban centre with a beautiful view of the valley. Here the artisan traditions and inherited knowledge of the Incas are preserved in the local clothes and customs. Chinchero also has archaeological remains and a beautiful 17th-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. Then go discover the Living Museum of Yucay, an Andean traditions centre where textile work, adobe, pottery and silverware are all manufactured as they were in antiquity. Residents of the museum include llamas, sheep and alpacas, and they can be fed! Later, have lunch in Ollantaytambo and live a superior Andean gastronomy experience in a restaurant that conveys the true spirit of the Sacred Valley in a cosy atmosphere. Then visit the town of Ollantaytambo, uninterruptedly inhabited since the time of the Incas, and climb to the iconic fortress built next to a mountain. After the tour, transfer to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.
Overnight in Sacred Valley.
Day 6: SACRED VALLEY – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO (200 km – 4 hrs)
Enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel. You’ll be transferred to the Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes. Here you will board a coach for a 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu. The ‘Lost City of the Incas’ is believed to have been built in the 1450s by Inca emperor Pachacuti as a holiday retreat, yet within a century the city would be abandoned following the Spanish conquest. The Spaniards never found it, so it was spared the destruction they wrought on other Inca sites. Instead, it was slowly swallowed up by the jungle and hidden from harm. A guided tour explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel, presenting its most prominent landmarks such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, and the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial, and the Burial Grounds. Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch at the famous Café Inkaterra, a beautiful thatched-roof restaurant hemmed in between the railway and a mountain. In the afternoon, transfer to the Aguas Calientes station to take the train back to the Ollanta station, from where you will be taken to your hotel in Cusco.
Overnight in Cusco.
Day 7: DEPART CUSCO
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Cusco airport to catch your return flight to Lima.
Comfortable and light clothing is recommended for visiting the coastal areas of Peru, while for the high Andean area the use of warm clothing is recommended. It is not recommended that visitors wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or short clothes when visiting religious temples or official buildings. Sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
