Magical Peru - 8 Days

Itinerary

Includes international flights from a choice of UK airports, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

• Day 1: Arrival in Lima Arrival Day

  

  Welcome to Lima. Upon arrival you will be assisted at the Lima airport and then transferred to your hotel.

  Accommodation at selected hotel in Lima.

  Meals included: None.

• Day 2: Lima City Tour

  

  Today we will learn about the two characters of Lima: the modern one, reflected in the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro; and the historic one, encapsulated in its historic center declared a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Along the tour through different districts of the city, we will see how the old and the modern coexist in buildings such as the Museum of Italian Art, Palace of Justice, Museum of Lima, Plaza San Martín, among others. We will discover the center of Lima on foot, having the Main Square as the focal point: a beautiful colonial square worthy of photography, surrounded by emblematic buildings such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral and the Archbishop|s Palace. We will have the opportunity to enter one of the most iconic ecclesiastical spaces in Lima, the Convent of Santo Domingo, also declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity and where the relics of three Peruvian saints are found: Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martín de Porres and San Juan Macías. The tour would not be complete without a visit to the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum, one of the most important in the country, exhibiting a valuable collection of almost 45,000 pieces of pre-Hispanic cultures, especially the Mochicas. This museum stands out for being one of the first in the world to have visitable storerooms and to provide virtual access to its entire collection. We will marvel at the quality of its pieces of jewelry, textiles and its enigmatic "erotic room", dedicated to ceramics alluding to fertility.

  Accommodation: Jose Antonio Lima (Standard Room)

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  Accommodation: Jose Antonio Lima or similarMeals: BreakfastActivities: Lima City Tour: Historical Center, Santo Domingo Convent and Larco Museum (Half-day tour) Approximate duration: 5 hours.

• Day 3: Lima - Cusco - Sacred Valley

  

  We will transfer from our hotel to the airport and board our flight to Cusco - domestic flights are not included.

  Welcome to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be assisted at Cusco Airport and then transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

  EXPERT TIP: "We recommend a light and easily digestible diet on the first day to facilitate acclimatization to the altitude. Avoiding the consumption of meats, fried foods, or heavy meals can help prevent altitude sickness. Additionally, we'd like to remind you that you can enjoy hot infusions 24/7 at the hotel reception. Feel free to take advantage of this complimentary option for your convenience."

  You'll have the rest of the day to rest and acclimate.

  Accommodation: San Agustín La Recoleta (Standard Room)

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 4: Sacred Valley

  

  In the Sacred Valley we will find ancient history and living culture. We will visit Chinchero, a place where many communities are still organized under the Inca system of ayllus and proudly wear their typical costumes. We will take the opportunity to visit the Parwa cultural center. Here we will learn about the textile processes, the products from which the vibrant natural dyes are obtained, and the traditional weaving techniques used to manufacture them. In addition, we will be able to see the work of the artisans live and, if we want to take a souvenir with us, purchase some of their pieces. In a short walk we will pass in front of the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat and reach the archaeological complex, which during the Tahuantinsuyo was an agricultural and livestock center, with terraces and aqueducts. We will also arrive at the archaeological site of Moray, which during the Tahuantinsuyo functioned as an agricultural research center, something like a laboratory. Its enormous concentric terraces and the variety of microclimates they created allowed the growth of a wide variety of crops. In the valley we will also enjoy a typical lunch and visit Ollantaytambo, an ancient military, religious and agricultural center of the Incas. Strategically located on a mountain, it offers an unbeatable view of the town, the only one that maintains the original Inca urban design and which we can also visit to see its stone streets, its market and breathe the spirit of the Andes.

  Accommodation: San Agustín La Recoleta (Standard Room)

  Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

  Meals: Breakfast, LunchActivities: Essence of the Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Textile Session, Moray and Ollantaytambo Approximate duration: 10 hours.

• Day 5: Machu Picchu

  

  EXPERT TIP: We remind you that, due to train policies, each person is limited to carrying a single piece of luggage with a maximum weight of 5 kg in a small backpack during their stay at Machu Picchu. Therefore, we recommend bringing only the essentials. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and mosquito repellent can be very useful for your comfort during this excursion.

  One of the most important tourist landmarks in the world awaits us: Machu Picchu! Our adventure will begin aboard the train to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, a picturesque town at the foot of the emblematic Inca citadel. During the train ride we can enjoy the natural beauty of the surroundings, with impressive views of majestic mountains, the Vilcanota river and small towns of the Peruvian Andes; a visual feast that fills us with anticipation for the visit to the wonder that is Machu Picchu. After a short bus ride from Aguas Calientes we will find ourselves in front of one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World – an unforgettable sight! From there, we will explore the ancient ruins, learning all about the history and mysteries that this mystical and impressive place holds. Surrounded by incomparable landscapes, there will be no shortage of spectacular photo opportunities! Once we have recharged ourselves with the magical energy of Machu Picchu, we will return to Aguas Calientes where we will have free time to have lunch and explore the streets of this charming town.

  Accommodation: El Mapi by Inkaterra (Superior Deluxe Room)

  Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

  Accommodation: El MaPi hotel by Inkaterra or similarMeals: Breakfast, LunchActivities: Machu Picchu Tour with Voyager or Expedition Train round-trip (Full-day tour) Approximate duration: 17 hours

• Day 6: Machu Picchu - Cusco

  

  We will have the morning free and we will be able to visit Machu Picchu for the second time, this time to walk on our own, relax in the place or take impressive photos. Afterwards, we will descend again to the town of Aguas Calientes. In the afternoon, we will board the train that will take us back to Cusco through the corresponding station.

  Upon arrival, we will be transferred to our hotel.

  Accommodation: San Agustín Dorado (Standard Room)

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  Accommodation: San Agustín Dorado or similarMeals: Breakfast

• Day 7: Cusco City Tour

  

  Cusco City Tour: San Pedro market, Korikancha Temple, Cathedral, Sacsayhuamán, Kenko Approximate duration: 5 hours.

  This charming half-day tour of Cusco offers us history, living culture and art. We will be able to appreciate how the Andean and Spanish cultures, as well as the past and the present, coexist in harmony in the Imperial City. We will arrive at the center to walk the halls of the San Pedro market, the oldest in the city. Designed in 1925 by Gustave Eiffel, today it brings together hundreds of merchants selling local products. We will also visit the Koricancha temple, which during the Inca empire was a center of worship of the Sun and on which the Santo Domingo convent was later built as part of the evangelization process. Its baroque style façade built on solid Inca walls perfectly summarizes the syncretism of cultures in the city of Cusco. To appreciate the greatness of the Incas, we will ascend to the monumental fortress of Sacsayhuaman, which with its enormous carved stone walls constitutes one of the best examples of Inca military architecture. We will tour the archaeological center of Kenko, a ceremonial place where the sun, the moon and the stars were worshiped. We couldn|t take a tour of the city without visiting the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city. It was built by the Spanish on top of the palace of the Inca Huiracoha. Its interior houses a wonderful collection of colonial art composed of goldsmith pieces and representative canvases of the Cusco School of Art.

  Accommodation at selected hotel in Cusco.

  Meals included: Breakfast.

• Day 8: Departure

  

  You will be transferred to the airport to board your international flight.

  Meals included: Breakfast.

  Meals: Breakfast