Experience Peru as a local with this program - an approach to the most intimate and essential side of the country. Discover its music, its food, its art and its customs with incredible tours in Lima and Cusco. Be part of the community of Huilloc, where you will see first hand the lifestyle of the people of the Andes, and marvel at our historical heritage visiting the Inca jewel: Machu Picchu.
Lima: Named as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, the Peruvian capital is a sign of history and modernity. Its historic center maintains the colonial architectural ensembles that coexist closely with the Pacific Ocean and its natural Bohemian essence.
Cusco: The ancient Inca capital is a unique blend of pre-Columbian past with Spanish architecture. Its temples, squares and streets are surrounded by hills that hide amazing places like Sacsayhuamán and Qenqo, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay.
Machu Picchu: The "lost city of the Incas" is the reason why thousands of people arrive in Peru. Hidden among the vegetation, get closer to our past through its rooms, temples, bridges and religious sites, built in communion with the landscape that surrounds them.
A transportation service will pick you up from the airport at the scheduled time to transfer you to your hotel in Lima. The Peruvian capital is a modern metropolis full of history, currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic changes.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Lima.
The Urban Tour is the perfect combination between the discovery of interesting cultural sites and the tranquility of riding a bicycle. We will start heading to ´Huaca Pucllana´, an archaeological pre-Inca site, then we will pass through the Basilica of San Isidro and beautiful parks. Take advantage of the splendid view along the Miraflores seafront, and continue to the Surquillo market, where you will have the opportunity to try several exotic fruits. Finally, have a delicious coffee in a restaurant with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean before the tour ends.
Enjoy a guided tour of Lima’s old town; a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site packed with fascinating historical buildings. Start with the Larco Museum, located in the traditional Pueblo Libre district, which is housed in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid. Then visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to Jeronimo de Aliaga, one of his captains. Continue to a scenic tour in the colonial downtown, which originates and spreads out from the Main Square. Here you can appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire and be amazed by Lima´s Cathedral. After the tour, you’ll be transferred back to the hotel.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Lima. Lunch and dinner included.
Go on a comfortable ride from your hotel to the airport of Lima to take a flight to Arequipa. At arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. Enjoy a comfortable transfer while a guide will inform you about the attractions and services the city offers and will assist you with the check-in at your hotel. Then, it’s time to get to know the city. Start your journey in the main square, called 'Plaza de Armas'. Admire its elegant neo-Renaissance basilica cathedral and the sensational Monastery of Santa Catalina, which for centuries was a 'forbidden city' in the heart of Arequipa, closed to prying eyes and the influence of the outside world. The convent was founded in the 16th century, and it was an almost self-sufficient town, made up of houses for nuns and their servants, cloisters, squares and narrow streets, kitchens and refectories, among others. Continue until you reach the Church of the Company, perhaps the greatest masterpiece of Peruvian baroque, where you can analyze its fascinating facade. The sacristy is exceptionally beautiful, thanks to its dome and walls covered with murals that show tropical flora and fauna. Finally, head to the neighborhoods of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Misti volcano, which rises above the city. In the end, you will be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Arequipa. Breakfast included.
After finishing your breakfast at the hotel, it is time to say goodbye to Arequipa and head to the Colca Valley. The route will take you through the Yura district, an area characterized by impressive geographical features, ranging from deep ravines to high mountains, waterfalls and lush vegetation. The route continues to the Pampa Cañahuas. This extensive Andean plateau is home to the vicuña, an indigenous Andean camelid that is closely related to the alpaca, guanaco, and llama. Cross the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra and skirt the crater of the now-extinct Chucura Volcano to reach the Mirador de los Andes at Patapampa, 4,910 meters above sea level. This viewpoint offers impressive views of the numerous volcanoes surrounding Arequipa. Enjoy lunch in the picturesque town of Chivay before being transferred to your selected hotel in the Colca Valley for a free afternoon.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Colca Valley. Breakfast and lunch included.
After breakfast at the hotel, prepare for a day of high drama with a trip to the breathtaking Condor Cross lookout. Take a deep breath and appreciate the sheer vastness of the Colca Valley, which is one of the world's deepest canyons with a maximum depth of more than 4,160 meters – twice that of the Grand Canyon. Descend to the valley floor to discover some of the rustic towns on the banks of the River Colca such as Chivay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, where quaint colonial churches are as much as part of the scenery as the peaks of the Andes. The route cuts through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve and takes in the stunning stone forests of Patahuasi. There are several viewpoints, remote cafés that offer visitors coca tea and artisans selling traditional textiles and handicrafts along the route. On arrival in Puno, you will be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Puno. Breakfast and lunch included.
After breakfast at the hotel, travel to the port of Puno where a boat will be waiting to take you to the beautiful Uros Islands. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of human-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are regularly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. The Uros people also use reeds to construct their homes, so cooking is done outdoors to avoid possible fires! After visiting this fascinating island, sail to Taquile, a small slice of heaven that once belonged to the Inca Empire. Look around and notice traces of its Incan past in the ruins that still exist around the island. After a brief introduction, the local community will give you an insight into their customs and traditions with a cultural demonstration. Lunch is enjoyed on the island before the return trip to Puno.
Overnight at the selected hotel in Puno. Breakfast and lunch included.
