Tour Overview
The Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, which would be stunning anywhere, are truly spectacular in their Andean setting, high above the Urubamba River. And Cuzco, once the center of the Inca Empire and now a vibrant gateway to Inca ruins, is even higher in the Andes. Peru is where pre-Columbian culture reached its most graceful peak. Like the Parthenon in Greece or the Pyramids of Egypt, the Inca and pre-Inca ruins of Peru provide an unforgettable glimpse of the genius of a lost world.Day by Day Itinerary
Day 01: Lima, PeruOn arrival at Lima International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for overnight. The city of Lima is a city of rare fascination and unexpected pleasures. Lima has decaying colonial splendor and the teeming vitality of an oriental bazaar; melancholy cloudy winters and warm breezy summers; impoverished urban sprawl and quiet elegant corners among ancient buildings where the night air is scented with jasmine.
Miraflores Park Hotel Day 02: Lima - Cusco - Sacred Valley
This morning you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco. You are met outside baggage claim by your local guide for private transfer to the “The Sacred Valley of the Incas." The morning is left free to relax and acclimatize, as you are now at an altitude of 8500 feet. We recommend minimal activity and the local remedy of coca tea (which is in plentiful supply) for those who are susceptible. This afternoon visit the local village of Pisac, known for its colorful ponchos, wall hangings and jewelry.
Sol & Luna Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Day 03: Sacred Valley
Full-day private tour of the Sacred Valley. This morning, enjoy a visit to Chincheros, a town of Inca origins, and its colorful, well-attended fair, that draws country folk once a week from all corners and heights of the valley to exchange their products. You will have time to browse before lunch at Huayoccari Hacienda. After lunch, continue on to the massive fortress of Ollantaytambo. The fortress, a formidable stone structure that climbs massive terraces reaching the top of a high peak, was the valley’s main defence against the Antis and was the site of the Incas’ greatest victory against the Spanish during the wars of conquest. Constructed of rose-colored granite, this huge installation was once a thriving complex of baths, temples and military barracks. Below the fortress lies a complete Incan town, also called Ollantaytambo, still inhabited and with its original architecture and layout preserved.
Sol & Luna Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Day 04: Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu
Private transfer to Ollanta station where you will board the Vistadome train bound for Machu Picchu. During the journey, delicious snacks, hot and cold refreshments are included. Renovated carriages have panoramic windows offering enhanced scenic views and photo opportunities. A late morning arrival gives you time to begin your explorations of this breathtaking Incan citadel. Accompanied by your guide, explore the city's ruins, and feel its pulse as you visualize the lives of the priests, craftsmen, and servants who inhabited this seemingly uninhabitable citadel. Excavations at the site have revealed skeletons, artifacts and woolen clothing, but no gold. The same precision of assembled stones exists here as in other Incan sites. Overlooking the raging Urubamba River and discovered in a hidden tangle of vines and trees atop the mountain, the city of Machu Picchu will forever hold its secret of its destruction - the Incas left no written record.
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Day 05: Machu Picchu - Cusco
Today you can return to the ruins for a last visit on your own. It is said that Machu Picchu is a place of great spirituality, and the ultimate spiritual moment of the day happens at sunrise. This morning therefore there is an option to rise early and view the world’s most spectacularly situated ruins at sunrise. Board shuttle bus down to the Machu Picchu Village, where you’ll have a short walk to the train station. Here, board the Vistadome train for return to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco a representative will be waiting for you to transfer to your hotel in Cusco. Check-in and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Hotel Monasterio (Breakfast) Day 06: Cusco
Half-day private Cusco city tour. Sights include the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas; and the Santo Domingo Temple or Koricancha; a Dominican Church and convent built on the foundations of the Koricancha or ‘place of gold’, the Incas principal religious building, dedicated to the worhsip of the sun. After seeing the sights of the ancient city, your visit will take you to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a true testimonial to Incan architectural skills. Compiled of massive stones (one weighs 125 tons!) you are challenged to try to slip a piece of paper through the cracks inbetween these blocks, cut and fitted together with incredible precision without a single drop of mortar to hold them in place. This ancient fortress (where the greatest battle between the Spanish and Incas took place) overlooks the red-tiled roofs of Cusco and the breathtaking countryside surrounding the city. Also visit Qenqo (“The Labyrinth”), an Incan shrine dedicated to Pachamama (‘Mother Earth’); the small fortress of Puka Pukara; and Tambomachay, a sacred bathing place. Return to your hotel where you will have the balance of your day at leisure in Cusco.
Hotel Monasterio (Breakfast) Day 07: Cusco - Lima - Depart
Transfer to the airport to board scheduled return flight to Lima. On arrival in Lima you will be met and assist to connect with your international departure flight.
(Breakfast)
