Peru & Machu Picchu

 

Arrive into Peru where you’ll be greeted by one of our friendly representatives and transferred to your Lima hotel for the night. After checking in, you’ll be briefed on the unforgettable Peru adventure that awaits and given a handy “travel kit” including all your travel documents, tickets, hotel information and itineraries.

 

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to the Lima Airport for your 90-minute flight over the snow-capped Andes to the charming city of Cusco. You’ll travel from Cusco to the colorful market town of Pisac where you can shop for tradi-tional Peruvian handicrafts and souvenirs, with the main square igniting each Sunday when traders come from across the region to sell their wares. Then continue to the town of Urubamba where we’ll stop for lunch and a lively Peruvian Paso horse show. 

 

It’s then on to the city of Ollantaytambo, which is unique in its Inca urban planning and immense stone structures. Wander amidst the temples, storehouses and agricul-tural terraces that exhibit ancient Incan craftsmanship before continuing on to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. 

 

Wake early for your train journey from Ollantaytambo to KM 104 where you will begin a four-hour trek to the archaeological sites of Chachabamba (2150m/7052ft) and Wiñaywayna (2650m/8692f) whose magnificent Inca terraces cascade down the hillside. Then continue on to Inti Punku or “Gateway of the Sun” where you can soak up the views of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary before a shuttle bus transports you to the town of Aguas Calientes where you’ll spend the night.

 

From Ollantaytambo, you’ll board a train to the town of Aguas Calientes, which nes-tles at the base of Machu Picchu, then jump aboard a bus for the 20-minute journey to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Machu Picchu was uncovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and boasts a breathtaking setting between two soaring mountains - Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. You’ll be led on a guided tour to discover its ancient ruins and learn about the unique Incan craftsmanship, with plenty of time to explore at your leisure. 

 

Then board the bus that will take you back down to Aguas Calientes where you can reflect on the day in the comfort of your hotel. 

 

 

If you spent the previous day trekking, now is your opportunity to explore the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, with a 20-minute shuttle ride transporting you from Aguas Calientes to this spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to a guided tour of its ancient ruins, your entrance includes access to the mountain of Huayna Picchu, which offers magnificent views of Machu Picchu.  

 

Enjoy a buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge before boarding your first class train car-riage for the journey to Poroy and a private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

 

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll embark on a tour through the historic streets of Cusco where Spanish colonial monuments have been built atop ancient Inca founda-tions. Wander through the Main Square that was known during Inca times as Huacaypata (“Warrior’s Square”) and visit the magnificent Cusco Cathedral that is noted for its choir cloisters, pulpit and beautifully engraved altar. Then explore the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo that was built on the site of the Koricancha temple that was reportedly plated with sheets of gold and where ancient Incas used to worship the sun. 

 

Head to the outskirts of the city center to the spectacular ruins of Sacsayhuamán, which was originally built by the Killke culture around 1,100 AD. It was later ex-panded and added to by the Inca, with immense dry stone walls constructed without the use of mortar. After lunch at one of Cusco’s best restaurants, you’ll be transferred to the Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima.

 

 

Spend the day at your leisure in Lima (or we can organize an optional guided tour for you), returning to the Lima Airport in time for your international flight or onward travel in South America.