Peru Living Journey

Arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, where a representative will meet you and arrange your transfer to the hotel at the scheduled time. Spend the remainder of the day at your leisure in Lima, Perus capital, rich in history and culture. The citys Historic Centre, known as the Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of Kings), was the heart of Spanish colonial power and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Lima is a vibrant metropolis undergoing dynamic cultural and economic change. You may choose to rest after your flight or explore the city at your own pace. Alternatively, you can opt for the Magic Water Circuit with Dinner a private evening tour starting at 17:30, featuring the worlds largest fountain complex, followed by a dinner at a local restaurant. This experience includes pick-up and drop-off, a bilingual guide, and admission to the fountain park. Please note this option is not available on Sundays or Mondays and lasts approximately four hours. Overnight in Lima.

After breakfast at the hotel, we explore Limas historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in colonial architecture. Our first stop is the Larco Museum in the traditional Pueblo Libre district, housed in a restored viceregal mansion built atop a pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum holds the worlds most comprehensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold and silver artefacts, including notable examples of erotic art. Next, we visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro to Jernimo de Aliaga, one of his captains. Remarkably, this house has remained in the same family ever since. We then take a scenic tour through the colonial downtown, centred around the Main Square, where you can admire the grand architecture of the Spanish Empire and visit Limas Cathedral, a 16th-century building that took over 80 years to complete. After the tour, we return to the hotel for some rest, leaving the afternoon free for you to explore at your leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer you to Lima airport for your flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival, a vehicle will take you to your hotel, where a representative will provide information about the citys attractions and services. We then begin a tour of Arequipa, starting at the Main Square, renowned as one of Perus most beautiful plazas. Facing the square is the impressive 17th-century Cathedral. From there, we visit the Monastery of Santa Catalina, a religious complex founded in 1579 that remains active today. The tour concludes with visits to the districts of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Afterwards, we transfer you back to the hotel for your overnight stay in Arequipa.

After breakfast, we leave Arequipa and travel through the rugged landscape of Yura, known for its hills and cliffs. Next, we enter the Pampa Caahuas Reserve, a vast grassland where you may spot vicuas, an emblematic Andean camelid. Our journey continues through Vizcachani and Pampas de Toccra, leading us to the crater of the Chucura volcano. From there, we reach the Mirador de Los Andes at Patapampa, a breathtaking viewpoint at 4,800 metres above sea level, offering impressive vistas of the volcanoes surrounding Arequipa. Lunch is served in the town of Chivay, after which you have the afternoon at leisure to rest at your hotel in Colca.

After breakfast, we visit Condors Cross, where you can admire the breathtaking Colca Valleyone of the worlds deepest canyonsand watch the majestic condors soaring just metres away. Returning to Chivay, we explore the nearby towns of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, pausing at the Antahuilque and Choquetico viewpoints for more memorable photos. Later, we continue to Puno, taking a scenic detour through Patahuasi. Along the way, youll see remarkable stone forests and vibrant blue lagoons inhabited by cranes, all set at an altitude of around 4,000 metres. Upon arrival in Puno, you can relax and unwind at your hotel after this remarkable journey.

After breakfast, we transfer you to the port of Puno, where a boat awaits to take you to the remarkable Uros Islands. These unique islands are home to the Uros people, an indigenous community living on floating islands constructed entirely from totora reeds that grow in the shallows of Lake Titicaca. The islands are carefully maintained by layering fresh reeds on top as the lower layers rot, and the reed is also used to build their homes, with cooking done outdoors to prevent fire hazards. After spending around an hour and a half exploring this fascinating community, we sail onwards to Taquile Island. Once part of the Inca Empire, Taquiles residents speak Quechua and maintain many traditional customs. You will be introduced to the local community and enjoy a cultural demonstration that offers insight into their way of life. Lunch is served on the island before we return to Puno for your overnight stay.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the bus station, where a representative will assist you with boarding your coach to Cusco. En route, we will make several notable stops. First, visit the town of Pucara and its Lithic Museum, showcasing the earliest urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, dating from 100 to 300 A.D. Next, pause briefly at La Raya, the highest point on the journey at 4,313 metres above sea level. We then stop in Sicuani for lunch before continuing to Racchi, home to the impressive Wiracocha Templean Inca site dedicated to a major Andean deity, notable for its thatched roofs rising 20 metres above ground, among the tallest in the Inca Empire. Our final stop is Andahuaylillas, a town about 40 kilometres from Cusco, where you will visit the local church, often called the Sistine Chapel of America due to its remarkable artwork. Built in the 16th century atop Wari ruins, it offers a unique glimpse into colonial religious art. After this, we complete the last 40-kilometre drive to Cusco, where you will settle in for the night.

After breakfast, we visit the high-altitude town of Chinchero, known for its stunning valley views and vibrant local traditions. Here, you will see traditional clothing, customs, and handicrafts, as well as explore archaeological remains and a seventeenth-century churchone of Perus earliest Catholic buildings. Next, we transfer to the Yucay Museum of Living Culture, where you can observe artisans crafting textiles, adobe pottery, and silverware using techniques dating back to the Incas. The museum also offers the chance to feed llamas, sheep, and alpacas, providing a genuine connection to Andean heritage. We then enjoy a lunch of local cuisine in a cosy restaurant in Ollantaytambo. After lunch, explore the streets of this continuously inhabited Inca town and climb the iconic fortress built into the mountainside. At the end of the day, we drive to your hotel in the Sacred Valley to rest, enriched by the spirit of the Incas. On Sundays, you may also visit the local market in Chinchero.

After breakfast, we transfer you to Ollanta station to begin your journey to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a scenic train ride of approximately two hours to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, the gateway to Perus most iconic archaeological site. In Aguas Calientes, youll find a craft market, restaurants, and a range of accommodation options for those who wish to stay overnight at the foot of the mountain and start early the next day. From here, we take a short bus ride up to Machu Picchu, the remarkable Inca sanctuary and refuge of the ruler Pachactec. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World offers a unique glimpse into Incan architecture and engineering. After exploring the site, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the train back to Cusco. Overnight in Cusco.

After breakfast at the hotel, we begin a guided tour of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. The visit starts at the Santo Domingo Convent, built atop Coricanchaan important Incan temple dedicated to sun worship, once adorned with gold-covered walls depicting scenes of nature. Next, we explore the impressive cathedral located in the Plaza de Armas. From there, we head to the surrounding hills to visit the fortress of Sacsayhuamn, offering panoramic views over the city. The tour continues to Qenqo, an archaeological site believed to have been used for religious rituals aimed at improving harvests. Finally, we visit Puka Pukara, or red fortress in Quechua, an ancient military complex featuring rooms, courtyards, baths, aqueducts and towers. After the tour, we transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco to relax.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer you to Cusco airport for your onward flight. Although today marks the end of your journey, we trust the rich culture and history you have experienced throughout this remarkable region will remain with you for years to come.