South Peru Wonders Exploration
New
This 13-day adventure begins in Lima and finishes in the same vibrant city, offering a fantastic blend of culture, history and stunning landscapes. Youll explore the colonial charm of Lima before heading to the coastal beauty of Paracas and the wildlife-rich Ballestas Islands. Fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines, then journey to Arequipa to wander its historic streets and impressive monastery. Discover the breathtaking Colca Canyon and its soaring condors, followed by a boat trip to the unique Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca. The tour continues through Cusco and the Sacred Valley, culminating in a visit to the iconic Machu Picchu.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more.
Tour Overview
Duration
13 daysHotel Rating
3-5 star hotelsStarts
LimaEnds
CuscoMinimum age
No minimum ageMaximum age
100Arrival Transfer
YesDeparture Transfer
YesTour Guide
Yes - English speaking guide.Country
PeruMeals included
None ProvidedPassengers
$6,615.00
$1,539.00
Tour Style
Group Size
Min 1 / Max 15
Trip Type
Private Tours
Range
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Tour Guide
Yes - English speaking guide.Group Size
Min 1 / Max 15Tranportation
N/ALanguage
EnglishLanguage
EnglishRange
On this tour, you won't be joined by other travellers, and will just be travelling with your booking party. Some transportation & sightseeing may be shared, check the Inclusions for more information.
Guiding Style
This tour includes scheduled sightseeing with expert guides in key destinations as per the Inclusions, as well as transportation (either with a driver or public transport), plus of course your accommodation. There is no single tour guide or tour leader throughout the trip. You’ll have support where it counts, and more freedom in between. Our cruise tours also fall into this category where you will be looked after by a crew. For more information, check the Inclusions of this tour.
Tour Pace
A balanced pace, with a mix of free time and visits to multiple locations, allowing for both relaxation and exploration. Generally doesn't visit more than one or two destinations per day.
Physical Rating
A moderate amount of walking is required during sightseeing, with some free time, offering a balance between activity and relaxation. As a general rule, you should be able to walk 2-kilometres without stopping.
Trip Type
Private ToursTour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Day 1 - Lima
Upon arrival at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, a representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel at the arranged time. The remainder of the day is yours to relax and acclimatise in Perus capital, a city rich in history and culture. Limas Historic Centre, once known as the City of Kings, served as the political and religious heart of Spanish colonial Peru and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, Lima is a vibrant metropolis undergoing dynamic cultural and economic growth. You may choose to rest after your flight or explore the city at your own pace. Alternatively, you can opt for an evening excursion to the Magic Water Circuit, a spectacular display of fountains recognised by the Guinness World Records as the largest of its kind. This private tour includes pick-up and drop-off, a bilingual guide, admission to the park, and dinner at a local restaurant. Please note this option is not available on Sundays or Mondays and lasts approximately four hours, starting at 17:30. Overnight in Lima.
Day 2 - Paracas
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer you to Limas bus station to begin the journey to Paracas. The trip takes approximately three and a half hours, offering scenic views of Perus diverse landscape and the Pacific coastline. Paracas enjoys a mild desert climate, making it an excellent destination year-round for those interested in nature and ancient history. Upon arrival, we will take you to your hotel to settle in and prepare for the days ahead. Overnight in Paracas.
Day 3 - Paracas - Nazca
After breakfast at the hotel, we transfer you to El Chaco pier for a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands, a group of rocky islets just off Perus western coast. These islands are home to a variety of wildlife, including sea lions, pelicans, boobies, Humboldt penguins, and numerous bird species. As we cruise close to the cliffs, youll see large colonies of sea lions resting on the rocks and may spot dolphins swimming nearby. We also pass the Paracas Candelabra, a large geoglyph dating back to around 200 BC, whose origins remain a mystery. After the boat tour, you will be taken to the bus station for the four-hour journey to Nazca. Upon arrival, a transfer will take you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 4 - Nasca - Arequipa
After breakfast, take a 30-minute flight over the Peruvian desert to view the enigmatic Nasca Lines. These ancient geoglyphs, etched into the sand, form a series of geometric shapes and figures such as a spider, condor, and monkey, visible only from the air. Upon landing, you will be transferred to the bus station for a 10-hour journey to Arequipa. On arrival, settle into your hotel and enjoy a well-earned rest after the days travel.
Day 5 - Arequipa
After breakfast at the hotel, spend the day exploring Arequipa. Begin your tour in the Plaza de Armas, home to the elegant neo-Renaissance Basilica Cathedral. Then visit the remarkable Santa Catalina Monastery, founded in the 16th century as a self-contained community for nuns. The monasterys colourful streets and cloisters offer a vivid glimpse into colonial Peru, reflecting its historical wealth and seclusion. To conclude the day, visit the neighbourhoods of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, where you can enjoy stunning views of the Misti volcano towering above the city. Overnight in Arequipa.
Day 6 - Arequipa - Colca
After breakfast, we leave Arequipa and travel to the Colca Valley. The journey takes us through the Yura district, an area marked by striking landscapes including deep ravines, high mountains, waterfalls and lush vegetation. We continue across the Pampa Caahuas, an extensive Andean plateau home to the vicua, a native camelid related to the alpaca and llama. Along the way, we cross the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra and skirt the crater of the extinct Chucura Volcano before reaching the Mirador de los Andes at Patapampa, situated at 4,910 metres above sea level. From this viewpoint, you can admire impressive views of the surrounding volcanoes near Arequipa. We then enjoy lunch in the charming town of Chivay before transferring to your chosen hotel in the Colca Valley, where you have the afternoon at leisure.
Day 7 - Puno
After breakfast, we set out early to the Cruz del Condor viewpoint in the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world at around 3,400 metrestwice the depth of the Grand Canyon. Here, you may see the magnificent Andean condors soaring on the rising thermals. We then descend into the valley to visit traditional towns along the Colca River, including Chivay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, each home to beautiful colonial churches framed by the towering Andes. Along the way, we stop at the Antahuilque and Choquetico viewpoints for sweeping views of the valley. Later, we continue towards Puno, making a detour through Patahuasi to admire remarkable stone forests and vivid blue lagoons inhabited by cranes at 4,000 metres above sea level. Upon arrival in Puno, you will have time to rest and settle into your hotel.
Day 8 - Puno
After breakfast, we transfer to the port of Puno to board a boat for a visit to the remarkable Uros Islands. These islands are unique, entirely constructed from totora reeds that grow in the shallow waters of Lake Titicaca. The Uros people maintain their homes and islands by continually layering fresh reeds as the lower layers decay. Cooking is done outdoors to prevent fires within their reed houses. Following this fascinating visit, we sail to Taquile Island, once part of the Inca Empire. Here, you will see remnants of its Incan heritage and enjoy a cultural demonstration by the local community, offering insight into their traditions. Lunch is served on the island before we return to Puno for the evening.
Day 9 - Puno - Cusco
After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer you to the bus station to begin your journey to Cusco. The first stop is Pucara, the earliest urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, dating from between 100 and 300 A.D. Here, we visit the Pucara Lithic Museum to see monoliths from this pre-Inca site. Next, we continue to Racchi to explore the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca construction dedicated to a significant Andean deity, notable for its thatched roofs rising 20 metres above groundthe tallest known in the Inca Empire. Our final stop before Cusco is Andahuaylillas, a town about 40 kilometres away, where you will visit the local church often called the Sistine Chapel of America due to its remarkable artwork. Upon arrival in Cusco, a transfer service will meet you at the bus station and take you to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 10 - Cusco
After breakfast, spend the morning wandering the charming cobbled streets of Cusco at your own pace. In the afternoon, join a guided tour of the citys key Inca and colonial sites. Begin at the Santo Domingo Convent, built atop Coricanchathe Inca Temple of the Sunonce adorned with gold leaf and intricate nature motifs. Next, visit the grand cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, a fine example of colonial architecture. Then, head to the surrounding hills to explore the impressive fortress of Sacsayhuaman, offering sweeping views over Cusco. Continue to Qenqo, an archaeological site believed to have been used for religious ceremonies linked to agriculture. Finally, visit Puka Pukara, or Red Fortress, an ancient military complex featuring rooms, courtyards, baths, aqueducts and towers. After the tour, we will transfer you back to your hotel for an evening at leisure.
Day 11 - Cusco - Chinchero - Ollantaytambo - Sacred Valley
After breakfast, we travel to the high-altitude town of Chinchero, known for its stunning valley views and vibrant local traditions. Here, we visit archaeological remains and a 17th-century church, one of Perus earliest Catholic buildings. If its Sunday, you may explore the lively local market. Next, we head to the Yucay Museum of Living Culture, where youll see traditional textiles, pottery, and silverware crafted using techniques dating back to the Incas. This centre also offers the chance to feed llamas, sheep, and alpacas, providing a hands-on insight into Andean life. We then continue to Ollantaytambo, a town continuously inhabited since Inca times. Explore its charming streets and ascend the impressive fortress built into the mountainside. To complete the day, enjoy a lunch of local cuisine in a cosy restaurant in Ollantaytambo before returning to your hotel in the Sacred Valley to rest and reflect on the days experiences.
Day 12 - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
After breakfast, begin your visit to Machu Picchu at Ollanta station, where you will board a train to Aguas Calientes. The scenic one-and-a-half-hour journey passes through stunning Andean landscapes. Upon arrival, a 25-minute bus ride takes you up to Machu Picchu, the renowned lost city of the Incas. Believed to have been constructed around 1450 by the Inca ruler Pachacutec as a royal retreat, the site was abandoned a century later following the Spanish conquest, which spared it from destruction. Over time, the jungle concealed its stone structures until its rediscovery. During your guided tour, you will explore the origins of this remarkable citadel and visit its key monuments. After the tour, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch at Caf Inkaterra, a charming thatched-roof restaurant nestled between the railway and the mountain. In the afternoon, take the train back to Ollanta station, where you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco for an overnight stay.
Day 13 - Cusco
After breakfast at the hotel, you will check out and transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima. This marks the end of your journey, but the memories of this remarkable regionrich in culture and historywill stay with you long after you leave. Breakfast is included.
Tour Reviews
Extras and add-ons
If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.
Hotels
The hotels listed below are examples which we frequently use on this tour. Alternative hotels of a similar standard may be used instead.
Prices & Dates
Departure dates are guaranteed with 2 travellers. 'Double/Twin' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to anyone wanting the privacy of their own room. 'Triple' prices are per person when there are 3 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Shared' prices are for solo travellers who are happy to share with another solo traveller of the same sex in a twin room - a single room will be provided at no additional cost if there are no suitable travellers to share with.
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Dates for 2027 haven't been released yet.
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