Andes of Peru 13 Days

After breakfast, enjoy a private guided tour of colonial and modern Lima, which includes the Cathedral, the main square with its original bronze fountain built in 1650, and the San Francisco Convent and the Catacombs. Lima was founded in 1535 by Pizarro, was the seat of the Spanish Viceroyalty and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991.

After lunch, visit the Larco Museum and its Gold and Silver Gallery, the largest and finest collection of jewelry used by prominent rulers of pre-Columbian Peru, with lunch included at its restaurant. Then we will head to Barranco, Lima's bohemian district, to explore the famous Puente de los Suspiros and its main square with colonial mansions.

After breakfast, a Peru Inkas Top representative will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and take you to the airport for your flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival, our team will be waiting to help you check in at your hotel, where you will find complimentary coca and muña tea, natural beverages that will help you adapt to the altitude of the "White City".

After breakfast, your cultural journey through Peru continues with a guided tour of Arequipa. You will walk through the "White City" exploring cathedrals, churches and monasteries. We will visit the Cathedral Basilica, located on the elegant Plaza de Armas, and head to the famous Yanahuara viewpoint, with carved sillar arches and views of the Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes.

We will complete the tour with a visit to the Santa Catalina Monastery, a true city within the city. Then, we will return to your hotel with a new appreciation for the beauty and history of this unforgettable colonial city.

Today we will leave early, heading from the White City toward the Colca Valley, on a scenic route between snow-capped volcanoes, rugged plains and traditional farms with terraces. We will stop at the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, where we will see herds of guanacos, alpacas and vicuñas, as well as foxes, vizcachas, condors and Andean flamingos.

We will pass by the Chucura volcano and reach the Mirador de los Andes viewpoint in Patapampa, at 4,900 meters above sea level, with views of the Hualca Hualca, Sabancaya and Ampato volcanoes. Our next stop will be Chivay, the gateway to the Colca Valley, with its pre-Inca terraces and colonial architecture. After a traditional lunch, you will have the afternoon free to explore the town or visit the La Calera hot springs, just 3 km away, with healing waters around 38 °C.

We will leave early toward the famous Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, near the towns of Maca and Cabanaconde. The strong winds rising from the canyon create the perfect conditions for the majestic Andean condors, which, with wingspans of up to three meters, usually glide very close to the viewpoint, a truly impressive spectacle.

Around 1:00 p.m., we will begin the journey to Puno, the folkloric capital of Peru. Along the way we will make a brief stop at Patapampa (4,900 m.a.s.l.), the highest point of the trip, where you will see the traditional stone mounds left by travelers and pilgrims. You will arrive in Puno around 6:00 p.m., on the shores of the sacred Lake Titicaca.

We will pick you up early in the morning and take you to the port to board a motorboat. Our first stop will be the Uros Floating Islands, a group of handmade totora reed islands dating back to pre-Inca times, located at 3,810 meters above sea level, where the Uros people preserve their unique way of life.

Then we will continue to the island of Taquile, famous for its exquisite handwoven textiles using techniques passed down from generation to generation. After exploring the island and enjoying a delicious lunch prepared by local families, we will return to Puno in the afternoon.

Departure is at 7:40 AM from Puno to Cusco on board the Titicaca Train, a luxury journey of approximately 10 hours that crosses the Andes with breathtaking landscapes, cultural shows and gourmet cuisine.

During the journey you will enjoy: a welcome show in the Observatory Bar Carriage with live music and traditional dances, a Baby Alpaca fashion show, a 3-course gourmet lunch, a stop at La Raya (the highest point of the route with its artisan market), a pisco sour class with expert bartenders and a refined afternoon tea.

Finally, you will arrive at the Wanchaq Station in Cusco, where you will be received and transferred to your hotel.

After breakfast you will explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will begin in the picturesque town of Chinchero, home to the ruins of the royal hacienda of Túpac Inca Yupanqui, where you will admire the Inca walls of the main square and traditional weaving techniques.

We will visit the circular terraces of Moray, an ancient Inca agricultural laboratory used to simulate microclimates, and the famous Maras Salt Mines, with more than 3,000 pools that produce the famous pink salt.

We will stop in Urubamba for a delicious buffet lunch and, in the afternoon, we will visit the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo, a military and religious fortress that protected the entrance to the Sacred Valley.

After breakfast, enjoy a private transfer to the Ollantaytambo train station, where you will board the luxurious Hiram Bingham train bound for Aguas Calientes, with exclusive service, gourmet lunch, bar and observation carriage.

Upon arrival, you will board a bus to climb to Machu Picchu, where you will enjoy a private guided visit through the most impressive corners of the Citadel. Then you will return to Aguas Calientes by bus and enjoy free time before the return train to Poroy, with live classical music, cocktails and a gourmet dinner. Upon arrival, after 9:00 PM, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.

The half-day tour begins with the imposing Cusco Cathedral, a masterpiece of colonial architecture built over an ancient Inca palace, and the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), now within the Santo Domingo Convent, where colonial architecture and Inca structures blend together.

Then we will explore Sacsayhuamán, with stones weighing more than 100 tons; Q'enqo, a sacred site dedicated to the Earth; Puca Pucara, a military post with strategic views, and Tambomachay, the Temple of Water. Afterward, we will return to the hotel and have the afternoon free to explore Cusco at your own pace.

Morning tour through the traditional and charming San Blas neighborhood, originally inhabited by the Inca nobility and today a labyrinth of cobblestone streets full of workshops, galleries and restaurants. A highlight is the San Blas Church, which houses a finely carved wooden pulpit considered the fusion of colonial techniques and Andean elements.

Then we will visit the Mendívil Workshop, famous for its sculptures of saints and virgins with elongated necks, a unique style created by Hilario Mendívil, one of Peru's most renowned artisans. Mendívil's legacy continues through his descendants, and here you can purchase authentic handcrafted souvenirs.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, you will be transferred to the Cusco airport to take your return flight to Lima. Our team will be there with an English-speaking assistant to make sure the whole process goes smoothly and without setbacks.

This is the end of your unforgettable 13-day journey through Peru: the wonders of Machu Picchu, the living traditions of the Sacred Valley, the colonial history of Lima and the cities full of culture and nature of Arequipa, Puno and Cusco. Every day has been a unique and impressive experience!