Mysteries of Peru

In the morning, a guided tour of the City of Kings. It begins with a panoramic view of the Huaca Pucllana, a ceremonial center from the 4th century AD, and continues through the Historic Center, home to more than 50 colonial monuments: Plaza San Martín, Plaza de Armas, Government Palace and the Cathedral.

At the San Francisco Monastery you descend into its catacombs, which served as a burial ground in colonial times. The tour ends at El Olivar de San Isidro, Miraflores and Larcomar, and in the afternoon a bus of about 5 hours takes you to the coastal city of Paracas.

At 8:00 a.m., a speedboat departs toward the Ballestas Islands, a sanctuary for dolphins, sea lions, Humboldt penguins and more than 200 species of birds. Along the way you see the Candelabra, a huge geoglyph etched into the desert hillside whose origin remains a mystery.

Then, Ica with its Plaza de Armas, a guided visit and wine and pisco tasting at the Tres Generaciones artisan winery, and a dune buggy ride through the dunes of the Huacachina Oasis, the "Oasis of the Americas". At night, a bus of about 3 hours to Nazca.

A 35-minute panoramic flight over the Nazca Lines, one of the greatest archaeological mysteries in the world: the Hummingbird, the Spider, the Monkey, the Dog and the Astronaut, geoglyphs etched into the ground more than 1,000 years ago.

Note: in July and August, winds can delay or cancel flights. In the afternoon, an executive night bus of about 10 hours takes you to Arequipa, the White City, where you arrive the following morning.

Arrival in Arequipa with complimentary coca and muña tea, traditional infusions to help you acclimatize to the altitude. In the afternoon, a city tour around the Plaza de Armas and the Basilica Cathedral, rebuilt after several earthquakes, and the Yanahuara Viewpoint, whose sillar arches frame the Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes.

The tour ends at the Santa Catalina Monastery, a vast colonial convent from the viceregal era that is surprisingly well preserved.

A scenic route toward the Colca Valley. In the Aguada Blanca National Reserve you see guanacos, alpacas and vicuñas in the wild; then the Patapampa viewpoint (4,900 m.a.s.l.) with views of the Hualca Hualca, Sabancaya and Ampato volcanoes, and the town of Chivay, gateway to the canyon with its pre-Inca agricultural terraces.

After lunch, free time to walk through the canyon or relax in the La Calera hot springs (38 °C), just 3 km from Chivay.

An early departure toward the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint, near Maca and Cabanaconde, one of the best places in the world to watch Andean condors, with a wingspan of up to 3 meters, glide over the thermal currents of one of the deepest canyons in the world.

At 1:00 p.m., a journey of about 5 hours to Puno, Peru's folklore capital. The route crosses the Patapampa pass (4,900 m.a.s.l.), the highest point of the trip, with its traditional apachetas.

A full day on Lake Titicaca (3,810 m.a.s.l.), the world's highest navigable lake. First, the Floating Islands of the Uros, built entirely from totora reeds and inhabited continuously since pre-Inca times.

Then, the island of Taquile, famous for its handwoven textiles and a community that preserves its customs. Includes a traditional lunch on the island before returning to Puno.

At 7:00 a.m., a bus ride that is a cultural experience in itself: Pukará, one of the oldest ceremonial centers of the Altiplano, and the La Raya pass (4,335 m.a.s.l.), the natural boundary between the Quechua and Aymara cultures where llamas, alpacas and vicuñas graze freely.

You continue to the Wiracocha Temple in Raqchi, 100 meters long, and the church of Andahuaylillas, the "Sistine Chapel of the Andes". Arrival in Cusco around 5:00 p.m.

A half-day tour (9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.): the Main Cathedral and the Koricancha, the ancient Temple of the Sun that now houses the Santo Domingo Convent.

Around Cusco, the ruins that surround the city: Sacsayhuamán with its megalithic walls shaped like a puma's head, Q'enqo devoted to the worship of the Earth, Puca Pucara, a military outpost of red stone, and Tambomachay, the Temple of the Water.

A full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley, the heart of the Inca civilization. In the morning, Pisac with its artisan market, agricultural terraces, observatory and the Intiwatana sundial; then, a buffet lunch with Andean specialties.

In the afternoon, the imposing complex of Ollantaytambo with its enormous stones and religious and administrative functions. At night, a train to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu.

After breakfast, a bus to Machu Picchu (2,400 m.a.s.l.), the 15th-century citadel perched above the Urubamba river valley. A guided tour with a local expert through the temples, terraces and stone paths of the Lost City of the Incas.

The citadel, introduced to the world by Hiram Bingham in 1911, still guards the mystery of its purpose. In the afternoon, a train back to Cusco and transfer to your hotel.

Transfer to Cusco airport for your flight back to Lima. The final touch of a journey through the world wonder of Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines, the Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca.

Thank you for traveling with us! You enjoyed the most emblematic destinations of southern Peru.