Southern Andes 10 Days

After breakfast, enjoy a private guided tour of colonial and modern Lima in our private transport, which includes the Cathedral (dating from 1654), the main square with its original bronze fountain built in 1650, and the San Francisco Convent and the Catacombs. Known as the City of Kings, Lima was founded in 1535 by Pizarro and rebuilt in 1991, the same year UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

After lunch, visit the Larco Museum, which features the Gold and Silver Gallery, the largest and finest collection of jewelry used by prominent rulers of pre-Columbian Peru. You will enjoy the exquisite Lima cuisine at the museum's restaurant (lunch included), experiencing regional flavors in a warm and artistic setting.

After Miraflores, we will head to Barranco, Lima's bohemian district, where you will explore the famous Puente de los Suspiros and discover the main square with its colonial mansions and the charming atmosphere that defines this vibrant district.

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 remedies that help your body adapt to the altitude of the "White City".

On the guided cultural tour you will explore the streets of Arequipa visiting cathedrals, churches and monasteries, such as the Cathedral Basilica, located on the elegant Plaza de Armas. Then we will 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 deeper appreciation of this beautiful colonial city.

Today we will leave early toward the Colca Valley, on a beautiful journey that crosses snow-capped volcanoes, rugged plains, traditional farms with terraces and picturesque towns. Our first stop will be the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, where we will see herds of guanacos, alpacas and vicuñas, as well as vizcachas, foxes, condors and Andean flamingos.

After leaving the reserve, we will skirt the Chucura volcano and reach the Mirador de los Andes viewpoint in Patapampa, at 4,900 meters above sea level, with views of the snow-capped peaks and the Hualca Calca, Sabancaya and Ampato volcanoes.

Our next stop will be Chivay, which marks the start of the Colca Valley, with its traditional terraces and colonial architecture. After a traditional lunch we will check in at the hotel. You will have the afternoon free to explore the town or visit the La Calera hot springs, just 3 km from Chivay, with waters around 38 °C.

Another early start, because incredible landscapes await us. First we will go to the impressive Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, near the towns of Maca and Cabanaconde. The strong updrafts rising from the depths of the canyon create the perfect flight path for the majestic Andean condors, with wingspans of up to three meters, which usually glide in pairs on the morning thermals.

From the viewpoint you will enjoy panoramic views of the depths of the Colca Canyon. Around 1:00 p.m. we will begin the return journey to Arequipa, where you will have the rest of the day free.

Today one of our representatives will pick you up from your hotel in Arequipa and accompany you to the airport for your flight to Cusco (not included). Upon your arrival at the Cusco airport, a member of the team will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Since this is your first day at a higher altitude, we recommend taking advantage of the rest of the day to relax and acclimatize comfortably.

After breakfast, a full-day tour of the most beautiful corners of the Sacred Valley will begin. Our first stop will be the picturesque town of Chinchero, home to the ruins of the royal hacienda of Túpac Inca Yupanqui, where you will admire the Inca walls and see local weavers using ancestral techniques.

Next we will visit Moray, with its circular agricultural terraces that served as an agricultural laboratory to experiment with crops from different ecological zones, and we will make a brief stop in the town of Maras before heading to the famous Maras Salt Mines, with more than 3,000 salt pools fed by a natural underground stream.

We will pass through Urubamba for a delicious buffet lunch with traditional Peruvian dishes. In the afternoon we will visit the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town built to protect the entrance to the Sacred Valley, and we will learn about its military, religious and cultural importance.

After breakfast, your private transfer will take you to the Ollantaytambo train station, where you will board the luxurious Hiram Bingham train bound for Aguas Calientes. This Orient Express-style train includes a gourmet lunch on board.

Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes, you will meet your guide and take the transport along the winding road to the gates of Machu Picchu. Enjoy a private guided visit to the Inca Citadel. Then, return to Aguas Calientes and enjoy free time before the return train.

At night, the Hiram Bingham return train offers a luxury experience with an open-air observation carriage, live classical music, cocktails, appetizers and a gourmet dinner. Arrival at the Poroy station after 9:00 PM, where our team will transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.

AM (approx. 09:00 to 14:00): Begin your morning tour with a visit to the Cusco Cathedral and the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), now the Santo Domingo Convent. The tour continues to the outskirts of the city, where you will explore the impressive Sacsayhuamán fortress (shaped like a puma's head), Q'enqo, a religious site dedicated to the Earth, Puca Pucara, a military lookout post, and finally Tambomachay (Temple of the Water).

After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Cusco to relax and enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace.

After breakfast, we will pick you up at the agreed time for your private transfer from your hotel to the Cusco airport for your return flight to Lima.

This marks the end of your 10-day journey through the southern Andes, with additional surprises along the way! It is truly incredible everything you can experience on a 10-day itinerary through Peru.