LIMA

Half day City Tour visiting Lima’s Cathedral, San Francisco and Larco Museum (4 HRS)

Your tour will start in downtown Lima, where you will visit the Main Square, where Lima was first founded as “The City of Kings,” in 1535, and it was already known by the name of Lima when Peru proclaimed its independence from the Spanish Crown in 1821. There you may see the Presidential Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Lima Cathedral.

You will then continue your Lima journey to Saint Francis’ Church, which has an enviable collection of old books and an authentic network of catacombs open to the public. Next, you will go to Pueblo Libre district to visit the Larco Museum, founded by Rafael Larco Hoyle en 1926. The museum, located inside a viceregal mansion built on a pre-Columbian pyramid of the 7th century, houses the most complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts as well as pieces of erotic art.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast.

LIMA – CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY

A transportation service will pick you up from your Lima hotel at the established time and will transfer you to the airport for your domestic flight.

Flight to Cusco (not included)

Upon arrival, you will start your tour on route to the Pisac market, which has scores of stands that exhibit and sell products manufactured by the residents of the area every day. Beautiful alpaca textiles, musical instruments, paintings, carvings, necklaces and replicas of old Inca pieces stand out. You will continue to the Pisac archaeological vestiges, which as the largest complex of terraces in the area and a masterpiece of the agriculture of the Inca Empire. Next, you will have lunch and then you will be transferred to your hotel for the evening.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch at Ayasqa.

SACRED VALLEY – MACHU PICCHU – SACRED VALLEY

A transportation service will pick you up from your hotel in the Sacred Valley at the established time and will transfer you to the Ollantaytambo train station.

Vistadome train ride to Aguas Calientes.

Your tour to Machu Picchu will begin with a train ride to Aguas Calientes in approximately two hours. This town is also known as “Machu Picchu Pueblo” and is the last stop before the entrance to the remains of the most important archaeological site in Peru. In Aguas Calientes, you will find the railway station, a crafts market, restaurants and accommodation of different categories for those who prefer to spend the night at the foot of the mountain and climb it early.

Finally, after a short transfer, you will reach the majestic Machu Picchu, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture that is believed served as a sanctuary and retreat for the Inca Pachacutec (1438 – 1572). Machu Picchu, which means “Old Mountain”, is considered a World Heritage by UNESCO and one of the new seven wonders of the world. Once in the citadel, you may optionally also visit the Intipunku (Sun Gate), the Wayna Picchu (subject to space availability) and the Inca Bridge.

In the afternoon return by Vistadome train.

Upon your arrival, a transportation service will pick you up from the Ollantaytambo train station at the established time and will transfer you back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast.

*Please note that trains can be updated upon request

SACRED VALLEY – CUSCO

You will start your trip visiting Ollantaytambo, making a series of stops at points of interest. The town of Ollantaytambo is a typical example of urban planning of the Incas, whose residents still live in accordance with their old traditions. Pachacútec (1438-1471) conquered the town, destroyed it and built a new one, absorbing it as part of his empire. It exhibits one of the most remarkable complexes of the Inca Empire.

After visiting Ollantaytambo you will have lunch and continue your trip until you reach the archaeological vestiges of Maras and Moray. Maras and its surreal view is an impressive salt exploitation complex. Its huge salt deposits were used to trade them for other products with other parts of the empire. Moray’s archaeological site is composed of mysterious concentric circular terraces which, according to some scholars, would be an agricultural research centre. The higher external terraces would be at a higher temperature than the inner ones and could simulate the conditions of the different ecological strata of the empire. After your visit, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco for the evening.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast and lunch at Muña restaurant.

Half Day Cusco City tour 

You will start your tour today by visiting Koricancha, also known as the “Temple of the Sun”, which was built by the Inca ruler Pachacuti and, upon the arrival of the Spaniards, became the base for the construction of the Santo Domingo Convent. Here, during the Inca Empire, reverence was surrendered to the sun, and there was even a time when the structure was covered in gold. Next, you will visit the beautiful Cathedral of Cusco, the most imposing monument in the Plaza de Armas. The construction of the cathedral took almost 100 years to complete, beginning in the mid-16th century. Hundreds of stones were extracted and transported from the Sacsayhuaman fortress under the command of the Ecclesiastical Council to use for the construction of the church.

You will continue your tour to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent building conceived and built by Inca ruler Pachacuti in the 15th century. The Sacsayhuaman complex was built with megalithic blocks, the transportation, and erection of which continue to be a fascinating mystery. The Inti Raymi Sun Festival is reenacted here every year on 24 June during the winter solstice. Continue on to Quenqo, located only four kilometres from the city of Cusco. Quenqo is an archaeological complex of mainly religious use where it is believed agricultural rituals were performed. Finally, you will head to Puka Pukara, located seven kilometres from the city of Cusco. Puka Pukara, meaning “Red Fortress”, was an architectural complex of alleged military use with multiple spaces, plazas, baths, aqueducts, walls, and towers, and it is believed the entourage of the Inca ruler used the space while he rested in Tambomachay. At the end of your tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your day at your leisure.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast.

Free day

Enjoy the day to explore the city or stay at your hotel resting.

• Accommodation: at selected hotel.
• Meals included: Breakfast.

Departure from Cusco

A transportation service will pick you up from your hotel at the established time and will transfer you to the airport.

Continue your tour to another city or return to Lima for your international return flight.

• Meals included: Breakfast.