From picturesque Peruvian coast lands, through impressive
mountain landscapes, alongside romantic lakes, to breathtaking Inca
sites of Peru!
Enjoy a 14-day adventurous round trip through a country of unique
cultural and natural highlights: Peru!
Explore the
Incan Empire
Peru
Highlights:
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On this round trip, you discover the fascinating cities of Peru, experience Islas Ballestas, rich in species, and the overwhelming Oasis
Huacachina, get caught by the mystical Nazca Lines and majestic
Colca Canyon, walk along deep blue Lake Titicaca and finally
enjoy the unforgettable view of the world-famous ruins of Machu
Picchu.
Your 14-day tour leads you to the most important cultural and
natural highlights of Peru! You visit the lively capital city of Lima
and enjoy seals, sea lions and rare species of birds on Islas Ballestas
near Pisco before you head on to the impressing sand dunes of
Oasis Huacachina. You travel on south and puzzle about the mystery of the Nazca Lines; you stroll through the Peruvian “White
City” of Arequipa. From there, you ride to the abysses of the Colca Canyon and may spot the impressive condors and their majestic
flight through the airs.
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City tour through the lively Peruvian capital of Lima
including a visit to the lovely neighborhood “Miraflores”
Pisco, a thrilling boat tour to marvelous Islas Ballestas, rich in species – where cute fur seals, sea lions,
cormorants and boobies await us and the impressing
sand dunes of Huacachina including a sandboarding
tour (optional)
Dive into the mysterious world of the Geoglyphs of
Nazca
City tour through what most likely is Peru’s most
beautiful city, Arequipa, and the women’s
monastery of Santa Catalina
Excursion to the mighty Colca Canyon including the
Condor viewpoint (Cruz del Condor) and visit of
the hot springs of Calera (optional)
Romantic boat tour on Lake Titicaca to the Floating
Islands of the Uros Indians, including spending a
night with an friendly Indian family.
City tour through Cuzco – the former capital city of
the Incas, including the solar temple of Koricancha,
also Ruins of Kenko, Tambomachay and
Sacsayhuaman
Excursion to the enchantingly beautiful Urubamba
Valley with visits to the colorful market of Pisaq and
the fascinating Ruins of Ollantaytambo
Exciting ride on the Andean train through the splendorous Urubamba Valley to Aguas Calientes and
from there by bus on to the mysterious Ruins of
Machu Picchu
Services Included:
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Fixed English-speaking tour guides
All flights, transfers, walks, rides, tours as stated in
tour description
Accommodation in ***hotels, typical for the country, and a simple Indian family on the island of
Amantani (Lake Titicaca)
Meals as stated in tour description
National Flight Cuzco – Lima
Your next destination is legendary Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake on earth. You follow the traces of the Incas in the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu and learn impressive details about the
history, tradition and way of living of the last indigenous empire
prior to the arrival of the Spaniards.
Not Included:
Do you have more time to discover South America? Then you
should extend your stay: How about a jungle experience or an
exploration of the Galápagos Islands? Just let us know and we will
add the finishing touch to your perfect holiday.
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Entrance fees
Tips, personal expenses
Drinks, and meals not stated
domestic/international airport and exit taxes, national park fees
Optional: sandboarding & buggy tour in Huacachina
(approx. 35 US$ pp)
Optional: flight over Nazca Lines (approx. 120 US$
pp)
Optional: Trek to Calera (approx. 10 US$ pp)
International flights
Please Note:
Fixed Departures 2012:
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Sunday, April 1st – Saturday, April 14th
Sunday, May 13th – Saturday, May 26th
Sunday, June 26th – Saturday, July 7th
Sunday, July 15th – Saturday, July 28th
Sunday, August 5th – Saturday, August 18th
Sunday, September 2nd – Saturday, September 15th
Sunday, September 30th – Saturday, October 13th
Sunday, November 4th – Saturday, November 17th
Sunday, December 2nd – Saturday, December 15th
 Participants must have a valid international health
insurance.
 We reserve the right to change the tour program due
to force majeure, weather or organizational reasons.
Extra services:
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Half double room without any surcharge
Number of participants:
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2 – 8 Pax
Net Prices:
 1.950 US$ per person in DBL / 2 – 8 pax
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230 US$ single room surcharge
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Peru / Lima
Welcome to Peru! You arrive in Lima and are welcomed by
your English-speaking guide who will take you to your 3***
hotel. Here you can spend the rest of your day quietly and
relax from the long journey.
Lima is the capital of Peru
and the biggest city of the
country. Every neighborhood has its own history and attractions.
Only a couple years after its foundation Lima has become the
most important metropolitan city of the Spanish colonies in
America. This city can be recognized by the visitors as one of the
richest cities of the world because of its many buildings from the
colonial time – city palasts, churches, universities, elegant villas
etc. This city offers an interesting blend of modern spirit and tradition. (-/-/-)
Day 2 – Lima & Ride to Pisco
After breakfast, you start your exciting tour through Peru! First you undertake a half-day city tour through the colonial and modern neighborhoods of
Lima in order to get a first impression of the giant city. In the old town you
can marvel at the beautiful colonial architecture around Plaza Mayor. The
imposing cathedral and the church of San Francisco, the city hall and the palace of the archbishop at the Plaza Mayor are especially worth seeing. Your
city tour also leads you through the lovely neighborhood of Miraflores which
attracts you by its several restaurants, shops, parks and gardens. In the afternoon, you will be taken to the bus terminal and in a public bus head toward
your next destination, Paracas. This little town is located at the wonderful coast of the Pacific Ocean and you will spend the night here in a
3*** hotel. (B/-/-)
Day 3: Islas Ballestas, Oasis
Huacachina and Ride to Nazca
In the morning, you take a
two-hour
ride
with
an
international group in a small
boat to the group of islands
called Islas Ballestas. Cute fur
seals,
dozing
sea
lions,
cormorants,
boobies
and
pelicans await us there! After
surrounding the island you ride
back to the mainland. Then you
continue your journey to the
sand dunes of Huacachina. You
will be impressed by this
beautiful landscape. Optionally,
you can go on an adventurous
ride through the dunes during a sandbuggy &
sandboarding tour (approx. 35 USD). Afterwards you will
be taken to the bus terminal to continue your trio to
Nazca by public bus. Here you will spend the following night. (B/-/-)
Day 4: Nazca and Arequipa
Today, in the morning you have the opportunity to book a
flight of your own to discover the mysterious world of the
Geoglyphs of Nazca, whose origin still today is a puzzling
mystery (approx. 80 USD, flight depending on weather). Over
an immense extension, there are images of up to 100 m in
length, which due to their huge size cannot be seen from the
ground. Later on, your tour program foresees an excursion to
Chauchila. This is the impressive Inca cemetery with countless
mummy graves belonging to the Nazca culture. Afterwards we
go on a long ride on the Pan-American Highway to Arequipa –
past green oasis and along the
deep blue Pacific Ocean. It is a
marvelous city (900,000 inhabitants) awaiting us, which stands out
for its nice pleasant climate, surrounded by imposing volcanoes
(Mt. Misti 5,825 m, Mt. Chachani 6,075 m and Mt. Pichupichu
5,664 m). Indeed, this city built of white volcanic stone invites to
stay for a while. There are marvelous monasteries here (especially
the Santa Catalina monastery), churches and buildings from
colonial times – it was not for nothing that Arequipa was declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. (B/-/-)
Day 5: Arequipa – the White City
After a delicious breakfast, you go for a walk through the
colonial heart of this city embedded among icy colossuses,
visiting the cathedral, the market of San Camillo and the Santa
Catalina monastery. Next is a visit to the monastery of Santa
Catalina. Built in the second half of the 16th century, it is
among the most impressive experiences to be had in the
region of Arequipa. The monastery, which can be publicly
visited only since 1970, is actually a city of its own in
miniature, where formerly up to 400 nuns lived. During the
period of the Viceroys, the architectonically imposing monastery operated almost independently
from the outer world. After this interesting city walk, the afternoon is free time so that you have
sufficient time to further explore the city on your own. As the day before, you spend the night in
Arequipa. (B/-/-)
Day 6: Transfer to Chivay
Right in the morning, you go for a private ride across the Altiplano to
Chivay. After checking in at the hotel and unloading your luggage,
you go for a little walk to Calera, in order to adapt to the altitude,
where you will have an opportunity to take a relaxing bath in the hot
thermal springs (optional). (B/-/-)
Day 7: Colca Canyon & Puno
Early in the morning, you head
for Cruz del Condor, a viewpoint at the edge of the
spectacular Colca Canyon, from where, good thermals
provided, you may spot a dozen or so condors rising from
the depths of the canyon. On your return in Chivay, you ride
to Puno, located at the shore of legendary Lake Titicaca. With
a size of approx. 8,300 km², it is the largest lake in South
America. It is situated at an altitude of approx. 3,820 m
above sea level, a fact that makes it the highest navigable lake in the world. (B/-/-)
Day 8: Lake Titicaca: Excursion to the Uros Islands and Isla Amantaní
After breakfast, you enjoy a romantic boat ride across the deep blue
lake, to the floating Uros Islands, made of a local grass type. The islands
are unique since their bottom is made completely out of slowly rotting
Totara reed. This is why new reed layers are constantly put on top of
the old ones. Also houses, boats, view towers, the school: pretty much
everything is made of reed here. Later you continue to the marvelous
island of Amantaní, where you will spend the night with a warm and
friendly Indian family (very simple accommodation; scarce sanitary
facilities, but an incredible, unique experience!). (B/L/D)
Day 9: Lake Titicaca: Excursion to Taquile Island and Return to
Puno
In the morning, you say good-bye to your friendly hosts and
head across the gigantic lake to Isla Taquile by boat. Here a little
walk awaits you in a picturesque landscape. You wave the island
good-bye and head back for Puno. (B/L/-)
Day 10: From Puno to Cuzco
Today you will go for a long ride by public bus across the Altiplano to
the former Capital City of the Inca Empire Cuzco. On your way there
will be several stops in order to
visit Pucara, La Raya Pass (4,350
m a. s. l.), the Ruins of Raqchi and
the church of Andahuaylillas, also
called the Sixtine Chapel of Peru. (B/L/-)
Day 11: Cuzco – City Tour
After breakfast, you go for a city tour through the ancient
Incan capital. Apart from the cathedral and the impressive
Solar Temple of Koricancha, you will also visit the Ruins of
Kenko, Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman. After prostrating
and conquering the Inca Empire in 1533, the local population
was humiliated by the Spaniards. All Inca buildings, especially
the sanctuaries, were demolished and replaced by colonial
buildings, especially churches. By bringing in ever more pomp
and gaudiness, they tried to
convince the Indians that the
Spaniards’ religion was mightier
than that of the locals. The
afternoon is free time to explore the city and its fascinating
surroundings on your own. (B/-/-)
Day 12: Rio Urubamba Valley
Today you are in for a full-day excursion to the magnificent
Urubamba Valley, the Holy Valley of the Incas. Your first stop is at
Pisac, where you participate in the gaudy buzz of the colorful
Indigenous market. Richly colored ponchos, hammocks, joyful
marketers and delicious flavors enchant us! In the afternoon you
continue along the Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo. There, after a
steep ascent over farming terraces, you reach the archaeological Inca
site. After your excursion you will go to the train station to catch
your train to Aguas Calientes. Here you will stay at a 3*** hotel. (B//-)
Day 13: Machu Picchu
Early in the morning you go by bus to the mysterious Ruins of
Machu Picchu (2,300 m), the world famous city in the clouds.
On this steep and windy path up there you will be impressed by
the beautiful views. As soon as you arrive in Machu Picchu, your
local cultural guide takes you to the archaeological zone of this
unique Inca city. Here you are shown the most important sectors
of Machu Picchu. The attraction that emanates from this place, is
also due to the exceptional location, high between the peaks of
the Andes. For more than four centuries the city has been forgotten until the American Hiram Bingham rediscovered it while
searching for the last city of the Incas, Vilcabamba, in 1911.
Machu Picchu
The ruins are situated approximately 112 km
north west of Cuzco, at an altitude of 2,450 m
between two mountain peaks, that of Mt.
Huayna Picchu ("Young Summit") and Mt. Machu
Picchu ("Old Summit"). On three sides, the mountain faces steeply decline on 600 m toward Rio
Urubamba, which surrounds the rock in a ushaped slope. No one knows the Incan name of
this old town. Especially in Machu Picchu the fate
of the Inca architects to adapt their settlements to the topographical conditions can be seen. There
are approximately 200 buildings, which are arranged on large, parallel terraces around a large central
square.
One district of the city was probably the residential area whereas the others were used for religious
and ceremonial purposes. In the ceremonial district in the west, "El Torreón" is located. This is a
massive round tower, which probably served as an observatory. Furthermore one finds the main
temple, the temple of three windows, the sun temple and the famous Intihuatana. The residential
areas are narrow and long. Thereby the space on the terraces is used optimally. There are streets,
stairs, small squares and a remarkable water supply system. Here you can also find the typical Inca
architecture: trapezoidal windows, niches and pegs in the walls.
You dedicate the entire day to this fascinating place, exploring the ruins extensively. After an
impressive day, in the aft ernoon the train takes you back to Cuzco, where you will spend the last
night of your tour. (B/-/-)
Day 14 – Departure
Alas, the time has come to say good-bye to this beautiful and diverse country. After breakfast you
will be taken to the airport, where the plane for your departure to Lima already awaits you. (B/-/-)
POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS: Jungle Experience or visit Galápagos Islands
Sample Itinerary : Jungle Experience in the Ecoamazonian Lodge – 4 days
Day 1: Monkey Island
Today you will start your jungle adventure. At the airport in
Cuzco you will catch your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Here
your guide already awaits you and will bring you to the
village. There you will get on your boat and begin the
unforgettable journey through the Madre de Dios River. On
the way, you could observe the alligators, turtles, herons and
other animals. Once you arrive at the Amazon Lodge, you
will enjoy an exquisite and typical welcome drink. Then you
will settle in your comfortable bungalows before a nice lunch
is served. Afterwards your specialized guide accompanies you
during your visit to Monkey Island. Located at only five
minutes from the lodge, in th e middle of the Madre de Dios
river, the monkey island hosts different monkey species:
starting from the noisy ones, the Maquisapas, the happy
Achuñis, and the very impressive Frailes to the very little and
funny “leoncitos” little lions. On your way to this island, you
will pass beautiful landscapes with all different flora and fauna
and you will enjoy an amazing sunset in the jungle. (B/L/D)
Day 2 : “Cocha Perdida” (Lost Qocha)
After breakfast you will start an adventure through the
jungle accompanied by your local guide. You will hike into
the “Cocha Perdida” (Lost Cocha) which constitutes an
ecosystem that is considered as a refuge of a huge variety of
animals like, nutrias, caimans, turtles sachavacas, multicolor
feather birds, the majestic jaguar (Andean lion) and fish. This
area is unique and belongs to the Eco-Amazon lodge, because
it is still maintained intact, like the huge swamps and a
diversity of “Aguajal” forests. Then you will arrive to the
amazing Amazon observatory, built at the top of the biggest
tree “SHIHUAHUACO”. From here you may observe the
magical jungle, and at the same time have a pleasant ride in a
canoe around the lake. Then you will return to the lodge to
have a nice lunch. In the afternoon a canoe ride and a visit to
a typical local family is on your program. (B/L/D)
Day 3: Briolo and Gamitna Rivers
After breakfast you will start another excursion across the
magical jungle where you will sail though the Madre de Díos
River until you get to the beginning of a hiking trek to the rivers Gamitna / Briolo. Then you will
return by canoe and observe animals like turtles, caimans, butterflies and a
great variety of insects. Once we arrive at the lodge a delicious dinner will be
served before you spend your last night in the jungle. (B/L/D)
Day 4: Flight from Puerto Maldonado to Lima / Departure from Lima
Time to say goodbye to this unique jungle experience. After breakfast your
guide takes you to the airport in Puerto Maldonado. Here you will catch your
flight to Lima where your plane back to your home country already awaits
you. (B/-/-)