Peru 2 Week Itinerary / 14 Days Tour Peru

After arriving at the Jorge Chavez International Lima airport and clearing immigration and customs, transfer to your accommodation on your own.

If your flight arrives later in the afternoon and the next day you have an early flight in the morning, we advise you to stay in the very comfortable hotel Costal del Sol Wyndham of the airport (additional price to consult with our travel advisors)

We can provide you an arrival and departure transfer in private transportation.

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Free day in the very cosmopolitan capital of Peru.

We can provide you a Lima city tour this day.

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Early transfer (just driver) to the bus terminal to board the first-class bus with an approximate duration of 3 ½ hours to the Paracas peninsula. These buses have reclining seats, air conditioning, toilets, video. On the way you can see landscapes that combine the desert of the Peruvian coast with the Pacific Ocean.

You will be welcomed by our staff and transferred to your hotel.

Then, you will start the terrestrial tour to the Paracas National Reserve, an unforgettable destination for nature lovers. During this tour you will be able to appreciate beautiful desert landscapes with dunes of colors that match the Pacific Ocean, also impressive giant cliffs of yellowish soil and beaches with reddish sand. A stop in the fishermen’s community of Lagunillas, will be made, where you can have lunch (on behalf of the passenger) with an excellent fresh fish or try the famous Ceviche, the Peru’s signature dish, from some terrace overlooking the sea. You will also have some time to dive into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Within the itinerary and depending on the availability of time, you will also visit the Julio C. Tello Interpretation Center and Site Museum, where important remains of the Paracas culture, considered as one of the most important pre-Inca cultures in the country,  are exhibited.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax and experience the incredible sunset over the Pacific Ocean while enjoying a Pisco sour, our national drink.

The day begins with an early transfer from your hotel to the pier accompanied by your local guide.  On arrival, board a speedboat equipped with life vests and comfortable seats. It is advisable to wear a good jacket or windbreaker, as it gets very windy once the boat sets off. We head off on the 30-minute journey to the Ballestas Islands following the coast where we see the famous figure known as The Candelabro or Chandelier, an enigmatic giant trident form similar in style to the Nazca lines etched into the desert floor hundreds of years ago by pre-Inca cultures.  The Candelabro overlooks the Ocean, giving you the chance to take pictures, while learning about the most popular theories of its creation, which range from pirates marking a hiding place for their treasure to soldiers fighting for Latin-American independence from Spain.

Unfortunately, it is not allowed to get off the boat to walk around the islands, but the boats get close enough to see the amazing marine life, with over 200 types of migratory and resident birds, including Peruvian Pelicans, Belcher’s gulls, Humboldt penguins, Guanay cormorants, red-legged cormorants, Inca terns, Peruvian boobies, turkey vultures, among many others. The Islands are also home to hundreds of sea lions resting on the beaches, sleeping on the rocks or swimming nearby. Equally, the islands provide shelter for the shy Humboldt penguins. After touring around the islands for about 1 hour we return to Paracas or Chaco pier.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the bus station for the 3 hours trip to Nazca.

Optional: Ask our expert travel advisors to add an additional day to visit the very unique Huacachina oasis and to experience the ever-popular sandboarding / dune buggy tour in Ica.

Nazca would not make most Peru vacation itineraries if it were not for the mysterious Nazca Lines, which were declared an “Archeological World Heritage Site” by UNESCO (1994).  It is highly likely that you have seen aerial pictures of the Lines of Nazca, either on television or in a magazine, however, these images do not do the lines justice, and the only way to truly experience them is to take a sightseeing flight over the area. Culturandes Adventure Travel will make the reservation for you with the best Nazca operator, but payment for the flight is to be made locally with the operator, solely for the possible cancellations that are necessary owing to the weather.

At the designated time, our staff will pick you up from your hotel for transfer to the local airport of Nazca, located just 4 kilometers away from downtown. Upon your arrival at the airport, our staff will show you a documentary about The Nazca Lines, Nazca culture as well as the figures you will see from the air. For this aerial tour, you will board a small single-engine aircraft in which each person will have a window seat. After the video, our English/Spanish speaking pilot will proceed to give you a briefing about this air tour and will give each participant a map of the archaeological zone, which shows all the figures you will see from the air. After some basic information about the Lines and safety instructions, you will board the airplane and take off. In a matter of just 2 minutes you will be flying over the Nazca Lines zone. Among the figures you will see are the whale, the wing, the condor, birds, animals, the lizard, the tree, the hands, the spiral, the spider, the flower, the dog, the monkey, the astronaut and the triangle among many, many others.

The flight over the Nazca lines will last about 30-45 minutes. If you are prone to motion sickness be sure to take medication as the plane is small and the elevation is low which leads to more turbulence. The plane also banks continuously in order for both sides of the plane to view the lines properly. Don’t worry there are bags in the back of every seat and the pilots frequently check how you feel during the entire flight.

Early in the afternoon you will be transferred to the bus station for your journey to Arequipa in a first-class bus with comfortable 180° seats.  Reception at the bus station by our staff and transfer to the hotel.

Standing at the foot of El Misti Volcano and brimming with colonial Spanish charm, take the opportunity to walk the most important parts of the city accompanied by your private guide. Founded in 1540, Arequipa vies with Cuzco for the title of Peru’s most attractive city, and retains an elegant historic center constructed almost entirely out of a pale volcanic rock called sillar. Old buildings dazzle in the sun, giving the city its nickname of the ‘White City’. The main plaza, with its cafes and nearby cathedral, is a lovely place to while away the day.

A visit to the Monasterio de Santa Catalina is a must (included) for a glimpse into a bygone way of life. When the convent was built in the 16th century it was traditional for the second son or daughter of a family to enter the religious service. Santa Catalina accepted only women from high-class Spanish families, with each family paying a hefty dowry for her acceptance. But life inside the convent was far from modest – each nun had between one and four servants. Many brought rugs, fine china and silk curtains, and they often held parties.

Return to the hotel.

Optional: A visit to Arequipa would never be complete without a visit to see the mummy of the teenage Inca maiden, now christened Juanita. Learn the story of one of the most important archaeological finds of the recent decades in the museum. (This is only possible if the mummy is not touring)

After an early breakfast (not included) and pick up from your hotel, we depart from Arequipa heading northwest following a paved road, which will lead us to Colca Canyon (4 hours aprox.).

Going around the Chachani volcano, head towards the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve where you will be able to stop and take pictures of wild llamas, alpacas and vicuñas while learning how to identify the differences between all of them.

After a stop at the Tocra swamps where you will see a flamingo, Andean geese, ducks, Andean eagle “Kara Kara” where we get to take in the crater of Chucura, an extinct volcano. After, we continue ascending along a dirt road to the highest point of the trip, Patapampa (4800 meters-15000 feet), where the view of the volcanoes Ubinas, Mismi, Misti, Chachani, Sabancaya (which is still active) and Ampato is simply magnificent.

The journey then continues downhill to the main village of Colca Canyon, the village of Chivay.   The Incan and pre-Incan terraces that are carved into the walls are still cultivated today and traditional Indian villages are dotted throughout the canyon.

Time for lunch (not included)

Transfer to your lodging.

Later in the afternoon you will be able to visit Calera hot springs (35ºC/95ºF), to enjoy a relaxing bath in their large thermal pools surrounded by huge mountains.  Walking around the town experiencing the local life is a good idea before having dinner with a traditional Peruvian musical performance.

We strive to lodge our clients in hotels which own their own hot spring pools as the Colca Lodge https://www.colca-lodge.com/en/  or el Refugio https://www.refugiohotelcolca.com/index.php/es/

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The main star of the canyon is not the amazing scenery but the magnificent Andean condor. To fully appreciate this majestic bird, an early start is necessary. After a two-hour ride along the edge of the Canyon having the best view of the Colca Valley, we arrive at a natural lookout point, from where you will be able to see these dignified Andean creatures soaring gracefully on the rising thermal air currents.

On the way back to Chivay we stop in the beautiful local towns of Pinchollo, Maca and Yanque with their beautiful colonial churches, and interact with the kind locals with their typical needlework dresses. At the observation point of Antahuilque, experience a fantastic view of the beautiful pre-inca terraces which are still used to grow corn, quinua or kiwicha.

After a relaxing lunch in Chivay (not included), you will continue your trip by bus to Puno.  Transfer to your hotel.

Lunch

This excursion begins with a transfer from your Puno hotel to the port. Depart on the fully equipped speedboat with services on board to the south of Taquile Island.  Hike through a pre-Inca trail with spectacular landscapes of the island, visiting families of weavers to learn about their textile art and symbolism that has been declared by UNESCO as world heritage. Leave the island and arrive to the community of Santa Maria – Llachon, on the Capachica Peninsula where you will be welcomed and quickly introduced to an intensive cross-cultural experience, observe their traditions and participate in an ancient ceremony to learn about their magical world. Then experience the preparation of “Pachamanca” a traditional way of cooking meat and vegetables using underground ovens, this is one of the main dishes of the Peruvian cuisine. Enjoy this delicacy in a small, but very scenic, restaurant. For the more adventurous there is an optional kayak along the coast of Llachon (ask for additional price). After leaving Santa Maria, you will arrive at Uros Titino islands, located in a remote area of the National Reserve of Lake Titicaca, these are considered as the last authentic floating islands, less commercial and little visited. Their inhabitants are descendants of one of the oldest cultures in South America. Optional tours in reed boats are available. At the end of the journey, return to Puno and transfer to your lodging.

MAKE IT DIFFERENT (OPTIONAL)

If you want a more active experience, go kayaking in the highest navigable lake in the world!

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Lunch

After an early start, transfer to the bus station and depart on a sightseeing bus to Cusco with a Spanish / English speaking guide.

The bus follows the same route as the Andean train but offers a greater experience, stopping in at such interesting archeological sites as Pukara, which was the first regional population center in the northern end of Lake Titicaca Basin during the Late Formative Period (500 BC- AD 200), and will provide valuable insights into the origins of Andean civilization in the highlands.

The bus will also allow a stop in Abra La Raya (4338 m or 14,232 feet), the watershed between the valley that drains into Lake Titicaca and the valley that leads down to Cusco and the Sacred Valley as well as a stop in one of the most important temples to the God Wiracocha, in Racchi. The next stop is in the Chapel of Andahuaylillas. Referred to as the Andean Sistine Chapel owing to its magnificent frescoes, the church is one example of the prominent 17th century Mestizo Baroque style of architecture, which is typical of the Cusco School. Take the time to marvel at the ceiling of carved panels covered with gold leaf.  This excursion will provide you with an authentic Andean experience.

On arrival, meet up with our representative in Cusco and transfer to your lodging.

This morning you will have some free time to wander around the magic city of Cusco also considered as the Navel of the World.

About 13:30 you will be picked up from your hotel on a vehicle to the city’s greatest landmarks. Explore the magical capital of the Incas in a tour that includes the Plaza de Armas, the famous Baroque style Cathedral considered one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in the Americas, built over an important Inca temple, with amazing altars, intricately wood carved pulpits, choir and multitude of paintings of the Cusqueña school, including a Marcos Zapata painting of the Last Supper with a local specialty, cuy (guinea pig), as the main dish.  You will continue with the visit of the Santo Domingo monastery, which was built over the Koricancha temple, one of the most important temples dedicated to the worship of the sun. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature.

The tour will continue to the San Cristobal lookout point for a magnificent view of the city of Cusco, before continuing to the archaeological site of Q’enqo, rocky spur that was supposed to be a ceremonial and astronomical center built before the Inca Empire and that also served as a shrine dedicated to death. The tour will continue with the visit to the fortress of Sacsayhuamán, one of the most impressive archaeological complexes of Cusco and surroundings, a fortified temple made up of huge carved stones that fit perfectly, communicated by stairways and access doors. Looking at the cyclopean walls of this construction, the question arises: how the builders of Sacsayhuamán could project such a work without knowing the wheel and the iron? You will also visit the fortress of Puca Pucara, fortification formed by platforms, stairways, passages, towers, etc. and finally Tambomachay, center of adoration of the water to which the tradition attributes to its waters purifying effects that would be part of the complex ancestral rites that would precede the entrance to the Sacred City of Cusco. Return to the accommodation.

Love to Cook? Peruvian Cuisine is widely regarded one of the most delicious and diverse in the world. Our kitchen provides the perfect setting for your hands-on cooking lessons and demonstrations with our talented Peruvian chefs.  Our products are bought from the local markets and providers, whom you will get to know during our market tour.

If you are more active, ATV, biking, rafting, paddle, yoga classes in front of a beautiful lagoon or Via Ferrata excursions can be arranged according to your preferences.

We recommend you to have an extra day in Cusco to enjoy these optional activities with no rush.

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THE ORDER OF THIS TOUR MAY BE MODIFIED WITHOUT PREVIOUS NOTICE, AND AS YOU WILL STAY IN OLLANTAYTAMBO TO TAKE THE TRAIN TO AGUAS CALIENTES YOU MAY PROBABLY LOSE SOME ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE THAN CAN BE VISITED ON THE RETURN WAY TO CUSCO CITY

You are one step closer to the highlight of this trip: Machu Picchu the most treasured city of the Incas, but to reach the Lost City, you have to venture into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which is full of surprises.

Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to the town of Chinchero, which is about 40 minutes from Cusco, on the way you will enjoy beautiful Andean landscapes highlighted by the beauty of the snowy Chicón and Verónica of the Urubamba Mountain Range . Chinchero is a clearly Inca town, with its unique colonial church built by the Spaniards on top of an Inca palace where the past persists stubbornly, as if the spirit of a millenary culture clung to this place refusing to disappear. The native settlers, dressed in colorful traditional costumes, come down from their communities and gather in the main square to exchange their products, preserving many of their ancestral traditions. Seeing this group of people with deep cultural roots is a sight worth admiring.
Afterwards, you will visit the Inca agricultural laboratory of Moray, where several groupings of terraces were formed in an almost perfect circular shape at different heights, in order to achieve a gradient of microclimates with the aim of getting perfect crops. There, the Incas cultivated important foods for their diet such as corn, or the grain of quinoa, also various medicinal plants such as panti, ornamental as the flowers of Kantu and carried out many experiments of cultivation for recreation of their masters. A system of canals where today the rain is deposited assured the irrigation of the hanging terraces of the great amphitheater, the perfection of Moray was such, that to this day, it works impeccably.
Then you will visit to the famous salt mines of Maras, which were very important for the Incas as a salt supply and are still in operation today. For a few Soles you can buy a package of this salt, famous for having many more minerals than sea salt. In addition to its historical importance, the salt mines of Maras also offer an unforgettable view with the stark white of its steeply descending salt pans juxtaposed against the green of the surrounding mountain slopes.
Next, you will continue with the visit to the impressive archaeological complex of Pisac allowing you to enjoy some of the best archaeological complexes in the area. Its exquisitely carved walls are among the most perfect of all Andean architecture, surrounded by an impressive group of terraces that are still used as well as its granaries and pantries that are still preserved in the hillside irrefutable proof of the wisdom of the men who populated that zone. Then you will go down to the famous market town of Pisac, where you will test your bargaining skills in a colorful and cheerful environment, and you can stock up on souvenirs for friends and family!
Finally, you will visit the formidable fortress temple of Ollantaytambo, the spectacular archaeological complex that seems to have been a kind of walled gate that stopped in several war expeditions trying to reach the Inca treasure, the great steep andeneria, which protects this spectacular fortress, marks one of the few places where the Spanish conquerors lost an important battle in the year 1537.
In the highest part you will find a ceremonial center with huge blocks of stone perfectly carved in a very fine work. To build it, stones from the quarry located on the other side of the Urubamba River were used 6 km away. from distance, which shows the great ability of the Incas to transport these huge blocks using an ingenious technique that would allow them to transport them across mountainous areas and the torrential Urubamba River.
After this complete day, you will hop on board of one of the prettiest train rides in South America with final destination Machu Picchu, which rises enigmatic among the clouds of the majestic Andes. The citadel was probably the most impressive urban creation of the Inca Empire in its heyday. Its giant walls, terraces and ramps look as if they had been carved naturally in the escarpments of the rock.
This natural environment located on the eastern slopes of the Andes encompasses the upper Amazon basin, with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. At night, visit the bars along the railroad tracks to share stories with some of the hikers who successfully completed the Inca Trail, or end your fantastic day relaxing the muscles in the hot springs.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• If you do want to see the beautiful scenery and ancient buildings of Machu Picchu, book your trip early. The Peruvian Government has placed a limit on the number of people allowed to hike the trails of the citadel per day and entrances tend to book up quickly.
• For active people there is the option of hiking the one day Inca Trail or the more demanding 4 days trekking but be sure to inform us well in advance as in high season they tend to book up quickly, ask our expert travel planners to upgrade your experience
• For those who want to hike the Huayna Picchu mountain reservations has to be made well in advance, as the local authorities just allow 400 persons per day in two shifts of 200 persons each one (there is an additional to pay for this entrance)
• You might be interested in upgrading your train experience, if this is the case please contact our expert travel planners

When, in 1911, the American archaeologist and historian Hiram Bingham discovered “The Lost City of the Inca Empire”, he could not imagine that he had reached the most enigmatic Inca ruins, one of the most spectacular and overwhelming places on earth that still conserves its mystery, charm and mystical appeal, despite its enormous popularity, even more so after having been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Exploring the place continues to be an exciting experience, especially at dawn, when the scenic rays of light extend over the Andean peaks. At the indicated you will approach the station and then board the bus that goes up to the citadel where you will meet your guide at the entrance. After the guided tour, you will descend from the archaeological zone to the station, and embark on the train Expedition leaving 15:20 and arriving 17:08, which will meander slowly through the Andean landscape until you reach the town of Ollantaytambo, where you will be transferred to the vehicle (only driver) that will take you back to Cusco.