9 Day Best of Peru & Machu Picchu

Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival you will be greeted at the airport by our tour representative and transferred to your hotel.

In the afternoon, you will embark on a Lima City Tour. On this fantastic guided tour of Lima you will explore the beautiful and fascinating City of Kings. You will visit iconic places that are rich in history. There will be plenty of picturesque churches and exquisite colonial architecture.

Begin your journey by travelling thousands of years into the past. Your first stop will be the ancient ceremonial centre called “Huaca Pucllana”, which was built centuries before the arrival of the Spanish.

Next, you will drive into the centre of the city so you can stroll around the main square, the Plaza de Armas of Lima. Here you will find imposing architecture which was built a very long time ago. Also, on the main square is the grandiose Lima Cathedral. After that you can tour the Santo Domingo convent and its extensive monastery.

MEALS: None

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Lima

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up from your hotel to transfer to the airport for a short flight to Cusco. On arrival, you will be picked up and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Spend the rest of the day at your own leisure or take advantage of one of our optional tours.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Cusco

OPTIONAL: Cusco City Tour USD $30 | Cooking Class USD $40 | Folklore Show and Dinner USD $25

Enjoy the whole day at your own leisure exploring Cusco. Alternatively, you can take advantage of one of our optional tours.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Cusco

OPTIONAL: Sacred Valley USD $45 | Rainbow Mountain USD $90 | Maras Moray USD $40

This morning you will be picked up at 8am to head to the train station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu! The train leaves at approximately 11:30am (time may change depending on availability and changes to timetable). After a 2-hour journey of majestic views you will arrive at Aguas Calientes to spend the night. Also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, this town lies in a deep gorge below the ruins. As a virtual island, it’s cut off from all roads and enclosed by stone cliffs, towering cloud forest, and two rushing rivers. Aguas Calientes is surrounded by thermal hot springs, on arrival there will be plenty of time to relax and enjoy a hot bath in the natural springs.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Aguas Calinetes

Wake up early for breakfast before our guide will pick you up from your hotel at 5:40am to begin the short bus journey to the gates of Machu Picchu where you will watch the sunrise. After entering the Citadel begin a guided walking tour (approximately two hours) of the citadel complex. After this experience, enjoy some free time to explore the mysterious city as you please. Then, you will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch, later we will board the train back to Poroy. Upon your arrival to the train station, we will pick you up and take you back to your hotel in Cusco.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Cusco

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel at 06h00 and dropped off at the bus station to take a bus trip, more like a tour – a guide will be on board, and you’ll stop at four exciting sites: Andahuaylillas, Raqchi (Wiracocha God Temple), La Raya and Pukara. Andahuaylillas is the Sistine Chapel of South America. This church is one of the most beautiful examples of Andean popular religious art. Raqchi was an Inca church of considerable dimensions; 328 feet long, 85 feet wide and 45 feet high. The temple is divided into two naves, and each nave has 11 large columns. La Raya is the half-way point between Cusco and Puno and also the highest point (14,222 feet above sea level). The landscapes here are stunning and typical Andean animals like the llama, alpaca and vicuña are familiar sights. It is also the geographic border between two cultures – Quechua and Aymara. Finally, Pukara is the most important and oldest ceremonial centre of the altiplano which holds new lite-sculptures and tombs. After you will proceed to Puno and arrive at about 5pm.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Puno

After breakfast between 7.00am and 8 am, we will take you from the hotel to the port of Puno; there you will board the motorboat to the floating Islands of Uros, located 25 minutes from the port of Puno. More than 65 small islands are still there today and you will visit two. While visiting the guide will explain a little about the history and lifestyle of the people that have been living in these floating islands for many years, you will also have the opportunity to talk with the people of these islands and visit their homes and learn a little about their lifestyle.

Afterward, we will sail towards “Taquile Island,” which takes approximately two hours. On the island is a traditional Quechua speaking community, full of ancient agricultural terraces and some ruins dating back to the pre-Inca times. The Taquile population was relatively isolated from the mainland until the 1950s, and the notion of the community and family is still powerful among them. The weaving tradition of this Island goes back to early civilizations, thus keeps elements from pre-Inca Andean cultures alive in the present. The most original garments are the “Chullo,” a knitted hat with an earflap; and “The Calendar Waistband,” depicting the annual cycles connected to ritual and agricultural activities. When you reach the island, you walk up along a narrow path, enjoying impressive views of Lake Titicaca and seeing gorgeous little houses inhabited by the direct descendants of the Inca Culture. You will then have free time to explore the Island on your own, and afterward, you will meet the group for lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we will go down to the harbour to take a boat to continue with a one-hour boat ride to the peninsula Chucuito. The remarkable thing about this place is that the tourist feel it is new. The inhabitants of this place are very willing to receive visitors in their community, you will be welcomed directly by the families, and they will take you to their homes and spend the night. Karina community has Lake Titicaca, and hence you will be able to do activities like fishing and farming.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: Traditional Home Stay

Today we will enjoy the breakfast with our host family, and then we will participate in the local activities provided. Then we will have lunch and finally, say goodbye to the local family and go down to the harbour to take the boat. Afterward, we will sail towards Puno, which takes approximately two hours. We arrive back to Puno at around 5:00 pm.

MEALS: Breakfast

OVERNIGHT: 3 or 4 Star Hotel Hotel, Puno

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Juliaca airport for a short flight back to Lima. At Lima airport your tour will end and you can stay on in Peru or take your onward flight home. We hope you enjoyed travelling with us!

MEALS: Breakfast