Enchanting Peru with Nazca Lines & Ballestas Islands

On today’s full-day excursion, we'll visit the world-renowned and colorful Indian market in Pisac where many beautiful crafts are traded. Later, we'll travel through the lush valley to Ollantaytambo and explore the splendid ruins of this massive ancient fortress. The village below is a fine example of the Incas incredible urban planning skills. This evening we'll enjoy dinner together at the hotel.

Today's expedition to Machu Picchu begins with a train through the lush Urubamba Valley. We'll arrive in Aguas Calientes where we'll drive up the steep mountain to "the Lost City of the Incas". The beauty of its location and the genius construction make Machu Picchu the jewel of all Inca settlements. Theorized to have been an observatory, no one can explain how the Incas managed to transport the huge blocks of limestone used for the city's construction onto the mountaintop. After our expert guide shares the amazing stories and sites of Machu Picchu, we'll have some free time to explore further. Later, we'll take the train back to the Sacred Valley, then continue onward to Cusco by bus.

Today's guided tour takes us back in history to both Incan and colonial Cusco. We'll visit Qoricancha, the Incan Temple of the Sun, and how the temple later served as the foundation for the Catholic monastery or Santo Domingo. Similarly, we'll see the cathedral which was built over the palace of the Inca Wiracocha, which was considered the religious and political center of Cusco during the Inca era. Today, the cathedral is the best repository of colonial art from the Cusco school. We'll walk along the Incan street of Loreto which showcases Cusco's old town and remarkable Inca Walls before enjoying free time to explore this vibrant town independently. We might consider a visit to the amazing ruins of Sacsayhuaman, an Incan architectural masterpiece with lovely views of the city below.

Today is free to explore this magical city independently! Cusco has so much to offer from incredible museums like Museo de Arte Pre-Colombino (MAP) and the Museo Inka, or spend the day exploring local markets or the picturesque San Blas district! We may also consider joining an optional tour Moray with its unique circular agricultural terraces and the Maras salt ponds or a visit to the chocolate museum!

After breakfast this morning, we'll travel by bus through the Peruvian highlands along snow-covered peaks before we descend down to Puno located on the edge of Lake Titicaca. En route, we'll visit the colonial church of Andahuaylillas, nicknamed the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, with its lovely simple exterior and beautifully ornate interior.

Today we'll discover the unique Uros Islands, which float on Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake. We'll meet resident families dressed in traditional and colorful outfits who welcome us and show us their homes, boats, and the islands made of totora reed. Each year, they replenish the islands with a new layer of reed adn continue to maintain the Aymara language and other traditional ways of life. Next, our boat ride takes us to Taquile where we'll be amazed y this matchless island filled with elaborate pre-Inca terraces, unpaved roads, no electricity, nor pollution. We'll learn about the lifestyles here that have been unchanged for thousands of years and the unique traditions based on community collectivism. Here, men are taught to knit and women weave and yarn, blending these crafts and their unique social arrangements together.

After breakfast, we'll visit a local house where we'll learn how a local family works their fields and more about their daily life and customs. After our visit, we'll continue to Juliaca airport for our flight back to Lima. This evening, we'll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

Early this morning we'll travel south by bus* to Paracas, a coastal village renowned for its climate, beautiful beaches, and rich marine wildlife and ecosystems. After we check into our hotel, we have the rest of the day at leisure to relax or enjoy our hotel's amenities.

*Small groups under 10 will utilize a public motorcoach escorted by an English-speaking host.

This morning, we'll board our aircraft at Pisco airport and fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines. Located in the arid Peruvian coastal plain, these pre-Columbian geoglyphs were scratched onto the surface of the ground between 500 BC and 500 AD and are among archeology's greatist enigmas thanks to their size, nature, quantity, and continuity. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is made up of a series of complex designs with some designs up to 300 meters long.

This morning, we'll board a speedboat bound for Ballestas Islands. On our way out to the Pacific Ocean, we'll pass by the National Reserve of Paracas and during a short photo stop, we'll be able to take photos of the "El Candelabro" figure etched into the side of a hill. Once we reach the islands, we'll have a chance to see animals in their natural environment from our boat. There are thousands of different birds like cormorants, pelicans, and penguins plus other animals like sea lions. This afternoon, we'll travel back to Lima.

Note: The Ballestas Islands are protected and not to be walked on. We will not leave the boat during this excursion but will get close enough to take photos of the animals.

After breakfast, our journey through enchanting Peru comes to an end.