Enchanting Peru

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You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

¡Bienvenidos a Lima! This afternoon, our guided tour begins in San Isidro and Miraflores which feature modern architecture, shopping centers, and beautiful parks overlooking the ocean like "El Olivar" and Parque del Amor". We'll continue to the heart of the city, passing colonial buildings and monuments until we reach the historical center. Here, we'll admire the colorful colonial architecture of Plaza San Martín and the Plaza de Armas, seeing the Government Palace, Cathedral, and Municipality. We'll explore San Francisco Monastery's underground maze of tunnels and catacombs, then view some of the pre-Columbian ceramics, textiles, gold, and silver pieces that make up Larco Museum's 45,000+ artifacts! This evening, we'll taste a variety of regional dishes at the Café Del Museo in the museum's lovely terraced garden filled with colorful flowers.

This morning we'll fly to Cusco, then drive onward to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Along the way, we'll enjoy a buffet lunch at Princesita Restaurant and experience a Shaman ceremony in the restaurant gardens, introducing us to the ancient rituals of Peru. During the ceremony, our shaman will thank Pachamama, or Mother Earth, and welcome us to Cusco. We'll continue to Awanakancha, a weaving center that still uses ancient weaving techniques. We'll also see the four camels of South America - llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos, and learn how natural plants are used to dye the wool. Later, we'll check into our hotel and enjoy some free time before dinner together.

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 share a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

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