Peru Uncovered

Day 1 – Lima

Arrive Lima with a guided transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to explore Peru’s capital city.

Day 2 – Lima

Enjoy breakfast in your hotel before embarkation on a half-day tour of Lima and the surrounds. At the scheduled time, you will be picked up at the hotel to begin a tour of the city’s main avenues, boulevards, and squares. The tour will begin with an exploration of Colonial Lima. First, you will stop off at the Main Square, where you will get a chance to explore the square on foot and admire the exteriors of the Government Palace, the Cathedral of Lima, and the City Hall all examples of Lima’s still-present colonial architectural opulence.

You will visit to San Francisco Convent built in the 17th century, and its “Catacombs” ancient underground cemetery of Lima. Afterwards, we will head to the Pueblo Libre Disctrict and visit the Larco Museum, an eighteenth-century Viceregal mansion that houses more than 3,000 years of Peru’s pre-Columbian history. The museum boasts a supremely fine collection of gold and silver jewelry and worship paraphernalia that demonstrates the superb skill of ancient Peruvian gold and silversmiths. The Larco Museum also contains a famous collection of erotic ceramic tomb art that gives insights into various aspects of pre-Columbian sexuality.

Finally, you will leave behind Lima’s Historic Center and begin a journey through the streets of modern Lima as head toward the most traditional of the residential zones of the capital: San Isidro and Miraflores. In San Isidro, you will pass through the heart of the city’s financial district; soon afterwards, you will travel to the district of Miraflores, a perfect spot to enjoy wonderful views of the Pacific Ocean.

Day 3 – Lima > Cusco

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco. On arrival you’ll receive a brief introduction to this city on your way to your hotel. Enjoy free time in the city to relax and adjust to the altitude.

Day 4 – Cusco

Enjoy breakfast in your hotel before embarkation on a half-day tour of Cusco and the surrounds. At a schedule time we will pick you up from the hotel to begin the exploration of the Imperial City with a visit to one of the most impressive buildings of Incan Cusco: the Korikancha (the Golden Temple) – a temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, whose interior walls were said to have been covered in gold.

We will continue the day with a stroll through the Main Square, where you will disover the Cathedral and admire its exquisite vestibules and priceless paintings from the Cusco School of the 17th and 18th centuries. Afterwards, we will go to the nearby ruins: Tambomachay with their water fountains; Kenko, the religious center; Puca-Pucara, the red fortress, and finally the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a colossal structure of enormous stones, carved and fitted together with incredible precision.

Day 5 – Cusco > Sacred Valley

This morning, we will continue the trip toward the Sacred Valley and soon reach Pisac, a beautiful place where Incan and Colonial influences have reached a perfect balance and created the unique way of life of the local inhabitants. We will get a chance to explore this quaint town, famous for its artisan markets where we can find extraordinarily fine jewelry and ceramic and textile craftwork.

Afterwards, we will visit one of the last remaining Incan towns, Ollantaytambo, which was once fiercely guarded by a massive fortress. We will discover the large archaeological complex of what used to serve as a wayside inn for royal delegations on long journeys. Surviving structures here include multiple walls and towers that were used to protect the citadel from possible invasions.

Day 6 – Sacred Valley > Aguas Calientes > Machu Picchu > Aguas Calientes

Transfer to the Ollanta train station to board Vistadome train that goes through the Urubamba Valley or Sacred Valley of the Incas, to the fabulous mountaintop ruins of Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu was never discovered by the Spaniards. For centuries it was buried in the jungle until Hiram Bingham found it in 1911. The Holy City of Machu Picchu was built in stone among the flanks of two hills belonging to the eastern mountain range of the Andes, descending into the Amazonian upper sylvan. There is no doubt that Machu Picchu represents an extraordinary example of architecture and engineering. Upon arrival to the station, the buses wait to transfer you to the top of the ruins (30 minutes). A guided tour of the ruins gives you some idea of what the city must have looked like.

Enjoy a guided tour of the ruins followed by a buffet lunch served at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge hotel, before decending back down to Aguas Calientes.

Day 7 – Aguas Calientes > Machu Picchu > Cusco

This morning you can enjoy a second visit to Machu Picchu (guide not included), before boarding the Vistadome train back to Cusco in the afternoon. You will be transferred back to your hotel.

Day 8 – Cusco > Lima

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Lima, where your tour will end (B)

Tour Inclusions

• Professional local English speaking guide
• Transfers and excursions on private services
• 4-star hotel accommodation including breakfast throughout
• All meals mentioned in the itinerary
• Entrances fee to Machu Picchu and bus tickets (round trip)
• Second entrance fee to the ruins and bus ticket (round trip)
• Train Vistadome to / from Machu Picchu

From AUD 2,545 | GBP 1,320 | EUR 1,580 | USD 1,740 per person twin share

*Single traveller pricing available on request.

**Public Holiday Surcharges apply

IMPORTANT NOTE: ​Airfares between Lima – Cusco – Lima are NOT included in this package, and will need to be booked. Please contact us for assistance.

Contact us or your preferred travel advisor for a quote