11 days Luxury journey Peru

Day 1: Arrival Lima

Overnight: Costa del Sol Lima Airport

Arrival of your International flight. Upon your arrival in Lima you will be met by our representative who will assist you with your check in at your Lima airport hotel.

Depending on your arrival time, you can opt for a half day excursion in Lima visiting the historical centre, the Plaza de Armas and the San Francisco Monastery, hosting the intriguing catacombs that give an impressive insight on how religious life was during Spanish colonial times.  You stop to visit the Monastery and descend into the convent catacombs that served until 1808 as a burial ground; an extraordinary fact is that monks arranged the remains according to bone types, resulting in an absolutely amazing display of the burial sites. Continue with the Casa Aliaga, an ancient house delivered by Francisco Pizarro to his captain Jerónimo de Aliaga, after the foundation of the city and its construction started in 1535.

Day 2: Flight to Cusco, Pisaq Market & The Sacred Valley

Overnight: El Albergue de Ollantaytambo

Upon arrival in Cusco, your tour guide welcomes and joins you for the one-and-a-half hour drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Valley is located 500 meters lower than Cusco City, allowing a better process for acclimatising to the altitude.

After 45 minutes we reach the Pisaq archeological site, with its magnificent terraces and Inca buildings. You will enjoy a picnic lunch in the open air before you visit the archaeological site. Depending on your specific interests you may want to walk the narrow paths along the Pisaq Inca ruins, a quite impressive archaeological site, where you will find large terraces, ancient cemeteries, an important worship area and a number of buildings formerly used as residencies. Together with the archaeological site, the traditional market is one of Pisaq’s main attractions; where you may stroll from one stand to another, admiring the typical art-crafts and at the same time watching and even trying some of the local products.  At the end of your excursion,  transfer to your hotel.

Day 3: Machu Picchu

Overnight: El Mapi by Inkaterra, Aguas Calientes

During the morning you will be transferred to Ollantaytambo station to board your train.  Enjoy a unique train ride towards the marvellous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. Get the most outstanding views of the Urubamba River, which cuts its way through green fields beneath the high peaks of the Andean Mountain Range.

Arrival in Aguas Calientes and time at leisure.

During the afternoon, a coach will take you from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”. Machu Picchu which means “Old Mountain”, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the seven new wonders of the world. Spend the rest of the morning visiting the Sacred Inca citadel, exploring its main temples and hidden corners.

Day 4: Maras & Moray

Overnight: El Mercado, Cusco

Take the morning train back to Ollantaytambo and continue your visit though the Sacred Valley exploring Maras & Moray.

From Ollantaytambo  you will be driven to Moray, a site which is neither the vestige of a city nor a fortress, but an earthwork that served as an experimental agricultural station for the development of different strain of crops. This was possible thanks to the discovery of a fascinating phenomenon: the climates of many different ecological zones were present in one single site.

After this visit you can either start walking or driving towards Maras’ salt mines. The Maras “salt works”, also called “salt mines”, are constituted by about 3000 small pools with an average area of 5 m², constructed on a slope of the “Qaqawiñay” mountain. Every three days during the dry season, the locals fill up or “irrigate” the pools with salt water emanating from a natural spring located on the top of the complex, so that when water evaporates the salt contained in it will slowly solidify. That process will be carried out approximately during one month until a considerable volume of solid salt is obtained.

After your visit, private transfer to the city of Cusco.

Day 5: Cusco

Overnight: El Mercado, Cusco

Visit the Imperial City, living example of the mixture of the Andean and Spanish cultures. You start your trip visiting the Santo Domingo Convent, built over the Koricancha Palace. Later  you will stop at San Pedro local market, a vibrant spot in a very busy area in town that can keep you entertained for hours. Here you can have a first-hand look at how locals live day-to-day, outside the confines of Cusco’s tourist zones. By observing the scene, you can hear the language as it is spoken and properly pronounced, view the gestures and habits that are common to the Andean culture, smell the scents of local produce and flora, absorb the styles and textures of the local fashion, see the fruits, vegetables and meats that make up the main staples of traditional meals.  Optional visit to the Sacsayhuaman archeological site.

Afternoon at leisure to explore the city by your own.

Day 6: Belmond Andean Explorer, from Cusco to Arequipa

Overnight: Belmond Andean Explorer

In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to Wanchaq train station where you will board the train for an overnight escape to Puno at Lake Titicaca. Riding the Andean Explorer is a unique experience, a journey between mountains, highlands and clouds.

About Belmond Andean Explorer

Belmond Andean Explorer, South America’s first luxury sleeper train, travels through majestic landscapes along one of the highest rail routes in the world. This remarkable journey features elegant accommodation and sumptuous cuisine on its one- and two-night adventures linking Cusco, Lake Titicaca and Arequipa.

The Andean Explorer is exquisitely decorated with the subtle, delicate style of the great Pullman trains of the 1920s. It includes dining cars and a bar car with an outdoor observatory. The Andean Explorer is probably the most luxurious and certainly unique way to travel between the cities of Cusco and Arequipa.

Wagons

Each en-suite cabin is designed to be a relaxing sanctuary. Belmond Andean Explorer offers 24 cabins, sleeping up to 48 guests, in four categories. Cabins are available from bunk beds to deluxe double beds. All cabins have a private bathroom with a washbasin, shower and toilet.

Interior designs are inspired by the textures of Peru’s handwoven fabrics and the soft tones of alpaca wool.

A selection of inviting spaces enable guests to dine, mingle and soak up the vistas.

Lounge Cars

Gather with your new friends around the piano or relax in the plush chairs to gaze at the majestic views, chat about your day’s adventures and enjoy a refreshing drink from the bar.

Dining Cars

Take a seat for a Peruvian fine dining experience. Menus comprising colourful, seasonal dishes, with a focus on local Andean ingredients, have been designed by the chefs at Belmond Hotel Monasterio in Cusco.

Observatory Car

Unwind and enjoy the views while sipping a pisco sour. Breathe in the fresh Andean air from the open deck and capture amazing photographs as the train winds its way through inspiring landscapes.

Spa

Enter the sumptuous spa to enjoy soothing Andean rituals, rejuvenating facials and relaxing massages. Glance up to see majestic mountains capes through the windows.

Day 7: Belmond Andean Explorer, Titicaca lake

Overnight: Belmond Andean Explorer

After breakfast on the train you will visit the islands of Uros & Taquile in Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America with an area of 8,340 km2, and at an altitude of 3,800 meters also the highest navigable lake in the world. The Uros Islands are famous. These are floating artificial islands made from reeds. It is said that these islands were originally the refuge of the Uros Indians on their flight from the Incas. You can see how the Uros now live and how the islands are constructed and maintained.

Lunch, organised by Andean Explorer Train, will be served in a private location

Return to the train in the afternoon. Enjoy Tea Time while the train continues its journey to your next destination. The train stops at Sorococha station for overnight. Dinner will be served on board

Day 8: Belmond Andean Explorer, Arrival to Colca Canyon

Overnight: Belmond Las Casitas del Colca

At dawn your guides are ready to take you for an exploration of the unique scenery of the Andean “puna”. The journey continues while you enjoy a delicious breakfast. At the next stop our guides invite you to an exploration of the Sumbay Caves, home to the rock art of the first humans that lived in the Peruvian highlands. Finally, we reach the station where we disembark the train and drive to Colca Canyon, considered to be one of the deepest Canyons on the planet.Disembarking the train at this point gives us the big advantage of reaching the Colca Valley in half the time that it would take from Arequipa.

Your charming hotel is situated in a secluded location featuring beautiful views of the valley and the Colca River. After check-in you have some free time to go for a walk to explore the surroundings or just relax and enjoy the scenery from the comfort of the lodge. You can also enjoy a hot bath in your room’s outdoor tub.

Day 9: Colca Canyon

Overnight: Belmond Las Casitas del Colca

Today you get up early to begin a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the lookout point of “Cruz del Condor” or Condor Cross. With a little luck, you will see these giant birds flying from the bottom of the Canyon, and if you are very lucky you may be even able to feel the whistle of the wind cut by their enormous wings, when flying close over your head. Return to your hotel for lunch.

During the afternoon, you depart to Uyo Uyo. Optional you may go for a horse ride from Yanque to Coporaque.

Day 10: Colca Canyon and Arequipa

Overnight: Casa Andina Premium, Arequipa

Today your guide will take you for a hike from Canocota to La Calera. This is a three-hour hike along the valley, following an original Inca Trail that takes you into a beautiful section of the canyon. This section takes you away from the tourist crowds and at the same time gives you the chance of admiring the field-crops and the authentic way of living of the local inhabitants. A picnic lunch will be set in a beautiful location.

After lunch we will continue to Arequipa City (3.5 hours drive) On the way you will drive through the Aguada Blanca reserve, famous for its large vicuña population. There you will be able to enjoy the endless “Puna” landscapes, watching the snowcapped mountains on the horizon.

Day 11: Arequipa and international flight

Flight home or to Galápagos islands?

This morning your guide will take you to visit the city including the main Plaza, La Compañia Church, Santa Catalina Monastery, Mundo Alpaca with San Lazaro neighbourhood and Sillar Quarry.  Across the Cathedral, you will find “La Compañia” Church and inside of it, the San Ignacio de Loyola Chapel. You will walk around its cloisters with arcades made of ‘sillar’ in the purest baroque style.  Then, you will head to the Santa Catalina Monastery, a more than 400-year-old citadel, which still preserves a colonial environment in its cloisters and cells, as well as a collection of valuable paintings and frescos, belonging to the Cusqueño School of art.

Arequipa is not only a charming historic city which colonial centre is quite unique thanks to the volcanic material used to build it, but has always been the main hub and base for the Alpaca industry, where a few pioneer-families such as Michell and Patthey have built large and solid companies that manufacture and commercialise Alpaca products around the world. You transport and guide take you to Mundo Alpaca, Michell Group’s Alpaca centre and museum. The small but interesting museum tells the story of the beginnings of the Alpaca Industry in Arequipa to this day. Here you may also want to do some shopping,

Lunch is at a traditional “Picanteria”

Later in the afternoon, you are driven to the airport to board your flight to Lima. Upon arrival you are assisted to board your international connection. Either you can fly home. A great choice however, is to extend your vacation and fly to Ecuador instead for an amazing cruise expedition in the Galápagos Archipelago. Contact us to discuss your possibilities.