Essential Peru: Coast & Andes with Machu Picchu

On this day, we will welcome you at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima and then transfer you to your hotel located in the Miraflores district, an hour's drive from the airport. This afternoon, you can take the opportunity to visit the most traditional residential areas of Lima, Larcomar, and see the magnificent view of the sea.

Very early, at approximately 4:30 am, we will pick you up at your hotel to board the bus bound for southern Peru and head to Paracas. Along the way, we will make strategic stops where you will also have time to enjoy a delicious breakfast. At approximately 8:30 am, we will arrive at Paracas Bay, where we will begin our tour of the Ballestas Islands by boat. On the way, you will be able to see the Candelabra, a gigantic geoglyph very similar to the Nazca lines, as well as appreciate the marine diversity, including sea lions, pelicans, penguins, and a variety of birds.

In the afternoon, we will visit the wineries, where we will have time for lunch, choosing from the diversity of dishes offered by Peruvian cuisine. After lunch, we will take a tour and learn about the process of making pisco and wine, Peru's flagship drinks. We will also taste each product and interact with a toast. Then we will head to Ica, where we will visit the famous ‘Huacachina’, a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert surrounded by dunes and palm trees. We will enjoy its tranquillity and natural beauty, where we can take the best photographs. We will also enjoy a great adventure on sand buggies and sandboarding.

At the end of the tour, we will head to our transport to return to the city of Lima, arriving at approximately 10:00 pm.

At the appropriate time, transfer to Jorge Chávez International Airport to board your flight to the city of Cusco.

We will welcome you at the airport and offer you a private transfer to your hotel in Cusco. In the afternoon, you will be able to explore the magnificent city of Cusco, surrounded by Inca buildings that house the most important treasures of their culture. Enjoy the cultural richness and local traditions.

We will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 4:30 am, board our vehicle and drive for 2 hours to the village of Mollepata, where we will enjoy our breakfast. We will then drive for 1 hour to the community of Soraypampa. We will immediately recharge our batteries and begin our 2 km guided hike to Humantay Lake, which will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Along the way, we will have breathtaking views of Humantay Lake and amazing viewpoints, allowing us to appreciate the beauty of the place and take impressive photographs as souvenirs. (Those who do not wish to walk can rent a horse at the entrance control).

After spending some time at Humantay Lake contemplating the landscape and nature, we will resume our walk back to the starting point, where we will enjoy lunch before boarding the van back to the city of Cusco, arriving at approximately 6:00 p.m. near the main square of Cusco.

Full-day excursion. We will pick you up at 8:00 am from your hotel and head towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will start by visiting the archaeological centre of Pisac, located an hour from Cusco, which will give you an idea of the advanced knowledge achieved by the Incas in architecture. From one of its many natural viewpoints, we will observe the impressive landscapes and snow-capped mountains of the Sacred Valley. We will have the opportunity to appreciate its famous and picturesque artisan market and its different forms of trade.

At midday, along the banks of the Vilcanota River, we will continue our journey to Urubamba to enjoy a delicious Novo Andino buffet lunch featuring exquisite Peruvian cuisine.

In the afternoon, we will visit the fortress of Ollantaytambo, which was a strategic military centre. It is in Ollantaytambo that we will board the train to Aguas Calientes so that we can visit Machu Picchu the following day. Overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

Very early in the morning, we will head to the bus station to ascend 400 metres in altitude over the course of 30 minutes. Finally, we will arrive at the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and enjoy the sunrise; the view is breathtaking. We will enjoy a guided tour for approximately 2 hours so that you can learn more about the history and architecture of the Inca city of Machu Picchu. You will be amazed by the Inca buildings and temples, as well as the natural environment that surrounds them. After the tour, you will have free time to continue exploring and take photos to remember your visit.

In the afternoon, we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where you will have time to have lunch, rest, and explore the town of Aguas Calientes. At the appointed time, we will board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where staff will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel in Cusco.

Important: Schedules may vary based on train departures and the train service you choose.

We will pick you up at 8:00 a.m. and head to the village of Maras in a tourist bus. During this trip, we will see the Vilcanota Mountain Range and its impressive snow-capped peaks that stretch across the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Once in Moray, we will visit the archaeological complex, which is unique due to its circular terraces that were used as an agricultural laboratory during the Inca period.

Then we will head northeast, passing through the town of Maras; we will visit the famous salt flats, also known as ‘salt mines,’ which consist of more than 3,000 small wells. These have been used for thousands of years, long before the Inca Empire; today they are preserved by the local inhabitants. We will end the tour at 2:00 pm in the historic centre of the city of Cusco.

Very early, at approximately 4:30 am, we will pick you up from your hotel and head to the town of Cusipata-Paucarpata (3310 meters above sea level), a 2-hour journey southeast of the city of Cusco, located on the road to the Ausangate snow-capped mountain, where we will enjoy a delicious breakfast. We will then continue our journey for 1 hour until we reach the checkpoint and begin the hike (those who do not wish to walk can rent a horse at the entrance checkpoint).

We will begin our 1-hour and 30-minute hike up the mountain until we reach the summit. We will walk along a trail that gradually changes the landscape between intensely colored mountains and small streams of icy water. We will reach the summit of the wonderful 7-color mountain (Vinicunca); our guide will begin with an explanation to help us better understand the origin, orography, ecosystem, and color of the mountain of colors.

Finally, you will have time to take souvenir photos, contemplate the fascinating landscape, and observe the typical flora and fauna of the Andes, including llamas and alpacas. At the appropriate time, we will resume our hike back to the starting point, where we will enjoy lunch before boarding the bus back to the city of Cusco, arriving at approximately 6:00 p.m.

Have breakfast at the hotel and take the opportunity to explore the main streets and visit churches and museums surrounding the historic center of Cusco; you can also sample the famous Peruvian cuisine. At the appropriate time, transfer to Alejandro Velasco International Airport in Cusco to board your departure flight to Lima.