Finally, your long-awaited Peruvian adventure begins! Once you land in the capital city of Lima, our private transport will pick you up at the airport and take you directly to your accommodations in the city’s most famous district, Miraflores. 

Take a little time to relax at the hotel, walk around the neighborhood, visit some shops, and enjoy some of Peru’s most popular culinary dishes. Also, don’t forget to try a classic Peruvian cocktail like a Pisco Sour or Passionfruit Chilcano. After a relaxing dinner, get a good night’s sleep before the activities begin the next day.

Today, we’ll set out to explore the capital city. Lima is a busy place that’s full of life, art, music, and vibrancy. There’s always something interesting going on in this city. Lima is also considered the culinary capital of Peru with its many world-famous Michelin-Star restaurants and celebrity chefs. Also, the historic city center of Lima features plenty of interesting sites to explore, including the tomb of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro.

Our second day will begin with you being picked up from your hotel and heading straight to the beautiful Pacific coastline. Take in the views from the Malecon and feel the cool ocean breeze before we take the mini-bus to explore the modern districts of Miraflores and San Isidro. We will also stop at the Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca ceremonial temple that has survived urban expansion and that sits quietly among the many tall modern buildings in the heart of Miraflores.  

After a tour of the Huaca Pucllana, we will then head to the historic city center where we can take a walking tour of the downtown area and visit the famous Santo Domingo Convent. This convent is home to the tombs of three different Peruvian Patron Saints. After a few hours in the city center, we will return to the hotel where you are free to spend the rest of the day as you please.

We will be jetting off to Arequipa today to see another side of Peru.  Sunny Arequipa is set at a higher altitude (2,335 meters) than Lima, making it the perfect middle ground to acclimate to the altitude before we head to even higher elevations. Arequipa is a truly beautiful city nestled in a valley surrounded by many volcanoes, most famously, Volcano Misti. Arequipa also has many buildings around the center that are made from white ashlar, a volcanic rock sourced from the many volcanoes that surround the area. The white stone buildings give Arequipa a totally unique look and feel compared to other Spanish colonial cities in Latin America. 

After settling into your hotel, you’ll be off on a city tour to explore the main square and the surrounding historical district as well as two amazing viewpoints that overlook the city. The viewpoints at Carmen Alto and the Yanahuara District provide some amazing panoramic views of Arequipa and the surrounding Andean landscape. Other places of importance that the tour will take you include the Dome of San Ignacio, Saint Catalina’s Monastery, and the Church and cloisters of the Society of Jesus.

After a full day exploring Arequipa, it is time to get out in nature. We wake up early and set out to explore the mystery and wonder of the Colca Canyon, a canyon that is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in the United States. Along the way, you’ll get to travel through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve while taking in the breathtaking Andean countryside. Be ready to see some surreal geological formations as well as herds of alpacas, llamas, and vicuña. You will want to make sure you have your camera ready for some incredible shots.  

Upon arrival at the Coca Canyon, you will observe and learn about the area’s indigenous peoples, the animals, and all the various geological features of the Colca Canyon. This will be the first of your scheduled treks in Peru, so it should be a good test for your lungs to see how well you have acclimated to the elevation. 

After a full day of adventure, take a dip in the geothermal hot springs, relax with a glass of wine, and spend the night beneath the stars.

Wake up nice and early to get an early start on the day and observe the Condors at the Cross of the Condor (3,800 m) viewpoint. The Condor has been an important part of Andean mythology and traditions since ancient times. The Incas considered the Condor to be the immortal representation of the Jananpacha: the upper world, sky, and future. 

After some time observing the condors, take in some last-minute views and photos of the canyon and its surroundings before packing up and heading to the city of Puno (3,827 m). The drive is approximately 6 hours, so try to catch a nap if you can to be reenergized and ready for Puno. Once we arrive, we will check into the hotel and the remainder of the day is yours to do as you please.

Puno is home to the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Today is a full day – first, we will be heading by boat to visit the floating islands of Uros. The floating islands of Uros are a very unique cultural experience that will give you a glimpse back in time to how the indigenous people of the area have lived for generations. 

Feel the unique texture of the grass-made artificial islands beneath your feet as we participate in a cultural demonstration. After the cultural demonstration, we will visit a few different islands to see how the people live and how their artisan products are made. If you were wanting to buy some souvenirs, this is one of the best places to buy traditional handicrafts as the quality is superior and the money goes directly to the community – so make sure you bring some extra cash.

After lunch, we will head to the island of Taquile. This is a quaint place with a population of around 2,200 people. The locals make beautiful textiles, farm, and fish the waters of Lake Titicaca to earn a living. After a little walking around and meeting some of the locals, we will head up to the highest point of the island to take some amazing photographs of the lake. There are also some archaeological ruins to visit as you learn about the history of the island from our bilingual guide. Afterward, we’ll hop on our boat back to Puno where we will return to the hotel for some rest and relaxation.

Today is largely a travel day as we make our way from Puno to the capital of the Incan Empire, Cusco. There are several ways you can choose to go. If you would like to go with us on the tourist bus, then you are in for a treat as we will make some stops at a few rare archaeological sites along the way. The drive is normally approximately seven hours, however, we will be making a few stops along the way to visit some important Incan cultural sites.

If you do go on the tourist bus, then our first stop along the way will be at the Pukara Archaeological Complex followed by the town of Andahuaylillas and lastly, the ruins and Incan temple a Raqch’i. At each stop, we will learn about the historical and cultural significance of each site, stretch our legs for a bit, and take pictures. These scheduled stops are a great way to explore some parts of Peru that not many tourists get to see. 

If you would like to upgrade from the tourist bus option to either the Lake Titicaca Train or by taking a flight, these options are available as well. Please feel free to inquire with us for specific itineraries related to either of these options. We do at least recommend the train so you can enjoy the spectacular views along the way from Puno to Cusco, however, if you would like to spend the day in Cusco, then a flight will get you there early enough that you will be able to have plenty of free time to explore the city of Cusco.

Whether you travel by plane, train, or bus, once we arrive in Cusco, we can check in to the hotel and rest for the evening, grab some dinner, and get a good sleep before another action-packed day.

Your first full day in Cusco will be spent visiting some historic sites around the city as well as some important Incan ruins. Our city tour includes stops at the cathedral, the temple of Qoricancha, Santo Domingo Convent, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay.

After the tour, you will be free to explore this wonderful city as you please. We recommend visiting some of the intriguing local markets, trying out some different dishes and street food, and stocking up on souvenirs. Tonight is an excellent opportunity to experience some of the fine dining options that Cusco has to offer. So, relax a bit, have a glass of chicha morada or a cup of coca tea, and enjoy a world-class dinner as we take a little break from our busy Peru itinerary.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we head out to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an agricultural powerhouse filled with endless fields and terraces of corn, potatoes, quinoa, leafy greens, and many other types of vegetables. The entire valley is surrounded by beautiful lush green mountains as well as a few glacier-packed peaks. Again, have your camera ready because the scenery is quite magical. 

Our first stop of the day will be at the Moray Archaeological Complex. The circular terraces are thought to have been an agricultural research center where cultivation experiments could be carried out at various heights. Because of the layout of the terraces, each level contains its own microclimate getting progressively colder from the lower middle section to the higher outer rings. 

After Moray, we will head to Maras to walk amongst the salt flats that are owned and taken care of by over 120 ingenious families. Members of the families remove the salt and iodize it before being sold at the market. 

After some time at Maras, we then head to the town of Ollantaytambo to explore the amazing ruins located close to the town’s main square. Our bilingual guide will share their knowledge of the ruins from their original purpose to how they were used as an Incan fortress during the Spanish Inquisition.

After checking into the hotel, you are free to explore the area, grab some dinner, and get some rest before the next day’s activities. 

The 10th day of our Peruvian tour gives us the rare opportunity to visit the indigenous community of Patacancha high up in the mountains above Ollantaytambo. After a short bus ride, we will arrive in the community where we will be greeted by several important community leaders who will be our guides while we are in Patacancha. Not to worry, our own guide will be there to translate to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

First on the agenda is a llama ceremony. A llama ceremony is a special tradition that not many tourists get to see. The ceremony begins with the decoration of all of the baby llamas with flowers and natural colors. Next, a special type of water is made that is then thrown over the heads of the llamas as prayers are spoken and the people of the community dance around the herd. The ceremony ends by releasing all of the llamas back into the mountains.

After the llama ceremony, we will meet with our indigenous women guides once again so that they can give us a weaving demonstration. They will show us how they take the alpaca wool, color it, and then weave various textiles. After the demonstration, you will have the opportunity to weave your own small bracelet if you wish.

Before it’s time to say goodbye and give thanks to the community, we are invited to sit down for a traditional Pachamanca lunch. Pachamanca is a traditional way of cooking food where various meats, potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables are cooked by placing everything over red hot rocks and covering it with vegetation, a tarp, and then dirt. 

After lunch, it is time to return to the hotel to enjoy some free time before meeting up the next day to head to Machu Picchu.

Today is going to be one of the longest days of the trip so far, so make sure you take advantage of the breakfast before we leave the hotel. From the hotel, we will take private transport to the train station in Ollantaytambo where we will board the train that will take us into the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. 

Once we arrive in Aguas Calientes, the community that sits below Machu Picchu, we will head for the buses to take us up to the gates of Machu Picchu. Our bilingual guide will then lead us through the ancient city while explaining the history and significance of various areas inside the park. The entire tour should take about two and a half hours. 

After the guided tour in Machu Picchu, it is time to make our way back to Cusco. First, we again board the train to leave Aguas Calientes and head back to the train station in Ollantaytambo. From the train station, we will go by private transport for two hours until we reach Cusco. Once in Cusco, we can check into our hotels and rest for the night.

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, it’s time to pack up and head to the airport again to fly to Puerto Maldonado, a gateway city to the deep Amazon rainforest. After arriving in Puerto Maldonado, we will head to the port where we will catch a boat taxi to take us to our luxury Amazon resort. 

After almost two weeks of non-stop travel, it is time to slow down and let ourselves match the pace of life deep in the Amazon. After checking into our rooms at the resort, we are free to explore the grounds, grab a cocktail at the bar, or see if you can book someone for a private massage in the spa. This will be our home base for a few days as you can select from several different excursions that include traveling deeper into the Tambopata Nature Reserve and the dense forests surrounding the lodge.

Choose from several different quarter-day and half-day excursions ranging from visiting local farms to wildlife viewing and canopy walks. The lodge has a wide selection of activities to choose from, however, if you simply want to relax at the resort and enjoy the spa amenities, that is a fine choice as well. 

Here is a list of some of the most popular activities to choose from. 

• Quarter day: Conception nature walk, twilight river ride at dusk, rainforest night walk, botanical garden, local farm visit, or wildlife viewing.
• Half day: Gamitana farm visit, cacao plantation, Brazilian nut farm, cocha, canopy elevated walkway, or a visit to Lake Sandoval.

Additional excursion: Birdlife viewing and breakfast by boat.

Today is another day where you are free to explore the grounds of the hotel, visit the spa, relax, or choose an excursion from the many options offered by the resort.

Choose from the following quarter and half-day excursions.

• Quarter day: Conception nature walk, twilight river ride at dusk, rainforest night walk, botanical garden, local farm visit, or wildlife viewing.
• Half day: Gamitana farm visit, cacao plantation, Brazilian nut farm, cocha, canopy elevated walkway, or a visit to Lake Sandoval.

Additional excursion: Birdlife viewing and breakfast by boat.

After three days of adventure, rest, and relaxation in the deep Amazon, it is time to say goodbye and start making your way back home. From the lodge, we travel again by boat to return to the port of Puerto Maldonado. From Puerto Maldonado, you can fly back to Lima where you can catch a flight back to your home country, or if you have other plans to continue traveling in Peru, you can fly to where you need to go. As this completes the guided portion of your Peruvian journey, we wish you well and hope you enjoyed your time and experiences with us.