Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca – 8 Days

Upon arrival at Lima International Airport, our representative will be waiting to welcome you and escort you to your hotel. After check-in, the rest of the day is yours to relax and recover from your international flight, as there are no scheduled activities. Enjoy a comfortable overnight stay in Lima and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning. The morning is free for relaxation, allowing you to prepare for your unforgettable journey through Peru. In the afternoon, at 2:30 PM, begin a guided sightseeing tour of Lima, often called the ‘City of Kings.’ This excursion combines the best attractions from Lima’s three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial, and contemporary. Learn about the ancient pre-Columbian cultures that flourished here thousands of years ago, and how Lima became part of the Inca Empire before its founding by Francisco Pizarro on January 18, 1535. Afterwards, you will be transferred back to your hotel for the night.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a free morning to acclimatize to the altitude. After lunch, at 1:30 PM, embark on a comprehensive tour of Cusco. Begin at the Main Square, then enter the magnificent Cusco Cathedral to admire its exquisite woodwork and colonial paintings rich with Incan iconography. Visit Koricancha (the Temple of the Sun), where the Santo Domingo Convent was built. Legend says this temple was once entirely coated in gold. Continue to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman and explore its impressive citadel, a royal house dedicated to the Sun God. Next, visit Qenqo, the ancient Temple of the Puma, where you’ll see a sacrificial altar carved from a massive stone. Conclude your tour at Tambomachay, known for its sacred fountains of life and health, and Pucapucara, which once guarded the city gates. The tour ends with a detailed visit of the city before returning to your hotel.

Following breakfast, your full-day tour of the impressive Sacred Valley of the Incas begins with a pickup at 8:00 AM. Explore the beautiful Peruvian countryside, starting with the town of Pisaq, famous for its bustling market. This historic town was a hub for ‘exchange transactions’ where goods were bartered instead of purchased with currency. You’ll have time to explore Pisaq’s market and buy beautifully crafted local products. On Sundays, a unique mass celebrated in Quechua and conducted in Spanish is a main attraction, attended by local mayors and their attendants playing traditional ‘pututos.’ Afterwards, enjoy a typical Peruvian lunch (included). Your next stop is the magnificent Ollantaytambo Fortress. Originally Emperor Pachakuteq’s royal estate, it later became a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui during the Inca rebellion against the Spanish. From Ollantaytambo, you’ll take a train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel for the night.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before an early transfer at 5:30 AM to the bus stop for a 25-minute ride up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, embark on a guided tour of this iconic Inca site. You’ll visit the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, houses, warehouses, and a large central square, all connected by narrow roads and steps amidst terraced mountainsides. After the guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore the archaeological site at your leisure. You may choose to climb Wayna Picchu (for the adventurous, offering breathtaking views of Machu Picchu from a higher perspective) or walk to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku, approximately a 1-hour walk). Lunch will be served at the Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant at Machu Picchu (included). In the afternoon, return to the train station in Aguas Calientes for your journey back to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel at 7:00 AM and transferred to the bus station for your scenic journey to Puno. Along the way, enjoy beautiful landscapes and stop to visit important archaeological sites such as Raqchi, as well as the village of Andahuaylillas with its famous ‘Sixteen Chapel,’ built in the mid-17th century. A delicious lunch will be served in Sicuani. Upon arrival in Puno, you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel.

Following breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel at 7:30 AM for a two-hour motorboat excursion on the vast waters of Lake Titicaca. Your first stop will be the unique floating islands of the Uros people. These ancient inhabitants, known as the ‘Water Tribe,’ construct their entire islands, homes, and boats from periodically replenished layers of ‘Totora’ reeds, native to the area. Continue your motorboat journey to Taquile Island, home to Quechua-speaking natives renowned for their efficient and unique social systems, as well as their exquisite hand-weaving techniques. Immerse yourself in the local culture before returning to Puno.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the local airport for your onward flight, concluding your unforgettable Peruvian adventure.