Ecuador & Peru

ITINERARY

Day One: Arrival in Lima + City Tour + Magic Circuit (D)

We pick you up from Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima and transfer you to your selected hotel.

Ancestral Lima

We start our tour with a panoramic view of the Pucllana Pyramid , which was a magnificent ceremonial and archeological center built in the IV th century A.C. This place was also considered a “sacred village” by the Incas.

Colonial Lima

Visit of the Historical Center of Lima, where you will appreciate colonial monuments and buildings, The main highlights of this area are the Paseo de la Republica, Plaza San Martin, the Main Square, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Cathedral Basilica of Lima, Central Reserve Bank’s Museum the “Collection Treasures of Peru “, which showcases a select exhibition of gold, ceramic and textile objects from diverse pre-Columbian cultures.

The Convent of San Francisco

This Church showcases the biggest collection of religious colonial art in the Americas. Another highlight in this location is the visit to the underground crypts also known as the “Catacombs”.

The City  of Lima will amaze you with a blend of modern, colonial and ancestral parts of the town. Lima has the Costa verde with its beautiful beaches where you can walk through its long promenades enjoying the views of the seaside. Lima has a sizable amount of ruins, farmhouses, beaches and local fauna that will allow you to know this vibrant city much better.

We end up our tour visiting the Magic Water Circuit of Lima, a fantastic place with impressive fountains that combine movement, lights, sounds and images. It is the largest water fountain compound in the world, certified by Guinness World Records. Nice place to visit while in Lima, it offers quite a different kind of attraction. The park has thirteen water fountains, some of them surprisingly original and some for visitors to explore. Return to the hotel and lodging in Lima.

Important Information:

Weather from May to October is cold and from November to April is hot and warm

Please remember bring your camera during tour to take some pictures and don’t forget to drink enough water.

Day two: Full Day Paracas & Ica (B-L-D)

Transfer to the Chaco pier and starts our Ballestas Islands Tour. Where you can observe the habitat of sea lions, guano birds, penguins and diversity of marine fauna.

On the way there is a figure The Candelabro, engraved on the side of a hill, is a geoglyph of rock formation eroded by the wind and by the sea. Measures more than 120 meters long is also called Tres Cruces or Tridente. The best way to appreciate it is from the sea.

Transfer from Paracas to Ica. Arrival to Ica. We’ll enjoy the city tour in Ica + a visit to a winery “place where we can see how people elaborate the process of the Peruvian Pisco and wine”. Then starts our Buggies tour and sand board (optional).

Important Information:

Weather at Paracas & Ica both belongs to Ica region, all year is warm and hot, so recommend to wear light clothing.

Distances: From Lima to Paracas 3 hours and 45 minutes to south of Lima, From Paracas to Ica 1 hour and 30 minutes (time approximately)

Please remember bring your camera during tour to take some pictures and don’t forget to drink enough water.

Day three: Overflight Nasca Linez (B-L-D)

Enjoy a wonderful experience with a stunning 30-minute long fly over the Nasca lines, where you can see 12 geoglyphic figures, representing the Pre-Inca cultural heritage located in southern Peru and can only be seen flying in appreciate other figures and the Cantalloc Aqueducts, which were the supply systems of water of the Pre-Incas.

Important Information:

Weather at Nasca belongs to Ica region, so this province, all year is warm and hot, so recommend to wear light clothing.

Overglight Nasca Lines, it has a duration of 35 minutes, the pilot will give the tourists all important information about the lines.

Take note that he only speaks English and Spanish.

Please remember bring your camera during tour to take some pictures and don’t forget to drink enough water.

Day Four: Colca Canyon Tour (B-L-D)

At 08:00 a.m. pick you up at your hotel and departure from Arequipa ( 2325 m.a.s.l) towards north-west direction behind snow-covered Chachani; we will see wild vicuñas, alpacas & llamas in Pampa Cañahuas national reserve, some birds like flamingoes, ibis, Andean goose, ducks, Andean eagle “Kara Kara” view point of the Volcanoes and snow covered mountains in Patapampa (4,800 m.a.s.l).

Arrive in Chivay (3600 m.a.s.l), which is the capital of the valley.

Note: The optional visit to La Calera Hot Springs is only for passengers how stay at Chivay.

Important Information:

Weather at Chivay in fact is hotter and colder than Arequipa. The average annual temperature in Chivay is 9 ° C

Distances from Arequipa to Chivay, is about 4 hours, with many stops on the way.

Day 5: Chivay + Puno (B-L-D)

Important Information:

Weather at Puno in fact is hotter and colder than Chivay. Puno is at 3827 m.a.t.s. The average annual temperature in Puno is 9 ° C

Distances From Chivay to Puno, is about 6 hours, but in the way we have many stops, the service includes snacks.

Day 6: Full Day Islas Uros and Taquile (B-L-D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer from your Hotel to the Port of Puno where you will board a motor boat, which brings the guests to the first of floating islands of Uros, these are located 30 minutes from the port of Puno, in the lake there are more than 50 small floating islands. We will visit only of them.

On the first island the tour guide will explain a little about the people how live on this floating islands, after the explanation you have free time to walk around the island, take some photos and maybe talk with one of the families. We spend approximately 1 hour, for visiting two floating islands.

After this visit, the tour continues to the island of Taquile, which is located two and a half hours from the floating islands. Upon your arrival to Taquile we will explore the Island. Our hike will take about 1 ½ h. The first part about 30 minutes and the second part about one hour which is flat and downhill. During this walk you will visit a local family where you will learn about Taquile and his people, also our brief visit to the main square of the island where you can see and buy some handcrafts of the island. The square will also be the highest point of this walk 3950 MSNM. After returning to Puno, the tour ends at approximately 5 pm.

Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging at Puno.

Important Information:

Weather at Puno in fact is hotter and colder than Chivay. Puno is at 3827 m.a.t.s. The average annual temperature in Puno is 9 ° C

The service includes lunch at FD Islands Uros and Taquile.

Day 7: Puno + Cusco (B-L-D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to the bus station to go to Cusco

Starts at 8:50 am — Pucará Museum — 3900 meters of altitude.

Pucará was the first regional population nucleus in the Titicaca basin located in the north of the lake. The Late Formative Period (500 BC-200 AD), provides valuable information about the origins of the Andean civilization in the highlands. During its heyday it covered more than a square kilometer and housed thousands of bureaucrats, priests, artisans, farmers, shepherds, and possibly warriors.

The Pucará style is identified by impressive monolithic sculptures with a variety of geometric, zoomorphic, and more intricate anthropomorphic images, multi-colored ceramics in a variety of ritual and domestic forms.

11:00 am — La Raya — 4335 meters of altitude. Abra La Raya (La Raya) is the watershed between the valley that flows into Lake Titicaca and the valley that leads to Cusco and the Sacred Valley. The altitude is 4,338 meters (14,232 feet).

11:35 am — Marangani Buffet Lunch — 3552 meters altitude.

Sicuani is a relatively large city of the highlands, surrounded by beautiful snowy hills. The city is an important intersection, the important road to Puno / Arequipa passing through here.

Buffet lunch in our exclusive restaurant with a family atmosphere.

1:00 pm — Raqchi “Temple of Wiracocha” — 3225 meters of altitude.

The most important building within the complex is the “Wiracocha temple” that according to the ancient chroniclers was built by the Inca Wiracocha in honor of the invisible Superior God of the Andean people: “Apu Kon Titi Wiracocha”.

The “Wiracocha Temple” is a great construction for that period. Architecturally it is classified as “Kallanka”, that is, a tall building completely covered with straw (wood and “ichu”). Externally it is 92 meters long (302 feet) and 25.25 meters wide (83 feet).

3:30 pm — Andahuaylillas “Sistine Chapel of America” — 3122 meters of altitude. There, you will find the church of San Pedro Apóstol de Andahuaylillas, built by the Jesuits in the 16th century. Like other Spanish and religious constructions of the time, it was built on top of a huaca or sacred place for the Incas. Made of adobe and bricks, the church is a small structure consisting of a single nave, apse and bell tower. The church is known as the Sistine Chapel of America.

5:00 pm – Arrival (Cusco) – 3400 meters of altitude. Av. Alameda Pachacuteq 499-B. Our itinerary varies according to weather changes.

Arrival to Cusco, transfer and welcome to the select hotel.

Dinner at the hotel. Overnight.

Important Information:

Weather at Cusco It is at 3500 m.a.t.s. The average annual temperature in Puno is 11 ° C.

The distances from Puno to Cusco, is about 6 hours, on the way we will have many stops, the service includes lunch at Sicuani.

Day 8: Please select one of twice options in the moment of your Reserve (B-L-D)

Option N° 01: Sacred Valley of the incas

Breakfast at the hotel.

This tour starts at approximately 08:00 hrs and ends at 7:00 p.m., we pass by your hotel, to start our guided tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, over the Vilcanota River, we have panoramic view about the Inca citadel of Pisac. After that we visit the typical Indian market of Pisac, where we will have the opportunity to learn about the customs of his inhabitants and haggle prices with sellers, then we go to the city of Urubamba, traveling along the Vilcanota River, returning to Cusco between 18:30 and 18:40 hours.

Pisac Archaeological Complex

The archaeological complex of Pisac, is located on the top of a mountain from where the major part of the Sacred Valley is dominated. This wonderful place is formed by groups of platforms and architectural structures scattered on the slopes and at the top of the mountain, Pisac is one of the most beautiful monumental centers of the valley because it combines the landscape with the impeccable finish of his buildings.

Pisac Handicraft Market

Located 30 km from the city of Cusco, the main square of Pisac houses this market, a colorful and lively place, where the most famous Cusco handicrafts made by Andean people are exhibited, among the handicrafts, textiles, ponchos, bags, etc. stand out. The ceramic handicrafts, which are reproductions of Inca archaeological pieces, such as the queros (ceremonial vessels), necklaces, etc. This fair is attended by traders and indigenous craftsmen from many villages, dressed in their typical costumes.

Ollantaytambo

Lunch at the Sonesta Posada del Inka restaurant. In the afternoon we visit the Fortaleza y Ciudadela de Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions of the inhabitants of the jungle. We will have the opportunity to walk through the streets of the town and thus have a clear idea of how this military, religious and cultural center was during the Inca Empire.

Transfer to the train station to go to Aguas Calientes.

Overnight at Aguas Calientes.

Option N° 02: Rainbow Mountain

We pick you up at the hotel at 3 am, to head south of the city of Cuzco, travel time 2 hours and 45 minutes, we will stop for breakfast, then continue for 15 minutes more to Pitumarca (Quesiyono) 4,400msnm approx. From where we will begin with our walk through an easily accessible path for an estimated time of 3 hours, and we will arrive at the Mountain of Colors, magical landscapes located at 5,000 meters above sea level approximately.

After enjoying the wonder that our Mother Nature presents to us, we will return by the same route, where our transportation awaits us, and then we move for 15 minutes to lunch, then we return to Cusco, approx. 18:00.

Overnight at Cusco.

Important Information:

This day has a strong trekking, so we recommend having your bottle of water, some pills for mountain sickness, don’t miss this unforgettable experience.

Day 9: Machu Picchu Tour (B-L-D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Very early transfer to the train station to go to Aguas Calientes.

In Aguas Calientes we will take the bus that will take us to the Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu, located on top of a mountain.

Once in Machu Picchu our guide will begin the guided tour so that you can better know the history and architecture of the Inca City of Machu Picchu. You will be amazed with the Inca buildings and temples, as well as the natural environment that surrounds them.

The Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Rooms, the Temple of the Three Windows etc. Upon reaching the Machu Picchu citadel, we will go through the control, where we will deliver our income tickets and where we will begin our guided tour, visiting the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the cemetery, approximately for more than two hours.

Then you will be given free time, to take a walk through the archaeological center to descend to the town of Aguas Calientes via bus, to ingest your food, in one of the many restaurants in the town of Aguas Calientes.

In the afternoon we will take the return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo where a transfer awaits us, so we can continue by bus until we reach Cusco. Overnight at Cusco.

Important Information:

Please remember bring your camera and don’t forget to drink enough water. This is our main tour in the itinerary, recommend to wear light clothing.

Day 10: Cusco – Lima – Quito (B)

Important Information:

Weather in Quito city always keep changing during the day from cold 8 °C to warm 18 °C

Distance from Tababela airport to Quito downtown is 45 minutes until 1 hour.

Day 11-15: Gran Trip to Galápagos 5D-4N (Underwater)

Day 11 (B-L-D):

Day 12 day (B-L-D): Please select one of the given options in the moment of your Reserve

Option N° 01

Daily tour to the island Santa Fe Island, place to go snorkeling with sea lions, seabird watching, sport fishing and visit the hidden beach a place for relaxation and swimming.

Option N° 02

Daily tour at Pinzon Island offers some wonderful snorkeling opportunities and lets you get up close with a plethora of marine life like sea turtles, eels, eagle rays, marine iguanas, dolphins and even lobsters. Swim with playful sea lion pups as you dive along the coast to explore the rich beauty of the world below.

Option N° 03

Daily tour to North Seymour, and the Bachas Beach, great observation of blue footed boobies, land iguanas and frigates nesting.

Option 4:

Visit to Plazas Islands

19:00   Dinner at the restaurant and lodging in Santa Cruz.

Day 13 (B-L-D):

Day 14 (B-L-D):

Day 15 (B):