Andean Adventure Itinerary
15 days
(B)=Breakfast ; (L)=Lunch ; (D)=Dinner
Day 1 : Lima
Upon arrival to Lima, we will take you to your hotel in Miraflores, Lima. If you arrive early, we can arrange a City Tour that includes museum visits or sight-seeing excursions. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 2 : Lima – Paracas (B)
You will have time in the morning to walk around the beautiful town of Miraflores or visit Larcomar. At midday we will pick you up from your hotel and we will take you to the Cruz del Sur bus station. You will take a first class bus from Lima to Paracas. You will be in Paracas at about 5:00p.m. You will spend the night at a local hotel located near to the port.
Day 3 : Paracas – Nazca (B) – Ballestas Islands
Early in the morning you will have a guided visit of the Ballestas Islands located at the Paracas National Reserve which is the first marine conservation center of the country and one of the most important in the world. It was established in 1975 and it covers a total area of 335,00 ha. from which 117,406 are on land and 217,594 are in the ocean.
Nearby half the birds and marine mammal populations inhabiting the southern island’s are protected within the fifty six hundred square mile, Paracas National Reserve.
You will take a motorboat excursion to the Ballestas Islands, a critical hub for rare and endangered species including sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and more than one hundred an ten migratory and resident sea birds. Upon arrival, you will take a first class bus towards Nazca. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 4 : Nazca – Arequipa (B) – Nazca Lines Overflight
Early in the morning, we will take you to the small airport of Nazca where you will board a 6-passenger, Cessna Grand Caravan for about 40 minutes. This flight will let you observe fourteen of the mysterious Nazca Lines. Using as their canvas Pampa Coloradan (Red Plains), a plateau 37 miles long and 15 miles wide, Nazca artists etched works of monumental proportion: a montage of geometric designs, or “geoglyphs”, and whimsical portrayals of plants and animals such as the hummingbird, fish, dog, lizard, puma, spider, condor,and monkey.
The lines spread over hundreds of square miles and were created by removing the rust-colored stones that cover the desert, revealing the light-colored soil beneath. In this dry, rainless environment, erosion has been practically nil, allowing the markings to endure virtually intact for 1,500 to 2,000 years.
At 4:30p.m. you will take a first class bus from Nazca to Arequipa. Upon your arrival to Arequipa at about 11:45p.m., we will take you to your hotel located in Arequipa downtown. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 5 : Arequipa (B) – Santa Catalina Monastery
After lunch, you will start the City Tour. You will visit: Main Square, Colonial Churches (“Claustros de la Compañia”), and majestic Santa Catalina Monastery, considered a masterpiece of colonial architecture, this monastery is a large complex of rooms, picturesque plazas, ornate fountains and a maze of narrow, cobblestone streets. You will also visit the famous districts of Carmen Alto and Yanahuara with splendid views of the city. Return to the Hotel. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 6 : Chivay (B)(L) – Colca Canyon, la Calera hot springs
Early in the morning, you will take a comfortable small bus towards Chivay. On the way you will the National Reserve of Pampa Cañahuas (vicuña reserve). Transfer your hotel in Chivay. After lunch you’ll prepare to head to the Thermal Waters of La Calera: this compound has several pools of thermo-medicinal waters with high amounts of sulphur and iron, which help on the treatment of illnesses such as rheumatism and arthritis. They are located at approximately 5 minutes from the City. (bring a swimsuit). Return to the Hotel. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 7 : Chivay – Arequipa (B) – Condor Cross
After an early breakfast, you will head to the “Condor Cross” following the Colca Canyon downstream as it gets deeper and deeper. This is the best viewpoint to admire the Colca Canyon and the majestic flight of the Andean Condor (the biggest flying bird on earth). You will return to Chivay for lunch and prepare the return to Arequipa, on the way you’ll have stops in local towns such as Pinchollo, Maca, Yanque to have a close view of Andean life. Upon arrival, you will have time to relax. Overnight at your hotel in Arequipa.
Day 8 : Arequipa – Cusco (B)
In the morning, we will take you to the airport in order to take a flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Arrival and transfer to you Hotel after a quick tour of the beautiful Plaza De Armas. You will be free for the remainder of the day to relax and acclimatize to the altitude (10,856 ft). Overnight at your hotel located at the most emblematic neighborhood of Cusco. Overnight at your hotel.
Day 9 : Cusco (B) – City Tour
In the afternoon, you will have a guided CITY TOUR and 04 archeological sites in Cusco. Guided visit to the City’s CATHEDRAL with magnificent colonial art and the Santo Domingo Church – KORIKANCHA which displays the best Inca stonework in Cusco, and Archeological Ruins near the city: Indian sanctuary of SACSAYHUAMAN with its megalithic stone terraces, The amphitheatre of QUENQO, the fortress of PUKA PUKARA and the spring-shrine of TAMBOMACHAY. Return to the Hotel. Overnight at your hotel in Cusco.
Day 10 : Cusco – Ollantaytambo (B) – Sacred Valley
Today you will embark upon a day-long guided excursion through snowcapped mountains to the legendary Sacred Valley of the Incas. Begining in PISAQ, lunch buffet at URUBAMBA, then we continue to the Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO located at the Andean town of the same name. You will spend the night at a local hotel.
Day 11 : Ollantaytambo – Km 82 – Wayllabamba (B)(L)(D) – Inca Trail – (about 5 – 6 hr. trekking)
At about 8:30a.m., your guide will pick you up from your hotel. After meeting your group, we will take you to the starting point for the trek located in Piscacucho (Km82). You will enjoy lunch at Miskay and after that you will head towards your first camp at Wayllabamba, on the way we will have a good view of the archaeological complex of Llactapata, where you will have lunch. Dinner and overnight in tents at the campsite.
Day 12 : Wayllabamba – Pacaymayo (B)(L)(D) – Inca Trail – (about 6 – 7 hr. trekking)
After breakfast, the toughest part of the trail begin, walking towards the highest point in the Inca Trail – Warmihuañusca or Dead Woman`s Pass located at 13776 feet above sea level – where you will have an unbelievable panoramic view of the whole area and will observe different types of microclimates. Here, you will have a tremendous feeling of achievement mixed with relief on reaching the top. After a well deserve rest, you will continue hiking towards Pacaymayo where we will camp and have lunch and dinner.
Day 13 : Pacaymayo – Phuyupatamarks – Wiñay Wayna (B)(L)(D) – Inca Trail – (about 7 hr. trekking)
After breakfast, you start the ascent towards the second most important pass of the trail at 12630 f.a.s.l. having a guided visit at the archaeological complex of Runkurakay and the Inca citadel of Sayacmarca. Lunch will be served after the second visit. Continue your trekking towards Phuyupatamarka (Cloud-level town), another important archaeological monument. After a short break, you will continue walking to Wiñay Huayna (Forever Young) for a guided visit of this impressive archaeological complex with a spectacular setting. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.
Day 14 : Wiñay Wayna – Aguas Calientes – Cusco (B) – Machu Picchu
After breakfast, you will start hiking very early to arrive in time at Machu Picchu. After an one hour walk through the forest towards the Inti Punku or the Gate of the Sun, also known as the Entrance Gate to Machu Picchu, you will have the most impressive panoramic view of the citadel. Upon arrival at Machu Picchu, you will have a two hours guided tour around the citadel, visiting the main sites and monuments. After the tour, you will have some free time to wander around, and then you will meet with the rest of the group to drive by bus down to Aguas Calientes. The afternoon train will take you to Ollantaytambo where a transfer will take you to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight at your hotel in Cusco.
Day 15 : Cusco – Lima – Return Home (B)
Today, we will pick you up from your hotel in order to take you to the airport. Flight from Cusco to Lima. This marks the end of our services. Trip extensions to other regions or extra days in Lima or Cusco can be arranged.
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