Peru Express, Italian-speaking guide

Experience the very best of Peru with this 9-day tour that covers some of Peru’s most celebrated archaeological, cultural and natural treasures. Observe stunning landscapes as you cross some of Peru’s highest mountains and plateaus and then set foot on the floating islands of the world’s highest navigable lake. Visit the historical centres of the cities of Lima, Arequipa, Puno and Cusco, as well as visiting small, traditional villages. Delight your palate with the bold flavours of Peruvian cuisine and allow yourself to be captivated by the awe-inspiring Inca citadel Machu Picchu.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS 

Lima: Named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the capital of Peru is a blend of history and modernity. The colonial historic centre, the bohemian district and its modern attractions sit on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

Arequipa: The jewel of the colonial era and Peru’s gastronomic capital par excellence, the city of Arequipa is surrounded by three dramatic volcanoes, which give it the most stunning cityscape.

Lake Titicaca: The highest navigable lake in the world, Titicaca is a combination of nature and living culture. Its islands are home to several indigenous people who maintain their legendary heritage to this day.

Cusco: The ancient Inca capital is a unique blend of a pre-Columbian past and Spanish architecture. Its temples, squares and streets are surrounded by hills that hide fantastic archaeological sites such as Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo and Puka Pukara.

Machu Picchu: The ‘lost city of the Incas’ draws thousands of people to Peru each year. Hidden among the vegetation, this mountain-top citadel, built in complete harmony with the landscape, hosts a wealth of rooms, temples, bridges and religious sites that offer the visitor a chance to get closer to Peru’s fascinating past.

Day 1: ARRIVAL LIMA

Arrive at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima. Upon arrival, a representative will be waiting to greet you at the airport and the transportation service will to transfer you to your hotel at the scheduled time. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure in Lima, the capital of Peru and a city steeped in history. During Colonial times, the Historic Centre of Lima, known as the ‘Ciudad de los Reyes’ (City of Kings), was the political, administrative, religious and economic centre for the Spanish in Peru, and it was the most important city of the Spanish dominions in South America until the middle of the 18th century. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lima is now a modern metropolis and is currently undergoing an exciting process of cultural and economic change.

Overnight in Lima

Day 2: LIMA - AREQUIPA (90 min by flight)

Wake up to breakfast at the hotel, then take a transfer to the airport to board the direct flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival in Arequipa, you will be met by our representative who will accompany you on the transfer to your hotel and assist you with check-in. Enjoy the rest of the morning at your leisure. In the afternoon, enjoy a tour of Arequipa. The historical centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is full of baroque buildings carved from white volcanic rock, giving it the nickname 'Ciudad Blanca' (White City). Visit the Convent of Santa Catalina, the main square and the Cloister of the Company of Jesus. Then, visit the districts of Yanahuara and Chilina, which offer unrivalled views of Misti Volcano. Continue to the Santuarios Andinos Museum where the mummy of Juanita, a young Inca girl who was sacrificed to the gods over 500 years ago on the Ampato volcano, is displayed. Enjoy an evening at your leisure to sample some of Arequipa’s famed gastronomic offering.

Overnight in Arequipa

Day 3: AREQUIPA - PUNO (300 km - 6 hrs)

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel. You will then be collected from your hotel by the private transfer and you will follow a route that cuts through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. The landscapes and scenery along the way are both dramatic and enchanting; you will pass high plains, volcanoes, unusual rock formations and even lagoons, where you will spot cranes drying their wings above the water. There are several viewpoints, remote cafés that offer visitors coca tea and craftsmen selling traditional textiles and handicrafts along the way. Take advantage of these stops to take photographs, marvel at the landscape or perhaps buy a few souvenirs for your friends and family back at home. On arrival in Puno, you will be met by the transportation services and you will be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure in Puno.

Overnight in Puno

Day 4: PUNO - LAKE TITICACA: UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS - PUNO (1 hr by boat)

After breakfast at the hotel, prepare for a full-day boat excursion on the mythical Lake Titicaca which, at 3,812 metres above sea level, is the highest navigable lake in the world. Start the day with a visit to the beautiful Uros Islands. The Uros are an indigenous people of Peru that live on a series of man-made islands, created entirely from the buoyant totora reeds that grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake. The islands are composed of layers of woven totora, which are constantly replenished from the top as they rot from the bottom. After visiting the fascinating Uros island, jump back aboard your boat and sail to Taquile, an island inhabited by the native Aymara people. For the Aymara, weaving is a long-standing tradition deeply embedded in their culture and their textiles are a colourful display of their craftmanship. Walk around the island and enjoy incredible views of Titicaca. Enjoy lunch in a small restaurant on the island before the return trip to Puno.

Overnight in Puno

Day 5: PUNO - CUSCO (360 km - 8 hrs)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel after then you will be collected from your hotel by private transfer to start your journey through the impressive landscape of the Andes to Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire. Your first stop of the day is the archaeological site of Pucará, the first urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, established between 100 and 300 A.D. and the Pucará Lithic Museum. Continue across the mountainous plateau passing traditional villages and stunning scenery and local wildlife along the way. Reach the dizzying altitude of 4,313 meters above sea level at La Raya, the highest point between Puno and Cusco, before stopping for lunch at Sicuani. Continue to Racchi, home to the Wiracocha Temple, a striking rectangular structure 30 metres wide and 20 metres high. Then, when you are only 40 kilometres away from Cusco, make a stop in the town of Andahuaylillas. The main attraction here is the local Church, known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’ owing to the high quality of art found inside. You will be greeted in the Imperial City by Italian-speaking staff and the transportation service will transfer you to your hotel.

Overnight in Cusco

Day 6: CUSCO - CHINCHERO- SACRED VALLEY - AGUAS CALIENTES (80 km - 2 hrs / 2 hrs by train)

Today breakfast at the hotel is followed by visit to the town of Chinchero, a small high-altitude town offering beautiful views of the valley and the chance to witness traditional clothing, customs and local handicrafts. Visit archaeological remains and a beautiful 17th-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. At an altitude of 3,762 metres, Chinchero offers fantastic views of the Sacred Valley. Continue to Maras and visit the Incan salt pans, a canyon filled with around 3,000 geometric pools that have been used for salt extraction since the Incan empire. The extraordinary combination of the colour of the earth, the salt crystals and the sun’s rays reflecting on the mirror-like ponds make for the most dramatic sight. Proceed to Ollantaytambo for lunch at a local restaurant. Explore the streets of Ollantaytambo, a town inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, and climb the iconic fortress built into the mountainside. Then, take the train from Ollantaytambo train station to Aguas Calientes where you will be greeted by a representative and transferred to the hotel.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes

Day 7: MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO (2 hrs by train / 75 km - 2 hrs)

Wake up to breakfast at the hotel then meet your guide who will accompany on the tourist bus to the UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site, Machu Picchu. It is believed that Machu Picchu was built for an Incan emperor as a holiday residence but, just over 100 years later, the citadel was abandoned, probably as a result of the Spanish Conquest. The jungle slowly engulfed its stone construction, covering it in a thick vegetation and keeping it hidden and protected until the ‘lost city of the Incas’ was brought to international attention in 1911. Your tour will introduce you to the origins of this impressive citadel and guide you around some of its most iconic monuments, such as the main square, the royal rooms, the Temple of the Three Windows, the circular towers, the Sacred Clock and cemeteries. At the end of the tour, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then board the train back to Ollantaytambo Station where a private vehicle will be waiting to take you to your chosen hotel in Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco

Day 8: CUSCO

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided tour of the capital of the Inca Empire. The tour includes the Santo Domingo Convent, a building constructed on the site of Coricancha, one of the most important Incan complexes dedicated to sun worship. According to historic records, the original temple walls depicted scenes of nature and were covered in gold leaf. Then visit the imposing cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, Plaza Regocijo and the old city. Head to the Cusco hills, where you’ll find the fortress of Sacsayhuamán and panoramic views of Cusco. Continue on to Qenqo, an archaeological site where it is believed the Incas carried out religious rituals, and Puka Pukara, an ancient military site comprising numerous rooms, courtyards, baths, aqueducts and towers. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. Wander around the San Blas district, the city's most picturesque district characterised by narrow and steep streets, colonial houses built with walls of Incan stone and numerous art workshops. In the evening, enjoy a dinner and cultural show in a local restaurant. 

Overnight in Cusco

Day 9: CUSCO - LIMA (90 min by flight)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport and fly to Lima where you will be greeted by your guide and embark on a 4-hour tour of the city. The tour begins in the impressive Plaza de Armas, the city’s central square and birthplace. This square is a true showcase of Spanish colonial architecture; the Government Palace occupies the north side of the square and the magnificent, 16th-century Cathedral of Lima is located to the east. Visit the Cathedral and then continue on to Casa de Aliaga, the oldest Colonial mansion in Lima. The house has been owned and lived in by the Aliaga family and their descendants since conquistador Franzisco Pizarro granted the land to his trusted ally, Jerónimo de Aliaga in 1535. Visit the Pueblo Libre district for an interesting tour of the Larco Museum of pre-Columbian art. Housed in a former mansion, which was built on the site of a 7th-century, pre-Columbian temple, the museum boasts a very complete collection of gold and silver articles, pottery and erotic art. At the end of the tour, transfer to the airport for your return or onwards flight.

Comfortable and warm clothing is the most suitable for travelling. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Shoes should be removed before entering a temple or private house. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.