Day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Lima
Welcome in Peru! Your tour starts in Lima, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later this first day, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule. You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 8.00 hrs A.M. on day 2 in the lobby of your hotel.
Day 2: Lima
Our first two days are free to explore this beautiful city at leisure. The city centre around Plaza de Armas is full of old colonial buildings, palaces, churches, monasteries and museums, including the Museum of Anthropology & Archaeology. The shopping streets are busy and lively and in the evening you can sample local cuisine in one of the many restaurants.
Day 3: Lima - Pisco (Islas Ballestas) – Ica
This morning en-route to Ica you can visit Islas Ballestas, a paradise for sea lions, penguins, cormorants and gannets. We will view them from a boat which will often end up surrounded by curious sea lions. Then we continue on to Ica, a famous oasis surrounded by beautiful sandy dunes where you can take a swim, opt to take a spectacular buggy ride and enjoy a beautiful sunset or go sandboarding. We will stay near the oasis in a hotel with a swimming pool.
Day 4: Ica
Enjoy a second day in Ica.
Day 5: Ica - Nazca
Today our journey continues to Nazca, famous for its intriguing Nazca Lines, the origins and purpose of which remain a mystery. Just as amazing is the cemetery at Chauchilla, where sun-bleached Nazca skeletons guard their age-old resting place. If you want to fly across the Nazca Lines you can do so in the morning of Day 6, the weather permitting.
Day 6: Nazca - Arequipa
This morning you can take an optional flight across the famous Nazca Lines and in the afternoon you can sit and relax by the hotel swimming pool or book another optional excursion.
In the evening we will board a comfortable public night bus to Arequipa where you will arrive in the morning, after a journey along the coast and through the mountains.
Day 7: Arequipa
Arequipa is a beautiful old colonial city, surrounded by volcanoes including the famous El Misti, which can be seen from Plaza de Armas. Although the city was founded by the Spanish Conquistadors, many remains from pre-Inca and Incan times can still be found in and around the city.
A variety of day trips are available, however, in Arequipa itself, the Santa Catalina convent, one of the most beautiful in the New World, is worth a visit. For 400 years, nuns lived here in total isolation, until 1970 when the convent was opened to the public. You should also visit the Museum of Sanctuaries Andinos and see the mummy of a young Inca girl, Juanita, who was sacrificed to the volcano to put it in a more favourable mood.
Day 8: Arequipa
Heavily influenced by Spanish colonialism Arequipa resembles a typical European city which in the midst of 3 (active) snow capped volcanoes provides plenty of opportunities for photographs! Wander around the roads leading up to the Central square and try the ´breaded guinea pig´ or cuy as its locally known, washed down with Arequipeña, the locally brewed pale lager.
Day 9: Arequipa – Cabanaconde (Colca Canyon)
Today we cross the Altiplano with its fantastic views of the surrounding volcano peaks, the pampas, where vicuña graze, and through several small traditional villages, to Cabanaconde. This trip can be physically demanding because of the altitude, which rises as high as 4800 m.
Day 10: Cabanaconde – Chivay (Colca Canyon)
Our visit to the “Cruz del Condor” with its splendid view of Colca Canyon, one of the deepest gorges in the world, is one of the highlights of our journey and if you are lucky you may catch sight of the majestic condor floating on the thermals. We will also visit some surrounding villages and continue in the afternoon to the Indian village of Chivay. The entrance to Colca Canyon National Park is included in your holiday price.
Day 11: Chivay (Colca Canyon) - Puno
This morning we move on to Puno, where you are free to spend the day as you please. Puno lies on the banks of Lake Titicaca, the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. You can visit the Sillustani Tombs here, where the Colla people, a pre-Inca civilisation, buried their dead. You could visit Puno’s colourful market or explore the town at your leisure. Alternatively you may choose to make an excursion to the where pre-Incan excavations at Tihuanacu, in Bolivia.
Day 12: Puno
Spend a second full day enjoying the lakeside town of Puno.
Day 13: Puno - Uros - Amantani
We take a boat trip to the floating Uros Islands which are made entirely of reeds before continuing on the island of Amantani where we spend the night at home with the Indians. Amantani is where the islanders settled centuries ago to avoid surrendering to the Incas. The locals are known for their colourful traditional clothing, the women wear several layers of skirts and beautifully embroidered blouses and the men wear half-length black trousers, white shirts, woven cardigans and knit their own woollen caps. Bring sufficiently warm clothes but don’t forget the suntan lotion either.
Day 14: Amantani - Puno
This morning we take the boat across Lake Titicaca back to Puno where you can spend the afternoon at your leisure.
Day 15: Puno - Cuzco
A beautifully scenic 8-9 hour bus trip across Peru’s Altiplano will take us to Cuzco where you can explore the royal seat of the mighty Inca kingdom, rich with monuments and surrounded by countless Inca ruins. At one time the city was the religious centre of the Inca’s and Cuzco still breathes the mystic air of those times. Conquered and destroyed by the Spanish in 1533, the new colonial city was built on the foundations of the Inca buildings and many of these foundations are still visible.
It is worth paying 70 sol to buy the special Cuzco Visitor Ticket that gives you access to most of the important monuments, churches, museums and ruins sites in the area. Outside the city there are interesting Inca ruins such as Tambo Machay (a water temple), Puca Pucara, Qenko and Sacsayhuaman which was once a powerful fortress and centre of religion. These four ruins can be visited in one journey on foot or on horseback. In the evening you can dine in one of the many lovely restaurants.
Inca trail
For hikers, nature and culture lovers the 42 kilometre long Inca trail is a true challenge but truly enchanting. This is a rugged trek where you sleep in two-person tents so make sure you prepare yourself thoroughly. It is best to walk the Inca trail between May and October, although there may be one or two showers. Please note that during the month February the Inca Trail is always closed for maintenance. Before booking an Inca trail excursion please check real time availability http://www.inca-trail.com.pe/dispo/index.php?lg=en.
4-day Inca Trail
This is the ultimate tour for people who have adequate time, good health and good fitness. In four days you can walk from 2000 meters to 4200 meters and along 3900 passes. You will also walk over plains, sometimes by a dense cloud forest mountain with beautiful bromeliads and lianas. Also explore with the local guide who accompanies you throughout the trip, some very beautiful Inca ruins. Cooking utensils, tents, provisions and fuel for four days go along with the local porters. Take a small backpack with you containing your stuff for 4 days, and your sleeping bag. For a fee of € 90/£80 (for the 2-day trek € 80/£70) you can have the porters carry your luggage (please do this immediately upon booking if you wish).
The price per person for the four-day Inca trail € 275/ £ 245 per person.
Two-day Inca trail
You will be accompanied by a local guide who will stay with the group during the entire trek. Local porters carry the cooking equipment, tents and provisions for two days. You carry a small backpack containing your needs for these two days and a sleeping bag.
This two day walk of the Inca trail starts near the holy Urubamba River and ends in the afternoon in Machu Picchu, where we will stay the night at the foot of the city in the village of Aguas Calientes. The next day we have plenty of time to take a guided tour of the ruins, in late afternoon we board the train to Cuzco.
If you want to walk the Inca trail, indicate this on your booking form and as the trek is extremely popular and places are limited book early to avoid disappointment. When booking, give your exact name and passport number (your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the tour), this information will be printed on the entrance tickets. Any error in this data automatically generates a penalty fee which will be passed on to you. The Inca Trail is upon request and is only confirmed when you have received confirmation from us. Given the high cancellation we charge € 100, - cancellation fee if you decide to cancel once all is confirmed. The impossibility of confirming the Inca Trail does not mean that the whole trip may be canceled free of charge.
The price per person for the two-day Inca trail € 215/ £ 192 per person.
If you have booked either the 2 or 4 day Inca trail, you will not stay overnight in Aguas Calientes (plus train trip) according to the standard programme. Obviously, all these costs are taken into account in the price. Walking the trail also means less or no free time in Cuzco.
Day 16: Cuzco
Cuzco has a variety of interesting museums such as the Museo Inka, north of the Cathedral, which is set in The Admiral's Palace, a colonial mansion. The museum features over 10,000 exhibits charting civilization in Cuzco and the Andes, from ceramics, Inca textiles and silver to mummies and preserved skulls. For art, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo hosts local artists and contemporary art, while the Museo de Arte Precolombino features paintings, gold and jewelry from 1250 B.C. to 1532 A.D. For a glimpse of Peru's flora and fauna, visit the Museo de Historia Natural on Plaza de Armas.
Day 17: Cuzco
For those that like to peruze the shops and markets, the Plaza de Armas is circled by boutique shops selling tourist wares such as alpaca clothing, leather goods, postcards, artwork and traditional wall hangings. For further variety and the chance to sample local foods - both prepared dishes and raw ingredients - head to the Mercardo Central (Central Market). The covered market also sells herbal remedies and traditional medicines, clothing and souvenirs.
Day 18: Cuzco
Our last day in Cuzco before heading towards the wonderous Machu Picchu.
Day 19: Cuzco - Aguas Calientes
We travel by train to Aguas Calientes through stunning scenery and for the rest of the day you are free to explore the village, take a walk or relax in the hot water springs.
Day 20: Aguas Calientes - Cuzco
This morning, take a bus to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu, beautifully located on a plateau in the middle of some interesting rock formations. Due to its unique location, the city was only discovered in 1911 and as such has remained relatively well preserved. Archaeologists believe it was once a religious Inca town, but its precise function is still unknown. You will have ample time to explore the whole complex of temples, terraces and holy places. The most famous photo of Machu Picchu was taken after a climb up to the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funeral Rock.
If you prefer a completely different view of the ruins, a walk to the Inti Punku is highly recommended. From this point, people walking the Inca trail get their first glimpse of Machu Picchu. A steep climb of around an hour takes you to the top of the Huayna Picchu, where you will be again be rewarded with spectacular views, (the bus ride and 2-day entrance fee to Machu Picchu is not included in the price of your holiday). In the afternoon we travel back to Cuzco by train.
Day 21: Flight Cuzco - Lima
The last day of your tour. The tour will end in Lima International Airport, after the domestic flight from Cuzco. If you have time before your international flight, you may like to take a city tour. We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Peru.
Your personal ‘my.shoestring’ page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today.
When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 21) is not included.
***Our tour to Peru already has a guaranteed departure with a minimum number of 2 participants. For groups up to and including 7 participants there are some adjustments concerning the tour leader and the transfers. There might not be one tour leader guiding you throughout the whole tour, but it can be several. All stretches will be by public transport, except Paracas-Ica (day3) and Arequipa-Colca-Puno (day 9-11) will be done by private transportation. A private bus will NOT be available in Lima on the last day (only transfer IN and transfer OUT).The 2d/1n boatexcursion Titicaca Lake will be private with a minimum of 10 passengers. With less than 10 passengers this excursion will be offered as a shared service (so other travellers can join). When there are at least 8 participants who have booked this tour to Peru, there will be one tour leader guiding you throughout the whole tour, transfers and (most)excursions will be private for you and the other participants of this tour. Only the transfer from Nazca to Arequipa will be by public bus.