Peru: Discovering The Inca Empire (trip)
Peru: Discovering The Inca Empire
- Lima Airport, Lima, Peru
- Culture & Nature
| from $2,495* per person | 8 Days | Year-round |
| Boutique accommodations | Exertion level: 4 | |
| Operator: Cultural Explorations | 18 people max | |
The journey begins in cosmopolitan Lima, the City of Kings, where you'll take in the outstanding archaeological museum telling the rich history of vanished civilizations. Next, take one of South America's most spectacular flights over the snow-capped Andes to Cusco and travel onward by car to the Sacred Valley. Here, in the heart of the Inca empire, you'll explore incomparable Inca ruins, mingle with the locals at the bustling Indian Market and enjoy stunning views of the Andes. You'll travel by train to Machu Picchu and stay overnight near the site to allow you take in the crown jewel of the Inca civilization in unhurried, meditative quiet. Your trip concludes in colonial Cusco, a treasure of a town with its charming narrow streets lined with the Incas' exquisite rock work. There's plenty of time to explore the splendid Baroque cathedral and the mansions and colonnades built on the ruins of Inca palaces.
With more time available, we'd urge you to consider including the unexplained Nazca Lines (signs of extraterrestrial life?), Lake Titicaca on the border with Bolivia or the lush Amazon Basin. A Galapagos Islands cruise is another ideal complement to this Private Journey.
The many charms of Peru are scenic, architectural and above all, human. This trip will captivate you with the sheer mystique of the ruins belonging to a civilization that disappeared without a trace. It is a destination we quite simply think everyone should experience in their lifetime.
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Locations visited/nearby
Peru, South America
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Reviewer: K r
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It was the best vacation I have ever had
Special information
- This is a custom departure, meaning this trip is offered on dates that you arrange privately with the provider. Additionally, you need to form your own private group for this trip. The itinerary and price here is just a sample. Contact the provider for detailed pricing, minimum group size, and scheduling information. For most providers, the larger the group you are traveling with, the lower the per-person cost will be.
- May accommodate certain types of disabilities. Contact the operator for more information.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in LimaUpon arrival at the Lima airport you will be met by our Peruvian representative and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight: Lima
Day 2: Lima
Today's guided tour introduces both the colonial and modern sections of this "City of Kings." Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza de Armas with its cathedral and palace, and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace, modern day seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In modern Lima, drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. Visit Lima's National Museum for an excellent overview of the overlapping and conquering cultures which have shaped the country's history as seen in its architecture, ceramics and textiles.
Overnight: Lima
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Fly Lima-Cusco
You'll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Urubamba Valley. Better known as El Valle Sagrada de los Incas, the Sacred Valley is a beautiful stretch of small villages and ancient ruins, some of the finest in all of the Americas.
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Sacred Valley
After breakfast, you'll depart from your hotel for a visit to magnificent ruins in the area. Your first stop is Ollantaytambo, where you will visit a massive fortress. Here you see Inca canchas, enclosures of multi-family living quarters that share just one exit to the street, ingenious stonework, cobbled streets, and an extensive communal water system that survives to this day. At Pisac, you will visit the largest fortress-city complex of the Incas and one of the largest in ancient America. Located high up on a ridge overlooking the valley, its ruins extend from a fortress to a temple complex where you can see some of the finest Inca stonework in existence. Market days in the Urubamba Valley are popular and lively events with a thriving artisan's market to explore (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays).
Overnight: Sacred Valley
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Machu Picchu
Early this morning, you'll continue through the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at the Orient Express' Sanctuary Lodge, located just a few steps from the Inca citadel. Today you will have tour of ruins, with an optional hike up Huayna Picchu or to the Gateway of the Sun. The Incas chose this site for its immense natural beauty which still has a powerful punch today. The snow-capped peaks to the east and the towering mountains to the west are a spectacular frame to the city. With your guide, you'll have an intensive visit of the site.
Overnight: Machu Picchu
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Machu Picchu-Cusco
You'll have time this morning to revisit the site before catching the train back through the Sacred Valley and on to Cusco. Consider getting up early to watch the sunrise a dramatic and unforgettable sight.
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Cusco
This morning you will take an easy walking tour of Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere. During the walk, you will see the important landmarks of this enchanting city and also the nearby ruins of Kenko, Puca-pucara, Tambomachay as well as the Sacsayhuaman fortress. Once the center of the Inca civilization, modern Cusco is a delightful combination of Inca and colonial architecture. During the tour, you will visit Cusco's Cathedral, Santo Domingo Church and the Plaza de Armas.
Overnight: Cusco
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Fly Cusco-Lima, tour concludes
You'll fly from Cusco to Lima, where your tour ends.
Meals: Breakfast
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