Your trip to Peru has commenced! A representative will pick you up from the airport at the scheduled time to transfer you to your hotel in Lima. A modern metropolis full of history, travelers can find comfort and cultural activities in the capital cityâ though youâll want to get plenty of rest as your sightseeing adventure begins the following day.
Fill up on breakfast but leave room for adventure, as today weâll transfer from Lima to Paracas by bus and eventually fly over the mystifying Nazca Lines. These fauna-inspired geoglyphs first caught public attention in the early 20th century yet, to this day, no one quite knows what purpose they served. After reveling in their mysteriousness, you will be returned to your hotel to unwind for the day.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before heading out to the Paracas National Reserve, home to geological formations, national fauna and vestiges of a pre-Inca culture that dominated the desert during its prime. Within the Reserve, you will embark on a boat ride to appreciate the sole inhabitants of the Ballestas Islands: Humboldt penguins, sea lions and a variety of friendly sea birds. Afterwards, you will return to Lima by bus, where you will be transferred to your hotel for a relaxing evening.
Enjoy breakfast at your Lima hotel before continuing your Peru highlights trip to Cusco city. After a short flight (90 minutes) from Lima to Cusco, youâll have a chance to settle into your hotel before an afternoon of exploration.
Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is full of architectural gems spanning varying centuries and shifts in power. A private tour will allow you to appreciate Santo Domingo Convent, a large, Renaissance-baroque complex built over Coricancha (âThe Temple of the Sunâ), the most important temple of the Inca Empire. Next, marvel at the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square, before heading over the hills of Cusco city to visit the 15th century stone fortress Sacsayhuaman, ritualistic site Qenqo, and the alleged military ruin Puka Pukara. Once finished, you will be ushered back to your hotel for the evening.
After a morning meal, youâll be picked up from your hotel and taken to the traditional town of Chinchero. With a beautiful view of the Sacred Valley, this visit will offer you the chance to meet with artisans and admire their crafts. This town also hosts a beautiful seventeenth-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru, as well as archaeological remains. Afterwards, weâll go to the nearby Living Museum of Yucay, where traditional Inca techniques of textile and ceramic artistry are put on display and real-life sources of natural fibers, such as llamas and alpacas, can be seen. In Ollantaytambo, weâll carry on with this Peru tourâs spirit of tradition with lunch in a cozy restaurant inspired by local ingredients and regional dishes. Refueled, weâll climb up the townâs iconic fortress to round out todayâs adventures before heading to our Sacred Valley hotel.
*On Sundays, also visit the local market.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes. Full of handicrafts and restaurants, this small town is just a short ride from your much-anticipated visit to Machu Picchu. Because the Spaniards never discovered this Wonder of the World during their conquest over five centuries ago, the âLost City of the Incasâ has remained in impeccable condition. A guided tour explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel and its most prominent landmarks, such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, Sacred Sundial, and more. Later on, weâll return by bus to Aguas Calientes and have lunch at CafĂ© Inkaterra before catching a train back to the Ollanta station, from which you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.
Enjoy your final breakfast at your hotel in Cusco before a transportation service takes you to the airport for your return flight to Lima.
Lima: The starting point for your trip to Peru, the capital city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserves some of the best examples of Colonial-era mansions, and plays host to well-curated history and art museums as well as internationally renowned restaurants.
Paracas and Nazca Lines: Sea lions, penguins, and migratory birds flock to this maritime resort town, while just a short distance away lie mysterious geoglyphs left behind from an ancient culture â best observed from a plane ride across the desert.
Cusco and Machu Picchu: Spanish colonial architecture (Cusco Cathedral) and Pre-Columbian ruins (the fortress of Sacsayhuaman and Puca Pucara) come together in the ancient Inca capital. No Peru tour would be complete without a trip to the mystical Andean peak, Machu Picchu.
Experience the mysteriousness of the Nazca lines and Machu Picchu citadel the firsthand in this full, seven-day Peru tour that takes you soaring over impressionable landscapes, trekking through archeological ruins, and deep into ancient and present-day cultures of the Land of the Incas. Starting in Lima, moving to Paracas, and ending in Cusco city and the surrounding Sacred Valley, those who book a trip on this Nazca lines and Machu Picchu Peru tour will surely satisfy their yearning for the big unknown.
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