Holidays with Downtown

You probably only know Lima, well, as Lima! However, the first name given by the Spaniards was “Ciudad de los Reys” (City of Kings) because it was founded January 6^th 1532, the Catholic holiday of the Three Kings Day. The Incas, for two centuries, dominated the Andes choosing the region around Cusco as the heart of their kingdom which reigned well beyond. This tour provides a better understanding of the two Peruvian cultures.

Day 1: Lima

After you pass immigration and customs formalities at the airport you’ll be met by your guide who will drive you to the hotel in Lima for overnight.   

Day 2: Lima

This morning’s city tour starts at Lima’s main square, where you can admire the Governmental Palace, visit the Cathedral, where conqueror Francisco Pizarro is buried, and its religious museum. Then, continue to San Francisco Church and its monastery, which cloisters and entrance hall are embellished by authentic tiles from Seville dating back to 1620. Also remarkable are the church’s museum, the Zubaran room and the library. The complex was built over underground catacombs which were used as cemeteries during colonial times. In the afternoon, start at the Larco Museum, located in an 18th century vice-royal mansion and built on a 17th century’s pre-Columbian pyramid. Its new galleries display the best and most complete collection of Peru’s gold and silver and the famous erotic archaeological collection, one of the most visited Peruvian tourist attractions. This Museum showcases remarkable chronological galleries providing an excellent overview on 3,000 years of development of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. A short drive to the archaeological complex "Huaca Pucllana", built in 500 CE, that was an administrative and ceremonial center of the Lima Culture, a society that developed at the Peruvian central coast between 200 CE and 700 CE  and one of the most important ancient monuments in Lima. [B]

Day 3: Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley (Pisac, Awanacancha)

Morning transfer to the airport and flight to Cusco where you’ll meet your local guide who will drive you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. After settling down enjoy a drive to Pisac to visit this archaeological complex built between the 10th and 11th centuries. Inca architecture continues to stun admirers with the technique used to build its enormous walls, palaces and turrets with stone blocks, all done without any type of cement or adhesive. Visit the local market attended b inhabitants of different communities. (The local market is bigger on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). Then, continue to Awanacancha, a place where you can see several species of Andean camelids such as llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos. The locals will show you their traditional weaving and dyeing techniques while telling about this ancient tradition. Return to the hotel. [B]

Day 4: Sacred Valley (Chichubamba Agroartisans)

The Chichubamba community has approximately 180 families, located next to the city of Urubamba and surrounded by a green countryside. The agricultural activity is its main economic means, which is complemented by the raising of guinea pigs, bees, the production of handicrafts such as pottery and many others. Learn about activities such as ceramics, the production of artisanal chocolate, beekeeping (honey extraction) and the preparation of chicha de jora, with the opportunity to taste their products and to get a valued souvenir. Return to your hotel for free afternoon. [B]

Day 5: Sacred Valley (Moray, Maras, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero)

After breakfast, you are picked up from your hotel in Cusco for a day full of culture and beautiful nature. First, you visit Moray, a small community famous for its embedded amphitheater formed by circular terraces that seem to disappear into the ground. Scientist think that Moray has played an important role in the agricultural research conducted by the Incas. After, head to the salt mines located near Maras dating from colonial times. Then, continue to Ollantaytambo, an ancient fort standing proudly in the famous Sacred Valley. The many paths and irrigation canals create a unique system telling about the development of Peru’s ancient cultures. This wonderful day concludes with a visit to Chinchero, believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. On Chinchero’s main plaza, you find a colonial church built in the 17th century. In the afternoon, return to your hotel. [B]

Day 6: Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco

Early morning transfer to the Ollantaytambo station to board the Voyager train to Machu Picchu. Begin your journey enjoying comfortable seats, panoramic windows and an excellent on-board service. Delight in the incredible landscape along the route to Machu Picchu and try a selection of complementary natural drinks, prepared using Andean essences representative of the region. On your arrival in Aguas Calientes meet your guide for a tour of the archaeological site. Walk to the bus station to take your bus up to Machu Picchu. The site consists of two main areas one agricultural, formed mainly by mountains and food stores, and the other urban, which is noted for its sacred zone with its temples, squares and royal tombs. The stairways and canals carved out of stone are recurrent throughout this remarkable archaeological site. Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. In 2007, Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Return to Aguas Calientes for return train trip to Ollantaytambo station and transfer to Cusco. [B]

Note: The train allows a day-pack carry-on up to 17.5 pounds (8 Kgs)

Day 7: Cusco (Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Tipon, Pikillaqta)

Time to explore magical Cusco! This beautiful city has an interesting history, both from Inca and colonial times. You start this half-day tour at Cusco’s main square, which was called Huacaypata (Warriors Square) by the Incas. While the guide tells you more about the history of this special place, you can admire the city’s cathedral that was built between 1560 and 1664 with the red granite stones from the Inca Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The cathedral is without doubt one of the most impressive buildings in Cusco, and not only from the outside: the historical buildings hosts one of the most significant collections of gold and silver work of the colonial period. Next, you continue to Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo. The convent was built on top of the most important Inca temple dedicated to the worship of the sun, with walls covered with gold leaf. Wandering through the streets of what once was the capital of the Inca Empire, you feel like you are traveling through time. After exploring Cusco, you head to the nearby ruins, such as the Sacsayhuaman Fortress with its immense temple walls made out of huge stones constructed in a zigzag pattern; the red fort Puca Pucara; the Qenko Amphitheater, and Tambomachay, the Inca baths. Full of new knowledge about the history of the Incas, you return to your hotel in Cusco. In the afternoon visit Tipon, an archaeological group located at an altitude of 11,483 ft., which highlights the large capacity of the Incas to distribute the water for irrigation in the sectors of culture, with horizontal and vertical irrigation canals that are distributed by all the staggered terraces, a center of agricultural production, very important to the Inca empire and one of the more impressive samples of Inca hydraulic engineering. Continue to Pikillaqta, an archaeological pre-Inca group, to appreciate the constructions of narrow streets and stone walls covered with lime and clay. Return to the hotel for overnight. [B]

Day 8: Cusco, Lima, USA

At the appointed time you’ll be picked-up and transferred to the airport for your connecting flight back home. [B]

[B] = Breakfast