Available departures
Guaranteed
Abstract
Characteristics
- Group tour with local guides
- departures are guaranteed (min 2 participants). Subject to availability
- in Italian
- exceptions: Arequipa>Punto transfers with Spanish-speaking driver; Puno>Cuzco transfers with Spanish&English-speaking guide for groups up to 9 participants (see “Price includes”)
- starting from 45 days before departure, availability is on request
- breakfast and some of the meals included
- the journey involves changes in temperature and altitude
- The fee for the New Year's departure is subject to confirmation.
Itinerary
Day 1 — Lima
Welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, your room will be available on arrival (early check-in), visit of the city, The highlights of the visit are the Plaza Mayor with the Baroque Cathedral; the Arzobispado; the Presidential Palace; the Convent of St. Francis; and the Casa de Aliaga, probably the oldest colonial mansion in South America. The most memorable attraction, however, is the Museo Larco: an 18th-century palace built on the remains of an Inca pyramid, housing the largest collection of Pre-Columbian artefacts in the world., free lunch, Dinner at leisure, accommodation Posada Club Hotel,
Day 2 — Lima → Arequipa
Breakfast, transfer to the airport, flight to Arequipa (not included), flight to Arequipa, welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, Arequipa, rising between the imposing volcanoes El Misti (5,821 m) and Ampato (6,288), is Peru’s second city, and a major business and cultural centre. It owes its long-standing fame to its stunning, high-rise location (2,335 m a.s.l.), to its mild weather, and to its beautiful colonial buildings made of lava stone. Its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site., try to relax as much as you can in order to get used to the altitude: don’t strain yourself; don’t eat or drink excessively, afternoon panoramic tour of the city, The highlights of the visit are the Plaza de Armas and its Cathedral, completely restored after the 2001 earthquake; the cloister of the CompañĂa – a stunning 17th-century Jesuit church, featuring one of Peru's finest portals; and above all, the beautiful Monasterio de Santa Catalina (1579), whose thick walls encompass a maze of cobblestone alleys and courts, as well as several fountains, chapels and cloisters. Enjoy a great view of the volcanoes Misti and Chacani from the lovely town of Yanahuara., Visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos. Here, you will have the chance to see the Mummy Juanita, the well-preserved frozen body of an Inca 12-year-old girl who was killed as an offering to the Inca gods sometime in the 15th century. She was discovered on Mount Ampato in 1995, and is on display in a specially acclimatized case. Juanita Mummy is not on display from January to April, when she is replaced by a duplicate or by a different mummy., free lunch, Dinner at leisure, free evening and night. Accommodation Hampton by Hilton Arequipa,
Day 3 — Arequipa → Puno
Breakfast, departure to Puno, The road to Puno runs across a wild, beautiful, tundra-like landscape, with the occasional lake, village, and small herd of grazing llamas and alpacas. Brief stop off at the Lagunillas pass (4,410 m) to see the pink flamingos living in the lagoon., free lunch, welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, Dinner at leisure, free evening and night, Puno, rising on the border with Bolivia at a height of 3,810 m, overlooks Lake Titicaca. Though not exceptionally interesting in itself, the town makes for the perfect base to visit the rest of the region.. Accommodation Departure Transfer Santa Monica
IMPORTANT:
from Puno to Puno
transfer by private vehicle / Italian-speaking guide starting from 10 participants. Up to 9 participants: transfer by coach / Spanish-speaking guide; tourists from several countries; assisted transfers from/to the coach stop (in Italian)
Day 4 — Puno
Breakfast, full day tour of Lago Titicaca, Located at 3,830 m asl and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. The surrounding area is the heartland of the Aymara, whose language and culture have survived centuries of domination., Visit the floating island of the Uros. This indigenous people built a fleet of totora reed floating islands, that could be moved if a threat from the Inca arose. Continue to the island of Taquile, where the weaver tribe of the Quechua lives. Go for a walk along the island’s path (the climb to the village takes 30 minutes) and enjoy a beautiful view of the lake. Lunch at a small local restaurant., lunch at a restaurant, return to Puno, Dinner at leisure. Accommodation Departure Transfer Santa Monica
IMPORTANT:
shared excursion on Lake Titicaca, but with your private guide,
Day 5 — Puno → Cuzco
Breakfast, departure to Cuzco, We cross the Andes, passing a stunning variety of landscapes. Stop at Raqchi, known for the massive walls of an Inca temple built to appease the wrath of the god Viracocha; at the provincial Andahuaylillas, featuring a beautiful 17th-century colonial church; and at the village of PucarĂ , famous for its colourful ceramics. The top altitude reached during the journey is 4,335 m, at the La Raya pass., lunch at a restaurant, welcome upon arrival and transfer to the hotel, Dinner at leisure. Accommodation Hotel Club Smeraldo
IMPORTANT:
from Cuzco to Cuzco
private vehicle / Italian-speaking guide (starting from 10 participants). Up to 9 participants: coach / Spanish&English-speaking guide; tourists from several countries; assisted transfers from/to the coach stop (in Italian),
Day 6 — Cuzco → Aguas Calientes
Breakfast, Enjoy a two-day visit of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Overnight stay in Aguas Calientes., the journey carries on across the Sacred Valley and along the riverbank of the Urubamba. The road to Machu Picchu – the most famous archaeological area in South America – offers a variety of quaint landscapes. The vestiges of the Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo tower above the valley at both ends. Stop off at, Rising at a stunning altitude of 3,800 m a.s.l., the town offers a grand view of the surrounding volcanoes. It boasts a fine colonial church and a massive Inca wall – the remain of an ancient Imperial palace. Chinchero, however, owes it fame to its thriving, traditional Sunday market – arguably the best in the area for buying woollen artefacts ., Enjoy a stunning view of the salt ponds of Maras. The ponds, dug by the Incas on the steep mountainside, have been in use since their times. During the rain season (December-March) the area is not accessible. In that case, you will visit an archaeological site – either in Moray itself or in a different area of the Sacred Valley., At the northern point of the valley is Ollantaytambo (2,795 m). Built by the Incas, it is overlooked by the majestic Temple Hill, rising on the steep mountain side. Past Ollantaytambo, the valley grows more and more narrow: it’s hardly large enough for the railroad leading to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, lunch at a restaurant, Your guide will accompany you to the station of Ollantaytambo. Travel by train amidst the terraced fields, with a short stop off 24 km into the journey at the beginning of the Inca Trail. After that, the journey carries on along the Urubamba river, across a valley more and more narrow, and mountains more and more steep. It takes 2 hours to cover the 44-km distance. You will travel in comfortable dome railcars, to relax and enjoy the view. Reach the end of the line in the village of Aguas Calients (2,040 m), where an operator will assist you during the transfer to the hotel (on foot). Once at the hotel, your Italian-speaking guide will contact you to give you all the information needed for the visit to Machu Pichu, that wil take place the following day., free evening and night, Dinner at leisure. Accommodation ***OBXHotel Parco Torre Chia
IMPORTANT:
leave your main baggage at the hotel in Aguas Calientes; bring along a carry-on baggage with any personal belonging you might need (including toiletries for the night) in Aguas Calientes
- maximum weight kg 5,
Day 7 — Aguas Calientes → Cuzco
Breakfast, early morning appointment with your Italian-speaking guide. Transfer to Machu Picchu by bus. The journey lasts about 30 minutes, along a winding mountain road offering several panoramic views. Visit of the ruins., Machu Picchu is one of the major tourist attractions in South America: an astonishing, mysterious archaeological site, rising between tall mountains covered in tropical lush. Perched as it is on the steep mountainside overlooking the Urumbamba river, Machu Picchu might seem to rise at a considerable height: in fact, it is located about 1,000 m lower than Cuzco. Its several temples, edifices and storehouses are connected by hundreds of steps; and the site is interspersed with colossal, abrupt terraces., lunch at a restaurant, travel by train to Ollantaytambo, continue towards Cuzco by private transfer. Dinner at leisure. Accommodation Hotel Club Smeraldo,
Day 8 — Cuzco
Breakfast, morning visit of the historic centre (on foot), The highlights of the visit are the old town and the Plaza de Armas; the Cathedral, built on the basement of an ancient Inca Imperial palace; the exquisite Iglesia de la CompañĂa de Jesus; the Plaza del Regocijo; and the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos, built on the remains of the Qurikancha – the most opulent temple of the Inca empire, with pure gold-tiled walls., visit the most important Inca archaeological sites in the neighbourhoods: the holy monolith of Qenko; the hunting lodge of Puca Pucara; and the huge fortress of Sacsayhuaman (though just a minor part of the original edifice still stands). The view of the red roofs of Cuzco is outstanding., free afternoon, We recommend a walk along the steep alleys of the Barrio San Blas, the district of the artisans. After the Spanish Conquest, it became the shelter of the defeated Inca chiefs. The blending of native and colonial background shows in the town’s outstanding architecture and crafts. The Iglesia San Blas and the Palzoleta are especially remarkable., dinner at a restaurant with a folk dance show. Accommodation,
Day 9 — Cuzco
Breakfast, transfer to the airport, flight to (not included), flight to, end of the tour,
Notes
ROOMS: a double room is a room with two beds. Rooms with a double bed are subject to availability at the time of check-in. We cannot guarantee you a double bed at the time of reservation. Triple rooms are subject to availability at the time of reservation. Special requests for communicating, adjoining, high floor, low floor rooms etc. are always upon request and the service is never to be intended as guaranteed., TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: before the start of the tour, all the participants must make sure they possess the required documents to enter the destination countries, and that such documents are comprehensive and valid., HOTEL / ITINERARY, CHANGES: The Organizing Body reserves the right to substitute the itinerary and/or the hotels to alternative of a similar or superior category in the event of unplanned circumstances, and if the safe and normal proceeding of the tour is threatened. Furthermore, when in the impossibility for all of the travellers to stay at the same hotel, the group will be split amidst several hotels of the same category., MEALS: not included when not specified, REFUNDS: If the tour or any part thereof cannot be conducted due to Force Majeure or Vis Majeure, the Company shall not be responsible to give any refund; also, no refund will be given for any portions of the tour unused by the traveler,
Starts from
8 days / 7 nights – from Lima to Cuzco,
Meals
Key: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner, BL bag lunch,
Price includes
Local Italian-speaking guides for all destinations, train PeruRail Expedition or o Inca Rail Ejecutivo Ollantaytambo>Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)>Ollantaytambo (without guide), admissions, visits and excursions: as scheduled, accommodation at the scheduled hotel (or similar), meals: breakfasts, 4 lunches, dinners,
Price does not include
Administration fees and “no-risk” coverage, trip cancellation, medical expense & baggage coverage, meals that have not been specified; beverage; any extra, air travel and taxes, everything not expressly mentioned in "The fee includes",
Important notes
The Peruvian Ministry of Tourism has introduced the CLOSED NUMBER FOR MACHU PICCHU: it is therefore NECESSARY TO BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE. At the time of booking, it is mandatory to provide date of birth, nationality, passport number, and expiration date; without this information, the reservation for all services for visiting Machu Picchu cannot be confirmed. If the provided data does not match the identification document presented at the entrance, access to the archaeological site will be denied., A good part of the tour takes places at a height of 3,000mt and above, with long bus rides through winding, sometimes dirt roads, in barely populated areas. We recommend you check with your doctor before you book the tour (especially if you suffer from heart of respiratory conditions)., flight from Lima to Arequipa (not included): book LA at 8:30, transfer Arequipa>Colca>Puno by private vehicle. With Italian-speaking guide starting from 10 participants. Up to 9 participants: coach / Spanish-speaking guide; tourists from several countries; assisted transfers from/to the coach station (in Italian), transfer Puno>Cuzco by private vehicle / Italian-speaking guide (starting from 10 participants). Visit of Sillustani instead of Pucara. Up to 9 participants: coach / Spanish&English-speaking guide; tourists from several countries; assisted transfers from/to the coach station (in Italian),
Cancellation policies
IN DEREGULATION REGARDING THE GENERAL CONTRACT:
- From the 18th day to the 15th day: 80% penalty
- From the 14th day to the day before departure: 100% penalty
The El Mapi hotel in Aguas Calientes applies a 100% penalty for cancellations starting 44 days before arrival.,