Ancient and Colonial Cities of the Andes (12 days/11 nights)
 
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Shared and private services 3* hotels

Day 1 Lima – Ica
Arrival at the airport Reception Transfer to your hotel. Transfer from your hotel to Bus terminal Departure by Royal Class bus to Ica.Visit the Huacachina Lagoon. Accommodation at Hotel

Day 2 Ica- Nasca -Paracas
Breakfast at the hotel. Early Transfer to the ICA airfield for your flight over the Nazca Lines: gigantic drawings and geometrical figures, representing animals, such as a spider, a monkey and several birds, and believed to be an enormous calendar (1:30 minutes) private transportation to Paracas. Accommodation at Hotel

Day 3 Paracas- Ballestas-Lima
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Ballestas Islands, which are called "Little Galapagos" and where you can see enormous concentrations of sea birds and the South American sea lions in their natural habitat.
Departure by boat to the Ballestas Islands. Return to Paracas.Time to take light lunch and transfer.
Departure by local tourist bus “Royal Class” to Lima (3hours)
Arrival in Lima. Reception and transfer to hotel.

Day 4 Lima Cusco- Sacred Valley
Transfer to Lima airport for your flight to Cusco (about1 hour). Reception at the airport and private transfer to the Sacred Valley. Accommodation at Hotel

Day 5 Pisac- Ollantaytambo + lunch (private)
Breakfast at the hotel. Full day excursion to the village of Pisac, founded during Colonial times, set at the foot of a hill crowned by the remains of an Inca city. Everyday in the main square, Indians barter their products and artisans from all over the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions, jewelry, etc. Lunch break.

In the afternoon guided visit to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca town that is still inhabited continuously since pre Hispanic times, and explore the ruins which tower above it. Accommodation at Hotel

Day 6 Machu Pichu, Vistadome train + Lunch
Breakfast. Transfer to the rail station, departure by Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes. Reception and check in to your Hotel. Minibus up to the ruins. Buffet lunch at Sanctuary Lodge. We begin a complete guided tour of the Sanctuary at the Machu Picchu, which is totally built of stone blocks, fitted with masterful precision. This fabulous city has houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square, all connected by narrow roads and steps, and is surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side which were used for agriculture. Minibus down to town. Overnight at Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in Aguas Calientes.

Day 7 Aguas Calientes, Vistadome train- Cusco
Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure for an optional second visit to the Sanctuary (entrance not included) or other activities. In Town you may take an optional relaxing visit to the thermal baths. In the afternoon, we meet in Aguas Calientes to take the train and return to Cusco. Arrival in Cusco early evening, Reception and Transfer to Hotel

Day 8 Cusco City and ruins
Breakfast at the hotel. In The morning Walking tour City Tour (3 Hours)
Includes the Main Square, the Cathedral with its religious Art Museum, the Santo Domingo Church or Koricancha, the Church and Cloisters of La Merced, the artisan’s quarter of San Blas, the San Blas Church and baroque pulpit, the Archaeological Museum.
In the afternoon Surrounding Ruins (3 Hours)
This tour includes visits to the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, overlooking the city of Cuzco, a pre-Inca architectural masterpiece; Kenko, a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is a monolithic altar representing a puma, the red Fortress of Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay, a beautiful fountain fed by a spring forming a series of basins. Hotel

Day 9 Cusco - Ancient and Colonial Towns
Breakfastat the hotel. In the morning. Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas (4 Hours)
Pikillacta, a pre-Inca citadel from the seventh century, (Wari culture) maintains its ancient mystery and bizarre architecture. It is located in the South of Cusco valley near the shores of Huacarpay Lake. On the other side of the vallery, Andahuaylillas, a town built by the Spanish conquerors, is famous for its 17th century church. Behind a rather modest exterior the church (recently restored) boasts an interior of exceptional beauty: a Mudejar roof over the apse, richly embellished and all walls with numerous frescoes and paintings.

Afternoon Temple of the Moon (3 Hours)
Around the city of Cuzco, the Incas built a network of shrines devoted to their divinities, Water, Moon, Air and Earth. These shrines, though perhaps less famous, were very important to the people. Visit natural caves, stone sculptures and burial grounds. Hotel

Day 10 Train to Puno + lunch
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the train station by the Andean Explorer -Orient Express- a deluxe train decorated in the 1920’s style. The train has a wagon with a bar and an observation deck from where one can enjoy the scenery as well as a restaurant. All wagons have Pullman style seats, wide aisles, catering service as well as oxygen available. The wagons are connected to each other by gangway bellows so passengers and crew can go from one another safely. The journey takes approximately 8 hours. Lunch included. Arrival reception and transfer to Hotel

Day 11 Uros y Taquile full day + lunch
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning depature from the hotel pier by boat. A short distance from Puno on Lake Titikaka, are the floating islands made of reeds, inhabited by the Uros. They live in huts built on platforms of reeds, not more than 30-40 cms/1foot thick. Short walk on the islands, then the boat trip continues as far as the island of Taquile. Members of their self supporting Aymara community receive visitors in their colorful national costume and show them around the island. Taquile is renowned for its fine, decorative weavings. Lunch included. In the afternoon return by boat to Puno. Hotel

Day 12 Puno -Lima
Transfer to the airport via Sillustani to take your flight to Lima. Sillustani necropolis, which is one of the largest in America and one of the most impressive in the world, stands over a peninsula-like esplanade. The chullpas found here are large funerary monuments built by the Collas about 2,000 years ago. These quadrangular and circular buildings are more than 40 feet high and their architectural design is a real challenge for balance, as the diameter of the base is less than the top. The site, surrounded by a landscape that has given rise to diverse and mysterious legends, seems imbued with a magical quality.
Arrival in Lima.. End of our services.