PAT 1405 - GREAT CULTURES II

Upon arrival, our staff will be waiting at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest or engage in any activity (upon request) if you have enough time available.

Breakfast at the hotel. At 09:00hs, we will start a panoramic tour of the city, where we can see the Colonial Center, the Main Square, the Palacio de Gobierno, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and Lima town hall. Also, we will visit San Francisco, a convent with cloisters and catacombs of the Colonial era. The tour will continue through the traditional areas of residential and commercial Lima to end with a spectacular panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and beaches in the district of Miraflores.

At 13:00hs, transfer to the bus station to travel to Paracas (3hs trip). Upon arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Paracas.

After breakfast, transfer to the port to board the boat that will begin the tour of the Paracas National Reserve, being Ballestas Islands the main destination. On the way we can enjoy the famous “Candelabro” (Chandelier) outlined in a hillside and our local guide will tell you the various theories that have been woven around this enigmatic design

Upon arrival at the Islands you may observe different species that compose the local marine life including Humboldt penguins, Sea Lions, Gulls, Boobies, Inca Terns, Pelicans, etc (some of them are nearly extinct).

NOTE: The departure hour to Ballestas Islands is subject to weather being necessary the port captain approval to navigation.

After the tour we will return to port and after some free time we will transfer you to the ground station to board the bus to Nasca. Upon arrival our staff will transfer you to the hotel. Overnight in Nasca.

Breakfast at the hotel. Pick – up at the hotel to transfer you to the airfield of Nasca. Upon arrival, we will wait for our turn to board the light aircraft and fly over the giant and enigmatic Nasca lines for about 30 minutes. For some, these lines represent a huge astronomical calendar related to agriculture, for others it is a blueprint for alien navigation and an airport. After flying over, you will draw your own conclusions.

At the indicated time, transfer to the ground station to board the bus to Arequipa. Upon arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board the flight to the Arequipa, the “white city”. Upon arrival, our staff will be waiting at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. Free morning to rest.

In the afternoon, guided tour of the main attractions of the city. We will visit the Convent of Santa Catalina that was built in the sixteenth century and open to the public in 1970. Santa Catalina is one of the most remarkable and beautiful buildings of the city. Over 400 years of history are kept behind its walls. The city has several Spanish style buildings and ancient churches built upon tuff (volcanic white stone) among which stands out the Cathedral and the Society of Jesus. Overnight in Arequipa.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, our staff will be waiting at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

In the afternoon, pick up from the hotel to start the tour around the colonial city, built on the foundations of Inca palaces. We will have a city tour, visiting the Main Square and the Cathedral and Santo Domingo, known as Q’oricancha or Temple of the Sun. Also we will visit the nearby archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman, Q’enco, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. Transfer to the hotel and overnight in Cusco.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will start a tour to visit the beautiful town of Pisac, its traditional market, the popular show and its narrow streets (Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday). We will continue the tour through the Sacred Valley of Urubamba, where you can enjoy a nice lunch.

Then, we will visit Ollantaytambo, a still inhabited Inca city where a complex system of irrigation channels and foundations still remain from the Inca time and where much of the town was built. The archaeological site of Ollantaytambo has large groups of terraces, fortresses, squares, channels and the Real Casa del Sol, a megalithic temple of great mysticism. Overnight at Sacred Valley.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the train station to begin the excursion to the Sacred city of Machu Picchu declared by UNESCO as Cultural Heritage for Humanity and chosen as one of the modern seven wonders.

Once we reach the archeological site we will begin a guided tour around the citadel that will last about 2 hours. During the tour you will find temples, palaces, squares and streets of military and agricultural areas. The beauty of Machu Picchu is exalted by the extraordinary scene where it is located. Around the citadel, the National Reserve covers an area of ​​32.500 hectares and includes a constellation of archaeological monuments which we believe that were built as part of the complex of Machu Picchu and not in isolation.

Free time to enjoy the archaeological site. At the scheduled time with the guide, we will descend to the town of Aguas Calientes, where we will have lunch before returning to Cusco. Upon arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel.   (Optional: You can request an extra night in Machu Picchu with an additional payment)

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport at the specified time to board the flight and continue your itinerary.