Peru 15 Days - Adventure in Arequipa, Cusco, Lima, Pisco, Nazca - Peru

Tour type: Adventure

Countries: Peru

Cities: Arequipa, Cusco, Lima, Pisco, Nazca

Tour operator: Axel Tours ( Peru Machupicchu ) - Cusco, Peru

Lima – Pisco – Nazca – Arequipa – Puno – Cuzco 1 Day, You will be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to your hotel 2 Day, Lima In the morning, guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the 'City of Kings'. The tour includes Lima's Historical Centre, passing by Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Catedral, and its Religious Art Museum, the Church of Santo Domingo, with the tombs of Santa Rosa and San Martin de Porras, and Lima's Colonial Balconies. We will visit the Convent and Church of San Francisco, the greatest monumental complex of Colonial Art in America and Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The tour includes a visit to the Basilica of 21 altars, Convent of Cloisters, Capitulary and Clementine Rooms, Chorus and Library of the monks, a Museum showing 11 paintings of the Rubens School, the Sacristy with paintings of Surbaran and Ribera, its great patio decorated with Seville tiles of the XVIth Century, Moorish arches and underground Catacombs. We then drive through the residential Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by the Huaca Pucllana, a Ceremonial and Administrative Centre of the Lima Culture built in the II Century A.C. that the Incas considered as 'Ñaupallaqta' or Sacred Town. We will also visit El Olivar Park with olive trees brought from Spain in the XVth Century, the Central Park of Miraflores and Larcomar, a symbol of modern Lima and a tourist and entertainment centre as well as a privileged site to enjoy an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. Free for lunch. 3 Day, You will be picked up very early in the morning at your hotel in Lima and we will transfer you to the bus station where you will board the bus that will take you to the Town of Paracas. Here you will visit the Paracas Bay, the Bird Outlook Point and the Red Beach where you will be able to enjoy the sun and the sea. 4 Day, a.m. Tours to the Ballestas Island ( daily from 08.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. ) Today, whilst we enjoy an exhilarating boat trip along the Pacific coast of Peru, we will be able to spot penguins, sea lions, seals and myriad sea birds, for which The Islas Ballestas, is a natural habitat. In striking contrast we will see the barren coasts, the setting for many pre-Inca civilisations; commemorated by such monuments as the giant Paracas Candelabrum. In the afternoon we will drive to Nazca ( 230 kms = 3 hrs ) 5 Day, a.m. Overflight to the Nazca Lineas ( 30’ ) Overflight the Nazca lines, which cover an area of 350 km2. Since nowadays its real meaning are a mystery. The most representative designs are: the tree, the hands, the spider, the monkey, the humming bird, the condor, the astronaut, etc at 22.00 p.m. Leave by bus to Arequipa ( 740 kms = 08 hrs ) Overnight Bus 6 Day, a.m. Arrive to Arequipa, transfer to the selected htl , the second largest city in Peru. At over 2,300 metres above sea level this tidy and well-kept city surrounded by three giant volcanoes will welcome us with its forever-blue sky. A visit to the Monastery of Santa Catalina will take place upon arrival; the old colonial building still retains the flavour of the Spanish era. We shall also pay a visit to the local museum where we will be able to view 'Juanita', the Indian mummy found at the top of Ampato. Perfectly conserved in her refrigerated box, she is an awe-inspiring sight. 7 Day, AREQUIPA - COLCA VALLEY - Today we will explore the Colca Valley with the aid of our local guide. This remote region of stunning beauty remains almost the same as in Inca times, its scattered villages dedicated to agriculture. The Colca Canyon at over 3,000 metres is one of the deepest in the world and a perfect haven for the sacred condor. 8 Day, Breakfast at the lodge. Drive down the valley and on the way you will see the beautiful Inca terraces. From the Cruz del Condor you can get a fine view of the condors flying above and below you , as well as of the depth of the canyon. Further down the valley at Cabanaconde , you will see the villages on the opposite side, which seem to be clinging to the very walls of the canyon. Return to the lodge for lunch. Afternoon return to Arequipa via Patapampa and the viewpoint of the volcanoes. Arrival in Arequipa and Transfer to your htl 9 Day, Transfer to the bus station leave to Puno We will drive to Puno, the capital of the 'Altiplano', also considered the folklore capital of Peru, situated as it is by the legendary Lake Titikaka, the highest in the world. Here, old Inca ladies with their bowl hats, knit sweaters of llamas' and alpacas' wool while young musicians blow their rustic 'zamponas' or wind pipes, creating the unique sound of the Andes. 10 Day, a.m. Uros Island & Taquile Island on the titicaca lake ( daily from 07.30 a.m. to 17.00 p.m. )Today we will spend a full day discovering Lake Titikaka and its shores including the floating islands of Uros. These islands are inhabited by the descendents of the Aymara people, who still lead a primitive life, making an income from the lake and the crafts they sell to visitors. This afternoon we will visit some well-preserved burial sites from ancient pre-Inca civilisation. Optional Overnight on the Taquile island 11 Day, a.m. leave by bus to Cuzco ( daily at 07.45 a.m. = 09 hrs ) Lunc incl. This morning we begin our tour of the highlands stopping to explore the isolated villages, which we will find on our way. The houses are traditionally built with mud bricks just as they were centuries ago. This area is generally known as 'The Real Peru', never having been touched by Spanish influence. The highest point on our itinerary will be reached today when we arrive at 'la Raya' over 4,000 metres above sea level. We will reach Cusco in the late afternoon and after checking in to our centrally located hotel we will take an evening orientation walk.. 12 Day, On our agenda for this morning is a half day guided tour of Cusco and its outskirts. This Inca and Christian city is an open museum and certainly one of the most exciting in Latin America. The home of The Plaza de Armas, the Temple of the Sun, and the ruins of Sacsaywaman and Quenco, it is the very centre of the Inca universe. ( daily from 14.00 p.m to 18.00 p.m.) 13 Day, Tours to the Sacrec Valley o the Incas: Pisac Market, Ollantaytambo Ruins, Chincheros market: Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday from 09.00 a.m. to 17.00 p.m The city of Cusco will be our base for today's exploration of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Urubamba River crosses the valley and gives life to tiny villages such as Pisac and Oyantaitambo, guarded by Inca terraces and ruins. The Incas built their temples with huge boulders that they cut and carried from near by quarries 14 Day, After an early start this morning we will board the train to the tiny town of Aguas Calientes. Our journey will take us along the picturesque Urubamba River which will unveil the magnificence of the valley of the Incas. From there we will take the bus to the most famous archaeological site in the whole of South America - Machu Picchu. Our local guide will bring history to life on a tour of this lost city of the Incas, which was only discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. There should be time for us to stop at the hot spring of Aguas Calientes for a relaxing swim before During the afternoon we shall return to Cusco 15 Day, An early flight to Lima END OF OUR SERVICE