ANDEAN CROSSING 10 Days / 9 Nights Nights Itinerary

FULL ITINERARY

• Welcome to Peru! Upon your arrival, our representative will be waiting for you at the arrival gate of Jorge Chavez International Airport to lead you to your hotel.
• Once in your hotel you will be provided with check-in assistance and an explanation of the program.
• A couple of hours later, we will start a city tour of colonial and modern Lima. The places that we will visit include Huaca Pucllana, which was a ceremonial and administrative Pre-Incan building, the Cathedral of Lima, Francisco Pizarro’s Tomb, the catacombs of the San Francisco Monastery, the National Congress, and the Palace of Torre Tagle.
• Then, we will take you downtown. Here, we will get to see the modern neighborhoods of San Isidro and Miraflores where we will enjoy great views of the Pacific Ocean.
• The tour will finish at a popular park in the commercial area of the city where you may enjoy a delicious Peruvian dinner in one of Lima’s renowned restaurants.

Overnight in Lima.
Meals included: none.

• After eating a delicious breakfast at your hotel, our staff will pick you up and escort you to Lima International Airport where you will take a one hour flight to Arequipa.
• Upon your arrival to Arequipa, also known as “The White City”, Authentic Peru Travel staff will be waiting to pick you up and drive you to your previously selected hotel.
• Once there, we suggest you get some rest in order to get acclimatized to the altitude (Arequipa is around 2,328m or 7,638ft above sea level).
• We also suggest you drink coca tea, minimize physical activities, eat lightly and drink lots of water to avoid altitude sickness.
• In the afternoon, our city tour of Arequipa will begin between 14:00hrs and 14:30hrs. On this tour, we will visit to the main square, the Cathedral of Arequipa, the Cloisters, La Compañia de Jesus Church, the Colonial District of Yanahuara, the neighborhood of San Lazaro and the residential area of Selva Alegre. We will also visit the Santa Catalina Monastery which has been closed for almost 400 years, but can still reveal to us interesting passages, plazas and gardens of great beauty. Our tour will  finish at the main square.
• At this time, you might like to enjoy a pleasant dinner in one of the many restaurants nearby or we can arrange to drop you back at your hotel. Just tell your guide what you wish to do.

Overnight in Arequipa.
Meals included: Breakfast.

• Our staff will pick you up between 06:00hrs and 07:00hrs in order to start our journey to the Colca Valley. On the way, we will be able to admire the Misti, Chachani and Pichu-Pichu volcanoes. All of this travel will be by private transportation with a personal guide and driver for the best travel satisfaction.
• Then, we will stop in the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve where we will see vicuñas, huanacos and other wild Andean animal species. Here, we will get the chance to appreciate these beautiful animals in their natural environment.
• We will also see some quaint little villages in the mountains.
• Afterwards, we will take a break for lunch before we arrive at the hotel.
• Once we arrive at the hotel, you will have the rest of afternoon to rest, enjoy the hotel or spend at your leisure. Optionally, you may want to visit the nearby hot springs, La Calera.

Overnight in Colca Valley.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

• Today, we will wake up at 06:00hrs to have breakfast at the hotel before continuing our trip to the Condor Cross Viewpoint where we will be able to appreciate and admire the flight of the condors. These huge and wonderful Andean birds are a symbol of the Andes Mountain Range.
• We will also be able to appreciate the depth of the Colca Canyon from this viewpoint. Approximately 4,160m or 13,650ft deep, this is double the depth of the Grand Canyon in the USA.
• After leaving the viewpoint, we will visit the towns of Maca and Yanque where we will find typical colonial architecture.
• After lunch, you will be taken to the bus station where you will depart for Puno.

• This trip takes around 5 hours and, once you arrive in Puno, Authentic Peru Travel staff will be waiting for you in order to drive you to your selected hotel.

Overnight in Puno.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

• Welcome to Lake Titicaca! To get the best out of this day you will begin with a delicious breakfast early in the morning. Our staff will pick you up at 06:40hrs to begin our excursion on Lake Titicaca.
• First, we will visit Los Uros which are floating islands with very friendly local people. These islands were handmade with only totora reeds by their habitants.
• After, we will visit Taquile Island, a place where time has stood still and whose residents still live under their ancestral customs and traditions. You will also have an opportunity to explore the island to see some of the best views of the entire lake.
• Then, we will enjoy a delightful, traditional lunch while we relax in this beautiful place.
• Finally, our staff will bring you back to your hotel in Puno in the afternoon.

Overnight in Puno.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

• On the sixth day, our trip to Cusco will start between 06:45hrs and 07:00hrs. We recommend you wake up ahead of time so you get to enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
• Our Authentic Peru Travel staff will collect you to drive to the bus station from where we will depart.  Along this trip, we will stop at certain points to admire the natural and historic attractions that this route has to offer.
• First, we will visit the Pukara Museum where you will have the chance to get a traditional ceramic bull.
• Afterwards, we will savor our lunch in a pleasant restaurant while enjoying the amazing scenery of La Raya, the highest point located between Puno and Cusco.
• Then, our tour will make another stop in Raqchi or the Temple ofWiraqocha (Incan deity).
• Finally, our last stop will be the town of Andahuaylillas and its beautiful church.
• From there, we will go directly to Cusco, where Authentic Peru Travel staff will be waiting at the bus terminal to assist you and to drop you off at your selected hotel in the city.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

• Today, you will have the morning free to experience “the center of the world” at your leisure.
• There are many activities you can do while in Cusco, however exploring its narrow paths and their stone walls is a unique experience. Some of Cusco’s other attractions are the traditional San Pedro Market, the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas or one of the many museums, such as the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art, Casa Concha etc. In the afternoon, our tour of Cusco will start between 13:00hrs and 13:20hrs. First, we will visit the Cathedral of Cusco located near the Plaza de Armas.
• Then, our tour continues to the Qorikancha (The Temple of the Sun) and four amazing archeological sites, Sacsaywaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara and Tambomachay. Our tour will finish at the main square.
• After the tour, you might like to enjoy a pleasant dinner in one of the many restaurants around the main square. Alternatively, we can arrange to drop off at to your hotel. Just tell your guide what you would like to do.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals included: Breakfast.

Embark on a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

• You will begin the day by having a delicious breakfast at your hotel.
• Between 08:00hrs and 08:20hrs, your transportation will pick you up to start a day tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• Our first stop will be the town of Pisaq, an amazing Incan archaeological site which boasts magnificent terraced fields. Among its crops are a wide variety of corn, kiwicha and hundreds of kinds of potatoes
• We will also get to visit the town’s traditional market, famous for its beautiful handicrafts. Local people and their customs have not changed much in this place over the last 300 years.
• Then, we will travel to Urubamba, one of the major agricultural locations for the Incas due to its special climate and geographic qualities.
• Here, we will enjoy an exquisite buffet lunch while surrounded by the Andes Mountains.
• After lunch, we will go to the Incan village and archeological site of Ollantaytambo. Incredibly, most of its buildings, which were built by different Incan rulers, still remain today.
• Finally, we will take you to the train station where you will take a train to the town of Aguas Calientes.
• Once in Aguas Calientes, our staff will be there to escort you to your hotel.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

Today is the day! Explore the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu with your English-speaking guide.

• In the early hours of the morning, we will start our tour to the sacred Incan citadel of Machu Picchu.
• Our private tour of one of the Seven Wonders of the World will last for 2 hours. We will explore the mysteries and magic of the sacred Incan citadel of Machu Picchu by visiting the many different zones of the city and its main attractions such as the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sundial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of Three Windows and various cemeteries. Wayna Picchu Mountain, overlooking the city, can also be climbed if you have purchased an entrance ticket in advance (If you want to climb this mountain, let us know in advance as there are just 400 spots per day. The Wayna Picchu entrance tiket is not included in the reservation).
• We will have lunch at the restaurant located at the entrance to Machu Picchu or in any of the other restaurants in Aguas Calientes when we return there after our tour of Machu Picchu.
• Later, you will go to the train station from where you will start your return to Cusco by train. Upon arrival to the relevant train station, a member of our staff will escort you to your hotel in the city of Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

• Today you will leave Cusco, so depending on your departure time, plan to do any last-minute souvenir shopping or explore Cusco a bit more, before our representatives  take you to the airport. Once you arrive to the airport, our program will conclude.

Please note This program will allow you to visit: Lima, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu. Additionally, you can add more exciting day tours in Cusco or another destination in Peru. This is just a suggested itinerary and can be customized based on your preferences, interests, and time constraints. Please see our package list for more options.

The price is fully customizable and can be tailored and flexible to your personal preferences and style. The price is basically based on final accommodation, travel dates and other custom preferences during the tour.

Included:

• 09 nights lodging at the hotel mentioned in the program, based on double occupancy.
• Meals as indicated (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
• All excursions and tours.
• All transfers and transportation.
• Small group tour ensures personalized service.
• Entrance tickets to all the places mentioned in the program.
• Round-trip train tickets to Machu Picchu.
• Round-trip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
• Travel from Arequipa to Puno by comfortable tourist coach and enjoy the stunning scenery along the way.
• First class bus tour from Puno to Cusco.

RECOMMENDED HOTELS

The list below shows our recommended hotels that our travel experts have selected for each destination to make your vacation the best experience featuring superior service, good location, and all facilities necessary for a comfortable stay. We can book any Peru hotel for you, even if it is not on our list. Please just contact us for more information.

GALLERY