SIMPLY PERU HOLIDAY: 13 Days / 12 Nights Itinerary

FULL ITINERARY

• Welcome to Peru! Once you arrive at the  Lima International airport, look for your Authentic Peru Travel representative, who will be waiting for you. We will transfer you directly to your hotel located in the  Miraflores touristic district. Then, we will help you to check-in and to settle down at your hotel.
• You might have some free time to wander around the city on your own, exploring the surrounding areas at your own pace! We highly recommend that you  walk around the “Miraflores Boardwalk” to get the most beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, or just to stretch out your legs! In the evening, we recommend that you  enjoy a delicious dinner at one of the world-renowned restaurants in Lima “The Capital of the Peruvian Gastronomy”. Finally, spend a peaceful  night’s rest at your hotel, because the next day will be a big day!

Overnight in Lima.
Meals included: none.

• This morning enjoy a delicious breakfast at your hotel.
• Your private tour guide will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel to transfer you to the heart of the “City of the Kings”, where you will enjoy exploring the Plaza San Martin and Jiron de la Union, a fascinating boulevard that leads to Plaza de Armas, the main square. Following this, we will visit the Monastery of San Francisco, where you can see the enigmatic catacombs, a World Heritage listed site. This monastery is renowned for its Spanish baroque architecture. The first cemetery of Lima, the catacombs, is hidden underneath the monastery’s floors.
• Visiting the Larco Museum in Lima is a fantastic way to delve into Peru’s pre-Columbian history. The museum is renowned for its extensive collection of ancient artifacts, particularly those from the Moche and Inca civilizations.
• Then, we will go to a gorgeous seaside restaurant where we will taste the best of Peruvian cuisine. After finishing lunch, our driver will take you to your hotel where you will have the rest of the day to spend at your leisure.
• Spend a beautiful afternoon at your own pace enjoying  your hotel or exploring the Miraflores Touristic district. This evening for dining we recommend that you consider the restaurants Central or Maido. Both of them are considered to be the best  in the country and currently holding positions # 1 and #6 respectively in the world’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023. Please remember that it is necessary to secure reservations in advance!.

Overnight in Lima.
Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

• In the morning, our private transportation will pick you up from the hotel and take you to Lima International Airport. Our staff will assist you before you board your flight to Arequipa.
• Our private guide and the transportation will pick you up for a tour of the city of Arequipa. Known as “El Ciudad Blanca” (The White City), Arequipa is known for its numerous and magnificent temples, convents, colonial houses and palaces constructed from white volcanic stone called sillar. First, you will find peace in the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, one of the most fascinating colonial, religious buildings in Peru. This monastery’s architectural style is mainly colonial, but of a mestizo nature. Different from other colonial heritages in this part of Latin America, in the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena the fusion of Spanish and native elements can be clearly observed. We will then take a journey around the beautiful city of Arequipa and visit Mirador Carmen del Alto, Yanahuara, Sachaca, Tingo, Mansion del Fundador, Sabandia and Paucarpata. We will finish our tour by visiting “Mummy Juanita”, a girl who was sacrificed by the Incas 400 years ago to honor Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).
• Finally, in the afternoon, you will have time to explore Arequipa’s downtown districts.

Overnight in Arequipa.
Meals included: Breakfast.

• In the morning, after breakfast, our tour guide and private transportation will pick you up from the hotel between 07:00hrs and 08:00hrs to start our journey to the Colca Valley.
• On the way, we will have fantastic views of the Misty, Chachani and Pichu Pichu volcanoes. We will make a stop at the Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve where we will see vicuñas, huanacos and other wild Andean species. We will be able to appreciate these beautiful animals in their natural environment.
• We will then pass through many quaint little villages before stopping for lunch on the way to your hotel for the night.
• Once we arrive to the hotel, you will have the rest of the afternoon to rest and enjoy the hotel or to explore at your leisure. Optionally, you may want to visit the local hot springs, La Calera.

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

• In the morning, you will wake up at around 06:00hrs to have breakfast at your hotel before our tour guide and private transportation pick us up to continue our excursion to the Condor Cross Viewpoint. Here, we will be able to appreciate the majestic 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, one of the deepest in the world, from this viewpoint.
• After leaving the viewpoint, we will visit the towns of Maca and Yanque where we will see examples of typical colonial architecture. After lunch, our private transportation will drive us to the city of Puno.
• This trip takes around 5 hours and, once we arrive to Puno, you will be taken to your previously selected hotel.

Overnight in Puno
Meals included: Breakfas and lunch.

• Early in the morning, your guide will be waiting for you at your hotel to take you to Lake Titicaca’s port.
• For the morning, we will navigate through LakeTiticaca on a fast boat and visit the unique, man-made Uros Floating Islands. These islands are completely made out of totora reeds, a water plant that grows in Lake Titicaca. You will be amazed at how locals use totora reeds to build their houses, canoes, beds and many other objects necessary for their daily lives. As part of our visit to Uros, we will take a trip on a totora reed canoe, in which we will experience a smooth and pleasant trip around the islands. From here, we will continue to Taquile Island via private motor boat. This journey will take about 2 hours, so it will give you a chance to relax and enjoy the stunning scenery of Lake Titicaca.
• Once we arrive, our staff will be waiting for us on Taquile Beach. Here, we will enjoy a locally prepared lunch of delicious and very fresh trout from Lake Titicaca.
• Afterwards, you will have an opportunity to take a short hike around the island before leaving to go back to Puno on a fast boat across the lake.

Overnight in Puno.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.

• This morning, our guide will pick you up in order to escort you to Cusco by private transportation. On the way, we will stop at some fascinating attractions. Our first stop will be Pukara which is famous for its production of ceramic bulls which can be found on the roofs of Andean houses to bring good luck.
• The highest point of the journey is La Raya (4,300m, 14,100ft), which is also the halfway point between Cusco and Puno. We will make a stop at nearby Sicuani to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch in a pleasant restaurant.
• After lunch, we will stop at Raqchi, a small highland town where we will see the Incan Temple of Wiraqocha and learn about the fascinating construction of its adobe brick walls that measure up to 11 meters high. Then our journey will continue to Andahuaylillas, a church which is fully decorated with gold altars and where we will see many intriguing 16th, 17th and 18th century mural paintings.
• Once we arrive in Cusco, our private transportation will drop you to your previously selected hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

• Today, we will start our journey through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first will stop in the exceptional project of Awanakancha (Quechua word that means “big place where people weave”) where we will watch people, using the same techniques as their ancestors, weave the fur of the South American camelids into beautiful clothes. We will see the complete procedure of this art as people weave textiles such as multi-colored belts and exquisitely embroidered blankets.
• Then, we will continue our journey to Pisaq, a town which boasts a great Incan archaeological site and magnificent terraced fields on its mountains. We will also get to go to the town’s traditional market which is famous for its beautiful handicrafts. This market is where villagers from the mountains come to sell and exchange their home-grown produce and unique handicrafts.
• After visiting Pisaq, we will enjoy a delicious lunch.
• Then, we will continue through the valley until we arrive to your hotel which is in an area of gorgeous scenery.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

• We will have a delicious breakfast at the hotel.
• Then, our tour guide and private transportation will pick us up to start our private tour to Ollantaytambo. This was the Last Incan refuge during Spanish colonization and is a place which will make you feel like you have stepped back in time due to the style of the buildings.
• After, we will have a delicious lunch in Urubamba.
• Then, we will visit the salt mines located northwest of the town of Maras. Here, we will find around 4000 small wells that are still used by local people today to provide themselves with salt. Next, we will go to the incredible circular terraces of Moray which were used as a kind of Incan laboratory to acclimatize crops.
• Finally, you will be escorted to your hotel which is surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Sacred Valley.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

• In the morning, you will be transferred to the train station to board a train that will take you to Machu Picchu.
• Upon arrival, a bus will transport us on a 25-minute journey up the mountain. Our guide will lead a tour as we explore and witness the highlights of Machu Picchu. The late-morning arrival will afford us ample time to immerse ourselves in the breathtaking surroundings of this Incan citadel.
• Guided by our knowledgeable leader, we will delve into the ruins of the city, sensing its vibrancy as we imagine the lives of the priests, craftsmen, and servants who once inhabited this seemingly uninhabitable citadel. Despite excavations revealing skeletons, artifacts, and woolen clothing, no gold has been unearthed. The same impeccable stonework present in other Incan sites is evident here.
• Perched above the tumultuous Urubamba River and concealed amidst a maze of vines and trees at the summit of the mountain, the city of Machu Picchu will forever guard the mystery of its abandonment, as the Incas left no written records.
• To conclude our visit, we will enjoy a delightful lunch at the exclusive Tinkuy by Sanctuary Lodge restaurant, offering an unparalleled location near the citadel.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

• Without a doubt, Machu Picchu is one of the most extraordinary places in the world. For many, a visit here represents the realization of a lifelong dream. Machu Picchu provides a variety of enjoyable hikes ranging from 1 to 3 hours. It is possible to undertake these hikes, such as the Wayna Picchu Mountain or the Sun Gate trek, independently.
• We will enjoy lunch at a charming restaurant located on the plaza.
• Afterward, you will return by train to Ollantaytambo and then take a bus to your hotel in Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch.

• Leaving early by private transportation, we will visit Sacsaywaman, a vast fortress built on three platforms overlooking the city of Cusco. From here we continue to Qenqo, a site of worship with a high rock carved into the shape of a puma. This feature dominates a series of canals and passageways also painted with animals. The road then continues uphill to Pukapukara and Tambomachay, the latter an interesting site containing Incan baths. We will then return to Cusco and visit the main attractions around the Plaza de Armas such as the Cathedral of Cusco and the Sun Temple of Qorikancha inside the Temple of Santo Domingo.
• After this, we will take you back through the city to your hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast.

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

Meals included: Breakfast.

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 in accordance  with your personal preferences and style. The price is basically determinated by final accommodation, travel dates and other custom preferences during the tour.

Included:

• 12 nights lodging at the hotels mentioned in the program, On Double Occupancy.
• All Excursions And Tours In Private Service.
• All transfers and transportation with private van.
• A Professional Driver.
• All entrance tickets to all the attractions mentioned in the program.
• Round trip VISTADOME train ticket to Machu Picchu.
• Round trip bus ticket to Machu Picchu.
• Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu.
• Private tour of the city of Arequipa.
• Private tour the Colca Valley.
• Private tour in Lake Titicaca.
• Meals as indicated (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
• A Professional English Speaking Tour Guide.
• Personal attention.

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