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Day 1
ARRIVE LIMA (2 NIGHTS)
Bienvenidos a Lima, founded in 1535 by conquistador Francisco Pizarro who dubbed it the “City of Kings.” Upon arrival, you’ll be met and taken to your luxury hotel in upscale Miraflores. (Check-in time is 3 p.m. Depending on your flight schedule, or if flying from the USA/Canada, you may arrive in Lima early morning of Day 2 where your hotel room is ready for immediate occupancy.)
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 2
LIMA FREE TIME & SIGHTSEEING
Enjoy the morning on your own. At lunchtime, join your Travel Director and fellow travelling companions to meet Dr. Diez Canseco who takes you on a tour of his beautiful colonial home followed by a Welcome Reception and a delicious Be My Guest home-cooked lunch of Peruvian dishes. Spend the afternoon exploring Peru’s capital city with a Local Guide. Experience the colonial splendour of Lima’s Plaza San Martin, home to the Archbishop’s Palace and stately Cathedral where you can see Francisco Pizarro’s tomb. Visit the Church of San Francisco and its catacombs before spending the evening as you like.
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Day 3
LIMA - CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY
Fly to Cusco and drive to the Sacred Valley. Visit Awanakancha with a Local Guide to see native alpacas, llamas and vicunas, and view artisan weavers crafting a Local Speciality at the weaving centre. Enjoy a box picnic lunch before exploring the vibrant handicraft market of Pisac. Visit a local chicheria to taste and learn about chicha, a Local Speciality and favourite drink of the Andes. Arrive at your mountain retreat in the heart of the Andes.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 4
SACRED VALLEY - MACHU PICCHU
Board the Vistadome train and enjoy panoramic views of the valley and mountains as you climb toward Machu Picchu. Here, explore the stunning ruins of this once-great fortress and UNESCO World Heritage Site with a Local Guide. Visit the great Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the intricately carved Intihuatana.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 5
MACHU PICCHU - OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO (2 NIGHTS)
Return to Machu Picchu and continue your exploration on your own. Perhaps hike up to the Gate of the Sun for stunning views. Then travel back to the Sacred Valley and visit the Inca stronghold of Ollantaytambo before arriving at your charming boutique hotel, a beautifully renovated 18th century manor house just three blocks from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 6
CUSCO SIGHTSEEING & FREE TIME
This morning, explore the city with a Local Guide and visit the colonial Cathedral, a stunning example of colonial architecture and splendour. Visit San Blas, a unique area with a variety of Incan walls and cobble stone streets, before heading to Sacsayhuaman, an impressive ruin site towering over Cusco. Meet Local Expert Peter Frost, an English author and archaeologist, and learn about the Inca settlement he uncovered southwest of Machu Picchu.
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Day 7
CUSCO SIGHTSEEING - JULIACA - PUNO (2 NIGHTS)
In the morning, enjoy a walking tour with a Local Guide of the nearby Temple of Korikancha, the most important temple in the Inca Empire. After, sample the local cuisine with lunch at a local restaurant in Cusco. Fly to Juliaca and transfer to the shores of the great Lake Titicaca. Enjoy breathtaking views of the lake at sunset.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 8
LAKE TITICACA EXCURSION
Cruise beautiful Lake Titicaca with a Local Guide. Discover the floating islands constructed out of reeds by the Uros Indians. Next is Taquile Island for a private tour to meet the local Quechua-speaking villagers, renowned for their knitting and weaving techniques. Learn more about the culture of the people living on the Island and enjoy a typical lunch on Taquile Island before heading back to Puno for dinner on your own.
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Day 9
PUNO - LIMA - ICA - PARACAS (2 NIGHTS)
Fly back to Lima and travel south to the Paracas Peninsula. Explore the Regional Museum of Ica with its superb examples of Paracas weavings and textiles, well-preserved mummies and scale model of the Nazca Lines. Arrive at your resort on beautiful Paracas Beach.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 10
NAZCA LINES FLIGHT & FREE TIME
Take to the skies for an unforgettable experience as you soar high over the coastal desert to see the enigmatic Nazca Lines, gigantic geometric designs and pictures of animals created between 400 and 650 AD, viewable only from the air. Marvel at their stylized lines and wonder about the civilisation that created them. Then visit Bodega El Catador to learn about and taste the finest Pisco in the country, a Local Speciality. The rest of the day is yours at the resort.
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Day 11
PARACAS - BALLESTAS ISLANDS - LIMA
Visit the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, a “mini-Galapagos” teeming with wildlife including fur seals, sea lions, dolphins, penguins and thousands of birds, including the elusive blue-footed booby. See another mysterious design in the earth—the majestic Candelabra. Back on dry land, travel back to Lima. Upon arrival, freshen up and join your travel companions for a visit to Museo Larco to learn about ancient Peruvian cultures the museum’s curator, your Local Expert, before enjoying a festive Farewell Dinner with wine in the garden restaurant of the museum.
M: Moderate, D: Deluxe, SF: Superior First Class, F: First Class. For further details please see the notes section below.
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Day 12
DEPART LIMA
Say hasta luego to Peru and transfer to the airport for your flight home (not included in holiday price).