Southern Peru Richness Exploration

Upon arrival at Lima Airport, a representative will meet you and transfer you to your hotel in the city. Lima, the Peruvian capital, is a vibrant metropolis blending modern life with rich history, currently experiencing dynamic cultural and economic growth. If you wish, you may opt to join an evening tour to the Magic Water Circuit (not included). This attraction features the world’s largest fountain complex, recognised by Guinness World Records, located in the Exhibition Park. The tour includes a water cruise and dinner at a local restaurant. Please note this shared tour runs Tuesday to Saturday, starting at 17:30 and lasts approximately four hours, with pick-up and drop-off, a bilingual guide, admission, and dinner included. Otherwise, you have the evening at your leisure. Overnight in Lima.

After breakfast at the hotel, we explore Lima’s historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in colonial architecture. Begin with the Larco Museum in the Pueblo Libre district, set in a restored viceregal mansion atop a pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum houses the world’s most comprehensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold and silver artefacts, including notable pieces of erotic art. Next, visit Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains, Jeronimo de Aliaga. We then take a scenic tour of Lima’s colonial downtown, centred around the Main Square, where you can admire the grand architecture of the Spanish Empire and the impressive 16th-century Cathedral, which took over 80 years to complete. After the tour, we transfer you back to the hotel for your overnight stay in Lima.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to Lima Airport for your flight to Arequipa. On arrival, a representative will meet you and escort you to your hotel, providing information about the city’s attractions and assisting with check-in. In the afternoon, explore Arequipa starting at the Plaza de Armas, where you can admire the elegant neo-Renaissance cathedral. Visit the Monastery of Santa Catalina, a vast 16th-century convent that functioned as a self-contained town, offering a glimpse into colonial life through its colourful streets and courtyards. Continue to the Church of the Company, a fine example of Peruvian baroque, noted for its ornate façade and beautifully muralled sacristy. The nearby Jesuit seminary features a striking main cloister. Finally, visit the neighbourhoods of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto to enjoy panoramic views of the imposing Misti volcano before returning to your hotel.

After breakfast, we leave Arequipa and travel to the Colca Valley. The journey passes through the Yura district, known for its striking landscapes featuring deep ravines, towering mountains, waterfalls and lush vegetation. We continue across the Pampa Cañahuas, an extensive Andean plateau inhabited by vicuñas—native camelids related to alpacas and llamas. Along the way, we cross the pampas of Viscachani and Toccra and skirt the crater of the extinct Chucura Volcano before reaching the Mirador de Los Andes at Patapampa, situated at 4,910 metres above sea level. From this viewpoint, you can take in impressive views of the surrounding volcanoes. Lunch is included in the charming town of Chivay, after which we transfer you to your chosen hotel in the Colca Valley for a free afternoon to relax or explore independently.

After breakfast, set out for a memorable day at the Condor Cross lookout, where you can take in the vastness of the Colca Valley—one of the world’s deepest canyons, reaching over 4,160 metres deep, twice the depth of the Grand Canyon. Watch magnificent condors as they soar gracefully above the canyon, patrolling their territory with remarkable precision. We then descend to the valley floor to visit several traditional towns along the River Colca, including Chivay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque, each featuring charming colonial churches nestled against the backdrop of the Andes. Along the way, we stop at the Antahuilque and Choquetico viewpoints to admire sweeping views of the valley. Lunch is included. Afterwards, continue to the Ocolle lookout to see the ‘Amphitheatre’—a series of pre-Inca agricultural terraces showcasing ancient farming techniques—and explore the Uyo Uyo archaeological site before returning to your hotel for the evening.

Begin the day with a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, followed by a free morning to relax and enjoy the hotel’s amenities. In the afternoon, we set off for Puno, travelling through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. Along the way, you will see the striking stone forests of Patahuasi and pass through dramatic landscapes of high plains, volcanoes, unusual rock formations and lagoons where cranes can often be spotted drying their wings. There are several viewpoints and remote cafés offering coca tea, as well as artisans selling traditional textiles and handicrafts (purchases at your own expense). Lunch is included en route. Upon arrival in Puno, you will be transferred to your hotel for the evening.

After breakfast, we transfer you to Puno’s port to board a boat bound for the remarkable Uros Islands. These islands are home to the Uros people, an indigenous community living on floating islands crafted entirely from totora reeds that grow in the shallow waters of Lake Titicaca. The islands are built from layers of woven reeds, regularly replenished as the lower layers rot, and the Uros construct their homes from the same material, cooking outdoors to reduce fire risk. After exploring this unique settlement, we sail to Taquile Island, once part of the Inca Empire. Here, you will see remnants of its Incan heritage and enjoy a cultural demonstration by the local community, offering insight into their traditions. Lunch is served on the island before we return to Puno for the evening.

After breakfast, we transfer you to the bus station where a representative will assist you in boarding your coach to Cusco. En route, we make several stops to explore key sites. First, visit the town of Pucara and the Pucara Lithic Museum, home to the earliest urban settlement on Lake Titicaca, dating from 100 to 300 A.D. Next, pause at La Raya, the highest point on the journey at 4,313 metres above sea level, offering striking high-altitude views. We then stop in Sicuani for lunch (included) before continuing to Racchi to see the Wiracocha Temple, an Inca site dedicated to a major Andean deity, notable for its thatched roofs standing 20 metres high—the tallest in the Inca Empire. Later, visit Andahuaylillas, a town about 40 kilometres from Cusco, where the local church—often called the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’—houses exceptional 16th-century artwork and was built atop Wari ruins. Finally, we complete the journey with a 40-kilometre drive to Cusco, your destination for the night.

After breakfast, enjoy a free morning in Cusco to relax at the hotel or explore the city’s charming cobbled streets and browse local handicrafts. In the afternoon, join a guided tour of the former Inca capital, beginning with Santo Domingo Convent, a Renaissance-baroque complex built atop the Inca Coricancha temple—once a key site dedicated to sun worship, whose foundations remain visible. Next, visit the Cathedral, the most prominent building on the Main Square. Then, head to the hills above Cusco to explore the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, known for its impressive stone ramparts and panoramic views of the city. Continue to the ruins of Qenqo, an amphitheatre and temple believed to have been used for agricultural rituals. Finally, visit Puka Pukara (‘Red Fortress’ in Quechua), an Inca military complex featuring dwellings, baths, aqueducts, walls and towers. After the tour, return to your hotel for the evening.

This morning we collect you from your hotel to visit Chinchero, a traditional town perched high above the valley. The local community maintains Inca artisan traditions, evident in their clothing and customs. Here, you will also see archaeological remains and a seventeenth-century church, one of Peru’s earliest Catholic buildings. Next, we transfer to the Living Museum of Yucay, an interpretation centre showcasing Andean crafts such as textile weaving, adobe construction, pottery and silverwork, all demonstrated using ancestral techniques. The museum is home to llamas, sheep and alpacas, which you can feed. Later, arrive in Ollantaytambo, a town continuously inhabited since Inca times. Enjoy a meal featuring refined Andean cuisine in a local restaurant, then explore the iconic fortress built beside the mountain. After the visit, we return you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley for the night.

We will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to Ollanta Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a scenic journey through striking Andean landscapes before arriving at Aguas Calientes. From there, a short 25-minute coach ride takes you to Machu Picchu. Known as the ‘Lost City of the Incas’, this remarkable citadel was built in the 1450s by Emperor Pachacuti as a royal retreat. It was abandoned within a century and remained hidden from the Spanish conquerors, preserving its structures. A guided tour will reveal the history and highlight the site’s most significant landmarks. After the tour, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch, followed by free time to explore at your own pace. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel followed by a free morning to relax. We recommend an early start to return to Machu Picchu and explore further—should you wish, you can visit Huayna Picchu, which rises about 360 metres above the citadel and features an underground temple complex, or Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, offering panoramic views from approximately 390 metres above Machu Picchu. Please note that second entrance tickets to Machu Picchu, as well as access and transport to Huayna Picchu, are subject to availability and not included. In the afternoon, transfer to Aguas Calientes station to board the train back to Ollanta. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to your hotel in Cusco for your overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer you to Cusco Airport for your onward journey.