Welcome to Peru!
Most flights from North America arrive in the late evening, so we will provide assistance at the airport and transfer you to the Iberostar hotel in the upscale seaside Miraflores neighborhood. Rest well tonight and begin your day fresh in the morning!
Leave your heavy dive bag here at the airport luggage storage if you are continuing on to Galapagos.
Sunday, 18 June 2023: Lima, Peru
Guests flying on LATAM and Delta will arrive in Lima this morning and be transferred to Iberostar Miraflores hotel where they can join us for breakfast before starting our sightseeing.
This morning we'll begin with a walking tour of Colonial Lima, capital of the Vice Royalty of Peru. Visit the historic downtown and appreciate more than fifty monuments and
colonial edifices, such as the Paseo de la República, the San Martín Square, the Main Square, the Government
Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Cathedral Basilica.
Admire the “Treasures of Perú” collection, a fine selection of objects made of gold, ceramics and textiles from different pre-columbian cultures at the museum of the Banco Central de la Reserva.
Explore the catacombs of the monumental Convento de San Francisco, home to the largest collection of religious art in
the Americas.
After lunch on the grounds, you'll visit the Larco Herrera Museum. Housed in an 18th century colonial mansion, it is home to one of the the most extensive collections of pre-Columbian art in Peru. It contains fine examples of textile work, as well as the tools ancient Peruvians used to produce textiles, metals, huaco ceramics and gold and silver pieces with semiprecious stones. The Erotic Gallery is always a hit!
Enjoy dinner at the incredible pre-Columbian Huaca Puccllana pyramid right in Miraflores, and overnight at Iberostar Miraflores.
Monday, 19 June 2023: Cuzco-Sacred Valley of the Inca
Enjoy breakfast before flying to Cuzco this morning. We'll leave any large luggage such as dive bags here, then descend into the Sacred Valley of the Inca.
We'll stop for a visit at Awanakancha, where South American camelidae are bred. Learn about the superb llama, alpaca and vicuna fibers as well as the ancient weaving techiques that are still in use.
See the Inca ruins at Pisac before we continue to our hotel in the Sacred Valley, the beautiful Aranwa Sacred Valley & Wellness property for a late lunch and an easy afternoon and evening to enjoy the property and acclimate to the altitude. Leave all but a small overnight bag here at the hotel for safekeeping.
Tuesday, 20 June 2023: Machu Picchu by Vistadome train
This morning we will board a Vistadome train and take in the Andean scenery as we descend through the Sacred Valley of the Inca to Aguas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu.
Upon arrival, your luggage will be sent to the hotel so you can begin a guided tour of the archeological site. Machu Picchu is divided into two sectors: agricultural and urban. Marvel at the Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana, sacred temple of the three windows, main temple, and the carefully crafted
shrines and tombs, doors, fountains, and plazas.
You'll be hungry, so enjoy a buffet lunch at the on-site Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, followed by a couple of hours back in the Machu Picchu site for photography and exploring after the day-trippers have left. This is your opportunity to hike to the Sun Gate and see the highlight of the Inca Trail without the morning crowds!
Tonight you'll dine and overnight at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel.
Wednesday, 21 June 2023: Machu Picchu / Return to Sacred Valley by luxury train
After breakfast at the Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel, join Marco on the challenging hike up Huayna Picchu, or enjoy free time in the early morning at the archeological site. Watching the clouds break and the skies open up to let the sun stream onto this amazing sacred site is the highlight of many travelers' visit to South America.
Alternatively, enjoy the lush hotel grounds in the Amazonian cloud forest this morning, maybe trying a bit of birdwatching in hopes of spotting the "Cock of the Rock" or other spectacular birds of the area.
There's time for one last visit to the archeological site this afternoon before returning to Cuzco.
After a special tea service at the Sanctuary Lodge, you'll board the Hiram Binghamluxury train back to the Sacred Valley! Named after the National Geographic explorer who re-discovered Machu Picchu in 1911, on board you'll enjoy a cocktail accompanied by live entertainment in the bar car. After cocktail hour, you will be escorted to the dining car for a four-course gourmet dinner and conversation with your fellow travelers about your unforgettable experiences at Machu Picchu.
Overnight at Aranwa Sacred Valley Wellness Resort.
Thursday, 22 June 2023: Sacred Valley of the Inca
After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a scenic drive through the "Sacred Valley of the Incas" to visit Ollantaytambo, the Inca fortress, and walk through the quaint streets of the town. Along the way you'll experience the customs of real cusquenean people at the indigenous market which takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
Enjoy lunch at Wayra Restaurant, where you will be treated to a spectacular equestrian exhibition. The Peruvian Paso horses will delight you with their graceful gait and impress you with their elegant look. The presentation is paced to the rhythm of live marinera music, performed and danced by a group of artists. After the show, admire the horses or even take a short ride to experience their smooth Paso Llano gait.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the facilities of the Aranwa Sacred Valley resort, followed by dinner.
Overnight at Aranwa Sacred Valley.
Friday, 23 June 2023: Cuzco
After breakfast, visit the sights of Cuzco, beginning at the Santo Domingo convent monastery. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, this colonial monastery was the Koricancha temple, one of the most important temples devoted to worship of the sun. According to the chronicles, it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Included in the tour are stops at the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral.
After visiting the most interesting sights of the city, we'll head to the countryside just outside Cuzco to visit some of the remarkable Inca ruins in the area. Included are the cult center of Sacsayhuaman, the temple and amphitheater of Qenko, and the Red Fortress of Puca Pucara. Lunch at Pachapapa included.
Group dinner at MAP Cafe, and overnight at Aranwa Cuzco Hotel.
Saturday, 24 June 2023: Cuzco - Inti Raymi
The Sun, the most important deity in the Inca empire, was worshiped by the Incas; therefore,
one of the most important celebrations during Inca times was that of Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun, a celebration held near the winter solstice to honor the
god Inti (the Sun).
• 08:00 – 09:00 The festival begins at Koricancha (Temple of the Sun)
• 10:00 – 11:30 The second part takes place at the Plaza de Armas
• 13:00 – 15:30 The main ceremony takes place at Sacsayhuaman
This has been a long and exciting day so this afternoon there is time for shopping or just people watching in the Plaza while sipping some coca tea - the traditional Incan remedy for "soroche" - altitude sickness.
Those divers continuing on to Galapagos should book LATAM flight LA 2032 departing from Cuzco at 7:30 pm and arriving in Lima at 9 pm. Retrieve your dive bag tonight from airport luggage storage.
Overnight at Wyndham Costa del Sol (Lima) or Aranwa Cuzco Hotel (Cuzco).
Sunday, 25 June 2023: Lima - Quito
Fly to Quito, Ecuador today at 10am on LATAM 2382 if you are diving from our Galapagos LGBTQ+ Liveaboard.
Non-divers enjoy breakfast at the hotel in Cuzco and a morning at leisure, then fly back to Lima on LATAM flight LA 2038 at 12:38 pm.
Our Package Includes:
Accommodation
Transfers and meals described above
Sightseeing with English-speaking local guide
Vistadome train to Machu Picchu and two days entrance fees
Hiram Bingham train return from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo
Cuzco tourist tax
Not Included: International airfare to and from South America (contact us for suggestions) and on to Quito, domestic airfare between Lima and Cuzco, meals/beverages or optional activities not described in program above, tips, and personal expenses such as internet service, phone calls, laundry. Deposit: $750 deposit to hold space. Second deposit of $1000 at six months. Balance due 90 days prior to departure.
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