Peru

Best of Peru

13 days | 12 nights
Private tour
From 3080USD per person
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Tour Description

Embark on an extraordinary 13-day Best of Peru tour including Machu Picchu, the Amazon Rainforest, Rainbow Mountain and Lake Titicaca. Our journey commences in Lima, where the fusion of colonial charm and contemporary energy sets the stage for exploration.

From Lima, we delve into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, immersing ourselves in its lush jungles and vibrant biodiversity. Spend your days engaging in thrilling activities such as birdwatching, where colorful toucans and majestic macaws grace the skies above. Light hikes through dense foliage offer glimpses of elusive wildlife, while tranquil boat tours along winding rivers unveil the secrets of this awe-inspiring ecosystem.

Continuing our journey, we venture to the historic city of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, where ancient ruins and Spanish colonial architecture await exploration. Then, we make our way to the legendary Machu Picchu, a marvel of ancient engineering nestled amidst mist-shrouded peaks.

Our adventure culminates with a visit to the breathtaking Rainbow Mountain, where vibrant hues paint the horizon in a surreal display of nature's beauty. Finally, we conclude our odyssey at the tranquil shores of Lake Titicaca, where serene waters mirror snow-capped peaks, offering a peaceful conclusion to our remarkable Peruvian expedition.

Destinations

Peru

Trip at a glance

Visits

LIMA: Larco Museum, Modern & Colonial City-Tour

AMAZON RAINFOREST: Hikes, Birdwatching, Boat Tour, Piranha Fishing, Nocturnal Wildlife Observation

SACRED VALLEY: Pisac Ruins and Market, Ollantaytambo Forteress

MACHU PICCHU

RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

CUSCO: City-Tour, Sacsayhuaman Ruins

LAKE TITICACA: Puno, Uros & Taquile Islands

 

Trip details

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival in Lima

Arrival at Jorge Chávez, Lima international airport. 

Welcome by our local English-speaking staff. 

Transfer to your hotel located in the residential and shopping district of Miraflores, overlooking the Pacific ocean (1 hour). 

Evening

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Lima. 

Day 2 Lima full day city-tour

Morning

The city founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, still features many invaluable colonial buildings along the main square (the Plaza Mayor) and the nearby streets.

Discover Lima's Cathedral, the Government Palace and the San Francisco Convent among many other impressive colonial buildings.

Afternoon

Transfer to Pueblo Libre, one of Lima's central districts (30 min).

Private guided visit of the sumptuous Larco Herrera Museum that hosts the largest private collection of pre-Columbian art in the world (2 hours).

Housed in an 18th century colonial mansion, the museum displays the finest collection of Pre-Columbian gold and silver artefacts from ancient Peru, along with a famous collection of erotic Mochicas ceramics.

Take the unusual opportunity to visit the museum's storage area that counts more than 45,000 carefully classified archaeological objects.

Evening

Free evening and overnight in Lima.

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 3 FLIGHT TO PUERTO MALDONADO, AMAZON RAINFOREST ACTIVITIES

Morning

Transfer to Lima airport (40 min to 1 hour) for your flight to Puerto Maldonado (1 hours 30 minutes).

Meet and greet with your guide, Transfer to Puerto Capitanía (20 min) to board a motorized riverboat.

Sail down the Madre de Dios River through the lush and fascinating environment of the Amazon rainforest (1 hour). On your journey keep your camera ready for the fleeting ronsocos, caimans, turtles, herons, cormorants and more of the abundant local fauna.

Arrival at your Amazon Lodge where you will be welcome with a fresh drink.

Afternoon

After lunch, your naturalist tour guide will take you through an interpretive trail to the Caimán Cocha, a small lagoon where black caimans and other smaller caiman species abound.

Spectacular sunset on the Amazon.

Evening

Overnight at your lodge in the Amazon Rainforest.

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Lunch at the lodge
  • Dinner at the lodge

Day 4 AMAZON RAINFOREST ACTIVITIES

Morning

After breakfast you will set off to explore the depths of the Amazon Forest. Hiking on well-maintained tracks, you will cross several bridges over many gorges and smaller streams.

Throughout the day you will discover the abundant fauna and flora that inhabit the flooded forest.

Stop at the majestic Apu Victor Lake with its crystal-clear waters, surrounded by marshes and giant trees.

Head up to the observation deck, with its breathtaking view over the lake. From there you can watch the active canopy of the rainforest with its parrots, macaws, toucans, camungos, shanshos and herons as well as the caimans and turtles in the lake below. The giant otter, one of the cutest critters of the rainforest, might also make a shy appearance.

After a few hours in this dazzling natural environment, you will head back to the Lodge for lunch.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, visit Monkey Island, a unique river island, 5 minutes up the Madre de Dios River from your Lodge.

Amidst extraordinary landscapes and exuberant vegetation, meet the various species of monkeys in their natural habitat. Maquisapas, capuchins, small lion monkeys, frailes, cotos along with other Amazonian mammals like the coati and the sloth and of course a great variety of birds.

Finish the day by watching another colourful sunset before heading back to the lodge.

Evening

Overnight at your lodge in the rainforest.

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Lunch at the lodge
  • Dinner at the lodge

Day 5 AMAZON RAINFOREST ACTIVITIES

Morning

After breakfast, you will start hiking in the virgin forest, together with your local guide. On the way, you will cross temporary watercourses called tributaries running through very well-kept bridges while you will be able to witness a large range of wild flora and fauna. You will also get to identify a great variety of ornamental plants with unparalleled beauty.

En route to the Lost Cocha, you will see diverse species of medicinal plants and fruit trees that support the animal populations in the Amazon Forest.

If you are lucky, you will get to see bigger mammals, like the jaguar or Peruvian jaguar, the Brazilian tapir and the white-lipped peccary; rodents like the giant otter, the capybara, the spotted paca, and the armadillo; primates like the coto or howler monkey and the squirrel monkey; reptiles like the iguana and the bothrops atrox; amphibians like the toad, and birds like the guan, the partridge, the golden parakeet, and the scarlet macaw.

Once arrived at Lost Cocha, you will walk up to a big observation platform. From this lookout, you will see the enormous surface that this magic place covers and where you can observe two types of swamps: thick and mixed.

Return to the lodge for a tasty lunch.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, you have free time to take pictures around the lodge, and you will have the possibility to visit the botanical garden and observe medicinal plants and fruit trees.

Evening

Overnight at your lodge. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the lodge
  • Lunch at the lodge
  • Dinner at the lodge

Day 6 FLIGHT TO CUSCO, ROAD TO THE SACRED VALLEY

Morning

Transfer by motorboat to Puerto Capitanía (1 hour), then transfer by bus to Puerto Maldonado airport (20 min). 

Flight to Cusco (50 min).

Afternoon

Transfer to the Sacred Valley (1 hour 30 min).

Free afternoon at the hotel to relax. 

Evening

Overnight at your hotel in the Sacred Valley. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 7 Sacred Valley: Pisac Ruins and Market, Ollantaytambo Fortress

Morning

In the morning, drive from your hotel to the village of Pisac (1 hour) famous for its Sunday market where many indigenous Quechua communities meet to sell and trade their goods.

The rest of the week, the whole place is bustling with a large handicraft and souvenir market. You will have time to search for jewellery, ponchos, hats, traditional music instruments, ceramics, alpaca products and many other typical Andean crafts (1 hour 30 min).

Visit Pisaqa, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa, and Kinchiracay. (1 hour 30 min). All 4 places are part of an Inca site on the nearby hill at an altitude of 10,980 feet (3345 m).

The hill was shaped during Inca times by carving ingenious terraces that are still used for agriculture to this day.

With military, religious, and agricultural structures, the site was an important and busy place for the Inca empire.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, transfer to Ollantaytambo, a fortified city built during the reign of Pachacutec, the most powerful Inca emperor.

Explore this quaint settlement with an interesting orthogonal layout (30 min).

Climb the Temple Hill known as the fortress to learn about the purpose of those inca constructions (1 hour 30 min).

Transfer back to your hotel. 

Evening

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in the Sacred Valley. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 8 Machu Picchu Tour, ROAD TO CUSCO

Your passport is required to enter the Machu Picchu site. You have the option to get a 'Machu Picchu' stamp in your passport if you wish. 

Morning

Today might be THE day you have been expecting from the moment you landed on Peruvian soil as you will finally enter the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. 

Transfer to Ollantaytambo train station (45 min). 

Board the comfortable train that will take you to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to access Machu Picchu (1 hour 30 min). 

In Aguas Calientes, walk from the train to the bus station (5 min) and hop on a bus to the entrance of the archaeological site. 

Afternoon

Enjoy the impressive 20-minute drive up the hill to the Machu Picchu site at 7,972 feet (2430 m).

The abandoned stronghold was rediscovered in 1911 by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham, Macchu Picchu is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Learn about every secret this ancient Inca citadel holds and grab every opportunity to take amazing photographs (3 to 4 hours). 

Take the bus back to Aguas Calientes (20 min) and board the train back to Ollantaytambo (1 hour 30 min). 

Transfer to your hotel in Cusco (1 hour 30 min). 

Evening

Free evening. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cusco. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 9 Half-day Cusco City and Archaeological Tour, free afternoon

Morning

In the morning, you will meet your guide for a city tour of Cusco including the visit of the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral and the Korikancha, the original Temple of the Sun. 

Drive to the hills of Cusco to explore the archaeological site of Sacsayhuamán.

Transfer back to your hotel or to the city centre (20 min). 

Afternoon

Afternoon at leisure to explore the Spanish colonial city known to the Inca as the 'belly button of the world'.

Stroll around numerous plazas, shops selling incredible art and crafts or visit the great Pre-Columbian Museum MAP (not included).

Evening

Free evening to discover Cusco's vibrant nightlife. We recommend the lively pisco bar La Republica del Pisco. 

Overnight at your hotel in Cusco. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 10 RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

Morning

Early morning pick-up service from your hotel in Cusco to drive to Checacupe and on to Pitumarka where you will stop for breakfast and enjoy some time to browse the market.

After passing the checkpoint of Llaqto in Chilca, the hike starts in the shadow of Mount Ausangate, with excellent views of the 20,900-foot giant (6,372 m) among fascinating landscapes dotted with small lakes and lagoons.

Afternoon

Walk along the Andean slopes and circle this amazing natural wonder until you reach the scenic viewpoint of the Red Valley. From there you will get unrivaled views of Rainbow Mountain and the surrounding area.

Transfer back to Cusco. 

Evening

Free evening and overnight at your hotel in Cusco. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Day 11 TRAIN TO PUNO AND LAKE TITICACA

The Titicaca Train runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

It includes one welcome drink, a three-course gourmet lunch, live traditional music and dances, Pisco Sour demonstration and afternoon tea

Morning

Transfer to Cusco train station (10 minutes).

Departure by train to Puno.

The Titicaca train offers an unforgettable journey linking the magical cities of Cusco and Puno. You will spend a full day crossing the Peruvian Andes between the shores of the Imperial City of the Incas and the mystical Lake Titicaca in an unparalleled experience featuring top-notch service.

Afternoon

You will get involved with the Peruvian culture through Andean artists and typical dances of Puno and Cusco live. 

Arrival at Puno train station in the late afternoon and transfer to your hotel in Puno (10-20 minutes).

Evening

Free evening and overnight in Puno.

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Three-course gourmet lunch

Day 12 Lake Titicaca: Uros and Taquile Islands

Morning

Transfer to the lake's main pier (10 min) to board a shared motor boat. 

Today will be spent sailing Lake Titicaca and exploring two of its islands. 

With its 214 cubic miles (893 km³) of water and an altitude of 12,507 feet (3812 m), Lake Titicaca is the largest lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world. 

According to Inca mythology, lake Titicaca is the birthplace of the sun, moon, stars, and first human beings. Many myths and legends still inhabitate those majestic dark-blue waters. 

A 20-minute boat ride will take you to one of the many floating islands called Uros. 

The Uro floating islands are built from the totora reed that grows particularly well in the shallows of the lake. 

You will be welcome by a local family that will showcase the versatility of the totora, used to build their houses, boats, crafts and even as a source of food. 

After a short visit of the main Uro island you will sail on to Taquile island (1 hour). 

Afternoon

Discover Taquile island, famous for its knitting and weaving tradition. 

You will learn about the numerous customs of the local Taquilenos who still live off the island's ressources, living and working in their traditional clothes on the century-old man-made terraces. 

Enjoy some free time to browse the high-quality handicrafts that are unique to the island and cannot be found anywhere else in Peru. The textile art is actually listed as a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' by the UNESCO. 

End of the afternoon, sail back to Puno (1 hour 30 min). 

Transfer from the pier to your hotel (10 min). 

Evening

Free evening in Puno. 

Overnight at your hotel in Puno. 

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Lunch in a local restaurant

Day 13 FLIGHT TO LIMA, DEPARTURE

Morning

Transfer to Juliaca airport (1 hour) for your flight back to Lima (1 hour 30 minutes).

Afternoon

Arrival at Lima airport to pick-up your luggage.

Check-in assistance for your international flight.

End of our services.

MEALS
  • Breakfast at the hotel

Customer reviews

Services

What's included

Flights

Domestic Flights: 

  • Lima to Puerto Maldonado
  • Puerto Maldonado to Cusco
  • Puno to Lima

Accommodation

Nights
12 nights in premium Hotels

Meals

Bed & Breakfast plan
12 breakfasts + 4 lunches + 3 dinners

Transportation

Train
First-class train ride from Cusco to Puno and Ollantaytambo/Aguas Calientes/Ollantaytambo
Boat
Boat cruise on Titicaca Lake with private English-speaking guide
Bus
Bus transfer from/to Cusco/Rainbow Mountain, Shuttle round trip Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes
Car
Private car and driver for all transfers

Orientation

Guide
Private local English-speaking guides for all the visits

Entrance Fees

All entrance fees to mentioned sites

What's not included

  • International Flights from/to Peru
  • Travel Insurance
  • Extra Meals
  • Drinks
  • Tips

Prices


Important notes

People with heart conditions are strongly advised to seek medical advice before booking. 

This tour includes many visits at sites above 10,000 ft (3000 m). To avoid altitude sickness, we strongly advise against any strong physical effort or any alcohol consumption in high-altitude places. 

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