Inca Empire
8 Days / 7 Nights - Per person on a double basis - Code PVP011
DAY 1: LIMA
Arrival in Lima, meet and greet at the airport, transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon we will have a tour through Lima’s streets and plazas. Starting at the Love Park in Miraflores, with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, and then heading to the Huaca Pucllana, ceremonial center of the Lima culture. After this, we go on to the Main Square where the Government Palace and the Town Hall are located. We will visit the Cathedral and explore the Santo Domingo Convent, along which corridors San Martin de Porras and San Rosa de Lima used to walk around in 17th century, and where their remains rest today. Stay in Lima.
DAY 2: LIMA
In the morning we will set off for the archaeological sanctuary of Pachacamac which is located at only 30km south of Lima. Adobe made and overlooking the ocean and the Lurin River Valley, this was the center of pilgrimage for many of the cultures that inhabited Peru in the past. When the Incas arrived, the complex was adapted as an administrative center, respecting the local constructions. See the Temple of the Sun, the Acllahuasi, the Taurichumbi Palace, and the Pilgrims Plaza, among others. We will also visit the In-site Museum to have a better understanding and see the remains found in the area.
In the afternoon, we will visit the spectacular Larco Museum, which is considered one of the main attractions of Lima. Then, we will take a break to enjoy a drink made of Pisco, our flagship liquor, in a traditional tavern in Pueblo Libre to later head to the Park of the Reserve to enter the Magic Water Tour, the newest entertainment icon in the city, comprised of 13 water fountains that provide a mixture of color, illusion and fantasy. Overnight in Lima.
DAY 3: LIMA/CUSCO
Transfer to the airport and flight to Cusco. Arrival in Lima, meet and greet, transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon our exclusive city tour starts with a visit to the San Cristobal Plaza to enjoy its panoramic view of the city. Then, we will visit the San Pedro Market to soak in its local flavors and to learn about more of the products grown in the area which supply the whole city. After this, the Korikancha temple will welcome us in all his magnificence; this temple, whose Quechua name means “Gold Enclosure” still bedazzles us with the thought of its gold covered walls. Then it is the turn to visit the Santo Domingo Church. We will walk from San Blas, the artisans’ neighborhood, to the Hatun Rumiyoc street, stopping at the Inca Roca Palace, nowadays home to the Archbishop’s Palace and also at the famous Twelve Angle Stone. We will continue our walk to the Main Square to visit the Cathedral and its valuable and beautiful colonial masterpieces.
DAY 4: CUSCO
In the morning we will distance from the crowds and visit Sacsayhuaman, a huge and impressive fortress of colossal constructions and surrounded by beautiful views blending together perfectly. Our adventure continues at the Inca Shrine Qenqo, to see the sacrificial altar embedded inside a rock cave. Finally we will arrive to the Puca Pucara viewpoint and Tambomachay, monument of impressive architectonic knowledge considered as one of the pillars of Andean Cosmo vision.
Free afternoon to explore the city. Stay in Cusco.
DAY 5: SACRED VALLEY
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is waiting for you. On the way we will stop at Awanacancha, small complex to admire Andean camelids such as alpacas and llamas and learn from local inhabitants about traditional dyeing and knitting techniques. Later we will explore the Pisac Market with enough free time to go around and buy handcrafts and if you feel like tasting something traditional, stop by the wood ovens for a delicious empanada or a piece of bread. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, our tour continues to Ollantaytambo, a small town full of local color and inhabited since Inca times in which we will visit the main temple used as a fortress during the Inca resistance. Breathtaking views for amazing pictures. Stay at the Sacred Valley.
DAY 6: SACRED VALLEY/MACHU PICCHU
A train trip away to see one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. We arrive at the Aguas Calientes station where our staff will assist us on boarding the bus to go up the winding road to Machu Picchu, amid a spectacular view of the Urubamba River and its canyon. The Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, will astonish us with its terraces, ceremonial shrines, steps and urban areas. Energy is all around us. After a guided visit, we will have lunch at one of the restaurants in the area. Overnight stay at one of the hotels in Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu.
DAY 7: MACHU PICCHU/CUSCO
Morning off. Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu are limited. We suggest applying for the entrance tickets for later dates at the moment you book the whole tour program so as to avoid any complications due to congestions or lack of local availability. In an additional visit to Machu Picchu we will be able to see the areas of the Intipunku or Door of the Sun, the Inca Trail entrance to the citadel. For those looking for a more intense adventure and wish to visit Huayna Picchu, it is important to have in mind that there are only 400 daily spots to climb the mountain, all of which have to be reserved in advance. At the arranged time, we will return to Cusco and will be transferred to the hotel. Overnight stay in Cusco.
DAY 8: CUSCO/LIMA
Departure transfer.
End of our services.