Inti Raymi Festival - 13 day tour

Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival at Lima airport, you’ll be transferred to our hotel in the popular Miraflores district of the city. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the city before our welcome meeting at 6pm, where you will meet your tour leader.
Overnight: Lima

Today we explore the beautiful city of Lima, also known as the 'City of Kings', we'll visit the well preserved historical center. Making our way through Plaza San Martin, we'll also take in Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace and the City Hall. Our tour of the city continues with a visit to the San Francisco Monastery and its famous underground crypts, which are home to an estimated 70,000 remains. This bright yellow architectural wonder is also home to an incredible library, holding thousands of antique texts, some of which pre-date the conquest in the 16th century. Later we'll head through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by Huaca Pucllana, a clay pyramid that was the ceremonial and administrative center of the Lima culture and later considered a sacred town by the Incas. Next up we'll stop at El Olivar park, a peaceful space where we'll find olive trees that were brought to Peru in the 15th century. Our final stop on today's tour of Lima is El Parque del Amor, the Peruvian Love Park. This romantic spot is situated on the cliffs of Miraflores, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The rest of the day is at leisure for you to explore this fascinating city at your own pace. With Lima fast becoming one of the gastronomic capitals of the world, be sure to taste some of the delicious local cuisine.
Overnight: Lima  |  Breakfast

Lima - Puerto Maldonado. Transferring to the airport this morning we board our flight to Puerto Maldonado. We’ll then travel by canoe to our wonderful jungle Eco lodge. After lunch we will embark on a walk along the property’s nature trails. Your guide will explain the importance of the rainforest and the vital role that this ecozystem plays in the equilibrium of the planet. As the sun begins to set we head back in the canoes, hopefully spotting some of the nocturnal animals that are found in this area as well as learning about the constellations.

Day 4 starts with an excursion on the lodge’s private cocha. You'll be able to try your hand at some native fishing, one of the main techniques being the 'catch and release' method. Disembarking the boat we'll visit the remains of the old Fitzcarrald steamboat. After this, we take a boat trip to Rolin - this river island has an abundant and interesting ecozystem. Exploring the island, you can admire the vibrant vegetation, also be sure to keep an eye out for the birds who will be making their way back to land.
Overnight: The Amazon  |  Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 2

Puerto Maldonado - Cusco. This morning we travel back to Puerto Maldonado before flying on to Cusco. On arrival, you'll have the chance to relax and adjust to the altitude. This beautiful city full of history and intrigue, is located 3,399m above sea level.

On the morning of day 6 we enjoy a guided tour of the highlights of ancient Cusco. Along the way we will visit some of the most famous landmarks of the city, starting at the Plaza de Armas, built on the remains of one of the most important Incan gathering spots. We'll also visit the Cathedral, the Kenko Amphitheatre and the impressive Sacsayhuaman Fortress. Built between 1438 and 1474, Sacsayhuaman Fortress took over 20,000 laborers to build and some of the magnificent stone work measures over 4 meters in height and over 100 tons in weight. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to do any independent exploring of Cusco.
Overnight: Cusco  |  Breakfast x 2

Cusco - The Sacred Valley. Bidding farewell to Cusco, we travel on to the Sacred Valley today. Our first stop is the popular Pisac markets where we will have the chance to see the variety of colorful handicrafts on offer. Originally only held on Sundays, Pisac Market was a place for artisans from across the region to trade in their products. Today the market is a daily occurrence where locals and visitors alike can find some of the finest textiles, jewelery and clothing typical of this area of Peru. Then we travel on to the remarkable Ollantaytambo fortress, which was constructed to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions of tribes from the jungle lowlands. One of the best examples of Incan architecture, many of the inhabitants of Ollantaytambo still live according to the customs and traditions they have inherited from generations of ancestors, leading to it being known as a living Inca town.
Overnight: Sacred Valley  |  Breakfast

Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cusco. We have an exciting day ahead, starting early with a short drive to the Ollantaytambo train station. From here we'll take a scenic train journey to Aguas Calientes. Remember to look out of the windows as the scenery along the way is utterly breathtaking. Watch as the landscape changes from Andean Highlands to the beginning of the jungle. Upon arrival we board the bus up to Machu Picchu, where you'll enjoy a guided tour of the magnificent Lost City and have plenty of free time to explore and take photos.

For many visitors to Peru, Machu Picchu is the main highlight and rightly so, with it's incredible history and beautiful views, it's a truly mystical part of the country. Macchu Picchu was built in the 15th century. Believed to have been constructed as an estate for the Inca Empror Pachacuti, it was abandoned only a century after completion during the Spanish conquest. However, it lay largely unknown until 1911, when the American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham brought it to the worlds attention. Later this afternoon we take the train back to Cusco.
Overnight: Cusco  |  Breakfast

24th June. Today we will witness one of the most important festivals in Peru and across South America, Inti Raymi. Dating back to the Inca period, it is a festival that celebrates the winter solstice with worship of the sun god. Inti Raymi means 'Sun Festival' in Quechua, an ancient Inca language which is still spoken by around 8 million people. Taking place at the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, we'll watch from the best seats available as thousands of actors bring the past to life. Expect to see colorful Incan rituals, Sapa Inca (the Sun King) giving a rousing speech and an incredible golden chariot.

The first ceremony took place in 1412, but was suppressed in the 16th century by the Spanish conquistadors. It was re-introduced in 1944 based on the writings of a 16th century poet and is today seen as a positive opportunity to celebrate Inca heritage & culture.
Overnight: Cusco  |  Breakfast, Lunch

Cusco - Puno. After an early breakfast, we’ll travel by bus to Puno, passing by the lovely Wacarpay Lake, with spectacular views of the mountains reflected in its calm waters. Along the way we’ll make a couple of stops, the first one being in Andahuaylillas to see the Church of San Pedro, which has been given the nickname the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Moving along, we pass through herds of llamas and spectacular landscapes until we get to Ayaviri, an important livestock and textile center. Here, we’ll be able to lay eyes on the Temple of Kalasaya, remnants of a Pucara structure. After a stop for lunch at a countryside restaurant, we continue on to Puno, our base for the next two nights.

The following day we take a boat trip on Lake Titicaca to see the remarkable floating islands of Uros. These unique islands are made of a certain type of reed called totora, which enables it to float, despite the weight of a civilization upon it. We’ll then move on to Taquile Island, where we can mingle with the Quechua-speaking locals and learn about their efficient and unique social system as well as their fine hand weaving techniques, passed down from generation to generation. Next we'll be invited into a local home for lunch to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal. After lunch, we'll discover more of this remarkable island including some of the islands archaeological sites. Later this afternoon we return to Puno.
Overnight: Puno  |  Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2

Puno - Lima. Today we head to Juliaca Airport for our flight back to Lima. On arrival, we'll be met and transferred to our hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to explore the beautiful Peruvian capital of Lima. Why not visit one of the many fantastic museums around the city, showcasing everything from pre-Colombian art to archaeological gems.
Overnight: Lima  |  Breakfast