Millenary Peru

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN LIMA
Upon your arrival at Lima airport, we will transport you to your hotel situated in the bustling heart of Lima city. The remainder of the day is yours to explore at leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2: LIMA CITY TOUR AND LARCO MUSEUM
In the morning, our exploration of Lima begins with a visit to the remarkable Larco Museum, located in the historic district of Pueblo Libre. Established by the Peruvian archaeologist Rafael Larco Hoyle in 1926, the museum is housed within an 18th-century mansion encircled by expansive, beautiful gardens.

The Larco Museum is a true wonder. It features an extensive collection exceeding 5,000 pre-Hispanic ceramic pieces, along with gold and silver artifacts and pre-Columbian erotic pottery. We will stroll through its captivating galleries in chronological order, delving into the intriguing civilizations of ancient Peru.

Following this, we will proceed to Lima's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. This area boasts splendid squares, colonial mansions, and a vibrant history. We will visit the Aliaga House, a colonial mansion constructed in 1536, celebrated for its exquisite interiors brimming with invaluable art and history. Remarkably, descendants of Jerónimo de Aliaga, a Spanish conquistador and ally of Francisco Pizarro, continue to reside in this architectural masterpiece.

We will continue to the Plaza de Armas, the birthplace of Lima in 1535 and the site where Peru’s independence was proclaimed in 1821. During the viceroyalty, it served as a marketplace and a venue for public executions.

From the Plaza de Armas, we will admire historical edifices such as the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Municipal Palace, and other significant colonial structures. We will visit Lima’s Cathedral, a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site, constructed during the Spanish conquest in the 16th century.

After the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel. Overnight stay.

DAY 3: LIMA / AREQUIPA CITY TOUR
At the scheduled hour, we will escort you to Lima airport for your flight to Arequipa. Upon arrival, we will guide you to your hotel in the city center.

We will then commence the city tour with a visit to the Plaza de Armas, one of the country’s most stunning squares, and the adjacent Arequipa Cathedral, a 17th-century masterpiece. We will explore the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus (1590), a classic example of local baroque architecture showcasing exceptional paintings and murals.

You will also visit the magnificent Monastery of Santa Catalina, a genuine medieval cloister established in September 1579, which remains in use today. Covering 20,000 square meters, this mysterious convent was built using sillar, the primary material of local architecture.

The tour includes stops in the districts of Yanahuara and Carmen Alto, offering panoramic vistas of Arequipa’s countryside and surrounding volcanoes: Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu. You will have time for photos.

Finally, we will visit the main square of the Cayma district and the Church of San Miguel Arcángel de Cayma. At the conclusion of the tour, we will transport you back to your hotel. Overnight stay.

DAY 4: AREQUIPA / CUSCO
At the agreed time, we will convey you to Arequipa airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, we will transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Overnight stay.

DAY 5: PISAC AND OLLANTAYTAMBO WITH OVERNIGHT IN AGUAS CALIENTES
Today, we will explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

After traveling 30 km from Cusco, we will arrive at the quaint town of Pisac, a delightful place with a fantastic traditional market and an archaeological site featuring stone temples and structures overlooking the valley and its terraces.

We will then proceed to Urubamba, where we will savor a delicious buffet lunch at a traditional restaurant by the Urubamba River.

Next, we will visit the town of Ollantaytambo and its fortress, an impressive example of Inca architecture that served as a military, religious, and agricultural hub. It offers breathtaking valley views and features advanced irrigation systems.

We will conclude the day with a visit to Chinchero and its vibrant market, offering a variety of Andean ceramics and textiles.

You will then board a train at Ollantaytambo station, destined for Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, our staff will guide you to your hotel. In the evening, we will have a briefing about the next day’s visit to Machu Picchu. Overnight stay.

DAY 6: FULL DAY AT MACHU PICCHU
You will take a bus journeying 30 minutes along a road with spectacular views of the Urubamba River and its canyon. Machu Picchu, meaning “Old Mountain,” will welcome you with its incredible terraces, stairways, ceremonial sites, and urban areas, exuding a unique energy.

During a 2.5-hour guided tour, you will learn all about this extraordinary site. Following this, you will have free time to continue exploring or, if feeling adventurous, hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (optional).

Alternatively, you can return to Aguas Calientes for a delightful lunch (optional) at one of its excellent restaurants.

At the scheduled time, you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by a bus transfer to Cusco. Overnight stay.

DAY 7: CUSCO PUNO BUS TOUR

Early in the morning, transfer to the bus station.

After boarding the tourist bus in Cusco, we will embark on a 1-hour journey towards the picturesque south valley to make our first stop in Andahuaylillas, located at 3,093 meters above sea level.

This charming Andean town boasts an incredible architectural gem from the seventeenth century, known as the Sistine Chapel, adorned with stunning gold leaf and paintings from the Cusco art school.

Inside the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, a captivating artwork awaits, with ceilings and walls decorated in Baroque style, many by the Peruvian painter Luis de Reaño. It’s a must-see for your travel bucket list.

The bus ride continues for an hour and a half until we reach the archaeological site of Raqchi, our second stop, situated at 3,450 meters above sea level. The temple of Wiracocha was constructed next to the Vilcanota River during the fifteenth century and features immense walls that belonged to temples, along with aqueducts and tombs.

Here, circular storehouses known as Colcas were used to store various grains like quinoa, potato, and corn. An interesting fact is that Raqchi is part of the incredible Inca Trail.

The bus tour to Puno continues until we reach Sicuani for a buffet lunch at a local restaurant, offering local and regional dishes, vegetables, desserts, and hot drinks like mate de coca.

After lunch and a 40-minute bus journey, we will reach the highest point of the tour, La Raya Pass, situated at 4,335 meters above sea level. This is the border between the cities of Cusco and Puno, and here, we will pause briefly to admire the snow-capped Chimboya and capture stunning landscape photos.

The next and final visit will be at the Museum of Pucara, following a trip of over an hour from La Raya Pass. This museum houses an excellent collection of monoliths, stone sculptures, and ceramics from the Pucara culture, a civilization that developed in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.

Finally, we will take the tourist bus for a two-hour journey towards the city of Puno. Along the way, you will be able to admire the heart of the Andes landscapes, passing through Juliaca, until we arrive at the Puno bus station at 5:00 p.m.

Transfer to your hotel and overnight stay.

DAY 8: UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS

After breakfast at your hotel located in the city or bay of Puno, you will be transferred to the lakeside port, where a boat will take you to the floating islands of the Uros.

Situated 7 kilometers northwest of the city of Puno, the Uros are an ancestral society living on a series of artificial islands made from totora, which grows in the lake.

To construct the Uros islands, totora reeds are woven into dense layers, forming a natural platform. On top of this, they build their homes, also made of the same material, and they cook outdoors to prevent fires.

Lake Titicaca, straddling Peru and Bolivia at an altitude of 3,812 meters above sea level, within the Andean Altiplano or Collao Plateau, is the highest navigable lake in the world.

We will visit the floating island, interacting with locals who will share their customs and way of life. Over 200 families inhabit this highland region, speaking Aymara in addition to Spanish.

Later, we will take a boat for a one-and-a-half-hour journey to the island of Taquile. Unlike the other Aymara-speaking islands in the lake, this island speaks Quechua. It was part of the Inca Empire, with remnants of that culture visible in its constructions.

This is the second-largest island on Lake Titicaca, extending 5.5 kilometers. Its textile art is marvelous and recognized as a UNESCO heritage. The highest point reaches 4,050 meters above sea level.

This location is perfect for experiencing experiential tourism and learning about the local culture. The inhabitants are friendly and engage in tourism, fishing, and agriculture for livelihood.

Afterward, we will enjoy a delicious typical Andean meal before heading back to the port of Puno, where our transportation will be waiting to take you back to your hotel. Overnight stay.

DAY 9: TOMBS OF SILLUSTANI AND TRANSFER TO JULIACA’S AIRPORT

We will pick you up from your hotel and head to the archaeological site of Sillustani Puno. This incredible site is located on a peninsula overlooking Lake Umayo, 22.3 miles from Puno city and Lake Titicaca.

This site features approximately 90 funerary towers constructed by the Kolla culture, an Aymara community that flourished before the Inca Empire. Numerous mummies have been discovered inside these towers, including significant figures such as priests, leaders, and nobles, who were mummified and placed in a fetal position with all their belongings, including gold, silver, and ceramics.

The preservation of these burial towers is impressive, with stones of varying shapes fitting perfectly together. The architecture and engineering employed by the Kolla culture were remarkably advanced for their time. Some towers reach 12 meters in height, with the Lagarto Chullpa being the tallest and most iconic.

The Sillustani tour continues with a visit to a local family raising alpacas, who will demonstrate their food preparation and cooking methods, lifestyle, looms, and preservation of ancestral customs.

At the end of the visit, you will be transferred to Juliaca airport. Arrival in Lima and transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay.

DAY 10: DEPARTURE FROM LIMA.

At the agreed time, we will escort you to Lima airport for your departure.