Compare Tailored tours to Nazca Lines, Rainbow Mountain, Machu Picchu by Conde Travel vs Peru with Machu Picchu 2023 Classic Group by Insight Vacations

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN LIMA – CITY TOUR

When you arrive to Lima, we transfer you from the airport to your hotel. At 12.30 we will pick you up to take a city tour with a duration of four hours approx. We will start the tour with visiting San Martin Plaza and Jiron de la Union which is a fascinating boulevard that leads to the Plaza de Armas, the main plaza. Next is the Monastery of San Francisco, a World Heritage Site. This monastery is renowned for its Spanish Baroque architecture .The first cemetery of Lima –the Catacombs- is hidden underneath these monastery floors. Our driver will take you to your hotel where you will have the rest of the day at your leisure.

DAY 2: LIMA – CARAL

Today, we will travel to the oldest city in the Americas! Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in Lima to drive to the Valley of Supe. Along the route there are many villages, agricultural areas and beautiful sights of the Peruvian coast. When we arrive, we will start with a guided tour through the complex about the many archaeological discoveries that have been made in this area. You’ll witness the 6 pyramids, an amphitheatre and a temple. It is believed that this area was first inhabited between 2000 and 2600 BCE. After the 2-hour-tour we will go to the city of Huacho where we will have lunch. Then we will start our journey back to Lima, where you’ll spend the night.

DAY 3: LIMA – PARACAS

Today, you have the morning and afternoon at your leisure to explore the city. After breakfast you are free to see the many beautiful sights in the city. Check out the beautiful Parque Del Amor in Miraflores, the many museums, take a bike ride along the coast, or eat at one of the many culinary hotspots the city has to offer. In the afternoon, we will pick you up from your hotel to drive for approximately 4 hours to Paracas where we will spend the night.

DAY 4: PARACAS – BALLESTAS ISLANDS – NAZCA

In the morning, after breakfast, we go to the Chaco Harbor in Paracas. Here, we will begin a remarkable boat trip to the Ballestas Islands, three small islands filled with wildlife just a few minutes from the coast. On the journey to the islands, we will be able to see the “Candelabro”, a giant hieroglyph in the shape of a candleholder. When we arrive to the Ballestas Islands, we will stay on the boat while observing the frenzy of amazing animals including noisy but playful furred seals and sea lions, as well as a huge number of sea birds including, Humbolt penguins, pelicans, tendrils, Inca terns, Peruvian boobys, red legged cormorants and guanays. After our tour of the islands, we will have lunch and start our journey to Nazca where we spend the night.

DAY 5: NAZCA LINES FLIGHT – HUACACHINA – LIMA

After breakfast in your hotel, we will transfer you to the airport from where we are going to take a 50 minute flight over the incredible Nazca Lines. During this flight over the Nazca Lines, we will be able to see the most fascinating figures such as: the monkey, hummingbird, tree, parrot, astronaut, dog, condor and others. After our flight, we will have enough time to have lunch before we drive to Ica where we will visit the beautiful Huacachina Oasis. Lined with palm trees, the blue-green oasis is surrounded by sand dunes on which you can have a wild, unforgettable sand buggy ride and sand-boarding adventure. After this adventure in the Peruvian desert, our private transportation will take us back to Lima where you will stay in a hotel for the night.

DAY 6: ARRIVAL TO CUSCO – LEISURE DAY

After breakfast, a Machu Travel Peru staff member will pick you up from the hotel and escort you to Lima International Airport where you will take a flight to Cusco. This flight will only take one hour and ten minutes. You will have the rest of the day to yourself to explore this beautiful city. Because of the altitude difference with Lima it is recommended to take plenty of rest and drink coca tea to acclimatise. 

DAY 7: SACRED VALLEY VIP TOUR

An amazing tour awaits us today. We will start our VIP excursion through the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Chinchero, where we will join a traditional weaving workshop. This village is mainly comprised of mud brick (adobe) houses and the locals still go about their businesses in traditional dress. The walls and roofs of this town are covered in beautiful floral and religious designs. We will be part of the most remarkable textile hand making shows and see great presentations made by locals. We continue with a guided tour to the non-traditional Moray circuit, a unique archaeological group that is one of a kind. The gigantic circular depressions in the ground surface, with their respective irrigation canals were believed to be an agriculture investigation centre of the Inca’s. Then we drive to the salt mines located 7 km from Moray, pass through a typical Spanish village called Maras. To the northwest of the town of Maras, we will find around 2000 small wells that local people still use today to provide themselves with salt. Then we go to the next stop, Urubamba, where we will enjoy a great lunch. Afterwards we continue to Ollantaytambo where you’ll have the rest of the night at your leisure and spend the night in a hotel.

DAY 8: INCA TRAIL – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CHACHABAMBA – WIÑAYHUAYNA – AGUAS CALIENTES

Early in the morning after breakfast we will transfer you from your hotel to the train station. We will take the train around 6.10 am make sure to be there at least 30 minutes in advance. The train ride will last for about 1.5 hours until we reach kilometre 104 where we start our trek. The guide will direct you on foot to the ruins of Chachabamba where the tour will begin. From there the journey will continue and we will pass a small and refreshing waterfall on the way to the ruins of Winay Wayna where the impressive platforms will demonstrate the skill of Andean engineering. After lunch we will continue the walk to Inti Punku (Puerta del Sol) from where we will have the first sight of Machu Picchu as a beautiful panoramic of the town on the hill. From here we will take the bus to Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night, have dinner and prepare for the following day up at Machu Picchu.

DAY 9: MACHU PICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO

At 5:30 am, after breakfast, we begin the trek to Machu Picchu where we will have a guided tour of the different sectors of the archaeological complex tour, including the Intihuatana or sundial, used by ancient Peruvians settlers. Afterwards you’ll have some free time to explore the sites for yourself. To climb the mountain of Huayna Picchu (optional), you can choose the 2nd group 10:00 a.m. The walk takes only about an hour, and it’s absolutely worth it, the view is breath taking and the experience will be unforgettable. At a given time we take the bus down from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes and board the train of 6.00 pm (it is also possible to reserve a train earlier) back to Ollantaytambo and then go by bus to Cusco.

For the end of your tour we have two different options: if you like trekking than there is the combination of 2 tours in the Cusco area and the famous Rainbow Mountain. The Rainbow Mountain tour is more challenging because of the altitude and the amount of walking. The second option is a 3 day tour to the jungle in Tambopata, with the option to extend to a fourth day if you skip the 6^th day of free time in Cusco.

OPTION 1:     

DAY 10: South circuit & Cusco City Tour

We will pick you up from your hotel at 8.30, heading south towards Puno. Approximately 45 min from the city of Cusco, we find the archaeological site Tipon. At Tipon we can appreciate the Inka terraces, construction of ruins on ancestral grounds and also creations of hydraulic irrigation canals from Inka time. After that we will continue to Lake Huaqarpay, a protected area at the top of a plateau in the Andean town of Pikillaqta, which is a pre-Inca citadel built by the Wari culture. The last point that we will visit is Andahuaylillas, a village with a small chapel known as the Rome of America, where we see paintings by renowned painters from Cusco, massive ceilings and pristine architecture. Finally, we return to Cusco where we arrive at 12.30. In the afternoon, our city tour of Cusco will begin, between at 13.10. First, we will visit the Cathedral of Cusco, located on the Plaza de Armas. Then our tour will continue to Qorikancha (The Temple of the Sun) and the Convent of Santo Domingo as well as to several of the city’s impressive archaeological ruins such as Sacsaywaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara, and Tambomachay. Our tour will finish at the main square. At this time, you might like to enjoy a tasty dinner in one of the many nearby restaurants. Alternatively, we can arrange to drop you off at your hotel. Just tell your guide what you are in the mood to do.

DAY 11: RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

We will pick you up from your hotel at 3:00am and head south through the town of Urco to the Cecacupe District (2 hours by bus). We continue along the road through small villages until we arrive to the community of Hanchipata - Quesuino (1 hour and 20 minutes by bus), the ideal starting point to walk the route. We follow the path to Pitumarca where we’ll have breakfast. We will see many mountains such as Ausangate, beautiful blue lagoons, and many other natural sites. The walk to Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain) will last approximately 3 hours. At this peak we will savour the view for about an hour taking photos of the beautiful scenery before descending the path back to Pitumarca to have lunch and return to Quesuino to our bus. It will take 2.5 hours to drive back to Cusco.

OPTION 2:     

ITINERARY

DAY 10: MONTE AMAZONICO LODGE – TAMBOPATA

Early in the morning after breakfast we will transfer you to the airport of Cusco where to board a 1-hour-flight to Puerto Maldonado. When you arrive, you will be transferred to the office of Monte Amazoníco Lodge. You will meet a representative of our agency who will give a final briefing about your tour before you leave for your adventure. It is difficult to transport large luggage, so we suggest that you carry just what is needed for the trip. You will travel for about 2 hours by a 4-wheel-drive truck to a destination on the banks of the Tambopata River. From this here, you will take a boat to the lodge "Monte Amazoníco – Tambopata” where you will be welcomed with a lunch. In the afternoon, you will take an introductory walk into the rainforest where you will have the opportunity to see many animals in their natural habitat. You may see amphibians, mammals, reptiles, birds and wonderful insects. In the evening we’ll have dinner at the lodge and rest. 

DAY 11: MACAW CLAY LICK – CHUNCHO CLAY LICK

We wake up very early, at 4:30 am, to go on an incredible journey by boat to the world's largest macaw clay lick; El Chuncho. The journey takes about one and a half hours and on the way you will have the opportunity to see many animals such as capybaras (world's largest rodents), tapirs, and if you are lucky, the most beautiful South American feline; the jaguar. Many of our clients have witnessed and photographed encounters with these beautiful creatures. After arrival to the macaw clay licks, you will see hundreds of parrots of 11 different species come to eat clay adjacent to the river bank. From your chair, you will witness one of the most beautiful natural sights of birds in the world. There will be many parrots and the most colourful macaws of America: reds and greens, blues and yellows. They all come to gather to eat clay, a necessary part of their daily diet that helps them to eliminate toxins. On a good day of you will see hundreds of these wonderful animals flying over you. It is an experience of a lifetime. After our visit, we return to our lodge for breakfast and you’ll have some time to rest. Later in the morning, you will walk through the botanical garden in the company of our guide where you can learn about the fruits, trees and medicinal plants in the area. After lunch, we follow the same route back to Puerto Maldonado where you will be transferred to the airport or bus station.

DAY 12: END OF TOUR

Today our tour concludes. After breakfast we will transfer you back to the airport as you will be on your way home or your next travel destination. 

Day 1: Welcome to Lima

Arrive in Lima for the first day of your journey. In the evening meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers at the hotel bar for a welcome dinner and drinks.

Day 2: Explore Lima Relaxed Start

Explore the colourful capital of Peru this morning with your Local Expert. Delve into its colonial past and see key attractions, including the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Visit the San Francisco Monastery and its underground cemetery. One for those with an appreciation for art, head to Museo Larco, a private museum located in Lima’s Pueblo Libre District. It is the highest-rated museum in South America and houses the largest collection of Pre-Columbian art. Indulge in a Highlight Lunch with an 18th-century garden as your backdrop. After lunch, meet a local guide who will take you around the Museo Larco and share the museum’s private collection with you. Delve into Peruvian culture, its ancient history and the country's religious beliefs. Return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Day 3: Lima to Sacred Valley

Take a transfer to the airport in the morning, where you'll catch your flight to the ancient capital of Cusco. Begin your tour of the Sacred Valley, while taking in impressive views on your scenic drive along the way. After a few stunning photo stops, enjoy lunch at Altar Inca, surrounded by some of the most impressive views of the region. Enjoy a leisurely trip to your hotel for the next couple of nights, where the evening is yours to do as you please. We recommend that you rest in order to adjust to the altitude comfortably.

Day 4: Explore Sacred Valley Relaxed Start

Start the morning off with a visit to the Maras salt pans, where the Incas harvested their salt. Today, the salt from Maras is exported to the entire world. Move on to an Incan laboratory in Moray, an archaeological site close to Cusco. Find out more about the ideal altitude to grow crops in the Sacred Valley. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience as you visit a local traditional Quechua weaver in the Sacred Valley and learn about the importance these textiles have in shaping personal and regional identities. Afterward, make your way to Laguna Piuray, where you’ll enjoy a Pachamanca, a traditional Peruvian feast, for your Highlight Lunch. In the evening, transfer to Hacienda Huayoccari, where you'll discover this gem of the Sacred Valley while exploring its grounds and small museum. Sit down for a special Peruvian dinner before heading back to your hotel, the luxurious Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel.

Day 5: Explore Machu Picchu

Transfer to the station for your IncaRail train ride. Enjoy lunch on your way to Machu Picchu pueblo, the gateway village to Machu Picchu. On the way, visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, followed by a stop at a local house in the village’s cobblestoned old town and visit with the family living there. In the afternoon, visit Machu Picchu, where you’ll meet your Local Experts for a guided visit in small groups. They will take you through the ruins and explain their historical and archaeological significance, as well as the importance of their location. Set high in the Andes Mountains, it offers spectacular scenery and history, dating back to the 15th century. End your day with a relaxing dinner and drinks at your hotel.

Day 6: Machu Picchu at Leisure

Take in the breathtaking landscapes of Machu Picchu for a second time. Spend your morning exploring at your own pace, with your Travel Director on hand to answer any queries you may have. The afternoon is yours at leisure. Relax back at your hotel or perhaps explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own. Spend the evening as you please before sitting down to a Highlight Dinner with your fellow travelers.

Day 7: On to Cusco

After breakfast, return by train to Ollantaytambo, where you will transfer to the ancient city of Cusco. Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco showcases a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, ancient remains and a lively cosmopolitan scene for modern inhabitants. On arrival in Cusco, head out on a walking tour with a Local Expert. Visit its cathedral and the Korikancha temple, the most important temple in the Inca Empire. The evening is yours at leisure. Ask your Travel Director for local restaurant and bar recommendations.

Day 8: Exploring Cusco

Start your day with a walking tour of Sacsayhuaman, a citadel built in the reign of Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui, the ninth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco. Afterward, choose to join a local expert on a guided hike of the Inca ruins at Puca Pucara. Alternatively you can explore the artisan bohemian neighborhood of San Blas and visit the prestigious art galleries. After lunch at Pachapapa, visit San Blas Church and the surrounding streets, before making your way to San Pedro Market, where you will find local produce. Later, make your way to the city’s planetarium, for a private, after-hours tour. Learn about astronomy, cosmology, and its influence on Andean culture. While here, try some local delicacies paired with hot wine.

Day 9: Leisure time in Cusco Relaxed Start

Choose between an optional visit to Rainbow Mountain, the ChocoMuseo, where you’ll learn more about the chocolate making process, or perhaps relax and simply enjoy the facilities at your hotel? Set in a beautiful 16th century building, make the most of this boutique hotel’s signature spa and Andean-inspired healing treatments, massages, facials and custom spa packages. In the evening, join your fellow travelers for a memorable Celebration Dinner at Calle del Medio, where you will toast to your adventures and end of your trip.

Day 10: Depart Cusco

It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travelers as your trip comes to an end. Take a private transfer to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport.