Overview
This classic itinerary introduces discerning travellers to the must-see highlights of Peru and Bolivia – immersing you in their history, culture and natural terrain. Enjoy a journey of discovery from the coastal metropolis of Lima, to the depths of the Amazon rainforest, to the heights of the Andean altiplano. Experience the majesty of Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca citadel that’s top of many travellers’ bucket lists. Peruse quaint weaving villages in the Sacred Valley, and the peaceful shores of Lake Titicaca. This itinerary is carefully paced, with hand-selected activities and visits, accompanied by expert guides to offer you a memorable trip of a lifetime.
Why you’ll love this
- Discover the architectural delights of Lima, Peru’s coastal capital city.
- Explore the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, staying at a secluded jungle lodge.
- Enjoy two visits to the iconic Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, including a guided tour.
- Browse the colourful textile markets in the Sacred Valley town of Pisac.
- Wander the cobbled streets of Cuzco, once the epicentre of the Inca Empire.
- Traverse the scenic Andean altiplano from Cuzco to the shores of Lake Titicaca.
- From Sun Island, admire the never-ending blue as you gaze across Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world.
- Discover the Witches’ Market, museums of Jaen Street and other oddities in La Paz city.
Tour Cost in Australian Dollars:
Tourist Class Shared Tours: AU$5,690 per person twin share
Superior Class Shared Tours: AU$6,270 per person twin share
Deluxe Class Shared Tours: AU$7,670 per person twin share
Upgrade any of the above packages to enjoy private tours: AU$550 per person
**Please note these prices are based on 2 people traveling together and are subject to availability. Prices may vary due to seasonality and currency fluctuations.
Itinerary
Day 1 :
Arrive Lima
On arrival into Lima you will be met and transferred to your hotel for three nights.
Day 2 :
Lima
This morning you will be taken on a city tour of Greater Lima. You will be taken to visit the three distinct historical periods of the city: Pre-Columbian, Colonial and Modern. The tour visits the Santo Domingo Convent, the Government Palace and the Plaza de Armas. We have then arranged a visit to the Casa Aliaga, one of South Americas oldest Spanish homes and still inhabited by the original family. Count Gonzalo de Aliaga is a direct descendant of the Spanish Royals, and his family have lived in this mansion since the 1500’s. You will then drive by the elegant residential tree-lined avenues of San Isidro Miraflores to Parque Salazar to enjoy spectacular views of the western side of the Pacific Ocean. (B)
Day 3 :
Lima
This morning you will visit one of Lima’s symbolic markets. Here you can appreciate the amazing variety of fish, exotic fruit and vegetables used in Peruvian food. You will then have an amazing lunch overlooking the Huaca Pucllana, a massive 2000 year old adobe pyramid which has recently been painstakingly restored. It is built with seven staggered platforms and served as an important ceremonial and administrative center of the ancient civilization that inhabited the Central Coast of Peru.
After lunch, you visit the Larco Herrera Museum, regarded as Peru’s best museum showcasing the ancient culture of Peru. It is a privately owned museum located in an 18th-Century vice-royal building built over a 7th-Century pre-Columbian pyramid. (BL)
Day 4 :
Lima / Iquitos / Amazon Jungle
You are transferred to Lima Airport for your flight to Iquitos. On arrival in Iquitos you are transferred to the river where you will board your small boat that takes you into the jungle to the remote Lodge. This lodge is located 80km down the Amazon deep in primary jungle. Your stay here is for two nights. Romantic and lamps illuminate palm-thatched houses and covered connecting walkways lead to the Tahuampa Bar, the Dining Room, and the Hammock House. (BLD)
Day 5 :
Amazon Jungle
You have a variety of canoe or walking excursions available to you today. Your expert guides will highlight the various plant and animal life forms of the jungle. After lunch you will travel by boat to a remote village to inspect the lifestyles of the "river people". (BLD)
Today you will be transferred back to Iquitos to for your flight to Cuzco, via Lima, the Inca Capital. On arrival in Cuzco you are met and driven to a lower altitude in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where you have accommodation for two nights. The remainder of your day is at leisure to recover from your overnight flight. You might like to wander and enjoy your hotel’s magnificent gardens. (B)
This morning you visit a famous site situated here: the Inca Fortress of Ollantaytambo. You then continue to the famous and traditional Indian Market of Pisac where you have time to bargain with the local Indians for their fabulous artefacts and weavings. After lunch you continue back to your hotel where your afternoon is at leisure. (BL)
After breakfast you are transferred to Ollantaytambo Train Station where you join the Vistadome Train, on one of the world’s ‘great train journeys’ following the Urubamba River. On arrival at Aguas Calientes train station, you are assisted in the change to the shuttle bus service, for the 25 minute transfer up the side of the mountain to Machu Picchu, also known as the “Lost City of the Incas” and undoubtedly the best known and the most spectacular archeological site on the continent. You are taken on a guided tour of the ruins visiting the Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial and the Burial Grounds. Your lunch is provided at the Sanctuary Lodge this afternoon. This evening please enjoy a lovely dinner at your hotel. (BLD)
Machu Picchu is undoubtedly the best known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent. The site discovered in 1911 was very different to the one you see today. All the buildings were thickly overgrown with vegetation. On clearing the thick forest from the ruins, over 50 burial sites were discovered containing over 100 skeletal remains, about 80% female. An early theory was that it was a city of chosen women who catered to the Incas’ needs but this has lost support, and it is now thought that Machu Picchu was already an uninhabited, forgotten place at the time of conquest. The ruins: staircases, terraces, temples, palaces, towers, fountains, the famous sundial and the Museo de Sitio below the ruins require at least a day or two to explore properly.
You have another entry to Machu Picchu this morning so as to be able to climb to Huayna Picchu.
Huayna Picchu (on which there are also some more Inca ruins) is the mountain overlooking the site and has steps to the top for a superlative view of the whole area. Your second entry to Machu Picchu, & Huayna Picchu permits are included. This afternoon please make your way back to the train station for the Vistadome Train to Ollantaytambo. On arrival you are met and driven to Cuzco, to your hotel where you stay for three fabulous nights. (B)
Day 10 :
Cuzco
Cuzco is the archaeological capital of the Americas and the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city. Massive Inca-built stone walls line most of Cuzco’s central streets to form the foundations of Colonial and modern buildings. The streets are often stepped and narrow and thronged with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. This morning you are taken on a comprehensive tour of Cuzco that includes the Main Cathedral, the Plaza de Armas, the Temple of the Sun (Koricancha), as well as other city highlights, such as the local markets. The tour then visits one of the other very important Inca Ruins in the area outside Cuzco: Sacsayhuaman. Your afternoon is at leisure. (B)
Day 11 :
Cuzco
Enjoy a day at leisure in this charming little city. (B)
Day 12 :
Cuzco / Puno
This morning you will be collected from your hotel and taken to Cuzco train station to board your train that will take you across the Andean Altiplano to La Raya pass (the highest rail pass in the world) and on to Puno. This journey follows the railway line and takes about 10 hours. This gives you a wonderful insight into the real Indian life as it has been for hundreds of years. At the small villages on the way, local Indians sell food and local specialties and you will experience some of the world's most spectacular views and the only area in the world where the almost extinct Vicuna still exist. On arrival in Puno you will be taken to your hotel for tonight. (BL)
Day 13 :
Puno / Lake Titicaca
You will be collected early this morning for your transfer to Bolivia. You will visit the village of Copacabana where you board the catamaran cruise ship to sail to Sun Island, birthplace of the Inca Empire. You will enjoy many activities before returning to the catamaran to enjoy a buffet lunch on board overlooking Titicaca Lake. This afternoon you have the option of going for a short walk from Chua port where you may visit a typical house inhabited by an elderly lady who will explain the life of the traditional “Aymara” people in the altiplano. Tonight you will enjoy dinner and overnight on the luxury Catamaran Consuelo. (BLD)
Day 14 :
Lake Titicaca / La Paz
After breakfast on board, you will continue your navigation towards the Andean communities of Pariti, Kalauta and Patapatani located on the shores of the smaller portion of the Lake known as "Wiñay Marca". You will visit Pariti island, a mystical place where local people started to find various ceramic pieces during their daily activities (digging for constructions, plowing to cultivate their products, etc.). This awoke curiosity among the villagers and archaeologists as well, so archaeological diggings started and numerous pieces of fine ceramics dated to the Tiwanaku culture were found. All of these objects are currently in display at the Pariti Museum. You will visit more small communities before your arrival at the pier where you will be driven by road the rest of the way to La Paz where you stay for two nights. (BLD)
Day 15 :
La Paz
This morning you will be collected and taken on a tour to visit the famous Witch Doctor's Market, San Francisco Colonial Church and the typical handicrafts of the Sagarnaga Street. The tour continues to Plaza Murillo where the Cathedral, the Government Palace and the National Congress buildings are located. You will visit the famous colonial street Jaen where interesting museums are clustered together, followed by a visit to the replica of the semi-subterranean temple of the Tiwanaku Culture. The tour then continues to the residential areas of Obrajes, Calacoto and La Florida, ending with a visit to the unique Moon Valley, where you will have the opportunity to walk around and visit a ceramic workshop with a demonstration of the art of pottery. (B)
Day 16 :
Depart La Paz
This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your ongoing flight. (B)
Price Includes:
- Accommodation in standard, superior or deluxe-class hotels with private facilities.
- All private airport transfers as described with English speaking guides.
- All shared or private sightseeing tours in as described with English speaking guides, with the exception of the Lake Titicaca Crossing, which is a shared service (for private tours).
- All admission fees on such tours.
- Meals as indicated: (B = breakfast L = lunch D = dinner).
- All ground transportation as described.
- All touring vessels.
Price not Including:
- Airfares.
- Excess baggage.
- Beverages.
- Items of a personal nature.
- Travel insurance.
- Passport & visa costs.
- Tipping.