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Highlights of Southern Peru

Highlights

  • Visit the iconic Machu Pichu with spectacular views
  • Immerse yourself in amazing fauna and flora in the Amazon rainforest
  • Experience the local and authentic flavours to Peru with the a walking food tour and cooking class
From £2431 pp
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  4. If selecting the extended itinerary, select whether you would like a standard, superior or luxury accommodation option
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What you'll do

Overview

Explore the culinary diversity and rich history of Lima, Peru's Capital City. Gaze at Andean condors as they glide over the dramatic Colca Canyon. Sail across the picturesque Lake Titicaca and visit its traditional communities. Journey into Cusco the heartland of Inca culture and visit the famous Machu Picchu. Finally, Venture into the Amazon Rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Prepare for a journey of a lifetime as we show you the best of Peru!

Experience Peru to its fullest potential with this 15 day adventure. Take the opportunity to explore range of destinations including Lima, Arequipa, Colca, Puno, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Tambopata!

Intinerary:

Day 1: Arriving to Lima

Day 2: Walking Food Tour in Lima’s Historic City Centre

Day 3: Flight to Arequipa and Santa Catalina Monastery

Day 4: Scenic drive to the Colca Canyon

Day 5: Soft hike along Condors viewpoint and journey to Puno

Day 6: Private boat at Lake Titicaca

Day 7: Unique Titicaca Train to Cusco

Day 8: Saqsayhuaman, Llamas and off-the-beaten-path Cusco

Day 9: Viacha Community and Pisaq

Day 10: Morning at Ollantaytambo and afternoon at Machu Picchu

Day 11: Return to Cusco and cooking class with Seledonia Mesa

Day 12: Venturing into the Amazon Rainforest

Optional Extension

Day 13: Lake Sandoval

Day 14: Return to Lima

Day 15: Departure day

All of your activities will be private.

 

 

Welcome to Lima!

Welcome to Peru and Lima! Upon Arrival, we’ll meet you at Lima Airport and continue together to your hotel in Miraflores or Barranco, where you are free to relax and wander around at your own pace. After check-in, we’ll hand you your travel kit and have a short briefing to answer any last-minute questions. Depending on your time of arrival, we have plenty of suggestions for you to make the most of your first day in the city.

Accommodation

Pullman Miraflores

Meals

None

 

Walking Food Tour in Lima's Historic City Center

Prepare yourself to enjoy the best of Lima’s historic city center while tasting some of its best street food! This afternoon, you walk along the old streets of Lima and taste popular on-the-go foods, just as most locals do. Your food adventure will let you try several Peruvian treats that you’ve probably never heard about, such Humitas, Churros, Mazamorra, or anticuchos! You will also have the chance to enjoy the impressive Lima’s architecture and learn more about Peru’s history and culture.

Accommodation

Pullman Miraflores

Meals

Breakfast and Lunch

Flight to Arequipa and Santa Catalina Monastery

After breakfast, we’ll drive you back to Lima airport to take your flight to the city of Arequipa. Upon arrival, our local representative will meet you and take you to your hotel in the city center.

This afternoon, get ready to explore the best of the stunning white city. First, we’ll walk to San Camilo, the principal market in Arequipa, founded back in 1881, where most Arequipeños shop nowadays. Explore the beautiful surroundings of the main square and stunning façade of Arequipa’s cathedral. After this delightful visit, continue to La Compañia Church, famous for its interesting baroque style and colorful Cupula of Saint Ignacio. We’ll take a look at El Tambo La Cabezona, a 17th-century apartment built following the classic colonial style, on your way to the Santa Catalina Monastery, one of the most fascinating colonial and religious buildings in Peru!

Accommodation

Tambo Acolpacha

 

Meals

Breakfast

Scenic drive to the Colca Canyon

This morning, we leave Arequipa and head to the Colca Canyon on a 160km journey. On route, we’ll enjoy beautiful views of the Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu, the three volcanoes that surround the city of Arequipa. As we travel, we’ll enter the Salinas and Aguada Blanca national reserve, where it is quite common to see llamas, alpacas and wild vicuña herds grazing on the local pastures. We’ll make a short stop to enjoy a warm Inca tea made with local herbs (not included), which is a pretty popular beverage to help deal with the altitude of the Andes.

Finally, we will reach El Mirador de Los Andes, a famous high pass with astonishing views of most of the volcanoes in the area. We’ll only be here for some minutes before we begin our descent into the Colca Valley and Canyon. We should be arriving at your comfortable hotel in the Colca valley just before lunchtime.
In the afternoon, we can relax in the hotel while enjoying the beautiful surroundings, or we can take a walk around the charming countryside.

Accommodation

Killawasi Lodge

Meals

Breakfast

Soft hike along Condors viewpoint and journey to Puno

Our second day exploring the Colca Canyon starts with a very early visit to The Condor’s Cross viewpoint, a perfect spot to observe the majestic flight of the Condors and the depth of the canyon. We can walk a little along the canyon to get away from the crowds and enjoy the dramatic scenery. If you fancy to, we can walk about 30 minutes along this trail towards another viewpoint called “Mirador del Cura”.

After that, we make our way to our hotel or Chivay and have free time for an early lunch before we board our transport to Puno on a scenic 6-hour drive with great views of huge lagoons, beautiful stone forests and small Andean farmhouses. Upon arrival at Puno at around 7 pm, we will transfer you to our hotel.

Note: Fundo Chincheros is a traditional hacienda just outside Puno. This is a very unique and beautiful place to spend the night. The stay at this property includes a homemade dinner. The property, has large fields, horses and llamas too. Please note that if this hotel is unavailable and we spend the night somewhere else, then dinner will not be included

Accommodation

Fundo Chincheros

Meals

Breakfast & Dinner

Private boat at Lake Titicaca

Get ready to enjoy a full day at Lake Titicaca. We’ll be sailing to Taquile Island the most famous Island in the lake. However, we’ll be visiting the more remote southern side of the Island to avoid the larger tour groups the head to the north. The rocky shoreline and clear waters here might remind you of the Mediterranean, but we are in the Andes of course! We’ll Spend our time here enjoying the scenery and mingling with our local hosts. The highlight at Taquile has to be their textile traditions, which are considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Our host family will be happy to show us what they can do. In the afternoon we then return to Puno.

Note: Fundo Chincheros is a traditional hacienda just outside Puno. This is a very unique and beautiful place to spend the night. The stay at this property includes a homemade dinner. The property, has large fields, horses and llamas too. Please note that if this hotel is unavailable and we spend the night somewhere else, then dinner will not be included

Accommodation

Fundo Chincheros

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Unique Titicaca Train to Cusco

It’s time to continue your journey in the Peruvian Andes towards Cusco. This morning, go to Puno’s train station and board the luxury Titicaca Train. This stylish train resembles the famous Pullman trains of the twenties and includes classy dining cars and a car-bar outdoor observatory. Going on board this train is one of the most luxurious and unique ways of travel on a ten-hour journey between mountains and clouds to the astonishing Cusco city. Upon arriving in Cusco, your guide will greet you and take you to your comfy hotel right in the city centre.

Note: Titicaca Train only departs from Puno on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays throughout the year and Fridays from April to October.

Accommodation

Tierra Viva San Blas

 

Meals

Breakfast and Lunch

Saqsayhuaman, Llamas and off-the-beaten-path Cusco

Strap on your walking shoes and prepare for a guided stroll around the less frequented side of Cusco’s countryside. First, we’ll visit Sacsayhuaman, a imposing Inca construction (some say it’s a fortress, overlooking Cusco city). From here, we continue to a small llama farm and textile workshop called “Manos de la Comunidad”, here we can learn quite a bit about all the Andean Camelids and about local textile weaving too.

After, we drive to Puca Pucara, and old Incan Outpost. From here, we begging an easy downhill hike along an old trail that  follows an Inca canal. We will cross fields and travel slowly until we reach Inkilltambo, a recently restored Inca site that few people visit even though it is right next door to Cusco. From here, we descend another 10 minutes until we find out transport waiting for us in the outskirts of the city. Finally, a 15 minute drive takes us back to our hotel in the center of Cusco.

The rest of the afternoon is free to self explore the more conventional (but still nice) parts of Cusco.

Accommodation

Tierra Viva San Blas

Meals

Breakfast

Viacha Community and Pisaq

Away from more hectic routes, today, we’ll see the Sacred Valley from a different perspective. We’ll head to Viacha village in the Pisaq archaeological park’s higher slopes. Here, Julian and his family will welcome you and invite you to spend the morning with them.

They will show you around their beautiful place and share more about their culture and daily activities. Viacha is a farming community and we can learn here all there is to know about traditional agriculture in the mountains.
We’ll then enjoy a simple but still delicious lunch organized by the community, with mountain-views before we begin our afternoon downhill hike from Viacha to Pisaq Archaeological site. This hike takes approximately 1 hour and offers commanding scenes of the entire valley. Depending on the time and your energy, after visiting the Pisac Inca site, you can continue walking to Pisac village, a charming place with a colorful market. Alternatively, we can simply take our private transport. When ready, we return to our hotel.

Accommodation

Casona de Yucay

Meals

Breakfast and Lunch

Morning at Ollantaytambo and afternoon at Machu Picchu

We’ll begin today by visiting Ollantaytambo, a village that has not changed much since Inca times. Besides it, we have the Ollantaytambo archaeological site, a place with impressive Inca stonework only seconded by that of Machu Picchu. Visiting in the morning is a huge advantage as large groups arrive only in the afternoons. Next, we head to Ollantaytambo train station to board the train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arriving, we’ll take a 25-minute bus up to the impressive mountain setting where Machu Picchu is located. Once here, we’ll find a secluded spot, overlooking the main site, for an initial explanation of Machu Picchu. A little later in the afternoon, it’s the ideal time to take our guided tour around the main areas of the citadel, as most travelers should already have left. We can tour the site until it closes at around 5.30 pm. After the visit, we’ll head back to town and take the train back to Ollantaytambo. From here we continue in private transport to our nearby hotel.

Accommodation

Casona de Yucay

Meals

Breakfast

Return to Cusco and cooking class with Seledonia Mesa

After a long but fun day at Machu Picchu, you can relax today and sleep a little longer before returning to Cusco. At the coordinated time, our private transport and guide will be ready to take you to Cusco.

In the afternoon, we will spend a fun afternoon with Seledonia Montalvo. She is a fantastic local chef that will share with you all about Cusco’s cuisine. Start your day visiting the San Pedro Market, where you’ll check the variety of local products that can be obtained from this region and the nearby Amazon. Taste exotic fruits such as lucuma, chirimoya, and granadilla and learn about the diversity of products used in our local cuisine. After, we’ll head to Seledonia’s Kitchen where, together, you will test your skills at preparing some Peruvian classics, or get creative and innovate with our local ingredients. This cooking class will be all about having fun, learning about local culture, and a bit of creativity too!

The standard itinerary will finish on Day 12, with a private transfer to Cusco.

Accommodation

Tierra Viva San Blas

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Venturing into the Amazon Rainforest

Additional extension:

This morning, we’ll head to the local airport to board our flight to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to Peru’s Southern Amazon and the Tambopata National Reserve. On arrival, we’ll be welcomed by our local guide and head to our nearby office to drop off our excess luggage, register and make some last-minute shopping.

After, we head to our port, where we will embark on our one and a half hour boat trip up Madre de Dios River, in which we might appreciate vegetation and also see some wildlife.

Once at the lodge we’ll take a short rest before meeting with your guide for an introduction talk about us, followed by an introduction walk around the lodge into the rainforest, winding past giant Kapok trees, walking, palms and strangler figs while being dazzled by the sounds of nature in search for wildlife.

Please note: Private Guide/Shared Boat

Accommodation

Amazon Planet

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Lake Sandoval

Wake up to the sunrise and grab your early breakfast to go before traveling by motorboat upriver for 45 minutes to the entrance of the Tambopata National Reserve and begin the 3 km trek to Lake Sandoval. Paddle in a rowboat around the pristine mirror like lake and enjoy the beautiful scenery with the opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife such as the endangered giant river otter, howler monkeys, macaws and the impressive black caiman. Return to the lodge with a traveler-favorite. Enjoy a self-toured boat ride down the river on an inflatable boat with guides close on hand but far enough to let you soak in the sunset in silence. Of course the opportunity to see turtles, monkeys, herons and other birds that are along the riverside may distract you for a while with a beautiful backdrop of the sunset over the river, you can even enjoy a refreshing swim in the river.

Please note: Private Guide/Shared Boat

Accommodation

Amazon Planet

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Return To Lima

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to our Amazonian friends. This morning, we board our boats to return to Puerto Maldonado where we’ll pass by our office to collect any baggage we might have left and then continue to the local airport to board our flight to your next destination, Lima.
Upon arriving in Lima, reception and transfer to your hotel in Miraflores. The rest of the afternoon is free. We will of course be happy to provide you with plenty of recommendations for your free time here too.

Accommodation

Pullman Miraflores

Meals

Breakfast

 

Departure

Enjoy a last walk around Lima’s shops and markets. After, at the coordinated time, we’ll head to the airport to board your international flight back home. Hopefully, you will be heading home full of happy memories, new friends, and great pictures of your time with us!

Meals

Breakfast

 

What's included

Included

  • All activities
  • 14 Nights Luxury Accommodation
  • 14 x Breakfast, 7 x Lunch, 5 x Dinner
  • Private transportation during our services / Expedition Train Service
  • All entrance fees necessary for our services on this trip
  • Professional English-speaking guide
Your local host

Diego

We are a young and fresh bespoke travel company that offers authentic journeys beyond the most popular sites, including real off-the-beaten-track destinations, and outstanding service. We take price in our team which is all made of avid travelers that love Peru. Being able to be everywhere and do everything, has given us first-hand knowledge about our country, allowing us to craft any kind of itinerary from scratch for our travelers from all over the world.

It all started back in 2009, when we, a pair of young travelers, were amazed by Peru’s beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and fantastic people while traveling along the Andes of Lima. We thought that we needed to share the incredible places, knowledge, and friends with much ... Read All

We are a young and fresh bespoke travel company that offers authentic journeys beyond the most popular sites, including real off-the-beaten-track destinations, and outstanding service. We take price in our team which is all made of avid travelers that love Peru. Being able to be everywhere and do everything, has given us first-hand knowledge about our country, allowing us to craft any kind of itinerary from scratch for our travelers from all over the world.

It all started back in 2009, when we, a pair of young travelers, were amazed by Peru’s beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and fantastic people while traveling along the Andes of Lima. We thought that we needed to share the incredible places, knowledge, and friends with much more people. Travelers out there were missing out on what the real Peru is about. That’s when we started running tours and we haven’t stopped sharing the best of our country in the most authentic manner since then.

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What Sustainability Efforts are we Taking?

At Not in the Guidebooks we’re committed to empowering the local communities in Costa Rica. We work closely with the local people and their businesses to make sure that they receive a fair percentage of the money you spend on your holiday there. By partnering with local guides and suppliers, we’re able to create meaningful, authentic experiences that directly benefit the people who call this incredible country home.

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Location

Experience the best highlights of Peru on this once on this memorable trip!

Explore the culinary diversity and rich history of Lima, Peru’s Capital City. Gaze at Andean condors as they glide over the dramatic Colca Canyon. Sail across the picturesque Lake Titicaca and visit its traditional communities. Journey into Cusco the heartland of Inca culture and visit the famous Machu Picchu. Finally, Venture into the Amazon Rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet.

Prepare for a journey of a lifetime as we show you the best of our country.

 

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