Peru Overview Tour
This trip sees your average tour itinerary, and raises it. The 15-day tour includes the bucket-list topping Incan city of Machu Picchu; Lake Titicaca with its science-defying floating islands; Colca Canyon where condors slice up the sky; the enigmatic Nazca Lines; and an overnight stay in the wilds of the Amazon Jungle.
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HighlightsLima, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Amazon Rainforest, Nazca Lines, Paracas
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Duration15 days
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Start PointLima
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Finish PointLima
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Trip StyleHistory & Culture, Adventure, Wildlife
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IncludedFlight over the Nazca LinesBuffet lunch in the Sacred ValleyAll BreakfastsHotel nights as per the itineraryTravel InsuranceTrain to/from Machu PicchuMeals during the trek24/7 SupportEntrance feesAccredited Tour GuidesTours and Transfers
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Not IncludedDomestic airfareTipsMeals not mentionedInternational airfare
Day 1: Lima
Arrival in Lima and private transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Lima.
Meals: None
Day 2: Lima - Arequipa
Morning transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Arequipa. Arrival and private transfer to your hotel.
Arequipa city tour: The Colonial-era capital of Peru. The historic centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your guide will show it off to you, taking you to the districts of Cayma and Yanahuara, before showing you the Santa Catalina Convent.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 3: AREQUIPA - COLCA CANYON
Journey to Colca Canyon for a tour. Scoring into the Earth's crust to depths of 10,725 feet, Colca is twice as deep as its American counterpart, the Grand Canyon.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 4: COLCA CANYON - CHIVAY - PUNO
Explore more of Colca Canyon. You'll stop at the towns of Yanque and Maca before visiting Cruz del Condor, one of the best viewing platforms for spotting the canyon's condors, with their seven foot wings.
Later, you'll take the Tourist Bus to Puno, where you'll transfer to your selected hotel.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 5: PUNO - LAKE TITICACA - PUNO
Venture out onto Lake Titicaca on a tour. Your guide will take you to the one-of- a-kind Uros islands, which float on the lake. Later you'll get an insight into local life over lunch on Taquile Island.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 6: PUNO - CUZCO
Hop on the shared Tourist Bus and follow the Sun's route back to Cuzco. The journey will be punctuated by stops at important cultural sites. Plus, you'll have a buffet lunch in Sicuani half way.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 7: CUZCO
Get on first name terms with Cuzco during a city tour. Your guide will tell you all about the city that used to be the capital of the Incan Empire. You'll visit the main plaza with its eye-catching Colonial cathedral, the Santo Domingo Convent, and the ancient Incan sites of Sacsayhuaman, Quenco and Tambomachay.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 8: CUZCO - SACRED VALLEY - AGUAS CALIENTES
Discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In ancient times, this fertile valley was a bit of a cash and carry. Essential crops were grown here like maize and potatoes. Your guide will show you the ruins of ancient settlements like Pisaq and Ollantaytambo, as well as take you to a modern day weaving centre.
In the afternoon, you'll catch the train to Aguas Calientes; the launch pad for Machu Picchu.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 9: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO
Set your alarm to get to Machu Picchu for sunrise.
As far as sights are concerned, this one is Peru's A list celebrity. You'll get to know Machu Picchu personally on a tour. Your guide will show you locations like the ritual baths, the Palace of the Princess and Temple of the Sun.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 10: CUZCO - PUERTO MALDONADO - AMAZON RAINFOREST
Arrive at Puerto Maldonado and catch your shuttle to your chosen jungle lodge.
Explore the Rainforest. In this part of the world the only high rises you'll find are the towering oje, wimba and mango trees. Each lodge offers different activities, but options often include guided jungle walks and parrot clay licks.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 11: PUERTO MALDONADO
Continue to explore the wilds of the Rainforest. In some lodges you can try activities like piranha fishing or go caiman spotting.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 12: AMAZON RAINFOREST - PUERTO MALDONADO - LIMA
Arrival in Lima and private transfer to Lima center. Embark on a guided tour of Peru's capital, Lima.
Lima is a chameleon of a city. Your guide will show you how its character changes from one area to the next as they take you from the UNESCO World Heritage main plaza, to the Presidential Palace, to the San Francisco Church and Catacombs, and finally to the Park of Love at Miraflores.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 13: LIMA - PARACAS
Arrive in Paracas and transfer to the airdrome.
Take flight over the puzzling Nazca Lines. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features a series of huge-scale drawings, which were carved into the earth by the Nazca people around 500 BC. From the air the drawings look like pieces of ancient over sized graffiti. Scholars and scientists have yet to agree on why they're there.
Meal: Breakfast.
Day 14: PARACAS - BALLESTAS ISLANDS - PARACAS - LIMA
Set sail on a tour of the Ballestas Islands. None of the inhabitants here are human. From the boat you'll spot sea lions slobbing around on the rocks and see birds like the blue-footed booby, cormorants and zarcillos looping about in the sky.
Later you'll return to Lima where a private transfer will take you to your hotel.
Meal: Breakfast.
Day 15: LIMA
Bid the capital farewell and catch your private transfer to the airport.
Meals: Breakfast.