Day 1 - Lima
Upon arrival in Lima you will be met at the airport
and taken to your hotel. Overnight in Lima
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Day 2 - Lima
After breakfast visit the National Archeology Museum (closed on Mondays). This is Peru’s oldest and largest state museum, housed in an old colonial mansion on Plaza Bolivar in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima. The museum displays a large collection of ceramics, textiles, sculptures, and ancient Peruvian metals dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Some notable pieces in this collection are the Raimondi Stela and Tello Obelisk. Another portion of the exhibit focuses on the country’s colonial and Republican periods. After lunch at Senorio de Sulco, receive an orientation on Lima including a visit to La Catedral. La Catedral is the most important church of any town in Peru. This beautiful colonial building in the Plaza de las Armas supposedly houses the remains of Francisco Pizarro, though whether or not the bones are authentic is a matter of conjecture. Overnight in Lima (BL)
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Day 3 - Sacred Valley
After an early breakfast depart for the airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival enjoy a cup of Coca tea and then depart for Yucay at an elevation of 8,500 feet. The city lies in the Urubamba Valley, which is the historic heart of the former Inca Empire. The Incas intensively cultivated the landscape using terraces that increased the land’s harvest several fold and provided food for a large population. The Urubamba Valley is also called the Sacred Valley of the Incas because it was here that, without the benefit of the wheel, the Incas built massive stone cities and ruled an empire that stretched 3,300 miles over some of the harshest terrain on earth. Without the use of mortar, the Incas constructed cities, suspension bridges, and aqueduct systems with an engineering expertise that still exists today. Along your journey through the valley, you will stop at Pisac Market. The town’s main square is filled wall-to-wall on these days with stalls selling the full range of Peruvian artesanía: carved gourds (mates burilados), ceramics, felt hats, alpaca sweaters and mittens, musical instruments, paintings, antiques, a huge variety of trinkets, and, most of all, weavings and jewelry Overnight in Sacred Valley (BL)
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Day 4 - Machu Picchu
After breakfast board the train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival take the bus to the top of the mountain for a full day guided tour of the ruins at Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu, known as "The Lost City of the Incas," is probably the best known yet least understood of all Incan sites. Apart from a few locals, nobody knew of Machu Picchu’s existence until 1911, when American historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the thickly overgrown buildings almost by accident. The quality of the stonework and the abundance of ornamental sites indicate that Machu Picchu must have been an important ceremonial center, but knowledge of the city’s history has been lost over time. Overnight in Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes (BL)
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Day 5 - Cusco
This morning explore Aguas Calientes on your own or take a second visit to Machu Picchu (second entrance fee and bus costs are not included). Named for the hot springs located on the edge of town, Aguas Calientes was once a small farming community. In the 1920’s it became a railway workers camp and now serves as the base for visitors to Machu Picchu. This afternoon board the train for your scenic journey back to Yucay and on to Cusco. Overnight in Cusco (B)
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Day 6 - Cusco
Spend the early part of today exploring Cusco and surrounding areas starting with a visit to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Sacsayhuaman forms the head of the Puma design of old Cusco. A wonder of technical achievement and a testament to human will, its construction remains a mystery because the stones are not found in the region and most weigh over a ton. The largest rock weighs more than 300 tons. The ruins are constructed of huge polygonal blocks which interlock with one another and are so precisely placed that a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. Later, explore Cusco, the center of the city a history lesson in itself. Modern and colonial buildings are built on top of Inca foundations, and colonial churches dominate the central square. The remainder of the day is at leisure to shop and explore. Overnight in Cusco (B)
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Day 7 - Lima
Transfer to the airport in Cusco for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Lima (B)
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Day 8 - Farewell
Transfer to the airport for your international departure flight. (B)
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