Central and South America

Peru | Lost Civilizations of Peru: Kuélap to Machu Picchu

Duration:
12 Days
Price:
From $3,975
Interests:
Cultural Travel
Organize This Trip Print Itinerary
Artifacts in the Larco Museum
View of Gocta Waterfall
The Kuélap fortress sits on a mountaintop
The tombs of Revash
Cusco
The fortress at Sacsayhuaman
Machu Picchu
Weaving demonstration
The salt mines at Maras
Organize This Trip
Organize This Trip

About this trip

Machu Picchu tops the list of “must-see places” for many travelers to Peru, and for good reason. The Inca citadel’s well-preserved ruins are arguably the most spectacular on the continent. Meanwhile, Peru’s northern region is largely a still-hidden gem, where archaeological sites and cloud forests are waiting to be explored. This adventurous 12-day program takes you off the beaten path and introduces you to many facets of the country’s indigenous and colonial heritage. Examine the history of the Inca Empire as well as that of the Chachapoyas, a pre-Incan civilization known as the “Warriors of the Clouds.” Visit Machu Picchu, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley in the south, as well as lesser-known but equally impressive sites in the north, like Kuélap (nicknamed “the Machu Picchu of the North”) and Revash, remnants of the Chachapoyas.​

Highlights

  • Visit Kuélap, the mountaintop ruins that were once an important political, religious, administrative, and military center for the Chachapoyas.
  • Take in beautiful views of Gocta Waterfall, which despite being one of the world’s highest cascades was unknown to outsiders until only recently.
  • Witness the tombs of Revash, a Chachapoyas burial site carved high into a sheer cliff face.
  • Walk in the footsteps of the ancient Inca at the iconic Machu Picchu and learn about the site’s historical significance.
  • Explore the highlights of Lima, Peru’s capital, and Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America. 
11 Travelers

Land Cost

$4,375 - Jan 5, 2020 - Dec 15, 2022
 

$4,395 - Dec 16, 2022 - Dec 15, 2023

 

Book 10 travelers and 1 group
leader travels for free

16 Travelers

Land Cost

$3,975 - Jan 5, 2020 - Dec 15, 2022
 

$3,995 - Dec 16, 2022 - Dec 15, 2023

 

Book 15 travelers and 1 group
leader travels for free

What makes us different

Cultural Discovery

Put culture in context as you discover the history and traditions of your destination

Expert guides

We take pride in hiring local guides who are carefully selected for their knowledge, sensitivity and skill in the field

Sustainable travel

We believe travel should have a positive impact on the world. We are committed to maintaining responsible travel practices and partner with ClimateSafe to provide carbon offsetting.

INCLUSIVE PRICING

Unlike other travel providers, our pricing includes most meals, activities, and entrance fees so your group won’t have to travel with extra cash to cover surprise expenses.

Flight arrangements

We’re a full service travel provider and are happy to assist with arranging the flights for your group if desired

Marketing support and resources

We have all the tools necessary to help you plan, promote and sell your trip

AND MORE!

See all the reasons why you should travel with Holbrook

What makes us different

Daily Itinerary

Print Itinerary
Lima
Day 1
Upon arrival in Lima, after clearing customs and immigration, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Tonight attend a welcome dinner and orientation to your program. Check in starts at 2:00 pm.
Dinner included
Casa Andina Select Miraflores
Lima
Day 2
After breakfast, drive along the main streets, plazas, and avenues of Peru's capital. Start at Lovers' Park in the Miraflores district, looking out over the Pacific Ocean, then take in a panoramic view of Huaca Pucllana, a ceremonial center used by the ancient Lima culture. Visit San Isidro, the financial center of the city, and continue to the main square, where you will find the government palace and city hall. Visit the Cathedral of Lima and explore the Santo Domingo Convent; in the 17th century, San Martín de Porres and Santa Rosa de Lima walked these corridors, and their remains rest here today. Have lunch at one of the oldest taverns in Lima for an introduction to Peruvian food and a taste of the famous pisco sour. This afternoon visit the Larco Museum for a comprehensive look at the most representative cultures of ancient Peru. Enjoy time at leisure this afternoon to walk around the Miraflores district and the Larcomar Center on your own.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Casa Andina Select Miraflores
Chachapoyas
Day 3
Depart Lima and fly to the city of Jaén in northern Peru. From here, transfer to Chachapoyas, approximately a 4- to 5-hour drive. Stop for lunch en route at a local restaurant taking in beautiful views of Gocta Waterfall. At 2,528 feet, Gocta is among the world's tallest cascades, yet until 2005 only locals knew of its existence. Continue to the lodge and check in. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
La Ensenada
Chachapoyas
Day 4
Spend today exploring the ruins at Kuélap. First, head to the cable car station in the nearby town of Nuevo Tingo. Enjoy incredible views as the cable car carries you up the side of the mountain to the walled city of Kuélap. This ancient site was an important political, religious, administrative, and military center for the pre-Incan Chachapoyas culture; the ruins sit atop a mountain surrounded by cloud forest, giving the Chachapoyas a reputation as the "Warriors of the Clouds." The fortress is surrounded by an immense and impressive wall almost 2,000 feet in length. Have a boxed lunch on site. After leaving Kuélap, you will have the opportunity to stop and view the burial towers of Macro, an outpost of the Chachapoyas culture built into cliffs overlooking the Utcubamba River.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
La Ensenada
Chachapoyas
Day 5
Follow the Utcubamba Valley upstream, spotting herons and perhaps the Torrent Duck (an Andean endemic) in the river as you slowly ascend. At the village of Santo Tomás, turn off the main highway, crossing the river and ascending a side valley through typical Chachapoyas farmland. Huge cliffs loom overhead; it is here the ancient Chachapoyas built the tombs of Revash, where they interred their dead. Continue your journey to Leimebamba, with a boxed lunch along the way. The city retains much of its antique charm, with balconied houses and narrow streets. Set in a spacious garden environment, the Leimebamba Museum features a collection of extraordinary artifacts recovered from another group of cliff tombs discovered as recently as 1997 at the remote Laguna de los Condores, high in the mountains east of town. After the museum tour, visit the Kenticafé across the street for a cup of the best coffee in Chachapoyas. Watch as dozens of the region's hummingbirds flit among the strategically placed feeders, perhaps including the dazzling and highly endangered Marvelous Spatuletail.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
La Ensenada
Cusco
Day 6
After an early breakfast, return to Jaén and fly to Cusco via Lima, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Sonesta Hotel
Cusco
Day 7
Spend today exploring Cusco and the surrounding areas, starting with a visit to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Old Cusco is said to be built in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuaman forming the head. The fortress is a wonder of technical achievement and a testament to human will. The ruins are constructed of huge polygonal blocks that interlock with one another and are so precisely placed that a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. Its construction remains a mystery, because the stones are not found in the region and most of the blocks weigh over a ton. Next explore Cusco, where modern and colonial buildings are built on top of Inca foundations, and colonial churches dominate the central square.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Sonesta Hotel
Aguas Calientes
Day 8
After breakfast take the train to Machu Picchu, traveling alongside the Urubamba River with spectacular views of the Andes. Upon arrival, journey by bus to the Machu Picchu ruins and have lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, tour the ruins on a guided field trip. Known as "The Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu 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. Have dinner at the hotel this evening.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Sacred Valley
Day 9
This morning take the train back to Ollanta and visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, gaining a glimpse into the engineering ingenuity of the Inca. The town has original buildings of Inca construction where the Inca retreated for their last stand in the highlands against the Spanish. Running water still flows through the aqueducts, terraces are still farmed, and the pinnacle above the town is a burial ground. Learn about the town's ancient heritage while walking the narrow streets and observing numerous aqueducts that remain unchanged. Later transfer to the Sacred Valley.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Posada del Inca Yucay
Sacred Valley
Day 10
Spend a full day in the Sacred Valley. Visit the salt mines of Maras, and then continue to Chinchero to visit a local weaving community. Learn about the ancient traditions still practiced by modern-day descendants of the Inca. Have a traditional lunch with members of the weaving community, then end the day with an ancient Pachamama ceremony led by a shaman.
Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner included
Posada del Inca Yucay
Depart Lima
Day 11
This morning, visit the Museum of Living Culture of Yucay and experience Inca traditions, like coca leaf reading and the ceremony of payment to the earth, as well as traditional Inca dishes and drinks, like Pachamanca, a mixture of legumes and several meats marinated in herbs and baked over hot stones, and Chicha de Jora, a corn beer. Learn about the local textile techniques of native weavers from different areas, which include harvesting of different wools and natural wool dying, and see them show their different weaving styles and dresses. Continue to Cusco for your late afternoon flight back to Lima and connecting evening flights home.
Breakfast-Lunch- included
Arrive U.S.
Day 12
Arrive home following your overnight flight.
11 Travelers

Land Cost

$4,375 - Jan 5, 2020 - Dec 15, 2022
 

$4,395 - Dec 16, 2022 - Dec 15, 2023

 

Book 10 travelers and 1 group
leader travels for free

16 Travelers

Land Cost

$3,975 - Jan 5, 2020 - Dec 15, 2022
 

$3,995 - Dec 16, 2022 - Dec 15, 2023

 

Book 15 travelers and 1 group
leader travels for free

What's Included
  • Activities and meals as mentioned in itinerary
  • Full time guide for the duration of your program
  • Internal flights relevant to itinerary
  • Non alcoholic beverage with meals
  • Carbon Offset
  • Private transportation and driver for the duration of the program
  • Arrival and departure transfers based on individual flight schedules
  • Bottled water or water refill station during transfers
What's Not Included
  • International airfare
  • Items of personal nature
  • Tips
  • Travel Insurance
Pricing Details

Rates are based on double occupancy for participants.

Prices are valid for travel from Jan 5, 2020 - Dec 15, 2022. Holiday surcharges may apply.

Travel Info

Print Travel Info

Entry & Exit Requirements

U.S. and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport to enter Peru. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the date of departure. Tourists must provide evidence of return or onwards travel.

For visits fewer than 90 days, you will be issued a tourist card, called the Tarjeta Andina de Migración (TAM), upon arrival in Peru. It is important not to lose this document, as it can be time consuming and inconvenient to replace.

If you are not traveling with a U.S. passport, please check with the Embassy of Peru for the requirements based on your nationality.

Health Information

IMMUNIZATIONS

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, and your yearly flu shot before every trip.

There are no vaccinations required for entry into Peru.

The CDC recommends inoculation against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and typhoid for most unvaccinated travelers to Peru.

Yellow fever is a risk in certain parts of Peru, primarily east of the Andes at elevations below 7,500 feet. The CDC recommends the yellow fever vaccine if you are traveling to these areas.

Please consult your physician for additional information and recommendations based on your individual circumstances.

MALARIA

The CDC warns that malaria is a risk in certain parts of Peru, primarily east of the Andes at elevations below 6,500 feet. Malaria is caused by a parasite found in Anopheles mosquitos, which are active from dusk until dawn. There is no vaccine to protect against malaria. If you are visiting areas where malaria is present and choose to use an anti-malarial drug, as recommended by the CDC, see your doctor for a prescription. To protect against mosquitos, cover exposed skin with lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants, consider treating clothes with permethrin, and use an insect repellent containing an active ingredient like DEET or picaridin.

DENGUE FEVER AND OTHER MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESSES

Dengue is common in Peru in the tropical and sub-tropical areas during the rainy season, especially in urban and suburban areas. Mosquitos that spread dengue do not usually live at elevations above 6,500 feet, so the risk of dengue in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu is low. Additionally, locally transmitted cases of chikungunya and Zika virus have previously been reported in Peru. To protect against mosquitos, cover exposed skin with lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants, consider treating clothes with permethrin, and use an insect repellent containing an active ingredient like DEET or picaridin.

ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Upon arrival at locations of high elevation, shortness of breath and a pounding heart are normal responses to the lack of oxygen in the air. However, for some visitors, these symptoms can deteriorate into altitude sickness. Headache, extreme tiredness, dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite are standard symptoms. Staying hydrated and well rested is important to adjust to the altitude. Avoiding heavy, fatty foods and alcohol in the days before arriving to altitude can help. Over-the-counter medications are also available to help prevent or alleviate symptoms. It’s advisable to avoid sleep medications, as they can slow breathing and respiration, which aid in getting the blood oxygenated while sleeping. Participants who take blood pressure medications should discuss this with their doctor as the medication can drop pressure too low at times.

SUN EXPOSURE

The effects of the sun can be damaging to the eyes and skin. Spending time outdoors exposes you to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, even on cloudy days. To protect yourself from the sun, use a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15, protect skin with clothing, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and drink plenty of fluids.

Resources

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Suggested Packing List

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to packing; for this reason, the information below is offered as a general guide and not a definitive list. You know yourself best: Use your discretion and pack what you think will serve you, based on your personal preferences and specific itinerary.

You may find many of the items below in our Gear Store.

CLOTHING

Casual, comfortable clothing is suitable for most activities. You may wish to bring a slightly nicer outfit or two (eg sundress, polo shirt) if your itinerary includes dinners out or more formal activities.

Bring enough clothing suitable for the length of your program. If you prefer to pack light, note that many hotels offer laundry services (at additional cost). If you plan to hand-wash items, remember that humidity may delay drying time.

Pack clothing that can be worn in layers to adapt to weather changes throughout the day. For higher elevations, consider packing a warm underlayer, as well as a warm, protective outer layer. Clothing that wicks away moisture and dries quickly is recommended.

  • A combination of short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts (lightweight for sun and mosquito protection; heavier weight for higher elevations)
  • Shorts
  • Lightweight, quick-drying long pants for sun and mosquito protection
  • Medium to heavy weight cotton pants for the highlands
  • Undergarments
  • Sleepwear
  • Lightweight jacket or sweater/sweatshirt
  • 1-2 bathing suit(s)
  • Socks – Bring extra pairs
  • Shoes – Consider your specific itinerary when choosing footwear. For most programs, you’ll likely want at least one pair of comfortable, closed-toe walking or hiking shoes suitable for forest hikes and walking over cobblestones or other uneven terrain. Sturdier hiking boots may be appropriate for more active itineraries. In addition, many participants opt for a pair of sturdy sport-strap sandals (e.g. Keens, Tevas, or similar) and/or casual flip-flops or sandals.
  • Lightweight rain jacket, hooded poncho, and/or windbreaker
  • Visor or wide-brimmed sun hat
  • Bandana, scarf, or Buff-style headwear

Personal toiletries

Pack toiletries based on your personal preferences and habits. Below are just a few recommendations to keep in mind.

  • Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant/antiperspirant , etc. – If possible, avoid strong fragrances if you are sensitive to insect bites.
  • Soap and washcloth or a small, quick-drying microfiber towel – Washcloths are not standard in all hotels. If you normally use a washcloth, you may wish to bring one from home.
  • Hairbrush, comb, hair ties, shower cap. Many—but not all—hotel rooms provide a hair dryer, but you may wish to bring one from home.
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Razor
  • Ear plugs, especially if you are a light sleeper
  • Personal hygiene products
  • Insect repellent with DEET or picaridin
  • Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF
  • Aloe vera gel
  • A travel pack of tissues – also useful as napkins or toilet paper if needed

In addition to your personal toiletries, it is useful to pack a small medical kit, which you can easily prepare. Helpful items might include: bandages, antihistamine, a pain reliever, motion sickness and/or altitude sickness medication (if you are prone to either), anti-diarrhea medicine, individually wrapped pre-moistened towelettes and/or hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, anti-fungal cream, moleskin for blisters, eye drops, tweezers, a mini sewing kit, and an extra pair of disposable contact lenses or eyeglasses if you wear them.

MISCELLANEOUS

Remember to pack valuables such as your passport, cash/credit cards, and medications in your carry-on luggage.

  • Passport and photocopies of all travel documentation
  • Personal insurance card and travel insurance information
  • Money – ATM/credit card, traveler's checks, and/or cash; small bills in good condition are recommended
  • Prescription medicines (if applicable), with a copy of the prescription
  • Yellow fever certificate (if required; only if arriving from a country where yellow fever transmission is a risk)
  • Sunglasses with strap
  • Small day pack for hikes and excursions
  • Flashlight and/or head lamp
  • Travel alarm clock or inexpensive waterproof wristwatch with alarm – Not all hotels provide alarm clocks.
  • A pocket calculator or phone to assist with conversions and currency exchange
  • Binoculars with lens cleaner
  • Camera and related equipment, such as charger, lenses, and extra memory cards
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Non-perishable snacks
  • Pocket-knife or multipurpose tool - Pack in your checked luggage
  • Zip-top style bags – useful for packing toiletries, sorting clothing, storing damp or muddy shoes, or as a dry bag for protecting electronics
  • Notepad or travel journal and pen
  • Music or reading material for down time, long bus drives, or on the airplane, and a portable bright light to read by
  • Walking stick with rubber tip (folding or collapsible, for walking on rough and uneven terrain)
  • A small quantity of laundry detergent if you’ll be washing clothing by hand
  • Travel-size umbrella – Some people find this unwieldy to carry, while others find it offers better protection than a rain jacket alone.
  • Money belt
  • Converter and adapter for electronics
  • Chargers for electronics
PLEASE NOTE:  There is a weight limit of 11 pounds for luggage on the train transfer to Machu Picchu. Please be prepared to pack an overnight bag for the night spent in the Machu Picchu area. Your bag must weigh no more than 11 pounds and measure no more than 62 linear inches / 157 cm (length + height + width). You can safely store excess luggage at the prior night’s hotel, or at one of our field offices.
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Machu Picchu Packing List
There's only 2 1/2 weeks until the big day, here's a recommendation for what to bring when you travel to Peru. Medium to heavy weight cotton pants Lightweight pants for mosquito protection L
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