Tour Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puno 6D/5N

Itinerary

• Day 1: Reception at Lima airport – 1/2 Day Lima City Tour
• Day 2: Fly from Lima to Cusco – 1/2 Day Cusco City Tour
• Day 3: Cusco – Machu Picchu Tour – Cusco
• Day 4: Cusco – Tourist Bus from Cusco to Puno
• Day 5: Puno – Lake Titicaca Tour (Floating Islands and Taquile)
• Day 6: Puno – Sillistani – Juliaca – Return flight to Lima

DAY 1: RECEPTION AT LIMA AIRPORT – 1/2 DAY CITY TOUR OF LIMA

The 6 day tour will start with a personal reception at Lima airport by your guide and driver, who will accompany you in your private transport to your hotel in Lima. At 1:30pm you will be collected from your hotel to begin a 4-hour tour of the city of Lima. The first half of the tour you’ll visit the historic center of the Peruvian capital. Sites include:

• The Plaza de Armas (the main square)
• The Government Palace
• The Cathedral of Lima
• The Archbishop’s Palace
• The Cordano Bar (Lima’s oldest bar)
• San Franscisco Museum

The second half of the tour will be a visit to the Pueblo Libre district, which is home to the Privately owned Larco Museum. Here you will find more than 45 thousand pieces of original pottery, located in an 18th-century mansion, built on a pre-Columbian 7th-century pyramid. Marvel at the countless treasures displayed in one of the world’s most prestigious museums for gold and silver. The Larco Museum’s exclusive collection of pre-Columbian erotic ceramics, make it one of the most popular attractions in South America. At the end of the tour, you will be taken back to your hotel in Lima.

DAY 2: FLY FROM LIMA TO CUSCO – 1/2 DAY CITY TOUR OF CUSCO

Day 2 will begin with breakfast in your hotel in Lima.

Your private transport will then pick you up and drive you to Lima airport to board your mid-morning flight to Cusco.

After a 90 minute flight, you will land in Cusco to be greeted by your guide and driver, who will accompany you in your private transport to your hotel in Cusco.

Once at the hotel you can relax and enjoy an aromatic cup of coca-leaf tea and take lunch (not included) in one of the local restaurants, before beginning the afternoons’ tour of Cusco.

At 1.30pm you will regroup with your tour guide and private transportation to commence the tour of the Inca capital. The 4-hour tour will take you on a journey through Cusco’s most prominent historical sites such as the Temple of the Sun or Qoricancha, which was the religious, geographical, and political center of Cusco during the period of the Incas. The astounding Inca fortress of Sacsayhuamán, whose stonework is so impeccable that it is said ‘will endure as long as the world itself’. And finally, Q’enqo, a sacred Incan pilgrimage site, that once served as an astronomical observatory and mummification house.

On the City Tour Cusco, your personal tour guide will also accompany you round the famous San Pedro market and Plaza de Armas before returning you back to your hotel for 6pm.

DAY 3: CUSCO – MACHU PICCHU TOUR – CUSCO

Day 3 of the tour begins with breakfast in your hotel in Cusco.

Your private transport will then pick up from your hotel in Cusco at 6am. After a 1-hour 30 minute drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, you’ll arrive at the train station in Ollantaytambo ready to board your train at 7.45am.

The 1-hour 45 minute journey to Aguas Calientes will treat you to breathtaking scenes of snow-capped mountains, Inka farming terraces and of course remarkable Inka ruins. After which you will be greeted by your tour guide, and escorted to the bus station in Aguas Calientes.

After accompanying your guide on the 30 minute bus ride up the mountain, you will arrive at the main gate to Machu Picchu. Here you will present your passports and entrance tickets and begin your 3-hour guided tour of the Inca citadel. Throughout the tour, your guide will take you on a journey through the rich history of the Inca sanctuary, leading you along its famous sites to the legendary panoramic viewpoint. From there you will be best poised for the perfect view of Machu Picchu and the iconic bucket list photos you have been waiting for.

With a camera full of pictures, you will continue on with your guide through the ancient Inca streets to such landmarks as the temple of the sun, the central plaza and the iconic stepped terraces. And before boarding the bus back down the mountain, your guide will also allow you time to explore the mysteries of the sanctuary alone.

Once you have regrouped with your guide and taken the bus back to Aguas Calientes, there will be time to take lunch in one of Machu Picchu towns’ many restaurants (optional extra), before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo. There, you will be greeted by your guide and your private transportation, who will take you on the 2-hour drive back to your hotel in Cusco. Arrival time in Cusco is approximately 8pm.

DAY 4: CUSCO – TOURIST BUS TO PUNO

Day 4 will begin with breakfast in your hotel in Cusco.

At 6:15am you will be collected in private transport from your hotel in Cusco and driven to the bus terminal ready for the 7am departure.

The Bus tour takes you on the scenic route from the Inca city of Cusco to Puno, a Peruvian city on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The 10-hour journey will take you through picturesque Andean towns and mountainous valleys, showcasing the beauty of the Cusco/Puno region.

The bus makes 5 stops along the way, treating you to 3 guided tours. These include the Sistine Chapel of America, the Temple of the god Wiracocha, and the Lithic Museum of the Pukará Culture. Aswell as a buffet lunch in the Andean town of Sicuani, and an opportunity to take breathtaking photos atop the highest point of the route, the Abra La Raya Pass.

The tourist bus will be equipped with everything you’ll need for a comfortable journey to Puno. These include heating and air conditioning, toilets and sanitary facilities and refreshing drinks served on board such as tea, coffee, Coca Cola and water.

At 5pm, the bus will arrive in the city of Puno, where you will be met by your private transport and transferred to your hotel in Puno.

DAY 5: PUNO – LAKE TITICACA TOUR (FLOATING ISLANDS AND TAQUILE)

Day 5 of the tour begins with breakfast in your hotel in Puno.

Your private transport will then pick up from your hotel in Puno at 6:45am. You’ll then be driven to the nearby port of Puno where you will take the 7:15am boat to the floating islands of Uros, located 10 km (30 mins by boat) from the port.

The indigenous Uru people, construct their islands out of huge blocks of Totora Reed, an aquatic plant native to Lake Titicaca. The islands are covered with a fresh layer of reeds every 20 days, and are able to float due to porosity of the blocks that release gases produced by decomposition. These blocks are then joined together and anchored to the lake bed using eucalyptus sticks.

The Uru culture is one of the oldest ethnic groups on Lake Titicaca, who have inhabited its waters since the Incas began expanding their territories over the plateau hundreds of years ago. They dedicate themselves to fishing and bird hunting and are entirely dependent on the Totora reed with which they build their islands, houses, rafts and also serves as food and fuel for the people.

After saying goodbye to the Uru people, you’ll take the boat a further 1-hour to the island of Taquile. When you arrive, you’ll walk along a wide trail to the Plaza de Armas, whilst admiring the breathtaking deep blue shores of Lake Titicaca. Throughout your tour of the island, you will visit places where local artwork is made and take lunch at a local family home.

After lunch, you’ll return by boat to the port of Puno, to be driven back to your hotel in the city for 5:00pm. The evening is then yours to rest and explore the city at your leisure.

DAY 6: PUNO – SILLUSTANI TOUR – JULIACA – FLIGHT TO LIMA

Day 6 will begin with breakfast in your hotel in Puno.

At the appropriate time, you’ll collected by private transport and driven 45 mins to the Sillustani archaeological site on the shores of Lake Umayo. The complex is a pre-Inca cemetery consisting of tombs built above ground in in tower-like structures called Chullpas. These are the vestiges of the Qulla people, who are the Aymara people conquered by the Inca Empire in the 15th century.

After a guided tour, you’ll be driven a further 1-hour to the Inca Manco Capac airport in Juliaca in time to board your onward flight to Lima. Here your guide will bid you farewell and provide you with the necessary tickets and boarding passes to enable a smooth check in.

In-flight time from Juliaca to Lima : 90 minutes.