Inca Extreme
USD1725
per person
Lima, Cuzco, La Paz and Puno Tour
“Travel between the most colorful tour of South America!”
Included:
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Transfers (private/SIB/Train/Bus) as indicated in the program
• Activities and tours as specified
• Accommodation as mentioned
• Bilingual guide
• Return transfer to and from Airport
Not Included:
• International and domestic airfares (actual price subject to changes by the airline).
• Bolivia: International airport taxes.
• Bolivia: National airport taxes.
• All relevant visa fees.
• Meals or any other item not described in the itinerary.
• Personal expenses.
• Tips to guides and hotels’ staff.
1
AIRPORT PICK UP
On arrival at Lima Airport, you will be assisted and transferred to your Hotel. Overnight in Lima.
FREE NIGHT
2
CUZCO CITY TOUR
After breakfast you will be transferred to the Airport
On arrival at Cuzco, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel.
Inca City Tour
In the afternoon, you will climb up the Archeological Park of Sacsayhuaman. Your excursion starts by visiting the fortress with the same name, a beautiful place that radiates peace and quiet, where we will be able to admire the huge rocks measuring up to 4 meters high that were used in its construction. Afterwards, you will head for Q’enqo, an ancient temple of the Puma, where you will be able to appreciate an altar for sacrifices in the inner part of a huge rock, and then Tambomachay, sacred fountains of life and health. Continuing your tour, you will see a panoramic view from Puca Pucara, at a watchtower with a controlled entrance to the city. Then, you will visit the Temple of the Sun “The Korikancha”, on top of which is the Saint Dominique Convent. A legend tells that this temple was entirely lined in gold sheets that marveled the Conquistadors upon their arrival. In the end of your tour, you will visit the Main Square and the Cathedral that reassures invaluable colonial paintings and other works of art such as the Cross that arrived with the first conquistadors. Overnight in Cuzco. Free Night.
Meals: Breakfast
3
PISAC MARKET TOUR
After breakfast, you will visit Pisac. It is famous for ruins and the market. The Pisac Market was the place of reunion for all artisans of the region to get together and exchange or buy and sell their products. During the XXth century, due to the increase of tourism in the area it became increasingly popular to the point that now it is held daily. Continuing your tour, you will visit the Inca fortress and citadel of Ollantaytambo. This site was built just as the Spaniards arrived and evidence of how it was constructed is still visible. This fortress was believed to be constructed in order to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions. On 1537 the city was a temporary capital for Manco Inca, and it was the most important resistance against the Spanish Conquest. Afterwards, you will visit the Temple of the Sun. This place is a ceremonial centre dedicated to the purification and worship of water with 150 steps built with perfectly carved stones. The town of Ollantaytambo is referred to as a “Live Inca Town” because inhabitants still live according to customs and traditions inherited from their ancestors. Return to your Hotel. Overnight in Sacred Valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
4
MACHU PICCHU TOUR
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the train station for an amazing train journey to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, the great mountain-top city abandoned by the Inca Empire, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to humanity until its rediscovery in 1911. The legendary ‘Lost City’ is without a doubt one of the world’s most impressive archaeological sites. Built by the Incas on the summit of “Machu Picchu” (old peak), overlooking the deep canyon of the Urubamba river in a semi-tropical area of 120 Km from the city of Cusco at 3,400m. It sits on a mountain site of extraordinary beauty, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest; Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height, with its giant walls, terraces and ramps, which appear as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca’s best kept secrets, as they did not leave written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel, it remains a mystery. Along the way you will enjoy the changing landscape as you travel from Andean highlands to the beginnings of the jungle (“eyebrow of the jungle”), before finally arriving at the town of Aguas Calientes. From here, you will board the bus that will take you on a 20 minute ride up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. A guided tour of the Citadel includes the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and various burial grounds. In the afternoon, you will return to Cusco by train. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
5
LA PAZ CITY TOUR
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport.
On arrival in La Paz, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel.
HD City tour & Moon Valley
In the Afternoon, you will do a four hour tour discovering La Paz’s multiethnic and cultural character visiting Los Andes street to admire handy artisans manufacturing traditional garments and festivity costumes. Then, you’ll walk around the Witches Market to get acquainted of the mystical rituals and indigenous cosmos vision and see the enormous handicraft market. Continuing the tour we will visit San Francisco Church, the historical heritage around the main square of La Paz “Plaza Murillo”. Afterwards, you will walk around the Legislative Palace, the Government Palace and the Cathedral. There you will have a breathtaking view of La Paz at Killi Killi lookout. Later on, we will lead you to Miraflores district to see the Open Air Museum about the Tiwanaku Culture. The tour ends with a visit to the unique Moon Valley, where passengers will have the opportunity to walk around, and visit a ceramic workshop with a demonstration of the art of pottery. Return to your hotel. Overnight in La Paz. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast
6
SALT FLAT & VOLCANO
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport.
On arrival on Uyuni you will be assisted and transferred to Cochani Town.
Salt Flat and Tunupa Volcano
In the afternoon you will visit the Salta Flat and the Tunupa Volcano. Your tour starts at the Ojos del Salar crossing the Salt Flat. The Salar is the world’s largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometers. The Salar was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes. It is covered by a few meters of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within one meter over the entire area of the Salar. The crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pool of brine, which is exceptionally rich in lithium. It contains 50 to 70% of the world’s lithium reserves. Then, you will arrive at Tunupa Volcano. It stands on the northern side of the Salar de Uyuni at an elevation of 5,321m. There is a cave with several mummies about half way up and an ancient village at the foot with a modest “salt hotel”. There, you will explore Chantani Villagem the Coquesa Mummies and the Pukara in Ayque. After lunch, you will go back to your hotel. Overnight in Uyuni. Free Night.
Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch and Dinner
7
UYUNI CAVES TOUR
After breakfast you will be picked up from the hotel to visit the Galaxy Cave, The Devil’s Cave and Incahuasi Island. The Galaxy cave is known for beautiful and spectacular rock formation, while the Devil’s Cave is known for contain human rest remain. Both caves were discovered in 2003. After seeing this different Caves, you will appreciate Isla Incahuasi. It is a hilly and rocky outcrop of land located In the Middle of The Salar de Uyuni. Incahuasi has a total area of 24.62 hectares and hosts gigantic cacti (Trichocereus pasacana). There are unusual and fragile coral-like structures and deposits that often consist of fossils and algae. The place is the top of the remains of an ancient volcano, which was submerged when the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, roughly 40,000 years ago. Then, you will have a stop for Lunch. In the afternoon, you will enjoy the sunset, expecting until the sun disappears in the white desert, giving a must-see sight. Return to the hotel. Overnight in Uyuni. Free Night.
Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch and Dinner
8
TIWANAKU TOUR
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport.
On arrival at La Paz, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel.
Visit to Tiwanaku archaeological complex
After Breakfast our guide will drive through the High Plateau towards the pre Incan remains of Tiwanaku, declared world heritage site by UNESCO in December 2000. There, you can enjoy great views of the Royal Range of the Andes. Upon arrival, you will visit the Lithic and the Ceramic Museums where you will receive an introduction about the Tiwanaku civilization, explore the archaeological site walking through the main temples such as the Pyramid of Akapana. After, you will see the Semi underground temple, the Kalasasaya temple where you will find the Ponce monolith and the famous Gate of the Sun. Enjoy a set menu lunch at a local restaurant. Continuing the trip towards Copacabana, you will cross the strait of Tiquina which is the narrowest part of the entire lake, dividing the lake small section known as Wiñaymarka and the large section known as Chucuito. After, you will be able to see agriculture terraces built during the Chiripa, Tiwanaku and Inca civilizations. Return to your Hotel. Overnight in La Paz. FREE NIGHT
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
9
TITICACA LAKE TOUR
After breakfast you will be aboard the Catamaran Cruise Ship and sailing to Sun Island, the legendary birthplace of the Inca Empire. Buffet Lunch on board. You will visit Challapampa Village and enjoy the participative tourism, where you have the opportunity to interact with one of the most unspoiled indigenous Titicaca villages through an innovative program organized with the local community visiting their own museum, chapel, school, a typical house, sailing in their vessels to an Inca holy temple, Andean ritual and walking through Inca trails. Romantic candle light dinner and overnight on board the Catamaran in lake view cabins with private facilities. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
10
INCA PALACE TOUR
After breakfast you will visit the Pilkokaina Inca Palace. Continuing the tour, you will know The Inti Wata Cultural Complex including the Ekako Underground Museum, the traditional medicine and the Titikaka Reed Shipbuilders display centers, the Pachamama agricultural Inca terraces, a handicraft center, the Intica lounge and at the Manco Kapac look out the largest variety of Andean camelids. Afterwards, you will visit the Inca Garden, steps and the Inca fountain Also, the Inti Wata Complex at Sun Island includes a unique sailing experience aboard a huge Titikaka Traditional vessel. Buffet lunch on board while sailing to Copacabana. Then you will see the Sanctuary. You will disembark and be transferred to Puno. Overnight in Puno. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
11
UROS ISLAND TOUR
After breakfast, you will have an unforgettable motorboat excursion on the waters of Lake Titicaca to the unique “Floating Islands” of the Uros. These ancient inhabitants of the lake known as the Water Tribe have built their own islands by periodically adding new layers of a vegetable fiber of the Papyrus family called “Totora” (scientific Scirpus totora), which is unique to the area. You will continue the trip to Taquile Island, inhabited by Quechua-speaking natives who have developed efficient and unique social systems, as well as fine hand weaving techniques, passed down through the generations. Upon arrival at the Town of Taquile you will have lunch at one of the local homes served by the owners, designated by the local authorities as they are a very well organized town so all their inhabitants may have equal opportunities with their visitors. After lunch, you will take a walk through the various hills and archaeological sites of this 6 km long Island. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Puno. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
12
SILLUSTANI TOMBS TOUR
After breakfast, you will enjoy a guided excursion to the Sillustani tombs, a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo where you will be able to see the archaeological vestiges of these structures known as chullpas (tombs). It is ancient and impressive circular tower-like stone structures built above ground by the Colla tribe some 3000 years ago, before the Inca period. Some of them are more than 12 meters high and housed the remains of complete family groups, although most likely limited to bury nobility. The chullpas known as Lagarto and Intiwatana are the most prominent but there are over 90 tombs of different sizes and shapes, with some left unfinished. Later the site was inhabited by the Incas, who made their own version of these towers reason why there are two types: the rough pre-Inca towers and the larger smooth ones built by the Incas. The biggest tower took about 50 years to build and consists of rocks of 2 to 6 tons. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the airport. On arrival at Lima, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel. overnight in Lima. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast
13
LIMA CITY TOUR
After breakfast you will visit the best of Lima. Your tour starts at Plaza San Martin and continues passing by Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and Religious Art Museum (closed on Sunday and Saturday pm; Santo Domingo Convent is provided instead on these days). Afterwards, you will visit the San Francisco Monastery that is famous of underground crypts known as the Catacombs. Continuing, you’ll pass through the residential Districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, Huaca Pucllana, a Ceremonial and Administrative Centre of the Lima Culture built in the II Century A.C. that the Incas considered as “Ñaupallaqta” or Sacred Town. Also, you will visit El Olivar Park with olive trees brought from Spain in the XVth Century, the Central Park of Miraflores and El Parque del Amor, or Peruvian Love Park. The Love Park, located on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is a beautiful natural lookout, where you can see the waves of the Pacific rolling in towards the coast below and the Morro Solar in Chorrillos at a distance. Your visit continues with a stop at the Larco Museum, for an excellent overview of Peru’s ancient past as it holds the best private collection of pre-Columbian art in the country. You will have the chance to tour through this old Hacienda House in the Pueblo Libre district, which was built upon a pre-Incan sacred site (huaca), housing the private collection of a great Peruvian scholar: Don Rafael Larco Hoyle. The museum chronologically exhibits hundreds of ceramic, textile, metal and precious stone pieces and also inside you will find the vault which safeguards precious pieces of gold and silver with semiprecious stones. Return to Hotel. Overnight in Lima. Free Night
Meals: Breakfast
14
GOING BACK HOME
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport.
Meals: Breakfast
End of our service.
Location