Peru Panorama Tour

Welcome to Peru! The first destination will be Lima, the capital also the largest city of Peru. Our professional guide will pick you up and escort you to the hotel for check-in. After that, we will visit two large city squares San Martin Plaza and Plaza de Armas to enjoy historical colonial buildings. Then go to Monastery of San Francisco and Larco Museum which houses a lot of pre-Columbian artefacts including fine potteries and gold & silver handicrafts.

Accommodation: Hilton Lima Miraflores

Today, we will start off in the early morning and drive about 259 km (183 mi) for 3.5 hours to Paracas. Upon arrival, you and other travelers will take a motorboat to the Ballestas Islands, which takes about 30 minutes. On the boat, you can see lovely Sea Lions, Cormorants, Red-headed Gulls, Humboldt Penguins, and a variety of beautiful birds from up closely. On the returned way, you can also see "Candelabra", a famous candlestick-shaped prehistoric geoglyph carved on the cliff.

After that, the guide and driver will pick you up and continue to drive for 1.5 hours/ 75km (47 mi) to Huacachina, a small oasis surrounded by sand dunes, and then check in a nice hotel. Lunch will be arranged by yourself but the guide will offer some recommendations. In the afternoon, the guide will accompany you to experience different activities like sandboarding and dune buggy rides.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel El Huacachinero

After breakfast, we will drive to Ica airport and you will enjoy the Nazca Lines by a small plane with other visitors. The Nazca Lines is one of the most unmissable highlights, and it is famous for the giant geoglyphs and motifs etched into the ground. You can discover different images like palms, hummingbirds, spiders, whales in the sky and feel the fascinating unsolved mystery of the world. The total flight time is about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Then the guide and driver will pick you up and drive back to Lima, which takes about 4 hours for the 305 km (190 mi) journey. Check into the hotel after arrival. As the hotel is located on the coast, you can take a stroll on Miraflores Boardwalk to enjoy beautiful sea views afterward.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hilton Lima Miraflores

In the morning, we will escort you to the airport for a 1.5-hour flight to the "White City", Arequipa. The local guide and the driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. Next, we will depart to Plaza de Armas, considered the most beautiful square in Peru, full of graceful colonial buildings, elegant churches and lush palms. Then we will visit the Santa Catalina Monastery, a must-see attraction with orange walls built from sillar, to take in history and architecture.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sonesta Hotel Arequipa

Today we will drive 162 km (101 mi) for around 3 hours to Chivay Village. Along the way, pass by Chachani and Chucura volcanoes and you may have a chance to see vicunas and alpacas. What's more, we will stop over at the highest volcano viewpoint where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and the mountains obscured by clouds. After arrival, check-in at the hotel and the rest time will be free for you to sightsee in the village.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Casa Andina Standard Colca

After breakfast, we will go to the world's second deepest canyon, 3,270 meters (10,728 ft.)-deep Colca Canyon, which is close to the Chivay Village. You will be guided to the best viewpoint to enjoy the spectacular valley and agricultural terraces. Don't miss the impressive condors flying overhead. Next, we will head to 3 small traditional villages in the valley: Pinchollo, Maca and Yanque and enjoy natural landscapes from different angles. Returned to Chivay, lunch will be at your own expense and the guide will recommend some nice restaurants.

After lunch, we will drive about 6 hours and 294 km (183 mi) to Puno and be sure to enjoy the scenery along the way when the driver stops at some places for you. Upon arrival, check-in at a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Casa Andina Premium Puno

The driver will transfer you and your guide to the pier to take a motorboat to the legendary Uros Islands, inhabited by indigenous Uros people. The Uros Islands are composed of dozens of self-made floating islands built from native reeds. After enjoying the unique floating islands and learning about the locals' lives, we will continue to sail for about 3 hours to Taquile Island. Here we will have a family visit with a simple lunch. Afterward, take a boat back to the pier and return back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Casa Andina Premium Puno

Today, the guide and the driver will transfer you from the hotel to the bus terminal. Then take a bus for about 10 hours to Cusco over the 386 km (240) distance on your own. The shared bus journey will firstly stop at Pucara, an archaeological site dated back to 1,800 BC. Then continue the bus tour to the 4,335 meters (14,222 ft.) high La Raya and you can see the snowcapped mountains in the distance.

After buffet lunch in Sicuani town, the bus will go to Raqchi and you can visit Inca Temple here, which is an archaeological site dedicated to Inca's God, Wiracocha. Then reach Andahuaylillas to visit San Pedro Chapel. The small church presents a blend of Catholic and Andean styles. Inside the old chapel, golden gilded statues, baroque paintings and fine murals are worth seeing. After arrival in Cusco, our local guide and the driver will meet you at the bus station and send you to check-in the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Sonesta Hotel Cusco

Accompanied by our guide, today's itinerary starts from the Plaza de Armas in the heart of Cusco. Strolling around the square, you can see the impressive Cusco Cathedral. Walk through the Inca streets, we will get to the Qorikancha (the Temple of Sun) to appreciate the Inca temple complex combing with Spanish architectural style. Next, we will drive to Sacsayhuaman to enjoy huge rock terraced walls. Then walk to the Temple of the Moon, a mysterious site where Incans held ceremonies. The last stop is the Water Temple, Tambomachay.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sonesta Hotel Cusco

Today, you will be accompanied to Pisac and the first stop is the Pisac Archaeological Park on the hill top. You can not only explore the Inca ruins but enjoy a panoramic view of the terraces and Sacred Valley. Then head for the local market in Pisac Town, boasting various handicrafts and native products.

In the afternoon, we will drive through the rolling hills to Maras Salt Mines. More than 3,000 white salt mines cover a half hillside, offering intriguing scenery. Then go to Moray to see layers of circular terraces and be escorted to the Ollantaytambo Railway Station later. After 1.5 hours' train ride, you will get to the town of Machu Picchu. A hotel staff will pick you up and together walk to the hotel near the train station.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Casa del Sol Machupicchu

The guide will meet you at the hotel and accompany you to walk to the nearby bus station. After about 30 minutes' bus ride, we will reach the last highlight of this trip, Machu Picchu, also one of the Seven Wonders in the World. As the largest remains of the Inca Empire, it was declared the World Heritage Site by UNESCO. During the 2 hours' sightseeing, the guide will reveal the history of the ruins and the 15th century Inca citadel surrounded by lush mountains and shrouded by mist will undoubtedly remind you of the heyday of the Inca Empire.

Finish the visit, we will take a bus back to Aguas Calientes and lunch will be arranged on your own. The guide will offer some good options about the restaurants and say goodbye after showing you the way to the train station. After lunch, return to Cusco by train for 4 hours. You will be picked up at the train station by the local guide and the driver and transferred to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Sonesta Hotel Cusco

As your 12 days best Peru private tours are over today, we will escort you to the airport according to your flight schedule. See you off and wish you a pleasant journey home!

Meals: Breakfast