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Head Office Cusco - Perú : |
FLY & DRIVE THE GRAND SOUTH
(Lima, Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, Colca, Puno, Cuzco)
20 days/ 19 nights program, return flight to Lima.
Approximate distance to drive: 2380 km.
Your Peru trip isn't complete without a visit to mystical Machu Picchu. If you're ready for the challenge, drive from Lima to Paracas, navigate to the Ballestas islands, fly over the Nazca lines and reach Arequipa, the white city. Explore the Colca canyon and see the condors flying away just meters from where you stay, make a boat excursion to the Uros and Taquile islands in the Titicaca Lake and finally reach Cusco and Machu Picchu This route has diverse zones of natural beauty and also archaeological remains, some of which are of exceptional interest.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
Dia 1. Arrive in Lima, be met and transferred to a hotel in Miraflores. Here your chosen rented car will be waiting for you.
Dia 2. Free day in Lima to visit the various museums around the city and enjoy the world-class gourmet food for which this capital city is so well known.
Dia 3. Lima – Paracas. Leave Lima (km 0) in the morning and head south on the Panamerican Highway until you arrive at the Pachacamac Ruins, an important Pre-Inca worship site. After the visit you will continue to San Vincente de Cañete (km 144) where you can eat superb river schrimps in the El Piloto restaurant. Continue towards Pisco. (km.232) Upon arrival transfer to the hotel, then excursion to Paracas of about 2 1/2 hours. Paracas is one of the best marine reserves, with the highest concentration of marine birds. In the afternoon return to the hotel. Overnight. (B,L)
More Information about route to Paracas, Ica and Nazca →
Dia 4. Paracas – Nazca. You go to the Paracas hotel pier at 07:30 to take your motorboat excursion to the Ballestas island. This islands are spectacular, eroded into numerous arches and caves, which provide shelter for thousands of seabirds, some of which are very rare, and seas lions. Guanay cormorants, Peruvian pelicans, and other bird live in the Islas Ballestas. There are sometimes colonies of up to several thousand birds. Less common but of particular interest are the Humboldt penguins.The islands are known as "the Galapagos of Peru". Returning to the hotel, you drive first to Ica (km.303), where we recommend a visit to the Huacachina oasis, a good place to stay for lunch. Continuation to Nazca (km.443), during the route you' could visit to the Chauchilla cementery where mummies and pottery are shown, as well as the Maria Reiche museum small. Overnight at the Hotel.
Dia 5. Nazca – Puerto Inca. Short drive to the little Nazca airport where you'll take the flight over the famous Nazca lines. Cut into the stony desert are large number of lines, not only parallels and geometrical figures, but also designs such as a dog, an enormous monkey, a bird with a wing span of over 100 meters, a spider and a tree. The lines, that represent some sort of vast astronomical pre-Inca calendar, are best seen from the air, you can take a half hour flight above the Lines. Drive again along the Panamericana to Puerto Inca (km. 610), a unique beach with Inca remains that suggest a port for fishing, drying and storing seafood during the Inca Empire. You will have time to freely visit the Inca ruins. The small ruins at Puerto Inca are of a community that supplied the Inca emperors in Cusco with ocean seafood. Fish and shellfish were harvested from around the area, then dried and carried over the mountains to Cusco. Legend has it that runners would carry fresh fish for the Inca to Cusco, but this is unlikely due to the long distance (about 600 km) to Cusco.
More about the other Nazca attractions →
Dia 6. Puerto Inca – Arequipa. You will travel south along the coast on the South Panamericana Highway, which crosses long desert stretches interrupted by very green narrow valleys, like Ocoña (km.744), where olives are sold along the road from an old but healthy olive trees plantation. In Ocoña you can also enjoy the river schrimps (Camarones) in some simple restaurants. At Ocona visit the Calaveritas Chapel by the side of the road. Continue to the town of Camana (km 820); in less than one hour (km 894) take the detour to Majes, the road climbs towards Toro Muerto and passes through a desert zone giving a view of all of Arequipa's volcanoes: Misti, Chachani, Ampato and Coropuna and after 37 km the detour to the Petroglifos de Toro Muerto. The glyphs are carved onto volcanic white boulders spread over an area of about 2 square kilometers. When you arrive at the site headquarters, you will be informed of the suggested route to explore the boulders and which number boulders are the recommended ones to try and find to view. After the visit, drive back to the Panamericana to Arequipa (km 1025 from Lima). Hotel in Arequipa.
More information about Toro Muerto Petroglyphs →
Dia 7. Discover Arequipa on your own. Although a relatively small city, there is an abundance of beautiful colonial architecture to appreciate here, as well as local attractions like Juanita, the mummified ice princess who is located in the archaeological museum. You may like to spend some time visiting the Santa Catalina Convent complex. Covering over 20,000 sq metres of ground, it was built in 1580 and has a colourful history. Overlooking the town is the immense Misti Volcano and the even higher Chachani.
More information about Arequipa →
Dia 8. Arequipa – Colca. Today you will visit the Colca Canyon the second deepest in the world. As you travel along the Colca Canyon you will enjoy spectacular scenery and be able to see traditional towns and locals wearing typical clothing of the Andes. Lodging in hotel in Chivay (135 km from Arequipa).
Dia 9. Colca. Drive early morning to (about 28 km.) to see condors flying out of the canyon dephts. Free time to enjoy the landscape and to visit several beautiful colonial churches and villages along the route returning to Chivay. There is an optional visit to the Chivay hot springs. Hotel overnight.
More information about the Colca Canyon →
Dia 10. Chivay – Puno. After breakfast you leave early to continue onwards toward Puno. You have about 7 hours to drive today, crossing the high Aguada Blanca highlands, where you can spot vicuñas grazing in small groups. After Juliaca (256 km from Chivay) driving to Puno you shall take the detour (32 km from Juliaca) to the Sillustani Chullpas, a burial site of the Pre-Inca and Inca times with several funeral towers up to 12 meters tall in a spectacular setting situated facing the beautiful Lake Umayo. It really merits a visit. Arrival in Puno (323 km from Arequipa). Hotel accommodation.
More information about Sillustani →
Dia 11. Puno. Day to enjoy a boat excursion on the Titicaca Lake, visiting the interesting Uros and Taquile islands. After breakfast you’ll board a boat to navigate in the lake visiting the floating islands of the "Uros" and the Island of "Taquile". The Island of Taquile is inhabited by "Quechua" speaking people in the midst of "Aymara" speaking communities that live in and near the lake. This people preserve much of the folklore and traditions of their Inca ancestors and stand out because of the high quality of their weavings and knitting, there will be time for shopping at the local cooperative store. Return in the late afternoon to Puno. Hotel accommodation.
More information about Titicaca Lake →
More information about Titicaca Islands →
Dia 12. Puno – Cuzco. This day is spent traveling to Cuzco on an all day journey heading north on the Altiplano road. As you leave Puno, after passing Juliaca you shall visit the ruins of the Pukara temple and the interesting site museum. Pukara was the Tiahuanaco mother culture. You’ll see several colonial churches in small towns along the way as we gain altitude and reach the pass of "La Raya" at 4,690 meters above sea level to later begin our gradual descend towards the valley of Cusco. You’ll notice the change as we enter the world of the quechuas alive with Inca traditions, colorful hats and ponchos in a land that is agriculturally wealthy. A good place for lunch is exiting the Sicuani town in the Felipón restaurant. You’ll have the chance to visit the Inca remains of the Inca Raqchi ceremonial center, a short detour from the San Pedro village. Next recommended stops are the very pretty Huaro and Andahuaylillas colonial churches, with superb paintings. You'll reach Cusco in the early evening (389 km from Puno). Overnight at Cusco Hotel.
Dia 13, 14, 15 - Free in Cusco to discover this magnificent city, the former capital of the Inca empire and its surroundings. We can arrange for you a private guide to visit the city and the nearby ruins (Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Tambo Machay), as well as places like Tipon, Chinchero, Maras and Moray, or even Maukallaqta, one of the mytical origins of the Inca royalty. You can do also one day treks or an exciting river rafting in the upper Vilcanota river.
More information about Cusco →
Dia 16. Urubamba Sacred Valley. Excursion to the Inca’s Sacred Valley. Drive through high mountains to the Sacred Valley protected by the beautiful snow-capped mountains of the Vilcabamba range, as majestic now as it was during the pinnacle of the Inca Empire. Along the way you will view Inca terraces that climb the steep valley walls. Your first stop should be the Awanacancha, to observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel-related Andean animals – llamas, guancos, alpacas and vicunas. Next stop could be at the archaeological complex of Pisaq. You will be captivated by the awesome panoramic views. Pisaq is the location of one of the best textile and handicraft markets in the Andes (Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays). After lunch, which you can have in several excellent restautants along the valley, you reach Ollantaytambo, a small town with an impressive Inca complex. Drive back to Cusco. Car return, as you won’t need it anymore.
More information about the Sacred Valley tour →
Dia 17. Machu Picchu two days excursion. Early morning transfer to the Cusco train station where you board the train for a 3 1/2 hour trip to Aguas Calientes, from where we then have a 20 minute bus ride to Machu Picchu. You will have a guided tour of the Inca citadel and then return to Aguas Calientes. Hotel accomodation.
Dia 18. Machu Picchu – Cusco. You have a second chance to explore Machu Picchu in the early morning, away of the crowds. You can have an incredible start to the day with the opportunity to see a beautiful sunrise from Machu Picchu, and enjoy the whispers of the ancient city before the daily bustle begins. The remainder of the morning is an opportunity for individual exploration of this site, including perhaps a climb to the peak of Wayna Picchu or a walk through the lush cloud forest to the Temple of the Moon. Another options are to visit the very interesting new Machu Picchu museum and the nearby orchids garden, or for the adventurous, climb the vertiginous Putucusi mount to have a completely different view of Machu Picchu.. Or just relax in the thermal baths near the town. For lunch we recommend Toto's House. The afternoon train takes you back to Cusco. Transfer to your hotel.
More information about Machu Picchu →
Dia 19. Transfer to the Cusco airport for flight to Lima. Reception and transfer to the hotel in Miraflores.
Dia 20. Lima. Breakfast in the Hotel. Transfer to the airport.