Peru Ideal

DAY 1. LIMA: Arrive in Lima and enjoy a private transfer with driver only to your hotel. Overnight stay in Lima.

DAY 2. LIMA / PARACAS: Breakfast at the hotel. Begin your day with a guided visit to the renowned Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre, home to an impressive collection of over 5,000 ceramics, gold and silver artifacts, and pre-Columbian erotic art.

Next, continue to Lima's historic center to explore Casa Aliaga, a beautifully preserved colonial mansion filled with priceless art and historical treasures. Proceed to the Plaza de Armas to admire the Government Palace, Archbishop’s Palace, Municipal Palace, and other significant colonial-era buildings, including a tour of the 16th-century Cathedral.

After the tour, transfer to the bus station and board the tourist bus to Paracas. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Paracas.

DAY 3. PARACAS / NAZCA: After breakfast, your transfer service will take you from your hotel to the Paracas pier, specifically the Chaco station, where you will embark on a boat excursion to the Ballestas Islands. This natural reserve is known for its unique geological formations, diverse wildlife, and remnants of pre-Incan culture that thrived in the desert setting.

The Ballestas Islands are home to various species such as boobies, pelicans, sea lions, and Humboldt penguins. En route, you will also observe the mysterious candelabra geoglyph etched into the sand.

At the end of the excursion, transfer to the bus station and take the tourist bus to Nazca. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Nazca.

DAY 4. NAZCA / AREQUIPA: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your Nazca Lines scenic flight. Upon arrival at the airport, complete the necessary procedures (around 45 minutes) and then board your flight to view the incredible geoglyphs.

You’ll see 13 figures, including the whale, trapezoid, dog, astronaut, monkey, condor, compass, spider, hummingbird, parrot, tree, hands, and alcatraz.

After the flight, transfer to the bus station for the journey to Arequipa (10 hours). Arrive in Arequipa at night and transfer to your hotel. Overnight.

DAY 5. AREQUIPA: Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a free morning for rest or personal activities. In the afternoon, transfer from your hotel to the San Lazaro district in central Arequipa, the city's historic foundation site.

Next, visit the Main Square—one of Peru’s most stunning—and see the magnificent Arequipa Cathedral, originally built in the 17th century and later reconstructed after several earthquakes. Tour the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus (1590), a superb example of local baroque architecture with exceptional murals and paintings.

Continue to the Santa Catalina Monastery, an authentic medieval cloister established in 1579 and still in use today. Then, visit Yanahuara and Carmen Alto districts for panoramic views of the countryside—truly breathtaking scenery.

Explore the Cayma district, visiting the Plaza Mayor and the Church of San Miguel Arcángel de Cayma, where you’ll find an anonymous collection of paintings depicting the miracles of the Virgin. Return to your hotel. Overnight.

DAY 6. AREQUIPA / PUNO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the bus station to board the tourist bus to Puno (6.5 hours). Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Free afternoon and overnight in Puno.

DAY 7. PUNO: After breakfast, transfer to the Puno lake port and board a regular boat to the floating islands of the Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society inhabiting artificial islands constructed from totora reeds, which grow abundantly in the lake.

The islands are created by weaving thick layers of totora, on which they build their homes—also from totora—and cook outdoors to avoid fire hazards.

After exploring the Uros, continue by boat for about an hour and a half to Taquile Island. Unlike other islands on the lake, Taquile is Quechua-speaking and was once part of the Inca Empire, with remnants of this culture still visible in local structures. Receive a brief introduction to the island and participate in a cultural activity.

Enjoy lunch before returning to Puno port, where transport will take you back to your hotel. Overnight.

DAY 8. PUNO / CUSCO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the bus station for the tourist bus journey to Cusco (8 hours).

The first stop is the Pucará Museum, featuring an excellent collection of monoliths, stone sculptures, and ceramics from the Pucara culture, which developed across the highlands of Peru and Bolivia.

Continue to the Raya Pass, the highest point on the route at 4,335 meters, marking the border between Cusco and Puno. Enjoy a short stop to admire the snow-capped Chimboya and capture stunning landscape photos.

The journey continues to Sicuani, where you’ll enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant offering regional dishes, vegetables, desserts, and hot drinks such as mate de coca.

The next stop is the Raqchi archaeological site (3,450 meters), home to the 15th-century Temple of Wiracocha, built beside the Vilcanota River.

The final stop is Andahuaylillas (3,093 meters), a charming Andean village famous for its 17th-century church, often called the Sistine Chapel of the Andes, adorned with gold leaf and Cusco school paintings.

Arrive at the Cusco bus station and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 9. CUSCO / SACRED VALLEY: Breakfast at the hotel. Depart from Cusco for a 30 km journey to Pisac, renowned for its vibrant market and impressive stone temples offering panoramic views of the valley and ancient Inca terraces.

Continue to Urubamba for a buffet lunch, then proceed to Ollantaytambo. This site served as both a military headquarters and religious/agricultural center for the Incas, featuring breathtaking views and advanced irrigation systems across its terraces.

Visit Chinchero, known for its colorful Inca market filled with traditional crafts, ceramics, and Andean textiles.

After the tour, transfer to Ollantaytambo train station to board the Expedition Train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and meet your guide for a briefing about the Machu Picchu tour scheduled for the next day. Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

DAY 10. MACHU PICCHU / CUSCO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Ollantaytambo train station and board the Expedition Train to Machu Picchu. Arrive at Aguas Calientes and take the bus to the breathtaking Machu Picchu Citadel, also known as the Lost City of the Incas. Enjoy a two-hour guided tour of this iconic archaeological site and its stunning surroundings.

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was both the main agricultural center and most important urban area of the Inca Empire. Use your free time to explore, take photos, or—if you wish—climb Huayna Picchu (optional) for panoramic views. Alternatively, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch (optional).

At the scheduled time, board the train back to Ollantaytambo, then take the tourist bus to Cusco and transfer to your hotel in the historic center. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 11. CUSCO: Breakfast at the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of the Sun (Koricancha), an outstanding example of Inca-Spanish cultural fusion, as the base was used to construct the Santo Domingo Church and Convent.

Next, visit the Cathedral on the Main Square to admire exquisite Cusco School religious paintings. Continue the Cusco City Tour to Sacsayhuaman, an impressive archaeological complex with massive stones perfectly fitted together—reportedly built by over 20,000 workers over 70 years.

Then visit the Qenqo temple, a site where the Incas worshipped the Sun, Moon, and Earth, featuring underground galleries and a semi-circular amphitheater.

Proceed to the military site of Puca Pucara, known as the “Red Fortress” due to its distinct hue. Conclude with Tambomachay, a water worship site with aqueducts and waterfalls fed by nearby springs. The tour ends at El Regocijo Square, just one block from Plaza de Armas. Overnight.

DAY 12. CUSCO / LIMA / OUT: Breakfast at the hotel. Private transfer (with driver only) to Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima, connect with your international flight.

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