Southern Cross

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in Lima, transfer to your hotel. Half day city tour. Visit the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of Peru, Govermment Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral and the House of the ‘Oidor’.

Day 2: Transfer to the airport for flight to Cuzco. Afternoon tour of this magnificent city, a blend of Inca and Spanish Cultures, visiting the Korikancha or Temple of the Sun and the Cathedral, continuing from there to the nearby ruins of Tambomachay (Inca fountains), Puca-Pucara (the Red Fortress), Kenko (sacred site) and finally Sacsayhuaman Fortress.  (B)

Day 3: Breakfast. Transport to train station. The train goes through Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, to the fabulous mountaintop ruins of Machu Picchu. Full day tour with lunch included. (B/L)

Day 4: In the morning you will visit Pisac, a picturesque town located 19.8 miles or 32 Km. northeast of Cusco. Its colorful fairs also take place every day. Here merchants offer for sale all sorts of handicrafts, the most important of which are the textiles and ceramic goods such as ceremonial goblets called “Q’eros”, plates, ashtrays, necklace and replicas of pre-Hispanic pottery. Lunch. In the afternoon you will tour the remarkable Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo with its magnificent mountain stairway. Among other things, you will be intrigued by six enormous pink stones, each weighing some 50 tons. These came from the other side of the river, but nobody knows how they were transported, since the Incas did not use the wheel. NOTE: Mass is only on Sunday. (B/L)

Day 5: Transfer to the train station. Train (or bus) travels along the Andes range, passing through picturesque villages up to the town of Juliaca. There you are met and transferred by road to your hotel in Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. (B)

Day 6: Morning visit to the Uros Islands. These islands are made of reeds, rising six meters above the lake level. They are anchored by logs and connected to each other by ropes. The main activities of the people who live here are fishing and handcrafting several items that they sell to visitors. Continue to Taquile Island which has two essential characteristics; its geography, offering a spectacular view from its hills, and its standing as a first-rate textile center. Taquileños live on their textile activities. This can easily be seen in the men walking about in rubber sandals (‘ojotas’ in quechua), wearing black pants, white flannel shirts and  beautiful, finely woven chumpis (belts) and covering their heads with finely knitted warm ‘chullos’ (caps with ear flaps). (B/L)

Day 7: Transfer to the airport for flight to Arequipa. Visit the Chullpas or Tombs of Sillustani on route to airport. Met on arrival in Arequipa and taken to your hotel. (B)

Day 8: Breakfast at the hotel. Morning tour of this Colonial city, visiting first of all the Convent of Santa Catalina, now open to the public after more than 400 years of cloistered religious life. Then tour the Plaza de Armas or Main Square, the Cathedral, Church of the Compañía’s fabulous Colonial jewels, and finally the typical district of Yanahuara overlooking the city. Transfer to airport. On arrival, transfer to your hotel. (B)

Day 9: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for flight to Lima. (B)

• Location: Lima and Surroundings, Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley, Titicaca and Arequipa
• Duration: 9 days / 8 nights
• Start / End: Lima / Lima
• Activities: Cultural visits, Inca ruins, city tours
• Highlights: City tour Lima, city tour Cuzco, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Lake Titicaca, Uros and Taquile island, Tombs of Sillustani, Arequipa
• Season: All year
• Included: Lodging at the mentioned hotels, meals mentioned in itinerary, transfers mentioned in itinerary, entrance fee to all the mentioned excursions, vistadome train to / from Aguas Calientes, train or bus from Cusco to Puno.
• Not Included: Tips, domestic and international flights, personal expenses, meals and other services not mentioned in itinerary
• Prices: Please contact us for pricing