Discovering Peru

Flight.

Arrival at Lima airport and private transfer to your hotel: assistance in French during the transfer and check-in at the hotel.

Breakfasts at the hotel.

Free time during the afternoon.

Lunch at the Cafe Del Museo Larco.

Visit to the Larco Herrera Museum with a private French speaking guide

Departure to the neighborhood of Pueblo Libre to visit the Larco Herrera Museum.

Surrounded by elegant gardens, the museum is housed in an old colonial style mansion. This beautiful museum exhibits the finest collection of pre-Columbian gold and silver pieces from ancient Peru, as well as a famous collection of Mochica erotic ceramics (pre-Columbian civilization from the northern coast of Peru).

You will spend the night at the Dazzler Hotel – classic room or similar.

Dinner menu on site.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Transfer to Lima airport for the flight.

Private transfer from Arequipa airport to your hotel.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Half-day tour of the city of Arequipa with a private English speaking guide, including the Monastery of Santa Catalina and the Chapel of San Ignacio.

The tour first passes through the most traditional district of Arequipa, the San Lazaro district, characterized by its very picturesque cobbled streets and then passes in front of the Fundo del Fierro, an old patrician house where you can discover the local handicrafts. The tour continues on to the Church and Monastery of San Francisco, one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, and then on to the beautiful Plaza de Armas, where splendid arcades compete in elegance with the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus. The visit ends at the convent of Santa Catalina, a small town in the heart of the city, with its narrow streets lined with small houses coloured in ochre, blue and white, its squares and fountains, a setting reminiscent of distant Andalusia.

You will spend the night at the Fundador Hotel.

Dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Half day tour with a private French speaking guide around Arequipa.

Visit of the surroundings of the city of Arequipa appreciating its picturesque villages like Tingo, Paucarpata and its church, the mirador of Sachaca with a beautiful view of the countryside. You will also be able to appreciate a very beautiful series of terraces of the pre-Inca and Inca periods. Finally, you will discover the Mill of Sabandía and the Founder’s House.

An English speaking guide will accompany you during your visit.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Free afternoon in Arequipa.

Dinner menu at a local restaurant.

Overnight stay at the Los Tambos Fundador  l – Executive Room or similar.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Two-day excursion with a private French-speaking guide in the Colca canyon.

In the heart of the Peruvian Andes, the road leading to the Colca Canyon is dotted with peaks and volcanoes including the Misti, Chachani and Picchu Picchu volcanoes. The road opens onto a flat, dry and rocky high plain: the Pampa Cañahua, the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve. This reserve is home to the smallest but most elegant of the camelids, the wild Vicuña. After passing a pass at 4900 m, we descend to Chivay, the entry point to the Colca canyon.

Buffet lunch included in a local restaurant.

Lodging at the hotel Casa Andina Standard Colca in a traditional room or similar.

Dinner menu at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Early morning departure on the panoramic road along the Colca River to arrive at La Croix du Condor.

The road that leads to the viewpoint of La Croix du Condor overlooks one of the deepest canyons in the world: the Colca Canyon. It passes through the most picturesque village of Colca, the village of Pinchollo, and the traditional villages of Maca, Achoma and Yanque. The viewpoint of La Croix du Condor is the ideal place to take the right measure of the depth of the Colca Canyon. From the viewpoint it is also possible to observe the flight of the condors that pass by here daily.

Return by the same road.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Departure to Puno.

The altiplano is located at 3819 m above sea level in the south-east of Peru. In the middle of this immense plateau, called the “Transparent Region of the New World” because of its luminous atmosphere, lies Lake Titicaca. Puno was an important mining region, hence the expression “this is not Peru” to designate a not very profitable business.

Accommodation at the Casa Andina Standard Tikarani Hotel.

Dinner menu at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer from your hotel to the port.

2-day excursion on Lake Titicaca, visit of the floating islands of Uros, the community of Llachon and the island of Taquile by private boat with French speaking guide.

An excursion on the Titicaca Lake is a unique experience, between sky and water, blue and green, sun and earth. It allows to discover its natural and artificial islands, the daily life of its inhabitants and to feel the symbolic importance of the lake.

First stop on the floating islands of Uros.

The Uros community, lives on more than 63 artificial islands made of superimposed layers of rushes. The Uros call themselves kotsuña, “the village-lake”. They preserved certain traditions like the artisanal fishing, the hunting of wild birds, the construction of rafts of reeds and certain techniques of weaving. Continuation of the crossing in direction of the peninsula of Capachica in the community of Llachón, one of the communities of the peninsula. You will have the opportunity to participate in one of the experiences of participatory tourism developed on the shores of Lake Titicaca, to know their social life, the reality of their difficulties and their hopes for the future. The habitat is rustic and the living conditions are certainly precarious… but all of this in a marvelous scenery of terraced cultures and reflections of the sky in the lake in a world that can give the impression of having stopped forever a long time ago… That evolves in its own way, according to its parameters and especially, at its own pace.

At your arrival at the end of the morning, you will go for a sailboat ride (30 to 45 minutes) around the peninsula (3 people per boat – this activity depends on the weather conditions of the day: wind and quietness of the lake).

Rustic lunch at the inhabitant’s house.

In the afternoon, walk around the community with your guide.

Dinner and overnight stay with the local people.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the inhabitant’s house.

Departure to Taquile Island.

Taquile, is a natural island which allows you to understand the daily life and customs of the inhabitants of the lake. Its 1,500 residents preserve their ancient traditions to which they have integrated tourism. It is worth highlighting their legendary hospitality and the quality of their weavings with symmetrical decorations and bright colors representing Andean habits and beliefs.

Lunch in a rustic inn run by the inhabitants of Taquile. Tasting of trout caught in the lake.

Return to Puno in mid-afternoon.

Transfer from the port to the hotel.

Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Standard Tikarani, standard room or similar.
Menu dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day trip from Puno to Cusco in private service

Departure for Cusco for a journey of around 10 hours, including a few visits along the way. The route passes through the Altiplano and numerous sites of tourist interest: Raqchi and its famous temple to the god Wiracocha and Andahuaylillas and its “Latin America’s Sistine Chapel”.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you on your tour.

Buffet lunch at the Feliphon restaurant

Overnight at the Hotel San Agustin Internacional – traditional room or similar.
On-site menu dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Full-day excursion with private French-speaking guide to Chinchero, Urpi community, Maras salt flats and Moray.

Departure by private vehicle for the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Visit Chinchero, a quiet little town whose upper part is a veritable open-air museum. The cobbled alleyways, lined with craftsmen, seem frozen in time. They gently lead the passer-by to the forecourt of a church whose whiteness contrasts with the magnificent surrounding mountains.
Discover the weaving workshops of the Urpi community, where you can appreciate traditional weaving techniques, from spinning to dyeing and weaving. This picturesque community is one of the few to retain its authentic cultural patterns, where the inhabitants, still bilingual, use more Quechua as a witness to a culture that reached one of the highest levels of development on the American continent, before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers.

Discovery of the Maras salt flats, followed by the Moray site. Hundreds of small salt settling basins are superimposed on the mountain, hundreds of meters high. The colors and luminosity are spectacular. The salt is extracted using Inca techniques.

The Moray site is a series of Inca agricultural terraces forming concentric circles dug into the ground.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you on your tour.

A French-speaking guide will accompany you on your excursion.
Buffet dinner at the Tunupa Valle restaurant.

Surrounded by flower gardens on the most beautiful park, our restaurant is located along the Urubamba River in the majestic Sacred Valley of the Incas. It’s the ideal place to relax, develop your senses and enjoy a magnificent culinary experience.

You’ll spend the night at the Hotel Agustos Urubamba – Standard Room or similar.

On-site menu dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch (no drinks) and dinner (no drinks) included.

Breakfast at your hotel.

Transfer from your hotel to Ollantaytambo station.

Departure by train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu – Voyager Class
Route: Ollanta – Machu Picchu / INCA RAIL company (41)

Enjoy the mystical experience of an unforgettable journey through incredible scenery as you follow the road to Machu Picchu between snow-capped peaks, towering mountains and the winding river, until you enter a magical rainforest sheltering the famous Inca citadel.

Round trip to Machu Picchu by shared tourist shuttle bus

Day trip to the citadel of Machu Picchu.
The dream of every traveler, a legend that has yet to reveal all its mysteries, the citadel of Machu Picchu continues to bewitch and seduce visitors in search of magic. This stone citadel is the emblematic monument of Peru, and indeed of the whole of South America. Indeed, it is one of the most imposing and impressive monumental ensembles on the planet, and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Ascent to Machu Picchu citadel by tourist shuttle.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Aguas Calientes.
Return by train to Ollantaytambo – Voyager Class
Enjoy incredible scenery through the Sacred Valley, between snow-capped peaks, towering mountains and the winding river, before returning to Cuzco.

Private transfer from station to Valle.

Overnight at Hotel Augusto Urubamba – standard room or similar

Menu dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel

Day trip to Ollantaytambo, Pisaq market and ruins by private service

Departure by private vehicle for the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Visit to the impressive fortress of Ollantaytambo.

Finally, visit the local market, then the archaeological site of Pisaq.
Pisaq is a Sacred Valley village built on pre-Columbian foundations by Viceroy Francisco de Toledo. Nearby are the ruins of the ancient Inca village of the same name.
It is the narrow terraces below the Inca citadel, representing the wing of a partridge (pisac’a), which gave the place its name. The Inca site includes military, religious and agricultural buildings.
Some theorize that Pisaq defended the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley.

Continuation to Cusco

Dinner at a local restaurant in the Sacred Valley

Overnight at Hotel San Agustin Internacional – Standard room

On-site dinner menu at the hotel

Buffet breakfast, lunch (without beverage) and dinner (without beverage) included

Breakfast at the hotel.

Half-day city tour and San Pedro market with English-speaking guide
You’ll leave your hotel on foot, accompanied by your guide, for the Plaza de Armas to visit Cuzco’s sublime Cathedral, built on the remains of Inca temples destroyed by the Spaniards to combat what the Holy Inquisition called “idolatry”. Among other marvels, it houses a choir, a masterpiece of colonial cabinet-making, carved from oak wood.

You’ll also discover the bustling San Pedro market. This is the city’s most important market, where you can find fruit, vegetables, spices and flowers – the perfect opportunity to soak up the local atmosphere!

Lunch menu at a local restaurant.

Half-day excursion with private English-speaking service to discover the 4 surrounding ruins on horseback.
Head for Q’enqo for a 30-minute tour of the site.
Q’enqo (“labyrinth” or “zigzag” in Quechua) is interpreted as a place of worship to Mother Earth “PachaMama”. It’s a huge stone block with the appearance of a puma, carved with corridors, channels and staircases adorned with engravings representing this animal.

You’ll then arrive at the ranch, where your horses will be waiting for you. Afterwards, you’ll take a 40-minute ride to the Qoricocha lagoon, where you’ll leave your horses for the moment.

You’ll then take a vehicle to the sites of Tambomachay and PukaPukara (30-minute visit to each site). An administrative and military center and former checkpoint on the Inca Trail, PukaPukara (“red turret” in Quechua) is a strategic site made up of platforms, staircases, corridors and turrets. Tambomachay is known as “the bath of the Inca” and considered a place of worship to water, where the Inca’s high degree of mastery of hydraulic engineering is once again expressed.

Afterwards, you’ll return to the place where you left your horses, and then take a 40-minute ride over the heights of Cuzco to Sacsayhauman. You’ll reach the site by vehicle for a one-hour visit. Sacsayhuamán (“the place where the puma rests” in Quechua) was a religious center. This monumental complex offers a beautiful panoramic view of the city. Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) is celebrated here every year on June 24.

Return to Cuzco.

Dinner menu at the Tunupa restaurant. You’ll discover the rich folklore of Peru’s different regions: fabulous dances, songs and costumes. If you feel like it, you can join in the dancing.

Overnight at the Hotel San Agustin Internacional or similar.

Buffet breakfast, lunch (no drinks) and dinner (no drinks) included.

Breakfast at your hotel.

Private transfer from your hotel to Cusco airport and assistance with baggage check-in.

Welcome at Lima airport and private transfer to the city center.

Assistance during transfer.

Lunch menu in a local restaurant overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Half-day colonial and modern tour of Lima with private English-speaking service.

Half-day colonial and modern tour of Lima.

Depart by vehicle for Miraflores, a modern tourist district overlooking the Pacific. You’ll discover the malecón overlooking the ocean and enjoy a superb panorama.

Arrive in the historic center and walk from Plaza San Martin to discover the Hotel Bolivar, then transfer to Plaza Mayor, home to the most representative Casonas Coloniales of the Peruvian capital. Visit to one of the continent’s finest examples of Colonial Baroque, Lima Cathedral.

The tour continues to the architectural complex of San Francisco, a jewel of colonial architecture.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you on your tour.

Overnight at the Dazzler Miraflores Hotel – Classic Room or similar.

On-site dinner menu at the hotel

Buffet breakfast, lunch (without beverage) and dinner (without beverage) included.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Half-day gastronomic tour of the Surquillo market with private English-speaking guide.

Transfer to start the gastronomic tour.

The tour begins with a visit to a traditional market, where you’ll discover the products that have made Peruvian gastronomy famous and now enjoying its moment of glory worldwide. Presentation of the various local fish, vegetables and fruits.

Pisco Sour, Ceviche demonstration class

The country’s flagship cockail will hold no secrets for you after this demonstration. With its origins still disputed between Peru and neighboring Chile, it is nevertheless Peru that has a controlled designation of origin for the production of its Pisco.

Quite simply “The Dish” of Peru, it is representative of what Peruvian gastronomy can be: a subtle blend of cuisines from all over the world. Ceviche is an ancestral dish that can be traced back 2,000 years to the Moche culture (pronounced Moché). Over the course of conquests and internal migrations, it has evolved into this fabulous dish of fish marinated in lime, lemons that are of far superior quality in Peru.

Dinner menu included at the El Bolivariano restaurant, a true Lima institution located in the old Pueblo Libre district. This restaurant, which has retained its traditional character, will delight your taste buds with dishes emblematic of Peruvian “criolla” cuisine.

Afternoon at leisure

Dinner ($) in Lima

Overnight at Hotel Dazzler Miraflores – Classic Room

Buffet breakfast, dinner (without beverage) included

Transfer to the airport.