Down to earth holidays

Description

This is an excellent holiday which introduces you to the culture and heritage of modern and ancient Peru. It combines our Inca Highlights trip with Lake Titicaca.

In Cusco, high in the Andes, your brush with Incan culture begins. This is the historical capital of the Incan Empire. Even today you can see walls made of huge interlocking granite stones which were carved so precisely that no mortar was needed to keep them together. And many of the city's buildings are built on the foundations of Inca buildings, such as Korikancha and the cathedral.

But you don't just come here for the fascinating past, you also come for the vibrant and colourful present. Cusco is a bit of a ‘mecca' for travellers, and it is an exciting place to be. Enjoy the bars and restaurants, watch the Quechuan people go by in indigenous dress, and even bump into the odd llama. The shopping here is excellent too, so be warned!

About an hour's drive out of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas was probably called this because of its great fertility. The Urubamba Valley (as it is officially known) was the bread basket of the area, and actually still is. You can still see people working the terraced hillsides which have been farmed like this for hundreds of years. It is a very scenic area with lots of small traditional villages such as Pisac, which has a not-to-be-missed market three times a week, and Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was one of the Inca's last strongholds, and today it retains superbly preserved ruins.

But of course the main highlight of Incan heritage is the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. A shared tour of the ancient city will undoubtedly be one of the most unforgettable parts of your holiday. Arriving by train at the small town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain on which Machu Picchu stands, you then take a zig-zag bus journey up to the ruins. The spectacle of this magical set of ruins in this dramatic mountain landscape is enjoyed by some simply by looking in awe, but you can explore the city with a guide to get all the history and hearsay, then come back and just wander around and enjoy being here.

After a train journey from Machu Picchu to Cusco, you then have a scenic journey by bus over the altiplano (high plains) to Puno and the shores of Lake Titicaca, one of the highest lakes in the world. You'll visit the famous floating reed islands of Uros and the remote island of Amantani, where another highlight of the holiday for many will be a homestay. Whilst there is rarely a common language (these are Aymari-speaking people), there is no doubting the friendly welcome you will receive from your hosts.

Your last stop is Lima. After the places you've just seen, it could seem a little dull. However a private tour of some of the more interesting spots is well worthwhile in the time you will inevitably have here due to flight timings.

We also offer extended versions of this holiday taking in Arequipa and the Colca Canyon, or the Amazon rainforest, or a combination of these locations.

Detailed Itinerary

1. DAY 1: Arrive in Lima. You will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel.
2. DAY 2: This morning you will be transferred to the airport to fly to Cusco. On arrival you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel which is in easy walking distance of the centre of Cusco. Your afternoon is free so you can acclimatise to the altitude and explore Cusco at your own pace. B
3. DAY 3: You have a free morning to relax, further explore Cusco or go shopping. In the afternoon you will join a shared tour of Cusco which will give you some insight into the history of this remarkable town and will take in the main sites within the town such as Korikancha (The Sun Temple) and the Cathedral, and the nearby Inca ruins such as Sacsayhuaman and Tambomachay. B
4. DAY 4: Today you join a shared tour of the Sacred Valley. There are some lovely villages in the valley and the main focus of the tour is Pisac which is famous for its traditional Andean market. Market days are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays with the biggest being on Sundays. Local farmers bring their fruits, vegetables and other produce, and there is also a big selection of crafts and textiles on the Sunday. Lunch is at a local restaurant. The day finishes at Ollantaytambo. There are some seriously impressive ruins here as well as it being an interesting little village. You are staying in Ollantay’ overnight so you can explore some more after the tour. B,L
5. DAY 5: This morning you catch the train from Ollantaytambo to the little town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu. You are joining a shared tour to take you around this magnificent city. B
6. DAY 6: You have a free morning. You may like to stay in Aguas Calientes or go back up for a second visit to Machu Picchu. In the afternoon you take the train back to Cusco. B
7. DAY 7:  This morning we transfer you to the bus station for your journey to Puno by Lake Titicaca, over the spectacular Andes mountains. B,L
8. DAY 8:  After breakfast you begin your full day trip on Lake Titicaca. You stop to visit the floating reed islands of Uros. These are more or less like a living museum. The villagers do not live on these particular islands any more, but use them to show travellers their traditional life. This enables them to keep their lived-on islands for themselves. You end the day on Amantani Island, and it is here that you will stay the night as the guest of an islander. It's good fun, they make you very welcome, and there's often dancing and music on an evening. FB.
9. DAY 9: Leaving Amantani you go to the island of Taquile to see life on another island before heading back to Puno for the night. B,L.
10. DAY 10: You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima. On arrival you will be met and will have a private city tour taking in the main sites such as the Main Square, the Cathedral and religious museum, San Francisco Church and the residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro. You will then be transferred to the airport for your flight home. B