Andean Experience (La Paz to Lima)

Day 1 to 1

Arrive La Paz

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. La Paz is the highest capital city in the world at 3,636 metres. Built on a series of hills and considered one of the world's most beautiful cities, La Paz was established in the basin of a canyon with the snow-capped Mount Illimani in the background. Our hotel is very centrally located and is just around the corner from the city's colourful Indian street markets including the fascinating and suitably called "witches market'' where bowler-hatted women in their flared skirts sell such items as dead cats and llamas foetuses said to ward off evil spirits. The main square, Plaza Murillo, is also within walking distance. The square still retains its colonial buildings including the Presidential Palace. You may want to arrive early to acclimatize and get the most out of your stay in La Paz. You can check out the Moon Valley with its strange rock formations shaped by the weather. La Paz is possibly the best place to experience a traditional peña show of Andean music and dance where local bands play time-honoured instruments such as zampoñas (pipes) and charangos (ukulele). There are also many optional excursions available. You could take in the incredible views from Mount Chacaltaya and the world's highest ski resort at 5,221metres. Another fantastic excursion is to Coroico, the gateway to the Bolivian jungle region and a great place to see sub-tropical vegetation and plants. En-route you will cross a 5,000 metre high pass before descending to 1,300 metres on narrow mountain roads bordered by sheer drops. The excursion to Coroico can also be done by mountain bike, as it is downhill nearly all the way and very exhilarating, but not for the fainthearted!

Day 2 to 4

Puno - Uros -Amantani & Taquile Islands

Today we continue our drive over the Altiplano and it becomes far more scenic. At an average altitude of over 4,000 metres above sea level we now follow the shores of Lake Titicaca. We cross into Peru and then continue our journey to Puno, where we spend the night. This city will be our base for visiting the floating reed islands in the Bay of Puno to see the Uros Indian's way of life and ride in a traditional reed boat before continuing our boat journey to the island of Amantaní. Here we enjoy the hospitality of the native Aymara/Quechua Indian families to sleep in their homes, we usually purchase gifts for the families at the port of Puno.. The next morning we visit Taquile Island, where the men stand around knitting distinctive woollen hats while the women work the fields. You can buy some of these unique handicrafts in the local co-operative shops. After lunch we board our boat for the return journey to Puno.

Day 5 to 6

Cuzco

We take a bus journey where we'll drive along roads, with herds of llamas, alpacas and vicuñas in the distance, our journey takes us past hot mineral pools, snow capped mountains and through villages where the Indians sell food, fur hats and alpaca sweaters. At the highest point, the La Raya pass at 4,321 metres, you can see the research station for high altitude animals. The beautiful scenery is continual all the way to legendary Cuzco where your tour leader will take you an orientation walking tour of this ancient Inca capital. This enchanting city has an indigenous population of around 300,000 with its centre being the Plaza de Armas which is dominated by the opulent Cathedral and La Compañia de Jesus Church and its cloistered arcades housing many fine restaurants, bars and shops. Make the most of your free days in Cuzco to explore its amazing churches, colonial buildings and picturesque streets, many of which have Inca walls, arches and doorways. On a hill overlooking the city stands the ceremonial fortress of Sacsayhuaman, where some of the most spectacular Inca walls can be found, one of the stones is a massive 130 tons. This is also the location of the famous annual Inti Raymi Festival, which takes place on the 24th June. In close proximity are some other fine examples of the Inca ingenuity: Kenko, Tambo Machay and Puka Pukara.

Day 6 to 8

Amazon Jungle (or free time) - Cuzco

If you choose not to visit the Amazon Jungle you will have free time in Cuzco and a portion of your tour cost will be deducted (see our brochure for prices). Today we fly to the jungle community of Puerto Maldonado, the starting point for our visit to the Amazon rainforest. Here you can pick up any last minute drinks or snacks in the busy markets and shops. The first leg of our journey is by bus followed by motorised canoe, a 35km journey along the river (approx 2 hours total). The canoes are very safe and lifejackets are supplied. Arriving at the lodge located on the river’s edge, you will be allocated a bungalow all of which are built from local indigenous materials. Each room is sealed by meshed netting to keep out mosquitoes and other insects. All rooms have basic private bathroom facilities. Due to the remoteness of the lodge there is no hot water and drinking water should be purchased. There is also limited electricity so please charge any electrical equipment prior to your arrival. In the evening the lodge and walkways are lit by oil lamps. Other facilities include a welcoming reception area, dining room and bar facilities. All excursions are led by English speaking local guides providing plenty of opportunity to enjoy marvellous jungle landscapes and rich diversity of flora and fauna. After lunch we take a short boat trip across the Madre de Dios River to Monkey Island. On the way over you may spot caiman from the boat. Once upon the island it is possible to see a great variety of monkeys such as the ‘maquisapa’, black and white ‘Martins’, ‘Leoncito de la Selva’ (Little lions), ‘Frailes’ (Friars), ‘Achuñis’, ‘Ronsocos’  as well as an array of birdlife. In the evenings it is often possible to enjoy the wonderful sunset, one of the most impressive sights of the forest (weather permitting). We then return to the lodge for dinner. After an early breakfast we will set off on a trek through the rainforest along wooden walk ways. On the way our guide will stop to show you various species of bird and explain the medicinal plants and delicate ecological systems of the Amazon Jungle. The scenery is extremely varied incorporating dense jungle as well as marsh areas. You will see incredibly big trees, several metres in diameter and around 450 years old. There is an opportunity to take a canoe ride drifting along one of the small lakes hidden away in the jungle, observing caiman and the abundant bird life. We may also catch a glimpse of the rare giant otter. Afterwards we will enjoy the view of the lake from our viewing point/observation platform, where you can experience the canopy wildlife such as parrots, guacamayos, toucans, camungos, shanshos, herons, turtles and caiman (alligators). We will return to the lodge for a well deserved lunch. In the afternoon we visit the Gamitana River where you can try fishing or take a dip. (All excursions are weather permitting and itineraries may be changed slightly due to local conditions). On the final day we awake to the sounds of the jungle before departing this jungle haven and returning to Puerto Maldonado for our flight on to Cuzco, where you have the rest of the day free to explore this fascinating ancient capital.

Day 9 to 13

Sacred Valley of the Incas -Overnight in Ollantaytambo. - Inca Trail -Machu Picchu

A full day is spent visiting the Sacred Valley of the Incas; firstly, Pisac ruins, perched on a hilltop with incredible views of the snow-capped mountains, and down to the famous traditional Indian market of the same name, which is full of colour and atmosphere. A great place for souvenirs! After lunch, we continue along the valley to the temple-fortress of Ollantaytambo with its enormous Inca terracing constructed on the side of a steep mountain. Tonight we will spend the night in Ollantaytambo. This evening those who are trekking to Machu Picchu will have a briefing to prepare for the next few days and there will be an early departure the following morning. Please ask your agent or download our ‘Inca Trail Information Sheet' or ‘Lares Trek Sheet' for a day to day itinerary of your trek. The Lost City of Machu Picchu was originally completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs. Located high above the fast flowing Urubamba River, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation that will simply take your breath away. The ruins were only discovered by the outside world in 1911, when American explorer Hiram Bingham found them while looking for another “lost city” called Vilcabamba. Due to their isolation many of the buildings are still quite intact and you can't help but admire Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”), which towers above the ruins. It is a hard climb to the top of the mountain (it takes about 50 minutes) but you are rewarded with spectacular views over the whole site.

Day 14 to 17

Cuzco - Arequipa -Colca Canyon - Arequipa

You now have one last free day in Cuzco to recover from the Inca Trail, get some shopping done or visit more of the interesting museums and sights around town. After a short flight we arrive in Arequipa where there's time to explore this beautiful colonial city. Arequipa has a lovely central plaza dominated by a large cathedral. There are some fantastic restaurants in Arequipa and it is possible to enjoy many Peruvian delicacies here. Besides the stimulating architecture, the main attraction is the Santa Catalina Convent, which is almost a city itself with its maze of cobbled streets, cloisters and decorative buildings (optional). Don't miss the nun's café for excellent freshly baked treats! Next we take a two-day excursion to the Colca Canyon, said to be the deepest canyon in the world. En route we travel into the high, barren Andean landscape, passing through ghost towns destroyed by earthquakes and learning about the local fauna and flora of the region. We will spend the night in Chivay and after checking into our hotel and lunch we go for a walk to the entrance of the canyon. In the afternoon you can have a rest or visit the nearby thermal springs (optional). The next morning we travel to “the Condor's Cross” to watch for giant condors soaring out of the canyon on thermal currents. Next we take a walk along the Canyon and then have lunch on the return back to Arequipa. In the evening we travel by night bus to Nazca.

Day 18 to 19

Nazca

Nazca is famous for the intriguing parallel lines, animal and geometrical figures etched into the desert floor. This morning you have free time to take an optional flight over the Nazca Lines. Although there is a viewing tower, these strange designs which include: a monkey, hummingbird, condor, spider and even a spaceman, can only be fully appreciated from the air. This is one of the world's greatest mysteries as the ancient people who created the lines did not have aircraft but possibly had hot-air balloons. See the lines and decide which theory you like best: astronomical calendar, alien landing strips, artwork or a giant running track. The designs are thought to have been made by three different groups of people: the Paracas (900-200 BC), the Nazca (200BC-600AD) and then new migrants from Ayacucho around 630AD. In the afternoon you can visit the gold miners, ceramic shops and the extraordinary Chauchilla cemetery (optional). This cemetery is like no other; sites have been excavated so you can see ancient mummies that still have skin and hair intact!

Day 19 to 20

Huacachina - Pisco - Paracas -Ballestas Islands - Lima

We leave Nazca and now travel now deep into the desert towards the Huacachina oasis where you have the chance to try your hand sand boarding down the enormous sand dunes, which is a lot of fun. The brave can go for a dip in the murky lagoon (said to have therapeutic properties). We then continue on to Pisco where you can sample Peru's national drink, the “Pisco Sour”, which was named after the city. Pisco is also renowned for its excellent seafood. Why not combine the two with a relaxing evening sipping cocktails and feasting? The following morning we take a motorboat from Paracas out to explore the Ballestas Islands. The islands are teeming with over 150 species of bird life (including penguins, cormorants, boobies and pelicans), are home to thousands of sea lions and boast some amazing rock formations. Although it is not possible to set foot on the islands, you will experience the magnificent sight and sounds of the thousands of sea lions and birds and maybe even spot seals and dolphins playing around the boat. Our boat trip also takes us past the mysterious “Candelabra” figure etched on the side of a mountain. Best viewed from the sea, many believe the Candelabra is linked to the Nazca Lines. We travel up the coast to Lima, our final destination, in the afternoon. Peru's capital was founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535 and the capital of the conquistadors, Lima has many fine colonial buildings and some of the best museums in South America including the Gold Museum and the Museum of the Inquisition. The "City of the Kings" has much to offer visitors and most of the sights are within walking distance of our hotel including the city's two main squares the Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, both of which have been recently restored to their former glory. The Plaza de Armas houses the Cathedral, Municipal Palace and Presidential Palace where the changing of the guard can be seen every day at 12 noon.

Day 21 to 21

Depart Lima

Our tour concludes on day 21.