Colors of Peru

Departure by intercontinental scheduled flight to Lima, via Madrid. Meals and overnight stay on board.

Breakfast. Arrive in the morning, transfer to the hotel and immediate settling into rooms. Time at leisure. Lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, visit the city's historic center: one of the most important capitals of South America, with a mix of colonial and modern architecture. The visit begins at the Plaza de Armas (the main square), witness not only to the founding by the Spanish, by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, but also to Peru's independence movements. Visit the Cathedral, built by the Spaniards in the Baroque style in the 17th century, and the Convent of San Francisco with its Baroque-Limeño facade. Then visit the Larco Museum, which houses an important collection of ceramics, textiles, and objects dating back to the Moche and other pre-Inca cultures. Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast. Early morning departure (driver only) to Nazca by traveling along the "Panamericana Sud," which skirts the Pacific coast, and crossing breathtaking landscapes of sand dunes and mountains. Stop for speedboat excursion to the Ballestas Islands to admire "the little Galapagos," islets rich in marine life such as penguins, cormorants, sea lions, pelicans, and to the Huacachina oasis. Continuation to Nazca with a stop to visit the Antonini Museum, opened in 1999, which collects the results of various excavation campaigns in the Nazca region directed since 1982 by Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Orefici. Arrival and settling into the hotel. Overnight.

Please note: In case of fewer than 4 participants, transfer from Lima to Nasca is by scheduled bus, with no stop in Paracas. Excursion to the Ballestas Islands, Huacachina Oasis and visit to the Antonini Museum are not included

Breakfast. In the morning fly over the Nazca Lines (group service, pilot/guide in Spanish/English), traced in a desert area 20 km from the city where various geometric figures, flowers, bird figures, reptiles and monkeys can be seen (excursion is subject to weather conditions). All this is still shrouded in mystery and a source of study as the ancient signs can only be seen in their entirety from above! Afterwards transfer to Arequipa (driver only). Arrival in the evening and transfer to hotel. Overnight.

Please note:
Starting with 4 participants, the flyover can be advanced to the afternoon of the previous day.
In case of less than 4 participants Transfer from Nazca to Arequipa is by scheduled bus Cruz del Sur. Arrival is expected late in the evening or the next day (overnight on the bus) depending on the schedule of the scheduled buses. Transfer to the hotel is provided upon arrival.

Breakfast. Morning dedicated to visiting the historic center of Arequipa. Start in the Yanahuara district, with a stop at the Carmen Alto viewpoint that offers splendid views of the Chilina Valley. We continue to the colonial center with a visit to the church and cloisters of the Society of Jesus and the Santa Catalina Convent. (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000). This colonial gem, founded in 1580, of special religious architecture is composed of churches, cloisters, plazas, various rooms and still retains its 16th-century colonial charm.. In the afternoon there is a very interesting visit to the Santuarios Andinos museum, which houses the famous Juanita mummy, a 14-year-old Inca virgin sacrificed 530 years ago near the summit of the Ampato volcano at an altitude of more than 6,300 m. Her nickname is " Juanita, the Ice Princess," and she was discovered in 1995 by Peruvian guide Miguel Zarate and American archaeologist John Reinhard. (The Juanita mummy is kept in the dark for preservation from January 1 to April 30. During these months the Sarita mummy, also found on Ampato volcano, is displayed). Overnight stay.Please note:
the display of the Juanita and Sarita mummies has been temporarily suspended. In their place, copies will be displayed.

Breakfast. Morning at leisure. Transfer to the bus terminal and departure by scheduled bus to Puno. The journey takes in imposing and wild highland vistas. Arrival, transfer and check into hotel. Free time to acclimatize to the altitude. Overnight.

Distance Arequipa - Puno 325 km; travel time: 6 hours

Breakfast. Full-day excursion (by group boat with others and guide in Spanish-English) on Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake located at 3800 m above sea level that includes natural and artificial islands and hidden archaeological sites. Visit the floating islands of the Uros, an ancient local ethnic group, with the possibility of taking a walk on typical totora boats (optional), Taquile Island and the indigenous community of Llachòn on the Capachica Peninsula. Return to Puno and overnight stay.

Breakfast. Transfer (collective with Spanish/English guide) to Cusco with a stop to visit Pucara, Raqchi or Viracocha Temple, built in the 15th century, considered by historians to be an important example of the different architectural techniques of the Incas and Andahuaylillas, with the Church of San Pedro, built by the Jesuits over an Inca construction in the late 16th and early 17th centuries and characterized by the splendid frescoes that cover the walls and roof, so that it is considered the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas." Lunch on transfer. Arrival and settling into the hotel. Overnight.Please note: for 10 participants and above, transfer will be by private transportation and visit the Chullpas of Sillustani instead of Pucara.

Breakfast. Full day of sightseeing in the Sacred Valley with a visit to the Chinchero market that takes place every Sunday (on other days you will visit the market in Pisac) with the colorful ponchos, sweaters and blankets made of alpaca wool where the inhabitants roam around wearing their traditional clothes. There is also a demonstration of wool processing: from washing, to spinning, to dyeing with natural dyes made from local plants. Afterwards, panoramic tour of the Maras Salt Mines located at the foot of a mountain and divided into numerous pools that receive salt water from underground. This salt mine is one of the oldest in Peru, known even before the arrival of the Incas in the region (during the rainy season, from late November to early April, replace the visit of Maras with a visit to Moray) and the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, the imposing fortress that protected the entrance to the Sacred Valley. Lunch on the excursion. Departure by Expedition train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Hotel accommodation. Hotel accommodation. Overnight stay.Please note: For overnight stay in Machu Picchu Pueblo Passengers will need to leave with a backpack with necessities for 2 days and 1 night, as only carry-on luggage is allowed on the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo with a total weight of 5 kg. Suitcases will remain stored in the hotel in Cusco.

Breakfast. Morning dedicated to a visit to Machu Picchu. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, it is the iconic site of Peru and one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.Built at the highest point of the mountain in the 15th century by the Inca Pachacútec, it includes terraces, canals, and temples, made of large blocks of dry stone. Opposite "Machu Picchu" (meaning old mountain), is located the "Huayna Picchu," a summit that can be reached by a one-hour walk from which you can enjoy spectacular views of the entire archaeological area (optional - book in advance). Return to Machu Picchu Pueblo and depart by train to Poroy station. Continuation to Cusco, hotel accommodation and overnight stay.

Breakfast. In the morning visit to the historic center of Cusco (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983): the Plaza de Armas, where, according to legend, Inca Manco Capac's golden staff stuck, indicating to him the exact spot where he would found the city that would become the capital of the Empire; the 17th-century cathedral; and Koricancha, famous temple of temples. Afterwards, visit the surrounding ruins: the amphitheater of Kenko, a religious temple of complex shape; Puka Pukara, the red fortress, built by the Incas and composed of stairways and terraces. Tambomachay also called "bath of the Inca" and Sacsayhuaman, the cyclopean fortress that defended Cusco. At the end of the visits, stroll to discover the bustling San Pedro market, renowned both for its architectural structure (the building was designed by Gustav Eiffel) and its colors and products: from the freshest fruit juices, to tortillas and other typical Andean products, from handicrafts, to coca leaves. A truly unique experience. Free lunch. Free afternoon to stroll through the markets and quietly enjoy the beautiful city. In the evening, dinner with folkloric performance. Overnight.

Breakfast. Morning at leisure for optional excursions. Transfer to the airport. Departure by flight to Lima. Arrive and check into hotel inside the airport. Overnight.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport and departure by intercontinental flight to Italy, via Madrid. Meals and overnight stay on board.

End of the journey.