10-Day Peru Highlights Tour

DURING THE MORNING ARRIVAL BY PLANE TO AREQUIPA

Organize your trip from Lima or another place in Peru to Arequipa during the morning! Our guide and vehicle driver are waiting for you at the airport. “Look for the Kondor Path Tours sign with your name inscribed.” Then, we have a transfer service to the hotel in the center of Arequipa.

CITY TOUR AREQUIPA IN THE AFTERNOON

At 1:30 p.m., we begin with a guided tour of the White City of Arequipa, which UNESCO has declared a “Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” Then, we will explore the city’s most attractive historical and architectural areas.

EXPLORE:

1. The viewpoints of Carmen Alto and Yanahuara
2. The main square, with a view of the cathedral
3. The portals and the church of the Company of Jesus
4. Santa Catalina Monastery.

At 08:30, we start the trip towards the Andes of Arequipa, towards the valley of Chivay; the journey takes approximately three and a half hours. Enjoy technical stops to enjoy the panoramic views and especially the fauna of the Andes, such as the Vicuñas “family of South American camelids” with incredible views of the Valley of the Volcanoes. In the afternoon, enjoy the thermal baths of La Calera near Chivay.

EXPLORE

1. The Colca Canyon trip begins towards Condor’s most spectacular viewpoint, “Cruz del Condor.” Observe the Andean condor between 13:30 and 16:00
2. The viewpoint of the volcanoes (4800 meters): observation of the volcanic chain of Arequipa”
3. In the afternoon, go to the Thermal Baths de la Calera near Chivay.

AFTER THE CONDOR VIEWPOINT:

Optional visits to the folkloric towns of Pinchollo, Maca, and Yanque, with their incredible viewpoints and white ashlar chapel

Visitors start the trip to Puno at approximately 8:00 a.m. At 13:30, they explore the ruins of Chullpas de Sillustani before entering Puno to spend the night near Lake Titicaca, “the highest navigable and inhabited lake in the world.” Arrival in Puno is approximately at 16:00 hours

EXPLORE:

• Pampa Cañahuas National Reserve: Vicuña observation
• Toccra Wetlands: Incredible flora and fauna of the Andes
• Sillustani Inca Burial Towers

At 7:40 a.m., the hotel pick-up service in Puno will head to the port of Lake Titicaca to begin the excursion to the islands of Uros and Taquile. The tour is done by speedboat to give us more time for our visits and to enjoy the trip around Lake Titicaca to the fullest.

UROS FLOATING ISLANDS

It is a magnificent trip to take pictures of the entire population or the islands of the Uros. Visitors can ride inside the boat, on the back, or on the roof for one of the best full-perspective photos. They can also enjoy walking on one of the floating islands and visiting the native families of Lake Titicaca.

TAQUILE ISLAND

When we arrive at the port of Taquile, we have to climb a slope that we recommend strolling up until we reach the Taquile square. Once in Taquile, we take a guided tour of the islanders’ traditions and culture, with unique panoramic views of Lake Titicaca. We arrive back in Puno between 03:30 and 04:30 p.m.

At 05:00, we start the trip northwest of Puno toward the rainbow mountains of Vinicunca, “approximately 4 hours and 50 minutes of travel.”

Once we get to the Rainbow Mountain parking lot, the saddle horses wait for us to ride them for 50 minutes near the colorful peak! It’s an 18-minute walk to the Rainbow Mountain Passes to enjoy the views and the Rainbow Mountain range.

To fully experience the Andes of Cusco, the return by foot takes about 35–45 minutes until you reach the vehicle! The vehicular trip continues to Cusco, which lasts about three more hours.

For many travelers, the center of Cusco, especially the main square, is one of the most charming in all of Peru, so it is worth giving yourself a day of free time to explore the center of Cusco at your leisure or do other activities. Cusco is the tourist metropolis of all of Peru.

Activities to explore in Cusco

1. Visit the Cathedral of Cusco.
2. The main temple of the Incas! The famous Coricancha
3. The panoramic bus ride through the city
4. The church of La Merced, Company of Jesus
5. Chocolate Museum Experience
6. The stone of the 12 angles
7. The San Blas neighborhood is home to artists and artisans.
8. In the traditional market of San Pedro
9. Inca and Colonial Museums of the Center of Cusco

At 09:00, we start a trip to explore part of the Sacred Valley and the Inca ruins northwest of Cusco, known as the Four Ruins. Visit the ruins of Pisac, such as the Cuyo Chico and Taray viewpoints, with views of the Inca terraces and the Inca Valley.

Returning to Cusco, visit the incredible Inca fountains of Tambomachay with their peculiar and unique architecture, then explore the Inca control of Puca Pucara and the Qenqo labyrinth. The exploration ends with the colossal temple of Sacsayhuaman, where the stones are immense! For many researchers, Sacsayhuaman is the ultimate architectural expression of the Inca empire.

EXPLORE:

1. Pisac Inca and Colonial Viewpoint
2. Cuyo Chico Viewpoint
3. Pisac Ruins
4. The Pisac Colonial Ovens “make delicious empanadas with nutritious flour from the Andes.”
5. Tambomachay Inca Fountain
6. Inca control of Puca Pucara, “red fortress.”
7. Ruins of Qenqo “labyrinth and underground passages”
8. Sacsayhuaman ruins “megalithic construction.”

At 7:30, we start the trip to Machu Picchu Pueblo! Firstly, by car, and then by train.

During the trip, visit charming places such as the textile center of Chinchero, the incredible ruins of Chinchero, and the salt mines of Maras, with their white views intermingling with the valleys. A guided visit to the magnificent circular terraces of Moray and the ruins of Ollantaytambo with its imposing temple of the sun

In the afternoon, travel by train for approximately one hour and 40 minutes until we reach Machu Picchu Pueblo, better known as Aguas Calientes, to spend not far from the ruins of Machu Picchu. “at the foot of the mountain.”

EXPLORE:

1. The textile center of Chinchero is “a sample of Inca ancestral fabric.”
2. Chinchero ruins with views towards the Chinchero plains
3. Raqchi’s viewpoint “views towards the Sacred Valley.”
4. Maras Salt Mines
5. Circular ruins of Moray
6. Ollantaytambo Ruins

In the morning, enjoy a 2-hour guided tour inside the Machu Picchu citadel through Circuit 1 or 2, which are the best for panoramic views from the Machu Picchu viewpoint!

The guided tour consists of visiting the fantastic sites of the Inca citadel, such as the house of the Inca guardian, the agricultural area, the residential area, the temple of the sun, the quarries, the sundial, the residence of the chosen ones of the sun, and the Inca sources. The tour takes you walking to enjoy every corner of Machu Picchu and get some of the best photographic perspectives of Machu Picchu.

After noon, we return to Cusco by train to Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, we board the private tourist vehicle to travel to Cusco. “The whole trip takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes.”

When travelers indicate their air flight from Cusco to Lima, we have a transfer service from the hotel to the Cusco airport.

Thank you very much for your trips with Kondor Path Tours in Peru.