Day One - Your Peru Holiday Begins!
Arrive in Lima on an evening flight as you begin your holiday in Peru! You will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the trendy Miraflores area of the city in time to take a walk around the elegant Parque Kennedy and perhaps to take in an evening meal on your first night in Peru. Of course, since this is your first night on holiday in Peru, then if you're feeling up to it then Miraflores is a great place for a night out...
Day Two - Free day in Lima
We have given you the rest of today free for you to explore the city but if you would like us to organise something (perhaps a tour of Lima, or a visit to the pre-Inca ruins at Pachacamac) then of course we'd be very happy to help. The colonial centre of Old Lima is only a short taxi-ride away from your hotel, as are the beaches and cliffs of the Pacific coast.
Day Three - Travel to Cusco
Today you will catch a lunchtime flight to Cusco - the ancient Inca capital. You will be taken to your hotel and then we have left the rest of the afternoon free for you to have a bit of an explore. Cusco is an incredible city with modern life existing side-by-side with centuries of history. You will be having a full city tour tomorrow but it's still a good idea to have a walk around the town as you get used to the altitude. In the evening it's worth trying out one of the restaurants around the buzzing Plaza de Armas as Cusco has probably the best cuisine and nightlife outside Lima!
Day Four - City tour of Cusco
Today will be spent on a tour of the main sites in the city itself, and also in the surrounding hills. You will visit the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the temple complex at Kenko, Tambomachay and many other unique and beautiful locations. You will have the evening free to relax and enjoy a meal overlooking the lively central square.
Day Five - Free day in Cusco
A holiday isn't a holiday if you don't have a chance to relax so today is all yours - you can have a wander around the local markets, stroll through the bohemian San Blas district and check out the art and jewellery, or just sit back with a few coca teas and get those postcards written.
Day Six - Into the Sacred Valley to Pisac and Ollantaytambo
Today will also be spent away from the city as you journey into the Andes for a tour of the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba. As you wind your way along one of the beautiful valleys in the world, you will be able to visit the village of Pisac (including its famous market and temple) and the temple-fortress of Ollantaytambo. You really begin to feel the spirit of the Incas as you visit these extraordinary locations. But in many ways this is just preparation for...
Day Seven - The Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu
In many ways today is the climax to your Peru holiday. You will set off early in the morning to take the scenic train along the valley of the Urubamba to Machu Picchu, giving you the full afternoon at this breathtaking lost Inca city. Gazing down on this semi-mythical city, high up in the cloud forest is an unforgettable experience that will stay with you forever. You will stay overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes, at the foot of the mountain, so you can relax in the town's famous hot springs.
Day Eight - Back to Machu Picchu
Today you will have the opportunity to revisit Machu Picchu, and to make sure you explored every corner of this unique site. Perhaps today might be a good opportunity to climb up to the sun-gate, or to visit the watch-tower on Wayna Picchu from where you will get an unparalleled view of the site. You will return by train to Cusco in the evening.
Day Nine - Travel to Puno
No rest for the wicked! After a well-deserved night rest, you will be taken to the station for a stunning coach journey to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The trip will take you right along the Andes, giving you the chance to see some more amazing scenery and some fantastic Inca sites along the way. You will arrive in the early evening and although Puno is somewhat higher than Cusco, you should be pretty well-acclimatised by now so you can enjoy a wander around Puno, with the smell of grilled trout always floating through the andean air!
Day Ten - Lake Titicaca
Today you will leave your hotel in the morning for an all-day trip out onto Lake Titicaca. You will get the chance to visit the floating reed islands and also the stunning 'real' island of Taquile, with its Inca ruins. The lake is truly a very special place and as you feel the sense of peace and tranquility you get out in the middle of the lake you can understand why it became the focal point for successive Andean religions. If you'd like a really fascinating RealPeru experience, then ask about arranging to stay the night on the island of Amantani with a local family?
Day Eleven - Back to Lima
After a free morning in Puno, you will be driven to nearby Juliaca to catch an afternoon flight back to Lima. This evening, if you haven't already, then one thing you must try before your Peru holiday is over is the Peruvian national dish: cebiche. It's an exquisite dish of white fish marinated in lemon and lime and it tastes out of this world!
Day Twelve - Last Day on holiday in Peru
We have left the rest of your last day on holiday in Peru free for you to explore on your own. A last chance to do some shopping, perhaps? If you'd prefer us to organise something for you, of course, we'd be more than happy to. Most international flights for the UK leave fairly late at night so we will pick you up from your hotel in the evening to make sure your Peru holiday ends perfectly by getting to the airport in plenty of time to catch the flight back home!
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