Cusco, Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca

After arriving in Peru, you fly on to Cusco, the Inca Citadel nestling amongst the Andes Mountains. You will be met at the airport for the short journey to your hotel in the historic areas of the city. Once there, you can check in, drink some coca tea and begin the process of acclimatising to the altitude. Taking things easy is essential on your first day in the mountains, and a gentle wander around the city in the afternoon is recommended. Your first meals at altitude should be light, but there are still plenty of options for lunch and dinner in Cusco.

Your first morning in the Inca Capital can be spent wandering at your leisure and exploring the narrow streets of the historic city. Your guided tour of Cusco and its archaeological sites will begin in the afternoon, starting with a visit to the impressive colonial cathedral, followed by Korikancha (The Temple of the Sun). From here you will travel to the outskirts of Cusco for a tour of the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, later visiting the ruins of Puca Pucara, Qenqo, and Tambomachay. The evening brings the chance to enjoy dinner in one of many cosy Cusco restaurants, including amongst the artefacts of the Pre-Columbine Art Museum. There are many other choices hidden away on the streets.

An early start has you heading up and out of Cusco before you drop down to the Urubamba Valley, the same river that flows down from the Andean Plain. This is the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Rio Urubamba passing down the valley to pass beneath the Machu Picchu ruins on the way down to the Amazon basin and eventually the Atlantic Ocean. Your first stop will be at the village of Pisac and its local market which is busy and interesting on Sundays. The afternoon will be spent exploring the impressive ruins at Ollantaytambo, and the evening at your hotel beneath the ruins. You can enjoy the spectacular scenery of the valley at night, with little light pollution and many stars in the clear Andean skies.

In the morning, you leave the train station at Ollantaytambo to travel further down the banks of the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes. This town sits in the valley below the ruins of Machu Picchu, and your guide will take you on the bus up to the gates while your luggage is taken to the hotel. The ruins of the Inca Citadel, set amongst spectacular mountains covered with tropical greenery are one of the most impressive sights on earth. A two hour tour helps you learn a little of the Inca culture, the myths and legends, and the theories of the agricultural use and eventual disuse of this sacred place. You can spend time amongst the ruins for yourself or hike up to the Sun Gate before catching the bus back down.

Today you may well wish to return to the ruins for some further exploration. If you would like to be at the ruins for sunrise, you need to contact your guide and pay the second entrance fee plus the return bus trip. The first bus up the hill leaves Aguas Calientes at 5:45am so you need to be prepared for an early start. You may also consider the hike up to Huayna Picchu. This trek requires approximately three hours to complete and allows for spectacular views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. After descending, you may have time to enjoy the hot springs that give the town its name before your train to Cusco departs in the afternoon. You arrive in the Inca Capital after dark and transfer immediately to your hotel.

An early start takes you from the bus or train station to Lake Titicaca, with stops at Rachi, Andahuayillas, and La Raya en route. The Inca ruins of Rachi are set amongst the upper reaches of the Urubamba Valley. Andahuayillas contains one of the nicest churches in the Andes, while La Raya is the place where the road and railway reach their highest point before arriving on the Andean Plain, over 4,000m above sea level. Here, you can see a stream coming down between two mountains - a source of the River Amazon. On arrival in Puno you transfer to your hotel overlooking Lake Titicaca with the evening free for dinner with a view of the lake.

Today you take a boat out onto the deep, blue waters of Lake Titicaca to visit the fascinating floating Islands of Uros. These islands have been man-made using the tortura reeds that grow in abundance around the lake, and you can meet some of the colourful local families and enjoy their company as you learn about their lifestyles. You travel out onto the lake to Taquile, a more traditional type of island in every way! Taquile has its own very specific and unique culture, with the men from the villages still producing the textiles that have helped to make it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch on the island, your boat returns to Puno where your evening is free.

After a final sunrise over the dark blue waters of Lake Titicaca, you need to prepare to leave. The first part of your journey is the transfer from the shores of the lake around Puno to the city of Juliaca. The city has an airport with direct connections to Lima. On arrival in the Peruvian capital, you may have some time to spare before your overnight international flight home. This may be spent across the road from the terminal building at the Ramada Costa del Sol Airport Hotel, which has spa facilities and a restaurant that are open to non-guests. Your flight away gives you time to reflect on the cultural and natural wonders of your time in Peru.