Essential Peru

Please note that Day 1 is an arrival day with no planned activities, so you may arrive at any time. Similarly, the last day is a departure day with no planned activities.

When you arrive in Lima, Peru's capital, our transfer staff will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign bearing your name. Please look for them so they can take you to your hotel in Miraflores.

Miraflores is considered one of the best places to stay while visiting Lima. It is also one of the safest districts in the city and offers several tourist attractions, such as Parque Kennedy, where you will find restaurants, banks, and shops. For views of the Pacific  Ocean, visit Larcomar, a shopping and entertainment center with an incredible ocean view.

Please provide us with your exact flight details, including the airline, flight number, and arrival time, so our driver can be ready to meet you when you arrive. If you have a WhatsApp number, please share it with us so the driver can contact you directly when you arrive.

The Essential Peru Tour begins today. It is important to be ready three hours before your domestic flight's departure time. First, a transfer will pick you up from your hotel and drive you to Lima International Airport, where you will board a flight to Arequipa. The flight takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Upon arrival in Arequipa, you will be transferred to your hotel. You have the rest of the day to explore. You may visit the Main Square and the Santa Catalina Convent in Arequipa, or you can contact our sales department to arrange additional activities in Arequipa for this day.

Our guide will pick you up from your hotel in the morning, and we will begin our journey to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. We will travel on the Yura Highway and pass by the snow-capped Chachani volcano before reaching the Cañahuas Plain, which is part of the Aguada Blanca and Salinas National Reserve. This area is home to elegant vicunas, the most beautiful of the South American camelids.

Then, we will continue through the Tocra wetlands, where various migratory birds, including flamingos, can often be spotted. We will pass the crater of an extinct volcano, Chucura, and stop at the highest point of the route: the Patapampa Volcano Viewpoint (16,109 ft/4,910 m). From there, we can admire a spectacular panorama of the western Andes.

By midday, we will arrive in Chivay, where we will enjoy a delicious lunch. Afterward, we will check in at our hotels. In the afternoon, you can relax and soak in the thermal baths, where the mineral-rich waters range from 95 to 100 °F. We will spend the night in Chivay.

After breakfast, we will head to the famous Cruz del Cóndor Lookout, located about an hour from Chivay. This natural viewpoint offers breathtaking views of the Colca Canyon and is the best place to see the majestic Andean condor in flight. We will spend about 45 minutes here to fully appreciate the scenery and the condors in flight.

On the way back, we will stop at several viewpoints to admire the impressive pre-Inca terraces and the stunning landscapes of the Colca Valley. We will also visit Maca, a town known for its picturesque church and traditional charm.

Then, we will return to Chivay for lunch, which is not included, before continuing our drive back to Arequipa, where we will arrive in the late afternoon.

Today is your last day in beautiful Arequipa.

Our driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport for your flight from the "White City" to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. Upon arrival, a representative will be waiting for you at the airport. Look for a sign with your name; our staff will meet you and assist you.

You will then be taken to your hotel in Cusco, which is conveniently located in the historic center. Once you arrive, it is important to rest for at least two hours to help your body acclimate to the altitude. After resting, we recommend trying coca tea, a traditional remedy that helps with acclimating to the altitude.

You are free to explore Cusco at your own pace for the rest of the day. You may stroll through the main square, visit the Coricancha (Temple of the Sun), or explore the bustling San Pedro Market, a favorite spot for locals and travelers alike. Cusco itself is a living museum where Incan and Spanish architecture blend, offering plenty to discover by simply walking around the city.

If you’d like to experience more, you can contact our sales team to add an optional Cusco City Tour. This half-day excursion (afternoon to evening) includes visits to the cathedral, the Coricancha temple, and four impressive archaeological sites surrounding the city: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Pukapukara, and Tambomachay.

Today, our guide will pick us up from the hotel and we will begin our journey through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. During Inca times, this fertile valley was considered sacred due to its abundant potato, corn, and other Andean crop production, which was distributed throughout the Inca Empire.

Our first stop will be Pisac. There, we will explore the impressive Inca ruins located on a hill known as Intihuatana. The site features agricultural terraces, ceremonial areas, and stunning vistas of the valley below. Then, we will descend to the picturesque town of Pisac, where Inca, mestizo, and colonial influences are evident. There, you will have time to explore the colorful local market and admire traditional Andean handicrafts.

Then, we will drive along the Sacred Valley until we reach Urubamba, where we will enjoy a buffet lunch at one of the best local restaurants (included in the excursion).

After lunch, we will head to Ollantaytambo, a small Inca and colonial town that was once an important agricultural, administrative, religious, and military center of the Tahuantinsuyo. There, we will visit the archaeological site with our guide and explore its remarkable terraces, temples, and fortress-like structures.

Afterwards, we will walk to our hotel in Ollantaytambo, where we will spend the night. In the evening, you can explore the charming town on your own. We recommend going to bed early because the next day, we will begin hiking along the legendary Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Early morning, transfer by bus to the trailhead at km82, (2350 m) with local porters, chef and bi-ligual guide. Start our trek through the Inca Trail, in the course of the walk, we will see various archaeological sites and scenic beauty that offered by the Inca. On the last day to get Intipunku, the 'Sun gate" to watch the sunrise over the lost city of the Incas, "Machu Picchu." and the surrounding mountain peaks. In the afternoon return by train to Cusco.

Today is a relaxing day, free time to explore the fascinating imperial city of the Incas, visit its market, buy souvenirs, take optional activities, and get ready for one last night in the city.

Today is your last morning in the Inca capital. Our driver will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Cusco International Airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado.

Upon arrival, you will check in at the lodge office, then take a drive to the river port. There, you will board a motorized canoe for a one-hour journey along the Madre de Dios River to reach our lodge. Enjoy a welcome drink made from fresh local fruits upon arrival before checking into your room.

After lunch, we will take a short trip across the river to Monkey Island, which is located just opposite the lodge. There, you can observe different species of monkeys, such as capuchins and squirrel monkeys, which thrive on the island. Then, we will return to the lodge.

In the evening, after dinner, we will set out on a nocturnal adventure along the riverbanks in search of white caimans, which are often spotted resting on sandbars. With the help of flashlights, we may also see capybaras, the world’s largest rodents, which can weigh up to 60 kilograms. After this exciting excursion, we will return to the lodge to rest.

After breakfast, we will embark on a three-kilometer hike through the dense tropical jungle toward Lake Sandoval, one of the largest and most beautiful lakes in the Tambopata National Reserve. The lake is home to piranhas and is best explored by rowboat. As we paddle across its calm waters, we may spot a variety of birds and monkeys, such as shanshos, cormorants, jacanas, herons, vultures, squirrel monkeys, capuchins, and tamarins. With a little luck, we might even see sloths.

If we are lucky, we may encounter giant river otters, which can reach nearly two meters in length and are now an endangered species. The lake is also home to some of the largest recorded black caimans, reaching over four meters in length. Then, we will return to the lodge to enjoy a delicious traditional lunch.

In the afternoon, we will experience the Canopy Walkway, a system of suspension bridges located about 30 meters above the ground. From this vantage point, we will have a breathtaking, panoramic view of the jungle and the Madre de Dios River. From the platforms, we may observe toucans, macaws, tanagers, orioles, and other exotic birds.

At night, we will go on a short guided walk to experience the nocturnal rainforest, observing insects, amphibians, reptiles, and other creatures that are active after dark. We will have dinner and spend the night at the lodge.

Early in the morning, we will take a boat trip to visit the Parrot Clay Lick, where various parrot species gather to feed on mineral-rich clay essential for their digestion and metabolism. This clay wall is located along the Madre de Dios River. After this unforgettable experience, we will return to the lodge for breakfast.

Then, we will board a motorized canoe back to Puerto Maldonado. Our driver will meet us at the port and take us to the airport for our flight from Puerto Maldonado to Lima.

Our representative will meet us at the airport in Lima and transfer us to our hotel in Miraflores, one of the city’s most vibrant districts. You are free to relax or explore the neighborhood at your own pace for the rest of the day.

Today marks the final day of our Essential Peru Tour.

Take a transfer from the hotel to the Lima airport for your flight home.

• Airport arrival and departure transfer.
• Accommodation: Hotel 3 star (09 nights), Camping (03 nights) and Lodge (02 night).
• All entrance fee according to itinerary.
• Meals: 12x breakfast, 7x lunch, 6x dinner, 03x snack and 03x afternoon tea on the Inca Trail.
• Profesional tour guide throughout as per itinerary.
• Trekking cook on the Inca Trail
• Super porters for carry back packs, food, tents and cooking stuff.
• One cook for the Inca Trail.
• Camping equipment: Double tent, sleeping roll mat on the Inca Trail.
• Communal dinner tent, cooking tent, toilet tent on the Inca Trail.
• All eating and cooking stuff, stools and tables on the Inca Trail.
• Sleeping bag (-5 grade) on the Inca Trail.
• Domestic flight Lima - Cuzco.
• All land transport along the route.
• Tourist train from Aguas Calientes town to Ollantaytambo town.
• Motorboat on Titicaca Lake.

• Pre & post tour accommodation,
• Last flight from Arequipa - Lima,
• International flights and airport departure taxes,
• Travel insurance,
• Meals not mentioned,
• Tips and baggage portage to local staff (please note: it is a custom to give tips in Peru; however, it is not obligatory),
• Optional tours,
• Other extras not specified.

Meal budget: Please allow USD 150-200 for meals not included in the package.

Single room: Please note that if you have booked the "Single Room" option for this tour, you receive your own single room for all overnights including the Essential Peru Tour.

Local flights: One local flight is included in the cost of your tour unless noted otherwise. It is very important that we have got your passport details at the time of your booking in order to process all air tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and they will be given to you prior to each flight departure!

Highlights by Archaeological Sites

Best moment of the Trek

Encampment Equipment

Additionals