Itinerary
After you arrive at LIM, pass through immigration and retrieve your luggage, proceed straight into the terminal to the airline counters to check in to your domestic flight to Cusco. Quick 1 hr flight east over the Andes to historic Cusco where you will be met and taken to your hotel (15 min).
Look for our sign outside of the CUZ terminal for your private transfer to your downtown hotel (15 min). Rest, breathe and drink the complimentary coca tea provided by the hotel to acclimate to Cusco's 11,000 ft elevation. Eat lightly on this day. Overnight Cusco.
After breakfast check out and store your large luggage pieces with your Cusco hotel's front desk and a get claim check. At 09:00AM you will be greeted in your hotel and driven NE out of Cusco to Pisaq. Stop at the Awana Kancha alpaca farm to feed the llamas, alpacas & vicunas. Look for chinchillas too. Continue north to Pisaq. Known for its indigenous craft market, Pisaq was also the easternmost fortress of the Sacred Valley. You can see Pisaq from the winding road that approaches the market town and the ruins high above the town square.
Next continue west through the picturesque Sacred Valley to enjoy an excellent Andean buffet lunch in one of the Valley’s best restaurants. You will next visit the archaeological city of Ollantaytambo, the Inca’s northern fortress walled city where they guarded the Sacred Valley to the north. Spectacular views of the Sacred Valley from atop the wall where there are more magnificent cut stones. Please be at the Ollantaytambo train station 30 min before the 90 min scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes. In Aguas Calientes your guide will meet you in the train station to purchase your Machu Picchu entrance and bus tickets. Overnight Aguas Calientes. (B,L)
IMPORTANT
Bring backpack, tickets & passports today.
You will need tickets & passports to board the train and hotel check in.
You cannot bring large luggage on the train.
After breakfast and check out store your large luggage pieces
with your Cusco hotel's front desk and get claim checks.
Bring a backpack for your night away from Cusco.
It is easier to navigate trains & buses with backpacks than with carry-ons.
Be at the train station 30 min before train departs with tickets & passports
7PM briefing in your Aguas Calientes hotel lobby with Machu Picchu guide
After breakfast check out & store your backpacks with your hotel. You will be met by your guide to walk to the buses for the 20 min ride up to Machu Picchu. Buses run continuously & only stop at the top and bottom. When finished, take one of the continuous running buses 20 min back down to Aguas Calientes, retrieve your backpacks from your hotel and be at the Aguas Calientes train station at least 30 minutes before your departing train/van to the Poroy train station where you will be met and take to check in to your Cusco hotel (40 min). Overnight Cusco. (B)
10AM hotel greeting for your private Cusco City Tour. Visit Koricancha, The Temple of the Sun near the center of Cusco. Koricancha is an architectural marvel since it was built with ashlar masonry which is composed of similarly sized cuboid stones. Now Koricancha is the foundation of the Santa Domingo Church. Next drive north of Cusco for 15 minutes to the magnificent site of Sacsayhuaman. Its huge monolithic stones were perfectly cut and fit together without the use of mortar. Next drive to nearby Q’enqo – a small cave-like structure used in Inca ceremonies. 10 minutes further north stop at Pucapucara, a small fortress and resting place. Finally, visit the fountains and canals at Tambomachay. All of these sites are near each other and played an important part in the Inca’s ceremonies religious and civic. After completion of the tour you will be returned to your hotel. Overnight Cusco. (B)
Be sure to leave nothing behind in your Cusco hotel. Hotel greeting 2.5 hrs before your domestic departure to LIM. Again look for our sign outside of the LIM terminal for your driver. You will immediately be taken on a private tour of Lima CIty.
Visit Main Square and San Francisco Convent & catacombs which is a sprawling monastery complex containing cloisters, convent, temple, 2 churches, library, tomb of Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro and catacombs. Completed in 1674. This is a meandering, thoughtful tour to enjoy frescoes on hallway walls, sculptures and history. LOW CEILINGS IN DARK CATACOMBS! WALK SLOWLY, DON'T BANG YOUR HEAD IN LOW DOORWAYS, ARCHWAYS and LOW CEILINGS. Overnight Lima. (B)
Please be sure to leave nothing behind in your Lima hotel. You will be greeted in your hotel 4 hrs before your international departure and taken by private car to the LIM international terminal.
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