Peru Round Trip: Inca and Machu Picchu

Included meals: breakfast. Activity: Half-day city tour including San Francisco Monastery and Larco Museum (approx. 5 hours). After your arrival in Lima, a city tour of the capital begins. First, you will explore the colonial city center with the Plaza de Armas, where impressive buildings such as the Government Palace, City Hall, the Archbishops Palace, and the Cathedral can be found. Then, you will visit the San Francisco Monastery, which houses the largest collection of religious artworks in America. A special highlight is the catacombs of the monastery. Next, the tour continues to Plaza San Martín, which has been lovingly restored time and again after earthquakes. After that, the tour leads through the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores to the Pacific coast, where you can enjoy a splendid view of the sea. To conclude, the Larco Museum is on the program. It houses the world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian art from northern Peru. Founded in 1926 by Rafael Larco Herrera, the museum showcases over 45,000 impressive exhibits in a colonial building in Pueblo Libre, including ceramics, gold and silver pieces, textiles from the Chancay culture, and a unique collection of erotic pottery from the Moche period.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch. Activities: Visit to the Urubamba market and half-day excursion to the ruins of Ollantaytambo (approx. 4 hours). In the morning, you will visit the Mercado de Urubamba, an authentic market where the rural population sells agricultural products and animals or exchanges them in traditional barter. Additionally, the market also serves as a social meeting point for exchanging news. Following this, you will explore the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo, one of the most important cities from the Inca period. The massive fortress was the site of one of the few battles lost by the Spaniards during the conquest of Peru. The village of Ollantaytambo below was built on the foundations of Inca buildings and is a prime example of Inca town planning. Particularly impressive is the temple complex that sits on the terraces. On your way to Ollantaytambo, you will enjoy lunch in a typical restaurant. In the afternoon, you can use your time freely or join a short hike: Optional hike to the terraces of Yucay (approx. 1 hour).

Included meals: breakfast. Activity: Half-day city tour in Cusco (approx. 3 hours). Afternoon: Free time or optional excursions. In the morning: City tour. In the morning, you will explore Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. The tour begins at Plaza de Armas, the historical center, where the Cathedral and other impressive colonial buildings stand, built on the foundations of the old Inca structures. A highlight is the visit to Korikancha, the Inca Sun Temple. Afterward, you will drive out of the city to Sacsayhuaman, a fortress located about 3 km above Cusco. From there, there is a unique panoramic view of the city. Note: The historic center of Cusco is car-free; visits are made on foot. In the afternoon: Free time or optional excursions.

Today, you will take a full-day boat trip! First, you will sail by boat to the Uros Islands. The Uros are the original inhabitants of Lake Titicaca. They live on about 40 floating islands made of reeds. The Indians have preserved their way of life and traditions. On the islands, they sell their handicrafts. Then, the trip continues to Taquile Island, which is still in the Peruvian part of Lake Titicaca. The people here wear colorful, traditional clothing that they make themselves and sell in cooperative stores on the island. There are no roads or electricity on the island.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch. Activities: Visit to Cruz del Condor, visits in Maca and Yanque. Transfer: Colca Canyon → Arequipa (approx. 5 hours). Morning: Visit to Cruz del Condor and villages. After an early breakfast, you will drive to Cruz del Condor, the famous viewpoint in Colca Canyon. Here, with a little luck, you will have the chance to observe the impressive Andean condors soaring majestically through the air.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch. Activity: Excursion “The Street of Picanterías” (approx. 3 hours 30 minutes). Your day begins with a special culinary experience that focuses on the gastronomic traditions of Arequipa. You will visit several traditional Picanterías, known for their authentic preparation of regional dishes ...