Peruvian South - Freedom Journey (15 Days)

Arrival in Lima according to your international flight schedule. Welcome by a member of our team and transfer to your hotel in the Miraflores district, where you will spend your first night.

Transfer to the bus terminal to catch a scheduled bus to Paracas, arriving late morning.

In Paracas, visit the reserve. Created to preserve a portion of Peru's sea and desert, it is the only protected area on the Peruvian coast.

Enjoy an excellent ceviche, Peru's national fish dish, in the small fishing port.

Late afternoon free in Paracas.

Night in Paracas.

In the morning, take a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands to see sea lions, penguins, pelicans and dozens of other bird species. From the boat, you can observe the famous candelabra engraved in the desert, whose origin still remains a mystery.

After the islands, you'll board a bus bound for the town of Nazca. The journey takes around 3 hours through the impressive landscapes of the Peruvian desert. You'll arrive mid-afternoon.

End of the day at leisure in Nazca. If you wish, you can visit the Museo Antonini, an archaeological museum with a wealth of exhibits on the Nazca civilization.

Night in Nazca.

Free morning in Nazca.

If you wish, you can take a flight over the Nazca lines. This is a 30-minute flight in a small plane, which allows you to discover from the air the famous geoglyphs engraved in the desert for centuries by the Nazca civilization. (This flight is not included in the price, but we'd be happy to recommend an agency to carry it out for you).

If you don't take the flight, you can take a cab to the mirador, the only place where you can see some of the Nazca desert figures without taking a plane.

You can also stop off at the Maria Reiche museum, which was also her home, as this German scientist studied the mystery of the Nazca lines for over 50 years of her life.

In the evening, you'll take a comfortable bus to Arequipa (journey time approx. 9 hours), where you'll arrive around 8 a.m. the following day.

Transfer to your hotel from the bus terminal.

Self-guided tour of the White City, nicknamed for its buildings made of sillar, the local volcanic rock.

Suggested activities

    Santa Catalina monastery
    Plaza de Armas and surrounding colonial streets
    Santuario Andino museum
    La Recoleta convent and its Jesuit library of over 10,000 old books
    Yanahuara viewpoint
    Tour of the surrounding countryside

Night in Arequipa.

Two-day group excursion to the Colca Canyon:

Road to the Colca Canyon, bound for the village of Chivay. Crossing the Patabamba pass at 4800 m altitude. (Approx. 4 hours' drive).

Lost in the middle of the Andes cordillera, the canyon is almost a hundred kilometers long, and is said to be deeper than the Colorado, at 3100 m.

Magnificent pampas landscapes, vicuña, llama and alpaca sightings.

Once in Chivay, you can visit the thermal baths and the village.

Late afternoon at leisure. 

Night in Chivay.

Rise at dawn and drive to "La Cruz del Condor" to observe the Royal Andean condor. Its spread wings can reach a wingspan of up to 3 m.

Then visit the villages of Maca, Yanque and Chivay. Enjoy superb views over the valley, and observe the thousands of hectares of terraces harmoniously carved into the mountains.

Back in Chivay, you'll take a scheduled bus to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. On the way, you'll have the chance to see some flamingos.  (Approx. 5-hour drive). 

Night in Puno.

Two-day group excursion on Lake Titicaca

Head to the landing stage and take a boat to the Uros Islands. Your guide will explain their way of life and the techniques used to build floating islands. The boat will then take you to Amantani Island. Arriving at the port, you'll be divided among the houses of different families, and meet up for a walk to the top of the island to admire the sunset. If the sky is clear, you'll be able to see the Cordillera Real in Bolivia, on the other side of the lake.

Night with a local.

Meet at the landing stage and take the boat to the nearby island of Taquile. A walk will take you across the island on a steep path, for a gentle discovery of this magical place, known among other things for its famous weavers.

You'll share a typical meal before taking the boat back to Puno in the afternoon.

Night in Puno.

Bus from Puno to Cuzco through superb landscapes, with a few visits along the way. First stop Pukara to visit a small regional museum, then Raqchi to discover its interesting ruin.

And finally, the highlight of the day, a stop in the small village of Andahuaylillas, where we visit its church, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes.

Arrival in the Inca capital at the end of the day. 

Night in Cuzco.

Free day in colonial Cuzco.

Suggested visits:

• The Cathedral: A church that holds the weight of history within its walls. This visit can be made with an audio-guide
• Larco Herrera Museum: One of the finest collections of pre-Columbian art in a magnificent building in the center of the city.
• The San Blas district: considered Cuzco's bohemian quarter, you'll fall under the spell of its narrow streets and courtyards.
• The large San Pedro market: discover the wide variety of products on offer at this Andean market. A colorful visit.
• The Saysaywaman ruin, a magnificent rampart above the city, accessible on foot if you're in good physical condition.

Discover the archaeological site of Pisac, one of the largest in the Sacred Valley. The ruins are located at the top of a hill at the entrance to the Sacred Valley. The site features impressive agricultural terraces created by the Incas and still in use today. Visit the village market.

Then on to the village of Ollantaytambo, where you'll visit its imposing Inca ruin, one of the few remaining vestiges of Inca urban architecture, with its buildings, streets and patios.

Finally, the train takes you to Aguas Calientes, the village at the foot of Machu Picchu. Here you will spend the night.

Morning ascent to visit the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Your guide will take you on a tour of the different sectors of the site, with many fascinating explanations on the history of Machu Picchu, the way of life of the Incas, and the rediscovery of this site by the modern world.

Return to Ollantaytambo in the afternoon and overnight in a lodge in Ollantaytambo.

In addition, there are two optional visits to Machu Picchu.

1: Wayna Picchu. This is the sugarloaf-shaped mountain that dominates the site. Access is limited and reservations must be made well in advance. It's a steep climb on a steep path, offering panoramic views of the site. Good physical condition required (approx. 1h climb).

2: La Montaña Machu Picchu. An alternative to Wayna Picchu, but set a little further back from the site, it also offers magnificent views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains. This hike through luxuriant flora is also quite strenuous, with many steps, so a high level of fitness is also required. (approx. 1h30 ascent)

Only one of these two options is possible, provided there is space available when you confirm your trip. The supplement is USD 20 per person.

Discover the open-air salt pans of Maras, where salt production dates back to Inca times. The landscape of thousands of man-made terraces is truly impressive. The Maras site is still exploited today by the locals in the form of a cooperative, and Maras salt has become renowned in gastronomy.

Then visit the Moray site, a veritable agronomic laboratory. Here, the Incas had recreated different microclimates thanks to a system of terraces, enabling them to study seeds and their yield according to altitude.

Finally, a stop in the typical village of Chinchero, where you can admire some of Peru's finest traditional costumes.

Return to Cuzco.

Night in Cuzco.

Transfer to Cuzco airport for your flight to Lima. You will stay at Lima airport and take your international flight back home.

The schedule will be determined according to the timetable of your international flight home.