Itinerary - Peru Collection: World Wonders and Inca Cities

Round trip flights are not included in the package, so you can choose from where and when you want to fly. This is to give you maximum freedom of choice!

Check-in at the hotel in Lima! To get off on the right foot, we dedicate the afternoon to visiting the modern capital of Peru , the cultural and economic center of the country. In addition to its historic center, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the last century, it has picturesque residential neighborhoods overlooking the Pacific , beaches and parks: let's explore the surroundings and begin our journey.

We wake up early to take a domestic flight from Lima and we arrive in Arequipa , the famous white city, a UNESCO heritage site , which rises at the foot of the imposing El Misti volcano, 5,822 meters high. After our flight we leave our luggage at the facility and are immediately ready to explore the white city.

The afternoon will be used well: we begin to get used to the altitude and visit the historic center with a guided tour of the city , in particular the Santa Catalina Monastery , dating back to 1580, which extends for 20,000 square meters, practically an entire neighborhood that makes this convent the largest religious building in Peru! We don't even miss a visit to the Santuarios Andinos Museum and then it's time for sunset, the most beautiful moment to be here and admire the view of the city with a good pisco sour in hand - this evening in fact we have an aperitif on the rooftop to enjoy the view, the company and toast this first day of adventures, and all those that lie ahead. We then find a place for dinner - maybe we try the cuy? It's not for everyone, but while we're here, why not give it a try?

We leave Arequipa around 8 in the morning to move towards the incredible Colca Canyon . The journey takes about 5 hours and winds through the Salinas y Aguada Bianca National Reserve , which means we will take lots of photo breaks - the landscapes will be incredible, and not only that: llamas, alpacas and majestic volcanoes await us along the way smoke that form the backdrop to the panorama. An inevitable stop? The Chucura Mirador (also known as Mirador de los Volcanes ) which will give us the first thrills of our journey.

We then descend in altitude to arrive at Chivay , which is located at 3,600 meters above sea level: here our hotel and some well-deserved rest await us - after all, we have just touched 5,000 meters! The hotel that hosts us tonight is equipped with outdoor thermal baths... and obviously we can't back out! We put on our swimsuits and enjoy the warm thermal waters while we acclimatise to the altitude. Another adventure awaits us tomorrow, we don't want to arrive unprepared!

This morning we want to immerse ourselves in the heart of the Colca Canyon to visit the Cruz del Cóndor , a mythical place located in the central part of the Valley from where you can observe the regal flight of the condors and the majesty of the canyon. Early in the morning – at dawn or even before – we leave with our vehicle and our guide in the heart of the Colca Canyon and arrive at the Cruz del Condor to wait and admire the take-off of the impressive Andean condors. Immediately after arriving at the Cruz del Condor we have time available for observation and to take as many photos as we want; after which the journey will continue to Puno.

A few words about the altitude: along the route we will reach 5,000 m and everyone reacts differently to such an altitude. Severe dizziness, shortness of breath and even vomiting cannot be ruled out. Before leaving Arequipa, together with the coordinator we advise you to buy adequate medicines for "altitude sickness".

We wake up in this place that seems enchanted, surrounded by peace and silence, and prepare for the day. Today we will visit the artificial and floating islands of Uros , and then we will move to Taquile , an island located at an altitude of 4,000 m. With just over 2,000 inhabitants still very attached to the culture of the past, we will be able to see examples of local traditions - we will notice, for example, that men wear different hats depending on their marital status: married ones have a different colored one! We also stop here for lunch.

In the afternoon we sail the placid waters of Lake Titicaca again and, for the bravest... a dip is a must ! This is on the other hand the highest navigable lake in the world, so where can we swim if not here? We then return to Puno where we spend the night.

After breakfast, a private transfer awaits us from Puno to Sicuani. Along the way we can make various stops, one of which we could reserve for a visit to the archaeological site of Sillustani, on the Umayo lagoon - and, why not, we also take some time to have a calm lunch, immersed in the Andean landscapes . We arrive in Sicuani in the afternoon and check into the hotel. We take a nice regenerating shower and then we all meet for dinner!

For us trekking enthusiasts, this is one of the most beautiful and certainly challenging days. The visit to the Rainbow Mountain will leave us breathless (metaphorically and literally): a trek like this, at a different altitude, is nothing difficult... but here things are very different: we will struggle a lot, we want to be clear, but we will be reward yourself with the sight of this natural spectacle. The characteristic Rainbow Mountains are located not far from Cuzco, at 5,200 m, and can be defined as a true miracle of nature , discovered a few years ago due to the melting of the ice.

After this undertaking, we return to the base and refresh ourselves - the efforts were great but the view definitely rewarded us. We are then ready to head towards what we can perhaps define as the most beautiful city in Peru: we reach Cuzco with a transfer lasting about 3 hours - we certainly don't mind resting a little after this intense day!

After yesterday's trekking, today we take it easy : we dedicate the day to visiting the historic districts of the city of Cusco, its ancient colonial Cathedral, some narrow alleys whose urban design dates back to the Inca era and the characteristic San Pedro. In short: today will be a cultural day and we don't mind at all - we will even have time to taste some local delicacies, which never hurts! To immerse ourselves even more in the Peruvian (or rather, Quechua) culture of these places, today we will also have a culinary experience : we will go to the market, learn some local recipes and have lunch with local specialties!

Another day of travel: today we get lost in the enchanting sacred valley of the Incas , where archaeological, historical and folkloristic evidence from the ancient Inca civil settlements is contained. Let's start with Chinchero , the typical example of a town built entirely in Inca masonry made with large blocks of stone cut and perfectly overlapped. Thanks to the panoramic tour of the walls, we can appreciate the green meadows of the surrounding area with numerous grazing animals, eucalyptus woods a little further down and the silhouettes of the glaciers in the distance. In a large clearing along the external road we find a market where we can stop to have something to eat and sip different types of slightly alcoholic drinks.

Maras is a traditional village nestled in the heart of a cultivated valley at 3,400 meters above sea level. The show, however, lies further ahead: descending from Maras you come across the beautiful salineras , 3,000 very small pools arranged on terraces and filled with salt water, which slowly evaporates, leaving a salt deposit that solidifies; the salt obtained is then subsequently collected.

We then continue with Moray , an archaeological complex unique in its kind as it is used for experimental research on crops; in fact, it features two gigantic circular natural depressions, about 150 meters deep, used by the Incas to acclimatise cereal and potato seeds to the Andean altitudes.

Ollantaytambo is a mountain fortress that features structures built with blocks of incredible dimensions: the six mammoth granite blocks positioned in line, the Wall of the Living Rock, the Temple of the Condor and the grandiose military fortress, scene of the last bloody clash between the the army of the Conquistadores and the soldiers loyal to the Inca. After a day of discoveries, we set off with our compasses pointed towards Aguas Calientes : the name suggests that we could relax in view of our goal... Machu Picchu!

We are ready for the great Peruvian adventure : we get on the shuttle early in the morning (at dawn!!), which in just 30 minutes will take us, along a zigzagging path, to the gates of the archaeological site of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world modern . Describing what awaits us is impossible: this city has remained lost for centuries , and today we can see it in all its splendor, nestled between the Andean peaks, a true wonder. We enjoy this place outside of space and time, happy to have come this far.

After enjoying Machu Picchu from every angle, in the late afternoon we return to Cuzco , a city full of life: many of the main city venues are located right near the Plaza de Armas. Here you can walk and choose where to spend the evening among bars, cafes, sandwich shops, restaurants, discos and karaoke, many of which stay open until dawn to spend a well-deserved evening in company of fun!

With an internal flight we say goodbye to Cuzco and return to the capital Lima . We put our backpacks in the structure and are ready to fully enjoy this last day in Peru. Where do we start from? The ideal place to start breathing together the historical atmosphere of Lima is Plaza Mayor , where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535, thus making it the oldest square. Its grandeur is reflected in the buildings that surround it, such as the Palacio del Gobierno, the Palacio Arzobispal and the Catedral. The imposing bronze fountain is the meeting point where you can cool off on hot summer days. We then continue through the alleys of the city, reaching the Pacific Ocean.

We still spend some time together, we can also consider leaving Lima and visiting the surroundings - not far from the capital there is a desert area and we can pop over and try our hand at the board... from sand (yes, because here surf the sand dunes!)

We conclude this incredible journey by retracing the emotions we have just experienced: we shared a unique adventure that we will remember forever. Peru is like this: once it gets inside you, it never goes away. Here's to this country and to us!

Time to say goodbye: see you on the next WeRoad adventure!