Peru & Bolivia Tour: Machu Picchu, Titicaca & Salt Flat Uyuni

ITINERARY

Day 1 LIMA PICK UP
Upon arrival reception and transfer to the select hotel - overnight (no meals)

Day 2 LIMA CITY TOUR (share service)
This tour could start in the morning 9:30 am or 2:30pm. You will be picked up from you hotel. This excursion offers the best combination of the different attractions in Lima and its three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary. In Lima, there were several different pre-Columbian cultures which are dated thousands of years back. Lima was part of the Inca Empire until was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro on the 18th. of January, 1535. During our guided tour we will travel along its millenary history.

ANCESTRAL LIMA. At the Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological precint build in the IV century A.C., we will have a panoramic view of this magnificent ceremonial and administrative centre which was considered by the Incas a holy village. We will learn about the life and rituals of its ancient inhabitants and admire its typical piramidal building, very characteristic of sacred pre-Hispanic edifications which were adored in the coast of Peru.

COLONIAL LIMA. The Peruvian Viceroyalty was the most important one in the Spanish Empire and Lima was its capital. The highlights of its historical centre are its architecture and the urban design of the city, found in the old streets filled with colonial houses adorned with Moorish-style balconies. Our trip includes the Paseo de la Republica (Promenade of the Republic), Plaza San Martin (San Martin Square) and the Plaza Mayor (Main Square), with their different buildings: Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), Palacio Arzobispal the (Archbishop's Palace), the Basilica Catedral (Cathedral Basilica) and the Palacio Municipal (Municipal Palace). We will enter the monumental Convento de San Francisco (Convent of Saint Francis), which displays the biggest collection of religious art in America. We can admire the Choir Room and the Monks’ Library, the Sacristy, with its collection of Zurbaran and Rivera paintings. The Big Patio of the Main Cloister, decorated with sevillan tyles from the XVI century, its beautiful moorish arches and its subterranean crypts known as The Catacombs, where you will feel the presence of Lima's colonial past.

CONTEMPORARY LIMA Visit to the most traditional residential areas in the capital: The Olive Grove of San Isidro, Miraflores and Larco Mar, distinctive t

ourist centre of contemporary Lima.
After the tour transfer to you hotel. Overnight. (breakfast included)

Day 3 CUSCO CITY TOUR
You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco (airfare included) upon arrival reception and transfer to the select hotel, morning at leisure to acclimatize to the altitude. In the afternoon 2;00pm you will be taken on a city tour and visit a local archeological sites, the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman and surroundings returning later afternoon 5:30pm to your hotel around and enjoy the hospitality of the local people (breakfast included).

Day 4 SACRED VALLEY, PISAC, OLLANTAYTAMBO, CHINCHEROS
After breakfast at 8:45am you will be taken through the Inca Sacred Valley where life has remained almost unchanged for 500 years. You will visit the impressive village of Pisac and the Indian market, enjoy the beautiful handicrafts on sale and wonder at the many ethnic tribal costumes worn, not just for tourists, but as part of their heritage by the local people. The tour also include the visit to Ollantaytambo fortress and the Chinchero Market Before returning to your hotel in Cusco late afternoon (around 6:30pm) (breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 5 MACHU PICCHU 2days 1 night
Early morning 5:30am and after breakfast, we'll depart to the train station to our journey to Machupicchu on Vistadome Train. (4 hours) at 9:40am you will arrive to the Aguas Calientes Town from where you will have to take 20 minutes bus to the Archeological site; Once there where you will have a guided tour with an English speaking professional guide follow by some time at leisure, stay overnight in the area or town relax at the nearby hot springs (entrance not included) (breakfast included).

Day 6 MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO
Morning at leisure by your own, you can visit the ruins early next day when the full magnificence of the site reveals itself in all its majesty (entrance and bus fee for this day not included on the rate) return to Cuzco where you will arrive around 7:30pm. (breakfast included).

Day 7 CUSCO / PUNO
7:00am pick up from your hotel and transfer to the bus station to depart to Puno 8 hours journey, on the way you will visit some archeological sites (Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Pucara), arrival reception and transfer to select Hotel - overnight (B+L)

Day 8 TITICACA LAKE, UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
We will pick you up from your hostel at 07.15 a.m. and we will go to our boat. Today we will visit the floating islands of Uros, located inside the bay of Lake Titikaka only nine miles away from the city (20 to 30 minutes of navigation). It is believed that the Uros were one of the first ethnic groups populating the Andean region.When the Spanish chroniclers encountered the Uros by the end of the XVI century, the Uros were still living on the lake in small reed-boats that they used as floating houses. Only in the early 60's, the Uros started to build small artificial islands with reeds for their homes. Then we will discover Taquile, the biggest island of the lake. Taquile has approximately 1,200 inhabitants. The people from this island have a Quechua origin and they are mostly small farmers. We will arrive in the northern dock of the island and we will start 1 hour hike as far as the main village of Taquile, where we will visit the plaza and the market. After lunch we will return to Puno from the main dock. We will arrive in Puno at 17:30 p.m.
Note: Take note that there are 533 steps to get on top of the Island. Overnight (b).

Day 9 PUNO - COPACABANA - LA PAZ (BOLIVIA)
Early, travel to La Paz (Bolivia).

Day 10 LA PAZ CITY TOUR AND MOON VALLEY
We will visit a typical Indian market, the famous Witch Doctor’s market and the San Francisco Colonial Church. The tour continues to the Plaza Murillo, where the cathedral, the Government Palace and the National congress buildings are located. Then, we will visit the famous colonial street “Calle Jaén” where interesting museum are clustered together, followed by the visit to the open-air museum from the Tiwanaku Culture. To change scenery, the tour continues to the residential areas of Obrajes, Calacoto and La Florida.
The tour ends with the visit to the unique Moon Valley, place where the erosion has caused stony forms that giving the sensation to be in a real lunar landscape.Overnight at Gloria Hotel or similar (B)

Day 11 TIAHUANACO RUINS AND PUMA PUNKU, FULL DAY TOUR
At 72Km. from La Paz, we will visit a pre-inca archaeological place "Tiwanaku". This place is known by their monuments and by their admirable litica sculpture. Also, it’s one of the great monumental centers of native Andean cultures. In this Bolivia archaeological capital, we will be able to visit the Templete semi-underground, Kalasasaya, the Sun Door, which has become a Bolivia symbol, the Museum and the Town whose church was constructed in 1612. Visit Puma Punku. Overnight at Gloria Hotel or similar. (B,L)

Tiahuanaco, Pumapunku, Puma Punku
Tiiahuano - Puma Punku

Day 12 LA PAZ - UYUNI
Be picked up at your hotel in La Paz and transferred to the airport. Fly to Uyuni and arrive after a 45-minute flight. Meet your private guide and visit the train cemetery, an open-air museum of old trains.

Visit the artisanal salt production workshops and explore the Uyuni salt flats, salt constructions, and Incahuasi Island. Enjoy a local lunch with views of the salt desert. Watch the sunset on the salt flat with a glass of wine.

Later, enjoy stargazing, with countless stars reflected in the salt desert. Spend the night in a salt hotel in Uyuni.

Day 13 UYUNI - LA PAZ
Transfer to the airport to fly to La Paz. After a 45-minute flight, be picked up at the La Paz airport and transferred to your hotel.

Day 14 LA PAZ TO LIMA - TRANSFER OUT
Transportation to the airport to take your international flight to Lima. End our services (B) *Check out of the hotel is at noon.

INCLUDE:
nights at select hotel based on double occupancy transfers, professional bilingual guide service, entrance fee, transportation and meals as specify in the program, domestic airfares

NOT INCLUDED
International airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, extra expenses for flight cancellations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, reconfirmation of international flights and items of personal nature.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Visa Requirement for US Citizens to enter in Bolivia

if you are North American and have decided visit Bolivia, you must take note of this recent information: In the first hours of 2007, The Bolivian President Evo Morales suppressed by decree the right of US citizens to enter this country freely, in reciprocity with a similar measure taken by the US government. Also the citizens of Angola, Bhutan, Chad Republic, Congo, Ruanda, Somalia, Yemen Republic, Indonesia, China and Taiwán has been affected by this decree Please make sure to have all necessary documents before traveling!

Peru & Bolivia Highlights Tour: From Machu Picchu to Salt Flat Uyuni

ITINERARY