Day 1 - Fly from London Heathrow to Lima,
via Madrid
Day 2 - Arrive in Lima - 2 nights at Miraflores
Park Hotel
Lima, originally named La Ciudad de los Reyes ('City of the
Kings'), in honour of the Magi, was founded on January 18, 1535, by
conqueror Francisco Pizarro. Downtown Lima is built in the Spanish
colonial style with streets in a checkerboard pattern surrounding
the Plaza Mayor, which is flanked by the Palacio de Gobierno, the
Cathedral and other important buildings.
Day 4 - Lima to Cusco - 2 nights at Hotel
Monasterio
Cusco lies at 3,360 metres above sea level and is a beautiful
and very welcoming city: it is wonderful to walk its narrow
streets, observe its colonial buildings with Inca walls and check
out the shops, craft workshops and markets. Alternatively, visit
the Cathedral or one of the many beautiful churches and
museums.
Day 6 - Cusco to Machu Picchu - 1 night at
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
Machu Picchu is both the best and the least known of the Inca
Ruins. It is not mentioned in any of the chronicles of the Spanish
conquistadors, so archaeologists today can do no more than
speculate on its function. Although Machu Picchu was known to a
handful of Quechua peasants who farmed the area, the outside world
was unaware of its existence until American historian Hiram Bingham
III stumbled on it almost by accident on 24th July 1911.
Day 7 - Machu Picchu to Cusco - 1 night at
Hotel Monasterio
Return by the early evening 'Hiram Bingham' train to Cusco,
arriving at approximately 10 pm.
Day 8 - Cusco to Puno - 2 nights at Titilaka,
Lake Titicaca
Transfer to the train station to catch the 'Andean Explorer'
train to Puno. The journey takes approximately 10 hours and is one
of the most famous train rides in South America. Lake Titicaca and
its surroundings constitute an area of extraordinary cultural depth
and stunning natural beauty. It is an environment where diverse
life forms and cultural manifestations are present at over 4,000
metres: a unique feature by world standards. Surrounded by green
and yellow reeds, the bright blue of the lake glistens in the thin
air, especially when observed against the backdrop of the majestic
snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real.
Day 10 - Puno to Colca - 2 nights at Las
Casitas del Colca
Early morning drive to La Cruz del Condor, (approximately 1½
hours away), to try and get a glimpse of the Andean Condor in
flight. Return to the lodge and for the rest of the afternoon you
may rest and relax, enjoy a spa treatment or if colonial art is of
interest to you, you might wish to visit one of the best preserved
colonial churches.
Day 12 - Colca to Lima via Arequipa - 1 night
at Miraflores Park Hotel
The Spaniards founded the modern city of Arequipa (which lies at
2,330 meters and is 1,020 km south of Lima) on 15th August 1540,
and the date is remembered with a week-long fair. Arequipa is
located at the foothills of the active El Misti stratovolcano,
(also known as Guagua-Putina) which dominates every scene in this
exceptionally attractive colonial city, with its seasonally
snow-capped, symmetrical cone. The highlight of a visit to Arequipa
is the Convento de Santa Catalina, built in 1579 and finally opened
in 1970 after almost 400 years as a nunnery. It is the most
important and impressive colonial religious building in Perú and
constitutes Arequipa's landmark.
Day 13 - Fly Lima to London Heathrow, via
Madrid