Majestic Active Circuit: Lima, Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno and Cusco 15 Days

Day 1: LIMA – Free Day. (Optional activities - City tour or Pachacamac)

Welcome by our staff, reception and transfer to the selected hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 2: FULL DAY PARACAS & ICA

2:50am. Pick up from your hotels.

4:00am. Departure from Lima to Paracas from the bus station

7:30 - 7:50 AM Pick up from Paracas bus station and transfer to the sea dock
8:00am Boarding in the sliders, putting on life jackets and start of the guided sea tour of the Ballestas Islands and observation of the Candelabra
Enriching tour of 2 hours approx. by the whimsical natural rock formations that are home to important marine fauna, such as large colonies of guano birds, Humboldt Penguins, the friendly Sea Lions, Dolphins, Guanayes, Piqueros and more

10:00am. After the tour, you will have free time to walk around the Paracas Bay, where you can take pictures, buy handicrafts and get to know
11:00am Tourist mobility trip to Ica - Huacachina
12:00pm approx. Arrival to Huacachina where you will have free time to walk, have lunch and do other activities such as boat ride on the lagoon (we suggest adding another activity)
04:00pm Beginning of the adventure circuit in the dunes of Huacachina, where you will have a ride of pure adrenaline in sand carts (buggies) and also you will be able to do sandboarding (sliding on boards), circuit lasts about one hour. Then you will have free time to walk around the Oasis, ride in boats, take pictures and buy handicrafts.
At about 06:00 pm we will take the bus to Ica where we will spend the night.

Overnight in Ica.

Day 3: NAZCA LINES OVERFLIGHT – AREQUIPA

Breakfast at the hotel.

At the agreed hour we will go in our mobility to the Nazca airfield. You will be able to take the over flight to see the ancient geoglyphs located within the Nazca desert and that stand out for being composed of figures that have diverse designs within the earth's surface. These shapes can be geometric, zoomorphic and phytomorphic figures such as (hummingbird monkey, giant bird, spider and others). The lengths of these impressive figures range from 50 to 300 meters long at the end of the tour. Return to the bus terminal in the city of Nazca.

At the end of the flight we will have time to have lunch and take a bus to Arequipa at 02:30 pm arriving at our destination at 11:30 pm approximately.
We will be assisted on our arrival in Arequipa and transferred to the hotel where we will spend the night.

Overnight in Arequipa  

Day 4: AREQUIPA – FREE DAY

Breakfast at the hotel.

On this free day, you can rest, tour the city center and optionally take the city tour or the countryside tour and have lunch at any of the traditional restaurants in Arequipa.

Overnight in Arequipa

Day 5: AREQUIPA – CHIVAY – LA CALERA HOT SPRINGS

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 am. Approx. We will pick you up at your hotel to take our bus and leave the city of Arequipa with direction to Chivay. On the way, we will be increasing the height, so we will go making stops to acclimatize. One of them is Pampa Cañahuas, a reserve where you can watching alpacas and vicuñas. Afterwards, we will make a short stop in Patahuasi, from where we will continue to a place called Tacra, where we will have the chance to observe the flora and fauna of theregion.

The tour continues with a visit to Patapampa, the viewpoint of the volcanoes, which is located at 4800 m fromaltitude.

After this, we will continue to the city of Chivay, where we can have lunch and settle in our respective hotels. During the afternoon, we can visit the thermal baths of La Calera to relax and be free for dinner in the same town of Chivay.

After this, we'll go to rest for the next day.

Overnight in Chivay.

Day 6: COLCA CANYON / CONDORS FLIGHT / PUNO

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 am. Aprox - Pick-up time from the hotel.
We will get up early to take advantage of the breakfast at the hotel and then we will take our vehicle to go visit the Cruz del Condor.
In this place, we will be able to walk around and visit the viewpoint where you will be able to see some condors in flight. Also, we will make stops in some villages like Yanque and Maca, where we will have access to the local squares and some handicrafts. After this, we will return to Chivay for lunch.

11:30 am approx - Arrival in Chivay.
11:45 am approx - Lunch
01:30 pm approx. We will take the bus to Puno. The bus during the trip, makes small excursions inroute, where we can appreciate a little more of the fauna and flora on the way to Lake Titicaca.

Upon arrival in Puno, we will be assisted and transferred to the hotel.

Overnight in Puno

Day 7: PUNO / TITICACA LAKE / UROS & TAQUILE ISLANDS

Breakfast at the hotel.

At 7:00 am, we will start the day by picking you up from your hotels to take you to the port to start the tour, the program allows you to make a full day excursion on the lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world and you will visit as first point the more than 63 floating islands of the Uros, where they are inhabited by Aymara families, these islands have been built of totora reeds and water plants of the place that serves to make their homes, these islands are also known as "the lake town" its activities are artisan fishing, hunting wild birds and textile art, after leaving such a peculiar place, will continue its journey to Taquile Island, where you will be able to appreciate the customs and traditions of the islanders, who preserve their customs, traditions and traditional dress from that place you will see a beautiful view of Lake Titicaca and appreciate the beautiful textiles, which received the award by UNESCO, the spinning and weaving are made mainly by men.

We will have lunch in a typical restaurant around the square, at the end of the lunch the visitors will have free time to visit the weaving workshops and take pictures with the friendly locals.

In the afternoon we will descend to the dock and start our return trip to Puno,

We will arrive in the city at approximately 05:00pm.

Overnight in Puno

Day 8: PUNO – CUSCO “SUN ROUTE”

Breakfast at the hotel.

Around 06:15am you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the bus station at the
Puno's land terminal.

Our journey to Cusco will last 10 hours approximately, where we will have 4 excursions and guided visits to the most interesting places in the south of the altiplano visiting the temple of Andahuaylillas or Sistine Chapel of America, the Inka temple of Raqchi, the Raya pass at 4335 meters above sea level and the Inka museum Aymara from Pukara.

Each visit lasts from 20 to 40 minutes, where you can ask questions, take pictures and explore the attractions of the place, making this experience an unforgettable one.

We will arrive in Cusco at 4:30pm, be picked up from the train station and be transferred to the hotel where we will spend the night. We will be arriving in Cusco at 4:30 pm, being picked up and transferred to the hotel where we will spend the night.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 9: CITY TOUR CUSCO + 4 NEARBY RUINS

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning free to acclimatize or do some shopping.

City tour in Cusco.

The City Tour in the city of Cusco will allow you to know the archaeological and religious tourist places the most impressive of the cosmopolitan city of Cusco, Peru.

This unmissable tour for all visitors is held daily from 1:00 pm starting with the Cathedral Basilica in the city of Cusco, one of the most notable colonial monuments of America, Qoricancha or Coricancha known as the Temple of the Sun and visit archaeological sites at outside the city as Sacsayhuaman a megalithic construction, Qenko considered as underground chamber where mummifications were carried out, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, important archaeological sites of religious character of the Inca culture.

After a bit of culture at the end of the tour, why not enjoy the beautiful city, move a little body and enjoy all the bars and discos that our beautiful city offers.

Overnight in Cusco

Day 10: SACRED VALLEY TOUR

Breakfast at the hotel.

08:00 am - Pick up time.

We will pick you up at your hotel, and then start our tour in the Sacred Valley of the Incas which is a beautiful place with beautiful landscapes and views, its people, its handicraft markets, and other tourist attractions.

In Pisaq we will visit the handicraft market where we will find works in textiles, ceramics, silverware and others, after visiting this beautiful town we will go to the high part of the mountain where the archaeological center is located with its imposing constructions of agricultural terraces and other constructions that in spite of having more than 500 years are intact.

After visiting this place we will continue our tour along the banks of the river WILCAMAYU (sacred river) until we arrive to Urubamba where you will have time to have lunch and rest a little for later continue with the tour in OLLANTAYTAMBO a very singular and picturesque town because the inhabitants of the place still use the Inca constructions as houses and their narrow and paved streets make this place a beautiful traditional town the religious center is located by the high part of the mountain where the temple of the sun continues imposing its majesty; in this place the tour ends approximately at 4:00pm hours to then head to the traditional town of Chinchero, where the remains of the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui are located.

We will appreciate its very well preserved Inca walls in the main square and also appreciate the beautiful colonial temple with interesting frescoes on the porch, built on the foundations of an Inca construction, this town is a beautiful example of the mestizo and colonial style and at the appointed time return to Cusco

Overnight in Cusco

Day 11: TRANSFER BY ITEP VAN FROM CUSCO TO KM 82 “INKA TRAIL ENTRANCE”

Meals: Lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner.
Accommodation: Camping facilities.
Distance: 11kms/6.8 miles (6 hours more or less of hiking)
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Walking Time: Approximately 6 hours (including picnic lunch in route)
Walk and Terrain: Walk, canter on open roads, some steep ascending.

We will pick you up from your hotels at 6:00 a.m. and go to kilometer 82 (2,800 m./9,200 ft.), the starting point for our hike and the official control of the Inca Trail for tourists, guides and porters.

The hike begins with a gentle climb. During the first 3 hours we will be on relatively flat ground observing a magnificent view of the summit and the snowy Wakay Willka known as the Veronica, where we can enjoy an extraordinary Andean landscape and an Inca construction known as the Patallacta, located at 2,750 m. / 9,030 ft., in this place we will be able to observe some farming terraces that served to feed travelers from different places who took this journey to reach Machu Picchu.

Then we will continue walking through a zone full of vegetation where it is very probable to observe the most popular bird Giant Hummingbird, after having walked for about 2 hours we will arrive to our first camp located in the zone of Huayllabamba at 3,000 m. / 9,900 ft. Huayllabamba is a small town surrounded by fields of corn, potato crops and other products, here we will have our first campsite.

Day 12: TREKKING “WAYLLABAMBA TO PACAYMAYUC/ RUNKURAQAY”

• Meals: Breakfast, water, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and Dinner.
• Accommodation: Camping facilities.
• Distance: 16kms/10mls (9 hours more or less of hiking time)
• Difficulty: Moderate/challenge.

This day our cook will prepare a hot muña or coca drink, today we will have a great challenge, the one to ascend to the highest point of the opening of Warmi huañusca, before undertaking our way we will have an exquisite and comfortable breakfast.

In this section we already begin to appreciate the wide path with cobblestone on the outer edge and in risk areas you can see retaining walls to control the slope of the road, the rise becomes heavier until you reach the sector of Ayapata an area prepared for the camps. 

The ascent through the Salkantay river gorge becomes heavier, the road becomes steeper and the legs already take their toll from the effort made in the midst of the fog and constant drizzle that hovers over the landscape. A final effort allows us to reach 4332 meters above sea level where the Warmiwañuska pass is located, a chink that opens between the mountain range that surrounds Machu Picchu, from here there is a wonderful natural landscape that makes the visitor feel as if he were face to face with the Apus tutelares, the Taita Inti, the Mama Killa, the Olympus of the Andean Gods at a step from the Hanaq Pacha.

The natural landscape has changed notoriously, from the leafy vegetation of the inter-Andean valleys we pass to the icy mountains where the wild straw abounds in the midst of the silence that is silently cut by the discreet winds that comb the mountain.

A network of paths for all visitors enables us to take a break for lunch and replenish our energy.

The road down to Pacaymayu Alto is completely integrated and dates back to the time of the Incas. It is wide and slides in the middle of shallow ravines and noisy streams that the mountains give birth to.

Day 13: TREKKING “PACAYMAYUC TO WIÑAYHUAYNA”

• Meals: Breakfast, water, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner.
• Accommodation: Camping facilities and cold showers.
• Distance: 10kms/6.2mls (5 hours more or less of hiking)
• Difficulty: Moderate

After a hearty breakfast, around 7:00 am, the trail climbs very steeply from the Pacaymayo camp on a well-preserved cobblestone road - here the Inca Trail takes 1 hour to reach the ruins of Runcuracay, a circular structure with rectangular outer buildings located at the end of the valley, an old Inca Tambo, it is here that the chaskis rested and stocked up on food and other materials. Here there is a guard post, a lookout point, and a ritual building, its buildings facing east.

From this site you have a better view when you continue the stairway to the left bank. The second pass (3,950 m/12,956 ft), also known as the Abra de Runcuracay, is about an hour away, and beyond it there are a series of false summits, and above them a series of steep stairs. Just before reaching the real pass, the trail winds between two small lagoons where Andean gulls occasionally gather.

The second pass is a wide platform, which has exceptional views, and with clear weather, you can look back at Warmiwañusca and have an amazing view of the snowy peaks and the road you have traveled. Forward to the 6,000 meter high mountain - Pumasillo (La Garra de la Puma) massif. From here, most of the road is downhill.

After descending through a small tunnel, the trail begins with a series of tight zigzags, descending rapidly until it reaches a small lookout point above the promontory. Beyond, the descent is more gradual and the path winds and coils across the slopes.

To the right of this pass is a long lake covered with seaweed, and in front of you, the imposing Inca town of Sayacmarca is visible. You are now in time to explore and learn interesting things from the explanations of your guides. After these talks, we will continue to descend and the trail will take us to Chakicocha (3,400 m/11,000 ft), where we have a quiet camp where we can rest and have lunch. There are toilets here.

From here, after lunch the excursion becomes breathtakingly beautiful as we pass the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, and then descend to Wiñaywayna and Intipata, to enjoy spectacular views of the Aobamba Valley. This extension of the trail is made of well maintained paved granite stone, still in good condition even after many centuries.

Your lungs will appreciate the fact that today's hike is much lower than the one above, and is significantly shorter than yesterday's hike. To reach Phuyupatamarca (El Pueblo de las Nubes), we pass through the first of two short natural tunnels in the mountains. After visiting this site, we descend about 2,000 cobblestone steps to the Wiñaywayna citadel. If you didn't have knee problems until now, you will suddenly have problems after this descent. If you have knee injuries we recommend that you hire a carrier to carry your things from the beginning.

Use trekking poles to help your legs. Then there is an additional short hike to the Intipata complex, another important Inca site that has agricultural terraces, before arriving at our campsite for the night. At about 5 pm, we will arrive at our campsite in Wiñaywayna (2,700 m/8,856 ft). We will set up our things in the tents, and before it gets dark, we will hike for another 20 minutes to enjoy the wonderful views and take a tour of the site. This Inca complex is the largest and most preserved of the other Inca sites on the Inca Trail.

There are also many hikers in this camp, preparing for the final excursion to Machu Picchu early tomorrow morning. So, we recommend that you take extra care of your personal belongings here. Keep an eye on your backpacks and don't leave anything outside your tent at night. Now it is time for tea and a buffet dinner. Please note that the hostel here that had existed in the past for decades is now closed. Here you will only find cold showers, no drinks and basic toilets.

Day 14: TREKKING “WIÑAYHUAYNA – INTI PUNKU & MACHUPICCHU  GUIDED TOUR”

Back to Cusco: You will descend to Aguas Calientes and later board the Expedition train to the Ollantaytambo Train Station “Train departure time can vary according train schedule and availability”. In Ollantaytambo Train station, you will meet our private van and be transferred to your hotel in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast
Distance: 8.9kms/5.5mls “By Bus in 25 minutes”
Difficulty: Easy

We'll be up very early at about 04: 00 am to enjoy our breakfast and follow our final journey of the Inca Trail, we will advance almost in a straight line north to Inti Punku, the trail is surrounded by abundant vegetation that provides the necessary shade to cover from the solar radiation that increases with the passing of the hours.

On the way there are attractive sections that show stone roads, wooden gates, and some viewpoints that allow you to appreciate the valley floor with the Vilcanota River a few meters before reaching the Intipunku where there are half-built stone buildings probably abandoned by the Incas after the Spanish invasion.

A whim of the road can be appreciated when arriving at Intipunku where a small but steep slope forces us to spend the last energies arriving. The visitor feels glimpsed with the impressive view of the wonderful Inca llaqta of Machu Picchu and part of the Hiram Bingham wagon that communicates with the district capital of Machu Picchu.
Intipunku is a small set of stone forms that evidently served as a checkpoint and administration of people and goods that move along this route here we can enjoy Machu Picchu, from another angle with the broad panorama that opens with the mountains, valleys and ravines that are visualized from this point.

When arriving at Machu Picchu, the marvel of the world, synthesis and summary of the colossal architecture of our ancestors, summit of the Andean civilization, pride of the Peruvians and sign of cultural identity of all the cusqueños, shows us how high degree of development reached the Andean civilization of the hand of the Incas always accompanied by our experienced guide who allows us to cross this religious site par excellence.

"Machu Picchu Maravilla del Mundo" with an altitude of 2,437 masl / 7,995 ft, we understand their superior knowledge reached in the astronomical and astrological that puts in our knowledge the hydrological cycles of rains and droughts by means of the solstices for the development of the agricultural activity, having a free time to take pictures and to stroll by own account.

To the terminal the route we will board the bus of descent with direction to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a repairing tourist menu considering the schedule of return of the train to the station of Ollantaytambo, where our Transport will wait for you to return to the city of the Cusco and its later transfer to its reference hotel.

Day 15: CUSCO – LIMA

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer hotel - airport.

Flight Cusco – Lima.

Arrival to Lima.

Waiting at the airport for international flight.