Peru 15 Days: Lima, Paracas, Nazca, Arequipa, Puno and Cusco

Overview

1. Day 01

   Welcome to Lima

   Your 15-day Peru adventure begins in Lima. Upon arrival, our team will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel, where you can relax and prepare to discover Peru’s coast, desert and spectacular Andean landscapes.

2. Day 02

   Colonial and Modern Lima

   Discover the contrasts of Peru’s capital on a guided Lima city tour. Visit Huaca Pucllana, the Love Park and the elegant district of San Isidro before exploring the historic centre, including the Main Square, Lima Cathedral and San Francisco Monastery with its famous catacombs.

3. Day 03

   Paracas National Reserve

   Travel from Lima to Paracas and discover one of the most impressive coastal landscapes in Peru. Explore beaches, dramatic cliffs and natural viewpoints inside Paracas National Reserve, where the desert meets the Pacific Ocean.

4. Day 04

   Ballestas Islands, Ica and Huacachina

   Take a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands and observe sea lions, Humboldt penguins and seabirds in their natural habitat. Continue to Ica to visit local vineyards and enjoy the extraordinary scenery of the Huacachina oasis, surrounded by towering desert dunes.

5. Day 05

   Nazca Lines Flight

   Experience one of the most fascinating attractions on the Peruvian coast with a scenic flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines. From the air, admire their enormous animal figures and geometric designs before continuing your journey to Arequipa.

6. Day 06

   Discover the White City of Arequipa

   Explore Arequipa and enjoy impressive volcano views from Carmen Alto and Yanahuara viewpoints. Visit Santa Catalina Monastery, the Main Square and the Church of the Society of Jesus while discovering the colonial heritage and charm of Peru’s famous White City.

7. Day 07

   Journey to Colca Canyon

   Travel through volcanic landscapes, high-altitude plains and areas inhabited by wild vicuñas on the way to Colca Canyon. From the Volcanoes Viewpoint, enjoy one of the finest panoramas in the Andes before arriving in Chivay for a relaxing afternoon.

8. Day 08

   Condor Cross and Journey to Puno

   Watch the majestic Andean condors soar above Colca Canyon from the famous Condor Cross viewpoint. Along the way, visit traditional villages, ancient agricultural terraces and scenic viewpoints before travelling through the Altiplano to Puno.

9. Day 09

   Uros and Taquile Islands

   Cruise across Lake Titicaca and visit the floating Uros Islands to learn about the traditions and daily life of their residents. Continue to Taquile Island, where you will enjoy beautiful lake views, ancient customs and a traditional lunch prepared by the local community.

10. Day 10

    Route of the Sun from Puno to Cusco

    Travel along one of the most scenic cultural routes in southern Peru. Visit Pukara, La Raya Pass, the Raqchi archaeological complex and Andahuaylillas Church before arriving in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire.

11. Day 11

    Cusco City Tour and Inca Ruins

    Discover the historic treasures of Cusco on a guided city tour. Visit Cusco Cathedral and Qoricancha before exploring the remarkable archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay.

12. Day 12

    Sacred Valley Tour and Train to Aguas Calientes

    Explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit the Pisac archaeological site, traditional Andean villages and the impressive fortress of Ollantaytambo. At the end of the day, continue by train to Aguas Calientes and stay close to Machu Picchu.

13. Day 13

    Machu Picchu Guided Tour

    Experience the most anticipated moment of your Peru trip with a guided tour of Machu Picchu. Walk among its temples, terraces and remarkable stone structures while discovering the history and mysteries of this world-famous Inca citadel.

14. Day 14

    Rainbow Mountain Adventure

    Set out on an unforgettable journey through the southern Andes to Rainbow Mountain. Along the trail, admire llamas, alpacas and views of the Ausangate mountain range before reaching the Vinicunca viewpoint and seeing its extraordinary natural colours.

15. Day 15

    Farewell from Cusco

    After fifteen days exploring Lima, Paracas, Huacachina, the Nazca Lines, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca, Cusco and Machu Picchu, you will have free time until your airport transfer. You will leave Peru with unforgettable memories of its coast, desert, mountains and living culture.

Itinerary

• DAY 01Lima

  Reception at Lima airport and transfer to the hotel by a representative of our travel agency.

  Rest of the day at leisure.

  Overnight in Lima.

• DAY 02Lima – City Tour

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  City Tour

  ANCIENT LIMA: We begin our tour in the district of Miraflores, with a panoramic view of the “Huaca Pucllana Pyramid,” a magnificent pre-Inca ceremonial center built in the 4th century AD. It survived the urban expansion of Lima.

  Then we head to the Love Park, located on the Miraflores boardwalk, where we will enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean, passing through the Olive Grove Park in San Isidro.

  COLONIAL LIMA: We visit Lima’s Historic Center, where you can appreciate more than fifty colonial monuments and buildings, especially Paseo de la República, San Martín Square, where a brief explanation of historical events will be given, Main Square, Government Palace, Archbishop’s Palace, the Cathedral Basilica, and the Municipal Palace, among others.

  We will enter one of the most important 17th-century convents, the San Francisco Convent. We will visit the old library, choir, main cloister, and the underground crypts known as the catacombs.

  At the end of the tour, you will have the option to stay at the Indian market in Larcomar or return to your hotel.

  Overnight in Lima.

• DAY 03Lima – Paracas – Paracas National Reserve

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  • 05:40 hrs. Transfer to the Cruz del Sur bus station.
  • 06:40 hrs. Departure to the city of Paracas on a tourist bus.
  • 10:40 hrs. Arrival in Paracas, reception and transfer.
  • 11:00 hrs. Visit to the Paracas National Reserve.

  This is a vast protected area located southwest of the city of Pisco. The name of this beautiful place comes from a Quechua word meaning “rain of sand,” probably due to the strong winds that blow at night in this area.

  The Paracas National Reserve is also very important, as its waters contain abundant zooplankton and phytoplankton, supporting a wide variety of fish that sustain both industrial and artisanal fishing. This is a very important activity in the city of Pisco.

  The reserve covers an area of 335,000 hectares and is considered one of the most important ecosystems on the planet.

  During our visit, we can enjoy the beautiful cliffs and beaches along this coastline (Red Beach, Yumaque Beach, and Lagunilla).

  We may also observe groups of flamingos feeding along the shore. To better appreciate these beautiful birds, we will take a short walk to a viewpoint where they can be seen more closely.

  According to some historians, these were the birds that inspired General San Martín to design the red and white colors of the national flag.

  We will then visit the Reserve Interpretation Center, where we will learn about the marine flora and fauna of the Paracas Reserve.

  Afternoon at leisure.

  Overnight in Paracas.

• DAY 04Paracas – Ica – Ballestas Islands – Ica City Tour

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  07:45 hrs. Transfer to the dock.

  08:00 hrs. Departure by boat to the Ballestas Islands.

  Paracas Peninsula tour, the most important wildlife sanctuary on the Peruvian coast. Motorboat trip to the Ballestas Islands, within the Paracas National Reserve, where we will have the opportunity to see the “Candelabro,” a giant geoglyph similar to the Nazca Lines drawn in the sand.

  In addition, we will observe sea lions, boobies, pelicans, penguins, and other seabirds. Return to the dock. Approximate duration: 2 hours.

  10:45 hrs. Departure to Ica by tourist bus.

  12:10 hrs. Arrival in Ica and transfer to begin our tour. Panoramic city tour of Ica, with the following visits:

  The Cathedral of Ica city, some local vineyards in the region, and Huacachina Lagoon, a traditional resting place for locals. The lagoon appears as an oasis in the middle of the desert, forming a spectacular landscape of dunes and huarango trees.

  Transfer to the selected hotel.

  Overnight in Ica.

• DAY 05Ica – Nazca – Arequipa

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  09:00 hrs. Departure to the city of Nazca by tourist bus.

  11:15 hrs. Arrival in Nazca and transfer to the airport, where we will watch an introductory video about the Nazca Lines.

  FLIGHT OVER THE NAZCA LINES

  11:30 hrs. We will board a flight to fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines; enormous geoglyphs of animals, birds, and geometric figures drawn in the desert, which can only be fully appreciated from the air.

  This adventure ends around 15:00 hrs. (Free afternoon). At the scheduled time, transfer to the Cruz del Sur bus station to board the bus to the city of Arequipa.

  Travel time: 10 hours.

  Overnight on board the bus.

• DAY 06Arequipa – Walking City Tour and Santa Catalina Convent

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Reception in the city of Arequipa and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we will visit the city of Arequipa.

  Arequipa City Tour

  Carmen Alto viewpoint (a place where you can see the Chilina Valley), Yanahuara viewpoint, and the Santa Catalina Convent, a “small city” from the 17th century, opened to the public in 1970 after 400 years of cloistered life, taking its visitors four centuries back in time.

  We will also visit numerous spacious courtyards and gardens, the kitchen and slave quarters, stone wash areas, the Main Square, where we will see the Cathedral (exterior only), and the Church and cloisters of the Company of Jesus (San Ignacio dome).

  Return to the hotel.

  Overnight in Arequipa.

• DAY 07Arequipa – Colca (2D/1N excursion – Colca Canyon)

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  We will begin our journey heading to Yura, passing through the slopes of Mount Chachani and Pampa Arrieros, to enter the Pampa Cañahuas, where we can observe the elegant vicuñas.

  We will continue our trip through Vizcachani and the Toccra plains, where we will appreciate a large number of local and migratory birds. Then we will pass the Chucura crater to reach Patapampa (4,800 m a.s.l.), arriving at the Andes viewpoint, also known as the Volcanoes Viewpoint, where we can observe the Chachani, Misti, and Pichu Pichu volcanoes surrounding the city of Arequipa.

  We will then descend to the town of Chivay for lunch (at passenger’s expense).

  Hotel accommodation.

  In the afternoon, free time. We suggest visiting the La Calera hot springs, where you can enjoy a relaxing bath in medicinal waters.

  Overnight in Colca.

• DAY 08Colca – Puno

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  After an early breakfast, we will head to the Cruz del Cóndor (41 km from Chivay), where we will enjoy the majestic flight of the condors and the impressive depth of the canyon. Then we will visit the towns of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma, and Yanque, with several stops at the main viewpoints of Antahuilque and Choquetico, where we will observe colcas, hanging tombs, lithomaths, and other archaeological remains. We will return to Chivay for lunch.

  City of Puno

  We will then begin our journey to the city of Puno via the same route as the first day, taking the detour at Patahuasi (from this point the road is fully paved to Puno).

  Along the way, we will see different Andean landscapes such as stone forests, vast lagoons with various bird species, small regional villages, and the towns of Imata, Santa Lucía, and Juliaca.

  After approximately six hours of travel, we will arrive at the Puno bus terminal around 7:30 pm.

  A representative from our travel agency will be waiting to transfer you to the hotel.

  Overnight in Puno.

• DAY 09Puno – Uros Floating Islands – Taquile – Puno

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Uros Islands

  Early transfer from the hotel to the pier or main port to board our boat and visit the Floating Islands of the Uros, currently considered part of the National Reserve of Lake Titicaca. The trip takes approximately 30 minutes. The Uros people still preserve their own culture and traditions, as well as artisanal fishing, mainly (Karachi) and other species.

  When fishing is abundant, they dry the fish under the sun. They also practice wild bird hunting and duck egg collection. There are about 75 inhabited islands today, and each one is well organized. After a short visit of approximately 40 minutes.

  Taquile Island

  We will continue our journey to the natural island of Taquile, whose inhabitants mainly dedicate themselves to agriculture, handicrafts, and fishing. The locals continue to live according to their ancient Inca traditions and laws, with customs and religious and cultural practices such as marriage (Sirvinacuy) and offerings to Mother Earth (Pachamama).

  It is important to note that spinning and weaving are mainly done by men from the age of eight. Women are exclusively responsible for spinning and weaving textiles. Then we will enjoy a typical included lunch.

  After lunch, passengers will have two hours free to visit the local craft center, take photos of the panoramic views, and return to the city of Puno (to their respective hotels).

  Overnight in Puno.

• DAY 10Puno – Cusco

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Transfer to the bus station at 06:45 AM. Departure to the city of Cusco on a tourist bus service. We travel across the Collao plateau, stopping in the town of Pucará, famous for its Lithic Museum, pyramid-shaped constructions, and its pottery, with the “Torito de Pucará” as its most representative figure.

  Along the way, we will pass through La Raya, the border between Cusco and Puno at over 4,335 m a.s.l., where the famous snow-capped Chimboya mountain is located. Tourists can take photos of the landscape; the stop lasts approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

  Buffet lunch at a peaceful rural restaurant, where you can enjoy the delicious local cuisine of the region. We will stop in Raqchi, where we can see a spectacular Inca sanctuary built by Inca Pachacutec and dedicated to the great god Wiracocha.

  It features a large central wall with a stone base of beautiful Inca architecture. The other walls are made of giant adobe bricks. The structure also has two circular side columns. Around the temple, we find several buildings used as housing or storage.

  Andahuaylillas

  Later, we continue to the beautiful town of Andahuaylillas and visit the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas, dating from the 17th century, better known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas,” due to its polychrome ceiling and the beauty of its murals, gold leaf details, and paintings from the Cusco School housed inside.

  Arrival at the bus station in Cusco, reception and transfer to the selected hotel by a representative of our travel agency.

  Overnight in Cusco.

• DAY 11Cusco City Tour

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Reception at the bus station and transfer to the selected hotel by a representative of our travel agency.

  Cusco City Tour

  Departure from the hotel between 13:00 and 13:20 to begin the city tour and visit nearby archaeological sites. The tour will show the impressive colonial city built on Inca foundations. We will visit the Cathedral, a Renaissance-style structure with beautiful paintings from the “Cusco School,” and Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun, known as the Royal House of the Sun of Urin Cusco.

  We will continue with visits to the four archaeological sites: Sacsayhuamán, a great fortress located 5 km from the city; Qenqo, a sacred amphitheater and worship center of the Puma god where human sacrifices were performed; Pucapucara, the “red fortress” due to the reddish tone of its stones at sunset; and Tambomachay, a temple dedicated to the worship of water.

  Overnight in Cusco.

• DAY 12Sacred Valley of the Incas

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  At the scheduled time, pick-up from the hotel to begin our visit to the Sacred Valley.

  During the tour, we will visit the town of Pisac, a picturesque colonial mestizo city, where on Sundays Mass is celebrated in Quechua. Afterwards, we will continue to the archaeological site of Pisac, where we can observe magnificent Inca architectural platforms.

  Next, we will visit the towns of Ccoya, Lamay, Calca, and Urubamba.

  We will enjoy a buffet lunch. In the afternoon, we will have a guided visit to the town of Ollantaytambo, where the Ollantaytambo archaeological park is located, a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, and religious complex from the time of the Tahuantinsuyo.

  At the scheduled time, we will continue our connection to the town of Aguas Calientes.

  Overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.

• DAY 13Machu Picchu Full Day

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  We will start the day with a transfer to the bus station that will take us to the citadel of Machu Picchu, with a journey of approximately 25 minutes.

  The Machu Picchu tour offers a spectacular visit, with a guided tour of approximately 2 hours. During the visit, the guide will lead you through the main structures of the Inca citadel, where you will learn about its stone constructions, unique buildings, and its mystery and energy.

  Afterwards, you may explore on your own and choose optional activities such as climbing Huayna Picchu Mountain or walking to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku).

  At the scheduled time, we will take the bus back down to the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have lunch at a local restaurant.

  Finally, we will return by train to Ollantaytambo and from there by bus to our hotel in Cusco.

  Optional: If you wish to visit Huayna Picchu Mountain, the reservation must be made at least two months in advance with an additional cost of $40.00.

  Overnight in Cusco.

• DAY 14Humantay Lagoon or Rainbow Mountain

  On this program we will visit one of the natural attractions of Cusco, the “Rainbow Mountain.”

  We will start with pick-up from your respective hotel between 4:00 and 4:30 am, then travel for about 2 hours to the south until we reach the district of Cusipata, where we will enjoy breakfast and a short rest.

  We will continue for approximately 1 more hour to the bus station, from where we will begin the hike to Rainbow Mountain (4 km).

  The hike will last approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Along the route, we will observe flora and fauna, including llamas and alpacas, as well as mountains such as Apu Sarinini and Ausangate, the highest mountain in Cusco at 6,372 m a.s.l.

  In Inca mythology, this mountain and the nearby lakes, including Sivinacocha, are believed to generate the masculine energy that fertilizes Mother Earth, “Pachamama.”

  After some time hiking, we will reach the summit of Rainbow Mountain, where we will have enough time to enjoy the scenery and take photos.

  After a brief explanation from our guide, we will return by the same route to the starting point, take our transport, and head to a restaurant in Cusipata to enjoy a buffet lunch.

  After lunch, we will begin our return trip to Cusco, ending this beautiful experience at approximately 4:30 pm.

  Overnight in Cusco.

• DAY 15Cusco

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  At the appropriate time, transfer to the airport for departure.

  Breakfast on this day will depend on the scheduled transfer time from the hotel.

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