Compare Classic Tour Peru & Puerto Maldonado by Tangol Tours vs Best of Peru - Premium Adventure by Exodus Travels
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4.5 | Great
|
5 | Excellent
|
| Duration | 11 days | 16 days |
| Price From | $ 2,722 | $ 7,995 |
| Price Per Day | $ 247 | $ 500 |
| Highlights |
|
|
| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
| Physical Level |
|
|
| Travel Themes |
|
|
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
|
|
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | No |
| Activities |
|
|
| Meals Included | N/A | All breakfasts, seven lunches and seven dinners are included. The tap water in Peru is not safe to drink. Free drinking water will be provided in large containers; please bring a refillable bottle with you. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffet-style affairs, usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or a cooked dish, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. Regrettably, we cannot guarantee that wheat-/gluten-free products will be available for breakfast in all locations – if you have an intolerance you may wish to bring your own breakfast food from home. Where lunch and dinner are not included, we’ll visit a variety of local cafes and restaurants. Peruvian cuisine has developed a reputation for exceptional flavours and originality and it’s well worth trying a few of the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (a spicy dish of seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry) and various hearty soups such as the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig) and Alpaca steak. To drink, there’s pisco sour, the national beverage. |
| Description |
Come to explore the wonders of Peru, a country rich in archaeological culture and ancestral history. |
Prepare to be captivated by the dramatic scenery of Peru. Discover the incredible mountaintop setting of Machu Picchu, the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca and the colossal Colca Canyon. Our itinerary takes in the absolute best of Peru, discovering the culture, people, history and diverse landscapes of the Andes from the comfort of handpicked, premium accommodation. A highlight is the One-Day Inca Trail trek, which takes us into cloud forest to link up with the final section of Inca Trail that brings trekkers to Machu Picchu. Our adventure also includes two nights deep in the Amazon Rainforest. Discover the amazing variety of life here with an expert naturalist who can interpret the sights and sounds of the jungle.Explore the highlights of southern Peru, including Lake Titicaca, the Amazon and Machu Picchu |
DAY 1. LIMA: Arrival in Lima, and private transfer with only driver to the hotel. Overnight.
DAY 2. LIMA / CUSCO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to take the next flight to Cusco. Arrival in Cusco, and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, we’ll pick you up from the hotel in Cusco and start the Cusco Walking Tour in San Blas, an awesome neighborhood located in the upper part of Cusco City, with amazing views to this magical place. Walking through Hatun Rumiyoq Street, we will see the famous wall with the twelve-angle stone which belongs to the Archbishop’s Palace building, place where Inca Sinchi Roca has lived before. You will admire the spectacular architecture around the Main Square and El Regocijo Sq., until we reach the San Francisco´s Square with its beautiful botanical garden. Then, we will back to the hotel. Overnight.
DAY 3. CUSCO / SACRED VALLEY / CUSCO: Breakfast at the hotel. We will pick you up from the hotel in Cusco, to start a 30 Km. journey until Pisac. This fantastic place has an amazing market, and archaeological temples of stone buildings, with incredible views to the valley and the magnificent Inca platforms. Then, we will continue until Urubamba to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, and later we will reach Ollantaytambo. Its temple was the headquarter of Inca’s army, as well as a religious and agricultural place. It has stunning views, and more than a hundred Inca platforms with an advanced irrigation canal for that period. We will visit Chinchero, and its typical and colorful Inca market, full of traditional craft as ceramics and Andean looms. After the visit, you will be transferred to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight.
DAY 4. CUSCO / MACHU PICCHU / CUSCO: Early in the morning, we will pick you up from the hotel in Cusco, and go to Poroy train station in private transport. You will take the Expedition train, and start a little more than 3 hours’ journey to Aguas Calientes train station. At this point, we will board the bus until the wonderful Machu Picchu Citadel, well-known as The Lost City of the Inca. The guided tour along 2 hours, will let you explore this awesome archeological site with incredible landscapes. Machu Picchu, a World Heritage Site, was the main place of Inca’s farming, and the most important urban place from Incan Empire. Enjoy your free time in Machu Picchu, take pictures or if you are brave you can climb Huayna Picchu (optional), and admire the entire citadel around. Also, you have the option to back to Aguas Calientes and have lunch (optional). At the arrange time, you should arrive at the Aguas Calientes train station to back to Cusco City, arriving to Poroy train station first and take a private transport to the hotel.
DAY 5. CUSCO / PUERTO MALDONADO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Puerto Maldonado. After picking you up from Puerto Maldonado Airport, we will take a short city tour, and then we will go to the "Puerto Capitanía" to take the motor boat to go inside the jungle for 2 hours. We will arrive at the lodge to accommodate, and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon, we will have an expedition to Cocha Caiman, a small lagoon, to observe the large number of black and white alligators that live in this zone. You will love the spectacular sunset and the beautiful heaven colors. We will return to the lodge for a good dinner, and rest.
DAY 6. PUERTO MALDONADO: One of the best moments of sleeping in the jungle, is waking up listening to the sounds that nature gives to us. After breakfast, we will start a walk towards the depths of the jungle, to observe the flood forest until arriving to the majestic Lake Apu Victor, with beautiful landscapes and crystal clear waters. We will go up to the Amazon viewpoint, and to appreciate the wonderful Peruvian jungle, and a great variety of flora and fauna. We will return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we will visit the Monkey Islands, located in the heart of the Madre de Dios River. During the walk, we will observe different types of monkeys, and animals in general. We will enjoy a beautiful sunset. At the end, we will return to the lodge for dinner.
DAY 7. PUERTO MALDONADO / CUSCO: After breakfast, we will return to Puerto Maldonado city, and take you to the airport for your next flight to Cusco. Arrival in Cusco, and transfer to the hotel. Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Overnight.
DAY 8. CUSCO / PUNO: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the bus station to take the tourist bus to Puno (8 hours). During the way, you will do 3 visits to Raqchi, Andahuaylillas and Puca Pucará. A buffet lunch is included at local restaurant. Arrival in Cusco, and private transfer with only driver to the hotel. Overnight.
DAY 9. PUNO: After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the lake port of Puno, where a regular boat will take you to the floating islands of the Uros. The Uros are an ancestral society that populate a series of artificial islands built on the basis of the totora plant, which grows in the same lake. The islands are constructed by weaving the totora in the places where it grows thicker and forming a natural layer. On top of it they built their houses, also of totora, and cook outdoors to prevent possible fires. After Uros visit and, an hour and a half boat trip, you will continue your journey to the island of Taquile. This is Quechua, unlike the other Aymara speaking islands on the lake. It was part of the Inca empire and vestiges of this culture can still be seen in its constructions. Once there you will be given a brief explanation of the island and witness a cultural activity. After lunch, you will return to the port of Puno, where our transport will be waiting to take you to your hotel. Overnight.
DAY 10. PUNO / AREQUIPA: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the bus station to take the touristic bus to Arequipa (6:30 hours). Arrival in Arequipa and transfer to the hotel. Free afternoon, and overnight.
DAY 11. AREQUIPA: Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning for rest or personal activities. In the afternoon, the journey begins with the transfer from the hotel to the center of Arequipa city, in the colonial district of San Lazaro, place where the city has been founded. Then, we will visit the Main Square, one of the most beautiful in Peru, and neighbor of the imposing Arequipa cathedral built in the seventeenth century and completely rebuilt after several earthquakes. We will see the Cathedral and the Church Compañía de Jesús (1590), considered a classic example of the local baroque architecture that keeps inside a sample exceptional paintings and murals. From there we will go to Santa Catalina Monastery, an authentic medieval cloister built in 1579 and is still in use to this day. Then, we will visit Yanahuara and Carmen Alto districts to have a Panoramic view of the countryside, without a doubt a fantastic image. Return to the hotel and overnight.
DAY 12. AREQUIPA / LIMA: Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima. Arrival in Lima and transfer to the hotel. In the night, we will go to the Larco Museum in a shared transport, to visit it with knowledgeable local guide. Enter the museum and begin your enriching exploration of the exhibitions; see over 50,000 ancient Peruvian pots; admire glittering jewelry and intricate masks; marvel at the accurate detail of Moche portrait vessels, ceramic sculptures resembling human faces; and discover ceramics created by ancient Inca, Nazca and Chancay cultures. After gaining heightened historical insight, take a seat in the elegant dining room to begin your culinary experience. Enjoy the ambient atmospheric and beautifully sculpted gardens as you sip a freshly mixed pisco sour and converse with your companion. Pleasure your palate with regional specialties. After dinner, you will be driven back to your hotel. Overnight.
DAY 13. LIMA / OUT: Breakfast at the hotel, we will start the panoramic City Tour Lima at the “Parque del Amor”, located in the touristic district of Miraflores, where you will enjoy beautiful ocean views. We will continue with the panoramic visit to Huaca Pucllana, archeological site located in the middle of the city, and belongs to the pre-inca culture of Lima. Then, we will pass through El Olivar Park, in the financial district of San Isidro, full of olive trees and gorgeous houses from the colonial era. We will arrive at the Historic Center of Lima, visiting the San Martin Square until we reach the Main Square, the scene of beautiful buildings such as the Government Palace and the Cathedral. At this point, we will start to walk until the impressive Santo Domingo Convent, where it harbors the relics of the most representative saints of the city. At the end, you will be transferred to the airport to take your international flight.
**END OF SERVICES**
Day 1 Start Lima
Welcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. There’s plenty of adventure on your trip, but today’s all about settling into the hotel. You will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. There will be a notice board in the hotel reception with details of where and when the group welcome briefing will be held. Premium accommodation: Casa Andina Select Miraflores (four-star)
Day 2 Morning flight to Arequipa; afternoon city tour and visit to Santa Catalina convent
We have an early start today for our flight to Arequipa, known as the White City due to the pale volcanic stone used to construct many of the fine colonial buildings. This picturesque city is surrounded by 19,685ft (6,000m) tall volcanoes, including the near-perfect cone of El Misti. Lunch will be at an Arequipa picanteria (a traditional lunchtime restaurant). Our afternoon tour has us exploring the historic city centre, including the Plaza de Armas (main square), and finishes at the colourful, serene Santa Catalina convent, which was built in 1580 and is still cared for by the nuns who reside within. Premium accommodation: Hotel Mint, Arequipa (four-star)
Day 3 Visit the National Reserve of Salinas hoping to spot vicuñas; transfer to the Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs
A spectacular drive over the Andean high plains, known as the Altiplano, brings us to the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. On the way, we pass volcanoes and will almost certainly see vicuñas (relatives of the lama) in the highlands, before we cross the Patapampa Pass (16,110ft/4,910m), which marks the descent into the canyon itself. As we take the winding road to the town of Chivay for a short stop, the sight of the green, fertile canyon terraces is a contrast to the barren yet beautiful Altiplano landscapes. This is the first day we may feel the effects of altitude. We don’t linger at the top of the pass, but spend the night around 11,810ft (3,600m), so take it easy on arrival and enjoy the natural hot springs at Colca Lodge. Overlooking the Colca River, the Colca Lodge is a jaw-dropping location to spend the next two nights. Premium accommodation: Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs, Colca Valley (four-star)
Day 4 Early morning to visit the Cruz del Condor viewpoint; afternoon to explore the Uyo Uyo pre-Inca ruins by foot
We spend a full day exploring the Colca Canyon, starting with a visit to the Cruz del Condor, the best place to see mighty Andean condors as they glide on the morning thermals. We also see ancient tombs that line the cliffs on one side of the canyon and make stops in the villages along the way, which house several interesting colonial churches. In the afternoon, we set off on foot from Colca Lodge to visit the nearby pre-Incan ruins of Uyo Uyo. After, we return for another rejuvenating soak in the natural thermal pools before dinner. Premium accommodation: Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs, Colca Valley (four-star)
Day 5 Drive to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca
Today, we drive through the high mountain plains to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. En route, we can spot vicuña herds before making a short visit to the pre-Inca burial towers (chullpas) of Sillustani. Our hotel tonight is ideally situated on the Lake Titicaca shores – the perfect place to watch sunset over the lake. Premium accommodation: Casa Andina Premium Puno, Puno (four-star)
Day 6 Full day exploring Lake Titicaca visiting both Uros and Taquile islands
Enjoy a full day on Lake Titicaca as we visit the floating islands of Uros and Taquile. First, we take a boat to Uros where the community has been living on rafts made of reeds for centuries; though many have now moved to the mainland, there are still a couple of thousand who remain on the islands anchored close to Puno. A reasonable amount of their income is now provided by strictly regulated tourism, but they still fish the lake and barter with mainland communities to obtain daily essentials. Afterwards, we visit Taquile, home to a community known for their male-only weavers and traditional lifestyle. The panoramic views of the lake from the island are incredible, and it is often possible to see the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real in the distance. Premium accommodation: Casa Andina Premium Puno, Puno (four-star)
Day 7 To Cuzco; afternoon city walking tour
In the morning, we take a relaxing journey across the stark yet beautiful Altiplano, which separates the Andes from the jungle. On the way to Cuzco, we make stops to stretch our legs, visit some of the most interesting sites and have lunch. We arrive in Cuzco this afternoon with time for an introductory walking tour of this historic city, which features both Inca and colonial architecture. Premium accommodation: Xima Hotel, Cuzco (four-star)
Day 8 Morning city tour including the cathedral, Qoricancha and Saqsayhuaman; afternoon to Ollantaytambo
This morning, we explore the heart of the Inca Empire, seeing the highlights of Cuzco both in and above the city. In the centre, Cuzco Cathedral and Qoricancha (Sun Temple of the Incas) feature arguably the finest example of Inca stone craft. On the hill overlooking Cuzco, we visit the monolithic stone fortress site of Sacsayhuaman, where the Incan armies made their last stand against the Conquistadores. As we head into the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, we visit the immense Inca fortress and explore this unique village, where many streets and facades remain unchanged and continuously inhabited since Inca times. Premium accommodation: Del Pilar Ollantaytambo, Ollantaytambo (four-star)
Day 9 One-day Inca Trail via Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu
We wake early for a scenic train journey through the Urubamba River Valley (approximately 1hr 20min) to the trail checkpoint at Km104, where we disembark and start our full-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. We begin by climbing 3600ft (1097m) to the beautiful ruins complex of Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young). We'll take it nice and easy on this part of the trail, with plenty of stops to catch our breath and take in the spectacular views. At Wiñay Wayna we will relax and enjoy our box lunch. From there we head off along one of the most beautiful (and relatively flat) sections of the Inca Trail, winding past wild orchids to finally arrive at the famous Sun Gate (Inti Punku), where we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu. Our afternoon arrival offers great photo opportunities as we descend into the ruins complex for classic photos. With our full tour tomorrow, we exit the site and board the bus to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a well-earned meal, shower and a comfortable bed for the night in preparation for our early return to Machu Picchu. Premium accommodation: Tierra Viva Machu Picchu Hotel, Aguas Calientes (four-star)
Day 10 Morning visit Machu Picchu; afternoon return to Ollantaytambo
To beat the daytrippers from Cuzco and reach the ruins as early as possible, we book early morning buses and entry tickets to Machu Picchu. The Inca citadel is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world, enhanced by a mountain backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by American historian Hiram Bingham. After our tour, we catch our afternoon train to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) with a short drive to our hotel in the Sacred Valley to relax and celebrate our Machu Picchu adventure. Premium accommodation: Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel & Villas, Ollantaytambo (five-star)
Day 11 Sacred Valley tour; visit Chinchero community for a traditional ‘pachamanca’ lunch; return to Cuzco
This morning, we depart the scenic Sacred Valley as we head up to the traditional weaving community of Chincheros. Along with amazing views of the valley and Vilcabamba mountain range, Chincheros also offers the unique cultural opportunity to enjoy a traditional Andean pachamanca lunch, which is hosted by and supports the local community. This is a real culinary treat, in which the food is wrapped, then buried underground with hot stones to cook it slowly. After, we return to Cuzco with free time to explore solo. Premium accommodation: Xima Hotel, Cuzco (four-star)
Day 12 Free day in Cuzco for optional activities
Day 13 Fly to Puerto Maldonado and transfer to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción, our base for exploring the Peruvian Amazon
We leave Cuzco early today and take a short flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, we transfer to the riverfront for a 25-minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River to reach our jungle accommodation at the Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion lodge, next to the protected Tambopata National Reserve. The reserve is home to a vast number of animal species, plus a variety of plant life greater than almost anywhere in the world. After lunch, we have the option to hike into the rainforest with our expert guide, who will introduce us to the amazing variety of Amazonian flora and fauna. We continue the exploration and take a twilight river cruise, viewing nocturnal creatures as they wake. Premium accommodation: Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción, Puerto Maldonado (four-star)
Day 14 Exploring the Peruvian Amazon
The varied activities today will generally include a mixture of expertly guided walks along the forest trails, or time spent in canoes to explore Lake Sandoval. This serene lake is home to thousands of bird species, endangered giant river otters, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles and black caimans. We can also go high into the canopy for a completely different view of the forest via a network of canopy walkways. An evening walk is also offered to observe the wildlife and the rainforest by night. Premium accommodation: Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción, Puerto Maldonado (four-star)
Day 15 Fly to Lima; final dinner with the group
Enjoy your last morning waking to a cacophony of jungle sounds before we set off by boat from the lodge, visiting the Butterfly House before our departure flight from Puerto Maldonado back to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima, we transfer to our Miraflores hotel and the city bustle. Tonight, we have a special farewell dinner in Lima at a fantastic restaurant at the base of the pre-Incan site of Huaca Pucllana. Premium accommodation:Casa Andina Select Miraflores, Lima (four-star)
Day 16 End Lima
The trip comes to an end today after breakfast and it's time to bid Peru and the rest of the group goodbye. Transfers to Lima Airport are available for all flight inclusive clients in time for the group flight today.
