“Peru on Foot”

Transfer to the airport and flight over to Arequipa, Peru’s second city with a stunning colonial center which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Transfer to the Casa Andina Classic hotel in the historical center.

Free afternoon and night at the hotel.

Early morning departure to the Colca Canyon with your guide. After a lunch in the Cabanaconde village (3300 meters’ altitude), you will start your first Peruvian trek by descending into the canyon along a path which clings to the volcanic rock walls, until you reach the San Juan village (2300 meters), located in the bottom of the canyon, on the river bank.

Dinner and night in a refuge (basic comfort).

After breakfast, you will cross over to the other side of the Colca Valley, walking through the picturesque villages of Cosñirhua and Malata, before descending to the Oasis at the bottom of the Valley. You will also be able to take a dip in the swimming pools. In the afternoon you will hike the 1000 meters back up to Cabanaconde, where you will have dinner and sleep in a hotel (basic hotel, with a private bathroom with hot water).

After an early breakfast, you will take a bus over to the « Cruz del Condor » viewpoint, which offers stunning views of the flight of the Condors across the valley. You will then take a bus over to Chivay, where you will have breakfast (meals non included). After breakfast you are welcome to take a dip in the Calera thermal baths (optional, 4 US$ admission, not included). Return to Arequipa in the late afternoon.

Night at the Casa Andina Classic hotel.

In the morning you will travel over to Lake Titicaca, crossing some beautiful parts of the Andean plateau. In the afternoon, arrival in Puno, located on the banks of the Lake, and transfer to the Hacienda Plaza hotel. Free end of afternoon to visit the city and acclimatize to the altitude.

Night at the hotel.

On offer for today : a two-hour hike along the banks of the Lake. In the morning you will depart for Socca, a peninsula off the beaten path, where some aymara communities live. This hike will offer some fantastic viewpoints over the sprawling lake, its islands and the mountain range on the Bolivian side. You will have a picnic on the banks of the lake, and then return to Puno in the early afternoon. Night at the hotel.

It is also possible to do the more traditional excursion on the lake, and visit the floating islands of Uros and/or Taquile and Amantani.

In the morning, departure by first-class coach to Cusco. After a 6-hour drive across the Andean Plateau and the city of Vilcanota, arrival in Cusco, capital of the Inca empire.

Hotel transfer to the San Agustin Internacional. Free end of afternoon and night at the hotel.

Early morning departure by minibus to the Mollepata village, from which you will start your second Peruvian trek over to Cruzpata, where you will have lunch. You will continue your trek in the afternoon over to Soraypampa, and will camp there for the first night.

Today a 7-hour difficult hike awaits! This hike will take you up the slopes of Nevado Umantay, up to an altitude of 4600 meters. Your hard work will be rewarded though, with a spectacular view across the Nevado Salkantay mountain range. You will then trek down to your camping place, in Challway.

On day 11 you will descend to a lower altitude until you enter a semi-tropical forest environment. You will make a stop in some thermal sources, before following the course of the Santa Teresa river, embellished by waterfalls and a variety of orchids belonging to that particular region of Peru. After 6 hours of trekking, arrival at Sahuayaco, where you will set up your last camp.

In the morning, you will continue your descent through the coffee, cocoa, and fruit tree farms, depending on the season. In the afternoon, you will reach the Vilcanota River and the hydroelectric power plant, from which you will continue your walk along the train tracks until you reach Aguas Calientes. It is also possible to take the train instead of walking for this part of the day, if you would prefer (optional). After 4 days’ trek and 3 nights’ camping, you will now come back into civilization!

Night at the Andina Luxury hotel.

Early-morning wake-up call and departure towards the climax of your trip: Machu Picchu, wonder of the world and of Peru. After a two-hour guided tour around this astonishing site, you will still have time to explore it at your own pace. You will then head back down to Aguas Calientes in the afternoon to take the train to Cusco.

Night at the San Agustin Internacional hotel.

Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima, from which you will take a first-class bus to Huaraz in the evening, and transfer to the « Patio de Monterrey » hotel.

Night at the hotel.

Early-morning departure to the Caraz province. After breakfast you will reach the village of Cashapampa, where you will meet the carriers, and depart for your last Peruvian trek through the Huascarán National Park. On the way, you will be able to take in the stunning views over the Andes.

Dinner and night under the tent in Llamacorral (3800 meters’ altitude).

Morning departure along the Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha lagoons, the latter of an impressive turquoise color, from which you will be able to spot the snowy peaks of Caraz and Pumapampa. Lunch break at the “Bois de Quiswar” before going back down to the Arhuaycocha, from which you will have a viewpoint over the Alpamayo, one of the most beautiful Peruvian mountains, as well as the Quitarraju which peaks at 6000 meters. You will then continue onwards to the Taullipampa camp (4200 meters) from which you can get a clear view of the imposing Taulliraju.

Dinner and night under the tent.

On this third day of trekking, you will hike through the Punta Union pass at an altitude of 4750 meters, from this point you will get a perfectly clear view over the Santa Cruz and Huaripampa valleys. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see a condor flying above you!

You will then hike back down into the Huaripampa valley, to the foot of the impressive Chacraraju. In the afternoon, you will join the Cachina camp which boasts a view over the Taulliraju.

Dinner and night under the tent.

Last trekking day! You will leave the Huascarán National Park in order to reach the Huaripampa village, where a vehicle will be waiting for you to take you to Portachuelo. The vehicle will make some stops to allow you to admire the mountains of the White Range: the Nevado Huascarán, the highest summet in Peru (6789 meters), the peaks of Huandoy, Chopicalqui, as well as the superb lagoon in Llanganuco. On the way back, you will make a last stop in Yungay, a city whose 25,000 inhabitants were buried under a mudslide in 1970.

Return to Huaraz and night at the “El Patio de Monterrey” hotel.

Free morning in Huaraz. Around noon, transfer to the bus station to take a first-class bus to Lima. Arrival in the evening, transfer to the Britania hotel.

Night at the hotel.

Transfer to Lima airport. End of your “Peru on foot” tour.