From Peru to Bolivia

Today you will visit Lima, the Peruvian capital which is home to almost a third of the Peruvian population, and which boasts a colonial center where the relics of its importance as a trade center within South America can still be admired at every street corner.

In the early afternoon, you will take a first-class bus over to Paracas. Arrival at this little haven on the Pacific shore in the late afternoon.

Hotel transfer and night at the “Posada del Emancipador”.

Coastal Peru is bathed in cold water from the Humboldt current from the Antarctic, which allows the development of a rich and unexpected fauna in these tropical latitudes. In the morning, you will set off on a boat ride across to the Ballestas islands, where you will see thousands of otaries, penguins, pelicans and other marine birds in their natural habitat.

You will continue your journey over to Nasca, where you will arrive in the afternoon. After settling into the hotel, you will set off for Palpa to observe the famous geoglyphs and anthropomorphic figures drawn in the desert by the valley’s inhabitants over 1000 years ago. We will also make our way to a viewpoint which offers views over these figures and geometrical lines belonging to the famous Nasca lines.

Return to Nasca at the end of the day, and night at the Casa Andina Classic hotel.

The best way to see the Nasca lines is definitely to fly over them. Since everyone may not wish to do this activity, we have made it optional. Another possible way to enjoy this free morning is to make an excursion to the Chauchillas cemetery which is home to a great variety of pre-Colombian mummies, or to the Cahuachi archeological site, which was once an important ceremonial center for the Nasca civilization. In the afternoon, transfer to the bus station and departure to Arequipa in a first-class bus. It’s a long journey through to the Pacific coastal desert: whilst still largely unknown, offers spectacular scenery along the way. Arrival in Arequipa in the late afternoon.

Transfer and night at the Casa Andina Classic hotel.

Next stop : Arequipa, the most relaxing phase of your tour. At an altitude of 2300 meters, Arequipa is an ideal stop before reaching the higher peaks of Peru and Bolivia. Arequipa boasts a very pleasant and sunny climate, as well as a stunning colonial architecture made up of white volcanic stone. You will spend the morning visiting the city, including the traditional Yanahuara district and its magnificent viewpoint over the Misti volcano, the colonial center which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Company of Jesus cloisters, the central markets and the Santa Catalina monastery, one of the biggest religious complexes in South America. You will then have a free afternoon to be able to explore the city at your own pace.

Night at the hotel.

Alternatively, you can take a Peruvian cooking class or do some rafting down the Chili river instead of the Arequipa tour.

Today marks the beginning of your real Andean experience, starting with an excursion into the Colca Canyon. You will discover animals of the Andean plateau in their natural habitat: alpacas, llamas, vicunas, and will drive up to an altitude of 4900 meters (the highest point of the whole tour). You will then descend down into the Colca valley and have lunch in Chivay (not included). In the afternoon, a short walk will enable you to acclimatize to the altitude, and if you wish, will take you to the thermal baths, where you can take a dip in waters close to 40º C (optional, at a cost of around 4 USD, to be paid at the baths).

Night at the Eco Inn hotel.

Early morning departure, driving along the Colca valley until you reach the natural viewpoint called « Cruz del Condor ». From this viewpoint you will have magnificent views over the Canyon and the river, 1000 meters below, and will be able to observe the flight of the condors, who sometimes enjoy flying very low, much to the delight of the tourists watching them!

Return to Arequipa in the late afternoon, and night at the Casa Andina Classic hotel.

Morning transfer to Puno, located on the banks of Lake Titicaca, which stretches out over 8000 square km between Peru and Bolivia. This first class bus will take you through the stunningly immense landscapes which make up the Andean plateau. In the late afternoon you will settle into the Hacienda Plaza hotel, then you will have a free afternoon to visit Puno and acclimatize to the 3800 meter altitude.

Night at the hotel .

Possibility of an excursion to Sillustani, in order to see some spectactular pre-hispanic funeral towers, also known as “chullpas”. 

Day 9 will be spent discovering Lake Titicaca. In the morning, you will depart to the Socca peninsula, which offers splendid views across the lake. This peninsula is truly off the beaten path and tourism hasn’t quite reached it yet,  it is inhabited by Aymara communities living off the land. From this point you will walk for two hours, with some exceptional views over Lake Titicaca along the way, as well over the Royal mountain range across the other side in Bolivia.

Lunch: picnic by the lake, then return to Puno in the early afternoon.

If you wish, you may also opt for a more traditional visit of the Uros, Amantani or Taquile islands, over 1 or 2 days.

Morning departure to Desaguadero, along a road which offers some superb views over Lake Titicaca. After crossing the Peru-Bolivia border, you will continue crossing the bolivian plateau: first you will reach El Alto, home to a million inhabitants located at an altitude of 4000 meters, before descending into La Paz.

Arrival in the afternoon, and transfer to the Rosario hotel. Free afternoon. Night at the hotel.

In the morning, transfer to La Paz airport to catch a flight to Uyuni. You go on a SUV excursion on the famous Salar de Uyuni, one of the most extraordinary natural curiosities on the planet, which will be the high point of your trip to Bolivia.
After a visit of the train cemetery of Uyuni, you go to the village of Colchani, located at the edge of the Salar, which lives from the exploitation of salt. Then the SUV will cross the Salar for nearly 80 kilometers to Incahuasi Island.
From the top of this “island” there is an exceptional view of the whole Salar and the mountains that surround it. You will enjoy a picnic in this unique setting and will be back in Uyuni at the end of the day. Overnight at Tambo Aymara Hotel.

Morning transfer to Potosi. Free end of afternoon to explore the city, located at an altitude of 4000 meters, which used to be one of the most prosperous in South America back in the colonial era. You will be able to walk around the historical center, observing the relics of its colonial splendor, before reaching the “Casa de la Moneda”, founded in the sixteenth century to forge the coins of Peru’s vice-kingdom with silver from the city’s mines.

Night at the Coloso Potosi hotel.

In the morning, you will visit the mines of Cerro Rico, a mountain which boasts an extraordinary wealth of silver and overlooks Potosi. The exploitation of this wealth since colonial times has created a huge network of narrow galleries and tunnels. We will explore these tunnels in order to observe the miners’ work, which continues to this day.

After lunch, you will leave for Sucre, a 2/3 hour drive away. Located in the heart of a valley, Sucre is undoubtedly the prettiest city in Bolivia and has a much nicer climate than that of the Andean plateau.

Night at the Capital Plaza hotel, in the historical heart of the city.

After several days at an altitude of 4000 meters, Sucre is a more relaxing phase of your Peru/Bolivia tour. You will have a city guided tour in the morning, starting with the Recoleta viewpoint where you will enjoy a panoramic view across the colonial center. You will then visit the textile museum which showcases the wealth of tradition and detail involved in the Andean weaving techniques, from the pre-Colombian era to the present day.

We will also visit the “Casa de la Libertad”, a historical place where the independence of Bolivia was proclaimed, which has become a museum about the country’s history.

You will then have a free afternoon to enjoy this charming city at your own pace.

Night at the hotel.

In the morning you will catch a flight to La Paz, where you will settle into the Rosario hotel. In the afternoon, you will visit the Bolivian capital which spreads out over an altitude of 1000 meters. In the bottom part of the city, we will visit the Valley of the Moon, a geological oddity where erosion has formed a landscape resembling fairy chimneys! We will then ascend back up to the city center and Murillo Square, where the presidential palace is located, as well as the parliament and other colonial buildings.

We will also visit the Kilikili viewpoint which offers a panoramic view over La Paz and the Nevado Illimani in the background. Back in the historical center, we will finish the city tour with the witches’ market.

Night at the hotel.

In the morning, transfer by vehicle back to Peru and end of your Bolivian adventure. Arrival in Puno in the afternoon and transfer to the Hacienda Plaza hotel.

Free end of afternoon and night at the hotel.

You are now in the last main phase of Peru/Bolivia tour, where you will explore the city of Cusco and get to know its Inca treasures. In the morning, departure towards the capital of the Inca empire in a tourist bus which will make several interesting stops along the way. First, you will visit the Pukara archeological site, one of the most ancient cultures of the Andean plateau. You will make a stop at the La Raya pass (4370 meters), which marks the end of the Andean plateau and the beginning of the Vilcanota valley, in which the Inca civilization blossomed. After lunch, you will visit the Raqchi Inca site and its Viracocha temple, as well as the picturesque village of Andahuaylillas, where the San Pedro church is located: the church is nicknamed the “Sistine chapel of Peru” due to the beauty and wealth of its decoration.

Arrival in Cusco in the late afternoon. Hotel transfer, then night at the San Agustin Internacional Hotel, in the historical center.

We’ve kept the best for last: today will be spent discovering the city of Cusco, considered the most beautiful city in Peru. In the morning you will set off on a guided tour which will start in the heights of Cusco, in order to enjoy a panoramic view across the city. You will then visit Sacsayhuaman, an astonishing Inca stone construction which looks over the city, one of the biggest and most impressive pre-Colombian constructions; before walking back down to the city through the winding alleyways of the San Blas district.

Throughout this walk you will come across various ancient Inca stone walls, where you will no doubt observe the stunning precision in the Inca sculpting method. You will then cross the historical center of the city and its main squares until you reach San Pedro market, where you will truly experience the Andean atmosphere which makes Cusco so unique.

In the afternoon, you will have some free time to explore this charming city at your own pace.

Night at the hotel.

This visit is mostly done walking, and includes approximately an hour and a half’s worth of easy walking (downhill and across flat land). You may however opt for a more traditional visit, where transfers are done entirely by vehicle and which includes tours around sites such as Kenko, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara, as well as that of the Koricancha sun temple.

Today, you will discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with its contrasted mountain area and its green landscape, amongst the most beautiful of the trip. You will visit Pisac, one of the biggest Inca sites, and Pisac village, where an artisan market is held every day. In the afternoon, you will visit the Moray “circuses”, terraces used by the Incas for agricultural purposes, and the Maras salt mines, where the salt is still farmed today. You will finally reach Ollantaytambo, and will visit its impressive citadel.

Night at the Samanapaq hotel in Ollantaytambo.

Early-morning train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the village at the foot of Machu Picchu. From there, a shuttle bus will take you to the site itself. Visiting Machu Picchu is definitely the climax of any trip to Peru. The natural beauty of the landscape echoes that of the Inca constructions, creating a simply breathtaking sight. You will have plenty of time to explore its every corner, before getting back on the train in the afternoon to return to Cusco at the end of the day.

Night at the San Agustin Internacional Hotel.

Your tour of Peru and Bolivia is now coming to an end. One last free day in Cusco will be an ideal way to enjoy the Andean charm of this magnificent city, and to say your goodbyes to Peru.

Night at the hotel.

Transfer to Cusco airport, flight to Lima and end of your Peru/Bolivia tour. Connection with your international return flight.