Domestic flight is scheduled between 8am and 1pm depending on flight availability

You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco between 7am and 7:30am for the start of your tour. We will take the road that leads to Pisac which is located just north of Cusco. The Sacred Valley is one of the most popular tours in the Cusco region as it was an important area for the Inca civilization and worked as both an agricultural and political center for them. Throughout your tour you visit 2 main sites, Pisac and Ollantaytambo. You will appreciate the best works of craftsmanship that the Incas produced and enjoy the beautiful landscape of the Sacred Valley. Conveniently ending your Sacred Valley tour at Ollantaytambo you will board the trail to Aguas Calientes- the town at the base of Machu Picchu.

The train journey itself is filled with stunning views and will take about 1 hour. Once you arrive to Aguas Calientes you will check you into your hotel and have free time to enjoy the village. If you would like to take advantage of the time you have this evening, you can visit the Machu Picchu museum, the orchid exhibition, or the butterfly garden- located 40 minutes outside the village (walking), or simply relax in the hot springs near town.

Today is the most magical day of your journey. Depending on your entrance time to Machu Picchu your guide will help you determine the best time to wake up for your tour. If you have the early entrance you will wake up around 4am to catch the first bus up to Machu Picchu and see the sun rise over the ruins. If you have a later entrance you will be able to enjoy a it more sleep before taking the bus up to the ruins (entrance times will be assigned to you depending on how far in advance you book). Your guide will take about 2 hours explaining the highlights of Machu Picchu and the beautiful sites. Afterwards, if you have booked the option to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain you will have time for your hike and have free time to walk the ruins on your own. In the afternoon, you will get back on the bus and head to Aguas Calientes town. You will then board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where a private van will be waiting for your ride back to Cusco arriving between 6-8pm.

Optional activities available please inquire.

Your day starts in Cusco where you are picked up from your hotel at 2:15am for a 3 hour trip via private van to the start of the trail. You will be given a local Peruvian style breakfast prepared by our chef and fuel up for the hike ahead of you.

The hike to the rainbow mountain will take around 2 hours and is a distance of 4 km. Throughout your journey you will pass through a vibrant green valley with the snow capped peak of Ausangate towering in the distance. You will see hundreds of roaming alpaca, and have the chance to truly see how Quechua people live. As you get closer to the Rainbow Mountain you will begin to see the first signs of the colored minerals that formed the painted hills. Your guide will explain what makes up the existence of the Rainbow Mountain and how it was formed, and finally with one last push you will hike up to a vantage point that gives you a 360 degree view of the beautiful landscape that makes up the sacred land.

We will have snacks on top and take relaxing break to soak up the vistas, where you can enjoy the beauty that surrounds you. At this time you can also enjoy some coca tea that the locals prepare for visitors. After about an hour you will embark for your hike back to the trailhead (1.5 hours), where you will have a gourmet lunch prepared by our chef in a traditional home and depart back to Cusco. Arriving in Cusco between 3-4pm.

Optional flight +$150usd per person

TOURISTIC BUS FROM CUSCO TO PUNO: Departure time is at 7:00 am from bus terminal.

Stops on route:

‍
ANDAHUAYLILLAS: The group visits the fabulous colonial church of
Andahuaylillas. This church offers impressive murals from XVI and XVII
centuries.

RAQCHI: This archaeological site also called Wiracocha temple. It is
possible to appreciate Inca terraces, baths, and aqueducts.

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SICUANI: Charming small town where the group has a buffet lunch (included in
price).

LA RAYA: The highest point on the route (4,313 mt - 14,147 ft). La Raya is
the border town between Cusco and Puno. The group appreciates the beautiful
scenery of the highland plateau.

PUKARA: This is another site of archeological interest. When open it is
possible to visit a great pyramidal structure. Pukara was the first great
civilization of the Andean Plateau of Lake Titicaca area. There is also a
small but very interesting museum in this site.

The arrival time in Puno is at 5pm Hrs in the bus terminal.

Overview: Uros – Taquile Island – Luquina Community- Puno

Duration: 2day/1 night in shared basis (group tour)​

8am: The tour starts in Puno. We transfer you from the hotel to the dock in Puno. We embark on a boat journey towards Taquile Island and later on to the community of Luquina. On the way to Taquile, we stop by the floating Islands of Uros for a guided interpretation of the local way of life of the Uro people.

11:30: We arrive in Taquile Island and start a soft hike up to a community where we will enjoy a textile and cultural exhibition where a native guide will provide and interpretation of the traditional clothing and textile designs from Taquile.​

12:30: Lunch in Taquile Island.​

1:30: We return to the dock to continue our trip to the community of Luquina.

3pm: Upon our arrival in Luquina, we will be greeted and welcome by the friendly members of the community. We will immediately notice their beautiful bright typical clothing and enjoy the sound of their musical instruments.​

As part of the community based tourism initiative, travelers cans spend time with the locals, gaining and insight into such daily activities as farming, fishing sailing and cookery. Some groups have been able to play soccer and volleyball against the locals; such sport activities are the favorites of local children and young people to share with the visitors.

7pm: A delicious dinner made of local produce will be served in the host family house: Quinoa soup and a tasty potato and vegetable stew with rice. Communication might be difficult as the local people speak mostly Aymara and some Spanish but they are very warm and gracious. Gesturing and smiling works often very well!

On the evening, the community will offer us a chance to enjoy their Andean music played with traditional instruments and we will be more than welcome to try to join the local group for either dancing or playing a local musical instrument. Do not be surprised when you will also be given the opportunity and privilege to try on the local dress and costumes.

Accommodation in homestay ($35usd per person needs to be paid directly to the local family for meals/accommodation) - (B,L,D)

8am: After breakfast, the morning will be filled with more activities such as hikes around the community and through the paths crossing the small farmlands or *sailing on a fishermen’s boat around the peninsula ́s cliffs. For those who love trekking, there is an option to do a one hour hike up to a lookout point. The hike can be tough, because of the altitude, but the views are worthy reward. The vastness of Lake Titicaca is breathtaking and the sight is graced with the small, terraced farms, adobe buildings and a peaceful lakeshore ́s beach.

1pm: Lunch

2pm: After lunch our host families will wave goodbye as we embark again on the boat back to Puno and to continue on the next adventure.

3:30: We arrive in Puno dock and we will be transfer to our hotel.

Overnight in Puno 3* Hotel

Optional flight - added cost (upon availability)

‍

(B)

You will be greeted at the airport by a tour representative who will be waiting for you holding up a sign with your name on it.

Start your tour off at 10:30am with a visit to Uyuni’s ‘train graveyard’ to see the abandoned locomotives in Bolivia. Then visit the small settlement of Colchani (salt miners workshops next to the salt flats) where you can see handicrafts made of salt and textile art made of llama and alpaca. Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, visit los Ojos de Agua Salada (‘salt water eyes’) and then a hotel made completely of salt which is currently a museum.

Lunch will be served on “Isla Incahuasi” (Fish Island) where you will have time to hike to the top of the island to see giant cactus and rock formations made of petrified coral. Take time to organize your group for fun perspective and proportion-distorted photos on the blinding white surface of the salt flats. Then, head to Pia Pia island for the unique experience of seeing a beautiful sunset over the salt flats. Have dinner and spend the night at Ajencha town. In the evening, enjoy star gazing from an amazing look-out point through telescope. (L/D)

Start off at 7:00am for breakfast. Our first stop is galaxy caves before continuing on to visit the Chiguana desert on the south side of Uyuni salt flats, surrounded by volcanoes such as Ollague (5840m), which is still active and can be seen from the lookout. Continue along a rocky road - Pasito Tuntun - to the beautiful Andean lagoons inhabited by 3 species of Andean flamingos. Marvel at three lagoons on the way; Cañapa where you’ll see pink flamingos, Hedionda where lunch will be served, and Chiarcota where you’ll see a wider variety of birds and altiplanic fauna.

After, we enter the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve and visit the Desert of Siloli at 4550m (the highest and driest in the world) and take a photos next to the ‘Rock tree’, a lava rock formation. Before arriving to our final destination today, we will stop at the overlook point by the Red Lagoon to see more pink flamingos in their natural habitat and admire the intense red-colored lake. Stay the night at a shared family lodging. (B,L,D)

Get off to an early start around 5:00am to visit the Sol de Mañana Geyser, at 5,000m and walk next to fumaroles and steaming craters filled with boiling pots of mud at 150-200 degrees C. Continue to the open air hot springs and take a bath in 35 degree C water before enjoying a pancake breakfast. The next places to visit are the Dali Desert where Salvador Dali found his inspiration from boulders sprinkled in the middle of the desert, followed by the Green Lagoon (toxic copper water at the foot of Licancabur volcano at 6000m, which is a few kilometers from the Bolivia-Chile border).

After this, you will head back to Uyuni passing by beautiful scenery and eating a picnic lunch along the roadside. On the way, pass by the Valley of the Rocks, the Alota settlement and the San Cristobal Village where we will visit the church and see the exquisite colonial paintings. Return to Uyuni by 6:30pm where your tour comes to an end. (B,L)

OVERNIGHT IN LA PAZ 3* HOTEL

DAY 13: FLY HOME/ END OF ITINERARY