Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca Trips 8 Days 7 Nights

Day 1 – Arrive- walking Tour ( Cusco ) 
On arrival at Lima’s international airport, for you convenience we will reserve the Ramada Jarvis Airport Hotel, just 2 minutes from the airport terminal building. Most flights arrive into Lima after 7pm, so using this hotel will remove the need for a lengthy 60 minute transfer to central Lima, giving you more time to relax, and facilitate your return to the airport in the morning.
Today you have time to relax and enjoy the World Heritage site of Cusco. Cusco offers the visitor a spectacular glimpse of an almost perfectly intact colonial town. You can explore the many markets and stalls, and even people-watch in the main square, Plaza Des Armas.

Day 2 – Sacred Valley
Today you will be collected from your hotel for a full day private tour of the Sacred Valley. Your personal guide (with separate dedicated driver and vehicle) will first take you to the colourful indigenous market of Pisac. The market is world famous for offering some of the finest native products including alpaca clothing and unusual regional food items and ingredients. After lunch (included) at a hotel in Urubamba, you will travel to the Inca fortress ruin at Ollantaytambo. Once the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti, it later served as one of the last strong holds of Manco Inca Yupanqui at the time of the Spanish conquest. Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 3 – Machu Picchu
In the morning you will take the Vistadome Train to Machu Picchu. The Vistadome Train is the most popular way to travel to Machu Picchu (1h50m), and the roof top windows afford excellent views of the spectacular Vilcabamba Valley. On arrival, your guide will arrange the transfer of your luggage to your hotel, before taking the shuttle bus to Machu Picchu. On arrival you will take a guided tour the ancient Inca citadel including all the main attractions (the Caretakers Hut, the Temple of the Sun, the temple mother earth, the Three Windowed Temple and Intihuatana(the sundial). You will have free time in the afternoon, before returning to your hotel in Aguas Calientes for the night.

Day 4 – Return to Machu Picchu
Today you will have a free day to re-visit Machu Picchu at your own pace. We include shuttle bus and entrance tickets, plus entrance to Huayna Picchu, the ubiquitous peak behind Machu Picchu. Mid-afternoon you will return to Ollantaytambo on the Vistadome Train, before taking a road transfer to your hotel in Cusco, arriving around 6pm.

Day 5 – Cusco
Un-known to most, Cusco was once the most important city in the Inca Empire. Nowadays its streets are a mix of Inca foundations and stunning Spanish colonial architecture. In the afternoon we will collect you from your hotel, and take you for a tour of Cusco and surrounding attractions, including visits to Tambomachay, Q’enko, Sacsayhuaman, Koricancha and Cusco Cathedral.

Day 6 – Cusco to Puno
Today you will travel south to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The journey traverses spectacular Andean scenery, where it is possible to see wild animals native to the Andes, like Alpaca and Vicuña. The 10 hour journey aboard a luxury tourist bus is broken up with stops at Andahuaylillas (with its decorative Baroque church), the Temple of Wiracocha and the ancient settlement of Pukara. Lunch is included at the mid-way point of La Raya.

Day 7 – Lake Titicaca
Steeped in ancient history and myth, Lake Titicaca is a cultural experience totally different from what you have already experienced. You will take a full day tour that includes the Uros Islands and the traditional Island of Taquile. On the Uros Islands you will experience the fascinating way of life of the Uros Indians, with a demonstration of how the tortora reed islands are constructed. Later you will travel further into Lake Titicaca for a visit to Taquile Island. Un-changed and mostly un-touched by western influences, the Quechua speaking island remains steeped in local tradition. The island is famed for its highly intricate and beautiful knitted items, produced only by the men (and boys) of the island.

Day 8 – Depart Peru
Today you will transfer from Puno to Juliaca Airport (1 hour), where you will take a mid-day flight to Lima. On arrival in Lima you can connect to your onward flights home. Should you wish, we can include use of the VIP lounge at Lima airport whilst you wait for your flight home.