The Festival of the Sun – Inti Raymi

Arrival into Lima and our staff will meet you and transfer you to the hotel.

This morning we visit the Lima centre and the colonial houses. The historic city center of the famous “City of the Kings” and UNESCO World Heritage site. You will walk about the Main Square and be awed by the incredible landmarks that have been built around it. Next, you will go to the Santo Domingo Convent, a 16 th century architectural masterpiece where the earthly remains of two of the city’s patron saints, Rose of Lima and Martin de Porres, lie. Later, you will continue on to the city’s modern sectors: the exclusive district of San Isidro, Lima’s new financial center, and Miraflores, with a stop at the “Parque del Amor” and its incredible view of the Pacific Ocean. Later on transfer to Lima airport for your departure flights to Cusco. Arrival and transfer to the Hotel. Overnight

This morning our guide will meet you for city tour of Cusco. It starts in the colonial district, with a stop at the Coricancha, the Incan Temple of the Sun, to admire the incredible stone workmanship of the Incas as well as the mark left behind by the blending of the Spanish and the Andean. Afterward we drive up the Hill of Cusco to Sacsayhuaman.
Sacsayhuaman is located just 3km outside of Cusco and is the architecturally considered the most impressive citadel of the Inca. Afterward continue to Qenko, which was a religious and ceremonial location for many of the Inca’s traditions.
The next stop is Puca Pucara, an old tambo, one of the ancient Incan Guardposts and rest stops along their main roads. Later on we stop at Pucapucara, we will head to the last destination of our tour: Tambomachay. In this place, the ancient Incas worshipped the water and is known as the spring of eternal youth.
Return to Cusco city and Lunch . Afterward we walk passing narrow streets to the local market where our guide will explain you about this popular market in the city, where we can buy souvenirs from the local artisans. Return to the hotel. Overnight

Early morning we take you to the Sun Festival. We gather at Qoricancha (golden enclosure); The principal Incan temple that was devoted to the Sun. after the ceremony we continue to Plaza de Armas (the old Wayqapata or warriors square); The Incas held the ceremony in this grand square in the middle of an ushnu or ceremonial platform. We go up to Sacsayhuaman (from Quechua, meaning satisfied falcon): Later afternoon we return to the hotel. Overnight

After breakfast, we will start our journey to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We stop at Chinchero, located around 30 km from Cusco. There, we will visit the artisanal market and learn about the process of weaving llama wool into clothing. Then, we will explore the ruins of the Royal Hacienda of Tupac Yupanqui Inca and the colonial temple built on Inca foundations, which is famous for its intricate mosaics. Afterward visit the salt mines.
Once we arrive at the pits, the guide will explain the extraction process of the salt and we are going to have time to take photographs of the mining operation in process.
Finally, we will visit the archaeological area of Moray. The Quechuas used this place as a agrarian laboratory. Here they experimented with different crops and planting techniques to compensate for the difficulties in growing large quantities of crops due to the climatic variations at different altitudes. After we continue to Urubamba Valley for our lunch. Later on we continue to Ollantaytambo fortress, one of the most important fortifications of the ancient Inca. It served as the gateway to the whole village and used to protect the Inca villages from raiding parties of neighbouring tribes of the lower jungle. After we aboard the Vistadome train to Agus Calientes Town where we will have our overnight. Overnight.

It is said that Machu Picchu is a place of great spirituality, and the best time of the day to sense this is at sunrise. Early risers may walk through Machu Picchu in the mist to explore the ruins without crowds. Our guide will explain the history and the myths that surround this archeological wonder. Machu Picchu, the famous lost city of the Inca is one of the most magical and mysterious places on Earth! Stand 2,430m above sea-level in the middle of a tropical mountain forest. In an extraordinarily beautiful setting, it was probably most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height, its giant walls, terraces and ramps seen as, if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Constructed from precisely sculptured granite blocks carefully joined with the projecting exposed stone of the surrounding mountain, the site may well be the finest architectural achievement of the new world. Afterwards we take the bus for our return to Aguas Calientes for lunch. We take the train back to Cusco. Reception and transfer to our Hotel. Overnight

Today we will take you to Cusco airport for your flight back to Lima and back home.