Peru + Galapagos + Easter Island

Day 1 Lima

Arrival in Lima at Jorge Chavez Airport.
Meeting and transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 2 Lima - Cusco

Breakfast.
At 7:00 transfer from the hotel to the airport for the flight to Cusco.
Arrival, meeting at Cusco airport and transfer to the hotel.

After a short rest in the afternoon - a sightseeing bus tour of Cusco with a Russian-speaking guide. At an altitude of more than three thousand meters above sea level is the most mysterious city of Peru - Cusco. Since ancient times, it has been known as the capital of the Incas and is considered the archaeological and historical center of all of South America, it still fascinates and envelops in ancient mystery. According to local legends, the city was founded by the first representative of the Incas - Manco Capac, who settled here, coming from the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Visiting architectural complexes:

1). The Sacsayhuaman Fortress is a fortress and temple complex built by the Incas in the 15th century. Today, the complex consists of three tiers of walls made using the Cyclopean masonry technique from giant stone blocks. The largest of them weigh more than 3,000 tons and were delivered from a distance of several dozen kilometers. Some archaeologists believe that the walls existed before the Incas, who built several religious buildings inside the walls.

2). The Kenko Temple, which was awarded the title of an archaeological monument in the Sacred Valley. In its shape, it resembles an amphitheater that was carved into the rock. It was here that the Incas performed their main sacred rites. This is not just a sacred place, it is the home of four temples located on a mountain slope: the Puca Pucara fortress and the Tambomachay water temple.

3). The Koricancha Temple - "Golden Temple" was the main shrine in the Inca Empire. When the conquistadors invaded, the temple was destroyed, and its foundation became the beginning of the construction of the new Cathedral of Santo Domingo. According to ancient legends, all the walls and the interior were covered with gold. However, after the Spanish invasion, the Indians managed to take all the precious parts and take them with them. At that time, there was a large golden altar inside and a huge golden disk was found, on which the God of the Sun Inti was depicted.

Additionally, it is possible to visit the Cusco Cathedral before the city tour (for an additional fee).

Return to the hotel. Rest.

Day 3 Cusco - Machu Picchu - Cusco

Breakfast.

Meeting at the hotel with a Russian-speaking guide and transfer to the train station. Boarding the train and transfer to the Hot Springs.

Next - an excursion to Machu Picchu, the city of the Incas, which existed for just over a hundred years. It was built by Pachacutec, the ruler of the Empire, as a residence-sanctuary. The city had a palace complex, houses of noble people of the empire and a temple complex. Machu Picchu is a real mystery, since the city was abandoned, and archaeologists still have not figured out the reasons for this. The city is located high in the mountains, at an altitude of 2450 m. above sea level, so it was not destroyed and plundered by the conquistadors. Machu Picchu was discovered in 1911 thanks to the American scientist Hiram Bingham. The city was built using construction technologies that amaze even modern people: the buildings built on the slopes are stable, the stone blocks are carefully fitted, the buildings fit into the surrounding landscape. Since 1983, Machu Picchu has been included in the list of UNESCO Heritage Sites, and since 2007 - in the list of New Wonders of the World.

In the afternoon - descent to Aguas Calientes.
Lunch at the national cuisine restaurant "El MAPI".
Return by train to Cusco.
Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Day 4 Cusco

Breakfast.
Free day.

For an additional fee, an excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas is offered.

Many ruins of ancient cities lie in the sacred valley of the Incas: Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Urubamba. At the art fair in the town of Pisac, you can buy handicrafts - ceramics, carpets, souvenirs, silver and leather goods. In the zoo center "Auanakancha" you can admire and feed the charming llamas, alpacas, huanacos and vicunas, get acquainted with the process of dressing and natural dyeing of wool.

Then - the excursion continues to the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo, one of the most important military structures of the Incas.

Lunch - buffet in the restaurant of national cuisine "Tunupa".
Return to the hotel.

Day 5 Cusco - Puno

Breakfast.

At 6:15 - transfer to the bus station for a trip by tourist bus to the city of Puno.

On the way you will have a stop in the village of Andaguaíllillas, famous for the church of San Pedro Andaguaíllillas. The church is called the Sistine Chapel of South America for its amazing paintings. It was built in 1631 on the foundation of the oldest Inca temple. The interior of the temple is incredibly beautiful and richly decorated, but on the outside it is quite modest. Unique paintings, luxurious molding - all this makes the church a calling card of the village of Andaguaíllillas and a treasure of the Urubamba Valley.

The next stop is the Temple of Raqchi. This is an archaeological site of the Inca era, which was once a religious center, which is located at an altitude of 3.5 kilometers above sea level. The temple, which is 92 meters long and 25 meters wide, is dedicated to the creator god Viracocha. This is the only Inca monument where columns were used to support the roof of the temple, of which there were 22 in total. Buffet lunch in Sicuani.

Next stops: La Raya (4400 meters above sea level) and Pucara, where you will visit the Litico Museum.

At about 18:00 - arrival in Puno, which is the capital and largest city of the Puno Province in southeastern Peru. It is located at an altitude of 3860 meters above sea level on the shores of Lake Titicaca, which is considered the largest high-altitude navigable lake on the planet.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 6 Puno - Lake Titicaca - Lima

Breakfast.

At 7:00 meet your guide and transfer to the port for departure to Lake Titicaca.

For many Peruvians, Lake Titicaca is a sacred place. They believe that Manco Capac, the first leader of the Incas, was a direct descendant of the Sun and was born in the waters of the lake. Nowadays, the Uro Indians, who live on the islands of Lake Titicaca, consider themselves to be "lake people" by birth.

Excursion to the Floating Reed Islands of Uros - more than 40 man-made islands. Here you will learn the history of the islands and its people, you can buy numerous souvenirs and ride a reed boat. To feel the real Peruvian exoticism, you will visit the island of Taquile deep in Lake Titicaca. Time seems to have stood still here. Residents live by their own laws and moral rules, there is no crime, police, transport, cats and dogs. The main settlement is located in the mountains, at an altitude of 3950 above sea level. The island is famous for its ethnic cultural values ​​- the population of the island preserves ancient traditions, especially weaving. For the art of weaving, the island was declared a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO in 2005.

Lunch on the island.
Return to Puno.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima.
Meeting at Lima airport, transfer to the hotel.

Day 7 Lima - Quito

Breakfast.
Transfer to the airport for your international flight to Quito.
Arrival, meeting and transfer to the hotel.
Check-in at the hotel and rest.

Day 8 Quito

Breakfast.
Visit to the town of "Middle of the World".

You will have a unique opportunity to stand with one foot in the northern and the other in the southern hemisphere. The monument "Middle of the World" is located on the equator, this point was determined by French surveyors in the 18th century.

Then the excursion will continue through the modern and colonial areas of the capital of Ecuador, recognized by UNESCO in 1978 as a world heritage site. Quito is located at an altitude of 2800 m above sea level, surrounded by the peaks of volcanoes. This colorful colonial city was founded by conquistadors in 1534 on the ruins of ancient Inca buildings. The tour includes a visit to the main attractions of the city: Independence Square, the Presidential Palace, and the Cathedral. Of particular note are the Church of San Francisco, built in 1535, the first major religious building on the continent, and the majestic Church of La Compania, built by the Jesuits in 1605. There are 12 monasteries and more than 50 churches in Old Quito.

Return to the hotel.

Day 9 Quito - Galapagos Islands

Breakfast.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands.
Meeting at the airport on Baltra Island.
Transfer to the hotel on Santa Cruz Island.
Lunch

Visit to the turtle beach - a great place for swimming and diving. Return to the hotel.

Day 10 Galapagos Islands - Isabela

Breakfast.
Excursion to Isabela Island.

The island is named after Queen Isabella of Castile, who financed Columbus's sea voyages. This largest island of the archipelago has the shape of a seahorse. There are 6 large volcanoes on its territory, 5 of which are active. The highest point of Isabela is the Wolf Volcano, located in the northern part of the island. The Sierra Negra volcano ranks 2nd in the world in terms of crater diameter (11 km). Another volcano, Chico, showed its formidable nature in 2005. After this eruption, bizarrely solidified lava flows and tunnels remained, at the sight of which there is a feeling as if you are on the Moon or Mars. The beach is distinguished by its unusual black sand of lava origin. Fans of scuba diving will have "competitions" with sea lions and turtles, and lovers of beach recreation can watch the inhabitants of the sea depths right from the shore. No less exciting is to watch the magnificent Galapagos flamingos, who have chosen the salt lake Balthazar. The island is home to Galapagos penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas, gannets, pelicans and crabs. On the slopes of the volcanoes you can see iguanas basking in the sun, Galapagos buzzards, and a variety of finches. But the island is especially famous for its population of giant Galapagos tortoises, with a total of about 10,000 individuals of these ancient giants living here.

Lunch.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner.

Day 11 Galapagos Islands

Breakfast.
A 3-hour yacht ride awaits you.

You will visit the Shark Channel, the Iguana Beach, the Love Channel, the caves and the Punta Estrada Beach. The unusually turquoise transparent water of the Punta Estrada lagoon against the backdrop of wild rocks is mesmerizing and beckoning. You just want to plunge into this cool purity, hiding your body in it from the annoying rays of the mercilessly scorching sun. Punta Estrada is a great place for swimming and snorkeling.

In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Station.

Santa Cruz is a real find for lovers of water sports. Diving, snorkeling, yachting – here every water sports enthusiast will find something to do. The main attraction of the island is the Charles Darwin Research Center, which was awarded the International Space Prize in 2002. This international “laboratory of evolution” was founded to maintain and protect the archipelago’s biosphere. The National Park’s Main Administration is also located here.

Return to the hotel. Lunch. Dinner.

Day 12 Galapagos Islands – Lima

Breakfast.
Visit to the Twin Craters.

The Galapagos, like any other volcanic island, has many craters. Driving through the central part of Santa Cruz Island, you will see two giant craters practically next to the highway. These are the Los Gemelos craters (translated from Greek as “twins”), huge funnels covered with tropical vegetation and attracting attention with their unusual appearance. Along with the lava tunnels, they are one of the most interesting natural attractions of the island. If you look down from the edge of the cliff, the craters look like ancient quarries where people mined stone to build their homes. The depth of the holes is about 30 meters, but according to local legends, one of the craters is so deep that no one can know its real size. Until now, the edges of the craters are very mobile and can collapse, so it is not recommended to go close to their edge. In 1989, for the convenience of visitors, an observation deck was made around one of the "twins". The scale is amazing: each of the funnels can easily accommodate several football fields.

After the end of the excursion - transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima.
Arrival, meeting and transfer to the hotel.

Day 13 Lima

Breakfast.
Free time in Lima.

For an additional fee, you can book a Paracas - Nazca excursion.

At 4.30 a.m. transfer by private minibus to Paracas.

At the port, at 8.00 a.m. boarding a speedboat for an excursion to the Andean Candelabra of Paracas and the Ballestas Islands. The Andean Candelabra of Paracas is a giant ancient drawing on the slope of the coast, made in the same technique as the Nazca drawings. The height of the Candelabra is 128 m, and the width is 74 meters. The thickness of the lines varies from 1.5 to 4 m, and the depth reaches 60 cm.

The Ballestas Islands are a place where you can observe the life of penguins, sea lions and many species of birds. With some luck, you can meet dolphins during a boat trip to the islands.

After a 2-hour excursion - transfer to the airport by bus for a flight over the Nazca Lines. The Nazca Desert is famous for its giant drawings of animals, humans and geometric shapes that can only be seen from a bird's eye view.

Lunch at a national cuisine restaurant.
In the afternoon - transfer to Lima.
Or for an additional fee - a city tour of Lima with a visit to the Gold Museum.

Lima is a large and one of the most beautiful cities in Peru and Latin America. The year of the city's foundation falls on 1535, when the Spanish colonizers used it as an outpost during military operations in Peru. At one time, this city had a second name - the City of Kings, because it was in Lima that luxurious cathedrals and magnificent mansions of the Spanish nobility were built, as well as the palace of the viceroy. The architectural buildings of those times still delight the eye with their magnificence and give a special charm to the city itself. Lima is located on the Pacific coast at the foot of the Andes and is not only the largest metropolis in South America, but also a unique city offering tourists a lot of entertainment and opportunities for a great vacation. The tour begins in Miraflores with a visit to the Lovers Park, the Olive Park, old colonial estates - in the San Isidro area, as well as a panoramic visit to the Huaca Pucllana pyramid - the most mysterious and amazing landmark of Lima. According to researchers, it was built about 2.5 thousand years ago, but it was discovered quite recently, in the middle of the 20th century. Lima is a city that has preserved the history of the colonial period, the rule of Spanish governors and conquistadors. You will visit three of the most important buildings of that era, located on the main square Plaza de Armas: the Municipality, the Government Palace, the Cathedral with the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. Another main attraction is the gold museum, which displays a huge private collection of various gold and silver jewelry, precious stone products, textiles, and ceramics.

Return to the hotel.

Additionally, we offer a buffet dinner of national cuisine with a folklore show and transfers (from 19 to 22).

Day 14 Easter Island

Transfer to Easter Island.
Upon arrival on the island, you will be met with flower beads.
Transfer to the Otai Hotel.
Rest.

Situated in the Pacific Ocean 3,703 kilometers west of the Chilean coast, Easter Island is one of the most remote and mysterious islands on the planet and is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The island got its name due to the fact that it was discovered on Easter Day in 1722 by Dutch sailors, and the island became famous for its unique stone giant statues, the moai, the mystery of whose appearance scientists cannot solve to this day.

At 15:00. the excursion begins with a visit to the archaeological zone in the Ahu Vinapu quarry. There are two ahu and the remains of stone walls consisting of monolithic blocks in the "Inca style", that is, the architectural style is very similar to the walls of the ancient Inca empire, which can be seen in Cusco. No one knows what was really there. Vinapu itself is a very beautiful place, from here there are stunning views of the ocean, hills and valleys. The journey continues to Ahu Akivi, a ritual site restored in 1960. Ahu Akivi is a special sacred place on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Akivi differs from other pedestals in that all seven moai face the ocean. The moai of Ahu Akivi are believed to have astronomical significance because they always stand with their backs to the rising sun. According to legend, the statues were placed there as a tribute to the 7 explorers sent by King Hoto Matua before his colonizing journey. Behind them are two sets of moai statues, allowing one to determine with astronomical accuracy when the sun's rays shine from the height of the summer solstice. At the end of the tour, a visit to Te Pahu Cave is planned. Many of the objects now located in museums were located in the caves of the island.

Return to the Otai Hotel.

Day 15 Easter Island

Breakfast.
A new excursion to the mysterious Easter Island.

During this full-day excursion we will visit various archaeological sites, which will allow us to learn about the development of the Rapa Nui culture, including its origins, its heyday and its worst times. Drive along the coast, visit Ahu Akahanga, then the volcano Rano Raraku and its slopes, where most of the moai were carved and where most of these statues are still located today. Visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest platform where 15 restored statues are located. Then the excursion continues to the Poike Peninsula, located on the north coast, with a stop at Ahu Te Pito Kura - the site of the largest statue outside the quarry, as well as the energy center of the island.

Then we go to Anakena Beach, with its warm turquoise water, white sand, palm trees and the Ahu Nau Nau platform, creating one of the most attractive landscapes of the island.

Time for a walk and a swim.
Return to the hotel.

Day 16 Easter Island - Santiago de Chile

Breakfast.
The third excursion around Easter Island.

It will begin with a climb up the slopes of the Rano Kao volcano to the observation deck on the edge of the crater, inside which there is a beautiful lake with characteristic vegetation.

Then you will visit the Ceremonial Village of Orongo - the place where the choice of the island's leader for the whole year was made through a risky competition. All the clans of the island gathered in the spring in numerous stone "houses", waiting for the arrival of the sacred bird Manutara to choose Tangat Manu, the bird-man. The ruins of the city of Orongo have great historical and archaeological value.

Transfer to the airport. At parting, you will be given a necklace of flowers.
Flight to Santiago.
Transfer to the hotel.
Accommodation at the hotel.

Day 17 Santiago de Chile

Breakfast.

City tour of Santiago de Chile.

The tour begins in the city center with a visit to the square of the Palace of La Moneda, which is a historical monument. Its building was erected in 1799, during the last years of Spanish rule, with the purpose of placing the royal mint in it, and is made in the traditional neoclassical style. In the middle of the 19th century, the building was assigned to the government of Chile, and since then the Palacio de la Moneda has been the seat of the country's government. Then the tour continues to Plaza de Armas - the central square of Santiago, it was from here that the history of the city began. On the square are the buildings of the House of the Governors of Chile, the Municipality of Santiago, the Main Post Office, the building of the Royal Audience and the City Cathedral. Then you will climb the San Cristobal hill to the statue of the Virgin Mary, from where a magnificent panorama of the entire city opens up. Next, you will visit the modern neighborhoods of Santiago: Vitacura, Las Condes and Providencia, drive along the Mapocho River and get acquainted with the majestic architecture of the main avenues of Santiago.

After completing the excursion - return to the hotel.

Day 18 Santiago de Chile

Breakfast.
Free time.
Transfer to the airport for the flight home.