Cradle of the Inca Empire

Breakfast. Transfer only with a driver from the hotel to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Arrival, meeting at the Cusco airport and transfer to the hotel.

After a short rest at 13.30 - a sightseeing bus tour of Cusco. 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) Sacsayhuaman Fortress - a fortress and temple complex built by the Incas in the 15th century. Nowadays, the complex consists of three tiers of walls made using the cyclopean masonry technique from giant stone blocks. The largest of them weigh over 3,000 tons and were delivered from a distance of several dozen kilometers. Some archaeologists believe that the walls existed even before the Incas, who built several religious buildings inside the walls.
2) The Temple of Kenko, 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 Puka Pucara fortress and the Tambomachay water temple.
3) The Koricancha Temple - the "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 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 with the image of the God of the Sun Inti.
Return to the hotel. Rest.

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 included 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 man: 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, meeting and transfer to the hotel.

Free day.

Possible: Excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas (for an additional fee). 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 zoological center "Auanakancha" tourists admire and take part in feeding 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". Accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast.

Transfer to the bus station for the Wonder tourist bus ride to Puno. On the way, you will 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 foundations of the oldest Inca temple. The interior of the temple is incredibly beautiful and richly decorated, but the outside 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 the southeastern part of 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 shipping lake on the planet. It was on Lake Titicaca that Thor Heyerdahl built his famous reed raft "Kon-Tike".

Accommodation at the hotel.

Lunch on the island.
Return to the hotel, Puno.

Breakfast.
Early in the morning, we leave the hotel by bus to the Bolivian border.
After the border procedure, we move to Copacabana, the so-called Bolivian Rome.

Then the journey continues on a high-speed boat. You will visit the Island of the Sun - the place where, according to legend, the Inca civilization was born. The symbolic ritual of callahuaya, during which offerings are made to Mother Earth.

Lunch at a restaurant on the lake with a magnificent view of the lake.
Continuation of the journey along Lake Titicaca and arrival on the Bolivian shore.
Transfer to the city of La Paz - the capital of Bolivia.
La Paz is the only capital in the world located so high above sea level. La Paz Airport is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records (more than 4050 m above sea level). La Paz is a city of majestic buildings and cathedrals from the era of Spanish colonization. On the streets of this city you can still meet local women in national clothes and with the famous Bolivian bowlers on their heads. But at the same time, La Paz is a modern city with a developed infrastructure. In the city center there is a University, many cinemas, clubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues.

Accommodation at the hotel.

Breakfast - buffet.

Sightseeing tour of the city with a visit to the sorcerers' market and historical sights. In La Paz, you can see both the old quarters and picturesque panoramic views of skyscrapers against the backdrop of the mountains. The most colorful place in La Paz is the Witches' Market or Mercado de Brujas. Sorcerers and shamans act as sellers here. Medicinal herbs, amulets, sacred objects, charms and various magical attributes, a large number of different silver jewelry, knitted items made of llama and alpaca wool, figurines made of wood or clay and many other interesting things - all this can be bought at the Witches' Market. The Moon Valley is an extraordinary place that you will also visit during the tour. Here you will feel like real explorers of an unknown planet. The labyrinth of the Moon Valley consists of depressions, cliffs, craters and canyons.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast.

At 06:00 transfer to the airport for the flight to Uyuni (flight duration: 1 hour Boliviana de Aviacion 302 08:05 - 09:05.). Meeting at the airport

Excursion to the Salar de Uyuni. You will visit Colchani, the center of salt refining. Here you can watch the process of manual salt extraction and get acquainted with local handicrafts. You will visit the Playa Blanca Salt Museum, see the springs of salt water - "Ojos del Sal", salt hexagons - geometric figures on the salt plain, salt mounds. You will cross the salt valleys to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. Lunch - picnic in nature.
The next point of the tour is Incahuasi Island or Fish Island, the largest of a group of islands representing an isolated ecosystem. Fish Island is an oasis, a hill in the salt, planted with cacti taller than a man.
An unforgettable sunset on the salt flat.
Transfer to the hotel in Colchani.
Rest in the salt hotel "Luna Salada" 3 *.

Breakfast.

The day begins with an excursion to the Cemetery of Steam Locomotives, which is one of the main attractions of the salt flat 3 km from the city of Uyuni. The "cemetery" is home to steam locomotives of the railway, retired from train service in the 1950s, when mineral production in the surrounding mines fell sharply. Now this place is an open-air museum.

The tour continues with a trip to the Magic Villages of Sud Lipes, south of the salt flat, and San Cristobal, known as the main mining center.

After that, you will go to the Stone Valley, a group of large red rocks that form an interesting landscape. You will also see the Ollagüe volcano and be amazed by the desert landscape.

Lunch on the way to Joyas Andinas, the pearls of the Andes, small lagoons that represent the diversity of the region.

Transfer to the Ojo de Perdis hotel.
Rest at the Tayka del Desierto hotel.

Breakfast.
Early departure from the hotel.
Visit to the Eduardo Abaroa Reserve. The main attractions of the Abaroa Park are, of course, the mountains and lakes. It is quite difficult to list all the natural sites of the reserve, the most interesting for tourists are the volcanoes Putana (5890 m) and Licancabur (5920 m). Among the reservoirs, it is worth noting the mineral lake Laguna Verde, famous for its emerald green water, and the lake Laguna Blanca ("white lake") located near it, as well as the world-famous lake Laguna Colorado, which has become a refuge for 40 species of birds. Another popular place among travelers is the Siloli desert and the small stone formation Arbol de Piedra located on its territory. This is one of the most interesting and unusual sights of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, which has become its symbol in a sense. Here you will visit the Red Lagoon - a remarkable proof of the diversity of ecosystems in completely isolated weather conditions. Observation of the geysers "Sol de Mañana", translated as the morning sun, due to their increased activity in the morning. You will also visit the Polques hot springs, created by the volcanic activity in the region.

Lunch on the road.
Private transfer to Uyuni airport for flight to La Paz (Boliviana de Aviacion 315 20:40 - 21:40).
Pick up at the airport and private transfer to the hotel.

Breakfast - buffet.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima.

Arrival, transfer and accommodation at the hotel.

After rest, we go on 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 structures 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 wonderful vacation. The excursion starts from Miraflores with a visit to the Park of Lovers, 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 attraction of Lima. According to researchers, it was built about 2.5 thousand years ago, but it was discovered only 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 presents a huge private collection of various gold and silver jewelry, precious stones, textiles, ceramics.

Return to the hotel.

Breakfast.
Free time in Lima.
Additionally, you can book a Paracas - Nazca excursion (for an additional fee) At 4.30 transfer by private minibus to Paracas. At the port, at 8.00 boarding a high-speed boat 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 restaurant.

Transfer to Lima in the afternoon. Return and check-in at the hotel.

Additionally, we offer a buffet dinner of national cuisine with a folklore show and transfers (for an additional fee)

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport.