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Searching The Myth's Origins

According to the specialists, the origins of Andean culture are located in the highlands of South America, between Cusco and Puno. We will go in search of the origin of the myth. It is said that the first Incas emerged from Lake Titicaca with orders to impose culture around the Andes.

We will cover the domains from the noble origins of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Machu Picchu and Raqchi to the origin of the myth in Puno, where we will explore by boat the islands of Urus and Taquile, inhabited by the native people of Lake Titicaca. In these regions people perceive the Mountain as their main source of life and faith.

 

Itinerary : Lima / Cusco /The Sacred Valley/ Machu Picchu/ Cusco/Puno/Lima

 

1st Day : Home/ Lima. Upon arrival, our English speaking representative will be waiting for you and will take you to your Hotel and help you with your luggage and hotel registration.

2nd Day : Lima/ City Tour

Today we will have the essential Lima City Tour, “The City of Kings,” including the most important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square, where we will find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Then, we continue with a visit to the San Francisco Convent, an architectonic jewel dating back to the 16th century. On our way to the modern area of the city, we will pass through the exclusive district of San Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, to take a look at pre-Inca Huaca Huallamarca. Finally, we conclude our circuit in Miraflores an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean.

3rd Day : Lima / Cusco - Transfer Sacred Valley

On arrival at Cusco Airport your guide will be waiting for you and will take you straight to the Sacred Valley area. We consider this is the best way to avoid altitude sickness symptoms. The valley is a tranquil area with an abundant variety of culture, history and agriculture just 45 minutes from Cusco and a few thousand feet lower in elevation. You will make a short stop at the Living Weaving Museum of Awanakancha, where you can find weavers, Incan agricultural terraces, and the South American camelids, which include the Vicuña, Guanaco, Llama and Alpaca.

4th Day : Pisac/ Maras Moray

We will pick you up at 9 a.m. from your hotel and start our tour visiting the Sacred Valley of the Incas. On our journey we will be able to appreciate typical towns and varied landscapes. We will start with the Pisaq ruins and its colorful market. After lunch we will continue to the Moray archeological site, which according to the specialists was a small biological laboratory adapting different kinds of seeds to the valley area, then we will continue to the Maras Salt Pound area. We will end the day at the Hotel located in the valley.

5th Day : Ollanta / Machupicchu

We will start our tour around 9.00am with Ollantaytambo town which was built on the foundations and the city-planning of an Inca city. Later on we will continue to the main archaeological area. Lunch in Ollantaytambo. After lunch we will go to the train station in order to board the train to Aguas Calientes town or Machupicchu town. We will be there after approximately 1.30 hours where we will spend the night.

6th Day : Machupicchu

This morning we will have a guided visit of this impressive Inca City where we can appreciate the magnificent social organization, the urban lines and the incomparable architecture of the Inca state. After the guided tour, we may explore the different trails around the place such as the Sun Gate or the Inca Bridge. Buffet lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. After Lunch free time to explore Machupicchu on your own. We will catch the bus back to the Hotel.

7th Day : Machupicchu / Chinchero/ Cusco

After breakfast, we will take the train back to Ollantaytambo. After 1.30 hours we will arrive at the station where private transport will take us to Cusco. On our way we will stop in Chinchero for a short visit to the archaeological area. Lunch will be taken here, then we will continue the journey to Cusco city. Hotel in Cusco

8th Day : City Tour Cusco

We will start around 9.00 am with the Cusco City Tour. We will visit the Imperial city of Cusco which actually is a living museum with a mix of Andean and Spanish culture. We will start our visit with the Santo Domingo Convent built on the remains of the Ancient Koricancha Inca Temple, continuing with the Cathedral where we will see the largest collection of colonial paintings and then the Sacsaywaman National Park where we will visit different Inca remains. Free afternoon. Hotel.

9th Day :  Cusco / South Valley/ Raqchi

We will leave the hotel early to start our trip by car to Puno so we can enjoy the wonderful scenery of the South Valley of Cusco. We will visit the lesser known Inca remains at Tipón, considered a water worshipping temple The complex will show us a great example of Inca Hydraulic Engineering. We will continue to Andahuaylillas, a town where a precious church from the 17th century boasts an amazing organ decorated with angels and cherubs, actually conceived as the Sistine Chapel of South America. And finally we will arrive at the Racchi community where we will have lunch and dinner in the peasants' houses and where we will spend the night in order to be able to share their everyday life style.

10th Day : Raqchi/ Puno

After saying goodbye to our new friends we will start the day with a visit to “The Temple of God Wiracocha,”. Then we will continue our journey. Lunch will be served in a restaurant en route. Stop at Pucara and then at La Raya, the highest point on the road between Cusco and Puno, from where we will get excellent photo opportunities. We will arrive at Puno in the afternoon and go to the hotel.

11th Day : Puno / Urus Island / Taquile or Amantani

Around 8.00 a.m. we will start with an excursion to Lake Titicaca. First we will visit the floating Urus Islands. These islands are built using totora reeds and are used as homes and trade centres by the natives. Then we continue to Taquile Island where the locals still keep their ancient traditions from Pre Inca times. To experience their warm hospitality we will sleep at the islanders homes.

12th Day : Puno /Sillustani/ Juliaca Airport / Lima

At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport to take your flight to Lima. On the way we will visit Sillustani, an archaeological site located north of Puno. It has the famous Chullpas, which are funerary stone towers with circular bases. They can reach a height of12metres and were used by the Collas and by the Incas. These ruins are above Lake Umayo, which increases the beauty of this mystical and wonderful place.

When you arrive at Lima airport one of our staff will be waiting for you and will take you to the Hotel and help you with your luggage and hotel registration. Free time

13th Day : Lima/ Home. Time to say good bye to the navel of the world. At the appropriate time you will be transferred back to Jorge Chavez Airport for your international flight home.