From the moment you arrive in Lima, a member of our team will be waiting for you at Lima airport to take you, in our private transportation, to your hotel in the city center. You will have the rest of the day to relax and prepare for the remainder of your vacation package in Peru!
Breakfast at the hotel.
AM. Guided tour of the city of Lima. You will experience Lima through its three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial, and modern.
Panoramic view of the “Huaca Pucllana,” a magnificent ceremonial and archaeological center built in the 4th century A.D., considered a “sacred village” by the Incas. We will visit Lima’s Historic Center, where you will admire more than fifty colonial monuments and buildings, including the Paseo de la República, San Martín Square, the Main Square, the Government Palace, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Cathedral Basilica, and the City Hall, among others.
Entrance to the MONUMENTAL COMPLEX OF SAN FRANCISCO, the largest example of colonial religious art in the Americas. The tour includes a visit to its underground crypts, known as the “Catacombs.”
From contemporary Lima, you will visit the most traditional residential areas: the Olive Grove of San Isidro, Miraflores, and Larcomar.
Early in the morning, at the agreed time, we will take our transportation to Paracas. After a journey of almost 4 hours, we will arrive at the port to board a speedboat to the Ballestas Islands, the natural habitat of dolphins, sea lions, penguins, pelicans, and over 200 types of migratory and resident birds. On the way to the Ballestas Islands, we will pass by the Candelabra, a giant geoglyph made using the same technique as the Nazca Lines, which sparks great curiosity due to its size and depth.
After a short break, we will continue to Ica, a journey of approximately 1.5 hours, where we will visit the Main Square and explore the principal streets of Old and Modern Ica. We will then take a tour of the artisanal winery "Tres Generaciones," where we will be thoroughly introduced to the production and tasting of wine and pisco. Then we will head to the Huacachina Lagoon, also known as the "Oasis of America," where we will enjoy the wonderful desert landscape surrounded by impressive sand dunes. Afterward, we will go on a ride in a "tubular" (a type of dune buggy).
In the afternoon, we will return to Lima, arriving after approximately 5.5 hours. Transfer to the hotel.
After breakfast, a representative from Peru Inkas Top will pick you up from your hotel in Lima (time to be confirmed) and take you to the airport where you will board your flight to Arequipa.
Upon arrival at Arequipa airport, our team will be waiting to give you a warm welcome and assist you with settling into your hotel. At your hotel, you will find complimentary coca tea and muña tea. These natural drinks will help your body adjust to the high altitude of the “White City” on our Peru tour.
During our guided cultural journey through Peru, the city tour of Arequipa will take you through the streets of the White City, passing by cathedrals, churches, monasteries, and more. Your guide will tell you all about life in Arequipa, from colonial times to the present. You will learn how the city has evolved and how the first Spanish settlers built upon an area that was once home to ancient Andean peoples of Peru.
Next on our Peru tour, we will stop to admire some of the city’s most famous buildings, such as the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa. Located in the elegant Plaza de Armas, this enormous cathedral has been damaged by earthquakes numerous times over the centuries, but each time it has been rebuilt, becoming even more impressive.
After exploring the Plaza de Armas and the surrounding streets, we will head to the famous Yanahuara viewpoint. With its carved sillar stone arches, this beautiful lookout offers sublime views of Arequipa and the volcanic peaks of Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu beyond. Yanahuara was built in the 19th century and stands next to the lovely San Juan de Yanahuara, a Baroque church constructed in 1750. Engraved in the sillar stone of Yanahuara are the names of notable individuals who have lived in Arequipa over the past two hundred years.
After our tour of Arequipa, we will take you back to your hotel, confident that you now have a much greater appreciation for this beautiful colonial city that you’ve visited on your Peru journey.
