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.
Today, our Peru tour begins early in the morning as we depart from the White City of Arequipa and take the route toward the Colca Valley. It’s a beautiful journey that passes snow-capped volcanoes, rugged pampas, traditional terraced farms, and picturesque villages where ancient traditional ways of life are still very much alive.
Along the route of our Peru tour, we will make some stops, the first being at the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, where we can observe countless guanacos, alpacas, and vicuñas grazing on the plains. While we won’t be visiting a llama and alpaca farm in Peru, you’ll witness these creatures in their natural habitat during this Peru tour. The reserve, which covers nearly 366,936 hectares, was created to preserve local flora and fauna and their natural environment, which was previously deteriorating at an alarming rate. The reserve also protects the local vicuña population through its repopulation program.
In addition to the large herds of camelids, the reserve is also home to the southern viscacha (a large and adorable rodent), foxes, condors, and Andean flamingos (also known as parihuanas). A total of 169 animal species have been identified in the reserve, including 23 mammals and 138 bird species such as blue-billed ducks, eagles, and kestrels. During their migration period, flamingos also arrive to wade in Lake Salinas. This classic Peru tour is perfect for specialized birdwatching tours in Peru, ideal for spotting high-altitude species during our Peru ecotourism adventures.
Leaving the reserve, we’ll skirt around the Chucura Volcano until we reach the Andes viewpoint at Patapampa. We’ll be at 4,900 meters above sea level, from where we can observe the stunning landscape of snow-capped peaks and volcanoes in the Arequipa Region, including Hualca Calca, Sabancaya, and Ampato.
Our next stop on this guided cultural journey through Peru will be the town of Chivay, where one end of the Colca Valley begins. The traditional terrace systems found here, built by the region’s indigenous people, are remarkable for their scale and precise construction. Chivay was founded by the Spanish, a fact reflected in its church and other colonial buildings. You can enjoy a traditional lunch in the town before we check in to our hotel.
Later, you’ll have the afternoon to explore the town on your own and, if you wish, enjoy trekking excursions in the Colca Canyon in Peru or visit the La Calera hot springs, about 3 km from Chivay. The Colca Canyon and Colca Valley are dotted with natural thermal baths and hot springs due to the region’s seismic activity. La Calera features public hot springs known for their healing properties, with temperatures around 38°C (98°F).
