Peruvian Legends Tour – from $3,399

Latest Deals! > Peruvian Legends Tour – from $3,399

DAY 1, Thursday or Saturday – Depart for Peru
Depart for Lima, Peru; arrival and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure with time to rest, relax and acquaint yourself with Peru’s vibrant capital, founded in 1535 by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro
Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection, Lima

DAY 2, Friday or Sunday – Lima City Tour
Welcome to Peru, a country of incredible contrasts and astounding treasures. Start your experience by visiting the magnificent Larco Herrara Museum, considered the best museum in Lima, housed in a restored 18th century mansion. Founded in 1926 by the Peruvian archaeologist, Rafael Larco Herrera, the museum holds one of the world’s greatest collections of pre-Columbian masterpieces and a stunning exhibition of gold and priceless jewels. Continue to the colonial center of Lima, with its historic buildings surrounding the splendid Plaza Mayor, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. View the impressive Palace of the Archbishop with its fine carved balcony, the opulent Government Palace, official residence of the President, and the 16th century Cathedral of Lima whose first stone was laid by the conquistador Ferdinand Pizarro. This afternoon there will be a briefing with your Tour Manager on the fascinating journey of Peru that awaits you. Tonight, a festive Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers celebrates your arrival in Peru
Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection, Lima
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3, Saturday or Monday – Fly to Arequipa
Depart Lima this morning by flight to Arequipa, the remarkable colonial city in the desert mountains of the Andes, surrounded by three imposing volcanoes. The city’s remote location has allowed its Spanish-based culture to thrive with little outside influence. Superb examples of Spanish colonial architecture can be found throughout the center of the city with some of the ancient houses now completely refurbished, serving as living museums. Spend the rest of the day discovering this delightful city on your own. This evening, a delectable dinner together at the hotel restaurant
Overnight: Hotel Libertador, Arequipa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 4, Sunday or Tuesday – Explore Arequipa & Drive through the Andean Hills to Colca
Awake this morning in this city glowing with sillar, a white volcanic rock used in the construction of most of the buildings. The shimmering stone lends a bright air to the streets, earning the city its nickname of “La Ciudad Blanca,” (the White City.) You’ll visit 16th-century structures in the historic Plaza de Armas including La Iglesia de la Compañía, known for its beautiful wooden altarpieces covered in gold leaf, and the huge Santa Catalina Monastery, beloved for its vividly painted facades, once housing the largest convent in the world. The sight of this gigantic cathedral with its dramatic walls, coupled with the ethereal image of the El Misti volcano rising behind it is indeed a spectacular sight. Walk the lanes of the bustling San Camilo Market, whose stalls overflow with colorful produce, vibrant textiles and unusual local crafts. Have a “taste of Peru” and mingle with farmers who cart in their harvest from the Andean countryside. In the late afternoon, drive to Colca. Tonight, enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers
Overnight: Colca Lodge & Spa, Colca
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 5, Monday or Wednesday – Discover Colca Canyon
Unforgettable sights lie ahead today! This morning, you will see the dramatic Colca Canyon, reportedly the deepest in the world, thought to be twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. The Colca River has carved this geologic wonder over millennia and some of the terraced hillsides are known to pre-date Incan civilization. The Canyon is also home to the extraordinary Andean condor. Although the population of condors is dwindling in South America, at the Colca Canyon you’ll have the rare opportunity to see them soaring gracefully overhead on the rising thermals. The Colca Valley has been known by many different names including The Valley of Wonders, The Valley of Fire and The Territory of the Condor – and now it is acclaimed as one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World”. Journey past tiny villages with terraced farmlands on the picturesque drive to the town of Colca and may even glimpse shepherds tending to their alpaca, some descended from indigenous tribes such as the Collagua and Cabana. Upon arrival, settle into your luscious accommodations at the Colca Lodge. There’ll be time to savor the lovely amenities of the lodge and luxuriate in thermo-medicinal baths fed by hot springs. Tonight, turn your gaze upward to a clear and spectacular blanket of stars
Overnight: Colca Lodge & Spa, Colca
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 6, Tuesday or Thursday – Visit Sillustani Tombs & Puno
Experience another day surrounded by Andean beauty. The journey takes you past tranquil Lake Lagunillas, home to a variety of birdlife, llama, sheep, and vicuña. Later on the scenic drive to Puno, you stop for a fascinating visit to the pre-Incan burial ground of Sillustani on the shores of Lake Umayo. The tombs on this site are built above ground in tower-like stone structures, which house the remains of nobles and complete family groups. These chullpas, sometimes more than 35 feet tall, are the vestiges of the Colla people, conquered by the Incas in the 15th century. As you arrive in Puno, your first spectacular view is of pristine Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, sitting majestically at 12,500 feet above sea level, backed by the snowcapped peaks of Bolivia’s Cordillera Real range. At the hotel, enjoy the vistas of the lake from your water view room. Dinner together tonight, after an exhilarating day, at the hotel
Overnight: Libertador Lago Titicaca, Puno
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 7, Wednesday or Friday – Explore Lake Titicaca Villages & Uros Islands
This morning, while other escorted tour companies focus on the lake only, we take time to explore the villages and culture around the shores which help to gain a greater understanding of day-to-day life in rural Peru on our visit to the nearby village of Luquina. You’ll meet a humble Aymara family and learn about their farming methods, local customs, daily struggles and share a specially-prepared farm lunch along with the family. Afterwards, in the afternoon a boat excursion transports you to the fascinating floating Uros Islands where the indigenous people of the area – the Uros – live on tiny islands that dot the lake. The Uros live very much the same as their ancestors did and still follow the ancient customs and traditions. These islands are completely man-made structures, using totora reeds from the lake to build the islands and houses. Return to Puno; the remainder of the day is at leisure
Overnight: Libertador Lago Titicaca, Puno
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 8, Thursday or Saturday – Visit Raqchi
In the morning, depart Puno and travel to the ruins of the 15th century Temple of Wiracocha in the archaeological complex at Raqchi. This is the largest Inca temple ever discovered, with external adobe walls of over 39 feet, considered one of the holiest sites in the Inca Empire. This temple complex lured worshipers in the thousands and was also used as a fortress and storage facility for weapons. Many compare this enormous site to an Inca version of the Colosseum in Rome. Today, the quiet town of Raqchi remains home to many farmers, ranchers and artisans. At the end of the day, arrive at your beautiful chalet-style mountain retreat in the Sacred Valley of the Incas for dinner and overnight
Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9, Friday or Sunday – Discover Chinchero and Ollantaytambo
Today begin the morning by meeting with children at a local school. Join a demonstration in the village by local women of the ancient art of back-strap weaving; you’ll learn the secret of these intricate techniques and see how the wool is colored with natural dyes. Afterwards, share your observations about the crafts demonstration at a typical Peruvian lunch before restarting the journey. For the last part of your day visit the impressive Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo, an ancient complex of temples and terraces towering high over the valley, the last stand of the Incas in their defense against the Spanish conquistadors. Marvel at the architecture of the Incas in this well preserved settlement, considered a living museum of 15th century life. Tonight, savor the serenity in the mountain setting of your chalet
Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection Sacred Valley, Urubamba
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 10, Saturday or Monday – Explore Machu Picchu
Today, discover the crowning achievement of Inca ingenuity. Early morning transfer to the Sacred Valley’s Ollanta Station to board the Vistadome train that travels through misty peaks to the astonishing ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas”, designated by UNESCO as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu was virtually unknown to the western world until Hiram Bingham’s re-discovery in 1911. View the unforgettable wonders of this 15th Century retreat, abandoned nearly 100 years later with the arrival of the conquistadors. See the highlights of the site including the imposing Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the intricately carved rock likely used as a sundial by the ancient Incas. The images of this glorious monument to a lost civilization will be a lifelong memory. Return to the Sacred Valley in the evening; transfer to your hotel in the heart of Cuzco for overnight
Overnight: Palacio Del Inka A Luxury Collection Hotel, Cuzco
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 11, Sunday or Tuesday – Tour Cuzco
A leisure morning in the “Imperial City” of Cuzco. Take time to explore some of the city’s stunning sights or shop for some of the finest handicrafts and textiles in all of Peru. All of Cuzco is right outside your door! With its narrow cobbled streets and dramatic Andean setting, Cuzco is truly a delight for walkers. The tour takes you to the impressive colonial Cathedral of Cuzco, with its collection of over 400 paintings from the Cusqueña School and to the extraordinary Temple of the Sun at Koricancha, an important religious site of the Incas. This sumptuous temple’s walls and floors were allegedly once covered by sheets of solid gold. Tonight, an exclusive evening! You’re invited to share dinner together with a traditional Peruvian Family in their countryside home. Sample delectable local home-cooked Peruvian cuisine along with a warm and friendly cultural exchange with the family
Overnight: Palacio Del Inka A Luxury Collection Hotel, Cuzco
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 12, Monday or Wednesday – Full Day in Cuzco
Discover Cuzco independently, or, join the optional Cultural Cuzco tour including lunch. Journey outside the city for a stop at Kenko, a holy place (huaca) where sacrifices were held. While here, you’ll gain insight into the workings of a shaman (holy man) and tap your foot to the music and rhythms of a Peruvian panpipe during a private performance. Next, on to the striking hillside fortress of Sacsayhuaman, protected by a trio of colossal walls that zigzag alongside each other for more than 1000 feet. From the air, the complex resembles the head of a puma. Next, understand more about local cuisine during a chef-led cooking class – taste the delectable results of your skills at lunch. Return to the hotel after a visit to the cemetery to learn about local burial traditions and customs. The rest of the day is at leisure for independent activities
Optional: Cultural Cuzco with lunch
Overnight: Palacio Del Inka A Luxury Collection Hotel, Cuzco
Meals: Breakfast

DAY 13, Tuesday or Thursday – Fly to Lima
Return to Lima by flight on your last day in Peru. The afternoon is yours to re-discover some of Lima’s fabulous sights, or shop to your heart’s content for handmade silver jewelry, knits and local crafts. Tonight, enjoy a very special Farewell Dinner at a renowned Lima restaurant in the trendy Miraflores district. Dine on haute cuisine prepared by an internationally trained chef, with magical illuminated views of this adobe ceremonial center built around 500 A.D. during the cultural height of Lima’s history. Share memories, photos and stories of your wonderful journey in Peru with your Tour Manager and fellow travelers
Overnight: Casa Andina Private Collection, Lima
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 14, Wednesday or Friday – Depart Peru
Transfer to the airport for your international departure flight
Meals: Breakfast