Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, and Easter Island

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Lima.

Depart to Lima. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Lima.

Day 2: Lima-City Tour.

In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Lima. The tour begins in Miraflores with a stop at the Parque del Amor, a seaside park with a huge statue of a kissing couple and continues with a drive by of the Huaca Huallamarca, a restored adobe pyramid dating from the pre-Inca period located in San Isidro. The next stop is the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima, where you will visit City Hall (Palacio Municipal), the Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno), and the Cathedral of Lima. The last stop is the Convent of Santo Domingo. Following the tour, you will be returned to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)

Day 3: Lima-Cusco-City Tour.

Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Because of the high altitude (10,912 feet above sea level), we recommend that you rest for a short period. In the afternoon, you will have a city tour that includes a walk-through of the Cathedral, the Koricancha (‘site of gold’), typical streets, and the four ruins that surround the city: the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Kenko, Puca Pucara, and Tampumachay. Overnight in Cusco. (B)

Day 4: Cusco-Sacred Valley-Awanakancha-Pisac Market-Ollantaytambo.

Today you will have a full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The tour begins at Awanakancha, a living museum of the Peruvian Andes, where you can observe traditional textile dyeing and weaving techniques and the four types of camelids that are native to the region. You will also visit the Indian artisan market in Pisac and have lunch at a local restaurant (included). The last stop is the impressive Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo that served as both a fortress and ceremonial center, and is the site of a short-lived victory by the Incas over the Spanish. Overnight in Cusco. (B,L)

Note: The Indian market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from October to March, and daily from April to September. On the days of the week that the market is not open, you will be taken to the Inca ruins above the village.

Day 5: Cusco-Machu Picchu.

Early morning transfer to the train station for the ride to Machu Picchu, ‘the Lost City of the Incas’ (7,900 feet). This mountaintop citadel, which served as both a center of worship and an astronomic observatory, is located in the middle of the cloud forest overlooking the Urubamba River. There are both agricultural and urban areas constructed with the precision stonework that the Incas are known for. The agricultural area consists of terraces and food storehouses, and the urban area contains temples, squares, and royal tombs. Guided tour followed by lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Aguas Calientes. (B,L)

Day 6: Machu Picchu-Cusco.

This is a free day to explore Machu Picchu on your own. You may want to hike Huayna Picchu or enjoy another activity. Mid-afternoon, you will depart from Machu Picchu by train to Poroy Station in the Sacred Valley, and then be taken to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight in Cusco. (B)

Day 7: Cusco-Puno.

Early morning transfer to the train station for the train ride to Puno (12,566 feet) on the PeruRail Titicaca Train. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Puno. (B,L)

Note: The PeruRail Titicaca Train operates every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday year-round.

Day 8: Puno-Lake Titicaca-Taquile Island-Floating Islands of Uros.

Morning departure by boat to Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca. The island is known for the hospitality of its people, their distinctive knit clothing, and its landscape with Inca terracing where potatoes, corn, and quinoa are cultivated. Lunch is included. On the return to Puno, you will stop at the Floating Islands of the Uros people, which are part of the Titicaca National Reserve. These islands, as well as the houses and boats used by their inhabitants, are made of totora, a water reed that can grow to 10 feet tall. Overnight in Puno. (B,L)

Day 9: Puno-Chullpas of Sillustani-Lima.

Morning transfer to the airport for your return flight to Lima. On the way to the airport, you will visit the chullpas of Sillustani on the shores of Lake Umayo. Some of these stone funerary towers stand nearly 40 feet tall. They house the remains of the nobility who were buried in family groups along with food and their possessions for the afterlife. Upon arrival in Lima, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)

Day 10: Lima-Santiago.

Early morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Santiago. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Santiago. (B)

Day 11: Santiago-City Tour-Winery Tour.

In the morning, you will have a panoramic city tour of Santiago, which will include Parque O’Higgins, Plaza de Armas (the city’s historic center), Palacio de la Moneda, ex-National Congress, Mapocho Station Cultural Center, Santa Lucia Hill, the place of Santiago’s founding in 1541,and the Bohemian district of Bellavista. In the afternoon, you will visit your choice of one of the following vineyards around Santiago (included in price): Concha y Torro, Cousino Macul, and Undurraga. Overnight in Santiago. (B)

Day 12: Santiago-Easter Island.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Easter Island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)

Day 13: Easter Island-Rano Raraku-Anakena Beach.

Full day excursion visiting the archaeological site of Akahanga and the quarry at Rano Raraku volcano, where all of the moai on the island were carved. You will see over 300 statues in various stages of completion, and one giant moai, 21 meters (69 ft.) tall. You will also visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu (burial site), whose moai were re-erected after a tsunami flattened the statues, Ahu Te Pito Kura, site of the largest moai moved from the quarry, and the ahu Nau Nau at Anakena Beach. Picnic lunch at Anakena Beach. Overnight in Easter Island. (B,L)

Day 14: Easter Island-Orongo-Ahu Akivi.

Morning visit to the Rano Kau extinct volcano crater (1.6 km in diameter), the ceremonial village of Orongo, which features the largest concentration of Petroglyphs on the island, with images of post-moai deity’s, such as Tangata Manu (birdman), Make Make (the creator), and Komari, and then to Ahu Vinapu. After lunch (not included), the tour continues on to Ahu Akivi, site of the seven moais overlooking the sea, the Caves of Ana Tepahu, among the largest on the island, and Pun-a-Pau quarry, the sole source of red scoria that was used to carve the pukao (topknots) of some of the moia. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)

Day 15: Easter Island-Santiago.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago and your final destination. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

A Note About Your Free Day in Machu Picchu

On your free day, you will be on your own. If you choose to revisit Machu Picchu, you will need to purchase a second entrance ticket, which currently costs $74 per person. If you are staying in Aguas Calientes, you will also need to purchase a round-trip bus ticket ($28 per person) for transportation to the site. The first bus departs at 5:30 AM. As an alternative to visiting Machu Picchu again, you can hike Huayna Picchu (a +/- 60 minute hike), or partake in another activity. The cost for hiking Huayna Picchu is $13 (in addition to the second entrance ticket). At the end of the day (mid-late afternoon), you will walk to the train station for the return ride to Poroy train station, where our local representative will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel in Cusco.