Discover Southern Peru

The Experience

This sample itinerary offers the best of Southern Peru, from the incredible vistas around Arequipa and Colca Canyon, to the amazing islands of Lake Titicaca, to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

 

The Travel

Welcome to Peru
Upon arrival in Lima, you will be escorted to your Miraflores hotel by your Kuoda host. Most international flights arrive late in the evening, so we recommend a good night´s sleep.

Flight to Arequipa / Private Tour of the White City
In the morning, your Lima host will escort you to the airport for your flight to Arequipa, often called “The White City” for its many colonial-era buildings constructed of sillar, a pearly white volcanic rock. Upon arrival, a Kuoda representative will help you settle into your hotel, where you can rest until your afternoon tour of the city.

During your tour, your guide will show you the most fascinating sites in Arequipa, form the mummy of a young girl who was found frozen at the top of a volcano 500 years after her death to key art and architecture from the colonial era. The tour concludes at the main square of Yanahuara where you will enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the city and Misti volcano.

 

Travel Between Arequipa and Colca Canyon / Calera Hot Springs
In the morning, you will travel with your guide to the small town of Chivay, stopping along the way at Pampa Cañahuas – home to llamas and other South American camelids – and the volcano overlook of Patapampa – a vista of the snow-capped Andes and the principal volcanoes outside of Arequipa.

After settling in your hotel, you will be able to visit the hot springs of Calera, whose waters have healing properties according to local legend.

 

Private Tour of the Colca Valley / Cross of the Condor / Departure for Puno
After breakfast, you will head for Condor’s Cross in order to observe the depths of Colca Canyon (the deepest canyon in the world) and appreciate the majestic flight of the Andean Condor in its natural habitat. You will also visit some of the villages of the Colca Valley, where you will learn about local traditions and customs.

In the afternoon, a private car will take you to Puno – a five hour journey through incredibly picturesque countryside where an astonishing variety of potatoes are cultivated.

Your Kuoda Puno host will check you into your hotel upon arrival.

 

Cultural Tour / Uros Islands / the Island of Taquile
Day five begins at Lake Titicaca’s harbor, where you will board a boat for your voyage to the Floating Islands of Uros, home to the ancient inhabitants of Lake Titicaca. This community has endured for hundreds of years thanks to their continual renovation of the island floor with totora reeds and mud.

Next, you visit the Island of Taquile, whose residents are known for their friendliness and for their weavings. Here you enjoy a typical lunch prepared by the people of Taquile and bask in their incredible hospitality. You will then return to Puno by boat and transfer to your hotel.

 

Luxury Andean Explorer Train to Cusco
You will continue your adventure through the sierras of Peru with a train journey from Puno to Cusco that will take you through the high plains of Puno past the immensity of Lake Titicaca. You will stop for an artisan’s market at “La Raya” – the height of your journey.

Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be met by your Kuoda Cusco host, who will check you in to your hotel.

 

Private Walking Tour of Cusco
On day seven, you will take a private walking tour of one of Peru´s most attractive, fascinating cities: Cusco.
Your guide will illuminate past and present, from the Inca walls and sun temple to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum to the ancient churches and cathedrals to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas to the bustling modern market in San Pedro.

The afternoon will be free so you can explore Cusco on your own.

 

Pisac Archaeological Complex and Market
Day eight takes you to the colonial town of Pisac and the Inca ruins that sit on a mountain spur 1900 feet above the town. You will first stroll through the ruins, taking in the tremendous views of the agricultural terracing that wraps around the mountain and the valley below. Note the Inca crosses representing the three levels of existence and the sun temple.

Afterward, there will be ample time to explore the town with its small adobe homes and peruse the lively market for handmade textiles, ceramics, jewelry and crafts.

You will enjoy lunch at the Tres Keros Restaurant – one of the best gourmet experiences in the Sacred Valley – and will then return to your hotel.

 

Moray Agricultural Terraces / Maras Salt Mines / Visit to a Local Community
Your personal guide and driver will start your day with a visit to Moray – Inca ruins shaped like an amphitheater that may have been an experimental agricultural station; you will continue to Maras, a small town renowned for its colonial doorways; finally, you will descend an ancient path to salt mines that have been in continuous use since pre-Incan times. They are truly unique.

You will lunch at Casa de Barro and will then visit a small village nestled among Andean peaks at the edge of Lake Piuray, where the inhabitants continue to live much as they did one hundred years ago. The women of this village practice traditional, Incan weaving techniques – some of the oldest in the Americas – and the more than 50 unique designs produced here have spread throughout the region. This visit is far off the beaten path and gives you the opportunity to experience the hospitality of Peru´s Andean people.

 

Private Tour of Machu Picchu
After breakfast, you will have an early morning departure to the train station for the ride to Aguas Calientes, and then a private guided tour of the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu. After a complete overview of the site with your guide, you will enjoy lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge and then have the remainder of the day to further explore the site either alone or with your guide.

 

Free Morning at Machu Picchu / Return to Cusco
After breakfast at your hotel, you have a free morning to explore Machu Picchu on your own. Enjoy the scenery, take photographs and bask in what many call the mystical energy of this truly amazing place.

In the afternoon, you will board the Vistadome Train back to Cusco. When you arrive, you will be met by your Cusco host and taken to your hotel.

 

Return Home
Today you will be transferred to the airport to board your direct flight from Cusco to Lima. You will be met at the Lima airport and transferred to Miraflores, the principal shopping district of Lima. You will have a car at your disposal in case you would like to explore more of Peru’s capital.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred back to Jorge Chavez Airport for your international flight home.

 

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