18 Day Complete Peru Small Group Tour

Welcome to Lima, the "City of Kings". Upon arrival at the airport, make your own way to the hotel. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

Enjoy breakfast before meeting your tour leader at approximately 9am for a welcome briefing & some tips during your stay in Peru. Following this, we enjoy a walking tour of the city starting with a panoramic view of the “Huaca Pucllana Pyramid” a magnificent ceremonial and archeological centre built in the 4th century A.D. Then, you'll visit the colonial side of the city where you'll see attractions like the Cathedral, the Viceroyalty of Peru, the main places of Lima's Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace, the City Hall, and other important monuments. After our tour, we continue for approximately 4 hours by road to Paracas. Paracas Bay, with its southern end lying within the Paracas National Reservation is well known for its abundant wildlife. On arrival, you are transferred to your hotel located on the oceanfront where every room overlooks the sea. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. Inspiring Highlights Plaza Mayor Government Palace City Hall Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

You will have an early start today and will be leaving the hotel at approximately 7:30 am to begin your tour of the spectacular Ballestas Islands by boat. Inhabited by amazing marine life, with over 200 types of migratory and resident birds, including Peruvian Pelicans, Peruvian boobies and turkey vultures, among others. In addition, you will also see hundreds of sea lions resting at the beaches, sleeping on the rocks or swimming nearby. The islands also provide shelter to the shy Humboldt penguins which are usually seen at the entrances of small caves near the cliffs. Following our tour, we return to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure to take advantage of the hotel's facilities. Alternatively, you may wish to book an optional tour to see the incredible Nazca lines by air. Inspiring Highlights Ballestas Islands Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.The visit to Ballestas Island is by shared boat with bilingual English/Spanish speaking guide.

In the morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred approximately 4.5 hours by road to Lima airport in time for your included flight to Arequipa. A delightful colonial city, Arequipa is situated at the foot of El Misti Volcano, a snow-capped perfect cone of 5,822 metres. Known as the White City, Arequipa is teeming with fine Spanish buildings and wonderful natural landscape. On arrival you will be transferred to your historic hotel located in front of the main square of Plaza de Armas, where you can explore this wonderful city. Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 9 hours. Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour guide will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free. On your departure from Lima you will say goodbye to your tour guide, and your group will be met by a tour leader in Arequipa, who will be there to help you with everything between Arequipa and departure from Cusco.

After breakfast, meet your local guide for a walking tour of the main historic sites of Arequipa. Visit the Plaza de Armas (Main square), one of the most beautiful and stunning of Peru. Here you will visit the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa with its neo classic style with French influences. We then take a visit to the Compaña de Jesus church, with its interior adorned with beautiful colonial paintings and golden altars. Finally, visit the local market of San Camilo as we taste our way through its exotic fruits, vegetables, and prepared dishes to get a better understanding of the culinary culture of Arequipa. This evening enjoy a traditional dinner, Peruvian style, at a local picanteria. The restaurants in Arequipa are known as “Picanterias” a word that comes from “pick”, as people come together and sit around a table and “pick” from a large sharing plate filled with local specialties. Inspiring Highlights Plaza de Armas Compaña de Jesus San Camilo Market Dinner at local picanteria

After breakfast we leave Arequipa behind as we travel towards the Colca Canyon this morning. On the way we make a stop at Pampas Cañahuas (3,500m/11,482 Ft), a National Reserve where you may spot some Vicuñas and Alpacas that can be seen running freely on these high plateaus. Continue your journey to the Colca Canyon as we ascend to the highest point of the trip (4,800 m /15,748 Ft). From here look over the incredible landscape across the Andes with the volcanoes Ubinas, Mismi, Misti, Chachani, Sabancaya (active) and Ampato all dotting the background. Arrive this afternoon at the quaint village of Chivay (3,600 m /11.811 Ft) where you will check into your charming hotel made up of rustic stone cottages located at the edge of the Canyon. The rest of the afternoon and evening is at leisure to explore the village on your own. Take the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate in the warm waters of La Calera Hot Springs, surrounded by towering mountains and breathtaking Andean scenery (entrance ticket is included) Inspiring Highlights Pampas Cañahuas Colca Canyon La Calera Hot Springs Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

After breakfast, we travel towards the “Cruz Del Condor”, a natural lookout point where you can see Condors flying over the canyon and spectacular views of the canyon with hundreds of ancient agricultural terraces carved onto the slopes of the mountains. Afterwards, you will return to the village of Chivay and travel approximately 4 hours towards the city of Puno, crossing the Altiplano (high Andean plateau). Upon arrival into Puno, you will be dropped off at your hotel located in the historic centre of the city. Located between the shores of Lake Titicaca and the mountains surrounding the city, Puno is the gateway to the famous floating islands of the Uros, an amazing archipelago of Totora islands, inhabited by the Uros, descendants of one of the oldest cultures of the continent. Tonight enjoy a free night to explore Puno. Inspiring Highlights Cruz Del Condo Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 5 hours (not including stops).

An early morning start today is approximately 7am for our tour of Lake Titicaca. Sitting 3820 metres above sea level, it holds the title of highest navigable lake in the world. Hop in a motorboat and learn about the spiritual significance the lake holds for the Quechua while cruising across its waters. Stop off at Uros Titinos, a floating man-made island made entirely from reeds and home to several families. Later, head to your homestay in the Lake Titicaca region. To get a better understanding of daily life, why not help your host family with some of their daily activities. Your hosts will be happy to teach you a few words of their language, Quechua, and a friendly game of soccer may also be on the cards! Enjoy dinner in your homestay. Inspiring Highlights Lake Titicaca Uros Titinos Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Depending on your group size today's touring maybe a shared service with other travellers.Your homestay offers an authentic cultural experience in a traditional mud-brick house with basic facilities, including shared outdoor manual flushing toilets. Showers are not available for this night.

After breakfast, take a 1-hour boat ride to Taquile Island. The locals here make their livelihood out of textiles, with the women doing the spinning and men doing the knitting. Browse the handmade goods sold here including warm, high-quality items. Next, take an uphill trek for about an hour to visit the main area of the island. After a brief stay, the boat will take you back to Puno (about 3 hours). Enjoy an evening at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Taquile Island Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.Depending on your group size today's touring maybe a shared service with other travellers.

This morning at approximately 7am we'll set off for Cusco today, a ten-hour bus journey. This is a gorgeous scenic journey where along the way, we'll visit charming landmarks rich with natural beauty and history including the Pukara Museum, and "La Raya" the highest point on this route at 4335 metres high. Afterwards you will descend towards the picturesque "village of Sicuani", where you will enjoy an included buffet lunch at a local restaurant, which is served with native products of this region. Later on, you'll continue your tour at the famous "Inca Temple of Racchi", considered the only Inca place where visitors can see circular constructions, and walls of mud bricks, something you won't see anywhere else on your trip. Then, continue to the traditional town of Andahuaylillas, where you will visit an impressive Cathedral built in the colonial era. Finally, you will arrive in Cusco in the late afternoon. Cusco is the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city and was the home of the Inca Empire for two centuries before the Spanish built their first capital here. Today Cusco is a fascinating combination of both cultures. Inca-built walls line the central streets and many of the elegant colonial buildings are built on or around Inca foundations. This is a city steeped in history, tradition and legend and is a perfect base for explorations into the Inca world or to enjoy a range of outdoor activities. Tonight enjoy an evening at leisure, to rest after a long day of travel and exploration. Inspiring Highlights Pukara Museum La Raya Inca Temple of Racchi Andahuaylillas Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 10 hours.Depending on your group size the bus service may be shared with other passengers.

In the morning after breakfast, we set out to discover some of Cusco's lesser-known sights on a guided walking tour. Visit the facade of Qoricancha temple, San Pedro market, the main square, 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square. End the walking tour at a local cafe where you will be able to taste traditional snacks. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon and evening to further explore this wonderful city. Inspiring Highlights Qoricancha Temple San Pedro Market Regocijo Square San Blas Square

After breakfast we travel approximately 1.5 hours to Maras Salt Ponds and the circular terraces of Moray. On the way you will see some of the most scenic spots in the Sacred Valley. First, visit the ancient salt ponds near the village of Maras, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Continue to Moray, where huge circular agricultural terraces were built by the Incas on limestone sinks to plant various crops. It is said to have a cosmological significance, however, the Incas used the terraces as an agricultural laboratory to determine the optimum conditions for each species in varying altitudes. After your morning tour we will head to a local community to learn about local lifestyle and activities and if our visit coincides with market day you can spend time browsing the stalls in search of hand-painted beads or warm ponchos and maybe practising some of the local language, Quechua. You will enjoy regional lunch with the community. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley where you will enjoy the evening at your leisure. Inspiring Highlights Maras Salt Ponds Moray terraces Local community visit & lunch Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.

After breakfast we travel to Ollantaytambo which has been built over an ancient Inca town. This is a magnificent example of Inca urban planning and one of the few places where the Incas defeated the Spanish. Ollantaytambo's archaeological site is located to the east of the Plaza de Armas. The upper terraces of this site offer great photo opportunities of the squared grid town below. After your tour, head to the local train station to board the tourist train towards Aguas Calientes, a modern little town close to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The train ride to Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful journeys that visitors can experience in Peru. After passing the Sacred Valley of the Incas the train starts to descend gradually along the edge of the Urubamba River, until finally reaching the cloud forest. After approximately 1 hour 45 minutes you will have arrived in Aguas Calientes town, where you will be taken to your hotel for the night. Dinner is included at the hotel. Inspiring Highlights Ollantaytambo Aguas Calientes Tourist Train Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours.Today you will journey to Aguas Calientes with a single backpack containing your essentials for the overnight stay. Your main luggage will be securely stored at the train station in Ollantaytambo and will be retrieved the following day before your return to Cusco.

After breakfast, you will be taken to Machu Picchu, the impressive Lost City of the Incas. Upon arrival, we'll enter the archaeological zone of Machu Picchu and the tour guide will show you the most important sectors of this great Inca City. Now the most recognisable icon of the Inca civilisation, Machu Picchu was long thought to be legendary. Then, in 1911, explorer Hiram Bingham stumbled upon its remains. At 2430 metres above sea level, Machu Picchu is in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing creation of the Inca Empire at the height of their reign. The stonework has to be seen up close to truly comprehend its intricate beauty. Giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. After the tour, we'll return to Aguas Calientes by bus before taking the tourist train back to Ollantaytambo town, followed by a transfer to your hotel in Cusco. Inspiring Highlights Machu Picchu Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours.

Today, you'll journey to Puerto Maldonado, gateway to Peru's remarkable Amazon Basin. At the appropriate time, you'll be transferred to Cusco Airport, where you'll bid farewell to your local tour leader before boarding your flight. On arrival in Puerto Maldonado, meet your transfer guide and begin your rainforest escape with a scenic 25-minute motorised boat ride along the clay-coloured Madre de Dios River to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción. Set within a private eco-reserve and backed by the protected Tambopata National Reserve, this charming lodge sits on the grounds of a former cacao and rubber plantation, surrounded by thriving primary and secondary rainforest. Settle into your stylish stilted wooden cabaña, then enjoy an à la carte lunch in the palm-thatched Casa Grande dining room, inspired by local Amazon flavours. Later, head out on foot from the EcoCenter to explore the Concepción Trails—an immersive introduction to the region's rich ecosystems, where tropical plants and exotic wildlife flourish just beyond the path. As dusk falls, experience the rainforest's evening transformation on a guided Twilight River boat ride. With a spotlight guiding the way, keep an eye out for caimans resting along the riverbanks and look up to admire the stars of the southern hemisphere. This evening, enjoy an à la carte dinner crafted with fresh regional ingredients, before returning to your accommodation. Drift off to the soothing soundtrack of the jungle—curious calls, gentle croaks, and the quiet hum of the rainforest at night. Inspiring Highlights Amazon Jungle Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 4.5 hours. On your departure from Cusco you will say goodbye to your tour guide, and your group will be met by a transfer guide in Puerto Maldonado. Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 23kg (51lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour guide will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free. You will have to bring a backpack to pack what you need for the next two nights, as your main luggage will not travel with you. It will be securely stored in the lodge's office in town. For assistance with a packing list, please see our ‘Packing Essentials' in the ‘Your Tour Experience' section for this tour. Please note that the order and schedule of your Amazon activities may vary according to the weather conditions. Should the flight schedule to Puerto Maldonado have you arriving later in the day, transport to the lodge may be by road. Touring during your stay in the Amazon will be provided by the lodge's tour guide and will be shared with other guests.

This morning you will have an early breakfast at 5:30am, before setting out on an exploration of Lake Sandoval, a pristine oxbow lake nestled within the Tambopata National Reserve. A sun-dappled rainforest trail leads to the water's edge, where you'll board a traditional dug-out canoe and glide quietly through a narrow stream before emerging onto the lake's mirror-like surface, framed by swaying palms. Keep watch for the Amazon's extraordinary wildlife: colourful birdlife overhead, red howler monkeys in the canopy, red-bellied macaws in flight, and if you're lucky, the endangered giant river otter. You may also spot side-neck turtles, black caimans, and even anacondas hidden among the reeds. Return to your lodge by midday, just in time to enjoy a delicious lunch. This afternoon, you may like to experience the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway - a series of carefully designed suspension bridges and treetop platforms that reveal the rainforest from above. Ascend to viewpoints up to 42 metres (138 feet) high and take in sweeping canopy vistas while looking out for toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys, and the elusive three-toed sloth. Alternatively you can unwind with a soothing treatment at the NUA Spa, nestled deep in the rainforest (additional charges apply). After an à la carte dinner, consider joining the optional jungle night walk to discover the rainforest's nocturnal wonders. Equipped with flashlights, venture into the jungle to observe the fascinating creatures that awaken after dark, bringing the mysteries of the forest to life. Inspiring Highlights Lake Sandoval Special InformationPlease note that the order and schedules of the activities may be modified according to weather and the wellbeing of the group.

Enjoy your final morning in the Amazon, waking to the gentle soundtrack of the rainforest - parakeets calling from the treetops and the distant rustle of monkeys moving through the canopy. After breakfast, and weather permitting, board your waiting motorised wooden boat for the scenic 25-minute journey back along the Madre de Dios River to Puerto Maldonado Airport, where you'll check in for your included flight to Lima. On arrival in Lima, you'll be transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax, settle in, or explore at your own pace. Special InformationYour travel time today will be approximately 5 hours

Your Peruvian adventure ends today at the hotel after breakfast. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed. If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed.