Lost Civilizations - The Best of Peru & Bolivia - Luxury overland Trip

Accommodation

19 nights in quality tourist class hotels (generally 3* +) with private facilities & great guest services.
3 nights camping on the Inca Trail + 1 home stay on Lake Titicaca

Kitty Notes

Local Payment is paid in cash to your tour leader on the first day of your tour in South America. It is part of your overall tour cost and is the easiest and most economical way for us to get hard currency to South America to help run your trip. It goes toward a variety of day to day local costs which cannot be pre-paid such as locally organised activities and meals at restaurants. Paying this money locally ensures tour leaders have a supply of money, as access to banking facilities can, at times be limited.

Itineraries (Lima - La Paz)

Day 1- 4
Leaving Lima, the colonial capital of Peru, we head out along the coast to the Paracas Marine reserve, the most important wildlife sanctuary on the Peruvian coast. A short drive inland takes us to Huacachina, a tiny desert oasis nestled amongst huge sand dunes, and to Nazca, named after the ancient culture that inhabited the area in around 200AD. We will take a flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines that to this day remain unexplained by scientists and archaeologists alike.

Day 5 – 8
We visit the fascinating Chauchilla cemetery, and stop at the ancient Inca port of Puerto Inca before climbing in altitude to arrive in Arequipa, a beautiful city surrounded by spectacular mountains. Explore the Monastery of Santa Catalina and visit “Juanita” – the Ice Princess, a frozen Inca sacrifice recently discovered at the summit of Mount Ampato. We then arrive to Colca Canyon, arguably the world’s deepest canyon, and home to numerous Andean Condors.

Day 9 – 12
Enjoy an early morning trip to view Condors circling on the thermals rising up from the canyon floor and some time hiking in the area before travelling through the Peruvian high country to Cusco, the archaeological capital of the Americas, and our base to explore the Inca culture and the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.

Day 13 – 16
After exploring Cusco we head off into the Sacred Valley of the Incas to visit the colonial village of Pisac famous for its lively market and the massive fortress of Ollantaytambo. Following the footsteps of ancient Incas, walk the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu. You will be amazed and intrigued to learn all there is to know about this mysterious race from your expert guide.

Day 17 – 23
Returning from Machu Picchu we have some time to relax again in Cusco before driving south across the Andean plains to arrive on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Here you will visit floating reed islands and have a chance to experience the local culture with an overnight Island home stay. Visit Taquile Island, famous for its traditional handcrafts and isolated way of life before finally leaving Peru and crossing into Bolivia to arrive in La Paz, our final destination.

Itineraries ( La Paz - Lima)

Day 1 – 5
Leaving from the cultural city of La Paz we head north across the border into Peru to arrive on the shores of Lake Titicaca. We will visit floating reed islands and Taquile Island, famous for its traditional handicrafts and isolated way of life and have a chance to experience the local culture with an overnight Island home stay.
Driving across the Andean plains to arrive we arrive in Cusco, the archaeological capital of the Americas, and our base to explore the Inca culture and the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.

Day 6 – 11
After exploring Cusco we head off into the Sacred Valley of the Incas to visit the colonial village of Pisac, famous for its lively market, and the massive fortress of Ollantaytambo. Following the footsteps of ancient Incas walk the Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu. You will be amazed and intrigued to learn from your expert guide all there is to know about this mysterious race.

Day 12 – 15
Returning from Machu Picchu we have some time to relax again in Cusco before travelling through the Peruvian high country to Colca Canyon, arguably the worlds deepest canyon, and home to numerous Andean Condors. We will take an early morning trip to view Condors circling on the thermals rising up from the canyon floor and enjoy some time hiking in the area.

Day 16 – 19
We head down now to Arequipa, a beautiful city surrounded by spectacular mountains. Explore the Monastery of Santa Catalina and visit “Juanita” – the Ice Princess, a frozen Inca sacrifice recently discovered at the summit of Mount Ampato, before descending down to the coast stopping the ancient Inca port of Puerto Inca.

Day 20 – 23
A short drive inland will bring us to Nazca, named after the ancient culture that inhabited the area in around 200AD. We will take a flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines that to this day remain unexplained by scientists and archaeologists alike and visit the mummies at the Chauchilla Cemetery. We visit Huacachina, a tiny desert oasis nestled amongst huge sand dunes before arriving to the Paracas Marine reserve, the most important wildlife sanctuary on the Peruvian coast. This is our last stop before arriving into the colonial city of Lima and the end of our tour.