THE PUTUTO TOUR - 18 DAYS- COAST AND HIGHLANDS

Doorway to another world. A wealth of cultures, all of which led up to the Inca. Mystical beliefs, adoration of the Gods of Nature, Sun, Moon, Rainbow and so much more..

 

 

DAY 1- LIMA

We will collect you upon your arrival at the Jorge Chavez Airport for transfer to your hotel.

DAY 2- LIMA- B+L

We start a visit to Lima with a tour of the colonial city after breakfast. Lima was founded by Pizarro in 1535 and he named it the City of the Kings. We see the Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, Municipality and Cathedral. We then walk a few blocks more to see one of the most attractive churches of all, San Francisco, and have the chance to visit the Catacombs.

Lunch will be in one of the nicest neighbourhoods of Lima, Miraflores. We then go and visit the extraordinary collection of textiles, gold and silver pieces of Pre-hispanic cultures, at the Gold Museum. You are free to roam around and you will have time to buy ingredients for your picnic on the bus trip tomorrow. In the evening we meet for those who want to go to the sauna before dinner and taste the local wine! Then a visit to one of Limas top discos.  

DAY 3- LIMA-HUACACHINA B+D

Around the Ica region we can visit the distilleries and wineries and see how the national drink is made and have a taste of the fundamental ingredient for the famous pisco sour. We can also buy some bottles for the evening ahead! Tipsy and happy it is off to Huacachina for a sandbuggy tour into the desert. If that is not romantic enough wait until you have camped with a huge fire and a barbecue.

DAY 4- HUACACHINA B+D

After breakfast at sunrise, we strike camp and return to the soft imposing dunes and our Oasis at Huacahina. The Oasis is fed by underground waters which used to have curative properties and the legend goes that a mermaid lies in the depths of the waters appearing each year to take a young handsome man away for her pleasures.

We relax at our hotel pool, perhaps with some cocktails made with Pisco, grab a bite to eat and then go to Hugo´s restaurant for an early dinner.

DAY 5- HUACACHINA-NASCA B+D

After a light breakfast, we will see the most enigmatic geogliphs, drawings on the most arid of places in Peru. The Nasca lines are world famous and best seen from the air, so up we go in our little Cessna!

DAY 6- NASCA - AREQUIPA B+D

We have a long drive today and stop in Camana for a lunch break. Not the most attractive town, it is a rice producing area and a beach resort for many Arequipenos in the summer months- December to March.

We arrive in La Ciudad Blanca - the White city in the late evening.

DAY 7- AREQUIPA B+L

Imposing volcanoes encircle La Ciudad Blanca. Most of the architecture is in the Mestizo- Baroque style. Many church carvings have indigenous motifs. Thanks to the white lava spewed from the nearby volcanoes which is white, most colonial Casonas where built out of this porous rock known as sillar. Ari quepay translated from the Quechua language means- here we stay!..and that is what we will do!

We do a walking tour of the city and your guide will show you the Plaza de Armas, Catedral, Claustros de la Compania, and finally the Monastery of Santa Catalina. After lunch you have time to roam around the city and maybe check out the camelid garments and "La Iberica" chocolates that Arequipa has to offer.

In the evening we can check out the local discos.

DAY 8- AREQUIPA -COLCA B+L

Today we sweat out the night and day disco. We go out to the countryside which is called – la campina Arequipena, on the outskirts of Arequipa scenery. There are pre-Inca terraces still very much in use maybe we can appreciate the strong and sturdy Peruvian Paso horse, that is well known for its smooth gait. Sadly la campina is getting built up. At 3pm at the latest, we leave Arequipa to travel to one of the deepest Canyons of the world! The drive to the Colca Valley - Cabanaconde takes approximately 6 hours.

DAY 9- COLCA B+L

After an enormous cataclysm, the recently formed cordillera separated whilst the ice melt sought a way through the hot lava onto the oceans. Following many other cultures, two ethnic groups took control of the valley, the Collaguas coming from the Altiplano and the Cabanas coming from the Andes.

A very early start, quick to the Cruz del Condor and hope we have a good chance to see the Majestic Condor! Although we cannot fix a time and day for these huge birds to show us their inspiring flight, we can only hope for good thermals..! Heading for lunch time at Chivay and probably do some shopping of the beautiful embroidery of the region together with some water and snacks for tomorrows bus ride to Puno.

DAY 10- COLCA - PUNO B+D

We head on a 7 hour bus ride through the Altiplano region to the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca (3800 m. above sea level), shared between Peru and Bolivia.

DAY 11- PUNO - UROS - CHIFRON B+L+D

We head to catch our boat at the harbour of Puno, to see the floating reed Islands of the Uros that are waiting for us. Then it is on to an idyllic spot on the Peninsula of Capachica, very basic accommodation, no noise is to be heard, but nature commands!

DAY 12- CHIFRON B+L+D

We will then have time here to relax and just appreciate what nature has given us.
You also have the option to hire a boat to cross to the neighbouring island of Amantani and spend some hours there.

Tomorrow we are ready to take one of the nicest trains of the world!

DAY 13- PUNO- CUSCO B+L

The carriages we travel in are from the 1930s, have a comfy bar and an open brass carriage, so you can appreciate the marvellous scenery. We go over the pass of La Raya- which is 4300 meters above sea level.

We arrive late in Qosqo, (a Quechua word that means the navel of the world).

DAY 14- CUSCO B+L

A city dating back to 5000 years B.C. Here we must surely marvel at some of the Inca culture still clearly to be seen.

Your guide will pick you up and show you around the city together with the Catedral, Qorikancha, and the ruins above Cusco.

Later we could go out for cocktails, before going to a local disco for a bop at these heights. Not a daily occurance for any of us!

DAY 15- CUSCO-SACRED VALLEY- OLLANTAYTAMBO B+LB

Bus ride to the Sacred Valley, starting with Pisac. Our first stop was built by the Inca Pachacutec to protect Qosqo from the Antis (the Antis are the eastern part of the Inca empire, nowadays the upper part of the Amazon region). We then continue to see the Sacred Valley, known as Vilcamayo to the Incas. This offers various micro-climates and is therefore a superbly fertile area, mainly planted with potato and maize crops alongside the Rio Urubamba, which flows down to merge with the Rio Amazonas.

We stop for lunch half way at Urubamba town, then continue along this beautiful valley heading to Ollantaytambo. You will hardly believe the fortress there which simply clings to the cliff!

DAY 16- OLLANTAYTAMBO - MACHUPICCHU - CUSCO B+L

We catch the earliest train to the famous citadel. Be prepared for this early awakening. The Machupicchu Sanctuary is a citadel constructed totally of granite stone. It was built in a sub-tropical climate which is home to more than 200 species of orchids, 700 types of butterflies and 400 types of birds. The citadel is divided into two zones, the agrarian built on terraces and the urban, composed of temples and observatories.

Whoever is eager to climb the Wayna Picchu can do so. Just make sure you catch the train back at the appointed time!!

DAY 17- CUSCO- LIMA B+L

Before our last day in Peru, take advantage of the souvenirs you would like to buy and a GOODBYE lunch or dinner with your tour conductor. We hope you have enjoyed this tour!

Flying back to Lima, be good, don´t fall in LOVE!!..so you will be able to catch your flight back home tomorrow.

DAY 18- LIMA- BACK HOME B

Have a safe flight home...