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Andean Cultural Immersion 9 days - Full Itinerary

Day 1 - Lima/Cusco
Upon arrival in Cusco you will be transferred to your selected hotel. We suggest taking an early flight, so you can see as much as you can on your first day in Cusco!

Once you have freshened up, your guide will meet you for a three hour City tour that gives you a great orientation to the city of Cusco, so you can get a feel for the principal sites and areas of interest! This is a gentle walking tour, suitable for all fitnesses.

The tour will start with a pickup at your hotel (so the order of visits may vary depend on where your hotel is).  Principal sites to visit are the Coricancha and the Cathedral.  The Coricancha (the golden enclosure) was the most important religious centre in Inca times. Nowadays it is also the Santo Domingo Convent. Your tour will explore both Inca history and the history of the conquest.   From here, we will visit The Cathedral, in which the first stone was placed in 1560. This marvel of the religious art possesses approximately 300 paintings of the Cusqueña School.
Depending on your interests, you will also visit:

• Plaza de Armas of Cusco
• Barrio San  Blas
• Plaza Kusipata and Plaza San Francisco
• San Pedro Market.
• Prominent weaving houses.

As 3 hours is a short period of time it will be unlikely that you will visit all of these sites during your tour. If you wish to visit all of these sites, you should consider a 5 hour tour, or even a full day.
Notes
This tour does not include flights from Lima to Cusco. We can organise these for you on request. Please ask your Apus Peru travel consultant for more information and costs.

Hotel Cusco
Standard: Andenes al Cielo or Andariego
Standard Plus: Casa San Blas or Second Home Cusco
Deluxe: Inkaterra La Casona or Casa Cartagena

Included restaurant:
Pachapapa – solid Andean food, good atmosphere

Day 2 - Cusco/ Four ruins, including Sacsayhuaman
You will start early, being picked up from your hotel in transferred to the spectacular fortress ruins of Sacsayhuaman above the city. Here you have the choice of mounting up on local horses or continuing by vehicle to TamboMachay, PucaPucara, the Temple of the Moon and then to Q’enqo.  The first half of the day concludes with a guided visit to the impressive Sacsayhuaman with views across Cusco.  Our flexible itinerary allows you to walk down from Sacsayhuaman to Cusco (an interesting walk that helps in acclimatization for trekkers) or take private transport. After lunch, we will have a walking tour of Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas and the “Belly button” of the world.  Our afternoon visit includes the Cathedral, the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun) as well as eminent weaving houses in Cusco so you can learn a little about this living tradition of the Incas.
Hotel Cusco
Standard: Andenes al Cielo or Andariego
Standard Plus: Casa San Blas or Second Home Cusco
Deluxe: Inkaterra La Casona or Casa Cartagena

Restaurant included - Inka Wall.
Apart from having a great selection of meals, each night the Inka Wall offers a  folklore show, with typical and regional dances, great latin music, and also a very special Inka Show.

Day 3 - Cusco/South Valley
Today we delve into the mystical side of Cusco and Peru, as we follow the itinerary for this tour
http://www.apus-peru.com/treks/south_valley_cultural_experience.html
Hotel Cusco
Standard: Andenes al Cielo or Andariego
Standard Plus: Casa San Blas or Second Home Cusco
Deluxe: Inkaterra La Casona or Casa Cartagena

Restaurant recommendation
Given you will have been enjoying a number of different culinary delights during the day, we have left your restaurant choice open, so you can have something that suits your appetite.
Evening entertainment
We visit the very interesting Planetarium of Cusco where we will learn more about Andean cosmology and view of the universe
http://www.planetariumcusco.com/

Day 4 - Cusco/Chincheros/ Maras-Moray/ Urubamba
Today we will leave Cusco and head out into the mountains for some gentle hiking with this interesting tour to the weaving village of Chincheros and then onto the varied shapes of Maras, Moray and Salineras.
http://www.apus-peru.com/treks/shapes_past.htm
We will lunch with a local family at the Chichubamba tourism project.  This a  well organised, and community owned initiative. You have the chance to participate in three agritourism activities. If you want to make your own ceramic.  You leave it with the ceramic makers to fire, and when you return from Machu Picchu you can pick it up!
Hotel options
Standard: El Huerto Paraiso
Standard Plus:  Casa Colibri Eco Lodge Inkallpa
Deluxe: Tambo del Inka or Sol and Luna
Restaurant
El Huacatay – this small restaurant in Urubamba created by Pio and Iris has become one of the most creative kitchens in the región.   The owners don’t simply try to make each dish a marvelous experience for the sense, but that the restaurant is part of the charm of the experience.

Day 5 – Peruvian Paso Horse / Urubamba  
Your ability to participate in this experience depends on your ability to ride a horse. However the operators of this activity are able to offer something for beginners through to advanced riders.  Please let us know at the time of booking, so we can make appropriate suggestions.
Be filled with emotion with one of Peru’s most  representative traditions, the Peruvian Paso Horse.
Discover the magic of riding an authentic Purebred Peruvian Paso Horse, which because of its unique gait is considered the best saddle horse in the world. We invite you to live this experience, whether you are a horseman or a horsewoman, with all the Peruvian style and tradition.
We present you with a wonderful demonstration, in which our show horses will dance to the rhythm of the Marinera Norteña, a typical dance from the north of our country. We will then ride these horses around the community of Pichingoto, and to finish you will visit our Purebred Peruvian Paso Horse breeding place.
After lunch you  return to your hotel to have the afternoon free to have a spa at one of Urubamba´s health spas, write in your journal, or take a long meandering walk in the local area.
Hotel options – as previous night
Restaurant  -open

Day6:Ollantaytambo/ Typical Weaving Villages
Today is likely to be one of the most memorable of your tour, as you visit  a remote Weaving Village where Threads of Peru works in the Patacancha Valley.
http://www.apus-peru.com/treks/inca_traditions.html
**ALL NEW – working with the people of the village of Rumira Sondormayo, Apus Peru and its partner NGO Threads of Peru, are working with the villagers to develop rustic homestays in this village.  If you are interested in being part of this project, by either donating funds for new sheets or blankets, or being “guinea pigs” (ie trial guests) please let us know. **
In mid afternoon you will take your Vistadome train to Machu Picchu.
Hotel Aguas Calientes
Standard: La Payacha Hostal   
Standard Plus: Gringo Bills, Rupa Wasi or La Cabaña    
Deluxe: Inkaterra Machu Pueblo Hotel, Hotel Sumaq,  Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (the only hotel with views of Machu Picchu.
included Restaurant:
Indio Feliz, considered one of Aguas Calientes’ best.

Day 7 - Aguas Calientes/ Machu Picchu/ Ollantaytambo
Early in the morning, we take a bus to ascend to the famous "The Lost City of the Incas," rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. This citadel is considered one of the most extraordinary examples of landscape architecture in the world. It straddles a mountain ridge surrounded by lush tropical forest. We will have a guided tour that includes the Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial and Burial Grounds.
Included is lunch at the buffet Tinkuy restaurant at Machu Picchu Sanctuary lodge. After your fill of different Peruvian delicacies you will be able to return to Machu Picchu for another look at the sanctuary.
Mid Afternoon, we will return to Ollantaytambo by Vistadome train.
Hotel Ollantaytambo
Standard: El Albergue, Standard Room   
Standard Plus: El Albergue, Superior room   
Deluxe: Tambo del Inka or Sol y Luna  (both located in Urubamba, not in Ollantaytambo)

Day 8 -Urubamba/ Pisaq/ Pisaq Market/ Sacsayhuaman/Cusco
Today after a sleep in, and having several hours free to wander Ollantaytambo or do some shopping we  will head off across the Sacred Valley to Pisaq , where will first visit the spectacular ruins.   Here you can enjoy a breathtaking hike that will help your acclimatization. At the beginning of a trail, you can explore the different complexes at your own pace, noting different architectural styles and impressive engineering feats. Your transportation will meet you in the main square of Pisaq after you have carefully descended through the terraces.  (you have the option of returning to Pisaq village by vehicle, if you should wish).
After visiting the ruins we will descend to the famous Pisaq market where you will have some time to do some shopping and then have a late lunch. Over time, Pisaq became an important center for handicraft production, and has become famed for having one of the largest artisan markets in Latin America.  The market is filled with great buys – textiles, woolen beanies, jewelry, tapestries, tshirts and much more. 
In the afternoon we will head back to Cusco via the weaving centre at Awanacancha.  The center exhibits weaving products from several local communities, and more importantly one has the opportunity to view the traditional weavers in action using dyed wool yarns from alpaca, llama, vicuna, etc. One of the other highlights of this visit was a chance to pet alpacas and llamas.
Hotel Cusco
Standard: Andenes al Cielo or Andariego
Standard Plus: Casa San Blas or Second Home Cusco
Deluxe: Inkaterra La Casona or Casa Cartagena

Day 9 - Cusco/Lima
After breakfast, you will have the opportunity for some last minute souvenir shopping or a stroll around Cusco’s atmospheric streets.    At a pre organised time, you will be transferred to Cusco airport and assisted on your departure flight to Lima.

Note:

• If you have an international connection, please make sure you allow enough time between your local flight arriving and your international flights departure.

Itinerary notes

• this is an example itinerary only, this can be shortened by one day or altered to meet your needs.
• this itinerary can be extended to include airport pickups and transfers, a city tour and accomodation in Lima, if required. You an also chose to extend your holiday in Peru to visit the Amazon jungle at Puerto Maldonado. Please ask us for more information or ask to see a sample itinerary

Types of tour - description of standards of accomodation.

STANDARD

• Full private service (ie all driven transport and transfers are private.
• Qualified Bilingual guide (English/Spanish)
• 3 star hotels – we choose our hotels for their overall quality but also try to pick places with an attractive local atmosphere, and plenty of charm.
• If trekking, you receive the standard trekking service.
• Meals as described.  These will be general “Menu” style meals – soup, and a main course with a cup of tea.  Any extra beverages are not included.
• Apus Peru’s Standard Service on all tours is a high quality service that provides a good level of comfort.

STANDARD PLUS

• As listed above
• Includes Vistadome Train, instead of Expedition Service
• Includes meals at nicer restaurants, eg.  Indio feliz in Aguas Calientes and also Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant at Machu Picchu
• Accommodation is the other substantial difference, with nicer 3 star hotels that have plenty of charm, and are generally considered top of their class.

Deluxe

• As listed in Standard Plus
• We offer you the opportunity to take the beautiful Hiram Bingham Train service (at extra cost)
• The most beautiful, luxurious and also famous hotels in the region.  Indulge!

hat is included?

• All transport in private vehicle
• Accommodation in the hotels as described
• Activities as described
• English/Spanish/Quechua speaking guide
• Meals as described
• Entry fees.

What is not included?

• Breakfast on the first morning.
• Tips for the guide, and driver.

 

AVAILABLE DISCOUNTS (these discounts are not cumulative

• Students: US$ 30.00 (students require a valid International Student Identity Card. Please beware that Youth Travel Cards are not valid)
• Teenagers: US$ 20.00 (up to 15 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)
• Children: US$ 45.00 (up to 10 years of age, passport copy required for all bookings)

TO MAKE A BOOKING

Please visit our Make a Booking page.

You will need to email us to check availability, receive booking forms and then make your deposit. For our payment conditions and booking please refer to our Make a Booking page. * For organisational reasons, we require one week to organise your booking, prior to departure.