Summary
Short description
Travel some of the world’s most scenic tracks to Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca
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Highlights
- Take in Machu Picchu's world-wonder ruins
- Explore Peru's other great historical treasures, including ancient Cusco and the Sacred Valley
- Experience Lima's big-city bustle
- Enjoy endless Andean landscapes and Lake Titicaca's unique cultural charms
- Link it all together with luxury train hops aboard the Vistadome and Belmond Andean Explorer
In Brief
- 1 Night Lima
- 2 Nights Sacred Valley
- 1 Night Machu Picchu
- 2 Nights Cusco
- 1 Night Belmond Andean Explorer
- 1 Night Lake Titicaca
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
City | History & culture | March holidays | Natural world | Rail journey
This tailor-made holiday takes in the cultural and natural highlights of Peru, linking them together with two incredible rail journeys. It all begins in Lima, Peru's vibrant seaside capital, before you fly to Cusco in the Andes, a city that served as both the centre of the Inca empire and a repository for the spoils of the conquistadors. It remains a fascinating city high in the peaks of the Andes. Enjoy three days exploring fortresses, markets and valleys before riding the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu to explore its ancient, lost-city wonders. Then, board the Belmond Andean Explorer for a spectacular, ten-hour journey past grazing llamas and remote mountain villages to the floating reed islands and unique tribal heritage of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
UK/Lima
Depart the UK on a daytime flight to Peru. Arriving into Lima, you'll transfer to your accommodation in the bohemian Barranco district, where restaurants, bars and boutiques look out to Pacific Ocean views.
Stay: Hotel B, Lima (Deluxe)
Day
2
Lima to Sacred Valley
Embark on a morning city tour of colonial and contemporary Lima, visiting the Plaza Mayor, Government Palace, City Hall, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace and the maze of old streets where colonial mansions sit alongside Moorish Balconies. You'll also visit the San Francisco Convent, with its magnificent collection of colonial-era art, and tour the districts of San Isidro and Pueblo Libre, where the excellent Larco Museum will introduce you to ancient cultures both Peruvian and pre-Columbian. Board a flight to Cusco this afternoon where you'll be met for an included transfer to your hotel in the Sacred Valley
Stay: Hotel Sol y Luna, Sacred Valley (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
3
Sacred Valley
Today's included tour will bring you right into the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas to explore the Chinchero ruins, Moray and Maras, an intricate patchwork of salt pools that date back to Incan times. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Ollantaytambo's Inca fortress, the famous Incan military, religious and agricultural centre, before returning to your hotel.
Stay: Hotel Sol y Luna, Sacred Valley (Superior)
Meals: B L
Day
4
Machu Picchu
Transfer to Ollantaytambo train station to board the Vistadome train for the journey to Aguas Calientes, gateway to the ruins of Machu Picchu, high in the Andes. On arrival, check into your hotel before a guided tour will reveal secrets of this Incan citadel, visiting the main plaza, the royal quarters, the Temple of Three Windows, the circular tower and the sacred Sun Dial and burial grounds.
Stay: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Days
5-6
Cusco
This morning you will have an opportunity to return to Machu Picchu for an unguided visit. We highly recommend taking one of the first buses particularly if you intend to climb Huayna Picchu or catch the sunrise. A walk to Sun Gate will also reward you with excellent views of the citadel. Alternatively, explore the lesser-known Machu Picchu Mountain. You'll then return to Cusco, where the next day, a half-day city tour will showcase this ancient Andean city built on the foundations of Inca Palaces. Visit Korikancha – Temple of the Sun, Plaza de Armas with its imposing, colonial-era cathedral and the artistic San Blas district. Then, a short but scenic drive will bring you to the impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuaman and the underground cave and temple of Kenko and Tambomachay, known as the Baths of the Inca.
Stay: Casa Andina Premium, Cusco (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
7
Puno (Lake Titicaca)
In the morning, board the Belmond Andean Explorer for a memorable, 11-hour journey to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The scenery en route is nothing short of captivating, as you pass through the valleys of the high Andes, watching out for grazing llamas and vicuñas, and villages that are accessible only by train. Arrive on the shores of Lake Titicaca this evening to enjoy a gourmet dinner, paired with included drinks, and a night on board the Andean Explorer in your luxury private cabin.
Stay: Belmond Andean Explorer (Deluxe)
Meals: B L D
Day
8
Lake Titicaca
Disembark and transfer to your hotel in Puno before heading onto the waters of the world's highest navigable lake for an included cruise to the Island of Taquile. You'll also visit the floating islands of the Uros Indians to see a unique culture played out against a spectacular Andean backdrop.
Stay: Casa Andina Premium, Puno (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
9
Depart Lake Titicaca
Transfer to the airport at Juliaca for your overnight flight, via Lima, back to the UK.
Meals: B
Day
10
Arrive in the UK
Arrive in the UK to continue your journey home.
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
10-day tailor-made rail & stay journey
from £7,730 pp incl. flights
Superior
Low Season
from £7,730 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £8,035 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights from London to Lima
- Domestic flights from Lima to Cusco and from Puno to Lima
- Private transfers
- 7 nights accommodation in 4* (Superior) hotels on a B&B basis, 2 lunches and 1 dinner
- 1 night aboard the Belmond Andean Explorer train ('Spirit of the Water') from Cusco to Puno on a full-board basis including an Open Bar
- Private Excursions with English speaking guides
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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Adjust your itinerary with our recommended extensions
Following the coast south from Lima you’ll pass deserts and oases on your way to your three-night luxury getaway, complete with spa, watersports, private terraces, fine dining excellence and that all-important beach.
A flight from Lima to Chiclayo will take you off the beaten track to the remote delights of Peru’s wild north. Start with a tour of Sipan’s Royal Tombs where adobe edifices hide mausoleums filled with gold pieces and precious stones before travelling on to Trujillo the next day.
Hop borders to get a taste of Bolivia’s ancient culture and sublime natural world. You’ll start on Lake Titicaca where a hydrofoil cruise will bring you to colonial shrines, Incan temples, handicraft markets, alpaca farms and ‘mud igloo’ villages before an overland transfer to La Paz.
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