Your Typical Itinerary
The programme is outlined below with further information about the main highlights of the trip. Overall, this is a journey full of challenges and experiences.
Please note: The order of travel changes from time to time but be assured that all stages are planned and overseen by very experienced tour staff.
Visits to Pisco and the Ballestas Islands are dependent on restoration works from the aftermath of the 2007 earthquake.
Week 1
Arrive into Lima, capital city of Peru. You will be met at the airport by your tour leader and transferred to the hotel in the central part of the city.
In the morning we will start the tour off with the introduction meeting. In the afternoon we’ll have a short city tour of historic central Lima led by your tour leader to introduce you properly to the city.
Travelling to Huaraz, situated in the Cordillera Blanca, you are surrounded by what most Peruvians consider to be the most beautiful scenery in the Andes – huge snow-capped peaks, glaciers and lakes. Huaraz is also renowned as a centre for adventure-sports. As well as free time to explore the town, we make day trips to see the Pastouri Glacier, Lagunas llanganuco and the Monterrey hotsprings. There are also great opportunities for trekking.
Weeks 2-3
Heading south down the coast we stop at the small fishing village of Huanchaco. The primary interest of the town is the unique style of fishing used by the locals – they surf on small reed-made boats to make their catch. We can also enjoy fantastic sunsets at night.
A little out of town we make a ½ day trip to visit the Chan-Chan ruins – the largest adobe city in the world built by the Chimu people around 1300AD.
Next, intense Spanish classes on the beach! The setting is Mancora in the far north of Peru – a very relaxing small town considered to have one of the nicest beaches in the country. As well as language study we visit the nearby mud pools, ride on horses along the beach. There are also many beach activities such as swimming and surfing to enjoy (rental of boards or classes are optional and not included).
Week 4
A visit to the Reserva de Biosfera del Noroeste – a protected area of tropical dry forest and mangroves. Our local guide will explain about the unique habitats and help us to spot wildlife. We will visit whichever parts of the park are accessible during this season.
A return bus journey to Lima is followed by a free morning to relax or an optional visit to the national museum for those interested in learning more about the historic cultures of the Andes. After lunch we head down the Peruvian coast for our first stop at Pisco, located on the edge of the Paracas National Park. A gentle afternoon to acquaint ourselves with the small town.
A day trip by boat to the Ballestas Islands where keen wildlife spotters will enjoy the resident bird and sealion colonies. The Islands are considered the “Poor man’s Galapagos”, so you will see a wealth of pristine wildlife areas. After the tour we head further south to Huacachina – our destination for the next few days.
Week 5
Huacachina is our base for the second session of intensive Spanish classes. Huacachina is a small oasis town set around a lagoon in the desert surrounded by huge sand dunes – a very picturesque and relaxing setting! As well as language studies there is the excitement of sandboarding on the dunes and a visit to a local pisco wine bodega as the Inca region of Peru is famous for wine.
Travel further down the desert coast to Nasca. Nasca is famous for the mysterious yet captivating drawings that have been found on the desert floor left by past cultures; many studies have tried to understand the lines and there are many theories as to their existence but none are conclusive. During our stay we will learn more about the lines and Nasca culture in a museum as well as visiting the lookout tower for a glimpse of them.
The Nazca Lines are geoglyphs (drawings on the ground), which are located in the Nazca Desert, covering an area of 50 miles. The drawings include a hummingbird, monkey, spider and lizard, with over 300 drawings in total. They are believed to have been created between 200 BC and 600 AD; however, they were not “found” until the 1920’s, when a passenger airline believed them to be primitive landing strips.
Removing the Iron Oxide coated pebbles, which cover the surface of the desert, made the Lines. When the gravel is removed, they contrast with the light colour underneath. In this way the lines were drawn as furrows of a lighter colour.
Since the 1920’s, various theories have been proposed regarding the lines’ meaning. Local residents say the ancient Indians conducted rituals on these giant drawings to thank the gods, and to ensure that water would continue to flow from the Andes. Other people have suggested very different theories. Some believe that the lines are a warning of the end of the world. It is also suggested that the lines are a large star map, which detail the future positions of stars - perhaps hinting at a cosmically inspired disaster. Others believe they are landing strips for alien spacecraft!
Despite the different theories, they are still a remarkable sight and a real highlight of Peru. To really appreciate the lines, you should take an optional short flight in a scenic aircraft. The guide can help arrange this for approximately US$50.
Departure south down the coast to Arequipa.
Week 6
Arequipa is renowned as ‘the white city’ for the beauty of its buildings in the colonial centre and is also popular for its near perfect year-round climate. During your free days in Arequipa you will have many activities at your disposal: visit the museum of the Juanita mummy - one of the most famous archaeological finds in the Andes, make a trip to the monastery or chill out in the beautiful plaza. We can also help to arrange a trip to see the condors in Colca Canyon (optional activity at additional cost).
Next, a two-day excursion to Lake Titicaca, which at over 170km long and at 3800 metres above sea level is the highest lake in the world and is a truly stunning setting for our two-day stay. The sun shines brightly through the thin air at this altitude and the lake appears to be a deep blue. The Titicaca area is steeped in tradition and folklore and is the center of Inca legends. One Inca myth tells how the god Viracocha created the sun and moon at Titicaca before fashioning humans from stone
During your time at the lake we take a boat trip to the floating man-made reed islands of the Uros people and learn about the fascinating lifestyle of this unique community. You see how they live on man-made islands, constantly replenishing the layers of reeds to keep the Island afloat. The Islands themselves are a meeting point for ancient Peruvian methods and modern Western practices – one island even has its own post office! There is also a visit to the interesting island of Tequile with some wonderful views of the Lake.
Weeks 7-8
Cusco – central point for both the old Inca Empire and modern-day tourism. Cusco offers a wealth of opportunities for the interested traveller – old Inca ruins, marvellous Spanish colonial buildings, great choice of cultural museums, colourful handicraft stalls, and exhilarating night-life – literally something to suit all tastes!
Next you will spend two nights at a family homestay in Chinchero. Whilst the living conditions and food are very basic, this is a wonderful opportunity to see and understand how local Indian people live in the Andes. Chinchero is a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta at 3762m about 30km from Cusco. There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow.
During your stay we will take walks into the local hills and can visit the colourful Chinchero Sunday market, where locals still go about their business in traditional dress and where you get a chance to buy locally made handicrafts.
After this, you will have two free days to explore the popular city of Cusco.
The next stage of the tour is the incredible alternative Inca Trail. The trail is a real highlight of the tour – this trip will not disappoint! Hard days of trekking through picturesque Andean mountains and cloud forest are rewarded on the final day when you arrive to Machu Picchu at sunrise. Trekking four to seven hours per day is a demanding but rewarding group experience. Machu Picchu is the ancient hidden city of the Incas and you will have a full, guided tour of the site to appreciate the true genius of the Inca people and enjoy the great views.
When the tour has ended, you will go by bus back to Lima where you will have free time to relax after the rigours of trekking. There will be a two-day stop at Ayacucho en route.
Start of the personal development volunteer projects or travel back to Europe.
Weeks 9-12
Optional volunteer work - there are a number of options available, however, these are dependant upon your level of Spanish and availability at the time. Your local co-ordinator will go through the different volunteering options and will assess whether you are suitable to volunteer on the placement.
Please note: itineraries and activities are subject to change.
Other Information
Spanish Lessons
Before the tuition begins you will be placed in groups depending on your level of Spanish. The lessons will cover:
- Basic grammar
- Pronunciation
- Useful phrases and words
- Basic games
Spanish class size varies according to the number of travellers at each Spanish level. Usually it will not exceed five people but can be as low as one. It can be an advantage to familiarise yourself with basic Spanish phrases, to help when you first arrive in Peru. Please note that smaller groups may have less lesson time as the class content will be more intense.
Alternative Inca Trail
This trek is ideal for travellers wishing to get off the beaten track but still take in the breathtaking ruins of Machupicchu. It is a wonderful trek taking you right from the watershed of the Apurimac to the Urubamba. You will traverse through beautiful green valleys and camp next to turquoise glacial lakes. You will also come across many Inca archaeological sites and enjoy a wide variety of flora, fauna and wildlife. On the final day you will wake up early to trek up to the “sun gate” and view Machu Picchu at sunrise. This is a true Andean odyssey! Here is a sample itinerary, subject to weather conditions:
Day 1: Cusco (3,350m) - Mollepata (2,909m) - Soraypampa (4,000m)
An early rise at around 4.30am! We drive from Cusco by bus for approximately four hours to Mollepata from where our trek begins. Mollepata is a small village situated in the Apurimac Valley, which is well known for its citrus produce. Here we meet up with our wranglers and their horses that will carry our equipment during the trek.
We commence walking for approximately one hour before reaching Cruzpata, from where we get our first view of the magnificent snow mountain of Humantay (5,917m). We pass many rivers continuing on our trek for about another three hours before reaching the small community and picturesque spot of Checchicancha. We stop here to take a break and have our lunch. In the afternoon we continue walking for about three to four hours to reach Soraypampa, which is nestled in-between the snow mountains. We camp here overnight.
Day 2: Soraypampa – Chaullay (3,050m)
An early start to the day as we have a steep climb ahead of us. Our ascent takes around three hours until we reach the high pass at 4,800m near the magnificent glacier peaks of Salkantay (6,271m) and Humantay (6,100m) the second highest peak in the Cusco area. After admiring the beautiful landscape, we begin our descent to Wayracmachay (3,800m) where we have our lunch and a good rest. After lunch we continue walking for around three to four hours until our campsite at Chaullay.
Day 3: Chaullay – Santa Teresa (2,200m)
We leave from Chaullay early as well after our breakfast - we pass through Collcapampa. In this part of the trek we will walk on a narrow trail on the mountainside, finding some species of orchids and different kinds of plants and some cornfields and fruit fields. We have opportunity to see the most beautiful waterfall on the trail. After walking for five hours we will reach La Playa from where we take a small truck to Santa Teresa town. The truck journey is approx. 45 minutes. Upon arrival in Santa Teresa we set up our tents and have the chance to visit the medicinal hot springs waters close by – approx 45 minutes from Santa Teresa town (optional activity). In the evening we have dinner at our campsite and rest up for the night.
Day 4: Santa Teresa – Aguas Calientes (1,900m)
We have an early breakfast and after a short one-hour journey by bus we start walking for around two hours to get to the Urubamba River, where we cross the river by a cable. After this we continue onto the Hydro-Electric Station, where we take lunch closeby. We then continue on our journey towards the town of Aguas Calientes traversing at the bottom of the valley for approximately three hours until we reach the town and go to our hostal where we will take our dinner and rest up before the next day in Machupicchu!
Day 5: Aguas Calientes – Machupicchu - Cusco
It is an early start to Machupicchu to see the sunrise over this magnificent ancient city! We walk up to the ruins of Machupicchu and have a fully guided tour of around two hours. After the tour you have plenty of time to explore the citadel on your own, and maybe even climb Waynapicchu or Inca Bridge. Afterwards it is optional as to whether you walk down to the town of Aguas Calientes or take the bus back (not included in the tour price). Lunch can be taken in Aguas Calientes (not included in tour price). In the afternoon at 3.55pm / 4.20pm we take the train back to Cusco/Ollaytatambo arriving at around 8.00pm in Cusco.
