From the Nazca Lines to Machu Picchu
• Lima • Nazca Lines • Oasis of Huacachina • Sacred Valley • Cusco • Machu Picchu
10 Days / 9 Nights
• Lima • Nazca Lines • Oasis of Huacachina • Sacred Valley • Cusco • Machu Picchu
Embark on a 10-day journey through Peru's most iconic destinations. Begin in Lima, exploring its historic sites and vibrant culinary scene. Head to Ica and visit the Huacachina Oasis for thrilling sandboarding, then fly over the enigmatic Nazca Lines. In Paracas, enjoy a boat tour to the Ballestas Islands, home to sea lions, penguins, and diverse marine life. Continue to Cusco, the ancient Inca capital, where you’ll visit nearby archaeological wonders and acclimate to the altitude. Explore the Sacred Valley’s charming villages and impressive ruins before reaching the highlight of the trip: the majestic Machu Picchu, where you’ll discover the mysteries of this breathtaking Inca citadel. Conclude the tour in Cusco before returning to Lima.
• Off the beaten track experience.
• Fully Private Tours ensures personalized service.
• Flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines.
• Explore the highlights of colonial and modern Lima with your private tour guide.
• Take a breathtaking train ride through the Andean landscape along the Urubamba River to reach the town of Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.
• Discover Machu Picchu in a private guided tour.
• Scenic roundtrip train journey to Machu Picchu.
• Stay in a selection of carefully selected hotels.
• 24 hours emergency contact ensures support no matter what time.
Welcome to Peru! When you arrive to Lima, your private transport will be waiting for you to take you to your previously selected hotel. We will welcome you to Peru and make sure that you have a warm and comfortable welcome.
Early in the morning, we will take you on a private tour of Lima, where
you will enjoy the best of colonial and modern Lima. We will walk around
the San Martín Plaza, where you will pass through the pedestrian zone of
the Jirón de la Union which leads to the central plaza of Lima. This
street was constructed in 1535 and its old charm is still preserved with
shops and restaurants in a mixture of old and new buildings. Later, we
will arrive at the central plaza, a beautiful space surrounded by
majestic palaces. The colonial part of Lima is filled with history and
your guide will give an introduction to the current capitol of Peru.
After visiting the central part of Lima, we will go to the more local
and authentic area of Chorrillos, a district famous for its fishing.
Here, you will see local fishermen and you will explore the real local
side of Lima. After that, we will continue through Barranco, where we
will have a short stroll through this bohemian and old district of Lima.
Barranco is located in an impressive cliff that dominates the Pacific
Ocean. After your experience in Lima, you will return to your hotel and
spend the rest of the day as you choose.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Early in the morning, you will be guided towards Ica. The trip will last
approximately four hours, starting from the city, passing through the
coast, and ending in the desert. Upon your arrival to Ica, around noon,
we will take you to the Ica airport where you will board your flight of
1.5 hours to fly over the marvelous Nazca and Palpa lines, a series of
old geoglyphs in the desert made by the Nazca culture (approximately 400
- 650 AD). Currently, it remains a mystery as to why the Nazca culture
created these geoglyphs. During the flight, you will see fascinating
figures like a monkey, hummingbird, tree, parrot, astronaut, dog,
condor, among others. After your flight, we will take you to the
Huacachina oasis, a paradise for nature lovers. It is a beautiful oasis
surrounded by sand dunes. If you are an adventurer, you should try to
surf on the sand or ride in a sand buggy; it is an unforgettable
adventure (both are additional activities). After an exciting day, you
will be taken to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, we will take you to the port of Chaco in Paracas for an
extraordinary trip by boat to the Ballestas Islands, three small islands
filled with animals close to the coast. In the boat trip to the islands,
you can see the “Candelabro”, a gigantic geoglyph in the form of a
candlestick. Upon arriving to the islands, you will stay in the boat to
see a large number of surprising animals, including loud and playful
seals, a lot of marine birds including Humboldt penguins and pelicans.
We will navigate close to the islands to have a great view of the
animals in the waves, those that fly above, and those that swim below
the water. After traveling around the islands, we will take you to enjoy
a delicious lunch next to the ocean before starting our return journey
to Lima.
Meals: Breakfast
Beginning the day, we will pick you up from your hotel and take you to
the Lima airport to travel to Cuzco. You will travel to the navel of the
world and the imperial city and your private guide will welcome you once
you arrive. Your private driver will take you to one of the best hotels,
previously selected. We will begin in the San Blas neighborhood, the
oldest in Cuzco. It is the neighborhood of artists and artisans where
the history of imperial Cuzco is revealed. Following this, we will visit
the famous 12 angled stone, known for its perfect edges and finish and
as an example of Inca architecture. We will later enter the principal
plaza of Cuzco and visit the Cathedral, the most important religious
monument in the city, where we will find the most famous works of art
from the Cuzqueña school. After that, we will visit the Qoricancha, or
the Temple of the Sun. It was one of the most adored and respected
temples in the Inca Empire. To end the morning, we will guide you to the
famous San Pedro market where you will see a large variety of Andean
products (potatoes, cheese, corn, fruit, etc.). We will then guide you
to one of the best restaurants. After lunch, we will move to explore the
city limits (the fortress of the Inca, or Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo,
Pucapukara, and Tambomachay).
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning, after a pleasant breakfast in your hotel, your guide will
pick you up and start the first leg of your private tour of the Sacred
Valley of the Incas. Your adventure begins on the same route, surrounded
by the impressive landscape of the Andean countryside, the imposing
sacred mountaintops rise in the distance, while at the entrance of the
Sacred Valley, the Vilcanota river greets you. We will arrive at the
colonial town of Pisaq and you will walk through the narrow stone
streets, the plaza, and the traditional market. After, you will pass
through a beautiful native community where the warmth of the locals will
make you feel at home. Our hosts will demonstrate how to make Andean
textiles and what the manual manufacturing process is like. To continue,
they will teach you about the types of Andean potatoes in the area (in
Peru, there are more than 5,000 types of native potatoes) and try your
selection. We will start with the local cuisine, trying dishes made with
products of the earth that our hosts have cultivated. After a short
rest, you will go to the archaeological jewel of Pisaq, known for its
great view of the andenes, or sets of stepped terraces built on the
slopes of the Andes and fantastic Inca structures while listening to the
sound of a quena (an indigenous musical instrument), played by a local.
Later, you will go to the Inkariy Museum. Its exhibitions are unique and
are divided into 8 pavilions, showing you the Prehispanic cultures that
gave rise to the largest ancient empire in the Western hemisphere. The
cultures include Chavin, Wari, Paracas, Caral, Mochica, Nazca,
Lambayeque, Chimú, and Inca. To finish the day, we will let you enjoy
one of the best hotels of the valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
The day will start early and promising as we pick you up for the second
part of the private tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will take
you to the Archaeological Park of Chinchero where we will find the old
palace. It was once the residence of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui and is now
the church of Nuestra Señora de Monserrate due to the process of
syncretism. We will guide you to the atrium finely made of pan de oro,
where the Virgin of the Nativity rests. You can also see the local
market, Andean stairs, Inca walls, beautiful terraces, and a textile
center where they make clothing and other goods out of alpaca and llama
wool by hand. Afterwards, we will take a special detour where the locals
will teach us about their customs. Afterwards, we will take you to
Maras, a plateau with an enormous overlook where one can see the
beautiful chain of mountains such as La Verónica, Chicón, and others.
After that, we will go to Moray, an impressive agricultural experimental
site. The stepped levels generate thermal gradients and affect the
climate for each level. Now, they go towards the salt mines in Maras
where one can see various salt wells that the locals take to sell to the
community and to others in Cuzco (it's recommended on red meat). To
finish the day, we will take you to the Inca city of
Ollantaytambo.
Meals: Breakfast
Prepare yourself for an incredible adventure! In the morning, your guide
will pick you up from your hotel to guide you to the train station in
Ollantaytambo where you will board the train to Aguas Calientes. In this
1.5 hour trip, you can observe a beautiful landscape. Upon arriving at
Aguas Calientes, your private guide will take you to one of the
transports and will accompany you to the citadel of Machu Picchu, “the
Lost City of the Incas”. During your visit to this sacred site of the
Incas, you will learn about the history of the citadel and visit the Sun
and Condor templates. You will also see the aqueducts and houses while
learning about the history behind the sacred terraces of the Inca. After
your guided visit, you will have enough time to explore this amazing
place on your own. There are many options to walk along short trails,
like that of the Puerta del Sol for an impressive view of Machu Picchu,
or the trail that leads to the Inca bridge, a secret entrance for the
Inca army. In the afternoon, you will return to Aguas Calientes, where
you will have the rest of the afternoon to spend as you wish. Don’t miss
the opportunity to bathe in the hot springs or have a good dinner in one
of our recommended restaurants. To finish the day, we will let you enjoy
one of the best hotels in the valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Early in the morning, you will be taken to the train station in Aguas
Calientes to board the return train to the city of Ollantaytambo. After
an hour-and-a-half of travel on the train, you will meet your driver to
get to the imperial city of Cusco. Here, you can enjoy cooking classes
where you can prepare your own food and enjoy Peruvian food with a
professional Peruvian chef. The chef will show you how to prepare the
most popular and delicious dishes from the Peruvian Andes. The classes
include a refreshing beverage, an appetizer, a main dish, a dessert, and
of course, the famous pisco sour.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today, your private driver will take you from your hotel to the Cuzco
airport to take your domestic flight to Lima. You will arrive in Lima in
time for your international flight. We hope that you have a wonderful
experience in Peru!
Meals: Breakfast
• Pack light, breathable clothes for the hot desert climate in Nazca, Ica, and Paracas, and bring comfortable shoes for walking tours in Lima.
• The desert and coastal regions can get very sunny. Protect yourself from the sun with high-SPF sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses.
• Stay hydrated, especially in desert areas like Ica and Nazca. Carry a refillable water bottle and some snacks, as services may be limited during long drives or in remote areas.
• Spend at least a day in Cusco or the Sacred Valley to adjust to the high altitude. Drink plenty of water and consider coca tea to help with acclimatization.
• The weather in the Andes can be unpredictable. Bring layers, including a rain jacket, as mornings and evenings can be cool, and daytime can be warm.
• The Andean sun can be strong, even on cloudy days. Protect yourself with sunscreen, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat to avoid sunburn.
• Many of the ruins, including Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo, involve hiking and uneven terrain. Sturdy, comfortable walking shoes are essential for these excursions.
• While some places accept credit cards, it's best to carry cash (in Peruvian soles) for markets, tips, and small purchases in more remote areas of the Sacred Valley.
• Altitude can make digestion slower, so stay hydrated and eat light meals to avoid altitude sickness. Avoid alcohol on your first day to prevent dehydration.
Ready to embark on an unforgettable journey? Book your tour Today!
