Wonders of Peru & Mancora Beach

Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel. The following day, discover the best of Colonial and Modern Lima. (B*) Standard: Girasoles; Superior: Casa Andina Premium Miraflores; Deluxe: Hotel B (2 nights) *Day 2 only

Transfer to the airport for an early flight to Arequipa (The white city), a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site and perhaps the most beautiful city in Peru. Enjoy a guided tour of Arequipa where you will visit the Chilina valley and the old San Lorenzo district. You will get a nice view of the city and you will visit the Main Square and the Cathedral as well as the extraordinary Santa Catalina Monastery which is built of volcanic lava and dated back to the 16th century. You will end the day with a visit to Juanita, the best-preserved mummy in the whole Americas, which was found in 1995 during an expedition high up in the mountains. (B) Standard: Casa Andina Standard; Superior: Casa Andina Select; Deluxe: Hotel Libertador Arequipa

Set off on a magnificent drive to the Colca Canyon. The journey begins with a trip towards the hot springs of Yura, passing the volcano Chachani and then further up to the natural reserve of Pampa de Cañahuas, where you will see groups of llamas and alpacas. In the wetlands of Tocra, you can see lots of various migratory birds, including flamingos. We pass the crater of an extinct volcano (Cuchura), and make a stop at the highest point of the trip, Patapampa, (4,910 m), where you will have spectacular views of the Andean mountains. Then starts the descent to the Colca Valley where you will arrive in Chivay, the main village in the Valley. You are accommodated in your hotel and are then having a free afternoon to discover the Colca Valley district and maybe visit the hot springs for a nice bath. In the evening you may enjoy a delicious dinner in a restaurant with a folkloric show and local dances. (BLD) Standard: Casa Andina Colca; Superior: Colca Lodge; Deluxe: Belmond Las Casitas

Depart early to see the majestic condors soaring overhead. Continue by road to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. After breakfast, we head further into the Valley towards the deep ravine, Cruz del Condor, where the condors mostly are seen. The view from this place is amazing and you’ll also stop by several times during the journey to admire the Colca Canyon. The condors can have a wingspan of over three meters and in the morning, they take advantage of the warm upwind from the gap to be able to sail out from the cliffs in search of food. After a walking tour along Colca Canyon, it is time to return to Chivay. On the way, we stop in the picturesque villages of Pinchollo, Maca, and Yanque, with beautiful colonial churches and at the viewpoints of Choquetico and Antahuilque, where you will experience beautiful views over terraces in the valley as well as Inca and pre-Inca graves. On return to Chivay, you will then travel by bus to Puno (approximately 6 hours with breaks for sight-seeing). We will meet you at the bus terminal for transfer to your hotel. (BL) Standard: Casa Andina Tikarani; Superior: Sonesta Puno; Deluxe: GHL Hotel Lago Titicaca (2 nights)

Enjoy a boat excursion on the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. Visit the floating islands, home to the Uros Indians, as well as the island of Taquile, where life has remained very traditional. (BL) On the first stop you will visit the floating reed islands of Uros where locals will show you how the islands are built. Don’t miss the chance to go for a short trip in one of their reed boats. Taquile, next in the itinerary, is a truly beautiful island where the locals still rely on centuries-old customs and traditions.

Board the bus to Cuzco, once the holy city of the Inca Empire. Along the way enjoy unrivalled views of the towering Andes and remote villages. The next day join an afternoon Cuzco tour, which includes a visit to the amazing ruins of Sacsayhuaman. On the guided tour of Cusco and its surroundings, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the four famous Inca ruins which lie in the outskirts of Cusco; the water temple of Tambo Machay, the Puca Pucara fortress, the oracle place Quengo and the impressive fortress and temple of Sacsayhuamán. Three enormous boulders, each one weighs 120 tons, make a perfect zig-zag wall and the view over Cusco from this place is wonderful. You will finish the day with a walking tour in the center of Cusco with visits to the Cathedral, the Main Square and the Sun Temple of Korikancha. (BL,B) Standard: Abbitare; Superior: Novotel Cusco; Deluxe: Palacio del Inka (2 nights)

The Sacred Valley is a region of outstanding beauty, with traditional villages and ancient ruins. Travel into the valley and visit the stunning Incan archaeological site of Moray and Ollantaytambo where you can see the imposing Inca fortress. Your day starts with an excursion to Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will visit the village of Pisac, which was established during the colonial era and is located at the foot of a terraced mountain, crowned with impressive Inca ruins, and also the market in Pisac on the main square, where Indians sell their products and crafts. After lunch in the valley you will visit Ollantaytambo, the only Inca village the Spaniards never managed to conquer, where you will explore the ruins above the town on a hill. Late in the afternoon, you will take a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu. You are met by a guide at the station and escorted to your hotel. (BL) Standard: Hacienda de Valle; Superior: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba; Deluxe: Sol Y Luna

Take a scenic train journey to reach Machu Picchu, with its unrivalled setting. On arrival, your guide will explain the fascinating history of the site, steeped in mystery and intrigue, and which was only rediscovered in 1911. E enjoy the famous sunrise over the ruins and, after the guided tour of Machu Picchu, you will have plenty of time to explore sight and take photos. A popular option for the adventurous is to climb the mountain Huayna Picchu (about 2 hours), from where you will have a spectacular view over Machu Picchu and the surroundings. In the afternoon you take the bus down from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, and then the train back to Cusco. On arrival we will meet you for transfer to your hotel. (B) Standard: Abbitare; Superior: Novotel Cusco; Deluxe: Palacio del Inka

You will be picked up at your hotel after breakfast for a transfer to the airport in Cuzco, and your flight to Lima. From Lima, you then will have a flight to Tumbes in Northern Peru. Upon arrival at Tumbes, a car is waiting to take you to Mancora Beach and your hotel. Your journey from Tumbes to Mancora takes about 1.5 hours. (B) Hotel Mancora Beach

Mancora is the most popular place in Peru for swimming and beach life. Located in north-western Peru, near the equator, you will find the best waves for surfing and surfers from all over the world come to visit, and even the best sand beaches for swimming, of course. The water is known for its turquoise color. Mancora also offers a very wide range of restaurants by fair means, discotheques, shopping, nightlife