PERU ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
2022 Dates TBA
DAY 1 - Arrival into Lima and overnight at the airport hotel
DAY 2 - Fly to Cusco with afternoon free for acclimation
DAY 3 - Tour of Cusco with afternoon pottery workshop
DAY 4 - Full day weaving workshop in the Sacred Valley
DAY 5 - Full day Machu Picchu visit
DAY 6 - Another day in Machu Picchu with afternoon return to Cusco
DAY 7 - Fly to Lima and travel overland to Paracas
DAY 8 - Morning free with afternoon dune buggie excursion
DAY 9 - Morning Ballesta Island tour with afternoon return to Lima
DAY 10 - Morning tour of Lima, afternoon workshop and evening departure home
DAY 11 - Arrive home
ITINERARY IN DETAIL
DAY 1 – ARRIVE INTO LIMA
This evening you will arrive into Lima, the capital of Peru. Upon arrival, you will be met by a local Well Crafted Travel representative who will assist you with check in to the airport hotel where we will overnight.
DAY 2 - LIMA - CUSCO (B)
This morning we will walk back across the sky bridge to the Lima airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco, we will be greeted and transferred to our hotel. This afternoon is at our leisure to acclimate. Cusco’s elevation is approximately 11,200 feet, so it is highly recommend resting upon arrival for a few hours and taking in some coca tea.
At sunset, en route to our dinner plans, we will transfer to a special location to enjoy a toast to Cusco (wine and soft drinks will be available). Enjoy a beautiful scenery of Cusco city and local appetizers. Afterwards, we will make our own way to dinner (meal not included).
Note: Check-in is normally after 2 pm. Early check-in may be granted subject to availability (not confirmed).
DAY 3 - CUSCO (B - L)
This morning we will enjoy a private tour of Cusco and the local ruins where we will visit the Korikancha Temple, or Temple of the Sun, and the Cathedral. During our private tour today we will also make a brief visit the San Pedro Market.
San Pedro Market is a lively, local market where we will receive a briefing about the local Andean ingredients and have an opportunity to purchase them. This market visit is a great opportunity to interact with the locals either selling or purchasing items from the market. We will then continue to the local ruins, above the city, ending with a lovely visit to the famous Saksaywaman ruins. After our visit here, we will enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch.
Then, this afternoon we will enjoy something unique in our trip to the City of the Incas. We will learn from the hand of a famous Cusco potter the different techniques for making lovely pieces of pottery, inspired by Andean and Colonial art motifs. After the class you will choose one piece of pottery to decorate yourself and take with you as a beautiful souvenir.
DAY 4 - CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY (B - L)
This morning we depart to take a two hour drive along the highway until we reach Patacancha, a Quechua village known for its skilled weavers and our meeting point with the llama drivers. We will get to know the animals and then head out through the valley on a trail used daily by the community inhabitants. It will take about an hour and a half of walking to reach Huilloc, another community famous for its expert weavers, whose traditional outfits are called "Huayruros". This is also the home of your llama drivers, and while in the village we will learn about the community way of life. It is here that we will have a weaving workshop, learning the traditional backstrap method. Afterwards, the final leg of the trek, an hour and a half long, takes us to Ollantaytambo, but first we must pass through the small town of Munaypata. Our bus is waiting at Ollantaytambo to return us to the hotel.
Highest altitude: Patacancha: 12,496 ft.
Lowest altitude: Ollantaytambo: 9160 ft.
Approximate trekking distance: 6.3 miles
DAY 5 - SACRED VALLEY - MACHU PICCHU (B - L - D)
Early this morning, we will be met at the hotel to privately transfer to the train station. The train will take us up to the town of Aguas Calientes (train ride lasts 1 hour & 30 minutes). From here, we will board a bus to Machu Picchu and then have a guided tour of the ruins. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, was a flourishing ceremonial and agricultural site, probably the gateway to the jungle marshes of the Inca Empire. The central buildings were erected with the polished stone works of the Cusco Imperial style, though the site was probably occupied well before the Incas started their expansion. It was associated with the earth cult revolving around the coca leaf, which was a privilege of the Inca royal family and priests.
We will enjoy lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, at the entrance of the ruins, before returning to our hotel at our leisure. In the evening, we will enjoy a wonderful dinner at the hotel.
Note: Government regulations limit the number of visitors to Machu Picchu daily. Entrance is subject to availability. Please book with plenty of notice so we may confirm your entrance to the ruins.
DAY 6 - MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO (B)
Today is at leisure to return to Machu Picchu and explore. You may choose to return to Machu Picchu, hike Huayna Picchu or relax in the village of Aguas Calientes and its hot springs. In the afternoon we will board the train to return to Cusco. Upon arrival we will be greeted for train station reception and transferred to our hotel.
Note: Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu on this day ARE included. Please advise if you think you would like to hike Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu at time of booking (subject to availability).
DAY 7 - CUSCO - LIMA - PARACAS (B)
This morning we will be met at the hotel in Cusco and transferred to the airport for our flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima we will be greeted and transferred approximately 3 ½ hours to Paracas. Upon arrival in Paracas, we will be greeted for assistance and transferred to our hotel.
Day 8 - PARACAS (B)
We will have this morning free to sleep in and relax by the pool.
Afternoon Sand Dune Buggies and Sandboarding Adventure
This afternoon we will visit dunes up to 100 meters high where we will stop to witness the incredible panoramic view (this is a heart-stopping adventure!). Stand on the high desert dunes and capture pictures of a lifetime. We will continue on to tour the larger of the dunes and visit the Duna which is also known as break the bones which is 150 meters high. Afterwards we will have the opportunity to sand board dunes of all sizes and you can slide over them according to your ability or experience.
We will return to the hotel where we can enjoy dinner this evening on our own.
DAY 9 - PARACAS - LIMA (B)
After a light breakfast, cruise to the Ballesta Isles, where we will observe sea lions, penguins and more than 60 species of sea birds. We will also see the "Candelabra," an ancient sand design (2 hours).
We will then enjoy lunch (meal not included) at the hotel before we return to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima we will be transferred to our hotel for an evening at leisure.
DAY 10 - LIMA - DEPART (B)
This morning we have a visit & workshop at Ichimay Wari. Ichimay Wari is a collective of artisans from the Huarpas and Wari cultures dedicated to preserving their ancestral heritage through artistic tradition. We will be welcomed upon arrival by an Ichimay Wari guide and given a tour of the various artisan-led workshops offered. We will then participate in a workshop where we use the skills we learn from our instructor to craft a tangible memory of the trip that you will cherish.
In the afternoon we will enjoy a private city tour of Lima, one of the most important cities in South America since its founding in 1535. As we journey through the historic center of the city, admire the beauty of San Martín and Major squares, the Cathedral, the Government Palace, and visit San Francisco Convent, a religious building from the late 16th century, and its catacombs. This tour also includes a drive through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores. Please note the Cathedral is closed on Sundays.
During our tour we will also visit the Museo Larco. Founded in 1926 the Museo Larco chronologically showcases the past 3,000 years of Peruvian history and culture including its pre-Colombian history. The museum is located in a beautiful 18th century vice-royal mansion built atop a 7th century pre-Colombian tomb. After exploring the Museo Larco enjoy a complimentary cocktail and appetizer at the onsite Larco Café overlooking the beautiful, surrounding gardens.
Late this evening, we will transfer to the airport to take our international flight home (scheduled to depart around midnight).
DAY 11 - HOME
Arrive home.
B:Breakfast L:Lunch D:Dinner