The Best of Peru Tour - 9 Days

Today on our Lima vacation package, you will be picked up at your hotel at the prearranged time to head to the Lima airport for your flight to the imperial city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca empire.

Once you arrive in Cusco, a member of Valencia Travel's team will be waiting at the airport to pick you up in our private transport and take you to your hotel. Remember that you will be arriving at a high elevation from sea- level as Cusco sits at 3400 meters elevation!  You will then have all the day to relax and enjoy the magical beauty of Cusco and its surroundings as you acclimatize for your Machu Picchu tour.

Free Day In The Inca Capital

After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city.  

Machu Picchu Adventure Travel has Arrived!

Today on our 9 days in Peru tour,  we’ll pick you up at 9 am and then head to the train station to board the train to Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo). This is the small town below Machu Picchu and where you will spend the evening prior to your incredible Machu Picchu tour. The train leaves at approximately 11h30, although the exact schedule does change sometimes. The two-hour train journey is a memorable experience in itself, as we pass through river canyons and rolling hills of the impressive Sacred Valley. 

Aguas Calientes is the gateway to Machu Picchu, sitting in a deep gorge at the foot of the mountain upon which Machu Picchu is located. It’s a pretty town that mixes traditional life with a huge tourism infrastructure, with plenty of markets, souvenir shops, hotels, and restaurants. It’s also largely pedestrianized, making it a fun place to explore on foot. Aguas Calientes is surrounded by jungle-covered mountains and cliffs, and the Urubamba River flows right next to the town, sometimes roaring through the canyon. 

Aguas Calientes is also home to thermal hot springs, and when we arrive, you’ll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy a dip in one of the steaming natural springs (Not Included). You’ll also have time to walk around the town, exploring the colorful markets and general buzz of this unique Peruvian settlement.

It’s an early start the next day for our Machu Picchu tour, so we’ll make sure you’re settled into your hotel in preparation for the following day and your first glimpse of Machu Picchu.

It is time to get excited about your Machu Picchu spiritual journey!

The Machu Picchu Cultural Heritage Tour.

To best appreciate Machu Picchu on your Machu Picchu tour, we’ll wake up early in the morning to arrive at the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for a hearty breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 05:40 am. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short yet zigzagging ascent along the road to Machu Picchu.

It's now time to pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here, you’ll begin your Machu Picchu sunrise viewing tour, a highlight of this 9 days in Peru tour package, accompanied by your experienced and highly knowledgeable guide.

Our Machu Picchu tour will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and most spectacular sections of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian, Intihuatana, Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza, and other key locations. And as we walk around, we’ll have spectacular views across the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and across the surrounding mountains and plunging gorges. 

Once we’ve finished our Machu Picchu tour, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax and have lunch (not included), before we board the train back to Poroy /Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival at the station, we’ll be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you can think back on your incredible Machu Picchu tour at one of the world’s most famous and most impressive attractions.

Optional Service:  Huayna Picchu – Cost per person USD $ 75 

There is time for those with enough energy to climb Wayna (Huayna) Picchu for those who missed out on one of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu treks. For many people climbing Huayna Picchu is one of the highlights of the Machu Picchu tour. Huayna Picchu is the mountain behind Machu Picchu. The climb itself is interesting as you will see how the Incas cut out steps out of the rocks and as you wind around the side of a mountain, you will see Machu Picchu from a completely different angle

Huayna Picchu is one of the best Machu Picchu hiking experiences inside this magnificent site!

After your Machu Picchu historical expeditions, there is even more on This 9 days in Peru itinerary!

After breakfast, you'll be picked up from your hotel at 06:30am and dropped off at the bus station to take a bus trip, which is a combined guided tour that will stop off at four impressive historical sites on this Machu Picchu budget-friendly tour:

•  Andahuaylillas: Colloquially known as “The Sistine Chapel of South America”. This church is one of the most beautiful examples of Andean popular religious art. 

•   Raqchi (Wiracocha God Temple): This was an Inca church of considerable dimensions; 328 feet long, 85 feet wide and 45 feet high. The temple is divided into two naves, and each nave has 11 large columns.

•   La Raya: This is the halfway point between Cusco and Puno and also the highest point of the journey (14,222 feet above sea level). The landscapes here are stunning and typical Andean animals like the llama, alpaca and vicuña are familiar sights. It is also the geographic border between two cultures - Quechua and Aymara. 

•    Pukara: This is the most important and oldest ceremonial center of the altiplano. The Pukara Archeological Site was originally the ancient Pukara Civilization´s religious, administrative and residential center. The Pukara Archeological Site was the Pukara People´s religious, administrative and residential center. The site is composed of several structures built with intricate stone masonry and joined with clay mortar. Arrival time to Puno will be around 5 pm. 

Titicaca Adventures on the Best of Peru Tour.

Our Lake Titicaca adventure begins at 07h30 when we pick you up from your hotel in Puno and head down to the port. We’ll take a comfortable motorboat out to the floating islands of the Uros people. These floating islands are located about 14 km from the port, and it takes about 30 minutes to get there – but you won’t be in any rush, as the scenery is spectacular. 

When we arrive at the floating islands, you’ll probably be amazed by the scale of these floating reed constructions. The Uros originally built these islands for defensive reasons: if a threat appeared, they could move their island homes to a safer location. The islands are made from the totora reeds that grow in, and around the lake, and each island is in a constant state of reconstruction, as old reeds are replaced by new. 

Stepping onto the islands is quite an experience, as the springy reed floor feels strange beneath your feet. We’ll explore the main island, and see the houses, watchtowers, and other structures, all built of reeds. One of the locals will then give a brief presentation about how the islands are made, and then you can meet one of the local families to see how they live.  

Next, we’ll board the boat for the wonderful Taquile Island, which is about 1.5 hours away. We’ll arrive at a secluded and picturesque section of Taquile Island, which also has a pristine sandy beach where we can stretch our legs for a while. From here,  we’ll set off to explore this stunningly beautiful island for at least four hours. We’ll go to the less touristy northern area, where we’ll have spectacular panoramic views across Lake Titicaca.

After relaxing here for a while, we’ll hike along a pre-Inca trail,  visiting families of weavers to learn about their textile art and the rich symbolism that decorates their textiles. After a traditional lunch in a local restaurant – quinoa soup and grilled trout being particularly popular – we’ll walk to the main port and descend some steps to the pier. At around 2:45 p.m. we’ll board a boat and continue on to Luquina.

Luquina is a small and rarely visited rural community on the peninsula of Chucuito. Here, we’ll be welcomed by the friendly inhabitants and housed in a local family home. You’ll have plenty of time here to immerse yourself in the traditional culture, and in the afternoon, there is an optional hike to the top of a nearby hill for majestic views of the sunset over Lake Titicaca. After dinner, you can enjoy a small celebration with music and traditional dances. We will spend the night at the local family home, which has basic but comfortable facilities, including good blankets and sheets (it can get quite chilly at night!), and a private bathroom with a hot shower.

This is often a surprise highlight on this 9 days in Peru tour, even surpassing the Machu Picchu tour for some!

Waking up on Lake Titicaca on this 9 days in Peru Tour!

In the morning you’ll have a traditional breakfast with your host family. Please feel free to help cook if you like! After breakfast, you are free to join in with any of the community's daily activities, which could include cultivating crops, tending to the animals or even building a house or other structure in the traditional way. Your experienced guide will ensure that this part of the trip is a totally authentic experience.

After a morning of cultural immersion, it will be time for a family lunch at around midday. Afterward, we’ll walk to the port, where we will say thanks and goodbye to the family and have a small and traditional farewell ceremony with coca leaves and wine. At around 1 p.m. it will be time to board the boat for the return trip to Puno, arriving at 2:30 p.m. On arrival, we’ll take you back to your hotel.

The Final Day of the 9 Days in Peru Adventure.

After Breakfast, we will pick you up at the pre-arranged time for your transfer from your hotel to Juliaca Airport for your flight back to Lima. 

This marks the end of your 9 Days in Peru Machu Picchu tour with some extra surprises along the way! It really is incredible what you can fit into a 9 Days in Peru itinerary!