Peru is almost as large as Alaska and is divided into three distinct geographical zones: the desert to the west, the altiplano (high planes) of the Andes, and the jungle, accounting for 2/3 of Peru. You rely on us to choose the gems when designing a trip and that is why we’ve chosen the Andean region. The Quechuan (pronounce ketchewan) people, the land and the culture here have remained intricately entwined despite 500 years of plundering by the Spanish. Marisol, our adventure guide, is deeply proud of her Inca heritage and her knowledge makes the complex stone formations come alive. She’s an experienced trail guide and knows how to help if anyone suffers from the effects of altitude. Our trip is especially designed to help us acclimate gradually to the high elevations. We ride the Peruvian paso horses, raft the Urabamba, sea kayak on Lake Titicaca and some will even mountain bike down into the Sacred Valley. The highlight for most all of us will be our one-day hike on the Inca Trail bringing us in through the Sun Gate for the first breathtaking view of Machupicchu. Soak in hot springs under the Southern Cross, shop for brightly colored handicrafts, and photograph volcanoes, llamas, trapezoid doorways and ancient terraces. You’ll be fascinated by the people of Uros living on islands, in houses and on boats all made of reeds. Andean Peru is the quintessential travel experience – exotic and unusual yet safe and responsive to traveler’s needs. A Latin American success story, Peru’s economy is vibrant and their democracy stable. If you have extra time, our inbound operator can organize unescorted post-tour travel for you to the Amazon and to the Nasca Lines in the desert.
IMPORTANT DEADLINE
New rules mean that hikers on the Inca Trail must register a copy of their passport with the trail authorities FIVE MONTHS PRIOR. For our trip, December 22, 2008 is the deadline for registering for this trip – ie, if you don’t want to miss out on the Inca Trail one-day portion of the trip.
Fri May 15
Assemble at Lima Airport between 9pm and 10.30pm when flights arrive from Houston and Miami. Our group will be met at the airport by Marisol, our Peruvian Adventure Guide. Transfer to our hotel in the Miraflores section of Lima.
Sat May 16
Lima is a huge, culturally diverse city of 8 million people so we pick out the gems to visit on our morning tour of the city. First stop is the 16th century Cathedral forming one side of the main square. A short walk brings us to the San Francisco Convent with frescos of Assisi, a Moorish dome, a Last Supper painting with guinea pig on the menu and underground catacombs. Last stop before our cebiche lunch is Museum Larco, full of ceramics, gold and textiles. Transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight to Arequipa. Our two-night stay is at a delightful hacienda with gardens and courtyards only six blocks from Plaza de Armas. Altitude 7700’.
Sun May 17
Locals consider themselves Arequipans first and Peruvians second and their Spanish heritage is especially evident on Sunday mornings. After breakfast in our garden we’ll visit small churches in the area and see the processions spilling out around the squares. Visit the neoclassical Cathedral adjacent to palm trees on the prettiest square in Peru. Ringed by snow-sprinkled volcanoes, Arequipa, with its white sillar buildings, gleams in the desert sun. Last stop is the Santa Catalina Monastery a 425-year old city within a city, of archways and chapels and huge paintings, still home to thirty semi-cloistered nuns. We’ll lunch on a balcony overlooking the square and then head to a nearby ranch for a two-hour horse ride. Peruvian Paso horses have a special gait and are considered the best trail riding horses in the world. Dine back in Arequipa where you may choose to try the regional specialty, stuffed rocoto peppers.
Mon May 18
There will be a couple of hours this morning free to explore markets near our hotel. At 11am we’ll depart for the four-hour journey to Colca Canyon. This route takes us over a 16,000’ pass and we’ll have a boxed lunch each on the way. The views along this route are stunning and you’ll see llamas, alpacas and the rare vicuna grazing amongst the yareta moss and the ichu grass in the highlands. Closer to Chivay, ancient stone terraces are built on all sides of the canyon and the brightly-clothed locals working the fields still dress as they have for centuries. Dine at our beautiful lodge and enjoy an evening soak in natural hot springs underneath the Southern Cross at 11,900’.
Tue May 19
This morning we drive an hour to La Cruz del Condor and endure the crowds who flock to the best place in the world to see the sacred Andean Condor. These magnificent birds, the largest in the world with wingspans of 11’, soar for hours in the thermals without flapping their wings. In the afternoon we drive three hours across the high desert to the village of Llachon on the shores of Lake Titicaca. We eat and sleep with a local family at a home-stay and are cozy in our beds beneath piles of blankets.
Wed May 20
It’s an early launch this morning for our sea-kayaking adventure across to Taquile Island in the middle of Lake Titicaca. The 5km journey across calm blue water takes about three hours supported by a motorized vessel the whole way. Leaving our kayaks at the beach on Tequile, we hike up to the main square past terraced fields and small villages. We lunch watching men dressed in Bolivian-like dress, knitting clothes. There are opportunities to purchase handicrafts. Descend back down to our motorboat and travel two hours to an amazing cultural experience on the reed islands of Uros. Descendants of the locals fled persecution on shore and built homes on floating islands of reeds. Their homes and boats are all built of reeds also. They share their lives with us, how they cook. harvest fish and where they educate their children. We even take a ride in one of their boats. Transfer to our hotel in Puno at 12,400’. Dine at a local restaurant.
Thu May 21
A wonderfully scenic five-hour journey across the high-country from Puno delivers us to the beautiful orange tile-roofed city of Cusco. Stops along the way include a buffet lunch and also a stop at the colonial church at Andahuaylillas whose huge gold altar collapsed in a recent earthquake, but is now restored. Check into our hotel near the square and then spend an hour each at the two most impressive buildings in town, the Cathedral and Coricancha, the Inca’s Sun Temple. This is Mari’s hometown and her love for these magnificent buildings shines through in her guiding. Dine at an unusual restaurant this evening.
Fri May 22
It is not our habit at Canyon Calling to offer alternatives to the schedule but today is an exception. Mari will lead some of us on a van tour down into the Sacred Valley and we will walk the important Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman and Pisac. There will also be time for shopping and lunch at the Pisac market. For experienced bikers, our alternative program is a four-hour mountain bike ride, 97% downhill over quite rough terrain. There are a few places so steep we need to walk our bikes. Our stop for lunch offers a wonderful vista. The views of snow-capped Veronica Mountain and her equally impressive neighbors dominate this descent from the Chinchero plateau. We see ancient crop experimental terraces at Moray, farmers hard at work in their fields and salt pond terraces worked by villagers from Maras. At 2pm both groups will meet up and we’ll check into our hotel with surely the most beautiful gardens in Peru. There is one more treat before dinner! Mari will lead us on an exploration of the Inca fortress at Ollantaytambo. Second only to Machpicchu in beauty and importance, it offers amazing views and a taste of what is in store for tomorrow. Dine at our hotel.
Sat May 23
Breakfast at 6.15am and walk to the train station to catch the train to km.104 km on the Cusco – Machupicchu railroad. We visit the Chachabamba ruins at 7052’ and then climb four hours to Wiñaywayna ruins 8692’. On the way up we will have magnificent views of the Urubamba River valley, the Choquesuysuy ruins on the other side of the river and a beautiful waterfall. One last hour of hiking along a trail of flat stones on the edges of cliffs in highland jungle brings us to the Sun Gate of Intipunku. The view of Machupicchu as you come through the Sun Gate is one of those indelible travel memories to be treasured. Descend to the bus stop and it will take us down to our hotel at Agues Calientes and a well-earned shower. Dinner will be at a restaurant near our hotel.
Sun May 24
Catch an early bus this morning back up to Machupicchu to enjoy the peace before the crowds arrive. Mari will deliver an in-depth description of the importance of this wonder of the world to her Incan ancestors. The backdrop of soaring jungle-covered peaks is mimicked by stone formations. The spiritual vibrancy is impossible to miss. Windows track the sun during the summer and winter solstices. We can plainly see how the Incas worked so successfully with nature but the essential element of Machupicchu is that much of its reason for existence remains a mystery. Return to the train station and catch an early afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer back through the Sacred Valley to Cusco and our farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant.
Mon May 25
Our grand finale on our tour of the Andes is a white water rafting trip on the Upper Urabamba River. It’s a two-hour ride to and from the put in and two hours of great fun in grade 3 rapids. Transfer to Cusco airport where the tour ends. Catch a late afternoon flight to Lima airport. Connect with US bound flights.
