Welcome to Peru! Lima is one of the most significant and modern cities in South America. It was founded in 1535 by the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro. Upon landing in Lima, you will proceed through Immigration and Baggage Claim. Proceed through Customs, where our representative will be holding a sign bearing your name. Our representative will assist you with your luggage and your hotel transfer from the airport.

You will receive a welcome package detailing your itinerary, transportation, and emergency contact information. A vehicle and driver will transport you to the hotel of your choice.

Breakfast served in your hotel

Take pleasure in Lima's exquisite gourmet restaurants, historic sites, and museums.

Beginning in the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro and passing by a "huaca" or sacred pre-Incan site en route to the Historic Center, you will explore the modern and colonial parts of Lima, also known as "The City of Kings." There, you will walk along some of the city's most historically significant streets, leading to the Plaza de Armas, where you will have time to photograph the magnificent colonial architecture surrounding it. You will also have the opportunity to explore an iconic structure that has served Lima's residents for centuries and remains an important landmark. Then you will visit the remarkable Convent of Santo Domingo, a remarkable colonial structure.
Backtrack to your hotel.

The first part of this excursion is a boat ride around the Ballestas islands, which are inhabited by sea lions, pelicans, Peruvian boobies, and Humboldt penguins. You can also see the Paracas Candelabra geoglyph, a huge etching on a hillside with a mystery history, and enjoy the area's abundant aquatic life.

At the spectacular La Huacachina Oasis, often known as the "Oasis of America," the tour steps it up a notch, providing the ideal setting for sandboarding and hair-raising dune buggy rides over sand dunes that span several hundred feet in height. This adventure will take you to the heart of the desert for some heart-pounding fun!

Fly across the dry Nazca Desert in order to view the renowned Nazca Lines. Admire the stylised animal and mystical creature geoglyphs.

Explore one of the world's driest regions from above and attempt to understand the riddle of the Nazca civilisation.

In the late afternoon, you'll take a comfortable overnight bus to Arequipa.

We will begin the activity by picking you up from your hotel and transporting you to the first two stops on the itinerary: Carmen Alto and Yanahuara. We will have a panoramic view of the city and the Misti Volcano from this vantage point. We will then proceed to the Plaza de Armas, where we will learn about the cathedral, the surrounding arches, and the 'Compaa de Jess' Church. Then, we will visit the Santa Catalina monastery, a colonial-era cloister that evolved into a little settlement over time, and which offers us a very clear understanding of what Arequipa's 17th-century architecture was like. Following this activity, the tour will conclude. Transfer back to your hotel.

The highway leading out of Arequipa will be our first stop after picking you up from your accommodation. We'll have to make short acclimatization breaks as we climb in elevation. We'll stop at the Caahuelas Pampa reserve to see alpacas and vicuas. Our next stop will be Patahuasi, where we will spend a few minutes. We'll continue on to Tacra, where we'll be able to see the region's vegetation and fauna.

Patapampa, the 4,800-meter-high volcano's vantage point, is the next site on the tour's itinerary (15,748 feet). In Chivay, we'll eat lunch and settle into our motels before continuing on to the city of Aguadilla. We'll be able to relax at the thermal springs of Cahacapi (entry price not included) in the afternoon, and then we'll be able to eat dinner in Chivay. We'll go to bed early tonight so we can get a good night's sleep before tomorrow's big day.

In the morning you will enjoy breakfast at the hotel, then you will be transfer to the Cruz del Cóndor (Cross of the Condor). Visit the vantage point from which you can observe some condors in flight on this excursion. While in Yanque and Maca, we'll get the opportunity to visit the local plazas and craft markets. After that, we'll head back to Chivay for a leisurely lunch.
Departure around noon to Puno city.
Arrival to Puno City.
Transfer to your Puno hotel.

The tallest lake that can be navigated is an incredible sight from any angle. There are numerous islands in the lake, and the reed beds around it tell stories from their own pasts.
Communities in Taquile, Amantani, and the Uros Floating Islands have adapted their ways of life to make the most of their resources and live in harmony with the natural world, and this may be experienced firsthand by visitors.

Take off at 7:00 a.m. to begin your tour.

Learn about an ancient civilisation that thrived in the high plains some 2,000 years ago as you visit the Pucara Lithic Museum. The Pucara culture was known for its stone carvings depicting anthropomorphic figures.

A guided tour of Raqchi's Archaeological Complex includes a stop to the Temple of Wiracocha God, an Inca pilgrimage site, and agricultural terraces, an artificial lagoon, and Inca homes.

For lunch, head to the town of Sicuani, Peru's second-largest city, where you can sample some of the country's best cuisine. See the 5300-meter-high Chimboya mountain, which dominates the landscape.

The San Pedro de Andahuaylillas chapel is regarded one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in the Andes because of its lavish decorating.

Arrival at Cusco and Private transfer to your hotel.

The city of Cusco is known as the "Archaeological Capital of America." The old Inca capital is filled with archaeological sites, museums, and temples, among other attractions. There, you may view the Sacsayhuaman fortress, the Coricancha, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay.

With the Classic Inca Trail, your lifelong adventure begins today! At 4:30 a.m., your guide will take you up in our private vehicle from your Cusco hotel. From there, we go to Piskacucho, also known as Kilometer 82, the start of the Classic Inca Trail. We stop for breakfast in Ollantaytambo around 6:30-7:00 a.m. on the way to refuel for our first major day. (There is no breakfast included.)

We'll have some time when we arrive at KM82 (8:30 a.m.) to organize ourselves, use the toilets, apply sunscreen, insect repellent, and so on. You will hand over your duffel bag to the porters here, leaving only a compact daypack with the necessities for the walk. For further details, see our packing list. If you booked as a student, be prepared to show your passports and student ID card at the Inca Trail checkpoint. All of your permits and tickets will be with your guide.

You will cross the Vilcanota River and follow its magnificent journey at the start of the trail (2,720m/8,923ft). The first day is a gentle warm-up through the rolling 'Inca flat' landscape. The Huillca Raccay Inca Fortress, the vast and incredible Inca site of Llactapata (also known as Patallacta), the Urubamba mountain range that separates the jungle from the Andes Mountains, and the beautiful snow-capped peak of Veronica (5,860m/19,225ft), also known as W'akay Willca, are all visible. At Hatunchaca, you have your first gourmet meal, after which you just have roughly three hours of walking to camp.

Our first campsite is about 2 hours past Wayllabamba (3,000m/9,842ft), a little settlement located in the temperate green valley of the same name. Depending on the season, nighttime temperatures can drop to as low as 5oC. The dry season, which runs from May through September, is generally cooler.

Your afternoon tea and snacks will be waiting for you when you arrive at camp. Enjoy a nice beverage before settling into your tents, which will be waiting for you.

• Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 12kms/7.5mls (about 6 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Easy/Moderate

At 5:30 a.m., your guide will greet you with a nice mug of tea or coffee. Before getting up for a great and full breakfast, enjoy your hot beverage in your sleeping bag. You begin a tough ascent towards the highest pass, Abra de Warmihuausca, commonly known as Dead Woman's Pass, at 4,200m/13,779ft, with your daypacks as light as possible. Reaching the summit on this day will give you a wonderful sense of accomplishment! After a well-deserved photo stop, you continue the descent to Pacaymayu (3,550m/11,646ft), where your lunch will be served.

You'll witness a variety of hummingbirds and other bird species as you make your way up to the pass. There will be lots of opportunities to admire the wonderful variety of local species as well as the Polylepis, or Q'ueua trees, which thrive in the spectacular cloud forest at (3,650m/11,972ft)!

You begin the second two-hour difficult ascent up Runkuraqay pass (4,000m/13,123ft) after a gourmet lunch. By 5 p.m., you've arrived at your campsite, where afternoon tea and snacks await you. During the night, the temperature at this campsite is around 4°C.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 16kms/10mls (about 9 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Moderate/challenging

Keep in mind that this is the most impressive day so far as you soar on day three! Before you get up for breakfast, your guide will wake you up at 6 a.m. with another hot mug of tea or coffee in your tent. The day begins with a gradual ascent to the Phuyupatamarca archaeological site, which means "Village in the Clouds." The third highest point of the Inca route (3,680m/12,073ft) is reached here. The mountain, canyon, and surrounding area views are breathtaking!

A little distance from the third pass is the enormous Inca site of Phuyupatamarca. After visiting this site, continue walking through the cloud forest for another 3,000 steps to the spectacular Inca site of Intipata. The temperature will rise as you descend from the highlands. You're getting close to not only Machu Picchu, but also the Amazon jungle! After visiting Intipata, you continue on to Wiay Wayna (2,680m/8,792ft), your third campground. You will only stroll for 4 to 5 hours today. By midday, you'll be in camp! The nighttime temperature is at 12o C.

The famed Inca site of Wiay Wayna, which means "Forever Young" in Quechua, is just a short walk from your campsite. It was named for a unique orchid that thrives in the area.

• Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, snacks, afternoon tea and also dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities
• Distance: 10kms/6.2mls (about 5 hours hiking)
• Difficulty: Moderate

It's time to get up at 4:00 a.m. with more hot drink and begin day 4 on the Inca Trail. This is the last leg of your journey, and you should arrive at the Sun Gate, also known as Inti Punku, by 6:00 a.m. The majestic Machu Picchu Citadel, with its mystic grandeur, will be in front of you at that point, an incredible sight for anyone to view. As the sun rises behind you, you can see sunlight spilling down like molten goal over the fortress from the Sun Gate. Finally, we descend to Machu Picchu Citadel (2,400 meters/7,872 feet). We access the citadel from the top through the "House of the Guardians" after a 40-minute trek. We then go to the control post, where we register and drop off any bulky backpacks or walking sticks. Only small bags, such as camera bags, are permitted inside the castle. Walking poles are prohibited due to the risk of damaging the stones.

Your tour will last approximately two hours and will be led by your guide. The Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor, Temple of Three Windows, Sun Dial, Quarry, and the House of the Inca are all included in your tour of Machu Picchu. You'll also learn about the three sectors that Machu Picchu is separated into: agricultural, residential, and religious.

Those who have booked extra hikes up Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain in advance will have opportunity to enjoy the vistas on their own after your tour. You'll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch once you've had your fill of the amazing vistas of Machu Picchu (not included). Depending on when your train leaves, you may have time to go shopping, sightseeing, or visit a museum or hot springs.

The train will return you to Ollantaytambo via the beautiful Urubamba River. The canyon is tight in Aguas Calientes, and the river has numerous excellent whitewater parts. If you gaze up high on the steep canyon wall, you can see Wiay Wayna from the train! Your driver will meet you at the railway station exit in Ollantaytambo and drive you back to your Cusco hotel in our private vehicle. You should arrive at your hotel around 19:00.

Meals included: Breakfast
Distance: 6kms/3.7mls
Difficulty: Easy

There are numerous reasons to visit Peru, from its diverse natural geography to its cultural festivals and ancient civilization ruins.

Millions of tourists visit Peru each year to see the ruins of the Inca citadel Machu Picchu, but a newly discovered geological wonder was added to the country's list of must-see destinations in 2015.

Vinicunca, also known as Rainbow Mountain or the Mountain of Seven Colors, was discovered four years ago when the snow covering it melted, revealing the natural beauty of the rock beneath. The mountain's unique minerology, formed over time by weathering, environmental conditions, and sedimentary deposits, created a marbling effect, with layered hues of gold, lavender, red, and turquoise towering into the sky.

The mountain, which is considered a holy site in Peru, has become a popular destination for international visitors, and is now the second-most visited attraction in the Cusco region, thanks to local tour operators and a flurry of Instagram posts.

According to Peruvian media, Vinicunca receives 1,500 visitors per day, accounting for one-third of the daily visitors to Machu Picchu.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will have the remainder of the day to explore Cusco before being transferred to the airport for your flight back to Lima.