Best of Peru & Bolivia - 15 days

Bienvenido a Peru! Welcome to Peru and the beginning of your Latin American adventure. On arrival at Lima International Airport you’ll be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. Your first evening can then be spent at leisure, perhaps exploring the vibrant nightlife of Peru’s capital city.

Discover Lima - the “City of Kings”, on a half-day guided tour. Take in highlights of the city including the Government Palace, the historical city centre and the ancient cathedral - constructed in the seventeenth century. You’ll also explore the Religious Art Museum before moving on to the San Francisco Monastery and its underground crypts, the Catacombs.

The tour continues with a visit through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing the Huaca Pucllana, an ancient administrative centre of Lima. Next see El Olivar Park, and El Parque del Amor (Peruvian Love Park), where you can enjoy stunning cliff top views over the Pacific Ocean.

Finally, visit the Larco Museum, which holds the best private collection of pre-Columbian art in the country. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore Lima as you please. Perhaps return to the Love Park where you can enjoy a romantic view over the cliff tops as the sun sets before you.

Lima - Cusco - Sacred Valley. You’ll be transferred to Lima International Airport and will fly to Cusco, before being transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of today at leisure, taking some time to relax and adapt to the altitude.

Today, visit the famous Inti Watana ruins at Pisac on a full-day guided tour of the Sacred Valley. Explore highlights including the Temple of the Sun and an inti watana - a volcanic ritual stone which was used by the Incas to define the changing of the seasons. Experience the Pisac markets and practice your bartering skills as you explore the colourful textile and souvenir stalls.

Your final visit will be to the Inca fortress and citadel of Ollantaytambo, the “Live Inca Town”. As well as a military base, Ollantaytambo was used for agricultural and religious purposes and local inhabitants still live according to the customs of their ancestors. You’ll feel transported back in time as you walk the stone streets and discover highlights of the town including the Temple of the Sun.

Sacred Valley - Aguas Calientes. Today you’ll explore Peru’s most famous site, the “Lost City” of the Incas, Machu Picchu. Reach the town of Aguas Calientes by train before taking a bus to the ancient citadel, situated 3,400 metres above sea level. Enjoy the striking jungle surroundings which hid Machu Picchu from the invading Spanish and indeed from humanity until its rediscovery in 1911. Your guided tour of Machu Picchu will take in sites including the Main Plaza, the Sacred Sun Dial and the Royal Quarters. Enjoy lunch at the luxurious Sanctuary Lodge which overlooks Huayna Picchu Mountain, before returning by bus to Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes - Cusco. This morning you’ll have free time should you wish to return to the ancient citadel, or if you’re feeling up for a challenge you may decide to climb the Huayna Picchu, which will take you higher into the mountains for an unrivalled view of Machu Picchu. (Please note: second entry to Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu must be booked in advance.)

Return to Cusco by train this afternoon and spend the evening exploring the ancient city. Perhaps enjoy a stroll down the ancient Hatunrumiyoc Street, one of the best-preserved original Inca roads in the city.

Cusco is home to some of Peru’s finest architecture and today’s half-day guided tour will take in some of the city’s most impressive sites. Discover the beautiful Plaza de Armas - the former heart of the Incan Empire, and the beautiful Santo Domingo church. You’ll also pay a visit to the renaissance style cathedral, constructed in the seventeenth century. The afternoon is free to explore Cusco at leisure. Why not visit the ancient Inca site of Sacsayhuaman, located a 45-minute walk from the city centre? In the evening you’ll be treated to a Culinary Experience, with a visit to San Pedro Market and a unique insight into Peruvian cuisine. Create delicious traditional gourmet dishes with help from a local chef and enjoy your meal with views over the spectacular ancient city.

Cusco - Puno. Today you’ll say goodbye to Cusco and take a bus to the city of Puno, passing numerous sights along the way - including the rippling Wacarpay Lake. The bus will stop at the town of Andahuaylillas, and the historical sites of Checacupe and Raqchi, a spectacular Inca sanctuary. Pass through Abra La Raya where you can see herds of vicunas and llamas, before visiting the town of Pucara, known for its crafts, pottery and the famous Pucara Bulls.

On arrival in Puno you’ll be transferred to your hotel on the shores of the magnificent Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. Enjoy your evening taking in the beauty of the region.

Today will begin with an exciting motorboat excursion to the island of Taquile. The island is inhabited by traditional Quechua-speaking natives who have developed their own unique social systems that have been passed down through generations.

The boat trip will continue to the Chucuito peninsula where you’ll visit the rural community of Luquina, before a trip to the incredible floating reed islands of the Uros. These indigenous peoples have built their own islands, boats, and homes using “Totora” reeds, a species found only in South America.

Puno - Copacabana - La Paz. Say your goodbyes to Peru and travel overland to the town of Copacabana in Bolivia, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Visit the Dark Indian Virgin in the town’s Basilica before boarding a hydrofoil to mystical Moon Island where you will see the ruins of the Sun Virgins Temple. Continue on to Sun Island, which is believed to be the cradle of the Inca Empire.

Return by hydrofoil to Copacabana and travel by road to experience the Andean Roots Eco Village in Huatajata, a charming museum on the culture and history of the local area. Continue your journey to the Bolivian legislative capital, La Paz by road, taking in the scenic views of the Andes.

After spending the morning at leisure enjoy an afternoon guided tour of the main sites and attractions in La Paz, including the Indian Market and the spooky Witch Doctor’s Market. As you explore the city, take time to enjoy the panoramic surroundings, and the view of the “Illimani” mountain. Later, take a cable car ride over the city, enjoying an impressive birds-eye view over La Paz.

La Paz - Sucre. Transfer to La Paz Airport for your flight to Sucre, the constitutional capital of Bolivia. In the afternoon enjoy a tour of the city that includes the Recoleta, home to the picturesque Plaza de Anzurez. You’ll also visit the House of Liberty, the building where Simon Bolivar signed the Independence of Bolivia from the Spanish Empire in 1825.

Sucre - Potosi - Uyuni. This morning embark on an overland journey to the city of Potosi, the source of silver in the colonial era and according to UNESCO, “The Historical and Cultural Legacy of Mankind”. Visit the city’s Casa de la Moneda (Royal Mint) and see the wooden machinery used to produce silver coins for Spain during the colonial period. You’ll then continue to the city of Uyuni and your hotel.

Please note: while we reserve the best hotels available in the Uyuni region, they are basic with limited facilities. During the rainy season (Dec to Mar) please also note that the salt flats and the red and green lagoons can become flooded and some areas may be inaccessible.

Today you’ll visit the Uyuni salt flats, the largest of its kind on Earth at 12,000 square kilometres. The vast expanse of the flats offers a view unlike any other, with the Bolivian Andes as the backdrop and a stunning silence over the salt plains. You have the opportunity to photograph this incredible scenery. Visit the ‘island’ of Incawasi, an oasis of algae, fossils and giant cacti. Some of these cacti are over 100 hundred years old and will tower above you at 12 metres high.

Uyuni - La Paz. Today signals the end of your Latin American journey. Transfer to Uyuni Airport for your flight back to La Paz where arrangements end.