Lima to La Paz overland tour
| country: | Bolivia, Peru |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 14 Dec 2010: 25 Jan, 15 Feb, 8 Mar, 22 Mar, 5 Apr, 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May, 31 May, 14 Jun, 28 Jun, 12 Jul, 26 Jul, 9 Aug, 23 Aug, 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 4 Oct, 18 Oct, 1 Nov, 22 Nov, 13 Dec 2011: 3 Jan, 24 Jan, 14 Feb, 7 Mar, 21 Mar, 4 Apr |
| price: | From £1945 (20 days) excluding flights. Domestic flights £105. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Leaving the fine colonial buildings and museums of Lima behind, we head southward down the Pan American Highway to our first stop, the desert town of Nazca - home to the mysterious Nazca Lines. Remnants of the fascinating pre-Inca civilisation of Nazca can also be seen everywhere. Next stop is Arequipa, arguably Peru's most beautiful and charming city with the towering, cone shaped volcano, El Misti, forming a spectacular backdrop. During our stay we visit the Convent of Santa Catalina and the city's cathedral before descending into Colca Valley for an overnight stay in the world's second deepest canyon. Continuing on we arrive at Cusco, where we explore the ancient Inca capital and all the great sights such as Sacsayhuaman and around the Sacred Valley. We also enjoy some of the best mountain scenery in South America on a camping trek along ancient Inca trails to Machu Picchu. Moving south-east we continue to the town of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Here we visit the floating islands of the Uros people and enjoy an overnight homestay on Amantani Island before taking in Sillustani, an ancient burial ground containing spectacular pre-Columbian burial towers. Continuing around the other side of the lake we arrive at the ruins of the Tiahuanaco civilisation, a powerful, self-sustaining empire dating back to 400BC, before crossing into Bolivia. Our final destination is La Paz, where we have time to explore the sights and wander the steep cobblestone streets of this unusual Andean city.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | (Mon) Arrive Lima and transfer to hotel. City tour of colonial centre. |
| Day 3-4: | Drive south through the desert to Nazca. |
| Day 5-7: | Walking tour of Arequipa city. Overnight excursion to the Colca Canyon. Return to Arequipa. |
| Day 8-9: | Morning flight to Cusco. Afternoon walking tour. Full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley including Pisac and Ollantaytambo. |
| Day 10-12: | Camping trek along ancient Inca trails to Machu Picchu. |
| Day 13: | Arrive at Machu Picchu early morning. Explore the ruins and Aguas Calientes. Train to Cusco. |
| Day 14: | Free day in Cusco with time for optional activities. |
| Day 15: | Drive to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. |
| Day 16: | Lake excursion by boat. Overnight island family homestay. |
| Day 17: | Visit burial chambers at Sillustani. Late afternoon return to Puno. |
| Day 18: | Enter Bolivia and drive to La Paz via the ruins of Tiahuanaco. |
| Day 19: | Full-day exploration of La Paz. |
| Day 20: | Trip ends in La Paz after breakfast (Sat). |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
|
See Peru and Bolivia through the eyes of locals, as your Peruvian and Bolivian tour leaders give you a first-hand insight into the exotic and colourful tapestry that makes up their homeland. Wandering around historic colonial towns and cities, discovering magnificent archaeological sites, exploring canyons, lakes and mountains and uncovering secluded villages impart to travellers an awareness of these valuable natural and historical gems and the importance of them being preserved and protected, so that they can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations.
The people living in the various regions also have rich and enduring cultures, which are unveiled on this trip. Equally important, your local tour leaders help you to understand the traditions of these proud people, ensuring you don’t commit any cultural ‘faux pas’. To support tour programs in this part of the world this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions they visit, they are supporting local economies. This operator prefers to give their patronage to small owner-managed hotels rather than those from international chains, as they feel these places offer quality and character and also directly benefit local people. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |