Lake Titicaca & Peru highlights holiday
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail |
| departures: | 2008: 11 Jul, 5 Sep, 3 Oct, 31 Oct |
| price: | From £1250 (17 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This 17-day tour takes in the major attractions of southern Peru: the colonial cities of Arequipa and Cuzco, the dramatic landscapes of the Colca Canyon (one of the deepest in the world) and Lake Titicaca (the largest in South America). The tour culminates with a trek along the Inca Trail to the magical lost city of Machu Picchu.On the first leg of the tour we fly from Lima to Arequipa, a beautiful city nestling at the foot of the conical el Misti volcano (5,821m). Boasting a permanent spring-like climate, Arequipa is the ideal base to begin acclimatising before continuing to higher altitudes. From here we make a spectacular two-day journey into the Canyon, an ideal spot for observing the magnificent Andean condor.
From Arequipa we fly to the market town of Juliaca on the altiplano (High Plateau), and continue by bus to the lakeshore town of Puno, at a breathtaking 3830 metres. Lake Titicaca, the major feature of the altiplano in Peru, is the world's highest navigable lake. Vast (about 180 km long) and of a beautiful deep blue, it supports many highland Indian communities on its islands and shores. From Puno we make a two-day lake trip to visit the Indians of Taquile Island, one of Peru's most unique and beautiful spots.
We return to Puno and travel on to Cuzco, heart of the Inca Empire and hub of activity for local highland Indians coming to buy and sell at its busy markets. This is a beautiful city with plenty to see and an active nightlife to suit all tastes. From Cuzco we set out for the Inca Trail, a four day trek along the royal road to the enigmatic site of Machu Picchu.This tour can be complemented with our 5-day extension into the Amazon wildlife paradise of the Manu or Tambopata Reserve.
PLEASE NOTE: Machu Picchu park administrators have tightened entry regulations to the Inca Trail. They require full passport and personal details of people wanting to trek to the Peruvian treasure of Machu Picchu at least 30 days prior to entry. Early booking for this trip is therefore essential.
From Arequipa we fly to the market town of Juliaca on the altiplano (High Plateau), and continue by bus to the lakeshore town of Puno, at a breathtaking 3830 metres. Lake Titicaca, the major feature of the altiplano in Peru, is the world's highest navigable lake. Vast (about 180 km long) and of a beautiful deep blue, it supports many highland Indian communities on its islands and shores. From Puno we make a two-day lake trip to visit the Indians of Taquile Island, one of Peru's most unique and beautiful spots.
We return to Puno and travel on to Cuzco, heart of the Inca Empire and hub of activity for local highland Indians coming to buy and sell at its busy markets. This is a beautiful city with plenty to see and an active nightlife to suit all tastes. From Cuzco we set out for the Inca Trail, a four day trek along the royal road to the enigmatic site of Machu Picchu.This tour can be complemented with our 5-day extension into the Amazon wildlife paradise of the Manu or Tambopata Reserve.
PLEASE NOTE: Machu Picchu park administrators have tightened entry regulations to the Inca Trail. They require full passport and personal details of people wanting to trek to the Peruvian treasure of Machu Picchu at least 30 days prior to entry. Early booking for this trip is therefore essential.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Lima. |
| Day 2: | Fly to Arequipa. |
| Day 3: | Tour to Colca Canyon. |
| Day 4: | Condor viewing, return to Arequipa. |
| Day 5: | Arequipa. |
| Day 6: | Fly to Juliaca. |
| Day 7: | Overnight visit to Taquile. |
| Day 8: | Return to Puno. |
| Day 9: | Bus/train to Cuzco. |
| Day 10: | In Cuzco. |
| Day 11-14: | 4 day trek to Machu Picchu. |
| Day 15: | Train to Cuzco. |
| Day 16: | Cuzco. |
| Day 17: | Fly to Lima, tour ends. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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To minimize our environmental impact we limit our group sizes to 12 and use public transport for most journeys on this tour. We support the local economy by using trek support staff from local communities and local mountain and cultural guides who have an in-depth knowledge of their country. We use locally owned hotels and restaurants throughout. For the trek we buy fresh local produce. In preference we choose local over imported goods, encouraging the use of Andean products in our cooking.
On our treks we minimize waste by using products with minimum packaging, leaving no litter and keeping all water sources clean, leaving camp-sites cleaner than we find them. We are involved in ongoing training of our trek staff. All our porters on the Inca Trail carry a maximum 20kg load, and are provided with tents and food. We pay and treat our staff fairly. On this trip clients have the opportunity to spend a night in the homes of islanders on Taquile, an informative cultural exchange for both parties, and of direct economic benefit to the community. Our guides hold informal talks to fully inform on all aspects of local culture. We support Ninos childrens health care project in Cusco. We are happy to distribute your donations of warm clothes and shoes to Peruvian children through this organization. |
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 lead 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. |