Adventure holiday Peru
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Machu Picchu |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | Departs most Sundays throughout the year |
| price: | From £1000 (15 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Discover Peru in style, from the hot coastal plains to the high cities of Cuzco and ancient Machu Picchu. Uncover charming colonial towns, stunning Andean landscapes, Inca ruins, colourful markets and a fascinating local culture. This majestic adventure will take you into the true heart of Peru, unveiling a fascinating culture that is sure to astound.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Lima. Uncover the treasures of the capital on a walking tour, beginning with its bustling downtown. |
| Day 2: | Pisco/Ballestas Islands/Nazca. Boat around the wild Ballestas then stop off at Ica's sprawling sand dunes. Sample Peru's tipple of choice at a pisco distillery, then cross the desert via the sublime sand dunes of Huacachina, to reach the puzzling Nazca Lines. There is an option here to take to the air for the best views of this ancient mystery. |
| Day 3: | Puerto Inca. Stop by the desert cemetery at Chauchilla. Travel down Peru's rugged coast and watch sea lions lazing on the beach in Atiquipa. |
| Days 4-5: | Arequipa. Get acquainted with a city that dazzles in the sunlight, an effect created by the pale volcanic rock used to construct most of the buildings. |
| Days 6-7: | Puno/Lake Titicaca. Learn about the incredible pre-Incan funerary towers at Sillustani. The floating reed islands of the Uros people are sure to fascinate during a boat tour of the majestic Lake Titicaca. Pick up some handmade woollens on Taquile Island, famous for its knitted goods made - in strict accordance with tradition - by men only. |
| Days 8-9: | Cuzco. This city's status as the hub of the Inca Empire is readily apparent in its traditions and architecture. Taste coca tea at a coca shop and join the throngs at San Pedro market. |
| Day 10: | Sacred Valley/Ollantaytambo. Meet locals and learn about life in the fertile valley - a great opportunity to pick up a bit of Quechua, the language of the Incas. Visit a valley community and scramble over the perfectly geometric Ollantaytambo ruins. |
| Day 11: | Aguas Calientes. Soak in thermal baths surrounded by cloud forest, high in the Andes. |
| Days 12-13: | Machu Picchu/Cuzco. Enjoy a guided walk through the 'lost Inca city', learning the history of the ancient site and marvelling at its structure and setting. Thought to have been built around 1440 as a retreat for Inca nobility, some evidence suggests it has existed for much longer. One school of thought suggests it was built as an astrological observatory. Take the time to contemplate these incredible structures and reflect on the history of one of the world's great wonders. |
| Days 14-15: | Lima. Bargain hard at the markets for that perfect Peruvian memento and celebrate the end of the adventure with a pisco sour. |
travellers' tales
The combination of the magnificant scenery plus the amazing Inca ruins made it especially memorable. (more)
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's 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 people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
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
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We just can't get enough of the Amazon, not only as a jaw-dropping travel destination but also as a global treasure and this trip will help to ensure that the incredibly Amazon Rainforest is here for us to enjoy for generations to come! Our Amazon Fund will help support on the ground projects by our foundation's long time partners Greenpeace and WWF. By booking your Latin American adventure with us you're helping us work towards a sustainable future for the Amazon.
This trip gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the culture and vibrant history of Latin America. There are numerous chances for local interaction as we cover so much ground using all means of public transport. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from a friendly local who strikes up a conversation during your journey. Your leader and the occasional local guide will be able to direct you to many local eateries throughout the trip, helping you discover real local fare at real local prices (and probably helping you learn some Spanish at the same time). All travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible. Local guides are employed to help explain as much as possible about the cultural differences and the historically significant places that we visit. This also allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving and respecting these sites and to help us minimise the impact of our visits. There are plenty of opportunities to support local merchants in the markets and stalls that we pass along the way. We can purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans and learn more about the importance of preserving these crafts. |
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. |