Highlights of Peru tour

country:	Peru
location:	Inca Trail
trip type:	A small group adventure
departures:	2009: 1 Jan, 2 Jan, 3 Jan, 4 Jan, 5 Jan, 6 Jan, 7 Jan, 8 Jan, 9 Jan, 10 Jan, 11 Jan, 12 Jan, 13 Jan, 14 Jan, 15 Jan, 16 Jan, 17 Jan, 18 Jan, 19 Jan, 20 Jan, 21 Jan, 22 Jan, 23 Jan, 24 Jan, 25 Jan, 26 Jan, 27 Jan, 28 Jan, 29 Jan, 30 Jan, 31 Jan
price:	From £845 (10 days) excluding flights
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

Inca trail holidays

Peru holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

A 10 day comprehensive snapshot of Peru's highlights
A comfortable hotel with 3* accommodation, encompassing the main tourist attractions of this fascinating country. Includes all transfers, accommodation, internal flights and entrance fees as per the below itinerary

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to make an enquiry. Single travellers are welcome on our tours, but please be prepared to share with someone of the same sex, otherwise you can have your own room at an extra fee.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Lima.
Day 2:	In the morning, we take a city tour of Colonial Lima visiting the Cathedral, located in the Main Square which was rebuilt on the same site from 1555, under the direction of Jesuit priest Juan Rehr after the 1746 earthquake. Both its façade and interior are austere with its remarkable wooden choir stalls, altars and the tomb of Francisco Pizarro, who died in 1541, are to be noted. Visit the Church of San Francisco, with its convent, museum of colonial art, cloisters and catacombs. Afterwards, panoramic view of the Main Square with the Government Palace, the Municipal Hall, the “Desamparados” Train Station, and finally drive through the old streets with their vice traditional mansions and Moorish style balconies. Continue through the most traditional residential and commercial areas of contemporary Lima, passing by sites of pre-Columbian Civilisations dating back to the beginning of the Christian era. Then, you will enjoy a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.
Day 3:	Transfer to Lima Airport, arrival to Puno and transfer to hotel for overnight
Day 4:	Full day visit of the Floating Island of Uros in Lake Titicaca. Located 4 km from Puno, the original inhabitants of these floating islands are said to descend from one of the most ancient peoples of the Americas. Their dwellings made of totora reed are built on the surface of Lake Titicaca and sit atop stilts which allow them to change location if they so desire. You will get the opportunity to witness the locals in the midst of traditional practices as they have done for centuries! Afterwards, you will make your way to the unique Island of Taquile, where time appears to have stopped. The Mediterranean atmosphere of this place is striking, with its steps of stone and its houses centred around the square. Its indigenous community that lives here, around 350 families are descendants of the Incas and known for their Textile activities, such as their beautifully woven chumpis (belts), chullos (caps), and ojotas (and sandals) and according to the custom, officials are distinguished by black or brown caps. Taquile also offers a magnificent lake landscape from where the impressive snowfalls of the Cordillera Real (Real mountain chain) can be seen. In the afternoon, return to the hotel. Overnight in Puno. (B-L).
Day 5:	Morning transfer to the station to board the regular bus to the city of Cusco. On route, you will pass by the villages of Andahuaylillas, Racchi and Pucará. Please note that if you prefer you could take the train to Cusco, instead of the bus. Departures available on: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Cusco. (B-L).
Day 6:	Full day visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a pre-Hispanic agriculture centre. Visit the old Inca Community of Pisac, (only on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday) located at the entrance to the Sacred Valley, 32 Km from Cusco. Its traditional colourful local market have over the centuries attracted the local traders and remote communities from all over the valley, to come and sell their wares. Dressed in their traditional and colourful costumes, these markets now attract many visitors. Afterwards, you will visit the Inca temple of Ollantaytambo, with its Inca Streets, traditional Squares and dwellings which have been built onto the ancient foundations of the Incas. Typical lunch. In the afternoon, return to the hotel in Cusco. (B-L).
Day 7:	Early in the morning, transfer to take a tourist class train to visit the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, (Optional first class train). This spectacular train journey will leave you in awe as you cross valleys, mountains and continue past typical Peruvian communities. The altitude will descend from 3,500 to 1,500m above sea level. Crossing two different regions from the sierra to the rainforests. Snow peaks, eucalyptus, deep canyons and orchids are also part of the scenery. This stone citadel, located 112 km from Cusco, was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911. The citadel was built on a very special spot covered in vegetation between two mountains: the Machu Picchu (old mountain) and Huayna Picchu (young mountain), at the foot of which meanders the Urubamba or Vilcanota River (lower Jungle featuring abundant flora and fauna). On arrival, Tour of the Sanctuary. In the afternoon, return to Cusco by train Tourist Class (Optional: Train First Class). Transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Cusco. (B). Optional: Overnight in Machu Picchu.
Day 8:	Morning free. In the afternoon, visit Cusco’s Historical Inca and Spanish Colonial Monuments, such as the Main Square, known in Inca times as Huacaypata or the Warrior’s Square, it was the scene for many key events in Cusco’s history. The Cathedral, originally built on the site of the old temple of Suntur Wasi (House of God), now the church of El Triunfo, a particular interest are the choir cloisters, the pulpit, the engravings on the altar and furniture. Continue onto the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo, a Spanish construction belonging to the Dominican Order built upon the foundations of the Inca temple of Koricancha or Temple of the Sun. Koricancha (in quechua, site of gold) was the main religious building of the Incas dedicated to the worship of the Sun and whose walls, according to the chroniclers, were plated with sheets of gold. Magnificent blocks of finely carved stone were used in its construction. After, you will visit the surrounding ruins of the city of Cusco: Sacsayhuamán, this huge Inca fortress is built on three overlapping platforms, each of them over 360 m long. Then, onto Tambomachay, known as the Inca baths. It was apparently a site dedicated to the worship of water and a resting place for the Inca monarch. Kenko, it is said to have been a worship site. There is a huge 5.9 m high stone block that looks like a puma. There are also passages, canals and stairways with stone engravings representing animals. Finally, Puca Pucará, which was an administrative and military centre formed by terraces, stairways, passages, turrets and vaulted niches. Return to the hotel. Overnight in Cusco. (B).
Day 9:	Transfer to the airport for flight back to Lima. Reception and transfer to the hotel (B).
Day 10:	Transfer out. (B).

avoid disappointment - book your Inca Trail holiday in time

Over the last few years, the Peruvian government has imposed increasing restrictions on tourism on the Inca Trail in order to protect it from overuse. The aim is to minimise ecological impact and erosion, mainly by having limited access and improving the quality of the operators. There are now only a very limited number of trekking permits available - 500 per day (around 200 for travellers and the rest for staff) - and they are being issued on a first-come-first-served basis. In order to avoid disappointment we recommend booking well in advance (up to a minimum of 3 months in peak season), unless you are extremely flexible over your travel dates.

how this holiday makes a difference

Our tours source as much as possible from the local community, whether it be our knowledgeable local guides, porters from local villages or food prepared and cooked for you on our treks. We shop locally, use local transport and do not use imported goods when local produce is available. We aim to minimise our impact on the environment and give as much back as possible to the communities we work in. All operations for this tour are done by locally owned companies, a fact we pride ourselves on. Hotels used are all locally owned and we try to choose where possible hotels which hold the same values and understand their responsibilities to the local environment as we do.

Our guides are all highly qualified (most with university degrees) or many years of experience and are paid above the standard wage. We source them due to their unique knowledge of their native country (we do not use foreign guides like other companies) and they will give you a valuable insight into the history, traditions and culture of Peru. We also abide by all rules concerning porter treatment set down by the APTAE (Peruvian Ecotourism Association).

In our pre departure information pack and throughout the orientation on the ground we help you to minimise your carbon footprint on your tour, and help protect the fragile ecosystem of the Machu Picchu sanctuary and the other regions we visit. This information comes from simple advice on waste disposal while trekking, and the offsetting of carbon emissions through our carbon offsetting program for your journey with us. All entrance fees paid by us for your tour go to help upkeep the Machu Picchu and Inca trail Sanctuary and contribute to help maintain this historical gem for future generations.

By booking your tour with us, you will be making a real impact on the community you are visiting. We can also assist you if you wish to visit community projects in order to get a lot more out of your trip to Peru. From a city orphanage run by a UK charity to an environmental project which involves local children and their communities from a high profile Peruvian NGO, ask us to see how you can give back. Most importantly a percentage of funds from your tour (10%) will go back to community, our charities and assist us to support the next generation and the environment they live in.

We really work hard to keep all our operations green! All our worldwide offices currently run on 90% green energy (we are working towards 100%) from hydro electric, wind to solar power. Being web based, we are close to becoming a paperless environment, brochure prints are at a minimum (and printed on a requirement basis) and all pre departure information is emailed. We use energy saving bulbs in our work centres, and recycle all our waste. We currently work with 3 different charities, giving us a broad spectrum and diversifying where our monies go. We work with Project Peru in the UK who run an orphanage in Zapallal in the shanty town outskirts of Lima, ANIA in Peru which is a high profile Peruvian NGO which works with children and helps to teach them about their local environment and how to manage it affectively, and GVI Foundation in Australia which work on several development projects in Latin America and around the world. We help these charities by fundraising treks, through donations as a company and through our clients and also through many of our customers who volunteer their time and expertise. These charities are close to our core of supporting the environment and children in need.

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.