Overview
Peru Splendors with Arequipa & Colca Canyon
Love a good mystery? This 11-day vacation to Peru is the perfect escape to delve into the world’s most intriguing lost and found story. Featuring not one, but two days behind the misty gates of Machu Picchu, this below-the-equator tour takes you high into the Andes and deeper inside the Lost City of the Incas to unearth its centuries-old secrets. Navigating the cryptic maze of trails, temples, and terraces in the world’s most famous forgotten city is one for the memory books. Other great finds on this tantalizing tour of Peru? Up-close encounters with llamas, alpacas, and other Sacred Valley locals; vibrant, handwoven textiles in the former Inca Empire capital of Cusco; bold, multicultural cuisine in the foodie capital of Lima; and a warm welcome inside a traditional family home for an authentic taste of Peruvian hospitality. Discover a deeper Peruvian experience with the Colca Canyon and Arequipa. Twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, Colca Canyon is the second deepest canyon in the world. Enjoy the spectacular views below while the giant condor soars above. A visit to the “White City” of Arequipa, built from white volcanic rock, promises more dramatic views.
Highlights of Peru Splendors with Arequipa & Colca Canyon
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Small Group
Globus offers Small-Group Discoveries on all South America tour dates. A Small-Group Discovery is limited to an average of just 20 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus escorted tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery trip is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.
Related Option Title
With Arequipa & Colca Canyon
Product Group
Peru Splendors
UNESCO Sites
City of Cusco|Historic Center of Lima|Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu|Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa
Notes
Maximum enjoyment of this vacation requires walking on cobblestone streets, uneven pathways, and climbing stairs. Elevations exceeding 10,000 feet can make even modest exertion a challenge. Maximum elevation on this tour is approx.16,000 ft. People should be in relatively good shape to visit Arequipa and Colca Canyon due to high altitudes. Arequipa is approx. 7,808 feet and the road to Colca Valley has mountain passes which are approx. 16,000 ft. In Colca, where guests will overnight, the altitude is approx. 11,800 ft.Tour Director does not accompany guests on extensions. Local Guide services will be provided as outlined in the itinerary.
Travelers Notes
Special features included in this tour:
- Guided sightseeing in Lima includes San Francisco Monastery and a walk through a [LF] Peruvian market with a Local Guide
- Guided sightseeing in the Sacred Valley includes Kenko Amphitheatre and Puca Pucara ruins plus a visit to Manos de la Communidad
- [LF] Mother Earth Ceremony with a local Shaman and the Pisaq Market
- Ollantaytambo ruins and a visit to a [LF] local Incan home
- Scenic roundtrip train ride through the Andes to Machu Picchu
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu with second entry
- Sightseeing in Cusco includes Santo Domingo Monastery and a traditional [LF] Pasacalle parade through the streets with musicians and dancers
- Sacsayhuaman Temple ruins with a Local Guide
- Guided sightseeing in Arequipa includes Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, and the Santa Catalina Monastery
- Scenic drive through the Aguada Blanca National Reserve to Colca Canyon
- Guided sightseeing of Colca Canyon include Condors’ Cross Observation point, a visit to Yanque, and more
- All internal flights as noted in the itinerary
Meals
Breakfast daily, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
Itineraries
Day 1
ARRIVE IN LIMA, PERU Welcome to the modern city of Lima!Upon arrival, you will be met by your Globus representative.
Day 2
LIMA Legendary LimaJoin your Local Guide focuses on the city’s colonial heritage during a walking tour. Start at the Plaza de Armas to see the Government Palace and the cathedral. From here, stroll to the venerable San Francisco Monastery with its splendid 17th-century cloister murals. For a special treat, stop at a [LF] local food market to get a real taste of life for the local people. This evening, enjoy dinner at one of Lima’s Peruvian restaurants with your fellow travel companions. (B,D) LOCAL FAVORITELOCAL TASTES Stop for a real taste of Peru at a local market. Sample some of the local fruits and vegetables that aren’t found in other parts of the world. You can also find spices, meats, seafood, and even a souvenir or two. And you’ll definitely want to take some photos of the beautiful, brightly hued displays.
Day 3
LIMA–CUSCO–SACRED VALLEY Empire of the AndesFly to Cusco, the impressive Andean city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Head into the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit the semi-circular Kenko Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages and see the ancient site of Puca Pucara. Also, in the Sacred Valley, experience an [LF] El Pago a la Tierra, or Mother Earth Ceremony, performed by a local shaman. Meet a local who preserve the ancient technique of pre-Columbian weaving using South American camelid fleece. This is your chance to get up close to the various camelids, including alpaca, llama, guanaco, and vicuña, indigenous to the region. Continue to Pisaq, an old mountain village, where you will have free time to shop for local wares, such as alpaca sweaters and blankets, jewelry, or hand-painted ornamental dishes and vases at its famous market. Stay in the Sacred Valley tonight, with dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)LOCAL FAVORITECULTURE & TRADITION Feel the earth and smell the coca leaves as you make payment to Mother Earth. Participate in an El Pago a la Tierra, an ancient ceremony led by a shaman thanking Mother Earth and asking for good health, wealth, and safe travels. These mystical ceremonies have been practiced in Peru since before the arrival of the Incas.
Day 4
SACRED VALLEY–MACHU PICCHU Mystery on the MountainThis morning, visit the Inca Fortress of Ollantaytambo, followed by a visit to a [LF] local home to experience their way of life in the Sacred Valley. Then, board the Vistadome train for a scenic journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Upon arrival, ascend the mountainside to legendary Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas.” Your Local Guide will introduce this intact fortress with its temple remains, holy houses, and mile-long aqueduct, and will bring you closer to the mysteries still hidden in these amazing structures. Tonight, you may wish to try a Pisco Sour (a traditional Peruvian cocktail) or an Inka Kola, before the included dinner. (B,D)LOCAL FAVORITE TIMELESS TRADITIONS Today, you are invited into a local's home in the Sacred Valley. Learn about their traditions like weaving that has been passed down for centuries from ancestors. See how they cook, live, sleep, work, and maybe ask about the cuy (Guinea pigs) they keep in their house.
Day 5
MACHU PICCHU–CUSCO Here Comes the SunA morning at leisure in Machu Picchu allows you to wake up early to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu with your second included entrance to the ruins. After lunch at a local restaurant, return to the Sacred Valley by train and continue to Cusco. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHTHISTORY & MYSTERY Staying overnight in Machu Picchu allows you to get up early and experience the ruins at their most pristine before the crowds arrive. Watch as the mist slowly burns off and the sun rays illuminate the ruins. While you are there, you may even want to try and get a selfie with one of the local llamas or alpacas!
Day 6
CUSCO Sun Worship & Spanish Conquests On your guided sightseeing tour of Cusco today, learn more about the Inca and Spanish influence. Begin at the heart of Cusco in the Plaza de Armas (main square), with a visit to the imposing Cathedral, where construction began in 1550 and was finally completed 100 years later. Join a traditional [LF] Pasacalle through the streets of Cusco before continuing to Koricancha and the Santo Domingo Monastery and see how the two sites have become one. The Temple of the Sun at Koricancha was once the most important Inca site, dedicated to the worship of the Sun. The walls, altars, and decorations were all said to be covered in gold—until the Spaniards looted the temple and then built the contrasting Baroque Santo Domingo Monastery on top of the temple’s foundations. Also visit the Temple of Sacsayhuaman, perched on a hillside overlooking Cusco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons—was built. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a festive farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)LOCAL FAVORITE CULTURE & TRADITION A special treat is in store for you when you are greeted by a group of Andean musicians dressed in vibrant Inca textiles. They will escort you on a Pasacalle (Andean Parade) through Cusco while playing traditional music and performing ancient dances—an experience you won’t soon forget!
Day 7
CUSCO–AREQUIPA Lava Love in PeruFly to Arequipa, known as the “White City,” as its buildings are made of sillar, a white volcanic rock found throughout the area. Upon arrival, a guided city tour of Arequipa shows off the Plaza de Armas, the cathedral, and the Santa Catalina Monastery, considered the best example of the mestizo baroque style. (B)Please note: The Tour Director does not accompany guests on extensions. Guided service is as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary.TOUR HIGHLIGHTCITY SIGHTS Surrounded by three volcanos; Arequipa is Peru’s second largest city behind Lima. The city is built from volcanic material and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage city. Beyond the architecture, Arequipa is known for its authentic cuisine. Visit a local picanteria in the city and taste some of Peru’s best food.
Day 8
AREQUIPA–COLCA CANYON Terrace Views Take a guided drive across Pampa Cañahuas within Aguada Blanca National Reserve, the habitat of vicuñas and a variety of birds. Admire beautiful Pre-Columbian terraces still being cultivated by native Collaguas. After lunch, arrive in Colca Canyon, an impressive geological formation carved out by the river. More than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, Colca Canyon is one of the deepest in the world. Observe the spectacular terracing, considered among the most extensive in southern Peru. These terraces, which allow cultivation and meticulously controlled irrigation of the steep slopes of the canyon, were built by natives between the 9th and 14th centuries. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHTACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Colca Lodge is nestled on the banks of the Colca River, surrounded by hundreds of pre-Inca platforms. Each room features stunning views of the Colca valley, gardens, and an occasional llama or alpaca. The hotel also is lucky enough to boast its own natural thermal pools - a perfect way to relax at the end of the day.
Day 9
COLCA CANYON On Condors’ Wings This morning, enjoy a guided visit to the observation point of Condors’ Cross, for the chance to see Andean condors soaring in this native habitat. From here, also see the impressive Colca Canyon panorama. Next, visit the town of Yanque, home to the Collaguas people during the preceramic period, before returning to your hotel for a free evening. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHTWONDERS OF NATURE The Colca Canyon is home to the largest flying bird in the world, the condor. With wingspans of up to 11 feet, these massive vultures glide on the thermal updrafts along the canyon walls above the stunning landscapes of Arequipa. Don’t miss the chance to come eye to eye with these magnificent aerialists.
Day 10
COLCA CANYON–AREQUIPA–LIMA Homeward Bound Return to Arequipa and transfer to the airport for your return flight to Lima. Free time this evening. (B,L)TOUR HIGHLIGHTLOCAL TASTES Enjoy a last chance to enjoy the fantastic food of Peru with a last night in Lima. Toast the trip with a Pisco Sour, sip a spoonful of ceviche, or catch the fish of the day with a dish of fresh seafood.
Day 11
LIMA Safe travels until we meet again!Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
Departures
Hotels
| # | Name | Description | City | Address | Rating |
| 1 | Casa Andina Select Miraflores | This hotel welcomes you to Lima in comfort and style. It is located in the center of Lima's bustling district of Miraflores, within walking distance of shops, restaurants, bars, and other Lima attractions. The excellent Casa Andina Select Miraflores exudes sophistication and comfort, focusing on personalized service and great amenities. | Lima | Calle Schell 452 | Moderate First-Class |
| 2 | Sonesta Posadas del Inca - Sacred Valley - Yucay | Bursting with character, the Sonesta Posadas del Inca hotel is the leader in boutique hotels in the Sacred Valley. Featuring a rustic ambiance with modern comforts, dynamite local cuisine, and friendly service, it makes for a memorable stay in one of the most remarkable places in the world. The colonial-style former monastery is surrounded by views of the Andes and beautiful gardens - a leisurely and soothing escape. | Sacred Valley | Plaza Manco 11 De Yucay 123 | First-Class |
| 3 | El Mapi by Inkaterra | Smart and contemporary are the defining elements of this hotel, amidst the commercial village of Machu Picchu Pueblo. The hotel welcomes a wide range of guests expecting an uncomplicated visit. Hotel amenities include a restaurant, bar, hot-water pond, gift shop, Internet, and laundry service. | Machu Picchu | Av Pachacutec 109 | First-Class |
| 4 | Sonesta Hotel Cusco | The Sonesta Hotel Cusco features a modern contemporary décor and a fine dining restaurant serving classic Peruvian cuisine. It is within blocks of a handicraft market, Plaza de Armas, shops, and restaurants. | Cusco | Av. El Sol 954 | Superior First-Class |
| 5 | Casa Andina Premium Arequipa | Restored to its original grandeur, this storied sillar (white volcanic stone) colonial mansion is one of the finest hotels in Arequipa's historic center - and is as much living museum as it is hotel. Amenities include a restaurant, bar, complimentary high-speed Internet, gift shop, and laundry service. | Arequipa | Calle Ugarte 403 | Deluxe |
| 6 | Colca Lodge | The Colca Canyon Lodge affords you the opportunity to enjoy a marvelous natural environment which includes thermal water springs. Built completely of stone, mud bricks, and thatch roofs, the hotel is situated in the heart of the valley, next to the Colca River and in the midst of ancestral farming terraces. Amenities include a living room with fireplace, bar, game room, spa, Jacuzzi, and thermal hot springs. | Colca Canyon | Fundo Puyé s/n - Yanque -Arequipa | First-Class |
