Ancient Peru & Machu Picchu
May 6-15, 2007
Day 1 - Lima
Fly overnight to Peru.
Day 2 - Lima
Arrive this morning in Lima. A Go Ahead representative greets you and escorts you to your hotel. Once youve checked in to your hotel, an expert local guide leads you on an extensive tour through the two facets of Lima, ancient and new. With over 9 million inhabitants, Lima is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Center but also a bustling modern metropolis. Youll see the citys Cathedral, the Plaza de Armas and the Church of San Francisco, which houses catacombs dating back to the 16th century. Tonight, enjoy our included Welcome Dinner in Lima.
Day 3 - Lima
Today is free to explore Lima at your leisure. You may want to visit one of Limas several museums, such as the Museo de Arte, with its ample collection of pre-Columbian artifacts discovered in nearby Incan ruins. Or you might shop for unique souvenirs at the Polvos Azules city market.
Day 4 - Cuzco
Enjoy a quick flight to Cuzco, center of the ancient Inca culture and South Americas oldest continuously inhabited city. Take the rest of the afternoon and evening to enjoy Cuzcos excellent shopping and night life. Dinner is included this evening.
Day 5 - Cuzco
Cuzco is a brilliant example of a living museum. This magnificent capital of ancient Peru was—and still is—the base for accessing the surrounding religious sites. The city still contains walls and roads originally built by the Incas. As you walk the streets on this mornings fully guided sightseeing tour, notice how old Inca markings and ruins blend in with trendy new cafés and restaurants. Youll see the magnificent 16th-century cathedral and, just east of the city center, the breathtaking Korikancha Temple, a testament to the wealth and power of the Incas that was once fully covered in gold. After lunch, venture off to four separate Inca archaeological sites, including Sacsayhuaman, where an old fortress holds clues to the Spanish victory over the Incas in 1536. Some of the interlocking stones preserved in these ruins weigh as much as 360 tons.
Day 6 - Machu Picchu
Approaching Machu Picchu is a journey youll never forget. Today, youll take a train up Picchu mountain and through the lush valleys that lead to the evocative Lost City of the Incas. Surrounded by emerald green mountains and bathed in an almost constant stream of sunlight, there is nothing in South America—and perhaps in the world—quite like the sight of Machu Picchu. This famed Lost City of the Incas is said to have been excavated by Hiram Bingham in the early 20th century, but whose origins remain one of the worlds greatest mysteries. On a full-day excursion to the massive ruins, walk the same steps up the Temples of the Moon and the Sun as the Incas once did.
Day 7 - Cuzco
Spend a free morning in Machu Picchu valley and enjoy an included lunch. Then return to Cuzco via train.
Day 8 - Cuzco
A local guide leads a full-day sightseeing tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, nestled below and between Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the surrounding Andes Mountains. In some ways even more historically important than Machu Picchu, the valley illustrates the Incas technological expertise. Youll see the famous ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo and visit several local market towns. Also featured is the longest man-made pre-Columbian canal ever built.
Day 9 - Cuzco
With a free day in Cuzco, you might choose to head to the Archaeological Museum with thousands of artifacts from nearby ruins.
Day 10 - Lima
Fly to Lima this morning. After an included lunch, view worldwide icons of pre-Colombian art at the Larco Herrera Museum, where you will see the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru as well as the famous erotic archaeological collection. Also, Larco is one of the few museums in the world where visitors can enter the storage area and view the museum's 45,000 classified archaeological objects. Then join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Dinner in Peru.
Day 11 - Lima
Board your flight home.
PeruFindley
Daniel Findley
Raleigh, NC
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