Highlights of Peru

Jose Antonio Deluxe
Located in the upmarket district of Miraflores, the Jose Antonio Deluxe is a large, modern hotel set on a quiet street within walking distance of several shops and restaurants. Rooms are comfortably equipped with mini-bar, tea/coffee-making facilities and Wi-Fi. Facilities at the hotel include an outdoor pool and terrace, a cocktail bar and restaurant, and a gym.

Starting at the main plaza, you’ll walk with your guide through the colonial downtown area to see the 16th-century church and Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion gifted by Francisco Pizarro to one of his captains (it is still owned by the same family to this day). You’ll also find time to visit the Larco Museum, a superb collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts housed in a carefully-restored mansion, before continuing through Miraflores district to Love Park, where you end the day with splendid views over the Pacific Ocean.

Overnight Hotel Jose Antonio Deluxe (B).

This afternoon’s tour will see you explore the Yanahuara quarter, an old neighbourhood notable for its weathered architecture, cobbled roads, quaint church and its viewpoint overlooking the city. From here you head downtown to the Plaza de Armas (main square) to admire the 16th-century Church of the Society of Jesus and the city’s centrepiece, the 17th-Basilica cathedral. End the tour with a visit to the Santa Catalina Convent, which is famous for its secluded quarters, Christian murals and frescoes, and lovely plazas adorned with colourful flowers. Built in 1579, the convent once housed over 400 nuns but today is a peaceful haven in the busy city centre.

Overnight Casa Andina Select Arequipa (B).

Casa Andina Select Arequipa
Casa Andina Select Arequipa is situated on the main square, providing a central location from which to explore the city. Partially housed in an 18th-century building, the first-floor bar/restaurant terrace has views over the plaza, while the 7th floor restaurant offers a larger range of local and international dishes. Rooms are simple, yet comfortable, each equipped with mini-bar, television and Wi-Fi.

During the tour, you’ll journey through a rugged landscape of hills and ravines to Pampa Canahuas, part of the Salinas y Aguada Blanca National Reserve, an extensive plain within the Peruvian highlands that is home to vicunas, a less-common relative of the llama and alpaca. Continuing higher into the mountains you’ll see dormant volcanoes and, in the distance, dramatic snow-capped peaks.

This morning will be spent en route to Chivay, with stops at various scenic spots along the way where you can admire the view and stretch your legs. On arrival in Chivay, you’ll have a group lunch and then the rest of the afternoon is free. You may want to rest, as at 3,600m, the altitude at Chivay may take its toll. Alternatively, have a wander around Chivay, a pleasant town with a main plaza, market and colonial church, and nearby hot springs.

Overnight at Colca Lodge & Hot Springs (B, L).

Colca Lodge
Consisting of bungalows built entirely of stone, mud brick and thatch, Colca Lodge is located in the heart of the Colca Valley, next to the Colca River. Inspired by ancient Inca architecture, Colca Lodge combines rustic charm with comfort while maintaining harmony with its surroundings. Each room is solar powered and has an outdoor terrace with breath-taking views. The hotel has a restaurant, spacious living room with a fireplace, a charming bar and a games room with an assortment of table games. The main terrace enjoys a spectacular view of the Colca Valley and is a favourite spot for sunbathing. The lodge also has direct access to thermal springs where guests can relax in the baths by the river’s edge.

These incredible birds soar over one of the world’s deepest canyons – a spectacular sight! En route back to Chivay you’ll stop at Pinchollo, Maca and Yanque villages, where you’ll be able to enjoy a stroll and learn more about life in the high Andes.

Departing from Chivay, your tour continues across the altiplano dotted with alpacas and llamas, past lakes where you may see flamingoes and along a seemingly endless and deserted road. Late afternoon you reach Puno, on the edge of Lake Titicaca, at a height of 3,827m. It is recommended that you have a relaxed evening to allow yourself to acclimatise further.

Overnight Jose Antonio Puno (B, L).

Jose Antonio Puno
A short distance from Puno town, Jose Antonio Puno is situated in a peaceful location on the edge of Lake Titicaca. The light and airy rooms have sweeping views over the lake, as do the bar and restaurant, allowing you to really appreciate its vastness. All rooms are equipped with the expected mod cons and amenities, including access to oxygen if altitude sickness takes its toll.

The Uros Islands are manmade using totora reed found at the edges of the lake. Although now mainly a tourist spot, some locals do still live on the islands. You’ll have some time here to meet a family, learn about their traditional way of life, their clothing and the islands. You may even have the opportunity to take a short boat ride on one of their dragon boats, also made from reeds.

Departing Uros, your journey continues to Taquile Island. Unlike most other islanders on the lake, the inhabitants here speak Quechua, an ancient Incan language. In fact, Incan and pre-Incan ruins can be found dotted across the island. While here, you’ll have a presentation about the island and its people, and also watch a cultural show organised by the Quechuan locals.

Overnight Jose Antonio Puno (B, L).

It’s a long journey, but Peru’s beautiful altiplano landscape scenery guarantees you will not tire of it! You’ll pass small lakes where you may see flamingos; Raqch’I, a huge Inca temple; and the town of Andahuaylillas, before arriving at your destination. You will also have time for a short stop at La Raya (4,335m), the highest pass between Puno and Cusco.

You will be met on arrival at the bus station in Cusco and transferred to your hotel. Overnight El Retablo (B, L).

El Retablo
A ‘retablo’ is a form of folk art involving the display of small figurines within a box. These portable boxes were displayed behind an alter or as part of a shrine within the family home, and can depict religious or national stories. El Retablo hotel has sought to incorporate this folk art into its design, and throughout the converted colonial property are hand painted displays, decorating everything from the ceiling in the restaurant to the headboards in the bedrooms. El Retablo also uses local textiles in the rooms, which together with the wall art helps to give it a wonderfully authentic character.

El Retablo is small and discrete with just 17 guest rooms. There is a central courtyard where guests can relax (live music takes place some evenings). The guesthouse is located just a few blocks uphill from the Plaza de Armas with views over the rooftops of Cusco.

In the Plaza de Armas, which has been the scene of many great historical events, you will visit the cathedral, constructed of great slabs of red granite and displaying baroque-style silverwork.  You then journey a short distance out of the city to surrounding ruins, including the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent example of Incan military power; Qenqo, a ritualistic site with subterranean galleries that form an underground maze; Puca Pucara, the red fortress; and finally Tambomachay, also known as the Incan Baths. After the tour you will be driven back to your hotel, with the rest of the day free for you to wander the cobbled alleyways of Cusco at your own pace.

Overnight El Retablo (B).

Departing Cusco after an early breakfast, you drive to Chinchero, a little town set in the shadow of the Vilcabamba Mountain range and the snow-capped peaks of Salkantay, and which houses a lovely Spanish adobe church built in the early 17th-century alongside Incan ruins and terraces. Visit the interesting circular terraces that can be found at Moray, and the vast white-terraced salt pools found in Salineras, near Maras. After lunch, drive to Ollantaytambo. This fortress was constructed to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasion by tribes from the jungle lowlands. It was later the scene of Incan resistance in 1537 when Manco Inca’s forces faced Hernando Pizarro’s troops. Your last stop will be Pisac, famous for its colourful markets, where you will have the chance to interact with the locals and try out your bartering skills!

Overnight Sonesta Posadas Del Inca, Yucay (B, L).

Sonesta Posadas Del Inca
Sonesta Posadas Del Inca is located on the edge of the village of Yucay, in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Retaining much if its colonial-era charm, the property is housed within a former 18th-century monastery, and features comfortable rooms with wooden balconies decorated with colourful hanging baskets of flowers. The hotel has a relaxed coffee shop, a bar with live music in the evenings and a restaurant serving local cuisine, all of which can be enjoyed on the terrace while enjoying wonderful views of the surrounding mountains.

The great mountain-top city of Machu Picchu was abandoned by the Inca Empire, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to humanity until its rediscovery in 1911 by the American explorer Hiram Bingham. Along the way you’ll enjoy the changing landscape as you travel from the Andean highlands to the beginnings of the jungle before finally arriving at the town of Aguas Calientes. You will stop here for lunch before boarding the bus that will take you on a 20-minute ride up to the citadel of Machu Picchu, or the Lost City of the Incas, one of the world’s great architectural wonders.

Your local guide will show you the main parts of the citadel including the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and various burial grounds. You may wish to hike up to Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu for a different perspective of the citadel (please note these treks need to be booked in advance; please contact your Gane and Marshall consultant for more information).

Overnight in the El MaPi by Inkaterra (B, L, D)

El MaPi by Inkaterra
Inkaterra has a small chain of hotel across Peru, all with a strong eco-friendly ethos, built using natural materials sensitive to the environment. El MaPi is a light, contemporary hotel with an informal atmosphere located in the small town of Aguas Calientes. Rooms are stylish, with rustic/modern décor, and natural herbal toiletries. There is a lively bar and restaurant.

In the afternoon, return to Aguas Calientes, where you board the train for Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo, you take the tourist bus back to Cusco, where you will be met at the bus station and transferred to your hotel, the El Retablo.

Overnight El Retablo (B).

Overnight El Retablo (B).