4* & 5* Peru and Bolivia Tour to Machu Picchu

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Day 1: Arrival to Lima & Lima City Tour
Upon arrival in Lima, meet your local Peru tour guide at the airport and transfer to your centrally-located Lima hotel. You will receive a briefing about your travel program and all documents for your trip. Enjoy sightseeing on your own in the modern heart of the city near the beautiful Costa Verde. Dine in a restaurant in Larcomar, overlooking the ocean, or go shopping in the open air markets where locals sell their handicrafts.

On your afternoon Lima city tour, you will enjoy a history lesson as you learn about one of the most interesting capitals in South America. Founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, Lima's historic district has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its colonial architecture has been well-preserved. You will see the palm-lined Plaza de Armas, surrounded by the Cathedral de Lima and the opulent Government Palace. You will also tour the impressive Monastery of San Francisco, which boasts a large collection of colonial art - the basilica has 21 altars, the monk's library holds many well-preserved books, and the catacombs, especially the "Well of Souls" are not to be missed. The tour continues through the residential areas of Lima and ends in the modern district of Miraflores on the Pacific coast where you can enjoy a final sunset dinner before heading back to your Lima hotel.

See all our recommended Lima hotels.

Day 2: Arrival to Cuzco & Cuzco City Tour
After breakfast in your Lima hotel, you'll transfer to the airport for the short flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival in Cuzco, you'll be greeted by one of our Cuzco tour guides and transferred to your Cuzco hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, making sure to acclimatize to the high altitude. In the afternoon, enjoy a Cuzco city tour of the Cathedral and Korikancha, as well as the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay and Qenqo. A traditional Cusquenean dinner and folklore show are included in tonight's tour.

See all our recommended Cuzco hotels.

Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour & Tour of Pisak Market
Enjoy breakfast in your Cuzco hotel before setting out on a Sacred Valley tour. First, you'll head to Pisak, a little village nestled in the Sacred Valley between Cuzco and Machu Picchu. It's famous for its Pisak Market, an open-air market where locals bring their handicrafts and produce to sell. Browse the handmade goods before taking a tour of the Pisak ruins, an Inca site that shows off the Incas splendid masonry. In the afternoon, continue on to Ollantaytambo, another town in the Sacred Valley with impressive Inca ruins, aqueducts, and terraces. The town is the only one that has been in continuous operation since the time of the Incas.

*The Sacred Valley Tour is available only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays

See our Sacred Valley hotel choices.

Day 4: Machu Picchu Tour
Early in the morning, transfer to the station for the train ride to Machu Picchu. A scenic train journey brings you to the town of Aguas Calientes, where you will take a shuttle bus up to the entrance of the ruins. Enjoy a guided visit to Machu Picchu, often called the "Lost City of the Incas" because it was the only Inca site unattacked by the Spanish. Browse its fabulous stone architecture and astonishing landscapes while learning about this fascinating city of stone. After free time for lunch, return by shuttle bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes. Choose from one of the many little restaurants for your dinner. Spend the night in Aguas Calientes in the shadow of Machu Picchu at the Hatuchay Towers**** Aguas Calientes.

See our other recommended Machu Picchu hotels.

Day 5: Free Day in Aguas Calientes & Return to Cuzco
This morning, you may want to spend another day at the citadel of Machu Picchu. Wake early and take the first shuttle bus to the entrance to get there in time for the sunrise, then walk about the site on your own, or take the hike to Huynu Picchu, the trail that leads up to the mountain above Machu Picchu. If you prefer, you can spend the day relaxing in Aguas Calientes instead. Soak in the natural hot springs for which the little town was named. In the afternoon, take your 1st class train back to Cuzco or Ollantaytambo (depending on the train availability). Transfer to your hotel and enjoy a last stroll over the baroque heart of Cusco, the Plaza de Armas.

Day 6: Cuzco to Puno by Scenic Train
Journey through the highlands of Peru by train from Cuzco to Puno. Relax in your first class train seat as you watch vistas of the Andes pass by. In the evening, you'll check into your Puno hotel, on the shores of the beautiful Lake Titicaca. Tonight's dinner is included. Make sure to relax and adjust to the altitude, since Lake Titicaca is at almost 12,000 feet (3855 meters) above sea level.

*Train is available only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Alternative transfer includes flight or first class bus with sightseeing and lunch along the route.

See our recommended Puno hotels, next to Lake Titicaca.

Day 7: Lake Titicaca and the Floating Islands of Uros
Soak in the beauty of this high altitude lake that is known in Inca history as the birthplace of the Inca Empire. The lake dwellers of Lake Titicaca are expert reed craftsmen whose reed craftsmanship has been handed down for centuries. The Uros tribe even continues to build reed islands and boats, which you can visit during your Lake Titicaca tour. Next, have a look at the astonishing pre-Columbian funeral towers of Sillustani on a peninsula in lake Umayo. These towers, built well before the Inca times, display a mastery of architecture that has been difficult to replicate. In the evening, return to your Puno hotel for the night.

Day 8: Lake Titicaca Cruise to La Paz & Tiahuanaco Ruins Tour
A spectacular way to tour the massive Lake Titicaca is to take a Lake Titicaca cruise. Setting off in the morning, your cruise will head to Isla del Sol, a small island where you'll stop off and explore, with enough time to have lunch. Then reboard for the cruise to Bolivian coast. Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by a Bolivia tour guide for your tour of the Tiahuanaco ruins, a wonderful set of ruins built by the greatest pre-Inca culture. Afterwards, you'll be transferred to your La Paz hotel for the night. La Paz is the highest altitude city in the world, so make sure to rest easy while your body adjusts. Tonight's dinner is included.

Choose your preferred La Paz hotel:
La Paz - Hotel Camino Real Suites *****
La Paz - Apart Hotel Ritz *****
La Paz - Hotel El Rey Palace ****

Day 9: La Paz City Tour & Valley of the Moon Tour
Continue on the travels of the Incas as you explore the Bolivian capital of La Paz and the surrounding ruins built by Incas or pre-Inca cultures. The La Paz City Tour starts with a visit to the Plaza Murillo (the main square) At the Plaza Murillo, bordered by the cathedral and by the Government Palace (now called the "Palacio Quemado" for the number of times it has burned). Across the plaza is the Congress building that before 1904 housed a convent, a jail, and a university. Next, tour Iglesia de San Francisco, reconstructed in 1784 of the original 1548 church. Note the combination of Christian and indigenous figures and animals carved on the stone facade. No visit to La Paz is complete without a visit to the Mercado de HechicerÅa, the Witches Market. On sale here are herbs and magic charms for any occasion, as well as those for love, money or health. Then, head out of the capital a few miles to come to the Valle de la Luna, or Valley of the Moon. This vast badlands of hills and rock eroded into weird shapes and deep gulleys contrasts sharply with the constant hum of the capital city below. Here we will also visit a ceramic workshop with a demonstration of the art of pottery. Return to La Paz for the night.

Day 10: Departure from La Paz
After breakfast in your La Paz hotel, you are free to continue to explore the city, continue on your South America vacation with another one of our tours, or transfer to the airport for your flight home.