Day 1 - Wednesday

Lima

Meeting at the international airport with the Ofakim representative and transfer to the hotel.

After freshening up, we will go for a panoramic tour of the city and see the life in the streets, the markets and the colonial district.

We will go to the Gold Museum, impressive both because of its size and because of its interesting exhibits. During our tour of the museum, we will begin to get an understanding of the country's prosperous history and of the Peruvians' way of life.

We will also go to the archaeological museum which has many pre-Columbian exhibits, including ancient gold tools and erotic statues.

Back to the hotel.

Day 2 - Thursday

Lima, Ica, Paracas

This morning we will drive south on the Pan-American highway to Ica.

From there we will get into light aircraft to fly over the incredible Nazca Lines, lines of colossal proportions that come together to form mysterious drawings of animals, human and geometrical figures that can only be recognized as coherent figures when seen from the air.

We will go to the archaeological museum in Ica where we will find, amongst its other interesting exhibits, some perfectly preserved mummies that are unique to Peru.

Day 3 - Friday

Ballestas Islands, Lima

Today we will take a boat trip around the Ballestes Islands which some consider to be a smaller version of the Galapagos Islands.

We will observe the sea bird colonies and the hundreds of sea lions lounging around on the rocks. We enjoy these wonderful sights and photograph them from every angle.

We arrive back in Lima in the evening.

Day 4 - Saturday

Lima, Arequipa

Transfer to Lima Airport for the flight to Arequipa, 'the white city' that has preserved its Spanish character. We will tour the historical center and see the Cathedral, courtyards, 17th century monasteries and convents and baroque architecture.

We will also go to the smalls towns of Cayama and Yanahuara that lie in the hills outside Arequipa and are typical of the area.

Overnight in Arequipa.

Day 5 - Sunday

Arequipa, Chivay (Colca Canyon)

We head in the direction of the Salinas Nature Reserve where we will see many different types of birds, llamas (South American camels) and we will have wonderful views all the way to Chivay, a small town on the edge of Colca Canyon.

Overnight in the area.

Day 6 - Monday

Chivay, Puno

We get up early today to go to Cruz del Condor for a wonderful view of one of the deep canyons. If we are lucky, we will be able to see some of the legendary condors that fly in this area early in the morning, on the hunt for food. The Andean condors are enormous, the largest flying birds in the Western Hemisphere with extremely broad wings that can be as wide as 3 meters.

From there we will go to Colca Canyon, which is considered to be one of the deepest in the world with walls that rise to 1.200 meters.

We will tour the surrounding villages and see Sabancaya Volcano, which provides a beautiful, picturesque background to the Canyon.

From there, we drive to Puno, on the shores of Titicaca Lake, the highest lake in the world at 3.800 meters above sea level.

On our way there, we will pass an interesting archaeological site: Sillustani, an ancient burial site renowned for its great stone burial towers (chulpas).

Transfer to the hotel in Puno.

Day 7 - Tuesday

Lake Titicaca Islands, Cusco

We will spend this morning getting to know Titicaca Lake, this enormous expanse of water that is 170 kilometers in length and spreads across a surface of 8.965 square kilometers, making it the biggest lake in South America. The lake, in fact, consists of two lakes that are linked together by the Straits of Tiquina.

We will cross the lake via the Uros, a group of about 40 artificial islands made of reeds named after the pre- Inca people who made them. The inhabitants of the islands earn their living from the arts and crafts that they sell to tourists and from fishing and hunting.

From there we drive to Cusco, a beautiful journey over the high sierra, with superb views of the mountains rising over the altiplano.

We will stop at La Raya, the highest point of the journey to the capital of the Inca Empire, which we will reach in the evening.

Day 8 - Wednesday

Cusco

Today we have an in-depth tour of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire up in the Andes. We will tour the beautiful colonial city that is built on the ruins of the amazing Inca stonework.

We will go the Temple of the Sun (Quoricancha), the impressive Cathedral and the museum. We will end our tour in the bustling center of the town and get an idea of the atmosphere in contemporary Cusco.

In the afternoon, we will go to the ruins of the fortresses and road stops above and around the town. We will go to the Sacsayhuaman, a walled complex that is believed to have been a fortress, to the impressive Tambomachay Inca baths where Inca pilgrims purified themselves before entering the town, the walls of Puca Pucara and the mysterious Qenko shrine with its Puma Altar.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 9 - Thursday

Cusco, Sacred Valley

This morning we will drive out to the Sacred Valley. On our way, we will stop at Chinchero, an Indian village that has an interesting market on Sundays.

We will see the village and the market area and then drive on to Pisac, where one of the most famous and most colorful of all the South American Indian markets takes place three times a week.

We will continue on to Ollantaytambo, a village that has perfectly preserved its structure from the Inca period.

We will walk up the steep Inca lanes until we reach the fortress that affords fantastic views of the Urubamba River and of the entire valley.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 10 - Friday

Machu Picchu

One of the Seven Wonders of the World! Today we board the famous mountain train that will take us to the 'Lost City,' Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Our train will take us through the awesome scenery of the green valley surrounded by the Andes that are impressive both for their dimensions and for their beauty.

We arrive at the mysterious city that was hidden away in the forest and was only discovered in the 20th century. They discovered a carefully, perfectly planned city with temples to the sun, to the water, to the earth and to the condor, that the Spanish conquerors did not reach and that has, therefore, remained exactly as it was at the time of the Incas.

In the afternoon, we will take the train back to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 11 - Saturday

Cusco, Puerto Maldonado

We will take our leave of Cusco and of Inca culture and fly towards the mysteries of the Amazon jungle in the area of Puerto Maldonado, at the heart of the tropical rainforest.

We will take a boat trip on the river and get to know a bit about the native Indians and life in the rainforest. We will watch the animals, the reptiles and the birds that abound in this area.

Overnight in the area.

Day 12 - Sunday

Puerto Maldonado, Lima

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima and for our last tour of the capital.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 13 - Monday

Lima, Home

Transfer to the airport for the flight home at the end of an exhilarating, memorable tour.

END OF SERVICES.

Lima, Paracas, Ballestas Islands, Arequipa, Chivay, Puno, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Pisac, Sandoval Lake and the Jungle

Guided tours in: Lima, Arequipa, Puno, Cusco. Special visits: Lima: Plaza Myaor, San Francisco Monastery Flight in light aircraft over the gigantic Nazca drawings. Ballestas Islands: Nature Reserve. Arequipa: Santa Catelina Monastery, Plaza de Armas, Cathedral. Chivay: Cruz del Condor, local villages, Antahuilque Observation Post. Puno: Uros, the floating islands and Tequila Island. Cusco: Temple of the Sun, Cathedral, Red Fortress, Tambomachay, Pisac. Machu Picchu: The Amazing Inca City. Sandoval Lake: Nature Reserve, Fauna and Flora.   Domestic flights abroad Hotels: First class and good tourist class. Double rooms with adjoining bathrooms. Meals: Half board Air-conditioned bus for all touring and transfers Experienced, professional guide Visa: Please check with your travel agent Visits: Entrance fees included as per the itinerary   The price also includes: local airport taxes, fuel tax as per 6/1/07, tips for services rendered. The price does not include: international air, optional tours, travel insurance. We recommend that you read the chapter at the end of the brochure devoted to general information and general terms. TOUR CODE: PERU Arrival date to destination Land only - per person in USD 2007 Oct 10 $2,950 Nov 7 $2,950 Dec 12 $2,950 2008 Jan 9, 30 $2,950 Feb 20 $2,950 Oct 1, 22 $2,950 Nov 12, 26 $2,950 Dec 3, 17 $2,950 2009 Jan 7 $2,950 Feb 4, 18 $2,950

For more information regarding tour costs and extensions, contact Gil Travel by email or phone 800.223.3855.

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