A nine-day journey through three regions of Peru, from the Pacific coast to the high Andes.
It begins with three nights in Lima, with a city tour of the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Gold Museum. It continues with three nights in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, including the expedition-class train to Machu Picchu and a free day for the Sacred Valley. The scenic Wonder route then crosses the altiplano to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, for two nights and an excursion to the floating reed islands of the Uros and to Taquile Island, before the return flight to Lima. Accommodation is offered in 3-, 4- and 5-star categories.
Highlights
Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, reached by expedition-class train from Cusco
Lima city tour with the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Gold Museum
Lake Titicaca: the floating reed islands of the Uros and Taquile Island
Scenic Wonder route from Cusco to Puno via Andahuaylillas and the Raqchi temple
A three-region journey through Lima, Cusco and Puno
Day-by-day itinerary
Day1
Day 1: Arrival in Lima
Arrival at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, where you are met and transferred to the hotel. Accommodation in Lima.
Day2
Day 2: Lima city tour and the Gold Museum
After breakfast, at 09:00 departure for a small-group city tour of Lima with a visit to the Gold Museum. It begins in Miraflores, with the Park of Love and the Olive Grove Park, the colonial estates of San Isidro and a panoramic view of the Huaca Pucllana adobe pyramid, and continues to the Plaza de Armas — the City Hall, the Government Palace and the Cathedral, which holds the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. Return to the hotel.
Day3
Day 3: Lima – Cusco
After breakfast, private transfer (driver only) to the airport for the flight to Cusco. On arrival you are met and transferred to the hotel. An optional panoramic city tour of Cusco is available.
Day4
Day 4: Cusco – Machu Picchu – Cusco
After breakfast, meet your guide at the hotel and transfer to the railway station to board the train to Aguas Calientes. Guided excursion to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, at 2,450 m, built by the emperor Pachacutec and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch at the El Mapi restaurant, then return by train to Cusco and transfer to the hotel.
Day5
Day 5: Free Day in Cusco
After breakfast, free day. An optional excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas is available.
Day6
Day 6: Cusco – Puno
After breakfast, transfer to the bus station for the Wonder tourist bus to Puno. Along the way it stops at Andahuaylillas, whose San Pedro church is known as the 'Sistine Chapel of South America'; the Raqchi temple dedicated to the god Viracocha; a buffet lunch in Sicuani; La Raya at 4,400 m; and Pucara with its Lithic Museum. Arrival in Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, around 18:00 and check-in at the hotel.
Day7
Day 7: Lake Titicaca — Uros and Taquile
After breakfast, transfer to the port for an excursion on Lake Titicaca. Visit to the floating reed islands of the Uros and then to Taquile Island, known for its weaving traditions recognized by UNESCO. Lunch on the island. Return to Puno and overnight.
Day8
Day 8: Puno – Lima
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. On arrival you are met and transferred to the hotel.
Day9
Day 9: Departure from Lima
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your international flight. On the way, an optional visit to the Larco Herrera Museum is recommended.
Suggested hotels
Britania
Standard
Lima
3-star option in Lima (3 nights).
Sueño del Inca
Standard
Cusco
3-star option in Cusco (3 nights).
Sol Plaza
Standard
Puno
3-star option in Puno (2 nights).
Ikonik
Superior
Lima
4-star option in Lima (3 nights).
Xima
Superior
Cusco
4-star option in Cusco (3 nights).
Casona Plaza
Superior
Puno
4-star option in Puno (2 nights).
DoubleTree by Hilton
Luxury
Lima
5-star option in Lima (3 nights).
Aranwa
Luxury
Cusco
5-star option in Cusco (3 nights).
GHL Lago Titicaca
Luxury
Puno
5-star option in Puno (2 nights).
Essential, Premium and Luxury categories available. Final accommodation is confirmed by date and availability.
What's included
Included: Accommodation in the listed hotels or similar (8 nights: 3 in Lima, 3 in Cusco, 2 in Puno)
Included: Breakfast at the hotels
Included: Transfers, transport and meals according to the programme
Included: Excursions with a guide according to the programme
Included: Expedition-class train ticket on the Cusco – Aguas Calientes – Cusco route
Included: Entrance tickets to the museums according to the programme
What's not included
Not included: International and domestic airfare, including the domestic flights Lima–Cusco and Juliaca–Lima
Not included: Airport and tourism taxes and visa fees
Not included: Excess baggage fees
Not included: Meals not mentioned in the programme
Not included: Alcoholic and soft drinks
Not included: Optional excursions
Not included: Tips and gratuities
Not included: Personal expenses and optional services
Not included: Travel insurance
Not included: Anything not expressly mentioned as included
Optional services
Optional, at extra cost:
Casa Aliaga — Visit to Casa Aliaga in Lima, a mansion built in 1536 on the foundations of an Inca pyramid and inhabited by the same family — descendants of the conquistador Jerónimo de Aliaga — for many generations, preserving furnishings and objects of colonial aristocratic life.
Optional, at extra cost:
Panoramic city tour of Cusco — Guided panoramic tour of Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, taking in the Sacsayhuamán fortress, the Qenqo temple, the Koricancha or 'Temple of Gold', and the sites of Puka Pukara and Tambomachay.
Optional, at extra cost:
Sacred Valley of the Incas — Full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the artisan market of Pisac, the Awanakancha centre with llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas, the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo, and a buffet lunch at the Tunupa restaurant.
Optional, at extra cost:
Titicaca scenic train — Scenic train journey from Cusco to Puno, with a restaurant car, bar car and panoramic observation car, and a stop at the highest point of the route, La Raya (4,319 m); lunch included. Operates Wednesdays and Sundays.
Optional, at extra cost:
Larco Herrera Museum — Visit to the Larco Herrera Museum in Lima, housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion built over a pre-Columbian pyramid, with collections of ceramics, textiles, jewellery, gold and mummies from the Inca, Moche, Nazca and Chimú cultures.