ULTIMATE INCAS: PERU

Our tour begins in Arequipa, a stones throw from the UNESCO listed centre with its baroque cathedral and white volcanic stone buildings.  Arequipa is also the home to the Santa Catalina Monastery and the Ice Maiden Juanita, the frozen mummy of a young girl sacrificed on Mount Ampato in the late 1400s.  Our route then follows the coast north as we head for another UNESCO site Nazca. The Nazca Lines are ancient geometric lines that crisscross the Nazca desert and the enigmatic animal line drawings that accompany them. Like all great unexplained mysteries, these etchings on the pampa, thought to have been made by a pre-Inca civilisation between AD 450 and 600. But how did they make these huge pictures?  And why is one of them apparently a spaceman?

Two fantastic days riding follow as we cross the Andes with a remote Hosteria for our overnight stop. Sweeping bends and remarkable views are the norm as we climb in land.  As we approach Cusco, our home for the next three nights we will ride the Sacred Valley.  The beautiful Río Urubamba Valley is about 12 miles north of Cuzco as the condor flies, via a narrow road of hairpin turns and is home to archaeological sites of Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Saqsaywaman.

Cusco, another UNESCO listed site, was once the capital of the Inca Empire, but now the main plaza is surrounded by colonial columned buildings flanking the Cathedral.  We are here for three nights.  One full day is a tour to Machu Picchu.  This Incan citadel set high in the Andes was built in the 15th century, later abandoned, and is renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views.  An early start is required to get to Machu Picchu via train and back. The second day is at your leisure to explore Cusco.

From Cusco we are off to the Worlds Highest Navigable Lake – lake Titicaca.  Another two night stop in Puno means there is time for our boat trip to the floating Islands or Uros.  Still inhabited today the islands, entirely built of reeds were originally constructed as a means of escape from the Spanish Conquistadors.

After our two nights in Puno, we make our way west to Chivay via the picturesque altiplano roads.  Our final day on the road is another early start with a chance to go Condor spotting as they soar above Colca Canyon.  From Colca we are heading into the final stages of our journey and it’s just a short trip from Chivay to Arequipa where we have a free day to explore the town.

We round off the adventure with a walking tour of Arequipa before settling down together for our farewell dinner. The following day, sadly it’s time to depart for home, with head and heart full of the Incas.

Parts of this tour are at high altitude (reaching up to 4,650 metres). Our route has been carefully planned to climb gradually to allow you to acclimatise, not making dramatic or unnecessary ascents.