Colors of Peru 9 Days

Local Living and living culture experience!

With Colors of Peru itinerary, traveling is not just going somewhere, it is meeting local people, share experiences, knowledge, and culture with them, choosing this tour program you are supporting direct to local families, and you will witness local life in the Andes of Peru. The name of this program bears the same name as our nonprofit project which is focused on support local families in the Andes building rustic houses.

In this program we will take you through the following destinations:

* In Lima: We will take you to a local market to show you the various products that we have in Peru, then accompanied by a Professional chef you will learn how to prepare your own Peruvian food then accompanied by a Professional chef you will learn how to prepare your own Peruvian food in your cooking class tour, like Causa Rellena, Ceviche, Lomo Saltado, and Picarones.

* In Cusco: Walkthrough its narrow streets built with Inca stones at the base and with colonial balconies, a living museum. Today on your own.

* In Waqrapukara: In this non-touristy place, you will barely trust your eyes. For the incredible landscape that you have in front of your eyes. That looks like the backdrop of a science fiction movie!

* In Rainbow Mountain: To reach the top of this mountain, we will take the less crowded trail to avoid the crowd, also we will have the best views of the landscape.

* In the Sacred Valley: We will take you to the Ancient town of Pisac and ruins, Stunning agricultural experimental center of Moray, Salineras (salt mines) in Maras Town, the Impressive Ollantaytambo Inca Site.

* In Short Inca Trail: This short Inca Trail is much more exciting hike, much better than taking 4-days hiking, because you will be able to see Machu Picchu 2 times in 2 different versions, sunset and sunrise

* In Machu Picchu: Witness the glory of ancient Peru in Machu Picchu in the company of your expert local Guide

Itinerary:

• Day1 - International Arrival in Lima

  

  On your landing in Lima, you will be welcomed by our staff with a sign of Go Get Peru and your name, then you will be escorted to your hotel located in Miraflores district; today no planned activities. If you arrive in the morning use the rest of the day to walk through Miraflores, we recommend walk by Larcomar and enjoy the view to the Pacific Ocean, then by Parque del Amor.

  • Hotel In Lima - Casa Wayra Miraflores or similar
  • Meals Included: None

• Day2 - Peruvian Cuisine Experience: Visit Traditional Market – Cooking Lessons

  

  Breakfast at the selected Hotel, our staff will pick you up from your hotel around 08:30 am, today we will start with a guided visit to one of Lima´s local market in order to learn about the variety of products and ingredients we have in Peru, then your trip experience continues with the cooking class directed by our specialized chef - This class can be done vegetarian and vegan on request.

  Course one: CAUSA RELLENA - Mashed potatoes with lime and mild chili paste stuffed with chicken and avocado.

  Course two: CEVICHE - Cured fish salad with corn and sweet potatoes.

  Course tree: LOMO SALTADO - Sauteed beef, onion, and tomatoes with rice and yellow potato fries.

  Course four: PICARONES - Fried pumpkin - sweet potato dough with molasses. After enjoying your lunch, you will return to your hotel on your own, the restaurant is located just a few blocks away from your hotel. Afternoon free on your own exploration or just relax.

  • Hotel: In Lima - Casa Wayra Miraflores or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the hotel, Lunch

• Day3 - Flight Lima to Cusco free afternoon to relax or walking on your own

  

  After breakfast in Lima, at a scheduled time pick up and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival to Cusco airport, assistance and transfer to your hotel, today no planet activities. There are other interesting places that you should not miss. *The Cathedral of Cusco, the first Catholic church ordered to build on 1559 *The Temple of the Sun (known as Koricancha) on which the Santo Domingo Convent was built. *San Pedro local fruit market; Interact with the local vendors, colorful fabrics, flower vendors and shaman stalls; see the real life of the townsfolk. * Walk to Sacsayhuaman fortress, from where you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Cusco, Sacsayhuaman boasts impressive Incan design and artwork with massive stones over 9 meters (30 feet) tall and weighing up to 125 tons

  • Hotel: In Cusco - El Balcon or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the hotel

• Day4 - Waqrapukara hike – Overnight in local Family house part of our project

  

  Early Pick up from you Hotel at 05:00 am, then we will continue by our private van to Conchacalla community, where we will share a traditional and typical breakfast with a local family, we will have the opportunity to talk a bit about their activities, so we will see how they produce Andean cheese by traditional way, then we will continue our journey by car 40 more minutes till the hike start point, from here we will hike for around 2 hour and 20 minutes more or less. When you will see the first pictures of Waqrapukara, after 40 minutes downhill, you will barely trust your eyes. For the incredible landscape that you have in front of your eyes. That looks like the backdrop of a science fiction movie! this archaeological site is real and exists since Inca times, over 4,140 meters in an unreally beautiful landscape, along the trail you will have the privilege of being able to see vicuñas in their natural habitat, with a bit more luck we can see some condors flying over the sky. On this 6-hour hike, you will cross a 4,400-meter-high pass, wandering along Andean lagoons, past lush Ichu grass, once we get back we will go directly to T´umi community by our private van where our Dinner will be waiting for us ready, we will share an organic dinner with another local family.

  • Overnight: In T´umi community in family house
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the community, Box-lunch, Dinner

• Day5 - Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain + Red Valley Hike – Cusco

  

  At 07:00 am after Breakfast with the family, we will continue our journey to Rainbow Mountain, after 2 hours driving accompanied by a spectacular panoramic view with canyons, native villages, alpacas and llamas grazing in the mountains we will arrive at the starting point of our hike which is over 4500 meters and the top of the Rainbow Mountain is 5020 meters. We will prepare our day backpacks and snacks, then we need only 1-hour hike to reach this famous mountain, on the top of the mountain it is quite cold because it runs icy winds, so I recommend bring a warm jacket, wool hat and gloves if you want to appreciate the beauty of the mountain without any discomfort.

  We have around 30 - 50 minutes to enjoy the beauty of this stunning place. You have two highlights in front of you. A panoramic view towards the Vinicunca mountain with its natural spectacular colors, then when turning 180 degrees, you will have the sight of the prominent snowy mountain of Ausangate. Then 30 more minutes hike to reach the impressive red valley, which is located behind the Rainbow Mountain. You will simply fall in love with this place, it is a natural wonder, that you will not believe it exists. After taking photos, we will hike downhill to the point we started. As soon as we arrive at the foot of the mountain we relax a few minutes before our car will bring us to the local restaurant for our lunch, then back to Cusco.

  • Hotel: In Cusco - El Balcon or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in family house, Lunch

• Day6 - Sacred Valley Tour: Pisac – Organic Lunch in Sacllo community – Ollantaytambo

  

  Pick up from your hotel at 08:00 am, then you will continue to the picturesque town of Pisac, in about 50 minutes driven we will arrive in this town, short ride 25 more minutes up to Pisac archeological site. Here you will participate in the guided tour, visiting all its holy places including terraces, aqueducts, paths that are associated with walls and gates, water channels, cemeteries, bridges, etc. After we will continue to Pisac local Market where you can purchase beautifully crafted products hand-made by the locals, on the way to Ollantaytambo we will stop in Calca town and take a detour to visit Sacllo community to meet with a local family, where a member specialized in organic agriculture, will explain us all about the process how to prepare the land, till to harvest, here they produce different types of organic vegetables to their own consumption and also to provide just to selected restaurants in Cusco. This family support to other communities around, training them to promote and produce more organic products. Here we will have our organic lunch with this local family, then our next destinations will be the remains of Ollantaytambo Fortress and the Temple of the Sun, a mysteriously built structure with massive 12 foot (3.5m) tall stones. this ancient town we will spend the night, before ahead to Inca Trail.

  • Hotel: In Ollantaytambo - Samanapaq hotel or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the hotel, Organic Lunch

• Day7 - Short Inca Trail: Ollantaytambo – KM 104 – Machu Picchu

  

  Early pick up from your hotel, then transfer to Ollantaytambo train station to board the train that will take you to Km. 104 or Chachabamba where the Short Inca Trail begins after the train drops us here we will go to the Inca Trail checkpoint. From here will begin our hike three hours hike with spectacular overlooks above the great valley, we will reach Wiñayhuayna Inca site, you will participate in the guided tour the guide will explain to you about the importance and the function that this place had in the Incan time. Time to relax and enjoy a delicious box-lunch that we will provide to you, after a short break we will continue our hike, here we will join with the Classic Inca Trail, following the Inca Trail we will reach Gate of the Sun here we will catch the first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. After enjoying the landscape around Machu Picchu and taking some pictures we walk 50 more minutes to reach Machu Picchu Inca Site, during this trip you will have the privilege of seeing Machu Picchu in 2 versions at sunset and sunrise. this day not guided tour in Machu Picchu Inca Site, just we will pass to catch the bus down to Aguas Calientes town where we will spend the night in a Hotel.

  • Hotel: In Aguas Calientes - Flowers House or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the hotel, Box-lunch, Dinner

• Day8 - Machu Picchu Tour – Back to Cusco

  

  Excursion to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes: In the morning at the scheduled time the guide will be in your hotel to pick you up and escort you to the bus station, short ride 30 minutes up to reach the citadel of Machu Picchu. After the pass the control you will participate in a guided tour at your leisurely pace, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the most important preserved Intihuatana, the Royal Quarters, the room of the Three Windows and the temple of the Condor.

  Optional climb to Huayna Picchu Mountain; from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more, amazing being high and distant (not included in the price): In the afternoon you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where you will be assisted by our staff and transfer to your Hotel in Cusco.

  • Hotel: In Cusco - El Balcon or similar
  • Meals Included: Breakfast in the hotel or similar

• Day9 - Departure from Cusco

  

  Breakfast in the hotel, according to the flight schedule we will pick you up from your hotel and transfer to Cusco airport for your flight to Lima or next destination.

Whats included

• Hotel Accommodations

  2-nights hotel accommodation in Lima

  3-nights hotel accommodation in Cusco

  1-night hotel in T´umi Community

  1-nights hotel accommodation in the Sacred Valley - Ollantaytambo

  1-night hotel in Aguas Calientes

• Excursions

  Lima Cooking class

  Hike to Waqrapukara

  Rainbow Mountain + Red Valley

  Sacred Valley Tour (Pisa, Ollantaytambo)

  Short Inca Trail

  Machu Picchu guided Tour

• Tickets

  Entry ticket to Rainbow Mountain

  Boleto Turistico to visit Pisac, Ollantaytambo

  Entry Ticket to Inca Trail

  Entry Ticket to Machu Picchu Inca site

  NOTE: The Boleto Turistico is only to cover the Sacred Valley, not for other sites around Cusco.

• Transportation

  All Transfers and assistance in Lima

  All Transfers and assistance in Cusco

  Private comfortable van for Waqrapukara hike

  Private comfortable van for Rainbow Mountain hike

  Private van for Sacred Valley Tour

  Comfortable tourist train from Ollantaytambo - KM 104

  Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes after Inca Trail

  Nex day Bus from Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Aguas Calientes (round trip)

  Comfortable Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo

  Transfer from Ollantaytambo train station to Cusco hotel

• Others

  Meals according mentioned in the itinerary

  Local top quality English-speaking guides to accompany visits and excursions

  24-hour support by our local staff

Not included

• Additional tickets

  Ticket to Huayna Picchu mountain

  Ticket to Machu Picchu Mountain

  Boleto Turistico to visit around Cusco

• Insurance and Others

  No cover Travel Insurance during this tour

  Internal flights within this Exciting Peru Experience Tour

  Personal items, pre & post-tour accommodation, snacks, drinks, limited souvenirs, laundry, tips, and any extras