Peru - Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, & Sacred Valley of the Incas

Over New Years----Dec 25, 2010- Jan 2, 2011

Add our Optional 3 Days/2 Nights in the Amazon Jungle-Jan 1-4, 2011Join us for an unforgettable time of exploring & sightseeing through this stunning part of the world!

Extend your vacation to the Amazon Jungle for 3 Days/ 2 nights!!

Price includes all of this…on the main trip…

• Roundtrip domestic air flights (2 Flights)                                                                                       
• Lima to Cuzco
• Cuzco to Lima
• 7 nights accommodations in moderate class hotels
• All hotel service charges and taxes
• Day room accommodation on last day in Lima
• Local English speaking guides as  noted in itinerary
• Transportation by motor coach & driver-as noted in itinerary
• Roundtrip train to the foot of Machu Picchu
• Bus ride to entrance of Machu Picchu
• Total 9 meals as indicated in itinerary
• 7 breakfasts (B), 1 lunches (L), 1 Farewell Dinner
• Singles Travel Representative/social host (restrictions apply)
• Free roommate matching to avoid having to pay the single supplement
• Included Sightseeing as follows
• Lima- half-day Lima city tour- combines the highlights of modern & colonial Lima with a visit to the world-famous Museum of Anthropology & Archeology-get an overview of Peru's pre-Incan and Incan cultures.
• Urubamba Valley (Sacred Valley of the Incas)- Cuzco Valley, the Chincheros Plains
• Maras- see where the Incas gathered salt from steep terraces
• Moray- where Incas conducted agricultural experiments in unusual  land formations
• Ollantaitambo – visit to impressive Inca ruins
• Pisac – drive through countryside, visit Peruvian market place
• Machu Picchu- by way of train ride, includes entrance to Machu Picchu and 2 hour tour with English speaking local guide
• Cuzco – Colonial Cuzco including the Temple of the Sun, Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, and other landmarks. Ascend into the hills surrounding Cuzco to visit the Incan ruins of Kenko, Pucapucara, Tambo Machay, and the great stone fortress of Sacsayhuaman

Itinerary
Click here to download (pdf)

Day 1, Sat. Dec 25                              Leave USA
                Your South American adventure begins as you depart from your hometown to Lima, Peru! Depending on your arrival time you can start exploring or relax.  For those arriving in time, we’ll be meeting for a short welcome get together early evening at the hotel and then maybe enjoy dinner together.
                Our Hotel:  Los Girasoles Hotel -2 nights
                Our hotel is located in the residential neighborhood of Miraflores, the tourist district of Lima. The location is convenient and within walking distance to the city’s excellent restaurants, shows, casinos, shops. The hotel has bright, clean and comfortable rooms and they feature direct dial telephones, cable TV, minibar, and direct access WiFi.

Day 2, Sun. Dec 26                             Lima
                Today  we’ll enjoy a half-day Lima city tour that combines the highlights of modern and colonial Lima with a visit to the world-famous Museum of Anthropology and Archeology and see an overview of Peru's pre-Incan and Incan cultures.
                The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy the other sights in Lima or to relax. Maybe dinner tonight together to celebrate the beginning of a fun vacation adventure!  (B)
 
Day 3, Mon Dec 27                             Lima to Cuzco to the Sacred Valley
                We fly today to Cuzco for a full-day tour into the scenic Urubamba Valley- the Sacred Valley of the Incas.  We drive out of the Cuzco Valley onto the Chincheros Plains, descending into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The first stop will be at two little known sites: Maras, where the Incas gathered salt from steep terraces, and Moray where they conducted agricultural experiments in unusual land formations.
                Lunch is at a charming country inn; then we visit the ruins of Ollantaitambo, the historic stone city where Manco Inca led the last defense against the Spaniards. The town was named after the legendary rebel Inca General 0llantay and the design and foundations of most of the buildings date back to the original constructions (Llaqta) of the Inca Empire. The streets still have their Inca names from the time when the town was a strategic military, religious and agricultural center. The town's most salient characteristics are its cobbled streets and a church dedicated to the Apostle Santiago, built in 1620. (B, L)
                 Our hotel: Sonesta Posada del Inca -2 nights
                Posada Del Inca Yucay is in a beautiful 200-year old, colonial-style mansion located in the Inca village of Yucay in the Sacred Valley. This one-of-a-kind country inn was originally a hot-springs spa in Inca times, and later was a convent in colonial times. The antique building has been enlarged, blending old with new, and has a total of 65 cozy rooms with central heating and private bathrooms. There are also two restaurants, a bar, laundry service, gift shop, chapel, and extensive gardens.

Day 4, Tues. Dec 28                           Pisac Market Tour
                 Today we have an excursion to the northern end of the scenic Urubamba Valley to visit the market at Pisac. Shop among hundreds of colorfully dressed Indians, who meet there to trade and socialize and you’ll have the opportunity to bargain with the natives for many different types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewelry.  (B)

Day 5, Wed. Dec 29                            Urubamba to Machu Picchu
                Today’s a full day- we take a train excursion to the spectacular ruins of Machu Picchu. In Ollantaitambo we depart on the train and in less than two hours we arrive at the foot of Machu Picchu. Mini-buses take us up to the dizzying heights of the ruins for our walking tour of this fascinating Lost City of the Incas with a private, expert English-speaking guide.
                 Machu Picchu, 8,200 feet above the valley, was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical jungles for 400 years until discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca "Virgins of the Sun" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here. Lunch is on your own and you have the afternoon for further explorations of the ruins on your own. The gates to the ruins close in the early afternoon and the last bus back down the mountain departs shortly after that. When you get into the village of Aguas Calientes your guide will walk you to the hotel, where your luggage will already be waiting for you. (B)

                        Our Hotel: Machu Picchu Inn Hotel- 1 nightMachu Picchu Inn is located in the charming village of Aguas Calientes, a colorful town at the foot of Machu  Picchu. This centrally located hotel is near the train station "Puente Ruinas" where the buses leave from the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu. It has 48 rooms, all with private bathrooms, and beautiful panoramic views of the green landscape that surrounds the village. It has a bar and cafeteria, as well as Peruvian and International specialties in its charming  restaurant with exquisite cuisine.

Day 6, Thurs. Dec 30                         Machu Picchu to Cuzco
                Another full day at Machu Picchu for exploration on your own if you want (at an extra charge- bus transfers and admission is not included) or just spend the day exploring the town. Sunrise from Machu Picchu is an amazing and spectacular event; you can make arrangements about getting back up to Machu Picchu. There are less crowds at the ruins if you are there before the train of people come in from Cuzco. 

Later we take an afternoon Vistadome train back to Ollantaitambo, and transfer to Cuzco. Dinner is at leisure. (B)

Our Hotel: Hotel Samay- 2 nights
Located in the heart of Cuzco, just one block from the Plaza de Armas, the Hotel Samay is an old house that was once part of Inca Garcilaso de la Vega’s (the first writer from Cuzco) residence and nowadays is the Museum of Cuzco. The hotel has 70  rooms, private bathrooms, and cable TV.  The bar and restaurant are popular places for people in Cuzco to gather.

Day 7, Fri. Dec 31                              Cuzco
                Enjoy a leisurely morning before your tour of Colonial Cuzco including the Temple of the Sun, Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, and other landmarks. Continue on to the ruins outside of Cuzco. We’ll ascend into the hills surrounding the city to visit the Incan ruins of Kenko, Pucapucara, Tambo Machay, and the great stone fortress of Sacsayhuaman.

The afternoon is free for exploring or shopping and our farewell dinner is tonight! (B, D)

 Day 8, Sat. Jan 01                              Cuzco to Lima-Fly Out Tonight
            We fly back to Lima today and on arrival transfer back to Los Girasoles Hotel where we will have dayroom accommodations for the rest of the day.  Later this evening we’ll be transferred to the airport for our overnight flights home.
(Or maybe take our 2 night Amazon jungle extension today-see itinerary below).  (B)

 Day 9, Sun. Jan 02                             Arrive Home Today

Arrive home today after a wonderful Peruvian vacation! 

Peruvian Facts

Population: approximately 24 million inhabitants .Capital: Lima, founded 1535. Population approximately 8½ million.
Official languages: Spanish, Quechua and Aymara. (Aymara is spoken in some areas of the Puno department.) Many other dialects exist in the Amazon region. English is usually spoken in major tourist areas.
Principal Exports: minerals, petroleum, fish products, coffee, cotton and wool.
Time: Local time coincides with Eastern Standard Time in the U.S.A. and is five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.
Electric Current: 220 volts, 60 cycles. Luxury hotels have special 110-volt outlets.
Political Geography: Peru is divided into 23 departments (like states) with each department broken down into many provinces.
Weather:  The Andean Highlands have two typical seasons: wet and dry. From May to October rain is sporadic and sunshine fills the sky daily. It is often very pleasant in the Andes during this season. The lowland jungle region is very tropical and has a warm and humid climate throughout the year with the dry season running from April through to October.

Optional 3 Day/2 Night Extension to the Amazon Jungle

Our Jungle accommodations-------POSADA AMAZONAS -----People who stay at Posada Amazonas jungle lodge, a native community-based ecotourism lodge, speak very highly of the experience!  With only 24 rooms it has rustic but comfortable accommodations with shower/baths and hot water in a lush rainforest jungle. Each room has an open picture window view of the primary forest.
                A naturalist and/or a Native accompany all jungle excursions/hikes and they provide lectures and information on tropical ecology, native culture, and medicinal plants. There are nightly lectures about local wildlife and there is a tower for observation of the many wildlife that surround the area. Night time is provided light by lamplight which makes for a very magical evening in the jungle. Don’t miss this opportunity-sign up early!

 ---Price includes--- for optional 3 Day/2 Night Extension to the Amazon Jungle

• Airline flights
• Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado 
• Puerto Maldonado to Lima
• All airport taxes and fees
• Transfers as follows:
• Roundtrip Puerto Maldonado to lodge
• All airport transfers including in Lima
• 2 nights accommodations at Posada Amazonas  jungle lodge
• All meals at lodge-7 total  (3 Breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners)
• All excursions at the lodge as listed in itinerary 

You do not want to miss the opportunity to do this jungle adventure!

Day 8, Sat. Jan 01                               Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado
                Instead of heading to Lima and home you’ll transfer to the Cuzco Airport for the short 55-minute flight to Puerto Maldonado and on arrival you’ll be met by a guide and driven a short distance to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno.  You’ll pack only what you need for the 2 days and leave the rest at the safe deposit. A forty-five minute boat ride takes you from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas and into the Community’s Primary Forest Private Reserve. All the boats are 20-foot long, roofed canoes with 55 hp outboard motors.  On arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.
                We can take a short walk from our lodge to the scaffolding canopy tower via a banistered staircase.  At the top expect spectacular views of the vast expanses of forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or flocks of mixed species will land in the treetop next to you. After our included dinner tonight an ecotourism lecture on the Infierno ecotourism project is held by a staff member. (B, Boxed L, D).  Overnight in Posada Amazonas.

Day 9, Sun. Jan 02                             Jungle Stay
                On early rising you’ll hear some great jungle sounds! Then we head to Tres Chimbadas and Oxbow Lake by boat and hiking from the lodge. We’ll also paddle around the lake in a catamaran searching for the family of nine giant river otters and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers.
                Also visit the Parrot clay lick- a 20 minute walk from Posada Amazonas. Observing from a blind, see dozens of parrots and parakeets, such as Mealy and Yellow-headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet, descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a riverbank. The clay lick is most active at dawn, late mornings and mid-afternoons.
                After lunch we take an Ethnobotanical tour-a short boat ride downriver leading us to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. Discover the medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants.
                After dinner we can take a night hike when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories. (B, L, D)  Overnight in Posada Amazonas.

 
Enjoy the mysteries of Peru……..from Lima to Cuzco to Machu Picchu to the
Sacred Valley of the Incas....and don’t miss the opportunity  then to take our optional Amazon Jungle extension!
 You’ll love this adventure!

Price
$1999.00         Land only, per person, double occupancy (we can assign a roommate)
$  450.00         For a room to yourself-add to above rate- (very limited availability!)

 Optional 3 Day/2 Night Extension to the Amazon Jungle

---Price---$599.00 -per person based on double occupancy. 
At this time, due to the limited number of lodge rooms, we can only do double occupancy for the 2 nights here. If we end up with a room or two extra we can then sell single occupancies and they will be offered to the singles who sign up first.

 PLEASE NOTE –IMPORTANT AIR FLIGHT INFORMATION:
                International airfare is not included (however all domestic flights within Peru are included!).  You fly into and out of Lima (LIM). We can try and coordinate flights together depending on where you are flying from.
                You can arrive anytime on Dec 25 into Lima airport. HOWEVER, for your return flight out of Lima book your flight on a late flight Saturday night, Jan 1, 2011- most flights leave around midnight for the states arriving home on Jan 2, 2011.
Flights if taking the optional post jungle extension: Book same for arrival into Lima on Dec 25 but for the return book your departure flight out of Lima on a late night flight, Monday, Jan 3, 2011. If any questions…please call or email us.
 Travel/TripCancellation Insurance:  is highly recommended for many reasons including the fact it is an adventure trip, so please consider the purchase of it carefully as it covers a lot of important & unforeseeable issues that may arise before & during your trip-i.e.  illness with you or a family member prior to or during your trip, lost luggage, medical problems that may arise during your trip, also, if needed, it includes important assistance while you are out of the country.  Please inquire when signing up for the trip.  A travel insurance pamphlet with all prices and insurance information will be sent to you with your trip invoice receipt for your deposit.  Please review it carefully and call the insurance company directly to sign up.
 Price does not include items of a personal nature- i.e. phone calls, laundry, alcoholic & other beverages not offered with included meals, meals not included, tips to guides and drivers, travel insurance, and Peruvian airport departure taxes approximate $45- subject to change.

Important Information

 Vaccinations/Immunizations: We are traveling to Cuzco, Machu Picchu (and to the Amazon Jungle in Peru if doing the extension).  No shots are required for travel, however, you must consult with your health care provider before traveling to make sure that your vaccinations are up-to-date and/or to see what your medical provider recommends for medication/immunizations for travel. You may also want to consult the Center for Disease Control’s website, which has extensive and easy-to-use information on Travelers’ Health for specific destinations: www.cdc.gov/travel. A list of travel clinics is also provided by the International Society of Travel Medicine at their website: www.istm.org.
                In the Andes altitude sickness (or Soroche as it is known in Peru) can be a common problem. Please consult with your MD as high altitude sickness can affect anyone; there are medicines that can help with the high altitude, so please follow the advice of your physician. Acclimating yourself to the altitude is advised- take it easy on the first day you arrive in a high altitude area; meals should be light, avoid alcohol and all strenuous exercise. Another way to combat altitude sickness is by drinking mate de coca, a Peruvian tea made from the coca plant. In the Andes – mate de coca is available everywhere.

 Passport: For U.S. citizens current passports are required to enter Peru, a visa is not required.  Please make sure your passport name matches exactly with the name you give us.  Also, your passport has to be still valid up to 6 months after the end date of this trip. Non U.S. citizens must check with their consulate for required documents to enter Peru.  It is completely the travelers’ responsibility to make sure they have the correct documentation to enter Peru and that their name is as it shows on their passport.  Failure to carry proper proof of citizenship may lead to a denial of entry to the aircraft or foreign country and no refunds will be made. No refunds will be made if improper documentation results in denied boarding or entry.
From our tour operator: Due to the travel requirements to Peru, we must request that the following information be obtained from each passenger prior to traveling: EXACT PASSPORT NAME, PASSPORT NUMBER, EXPIRATION DATE, DATE OF BIRTH, AND NATIONALITY. This information will only be shared with the appropriate agency and/or government office requiring the information. Airline tickets and travel vouchers cannot be released without prior receipt of this information.

 Activity Level: This is an adventure trip! There will be lots of walking, hiking and outdoor activities. Also high altitudes will be encountered, for example-Cuzco (11,000 feet), Machu Picchu (8,000 feet), so you should discuss the trip with your personal physician prior to departing the United States if you have any medical problems.  Travel to high altitudes could pose a serious risk of illness. If you are doing the jungle extension you must be active and aware that it is in the jungle where it is humid and conditions might not be as you expect or are accustomed to but that adds to the excitement of a jungle adventure!

 This is a holiday time trip…early sign-ups are a must please!

Fine Print –Peru & Machu Picchu-Dec 25, 2010-Jan 2, 2011 & Optional Amazon Jungle 3 Day/ 2 Night Extension

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.   Your payment for a reservation on this trip constitutes consent and acknowledgement of all the provisions in this Fine Print listed below and in the Singles Travel Company General Terms and Conditions. Make sure you read both of these important pieces of information and call us with any questions.  Please fax/mail us the Reservation Form found on our website with your reservation.
Payments        A deposit of $300 + $100 for the Amazon Jungle Extension.
Final payments are due 75 days prior to the trip.  Payment by credit card or check (payable to Travel Advisors).
IMPORTANT from our tour operator:   there may be a charge of $25 on any reservations made within 21 days of departure  as a special handling fee to cover the costs associated with expedited processing of the booking. After deposit, a $25.00 fee will be applied for each revision.
Cancellation Fee and Refunds     All cancellations must be in writing. Cancellations 76 days or more prior to the trip will receive a full refund of your deposit, less a $100 cancellation fee applied to your credit card.  Any cancellations  at 75 days or less before date of departure, no refund will be provided.  No refund on unused portions of the trip.

Travel/Trip Cancellation insurance is highly recommended.

Download full Terms and Conditions (PDF)