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National Geographic Traveler

National Geographic Adventure

Sustatainable Travel Intl

IATAN

Tours

Preparation

Peru: Multi-Day Side Trips

While planning your trip to Peru, the focus is usually on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. There are many side trips that enhance your travel, giving you a broader understanding of the culture and an awareness of the additional architectural wonders. You may have heard about the mysterious Nazca Lines, Colca Canyon condors, the floating islands in Lake Titicaca, and the Amazon rainforest.

On this page:

Nazca Lines, Ballestas Islands and Paracas National Reserve - 2 days/1 night from Lima


A small section of the Nazca lines
Ballestas Isle

Pelicans at Paracas and Ballestas

Day 1: Leave Lima early in the morning by bus or van; drive to Ica by way of lush valleys that cut through the Atacama desert. Check in at your hotel. Early afternoon flight over the Nazca lines, an archeological wonder of lines and drawings in the rocky plains. Overnight at hotel (3-star) in Ica.

Day 2: Drive to the National Reserve of Paracas, a protected marine area with birds and historic sites. After a tour of this area, you will board a boat for a tour of Isla Ballastes, and and opportunity to observe sea lions, pelicans, penguins and possibly dolphins. After lunch, the bus/van will take us back to Lima. End of services (BL)

Includes: Transportation from Lima with driver, bi-lingual guide, transfers (Lima), 2 nights hotel, all meals listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner), overflight of Nazca Lines, entrance to Paracas reserve, boat tour around Ballastas Island.

Not included: Tips for guide and driver, hotel stay prior to and at the end of the trip, personal expenses.

Tour departs: Every day

# Group 2 3 4-6 7-9 Join Group
Price per person $800 $695 $665 $580 *

*The itinerary above provides a private car/van for your group. You may also take the public bus from Lima to Ica/Paracas, and return. This would be a lower price than above. Details and prices available upon request.

There is also an option to fly from Lima to Ica and have an overflight of the Nazca Lines, returning to Lima the same day. Please let us know if you would like the prices for this option.

Arequipa and Colca Canyon - 3-days/2 nights from Lima


Arequipa's Plaza de Armes

Highlands and canyons near Arequipa

Day 1: Transfer to the airport for the one hour flight to Arequipa. You will be met there and transferred to your hotel. Afternoon city tour of the "White City" (Ciudad Blanca), as it is known. This includes colonial buildings made from volcanic rock, as well as a visit to the Santa Catalina Convent. Overnight at hotel (3-star) in Arequipa.
  
[NOTE: OPTIONAL ADDED DAYS Optional full day trips can be arranged to other sites which surround Arequipa, e.g., the famous Campiña of Arequipa and the Molino of Sabandia.]

Day 2: Early morning departure by car, leaving the city behind you slowly ascend to the highland Savannah or Puna with a close-up view of Mt. Chachani and Misti and other surrounding volcanoes. On this high altitude desert, there is a chance to see small herds of vicuña, an endangered species of camelids and an impressive landscape with the back-drop of the Sabancaya Volcano. Descend into the upper Colca Canyon at Chivay and overnight in a small hostal (3-star) in the Colca Valley. In the afternoon you can visit the hot springs (BL)

Day 3: An early departure to Cruz del Condor, the viewpoint over the deepest part of this world-famous canyon will let you see Condors at their best as they leave their rocky sanctuary with the morning warm air currents, to slowly ascend over the horizon. After lunch, return to Arequipa. End services (BL)

Includes: airport transfers, 2 nights hotels, meals indicated (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner), city tour, bi-lingual guides, transportation and drivers, and entrance fees.

Not included: Internal flights or transportation to/from Arequipa, optional added day trips, tips for your guide and driver, meals not listed; entrance to the hot springs (about $3/person), personal expenses.

Tour departs: Every day

# Group 2 3 4-6 7-9 Join Group
Price per person $645 $520 $490 $435 **

**Groups from two to nine passengers will join with others to form a tour group. Groups from 10 to 15 persons will be in a private group.

Lake Titicaca and the Floating Isles- 3-days/2 nights from Lima, Arequipa or Cusco


Lake Titicaca is at 12,600 feet elevation

Uros floating island homes

Sillustani ruins and “chullpas” (burial towers)

Day 1: Transfer to the airport for your flight to Juliaca (Puno) where you are greeted and taken to your hotel in Puno. Enroute, we will visit the "Chullpas" (burial towers) of Sillustani enroute, located overlooking a small lake; afternoon free. Overnight at hotel in Puno (3-star).
 
Day 2: Full day visit by boat to Taquile island, box lunch included. On route we will see and experience the Titicaca National Reserve, a wetland area formed by the lake as the rainy season increases its level The island of Taquile, in the middle of Lake Titicaca, is a paradise of peace and beauty. Dedicated to agriculture and weaving, the isolation has allowed its inhabitants to maintain their traditions almost intact. Overnight at family home on Taquile (BLD) 

Day 3: Board boat for a visit to the floating islands of the Uros. Return to Puno late morning; transfer to airport for flight departure (B)

Includes: Airport/bus station transfers, 2 nights lodging (dbl occ), all meals listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner), bi-lingual guide, driver, ruins tour, boat ride and tour of islands.

Not included: Internal flights/buses, optional added day trips, tips for your guides and drivers, meals not listed, personal expenses.

Tour departs: Every day

Prices per person:

# Group 2 3 4-6 7-9 Join Group Single Supplement
3-star Hotel: $395 $385 $385 $295 n/a $45
5-star Hotel: $490 $480 $480 $385 n/a $135

[NOTE: It is also possible to tour both Taquile and Uros Islands on Day 2 and return for an overnight at the Puno hotel; you may then have a "free" Day 3 or travel by bus to Cusco, stopping at archeological sites enroute. Please let us know if you would like to make this itinerary adjustment.]

Amazon rainforest - 3-days/2-nights from Lima or Cusco


An Amazon rainforest river

The rainforest lodge

Motoring canoes in the Amazon rainforest

Day 1: Transfer to airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado in the rainforest of South eastern Peru. You will be greeted at airport and taken by canoe transport to your lodge. Activities included are: orientation talks on arrival, walks through trails in the forest led by naturalist guides, night time excursions on dug-out canoes, float rides to watch fauna on the shore line and in the canopy layers. Overnight at rainforest lodge. ll meals are included as well as transportation in vehicles and canoes. (BLD).

Day 2: Continued activities at rainforest lodge and vicinity (see Day 1) (BLD)

Day 3: Transfer to the Puerto Maldonado airport, flight to Cusco or Lima. End services (B).

Includes: airport transfers, 2 nights hotel (3-star), all meals listed (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner), guides and rainforest activities listed, transportation by boat/canoe.

Not included: flights to/from Puerto Maldonado (approximately US$150/person one way), tips for your guides, boat drivers and lodge staff, personal expenses

Tour departs: Every day

Prices from Lima:

# Group 2 3 4-6 7-9 Join Group
Price per person $335 $325 $310 $305 n/a

Prices from Cusco:

# Group 2 3 4-6 7-9 Join Group
Price per person $305 $305 $290 $290 n/a

[NOTE: There are also optional side trips to Manu National Park for 4 days/3 nights; the travel time is much greater and may or may not include a flight. Please let us know if you would like that itinerary and pricing.]