What’s included in the trip Inca Tour: “Inca Heartland”

• Private airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip
• Southern Crossings bilingual guides
• All other internal transport – (excluding transport to optional restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)
• Domestic flights – Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
• Seven nights of 3-star hotel accommodation
• Breakfast – included with all hotel stays
• Private Machu Picchu excursion – including bilingual guide (one day), round trip Vistadome or Executive train fare, transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and two-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary including Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
• Private Sacred Valley excursion including entrance fees, private vehicle, driver and professional guide
• Private Cuzco city tour including entrance fees, private vehicle, driver and professional guide
• Private Lima city tour including entrance fees, private vehicle, driver and professional guide
• Cuzco Visitor’s Ticket – which gives entrance to the major ruins, churches and museums in and around Cuzco
• 24-hour customer support line while on tour

What’s not included

International flight to/from Lima, pre- & post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature. Medical travel insurance is not included through Southern Crossings, cancellation insurance is advisable.

Detailed trip itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive Lima. City tour today or upon your return.

Arrive in Lima anytime today and private transfer to your hotel. If arriving during the day, your hotel will be in the neighborhood of Miraflores, with good artisan markets and restaurants, and you’ll have an included city tour in the afternoon. The city tour lets you explore the wonders of the colonial capital.  You’ll visit the famous Plaza de Armas, as well as the impressive Cathedral in the Plaza and the beautiful San Francisco church. You also get a chance to take in some beautiful views of the coast at Parque de Amor.

Lima City Tour – Option 2: Larco Museum & Huaca Pucllana (upon request). Let us know if you would prefer this tour over the Cathedral Tour (or both for an extra fee). We could also plan a tour of the Huaca Pucllana at night if you have time in Lima. The site is lit up until midnight and looks amazing!

The Larco Museum is housed in an 18th century viceroyalty-era mansion. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, the Larco Museum is a stimulating and inspiring space in which visitors can enjoy and learn more about the fascinating history of ancient Peru. The cultures gallery provides a clear and captivating narrative account of more than 5000 years of pre-Columbian Peruvian history. Visiting the Larco Museum with their more than 45,000 meticulously catalogued archaeological objects, is a unique experience.

The Archaeological Complex “Huaca Pucllana” was an administrative and ceremonial center of the Lima Culture, a society that developed at the Peruvian Central Coast between 200 AD and 700 AD. Located in today’s district of Miraflores, the “Huaca Pucllana” was built around 500 AD. “Pucllana” is one of the most important ancient monuments in Lima. Based on the “Huaca Pucllana” architecture and found objects, it is believed that the complex was the heart of development of the “Lima Culture” and served as a ceremonial and administrative center.

If arriving late at night, you’ll be close to the airport for a bit more sleep before your next day’s flight, and you’ll have your city tour of Lima upon your return.

Day 2 – Flight to Cuzco. City and ruins tour.

A short flight brings us to the famous Inca city of Cuzco. After checking into your hotel, we’ll visit the imposing fortress of Sacsayhuaman, where we can marvel at the incredible stonework and architecture of the Inca civilization, and then do a Cuzco city walking tour. Over the course of today and your free day tomorrow, we’ll set out to explore the incredible capital of the Inca Empire on this unique Inca tour. In Cuzco, we head to the picturesque Plaza de Armas to the cathedral to see the colonial influence in the city, and we can admire the stunning architecture of the church and also the native influences subtly woven in into the artwork. Onwards to Coricancha church, where the colonial and Incan architectures are on display side-by-side directly contrasted with each other. Afterwards we make our way above the city to retrace the steps of the conquistador Pizarro and the Inca rebellion that almost retook Cuzco, take walks to little known Inca sites above town, and generally take in the splendor and beauty of this fascinating region. Overnight in Cuzco.

Day 3 – Free day in Cuzco.

Free day to explore on your own in Cuzco or add an extra activity on this day of your Inca tour in Peru. We have many options – just ask!  Overnight in Cuzco.

Day 4 – Sacred Valley excursion.

This morning we’re off to the Sacred Valley, a short and scenic ride from Cuzco. Fifteen hundred feet lower than Cusco, the warm and fertile Sacred Valley was of immense strategic and agricultural importance to the Incas. We’ll visit two sites today: Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Pisac is a beautiful Andean town with a great handicrafts market. After shopping and bargaining for Andean goods, we’ll head up to the imposing Inca fortress/temple above the town. Then in the early afternoon, we’ll head down the valley to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca village still inhabited today. Peer through ancient, trapezoidal doorways into courtyards where life has changed little in 500 years, then explore the huge ruins which loom above the town. Overnight in Ollantaytambo.