Hotel Marqueses

Calle Garcilaso N° 256,

Cuzco, Peru

Ph:   +51 84 264249

Cuzco. Today we include a free arrival transfer from the airport to our Joining Hotel in Cuzco.  The day is then yours, free to explore and acclimatise.  You will meet your tour leader and fellow travellers at 5.30pm tonight for a pre departure meeting.

Cuzco was the capital of the Inca Empire. The word Cuzco actually derives from the word Qosqo (from the Inca language of Quechua), which means Navel of the World, for this city was the hub of a network extending to each of the 4 regions which formed the 4 parts of the world according to the Incas world view. This is where the Inca Emperors held their throne during the period of the Inca Empire in the 15^th and early 16^th centuries. The city has abundant historical buildings, and still has original Inca-built walls, as well as many colonial churches and houses. Cuzco has some stunning attractions. Take a look at the magnificent Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral is on one side and the La Compania de Jesus on the other. And there are many ancient Inca sites to visit in and around Cuzco. Most notable are those of Koricancha and Sacsayhuaman. Koricancha, or place of gold, was the Incas principal religious building, dedicated to the worship of the sun. Sacsayhuaman is situated on the outskirts of Cuzco overlooking the city. This spectacular fortress guarded the Inca Capital. The ruins are renowned for their enormous carved stones joined together with incredible precision.

Cuzco has some great markets for souvenir hunting – good buys are jewellery, ceramics, and woodcarving, which you can get from workshops that are open to the public. And while you’re here you can eat to your hearts content for the trek ahead. Cuzco has lots of great restaurants and bars. Peruvian food is good and hearty, featuring tamales filled with cheese or meat, soups and stews, kebabs and peppers - don't forget to try the guinea pig!

There is an optional dinner (paid locally) in the plaza tonight followed by a cultural dance night for anyone interested.  We will transfer you to the venue where you will be presented with a display of dances in typical costumes  accompanied by local music.

Sacred Valley.  At approximately 9am you will be transfered from your hotel for the Sacred Valley Tour.  We travel up over the mountains and then we drop 1500 feet to the valley floor, Sacred Urubamba river and the village of Pisac where you will have a chance to buy some great souvenirs at a traditional market.  We then drive up to the extensive ruins of Pisac which has stunning views over the valley.  For those who would prefer instead to spend more time in the market, this can be arranged.

We continue on through Urubamba and then a further 30 minutes onto Ollantaytambo where we will have lunch.  After lunch we will once again discover the magnificence of the Incas constructions, the beauty of the local people in their traditional dress and be surrounded by the sacred mountains.

Tonight we stay at a Hostal in Ollantaytambo. 

Breakfast and lunch are included.

Machu Picchu. An early breakfast today prior to taking the first bus journey at approximately 6.15am (which will take approx 30 mins)  up to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Included is a Guided Tour of Machu Picchu which will be about 2-3 hrs and then you will have 3 hrs extra free time to explore.  Imagine what it was like for the explorer Hiram Bingham who discovered this long-lost city back in 1911 and gave the world one of its most breathtaking ancient sites. The city, with its temples stairways and gabled dwellings is probably one of the most astounding engineering feats of the whole of the Ancient American civilizations. What you see is never to be forgotten - but have your camera ready as well, just for the record.  If you’re still feeling energetic you can climb the nearby Huayna Picchu Mountain and get some more great views of the city and some great pictures as well!  You can walk down the Inca steps through low jungle back to Aguas Calientes - this will take you about 45mins to an hour. Alternatively there is a bus which you can catch (bus tiket not included) back to Aguas Calientes. 

There are plenty of restaurants in Aguas Calientes where you can eat, prior to returning by tourist train to Ollantaytambo at approx 4.20pm and then connecting with a bus to travel back to Cusco.  We will arrive at approximately 8.30pm to our hotel.

Breakfast included.

Lake Titicaca. This morning we transfer from our hotel to the port where we board a motorboat and travel out on Lake Titicaca to the the Uros Islands where we visit the local people who live on the floating reed islands some only 20 metres in length. 

From there we travel across the lake to Amantani Island where the Ayamara Indians live. Here we spend the night with a friendly local family, and get to know about how they live -a very different life from our own. In the early evening we climb to the top of the island for spectacular views of the sunset around Lake Titicaca. That night after dinner your family will dress you up in traditional costumes and take you dancing. Dance the night away to traditional music and learn some of the local dance moves.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. 

Puno to Cuzco. After breakfast we transport you from our Puno Hotel to Juliaca Airport (approx 45 minutes) where we board a flight to Cuzco  for the last night of your tour and some more free time to buy those last souvenirs.

Breakfast included.

Please Note: Clients can choose to fly back directly back to Lima today.  A supplement will apply and will be advised on request. The tour will end on arrival back into Lima if taking this option.

Hotel Marqueses

Calle Garcilaso N° 256,

Cuzco, Peru

Ph:   +51 84 264249

The Pre-Departure meeting is held at 5.30pm on day 1 of your tour. The pre-departure meeting is held to discuss the tour itinerary in more detail, meet your crew and fellow passengers.

In addition the crew will check that all passengers have the necessary travel documents, insurance and immunization certificates for the tour. It is IMPORTANT that you attend this meeting. Please advise TRAVEL AMAZING SOUTH AMERICA if you CANNOT attend this meeting.

All passengers MUST bring:
1. Passport.
2. Vaccination Certificate.
3. Travel Voucher.
4. Travel Insurance Policy.

Your passport is a valuable document and you should exercise extreme care in keeping it safe. We recommend that you keep your passport on you at all times, preferably in a money belt that is worn under your clothing. It must be valid for at least six months after the end of your tour and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. We advise that you take copies of relevant pages in your passport and any visas that you may purchase in case of loss or damage. Your tour leader will require your passport details at the pre-departure meeting. Again, we recommend that you have a photocopy of all passport details, kept separate.

PLEASE NOTE IF YOUR TOUR INCLUDES THE INCA TRAIL, WE MUST HAVE YOUR FULL NAME, PASSPORT DETAILS AND DATE OF BIRTH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO SECURE YOUR TREKKING PERMIT. ALL PERMITS ARE SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY.

Vaccinations:
It is necessary to obtain an International Certificate of Vaccination before travelling. This is a record of your injections and should be issued with your first inoculation. Make sure that after each injection your certificate is dated, signed and stamped.

Compulsory Inoculations:
Yellow Fever for Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru but only if arriving from an infected area.

Please refer to the Yellow Fever information under the Latest News section on our website. Yellow Fever vaccination is now recommended for parts of Argentina, Bolivia (if arriving from Paraguay or Brazil) and parts of Brazil. We srongly recommend that you consult your GP or Travel Clinic at least several weeks prior to departure to check current Yellow Fever vaccination requirements. Your Yellow Fever vaccination certificate should be carried with you at all times.

Recommended inoculations:
Yellow fever, hepatitis A, diphtheria, typhoid, tetanus and polio.

We also recommend:
- A dental check-up prior to travelling.
- That you know your blood group in case of emergency.
- That if you have any pre-existing medical conditions which might affect you on tour, you make these known to your tour leader and your Travel Amazing South America at the time of your booking.

Medical Supplies:

We advise that all passengers bring along their own personal first aid kit.  Below is a list of some recommended items:
Band Aids/Bandages, Laxatives, Upset stomach remedy, Anti-diarrhoea remedy, Panadol/Aspirin, Rehydration remedy, Antiseptic cream/powder, Sterile dressing, Any relevant course of medication such as contraceptive pills.
A complete Travellers Medical Pack can be purchased for approximately US$25 at most Vaccination Centres, Chemists and outdoor travel shops.

Travel Tip: Always bring a lightweight, waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella even during the height of summer - this should prepare you for anything!

You might like to read up on the destinations that you are about to visit as these cities all have interesting sites and histories. We recommend a variety of guidebooks such as Lonely Planet, The Rough Guide and Insight Guides. All these publications have good general information as well as more specific country information that will help orientate you in the countries you visit.

Please use your discretion and be sensitive to cultural differences in the countries that you visit, in particular visits to religious buildings and when taking photographs. Your Tour Leader will advise you of any specific customs to observe.

We suggest that you take into account the time of year you will be travelling, and pack accordingly to the season. Quick drying clothes are recommended, and at many hotels there are laundry facilities. Your tour leader will advise where this is possible.

Personal Effects:
Camera & film, Spare passport photos, Water bottle, Money belt, Sewing kit, Sunhat/Sunglasses, Music cassettes /CDs, Books, Wet Ones, Soap to wash clothes, Writing materials, Swiss Army knife, Calculator, Personal toiletries, including tampons, Contraceptives, Insect Repellent, Sunscreen.

NOTE: If you wear glasses, it is advisable to bring a spare pair since opticians are uncommon. If you wear contact lenses you may find that climatic changes and dust can create visual irritation, therefore, it is advisable to bring a pair of glasses.

Spanish is the language most widely spoken in the countries we visit in Latin America but English will be spoken in the larger cities. You might like to take the time before your trip to read up on the country you will be visiting and perhaps learn a few words of the language. Your effort will always be welcomed and will make your trip all the more enjoyable.

Local Restaurants - Latin American food is delicious, nutritious and varied and local restaurants provide an important insight into local ways of life. There is always an excellent range of restaurants to choose from. An evening meal can range from US$5 up to US$20. Most travellers spend an average of US$5 to US$15 plus drinks. Local alcoholic drinks are generally inexpensive even in restaurants and bars.

Vegetarians are easily catered for.

All our tours begin with a pre-departure meeting when you meet your tour leader and fellow travellers. If you wish to spend a few additional days in your start city before the departure of your tour, then we can arrange accommodation for you. On the last day of the tour we usually arrive at our final destination in the late afternoon, when the tour ends. If you would like to book accommodation for that night or even stay additional nights, we will be more than happy to arrange this for you as well. All our accommodation is carefully chosen, conveniently located, clean and comfortable. (All rates per person per night and subject to availability).

Whilst on tour you will probably want to stay in touch with family and friends. There are several ways of doing this:

Mobile Phone – Before departing your home country check with your phone supplier to see if it compatible with the mobile phone networks in the countries that you are traveling to, and how much will it cost to use abroad. You can opt to use an International SIM Card.

Email – Internet Cafes are very cheap and popular, and you are sure to come across several during your tour. If you haven’t done so already, set up a free Google Mail, Hotmail, or Yahoo email account which you can then access from any computer. Internet Cafes will charge a nominal fee for using their computers.

Blog – You can keep your friends and family updated by blogging about your adventures.

Postcards – The good ol’ fashioned postcard. But you will probably get home before the postcard does!