The 12-Day Peru Express Tour

Lima

Lima is Peru's capital and where most people fly on a visit to Peru. It is proud of its diverse infrastructure and sites, which are the main tourist attractions in Peru. It is one of the largest urban areas in South America and has the second-largest desert after Egypt. Apart from this, the city has a lot to offer in terms of cultural diversity and a friendly atmosphere with friendly people. Lima, Peru, is a top-rated culinary destination in Latin America and globally. Lima has been voted the best city for culinary excellence worldwide for eight years. Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian dish made famous in this city. Lima is also home to some of the best museums in the country, with many others. The Museo Larco exhibits sensual ceramics, while the Museo de la Nacion displays disturbing images from violent wars in Peru´s history.

 

Lima

Ccaccaccollo Community Visit

Ccaccaccollo is an Indigenous community in the Andean area of Cusco, Perú. It is inhabited primarily by 140 Quechua-speaking families. Despite the proximity to Cusco and Machu Picchu and the thousands of tourists that visit these sites each year, very few communities from the surrounding countryside benefit directly from tourism. The Ccaccaccollo community maintains a traditional way of life, and many work in agriculture. Like many communities worldwide, women are frequently excluded from educational and economic opportunities.  The Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-op has contributed to their family's income. The women who have been with the project since the beginning report that all their children study at university. Those involved in the cooperative are the first generation to be completely literate in Spanish. Today, the community uses tourism to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources and express, share, develop, and pursue their traditions.

 

Potato Park and Sacred Valley

The lower elevation of The Sacred Valley compared to Cusco, the uplifting presence of giant peaks, or the easily conjured image of an Incan entourage tracing a path by the Urubamba River, but the Sacred Valley of the Incas is exceptional. When not delving into nature, you can learn fascinating Inca facts and dive into the Andean lifestyle. Spend some time learning about what role textiles are believed to have played in Andean culture, partake in a traditional earth oven meal, or explore one of the many ruins dotting the Incan land. Through any of these experiences, you’ll have a chance to meet the local people (and the local llamas) of the traditional villages and open your eyes to a truly enchanting world.

In the mountains above the Sacred Valley of Peru lies an expansive territory known as the Potato Park, where communities continue to practice traditional agricultural methods. The Potato Park is a bio-cultural reserve above the Sacred Valley of The Incas. Though it has a strange name, it is a great place to visit for those interested in learning about Andean traditions. More than 6,000 people live within the park's boundaries, between twelve different communities. Though some communities are more traditional than others, almost everybody in this territory is a subsistence farmer, living in the same ways as their ancestors.

 

Potato Park

Pisac

Pisac is known for its ruins and market. The road from Cusco to Pisac leads through a mountain pass and drops down into the Sacred Valley. Popular market days in Pisac make the town an obligatory stop. Every Sunday and Thursday, residents from the highland communities sell Andean crafts and freshly grown fruits and vegetables in the central plaza. Keep an eye out for handmade textiles made with natural dyes and one-of-a-kind artisanal pieces. Local tourist-oriented vendors display colorful sweaters and hats made of alpaca wool, silver and stone-embellished jewelry, and ceramic goods.

 

Pisac Terraces

 

Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo is a small town with huge attractions. The well-preserved Inca Fortress at Ollantaytambo is built on the slopes of a narrow mountainside. Stone steps up a terraced-laced hillside lead to the impressive main complex. The panoramic views at the top are a sight to behold. Wander around the temples and ancient buildings of Ollantaytambo and appreciate the surrounding Andean panoramas, which are just as stunning as the Inca architecture of the archaeological site. 

Machu Picchu citadel

This citadel in the clouds was never discovered by the Spanish invaders, who never found Machu Picchu. A hidden city protected by the mountains and still wonderfully inaccessible other than by foot or train, Machu Picchu is now a New Seven Wonders of the World. Its buildings, temples, palaces, and houses are all in a remarkable state of preservation. As well as being a great Inca archaeological site, the views over the valley and the roar and churn of the Urubamba River 500m. below all combine to make Machu Picchu one heck of a destination. A protective wall of mountains surrounds Machu Picchu and fades in and out of view as the mist falls and lifts. You have the distinct feeling of being high up in the world and part of a very well-kept secret, offering even more mystery to this great site.

 

Machu Picchu

Cusco

Cusco is located in the Andean mountain range, and The Incas referred to Cusco as the “bellybutton of the world.”  Above, the city appears carved out like a bowl among the surrounding mountains. The mountain landscape and impressive Inca and colonial structures make Cusco a beautiful tourist destination. Cusco is known as the archaeological capital of the Americas and is home to a colorful history that included the rise and fall of the Inca Empire, followed by the invasion of Spanish conquistadors in the early 1500s. Today, remnants of both eras share the narrow city streets, from centuries-old baroque cathedrals to exquisite stone masonry, creating a rare collision of Andean and Spanish styles that makes Cusco like no other place on earth.

Puno

Travel along the Route of The Sun from Cusco to Puno, visiting four exciting sites along the way. The  Chapel of Andahuaylillas, dating from the 17th century, is also known as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes for the beauty of its murals; Andahuaylillas is famous for its works in gold leaf and the paintings of the Cusco school that it houses in its inside. Next is the Raqchi Archaeological Complex, also known as the Temple of the god Wiracocha, who was the supreme Inca deity; we will find Colcas or Andean granaries, and we will also see magnificent stone and adobe buildings. El Paso de la Raya is the border between the cities of Cusco and Puno at more than 4,338 meters elevation, where the famous Nevado de Chimboya is located; from this place, you can take pictures of the landscape. Finally, The Lithic Museum of Pucará is a culture that developed from 1,600 BC to 400 AD and is located 106 km. Northeast of the city of Puno. On this tour, the Pucará museum will be able to find ceramics and sculptures that represent zoomorphic figures, among them the famous Hatunñaqac Sculpture.

 

Racchi

Uros and Taquile

An excellent reason for getting out to the reed Islands and Taquile Island is that it allows you to experience Lake Titicaca's magic and desolate beauty, the world's highest-elevation commercially navigable lake. Admiring the scenery around you, breathing the clean air, and marveling at the magnificent greenish-blue colors of the lake will give you a new perspective on this region and the body of water that has played such a key role in its history. The Uros people harvested the reeds from the lake, bundled them together tightly, and built floating island platforms complete with reed houses and canoes, creating in this way their little world. On the islands, we will learn with our local guide about the lifestyle and customs. "Taquile Island" is a traditional Quechua-speaking community full of ancient agricultural terraces. The weaving tradition of the Taquile Island goes back to early civilizations; thus keeps elements from pre-Inca Andean cultures alive in the present. When we reach the shores of Taquile Island, we will have to walk up along a narrow path, enjoying on the way impressive views of Lake Titicaca and seeing gorgeous, tiny houses inhabited by the direct descendants of the Inca Culture.

 

Uros Floating Islands

 

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