Peru

Cusco

The guided tour of Cusco will visit the Plaza de Armas (main square), the Cathedral, Koricancha (Inca Temple of the Sun) and nearby important Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, Q’enko, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

Venture down the famous Sacred Valley of the Incas which is located about 10 miles north of Cusco, and extends northwest through Pisaq and Ollantaytambo. Once the heart of the Inca civilization from the 14th to the 15th century, the Sacred Valley has numerous impressive ruins for you to admire during your tour.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is an architectural jewel. The beauty and misery of its walled ruins, once palaces of the finest Inca stonework are augmented even more by the lush, almost virginal landscape of the surroundings. Green jungle flora suffuses the abrupt topography. Orchids add a strange brilliance. The ruins blend harmoniously amid the narrow and uneven topography.

Machu Picchu sits nearly 8,000 feet above sea level, on top of a ridge between two peaks of different size. The smaller peak, called the “Huayna Picchu”, is one of the most recognizable parts of the ruins. With the passing of centuries, the ruins’ original name has been forgotten. The name “Machu Picchu” comes simply from its geography. It literally means “old peak”. With its discovery in 1911, Machu Picchu made its debut and an authentic archeological enigma. Its purpose continues to intrigue, with mysteries that perhaps will never fully be unraveled.

Lima

Francisco Pizarro founded Lima in 1535, which became a vice royal capital in the colonial times. These days, it is a modern and cosmopolitan city. We will visit the Paseo de la Republica, San Martin Square, Main Square, Government Palace, Cathedral Archbishop Palace, City Hall and some of the many old streets with colonial mansions and Moorish balconies. Time permitting; there will be a visit to San Francisco, the greatest monumental complex of colonial art in America. We will see its basilica with 21 altars, convent with Clementina and Capitular rooms, choir and monk’s library, and the Museo de Profundis.