Tailor-made trip "Unusual Peru"

In the morning, transfer to the port of Callao where you board a boat to the Palomino Islands, home to a population of several thousand sea lions and numerous seabirds (pelicans, boobies, terns, Humboldt penguins...). You can swim among the sea lions (with a wetsuit, as the Pacific waters are cool in Peru), an unforgettable experience. Return to port in the early afternoon. Return to your hotel in Lima in the afternoon, with the rest of the day free. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, flight to Arequipa where you check in at the Hotel Casa Andina Classic. Nicknamed the white city, Arequipa is Peru's second-largest city. It is a colonial city at moderate altitude that enjoys sunny weather almost all year round. A pleasant stop on your trip. In the afternoon, you will take a guided tour of the city, from the Carmen Alto viewpoint, which offers a view over the surrounding volcanoes, to the historic center, passing through the colonial district of Yanahuara. In the center, you will visit in particular the Santa Catalina convent, one of the most beautiful religious buildings in Peru. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure in the morning towards the Majes valley. Along the way you will discover the unusual landscapes of Peru's coastal desert and its oasis valleys. After about two and a half hours of travel, the desert plateau suddenly opens onto the immense Majes valley, nearly 1000 meters deep. Visit the archaeological site of Toro Muerto, where thousands of figures have been carved into the rock since pre-Hispanic times. In the afternoon, you can take part in optional activities such as going to the natural pools of Chancharay, taking a walk in the valley on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback, or rafting down the river. An excellent way to discover the rural life of this valley, far from traditional tourist routes. Overnight in a pleasant and comfortable rural guesthouse.

In the morning, you can take part in the activities already mentioned for the previous day. In the afternoon, visit the paleontological site of the Querullpa dinosaur tracks and cave paintings, as well as a bodega where pisco, Peru's national spirit, is distilled. Return to Arequipa in the late afternoon. Overnight at the Hotel Casa Andina Classic.

What could be more enjoyable on a trip than discovering local cuisine? And better still, learning how to prepare the dishes. At the Arthur restaurant, you will learn how to make two emblematic dishes of Peruvian cuisine: fish ceviche and "lomo saltado". You will then enjoy the dishes you have prepared. Free afternoon to enjoy the charm ofArequipa. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, departure by tourist bus between 7:30 and 8:00 for the Colca canyon. Along the way, you will make stops to observe the wildlife of the altiplano, which lives at 4000 meters of altitude and above: mainly llamas, vicuñas and alpacas. You will then pass through the highest point of your trip to Peru, at 4900 meters, higher than Mont Blanc, before descending into the Colca valley. Arrival in the village of Coporaque, introduction to your host family and check-in. After lunch, your family will show you around the village and surroundings and offer you various activities. Dinner and overnight with the host family.

Early in the morning, departure by vehicle along a road that offers some magnificent views over the Colca valley, which gradually deepens into a true canyon over 1000 meters deep. This is where you can observe the condors that nest in the cliffs and fly over the valley in the morning, to the delight of visitors. In the afternoon, you will continue your journey across the altiplano to the city of Puno, where you will arrive in the late afternoon. Puno lies on the shore of the immense lac Titicaca, which stretches between Peru and Bolivia. At 3800 meters of altitude, it is the highest stopover town on your trip through Peru. Overnight at the Hotel Hacienda Plaza.

Today, you will cross a large part of the immense lac Titicaca and experience an immersive homestay, meeting rural Peru. In the morning, transfer from the hotel to the port and departure by boat on Lake Titicaca. After a visit to the Uros floating islands, you continue your crossing of the lake to Amantani island. Check-in with your host family, then climb up to the ruins at the top of the island, from where you will watch the sunset over the lake, one of the most beautiful landscapes of your trip to Peru. Dinner and overnight with the host family (basic comfort, no running water).

You board your boat again in the morning for Taquile island, where the population still lives according to ancestral community customs and laws typical of the Andean Peru. You walk up to the village, located at the top of the island, from where you can admire the splendid panorama over lac Titicaca and over the Royal Cordillera in Bolivia. In the afternoon, you go back down the 540 steps to the port and cross the lake again to Puno, where you arrive in the afternoon. Transfer and overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, departure by private vehicle through the landscapes of the Peruvian altiplano. Possibility of a half-hour detour to visit the archaeological site of the Sillustani funerary towers or "chullpas". Check-in at Tambo Queque Norte, a traditional hacienda located on the altiplano at 4100 meters of altitude, at the foot of Nevado Kunurana. You can use the afternoon to visit the hacienda's livestock and cheese production and stroll through the surrounding nature. It is also possible to go horseback riding for a small extra charge (see on site). Dinner and overnight at the hacienda (simple "homestay" comfort, shared bathroom).

Departure in the morning by private vehicle towards Cusco. You pass through the La Raya pass at 4375 meters, which marks the end of the altiplano and the beginning of the Vilcanota valley, where Inca civilization developed. Possibility of stops along the way, notably to visit the Inca temple of Raqchi and the village of Andahuaylillas with its surprising church. Arrival in Cuzco, capital of the Inca empire, in the afternoon. Transfer and overnight at the Hotel San Agustin Internacional, located in the historic heart of the city.

Morning dedicated to discovering the Inca ruins overlooking Cusco. Transfer by private vehicle to the Inca archaeological site of Tambomachay. After visiting the site, you will begin your hike through the Cusco countryside, passing through the Inca sites of PukaPukara and Kenko, ending at Sacsayhuaman, an impressive Inca fortress made of enormous stone blocks arranged with incredible precision. You walk back down to Cusco through its steep little streets. This hike covers 6 kilometers, downhill and on flat terrain, easy level. It is an original and enjoyable way to visit the 4 Inca ruins around Cusco.

In the afternoon, visit the cocoa and chocolate museum "ChocoMuseo" located right in the center of Cuzco, where you will take part in a workshop during which you will make your own chocolate bar from local cacao. Overnight at the hotel.

Your Unusual Peru trip continues with a day in the great outdoors, as you take a hike between two of the most interesting sites in the sacred valley. In the morning, you leave by private vehicle with your guide towards the Inca terraces of the Moray amphitheaters, the starting point of your hike. You continue towards the Maras salt pans, an unexpected landscape of thousands of salt pools, worked by hand since pre-Columbian times and still today. From there, you will descend towards the village of Pichingoto where you will cross the Urubamba river in the sacred valley. Overnight at the Hotel Samanapaq, in the village of Ollantaytambo.

Easy hike (about 3 hours of walking), downhill and on flat terrain.

Very early in the morning, we will take the train and follow the Urubamba river to the village of Machu Picchu (or Aguas Calientes, its former name). From there, we will go up by bus to Machu Picchu itself. The jewel of the Incas is certainly the highlight of any trip to Peru and lives up to its reputation as a wonder of the world. You can discover, freely or accompanied by a guide, every facet of this splendid site, and take the train back to the sacred valley in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel in Ollantaytambo.

Your trip to Peru is drawing to a close, but there are still a few extraordinary places to discover. From the morning, you will visit the impressive Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo and its temple of the sun. You will then head back up the sacred valley to Pisac, a village famous for its craft market where you can stroll and perhaps pick up some souvenirs. You will also visit the Inca city of Pisac, one of the most extensive in Peru, which overlooks the valley from several hundred meters up. Return to Cuzco in the late afternoon and overnight at the hotel.

Last day of your trip, a free day to enjoy the charm of the city of Cuzco and say your goodbyes to Peru. Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to the airport in Cuzco. Flight to Lima and the end of your Unusual Peru trip. Connection with your international return flight.