Dynamic South America Tour Through Machu Picchu, Cuzco, and Lake Titicaca
Named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, the ruins of Machu Picchu are a masterpiece of Incan architecture, marked by giant walls, terraces, and stairways carved into the granite mountainside on the eastern slopes of the Andes. This 12-day tour of Bolivia and Peru from Valencia Travel Cusco culminates in a sunrise walking tour of Machu Picchu; before that, you’ll make visits to Lake Titicaca, with its collection of floating islands, as well as various ancient South American sites.
The package includes roundtrip airfare from Miami International Airport (MIA) on LAN Airlines, accommodations, guided tours, and daily breakfast. Click here for a full itinerary.
Days 1–6: Peru
After arriving in the capital city of Lima, you’ll take a guided tour that explores many of the city’s historical and archeological sites, including the Monastery of San Francisco, a 17th-century church with an expansive system of catacombs.
On the last leg of your Peruvian tour, you’ll make the drive to Puno, a city on the banks of Lake Titicaca, famous for its floating islands. You’ll spend a day exploring these centuries-old islands, which were constructed from bundles of dried reeds and are still occupied today.
Days 7–9: Bolivia
Once you cross the border into Bolivia, you’ll see Copacabana, a town famous for its unparalleled views of Lake Titicaca. As Lonely Planet asserts, "Lake Titicaca is much more good-looking on the Bolivian side."
Near the southern edge of Lake Titicaca is Isla del Sol, revered as the sun's birthplace, according to ancient Incan lore. Here, you'll visit the ruins of Pilko Kaina, which has a natural spring that is said to restore youth.
Around Cuzco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former Incan capital, you'll stop off at several religious landmarks. Among these is the Temple of Wiracocha in Raqchi. Massive stone columns gird this 300-foot-long Incan temple, an imposing monument of stonework and adobe. You'll want to have a camera handy midway between Bolivia and Peru at La Raya. Alpaca and llamas often roam the landscape, which is more than 14,000 feet above sea level amid seemingly endless views of the Andes.
Days 10–12: Machu Picchu
Your trip wraps up with a sunrise tour of Machu Picchu, about 8,000 feet above sea level. Built for the Incan emperor Pachacuti around the 15th century, the palace complex has beautiful backdrop of mountainous tropical forests. After seeing the ancient city at dawn, you'll take a walking tour of the site’s stone terraces and rock-cut walls.