Mysteries of Peru & Easter Islands Tour

As you arrive into Lima airport and exit customs and baggage, you will be warmly welcomed by our driver. You will be assisted with your luggage before driven to your hotel in a private vehicle. We recommend the 4 star Estelar. Free evening.

After breakfast, start your private visit of colonial and modern Lima, starting in the centre of this vibrant, metropolis. The tour will include a visit of the cathedral, dating from 1654 which still houses the remains of the conquistador Pizarro in the foyer; the Main Square, with the original bronze fountain built in 1650, the Government Palace where the President has his official residence and the San Francisco Convent, with its famous catacombs.
Lima, known as the city of the kings, was founded in 1535 by Pizarro and after several devastating earthquakes was rebuilt in 1991; the same year that UNESCO declared Lima a world heritage site. One of the very few South American cities that preserve the colonial past, Lima was home to the Spanish viceroy during the time of the Spanish colonial power. After lunch, transfer south to Paracas, passing through the desert coast. Overnight accommodation. We recommend the Aranwa.

After breakfast, drive to the airport to board the aircraft for the flight over the Nazca Lines. These enormous, ancient drawings of geometrical figures were carved into the desert sands of Nazca thousands of years ago and can now only be seen from the air in special touring aircraft. The markings were thought to be an ancient astronomical calendar but are now accepted as ancient offerings to the gods. Enjoy the tour over the desert before returning to Paracas. Please note the Air ticket for the Nazca fly-over tour lasts over 1 hour and 15 minutes. Fly-over tour includes commentary from the pilot/guide.
Return to Lima by private car in time for your late afternoon flight to Cusco.
In Cusco, you will be warmly welcomed and assisted with your luggage before your transfer to the hotel. We recommend the 3 star Ruinas hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel, start of a full-day's excursion to the beautiful Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, situated between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It is an exceptionally fertile valley that was and remains the larder of Cuzco. You will visit the village of Pisac, founded during colonial times, and set at the foot of a hill crowned by the remains of an ancient Inca city. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, you will witness Indians bartering their products in the main square and artisans from around the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions, jewellery, etc. After lunch, a visit to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca town that was not defeated by the Spanish with an opportunity to explore the ruins which tower above.

Today you will enjoy breakfast before transfer to the railway station for your Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes. The train will depart at 09.30am for the 1 ½ hour journey. Arrive to Aguas Calientes train station, gateway to the lost city of the Incas.
Check-in to your hotel, the Casa Andina Machu Picchu.
The short ride up to Machu Picchu will meander through breathtaking mountain scenery up to the ancient Inca citadel.
Shortly after, a guided tour of Machu Picchu, the most spectacular ancient city in the world. Built by the Inca Pachacutec, and comprising stone blocks fitted with masterful precision, Machu Picchu harmoniously blends into the mountain landscape. There are many theories as to the origins behind Machu Picchu but three of the most popular ideas include a temple to the sun, a fortress against the jungle inhabitants or a sanctuary for the Incas. This fabulous city has houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square, all connected by narrow roads and steps, and is surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side which were used for agriculture. Overnight accommodation in Aguas Calientes.

Today you will enjoy a free day in Machu Picchu with an opportunity to see the site at sunrise. Today no guide is provided as we feel that Machu Picchu requires a certain amount of self discovery to be fully understood. Return train back to Cusco and transfer to your hotel, the Ruinas.

Free morning. In the early afternoon, you will be met for a private tour of Cuzco including the Qoricancha temple or temple of the Sun, the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman overlooking Cuzco city, Qenko, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara. Return to the hotel in the evening.

Today is a full day and quite challenging. We will pick you up early from your hotel and set out on a drive through the South Valley. The drive to the trailhead at Quesiuno (4,326 m / 14,189 ft) is 3 hours long. Once we reach the Inkintuyoc bridge, we will have breakfast. We then start off on our hike, following a lovely stream with horses as backup transport. You will be immediately surprised by literally herds of alpacas and llamas. We will have consistent views of the Ausangate Mountain. We will hike through villages and interact with the local residents. We will stop for a box lunch along the trail. Back on the trail, you will encounter more of the traditional elements of this trek. This includes potato fields and unique fauna. We have the prospect of seeing chinchillas and vicunas. Vicunas are the only non-domesticated animal of the llama family in Peru. Many red mountains are also a highlight of this portion of the hike. After a total hike of approximately 5 hours, we finally reach our destination, what we came to see the Rainbow Mountains (5,020 m / 16,466 ft). After getting over its beauty, you will have time to explore the area. You will have time to take pictures and enjoy the setting. We will spend approximately 30 minutes at the top. We then hike downhill the way we came. The hike will take 4 to 5 hours. A private van will be waiting for you when we return. We will embark on the 3 hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel. Approximate arrival time is between 8 and 9 PM.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight back to Lima in time for your flight to Santiago de Chile. Reception and transfer to your hotel, Pullman El Bosque.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the 09.35AM for the nonstop flight to Rapa Nui, otherwise known as the Easter Islands. The flight will take approximately 5 hours. Arrival, traditional welcome and transfer to your hotel, Hotel Vai Moana in a Harevaka room. Rapa Nui is the most isolated, inhabited island in the world.
Located 2000 miles (3200 km) west of Chile and over 4000 km from Tahiti, it was discovered by the Dutch in 1772, Admiral Jacob Roggeween landed there on Easter Sunday and gave the island its present name. He was the first European to describe the unusual statues carved from the volcanic rock from Rano Raraku. Standing as tall as 18 ft (5.5 m) and weighing up to 100 tons, the statues are known as moai, and each are supposed representations of clan chieftains. These moais, were placed on top of platforms called ahu, which in turn served as a family burial vault.

After breakfast, a full day's group tour (7.5 Hours).
The first stop it will be in the south coast, where you will visit the ruins of the temple of Vaihu, this platform next to the attractive fishing bay of Hanga Te'é holds 8 moai, each with its red headdress. The moai now lie face down, just as they stood when they were knocked down. Next, you will meet Ahu Akahanga, an archaeological site with remains of platforms where, according to oral tradition, the first king of the island Hotu Matua was buried. After that, we will go to the Rano Raraku Volcano, also known as the quarry, or the "factory of the moai", here you can see almost 400 statues in different stages of carving, with different characteristics and states of conservation. From here, we will visit Ahu Tongariki, the most extensive platform and with the largest amount of restored moai in the whole island, one of the unmissable postcards of your trip to the navel of the world. Next, we will move to Te Pito Kura, where you will find a rock with magnetic properties that would have been brought by the first King from Hiva, the mythical Polynesian island from which the first settlers came and is therefore full of mana (energy), near there is also the Paro moai, the largest moai ever transported from Rano Raraku and erected on a platform, it measures 10 meters (32.8 feet) and weighs 70 tons approx. And last but not least visit the beach of Anakena a paradisiacal beach with white and fine coral sand and crystalline turquoise sea, near the beach you will meet the Ahu Ature Huki which is the first moai statue raised on the island in modern times and the Ahu Nau Nau an imposing platform with seven moais, is one of the island's best-preserved platforms. Once finished the tour we will return to the hotel.

Today, a half day's excursion in Orongo - (3.5 Hours).
We will drive up the extinct Rano Kau, the largest volcano, from where you will appreciate one of the most majestic views of the whole island. Afterwards, we will go to the ceremonial village of Orongo, where the birdman competition took place and you can see the spectacular petroglyphs related to this culture and enjoy the breathtaking view towards the 3 islets Motu Nui, Motu Iti and Motu Kao Kao opposite the coast. We continue our journey towards the sector of Vinapu where you can appreciate the development of carving techniques for the construction of platforms on Easter Island. In the last stop, we will visit the cave of Ana Kai Tangata, where you will appreciate the wall of the cave bottom, which reveals the remains of several paintings of native birds. The figures are painted with natural pigments of earth and animal fat, which in theory made them much more durable. Return to hotel.

Today, a half day's excursion in Akivi (3.5 Hours).
After hotel pickup travel south with your guide into the park to visit the Tahai with its three ahu or ceremonial platforms located on the small rocky cliff that rises above the sea. The altars form a visual line that stars in this magnificent setting. If you look straight at the platforms, the first group on the left with five restored moai are a sample of the different styles is the Ahu Vai Uri, the next one is the Ahu Tahai, a single solitary moai about 4.5 meters high (14.7 feet) raised on the oldest platform of the complex built around 700 AD. And the last one, the Ahu Ko Te Riku, is a single statue wearing a pukao or headdress, this is the only moai that has eyes of the whole island. After that we will continue to Ahu Akivi the most important and elaborate platform, it has seven moai that it is said, are the only statues that look at the sea of the whole island, since the rest turns their back on the ocean. The last stop before return to the Hotel is Puna Pau volcano where the red pukao, or headdress, were extracted and carved.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return nonstop flight back to Santiago arriving back in the evening in time for your connecting flight home or overnight at the Hotel Holiday Inn Santiago Airport Terminal.

End of our services.