Peru Trip with Rainbow Mountain - 10 days

Arrival in Lima at 4:00 am. Airport pickup.
Our team will be waiting for your arrival to pick you up from Lima's Jorge Chavez Airport to your hotel located in the residential neighborhood of Miraflores, where you can settle in for a few hours of rest.
We will enjoy a tour of Lima in its three stages: Ancestral, Colonial, and Modern Lima. We will begin the tour with a panoramic view of the "Pucllana Pyramid," an ancient ceremonial and archaeological center built in the 4th century AD and considered a sacred town of the Incas.
Then we will head to Lima's Historic Center. We will appreciate what was once the Square of Lima and admire more than fifty monuments and colonial buildings, including the Paseo de la República, Plaza San Martin, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the Municipal Palace, the Archbishop's Palace, and the Cathedral Basilica, among others. Continuing the tour, we will visit the Central Reserve Bank Museum, where we will appreciate the Treasures of Peru Collection, including ceramics, gold, and textiles from various pre-Columbian cultures. We will also visit the San Francisco Monumental Complex, the largest display of colonial religious art in the Americas. Its main attraction is a visit to its underground crypts known as the Catacombs. Finally, we will head to Lima's Contemporary Zone, where we will appreciate the main buildings and residential areas of Lima, El Olivar de San Isidro, Miraflores, Larcomar, and the Parque del Amor.
In the afternoon, transfer to the airport and domestic flight to Arequipa.
INCLUDED

• Airport pick-up
• Tour of the districts of San Isidro and Miraflores
• Tour of Lima's historic center and its main streets
• Visit to the San Francisco Convent and its Catacombs
• Visit to the BCR Museum
• Entrance ticket
• Tour guide

You'll begin the day with pickup from your hotel in Arequipa's historic center around 8:00 a.m. From there, you'll take a transfer to the Añashuayco ashlar quarries, located in the Cerro Colorado district. The first stop will be at 9:15 a.m., where you'll enjoy a guided tour of the quarries. On this tour, you'll learn about the extraction and carving process of ashlar stone, which is essential to Arequipa's architecture. This site is known for the beauty of its rock formations and for being a fundamental part of the city's architectural history.
Next, you'll head to Culebrillas Canyon, a stunning site where nature has sculpted unique rock formations. During the hike through the canyon, you'll observe pre-Incan petroglyphs and enjoy the rugged landscape surrounding the area. This activity will take you until approximately 12:00 p.m. After lunch, we will return to downtown Arequipa. We will stop at the Ayahuara viewpoint, where we can admire the city of Arequipa and the three volcanoes that tower over it.
At 2:00 pm, you will enjoy a delicious lunch at Picanteria la Nueva Palomino, a traditional Arequipa restaurant, where you can try typical dishes such as rocoto relleno (stuffed rocoto), ocopa arequipeña (arequipa ocopa), and the famous causa arequipeña (arequipa causa). These dishes offer a blend of local flavors that will allow you to better understand the region's gastronomy. Lunch will be a perfect time to relax and enjoy Arequipa's culinary culture.
After lunch, around 4:00 pm, you will head to the Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena, one of Arequipa's main attractions. This monastery, founded in 1579, is famous for its colonial architecture and colorful streets. During the guided tour, you will learn about the history of the monastery and how the nuns lived in its time. Colonial architecture, and you'll be able to tour the various rooms and courtyards that make up this important religious complex. The tour will end at 6:00 pm.

At the appropriate time, a driver will pick you up from your hotel in Arequipa (Peru) to take you to Puno. During the trip, we will pass at the foot of the Misti Volcano, then through the Cañahuas Plains, where the Vicuña Reserve (wild camelids with the finest wool in the world) is located. Here, you can see the snow-capped mountains of Misti, Vizcachani, La Pulpera, Callalli, Sibayo, and Tuti Village, the giant castle-shaped rocks, as well as the local flora and fauna. Continuing our journey, we will pass over 4,528 m (Puno-Arequipa border) for another stop in the Cañahuas Plains, where the Vicuña Reserve (wild camelids with the finest wool in the world) is located. We continue our journey through the Peruvian highlands, including the towns of Juliaca, Cabanillas, and Santa Lucia, stopping at Laguna Lagunillas where we will observe the snow-capped mountains of the Andes. Along this route, we will see birds such as flamingos and ostriches, as well as camelids such as alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas. We will arrive in Puno (Peru), located on the shores of Lake Titicaca, at 3,827 meters above sea level. The Puno Cathedral, built in 1757 by Simón de Asto, is located on the main square. History tells us that in the past, there were droughts and floods for many years. The place where the cathedral is located was covered in water during flooding, as the port of Puno was very close to Mount Huajsapata. Then, we will transfer to the hotel.

Alternative route through Colca

We will leave Arequipa at 3:00 am and, after a three-hour bus ride through southern Peru, we will reach the town of Chivay. At over 3,000 meters above sea level, we'll stop for a breakfast that includes bread with butter and jam, juice, and coffee or tea. Delicious!
With our batteries recharged, we'll visit the town of Yanque and then head to the Cruz del Cóndor Viewpoint. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to take a short hike. Upon reaching the viewpoint, you'll be able to admire the Colca Canyon in all its splendor. Did you know it's one of the deepest in the world? We'll also spot the occasional condor, as this area is perfect for this bird's flight.
Afterward, we'll continue the route, visiting other towns and viewpoints in the Colca Valley, such as Wayrapunko and Antahuillque. Next, we'll head to the Chacapi hot springs, where you'll enjoy a relaxing hour in its natural pools.
After this dip, we'll continue our journey to a restaurant where you can sample typical local dishes and produce. Finally, we'll head to Puno, our final destination.
During the journey, we'll stop to stretch our legs at the Patapampa Viewpoint, from where you can admire the majesty of the Ampato and Sabancaya volcanoes. We'll also stop at the Salinas Reserve and Lagunillas, where we'll have the opportunity to observe up close the herds of camels and flocks of wild birds that inhabit these areas.
Arrive in Puno at 5 p.m.

We'll pick you up from your hotel in Puno at the scheduled time and head to the port. We'll board a speedboat from the shores of Lake Titicaca and sail the waters of the highest navigable lake in the world.
We'll arrive at our first stop: the famous floating islands of the Uros. We'll disembark on one of the main islands to meet the locals, descendants of the ancient pre-Inca Uros people. Here, we'll learn all about one of the earliest cultures of the Andean plateau while admiring this impressive artificial archipelago. Did you know it's built from an aquatic plant called totora?
We'll board the boat again and head toward Taquile Island, the largest island on Lake Titicaca. We'll delve into the local culture by exploring the handcrafted garments made with sophisticated weaving techniques for which the locals are famous.
Afterward, we'll stop to replenish our energy with a succulent traditional lunch. What a delight! With our appetites sated, it's time to bid farewell to the island.
We'll conclude the tour by dropping you off at your hotel in Puno eight hours after pickup.

They say that at least once in your life, you should embark on the famous Route of the Sun through southern Peru. They say that everyone who takes this journey ends up captivated by the history, landscapes, and cuisine of the Andes.
We'll depart for the town of Pukara. What is the legacy of the ancient Andean settlers? We'll discover it by visiting the Pukara Interpretive Center. This place is also home to the famous Pukara bulls, colorfully painted clay figures that are a symbol of protection, prosperity, and fertility in southern Peru.
From Pukara, we'll continue toward La Raya Pass, where we'll make a brief stop to photograph this breathtaking mountain pass located more than 4,300 meters above sea level.
After taking the obligatory photos in La Raya. After lunch, we'll head to the renowned archaeological site of Raqchi. Here, we'll see the remains of the ancient temple of the god Wiracocha, a deity whose veneration in pre-Hispanic times is steeped in numerous enigmas, legends, and mysteries.
After the guided tour of the Raqchi archaeological park, we'll conclude. From Raqchi, we'll detour southwest to reach a hidden gem of Peru's living heritage: the Q'eswachaka Bridge. This suspension bridge, made of plant fibers and suspended over the Apurímac River, is the last Inca bridge still in use and is renovated each year collectively by local communities. Its reconstruction is not only an act of ancient engineering but also a ritual that strengthens the ties between the Quechua peoples of the region. Walking across the bridge is an experience that connects directly with the traditions of Tawantinsuyu.
Finally, in the late afternoon, you'll arrive at Cusipata, a town located at approximately 3,310 meters above sea level and known as one of the main departure points for the famous Rainbow Mountain. Here, you can spend the night in a rural lodge, enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings, and prepare for new adventures among the multicolored landscapes of the Andes.