Machu Picchu & Bolivia
Two remarkable destinations in the high Andes
Days: 11 | From: $4,950/per person
- Includes accommodations at first class hotels that reflect the best of local culture
- Includes excursions and tours with superb private guides
Enjoy world class cuisine and museums in Lima, then renew your sense of wonder exploring lost Incan cities and contemporary Peruvian culture. Cross into Bolivia and take in the sparkling azure waters of Lake Titicaca. End in La Paz, one of the highest cities in the world. This trip encompasses the highlights of Peru and Bolivia.
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Specialist
We tailor itineraries to your dates and interests, adjusting hotels, excursions and length as desired.
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At a glance
- Lima
1 night: renowned cuisine and world class museums - Sacred Valley
2 nights: Andean life and ancient ruins in this magnificent river valley - Machu Picchu
1 night: time to explore this stunning icon in depth - Cusco
2 nights: take in the captivating former Incan capital - Lake Titicaca
2 nights: traditional culture and natural beauty at this mythical Andean lake - La Paz
2 nights: colorful markets, unique culture, and ancient ruins
All itineraries are fully customizable. We will send you a personalized variation that reflects your interests and travel dates at no extra cost. Call to discuss your travel plans with one of our Specialists who know this region firsthand.
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Sample itinerary
Welcome to Lima
Arrive to Lima, former capital of the Spanish empire in the Americas, and transfer to your first class hotel in Miraflores, Lima’s main cultural and commercial district. This is a great area for strolling around and is home to many of Lima’s best restaurants.
Private tours of Lima or visits to any of Lima’s museums can be arranged; we can also arrange culinary tours focusing on Peru’s increasingly renowned cuisine, or art tours for those with special interests.
Accommodations: Atemporal
Housed in a renovated 1940s townhouse in the chic Miraflores district, this six-room hotel provides a relaxed atmosphere with excellent service. Atemporal offers its guests an alternative lodging experience in three room categories: Grand, Charming, and Cozy. Atemporal is entirely private, meaning only guests and those they invite can use its exclusive spaces, with their offbeat but functional collector’s aesthetic, including a veranda, salon and private garden.
Upgrades and alternatives: Hotel B, Miraflores Park Hotel, and othersFly to the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Fly over the Andes to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incan Empire. Your local guide will meet you at the airport and take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a long, fertile river valley surrounded by snowcapped peaks that lies between Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Visit Chinchero, a traditional small town situated on a plateau overlooking the Sacred Valley. Explore a colonial church with remarkable paintings and frescoes, which was constructed over the ruins of an Incan temple and is surrounded by impressive Incan terracing. Chinchero is also home to several highly-regarded weaving cooperatives known for the quality of their textiles. Peru is known for its intricate traditional weavings, many of which use symbols to tell stories or depictions of daily life.
Afterward enjoy lunch at a great small restaurant founded by a renowned local chef. Your private guide will be there to help you make the most of the entire experience.
Accommodations: Albergue Ollantaytambo
This historic small hotel is located in the Ollantaytambo train station, where most of our travelers catch the train to Machu Picchu. The Albergue is a simple but charming place, a very short walk into the town of Ollantaytambo and its streets lined with Incan walls. Hummingbirds are abundant in the hotel's pleasant garden, where fuchsia, passionflower, and peach and avocado trees grow in abundance, and where you have views of the surrounding mountains and Incan ruins. The hotel also has a very nice small restaurant, probaby the best in town.
*Includes: Breakfast, LunchUpgrade available: Hotel Sol y Luna
Incan Sites and Ancient Villages: Moray, Maras, and Ollantaytambo
Spend the day exploring more of the Sacred Valley, seeing less-visited sites that will deepen your understanding of the local culture.
Discover the unique Incan site of Moray and the nearby town and ancient salt pans of Maras. After a scenic picnic lunch, visit Ollantaytambo, one of the few towns to survive in its current layout from Incan times.
Machu Picchu
Travel by train to Machu Picchu, one of South America’s most iconic sites.
Visit this remarkable site with your private guide, exploring the iconic ruins, then enjoy lunch at the famous Sanctuary Lodge before returning to your hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Accommodations: El MaPi by Inkaterra
El MaPi Hotel by Inkaterra is a simple and economical design-oriented option in Aguas Calientes, below Machu Picchu. The hotel has 48 comfortable rooms and a very convenient location in town, close to the lively atmosphere of Aguas Calientes. The hotel features a cafe and lobby bar.
*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerUpgrades and alternatives: Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Sumaq (A HIGH END OPTION IN TOWN ALONG THE RIVER), Belmond Sanctuary Lodge (LOCATED RIGHT AT THE GATE TO THE RUINS; A GOOD OPTION FOR THOSE WANTING TO AVOID WAITING IN LINE FOR THE SHUTTLE BUS)
Machu Picchu and Cusco
Return to Machu Picchu in the early morning to explore and discover the citadel on your own. You’ll also have the chance to hike to the top of Huayna Picchu, the mountain that towers above Machu Picchu (about 2 hours round trip).
After visiting the ruins, catch the afternoon train back to Cusco, where you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
Accommodations: Quinta San Blas
Located in the charming San Blas neighborhood of Cusco, the Quinta San Blas is set in a renovated republican house. The boutique hotel has 18 rooms and 2 suites, and offers an onsite café and a great location close to Cusco's top offerings.
*Includes: BreakfastUpgrades and alternatives: Inkaterra La Casona Cusco, Palacio Nazarenas, Palacio del Inka
Private Tour of Cusco: History, Culture, Architecture, and more
Get to know Cusco with your knowledgeable private guide, visiting the historical highlights of this fascinating city. Visit Sacsahuaman, the massive Incan fortress on the hills above the city, where you can enjoy views out over Cusco and the entire surrounding area. Afterward enjoy the afternoon to explore more of the city on your own.
Travel to Lake Titicaca
Fly over the Altiplano to Lake Titicaca. (You also have the option to take the Andean Explorer train instead of flying. This is a long train ride, about 10 hours, but it is an excellent way to see the Altiplano up close, and is recognized as one of the best scenic rail journeys in South America.)
When you arrive, take a scenic private drive to the Peru/Bolivia border, stopping along the way in the towns of Chucuito and Juli, known for their churches and ruins. Cross into Bolivia and journey along the Andes Royal Range to Copacabana, a pleasant town on the shores of the lake. Here you have time to visit the famous Virgen Morena statue and its church and explore the town.
Accommodations: Hotel Rosario Lago Titicaca
Set in a privileged location overlooking Lake Titicaca, the Hotel Rosario del Lago features colonial architecture and local charm. The hotel offers a games room, lounge with fireplace, gardens, and a restaurant featuring Bolivian dishes made with local ingredients.
*Includes: Breakfast, LunchExplore the World’s Highest Navigable Lake
Navigate across Lake Titicaca to the Island of the Sun, and enjoy an Aptapi (typical highlands lunch). Explore the ruins of the Chincana Labyrinth and the Sacred Rock and take a short hike to Challapampa Bay, then boat to Challa to visit the museum. Navigate to Huacani port and enjoy the scenic hike to your estancia, a basic ecolodge with wonderful views of Lake Titicaca and the glacier-covered Cordillera Real. The afternoon is yours to explore the island and take in the beauty of the natural surroundings.
Accommodations: Ecolodge La Estancia
Ecolodge La Estancia is located on Isla del Sol, in the middle of Lake Titicaca. The lodge is basic but comfortable, with fantastic views of the lake and the glacier-covered Cordillera Real mountain range. The hotel is a genuine ecolodge, focused on sustainable operation and support of the local community and environment. The 15 cottages were built with local materials on pre-columbian agricultural terraces. All the bungalows have lake views and private bathrooms, and the property includes a restaurant and bar.
*Includes: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerThe Ruins at La Chincana and Moon Island / Travel to La Paz
Watch the sun rise over mythical Lake Titicaca, then set out by boat to the Island of the Moon to see the Iñak Uyu ruins. After your excursions, navigate to Copacabana and make the scenic journey to La Paz. End the journey with a cable car ride from El Alto city to La Paz, with sweeping views of the city and surrounding mountains.
Accommodations: La Casona Hotel Boutique
Located in the historical center of La Paz, La Casona was deemed an Architectural and Urban Heritage site for its original 17th-century colonial architecture. The hotel features a restaurant set in a restored colonial church, bar and lounge, and sun terrace.
*Includes: Breakfast, LunchUpgrade available: Casa Grande
Tiwanaku Ruins, La Paz, and the Valley of the Moon
Journey through highlands and small Aymaran villages to the ruins of Tiwanaku, one of the region’s most significant pre-Inca civilizations. Explore the site with your knowledgeable local guide, learning the history of the ancient temples and monoliths.
Return to La Paz for a tour through this fascinating city, visiting colorful street markets and cultural and colonial highlights. Continue south to the otherworldly Valley of the Moon, where the clay has eroded into impressive spires and multi-colored walls.
Depart for home or your next destination
Today you will say goodbye to your local guide and head to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.
Popular Ways to Customize This Itinerary
Take part in a Pachamanca, a traditional Andean cooking ceremony on the shores of Lake Piuray.
Add a few nights in the Peruvian Amazon, easily accessible from Cusco, or spend some time in the Bolivian Amazon at Chalalán Ecolodge.
Add extra days in Lima or Cusco: Both are worth exploring on your own, and we can arrange a variety of activities, including city tours, culinary excursions, visits to ruins and historical sites, and active options such as hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.
Hike to Machu Picchu: Get off the train at Kilometer 104 to walk the last four to six hours along the famous Inca trail. Or see our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu itinerary for information about hiking the whole trail over several days.
Add a few days in the White City of Sucre, Bolivia’s capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site, or visit Potosí, home to one of the world’s largest silver mines.
Cross the striking salt flats of Uyuni, a unique and surreal landscape of endless salt, colorful flamingos, hot springs, and geysers.
Set out from La Paz for a day of hiking in the Cordillera Real.
Travel or bike to Coroico along Yungas, also known as “Death Road,” a beautiful route dropping from the Andes into the upper Amazon. (In spite of the name, chances of survival are quite high!)
Add a few days in Santa Cruz to visit the Jesuit Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Include some downtime for rest and relaxation! Some free time to unwind or have a massage will allow you to feel refreshed and ready for the remainder of your trip. Many of our properties include excellent spas or wellness centers. We can help arrange these services or include properties that offer health & wellness amenities.
Contact us to learn about more options for designing and customizing your trip.
Reviews From This Trip
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