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PERU TRAVEL PLANNER
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FIXED DEPARTURE DATE JUNE 19, 2009
Before the colonial Spaniards banned the ceremonial events
occurring each Winter Solstice in Cusco, the
native residents gathered to honor the Sun God, sacrifice an animal to ensure
good crops and to pay homage to the Inca, as the first born Son of the Sun. The
historic ceremony of Inti Raymi is based on the available chronicles, the ritual
was composed in his Native Quechua and the event is held in the Saxsayhuaman
amphitheater. The hillsides and the monument terraces surrounging the
ampitheater fill with a vast crowd for this event. The event occurs on the
morning of the Winter Solstice, as was the case in the prehistoric era. The
reenactment portrays only the religious portion of the ancient nine day
festival, its invocation, which originally began before sunrise on the solstice.
The reenactment occurs later in the morning
This
package can be easily customized to suit your
needs
DAY 1: JUNE/19 LIMA PICK UP
Pick up upon arrival and overnight at the Hotel located in
Miraflores, Lima
DAY 2: JUNE/ 20 CUSCO
Transfer to the Lima airport for the flight to Cuzco (airfare
not included).
Upon arrival, you will be met and driven to the hotel. Around
1:45pm Cusco city tour. This tour includes the major sites of
historical interest in Cuzco, such as the famous Inca fort at
Sacsahuaman, and the temple of the Sun. Also included in this is
a tourist card, giving you access to all the sites in the Cuzco
area as a whole (i.e., including outside of the City itself).
This tour finishes at 18:00, overnight at the hotel. (B)
DAY 3: JUNE/21 SACRED VALLEY
TOUR
Breakfast . You will be picked up at 8:45 am. Full
day excursion to the Urubamba Valley visiting: the village of
Pisac, a picturesque town of creole and colonial aspect and its
lndian market and craftfair. Lunch provided. In the afternoon
you'll visit to the fortress of Ollantaytambo, an architectural
group that in the days of the Tahuantinsuyo empire was a
gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and
military complex, then the Chinchero market. At the end, return
to Cusco at 6:30pm. Overnight (B,L)
DAY 4: JUN/22 MACHU PICCHU TOUR
At 5:45 a.m. you will be picked up from the hotel to the train
station which leaves at 06:00 a.m. Travel will be in "Vistadome"
Class (formerly "Autowagon"). At 09:40 a.m. you will arrive at
the Aguas Calientes Station, from where you will take a 25
minutes bus ride to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Once there, you
will take a guided tour, with an English speaking
professional guide. The ruins are on the eastern slope of Machu
Picchu in two separate areas: the agricultural and the urban.
Lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (included). Overnight.
(B, Lunch )
DAY 5: JUN/23 MACHU PICCHU -
CUSCO
Morning at leisure in Machu Picchu to continue visiting the
ruins by your own (please take note that the entrance and bus
fee to Machu Picchu for this day are not included on the rate).
In the afternoon we'll take the Vistadome train; the departure
is around 3:30 pm to arrive back in Cusco around 7:30 pm. (B)
DAY 6: JUNE/24 INTI RAYMI
Cusco celebrates the Inti Raymi with occasion of the winter
solstice -the solar new year - for a town which main cult object
was the god Inti (the sun). In time of the Incas was a religious
ceremony, now it is a theater representation. However this
expression generates a feeling of identity in the town that
evokes values and memories that are still excellent in our days,
it also brings to the memory a time that lives in the heart of
the town of Cusco (Qosqo). The version is expressed in the
original, Quechua language. The celebration starts on the Temple
of the Sun (Koricancha) then continues to the Sacsayhuaman, we
will provide you the transportation and entrance. Afternoon
transfer to the Hotel and overnight. (B, Box Lunch)
DAY 7: JUN/25 PUNO
Transfer to the bus or Train Station. Ten hours aprox. Bus or
Train ride to Puno*, across the scenic high Andes landscapes
only dotted by small villages and herds of the llamas and
vicuñas. Upon arrival transfer to the Hotel and overnight. ( B,L
) (*) Additional fare on $250 per
person if travelling by train. Ask for availability.
DAY 8: JUN/26 UROS AND
TAQUILE ISLANDS
You will be picked up from your hotel 6:40 am, after 2 hours
motorboat you will arrive at the Uros island, in the Titikaka
lake. Fishermen and hunters inhabit the floating islands of the
Uros. The residents of the Uros use the cattail, a type of
rush, which grows in the lake, to create the conditions that
ensure the islands stay afloat. The dense roots that the plants
develop support the island.The roofs are waterproof and the
houses are extremely humid because of the surrounding water. At
present they speak Quechua and Aymara. Then we will visit the
Taquile island , including lunch in the co-operative restaurant,
there is also a co-operative shop on the plaza that sells
exceptional woollen goods which are not cheap but of very
fine quality. Taquile Island is famous for its craft production,
particularly for its beautiful textiles. The island is narrow at
about 1 Km. wide and 6 to 7 Km. long. The visit could be
exhausting because of the 533 steps on the stone stairway to
climb to get to the village and because of the altitude (13,000
ft above sea level). On Taquile there are numerous pre-Inca and
Inca ruins as well as Inca terracing. We will return in Puno in
the afternoon.
Overnight at the Hotel . (B,L)
DAY 9: JUN/27 SUN ISLAND FULL
DAY
You will picked up from your hotel at 6,30 am. Land transfer to
Copacabana Sanctuary. You will arrive into Copacabana after
about 3 hours. Copacabana is the most important religious
sanctuary of Bolivia, thousands of pilgrims visit every year the
virgin of Copacabana also known as Native Madonna, you will
visit the main square and the impressive Cathedral (1/2 hour
tour). You will arrive into the Sun Island after about 1 hour of
a spectacular catamaran cruise including lunch on board, this
island has been identified as the birthplace of several revered
entities, including the sun itself. A source of magnetic energy,
the vertex of the earth and the cradle of the Inca Empire, the
Inca couple Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo appeared here and founded
the Sun Empire. During a 2 hours Sun Island Tour you will visit:
-The Inca garden, the island micro climate provides the ideal
location for this garden that during Inca times was full of
Andean flowers, water and trees.
-The Inca Stairs that was built by the Incas in order to reach
the Inca Water spring.
-The Inca water spring, a natural water spring with 3 different
openings of different tastes, this Inca made water fountain is
supposed to be a source of eternal youth.
-The Sun Island Inti Wata Complex,that contains the largest
amount of archaeological items founded in the island and the
largest demo variety of Andean flora and fauna available in
Bolivia.
-The Sun Island Kallawaya Ancient Ceremony, witchcrafts, natural
medicine, art, magic, and millenary traditions are part of the
mystic world of the Kallawayas heritage. The purpose of this
mystic ceremony is to purify the souls of the Chinkana holy
temple visitors, this Ceremony take place in a Inca altar at the
top of the hill facing the temple and overlooking the lake. You
will then proceed back to Copacabana and then to Puno, we will
return in Puno at 6:30 pm. Overnight. ( B,L )
DAY 10: JUN/28 SILLUSTANI -
LIMA
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to take the flight
to Lima (airfare included).
On the route visit at the Sillustani Chullpas (pre-Colombian
funeral towers). The scenery is desert but impressive, in a
beautiful setting on a peninsula on Ayumara lake about 32 Km.
from Puno. Most of the towers date from the period of Inca
occupation in the 15th century; the engineering involved in
their construction is more complex than anything the Incas
built. Upon arrival reception and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight. (B)
DAY 11: JUN/29 LIMA CITY TOUR & PACHACAMAC RUINS
In the morning Lima
city tour, you will be picked up from your hotel at 09 AM. We
will visit the colonial area and to the Plaza de Armas where you
will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's
Palace and the City Hall as well as the XVII century church and
cloister of San Francisco, a world cultural heritage.
Then we will go to the modern downtown with a view of the
Pacific Ocean and the modern residential suburb of San Isidro.
We will visit a place that is near Lima, there is an
archaeological enclosure whose constructions conserve the
mysticism and religiosity of their past. Its name: Pachacamac.
When traveling this sanctuary, where hundred of years ago the
natives surrendered cult to the sun and to the Earth, one can
feel the magic attraction of a place that will always be sacred.
Finally, return to the hotel. Overnight. (B,L)
DAY 12: JUN/30 TRANSFER OUT
Transfer to the airport in time to get.
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Inti Raymi |

Inti Raymi |

Cusco |
INCLUDES:
All hotel and lodge accommodations based on double occupancy. All scheduled
transportation. All transfers. All scheduled excursions with English-speaking
guide services. All entrance fees. Meals.
B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner.
Note : We can replace above Hotels with other one with the same characteristics
in the case that it becomes necessary for operative and other reasonable causes
NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE
International and domestic airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage
charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations,
alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any
kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights
and items of personal nature
Please note that there is an extra fee for transfers to and from the Hotel Isla
Estevez ( only apply to clients that overnight there ), the extra fee per is
USD5 per person per transfer. | |
Mon-Fri 9 Am - 6 Pm ET
please allow pop-ups


Published articles and reviews about us

2009
Testimonials
Ajay
Parikh
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
Hello all the folks at Peru Gateway Travel,
We had a fantastic time in Peru. We thank you all for making
our trip a success.
The only concern is that the accommodation in Cusco was below
average and we would not recommend the Emparada Plaza (?) to
anyone. Even though the staff was good, the room/bathroom,
breakfast was very bad.
Once again, thanks a lot for making our trip to your country a
memorable one. All the guides, especially Guillarmo in Lima
and Erica in Cusco, were excellent.
Kazuaki Kubo
Date:
Thu,16 Jul 2009
I want to thank
you and all of the staff of Peru Gateway Travel for the perfect
arrangement of my trip in June.
Everything was so fantastic and I was made to think about another
trip to Peru.
Sincerely, Denise Pratico
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
I am writing to let you know that we
enjoyed Peru very much. The city tour led by Marco was fantastic. We
will be happy to recommend your agency to other Americans
Jane
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We have
completed our trip to Peru and are now back in New York City.
I want to thank you for all the arrangements you made. The
trip was wonderful and all our accommodations excellent. Thank
you for making our trip a success.
Best regards, Marcy
Date:
Mon, 6 Jul 2009
We arrived home at 4 o'clock in the
morning, very tired (we had a long lay-over in Amsterdam) but very
very happy. I am so pleased to tell you that our Peru vacation that
you planned for us was excellent! Everything was just as the
itinerary said it would be. We were very pleased with the hotels,
and the transfer people and guides were always there and everybody
was so nice and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about your very
exciting country and its history, particularly about the Quechua
culture. We will always remember the Inti Raymi festival in Cusco. I
am so glad we were able to see that. Of course Machu Picchu was also
a great highlight. And, Michael and I also very much liked Arequipa.
We didn't know much about that city, but we had a very great time
there on our free day and visited the cathedral, spent a lot of time
going through the Santa Catalina monastario and, of course, went to
the museum to see "Juanita". Beautiful architecture there too.
Really, every day was wonderful, and we would like to thank you so
much for all your efforts. Also please extend our thanks to Maria
Carmen who was so helpful on the phone and to Julia, who came to the
hotel our first night to explain many things to us and give us all
our tickets and vouchers. And perhaps you also had something to do
with our last night in Lima at the Libertador. We got a suite -- a
very big beautiful room! Thank you so much.
We wish you and your family all the best, and for sure we will be
recommending Peru Gateway Travel to our friends.
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