|
Day |
Activity/Location |
|
June 22 |
Arrive
in Lima and transfer to our hotel. If arriving
during the day, your hotel will be in the
neighborhood of Miraflores, with good shopping and
restaurants, and you'll have an included city tour
in the afternoon. If arriving late at night, you'll
be close to the airport for a bit more sleep before
your next day's flight, and you'll have a city tour
upon your return to Lima.
|
|
June
23 |
A short flight this morning brings us
to Cuzco, capital of the old Inca Empire. On an
included city tour, we'll have time to explore
Cuzco's markets and churches and visit the Main Inca
Temple and the imposing
Inca fortress of Sacsaywaman. Today is also a
big day of festivities and parades in anticipation
of tomorrow's ceremony.
|
|
June
24
|
It's a
full day of ceremony and pageant as the city of
Cuzco goes all out to celebrate Inti Raymi, the
Inca's most important day of the year. First
we'll watch the festivities in the main square, and
then head up to Sacsayhuaman for the main ceremony
and rituals. Don't worry, though - they're not
really sacrificing llamas up there on the platform!
|
|
June
25 |
This morning we're off to the Sacred
Valley, a short and scenic ride from Cuzco.
Fifteen hundred feet lower than Cuzco, the warm and
fertile Sacred Valley was of immense strategic and
agricultural importance to the Incas. We'll
visit two sites today: Pisac and Ollantaytambo.
Pisac is a beautiful Andean town with a great
handicrafts market. After shopping and
bargaining for Andean goods, we'll head up to the
imposing Inca fortress/temple above the town.
Then in the early afternoon, we'll head down the
valley to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca village still
inhabited today. Peer through ancient,
trapezoidal doorways into courtyards where life has
changed little in 500 years, then explore the huge
ruins which loom above the town. In the early
evening, we'll head down the Urubamba Valley to
Machu Picchu.
|
|
June
26 |
An
early rise to ascend to Machu Picchu, one of the New
Seven Wonders of the World! We'll have time
for a guided tour of this magnificent place as well
as time for independent exploration or day walks
along the many Inca roads surrounding the site.
Afternoon train back to Cuzco.
|
|
June
27 |
Morning flight to Lima. International flights
may depart any time after 2pm.
|
TRIP DETAILS
6 days:
US$2190 Currency Converter
(What's Included)
Is this trip for me?
Inti Raymi 2010
is a six-day tour which includes walking in various
ruins and on city tours. As always, a certain patience is
required for the inconsistencies and delays of developing-world
travel.
Joining the tour
On all Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by
one of our representatives (holding a Southern Crossings
placard), who will accompany you to our joining hotel. No
bargaining or being ripped off by airport taxis!
What's included in the trip
·
Airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop
off at end of the trip
·
Southern Crossings bilingual guide
·
All other internal transport
(excluding transport to optional restaurants,
bars, sights and excursions)
·
Internal flights,
Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
·
Five nights of hotel accommodation
·
Breakfast
included with all hotel stays
·
Machu Picchu excursion,
including bilingual guide, round trip train fare, transportation
to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and entrance to the Machu
Picchu sanctuary
·
Full day Sacred Valley excursion
·
Cuzco city tour
and Inti Raymi entrance with guide
·
Lima city tour
·
Cuzco Visitor's Ticket,
which gives entrance to the major ruins, churches and museums in
and around Cuzco
·
Southern Crossings T-Shirt or Cap
What's not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport
taxes (approx. US$40), pre- & post- tour accommodation, visas,
vaccinations, personal insurance, meals except where specified
above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while on optional
excursions and other items of a personal nature. Medical travel
insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we
do require that you have a policy. Check
www.travelguard.com to purchase a policy for your trip.
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation
for you before or after your trip:
In Lima: $110 double/$90 single
In Cuzco: $120 double/$100 single
PRE-TRIP PLANNER
Required documents
All
travelers to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at
least six months from
date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S.,
Canadian, Australian or New Zealand
passport holders. For other nationalities, please consult the
nearest Peruvian embassy or consulate. An onward ticket and
proof of funds may also be required at entry and
should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks,
currency, or a bank
statement, from the bank or printed off the internet, are
sufficient for proof of funds.
Required immunizations
No
immunizations are required of travelers to these areas of Peru.
Travelers may wish to receive
hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all other
standard vaccinations. No areas visited on this trip are
malarial or yellow fever zones. Please consult your physician
or local health department for more information.
Things to bring
One should come well
prepared for
outdoor activity at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 degrees
Fahrenheit, and for
extremes of sun and the possibility of rain. A list of things to
bring would include:
· Passport and, if necessary, visa
· Traveler’s checks and/or cash card
· Airline ticket and Travel Insurance Policy
· Photocopies of airline ticket and documents
· Wearable pouch for documents and money
· Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase
· Smaller, comfortable day pack
· Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in
· Sandals or flip-flops
· Rain poncho or jacket
· Waterproof pants
· Sun hat
· Hat for cold weather
· Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)
· Scarf and gloves
· T-shirts
· Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best),
undergarments
· Towel and swimsuit for hot springs
· Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)
· Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)
· Sunscreen
· Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)
· Lip balm
· Earplugs
· Alarm clock or watch
· Sanitizing hand wipes or gel
· Camera and film/digital memory cards
· Camera batteries
· Playing cards, games, reading material
· Prescription medications
· Toiletries
Note that common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and
such toiletries as
toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine
hygiene items are
available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds,
eyewear and care, extra
large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera batteries. Also
note that most digital
camera memory cards can be downloaded and burned onto a CD in
internet cafes in
any large city.
Climate
Rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high
mountains and cloud forest, and
one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will
visit is as follows:
Cuzco:
days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are
cold in Cuzco.
Machu Picchu: similar to Cuzco but a
bit warmer and with more chance of rain.
Lima:
warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain but often
overcast.
Money guide
The
unit of currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current
currency conversion
Currency Converter
Automatic cash points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa,
MasterCard, Plus, and
Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler's
checks (American Express is
best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances are also
options. Do not bring Money
Grams or International Money Orders, as they are extremely
difficult to exchange. Banks
and exchange houses are available in Lima and Cuzco. For
currency, U.S. dollars are recommended and most easily
exchanged. Please note that cash
must be untorn. It
can be older-looking, but even the slightest tear on an edge
will make it un-changeable. Acceptable bills come out of the
ATMs in country.
Expect to spend about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water
or soft drink in Peru.
Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect. Alpaca
sweaters, for example, run between $5 and $30.
