Peru                                          June 18 – 27, 2007

TDF PERU SOLSTICE FESTIVAL GROUP
LIMA, SACRED VALLEY, MACHU PICHU & CUSCO

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ITINERARY

JUN 18 – MON   NEW YORK CITY / LIMA (D in-flight)

Depart from New York City (JFK) on international LAN Airlines flight LA531 to Lima at 11:30pm.  Enjoy complimentary beverages, dinner and movie on overnight flight.

JUN 19 – TUE   LIMA (B in-flight, D)

Arrive in Lima at 6:10am and, after clearing customs and immigration we are met by our guide and transferred to the five-star MELIA LIMA HOTEL, located in San Isidro, the most prestigious residential section in the city. Here, our one (1) night stay includes hotel taxes and breakfast.

Our guide assists us with check-in, gives us a briefing on the hotel and neighborhood and advises us of the meeting time for this afternoon’s tour.

This afternoon, after some time to freshen up, we are met by our guide for our tour of the 'City of the Kings'.  We visit the historic Plaza Mayor, see the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace.  We then proceed to the San Francisco Monastery and continue to the marvelous Casa-Solar de Aliaga, America's best preserved colonial mansion, occupied by the same family since 1535, both being great examples of Colonial architecture.  Then, we finish our tour with a drive through the residential districts of Miraflores and San Isidro, where we enjoy a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean.

The balance of the afternoon is at leisure.

In the evening, we are met by our guide and transferred to the La Dama Juana Restaurant, where we are delighted by an amazing performance of dances from different regions of Peru before enjoying our Welcome Dinner.  A delightful way to start our Peruvian adventure.

JUN 20 – WED   LIMA / CUSCO / SACRED VALLEY OF URUBAMBA (B, L, D)

After an early breakfast and check-out, we are met by our guide and transferred to the airport in time for our domestic LAN Airlines flight LP071 departing to Cusco at 9:45am.

Upon arrival in Cusco, at 11:00am, we are met by our guide and transferred to the CASA ANDINA PRIVATE COLLECTION URUBAMBA HOTEL. Here, our one (1) night stay includes hotel taxes and breakfast.

Our guide assists us with check-in, gives us a briefing on the hotel and neighborhood and advises us of the meeting time for this afternoon’s tour.

This afternoon, we meet for lunch at the Casa Hacienda Cossio.

After lunch, we meet again for a drive through the valley to Pisac, a Peruvian rural market featuring all things Incan, where we may bargain with vendors for Andean treasures. The market retains much of its local charm where villagers from miles around gather to barter and sell their produce. In the tourist section of the market you may purchase a wide variety of handicrafts.

The balance of the afternoon is at leisure.

In the evening, we are met by our group for dinner at our hotel.

JUN 21 – THU   SACRED VALLEY OF URUBAMBA / MACHU PICCHU (B, L, D)

This morning, after breakfast and check-out, we are met by our guide for a visit to the 'Sacred Valley of the Incas' to visit Ollantaytambo, the Inca fortress, and walk through the quaint streets of the nearby town. 

From here, we proceed to the train station to board and depart for the magnificent Inca ruins at Machu Picchu. On a continent possessing magnificent pre-Columbian sites, Machu Picchu is supreme, isolated high in the Andes, an absolute peak experience and Peru's main sightseeing destination.  It is never a disappointment and definitely one of the world's premiere attractions.  This spectacular and breathtaking conglomeration of stone ruins, palaces, towers, temples, terraces, staircases and other remains, nestling in mountains, surrounded by beautiful vegetation, is an unforgettable lifetime experience, in itself worth the journey to Peru!

When arriving at Aguas Calientes, the closest town to Machu Picchu, we take a 25-minute motor coach ride to 'The Lost City of the Incas', discovered by the American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911, who said, "I suddenly found myself in a maze of beautiful granite houses.  They were covered with trees and moss and the growth of centuries, but in the dense shadow, hiding in bamboo thickets and tangled vines, could be seen, here and there, walls of white granite ashlars most carefully cut and exquisitely fitted together."   This was Machu Picchu…the lost city of the Incas, whose purpose and origins remain an enigma, lost in the mists of time!  The Spaniards never saw it and seem to have never heard of it.  Apart from the exquisiteness of the buildings' stonework, what is remarkable about Machu Picchu is the perfect way the city is laid out to blend with its surrounding spectacular mountains covered in luxurious vegetation.

We take a guided tour of the marvelous citadel visiting the Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial and the Burial Grounds.

Enjoy lunch at Tinkuy, the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel, and after lunch, we are transferred to the MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO HOTEL, an internationally praised boutique hotel, walking distance from the train station, resembling a typical Andean town surrounded by exuberant nature, rich biodiversity and a destination in itself. Here, our one (1) night stay includes hotel taxes and breakfast.

Our guide assists us with check-in, gives us a briefing on the hotel and neighborhood and advises us of the meeting time for this evening’s dinner.

In the evening, we are met by our group for dinner at our hotel.

JUN 22 – FRI   MACHU PICCHU / SACRED VALLEY OF URUBAMBA (B, D)

After breakfast, the morning is at leisure.  We strongly recommend that you wake up early to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu (if weather permits it), it is an incomparable sight.  For hiking enthusiasts, we suggest a walk up to the peak of the Huayna Picchu.

After check-out and lunch on our own (our hotel has the best buffet in town) we return to Ollantaytambo where we check in again at the CASA ANDINA PRIVATE COLLECTION URUBAMBA HOTEL. Here, our one (1) night stay includes hotel taxes and breakfast.

Our guide assists us with check-in and advises us of the meeting time for tomorrow’s tour.

In the evening, we are met by our group for dinner at our hotel.

JUN 23 – SAT   SACRED VALLEY OF URUBAMBA / CUSCO (B)

This morning, after breakfast and check-out, we explore Ollantaytambo, the best surviving example of Inca town planning, and walk through quaint streets of the town.  This fortress city, located at the foot of some spectacular Inca ruins, was the site of Incan resistance to the Spanish.  Today it is in imminent danger from a new highway project that would destroy Inca agricultural terraces, permanently altering this unique and beautiful part of the world’s cultural heritage. 

Then we drive to the picturesque Andean village of Chinchero, once the country estate of Tupa Inca, one of the last Inca emperors. The walls of his palace were constructed of large stones put together like giant jigsaw puzzles.  We see the well-preserved Inca wall at the main square and we visit the Colonial church with its renowned frescoes on the portico. 

After our tour, we transfer to Cusco, to check-in at the HOTEL LIBERTADOR. Here, our three (3) night stay includes hotel taxes and daily breakfast.

Our guide assists us with check-in, gives us a briefing on the hotel and neighborhood and advises us of the meeting time for this afternoon’s tour.

After time to rest and freshen up, we take a tour of the city of Cusco, a UNESCO world heritage site, starting with the combined sacred sites of Koricancha and the Santo Domingo Monastery, a dramatic monument to the ancient Incan cultural collision with Western Europe.  Here the monastery sits atop the original Inca Temple of the Sun (Templo del Sol).  Koricancha was the most sumptuous and extraordinarily crafted temple in the Inca Empire.  Some 4,000 priests and their attendants once lived here.  Koricancha also served as the main astronomical observatory for the Incas.  Dedicated to worship of the sun, the most important deity in the Inca's naturalistic pantheon, the temple complex was a once a glittering palace worthy of, and giving credence to, the El Dorado legend.  Koricancha means "courtyard of gold" in the Quechua tongue.  Also included in the tour are stops at the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral.  After seeing the most interesting sites of the city, we drive to the countryside outside Cusco to visit some of the remarkable Inca ruins at the "Parque Arqueológico de Sacsayhuamán," containing such extraordinary Incan archaeological monuments as the temple and amphitheatre of Kenko, the Inca Baths of Tambomachay and the Red Fortress of Puca Pucara.  The park is also a place where one may often see wild llamas. 

The evening is at leisure.  Cusco is a city where even strolling aimlessly can bring the most exciting and extraordinary discoveries.  There is so much to do and see here, from visits to ancient Inca ruins, to remarkable museums, to one of Latin America's most heady nightlifes.  As part of the Inti Raymi Festival, many of the best Peruvian musical groups often draw crowds to the Plaza de Armas for free concerts in the evening.  Our guide will have suggestions for dining in Cusco.

JUN 24 – SUN   CUSCO / INTI RAYMI FESTIVAL (B, BXL)

This morning, after breakfast, we are met by our guide for an unforgettable day! We have reserved tickets for the world-famous Inti Raymi Festival which takes place every year on June 24th at the Sacsayhuaman fortress marking the Solstice.  The sun is at the center of Inca spiritual life, and today, ancient rites to the sun are reenacted featuring hundreds of native actors, creating a marvelous spectacle.  Considered the most impressive Native American festival in the Western Hemisphere, it is a tradition continued from pre-Columbian times.  The ceremony is represented on the stage of Sacsayhuaman fortress with a written script and each year special stands are built for the visitors that can number about 100,000 on this day.  This ceremony is the center of the week-long festival. .

Enjoy a Box lunch during the festivities and return to the hotel at the end of the day.

The evening is at leisure.

JUN 25 – MON   CUSCO (B)

Day at leisure for relaxation and personal exploration of Cusco. There are many possible sights to visit.

Optional suggested tour (Price per person $xxx):

Private flight to view the Nazca lines, the mysterious ancient series of geometric forms and straight lines, covering 193 miles, depicting stylized animal and human shapes. These pre-historic carvings cut into the landscape only become apparent when viewed from the air and are one of the greatest mysteries of the ancient world. 

JUN 26 – TUE   CUSCO / LIMA / NEW YORK CITY (B, D, D in-flight)

This morning, after breakfast and check-out, we are met by our guide and transferred to the airport in time for our domestic LAN Airlines flight LP034 to departing to Lima at 12:40pm.

Upon arrival in Lima, at 2:00pm, we are met by our guide and proceed with a drive to the modern district of Monterrico to visit the renowned Gold Museum and admire its priceless collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts.  Then proceed to the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th century colonial mansion that holds the most extensive collection of pre-Columbian art in Peru.  It contains fine examples of textile work, one of which has a world-record of 398 threads per inch, as well as the tools ancient Peruvians used to make metals, huaco ceramics and gold and silver pieces with semiprecious stones.

After the tour we enjoy a Farewell Dinner at the La Huaca Pucllana Restaurant. 

After the dinner, we are transferred to the airport for our international LAN Airlines flight LA530, departing to New York City (JFK) at 11:50pm.  Enjoy complimentary beverages, dinner and movie on overnight flight.

JUN 27 – WED   NEW YORK CITY (B in flight)

We arrive in JFK International Airport at 8:30am, where we clear customs and immigration. 

Welcome home! 

A Note about Altitude Sickness:
Our itinerary has been planned to minimize the possibility of altitude sickness.  This phenomenon, known as Soroche in Peru, is sometimes a problem for visitors, especially if they travel quickly from sea level to the high Andes (above 2,500 m. or 8,000 ft.).  Therefore, upon our arrival at the Cusco airport we immediately descend to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to minimize any potential problem.  There, our full day tour of the Sacred Valley followed by our visit to Machu Picchu a day later serve as acclimatizing steps prior to visiting the city of Cusco (as Machu Picchu is about 1,300 m. - 4260 ft. lower than Cusco).  The best way to prevent Soroche is to eat light meals, drink lots of fluids, particularly the delicious mate of coca (i.e. coca tea), a brew that is effective against altitude sickness, and to stay calm while adapting to the high altitude before carrying out any exhausting activity.

We recommend that all travelers with respiratory or heart issues check with their doctor prior to registering for this tour.  Our pace is leisurely and distances are reasonable, but the ability to walk at a high altitude is essential for enjoying this tour.

End of Services
Prepared by Sandra Machado
Brazil Nuts Tours
December 4, 2006

INCLUDED FEATURES

 International Air: New York City (JFK)/ Lima/ Cusco/ Lima/ New York City (JFK)
 Seven (7) nights accommodation:
 One (1) night at Melia Lima Hotel in Lima
 Two (2) nights at Hotel Casa Andina Private Collection in Sacred Valley of Urubamba (Jun 20 to 21 and June 22 to 23)
 One (1) night at Machu Pichu Pueblo Hotel in Machu Pichu
 Three (3) nights at Libertador Hotel in Cusco
 Daily breakfast at the hotels
 All airport transfers and local transportation for tours
 All meals and tours as per itinerary
 All hotel taxes and service charges
 Local guides services throughout