Inca Adventure! Peru Small Group Tours
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April 5th - April 14th, 2024 (1 Spot Left, Female Share)
Our travel club has had many epic adventures in Peru over the years so let's keep them coming! Just check out the Peru travel photos we took on our first Peru small group tour way back in 2010, and see the adventure details below. Don’t miss this one because the threat of Machu Picchu being shut down forever is real and they have already reduced the number of daily visitors with more restrictions! Seeing & photographing this wonder of the world with your own eyes is a truly mind-blowing once-in-a-lifetime experience.
E-mail us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!
Peru: Domain of the Incas
"Peru may be inseparable from Machu Picchu and the legacy of the Inca Empire, but a scratch beneath the surface reveals a fascinating and dynamic country that preserves its Andean traditions." - Frommer's
Lima (2 Nights): City of Kings
"Founded in 1535, Lima was the Spanish crown’s “City of Kings,” the richest and most important city in the Americas and considered to be the most beautiful colonial settlement in the region. Fronting onto a rugged stretch of shoreline, Lima is often used as a stepping stone to reach bucket list sites such as Machu Picchu, but the capital of Peru has become a destination in its own right. This bustling city more than makes up for its chaotic traffic and humdrum weather with out-of-this-world cuisine, dramatic coastal views, and outstanding museums." - Frommer's & Lonely Planet
* Explore the Capital: Free day to walk the city and explore the rich history, food, & architecture
- Ultimate Peruvian Food Tour (Optional): Explore the bohemian Barranco District with an insider guide and discover a variety of Peruvian food & drink. Partake in two interactive workshops that demonstrate the art of preparing pisco sours, ceviche, and lomo saltado. *See daily itinerary for price and sign-up details...
Cusco (4 Nights):
"The undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, Cuzco is the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city and the gateway to Machu Picchu. Cosmopolitan Cuzco (also Cusco, or Qosq’o in Quechua) thrives with a measure of contradiction. Ornate cathedrals squat over Inca temples, massage hawkers ply the narrow cobblestone passages, a rural Andean woman feeds bottled water to her pet llama while the finest boutiques sell pricey alpaca knits." - Lonely Planet
* Experience Cusco: Guided walking tour of the beautiful city in the sky. Highlights include: City Cathedral, Convent of Santo Domingo, Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Red Fort Puca Pucara, Qenko Amphitheater, and Tambomachay, the Inca baths.
*Free days to explore: Great optional activities to choose from including:
- Cusco Home Cooking Class (Optional): Explore San Pedro Market and learn about the typical ingredients locals have used in their dishes for centuries. Continue with a hands-on cooking lesson at a colonial-style home where we partake in the preparation of a 3-course meal before enjoying our very own handy work. *See daily itinerary for price and sign-up details...
- Planetarium Visit (Optional): In a small house, resembling any typical Andean house (made of adobe and Spanish red tiles), discover a place to approach the mysteries of the Universe through the eyes of the Inca ancestors. Tradition, research, technology, science, myths, and of course, lots of passion, are the ingredients to the Planetarium Cusco Experience. *See daily itinerary for price and sign-up details...
- Other Fantastic Optional Adventures: *See daily itinerary for details, price, and sign-up instructions
The Sacred Valley (2 Nights):
"Tucked under the tawny skirts of formidable foothills, the beautiful Río Urubamba Valley, known as El Valle Sagrado (the Sacred Valley), is about 15km north of Cuzco as the condor flies, via a narrow road of hairpin turns. It's worth exploring this peaceful, fetching corner of the Andes with colonial towns and isolated weaving villages. Star attractions are the markets and the lofty Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, but it's also packed with other Inca sites." - Lonely Planet
* Pisac Ruins & Market: Encounter this Inca complex with its impressive architecture. The ruins highlight the incredible workmanship that went into building such structures long before the invention of modern equipment. Then peruse the streets of the picturesque town and local market for great pictures and don't forget to check out the myriad of colorful, handcrafted wares.
* Ollantaytambo & the Temple of the Sun: Built using massive stones approximately 12 ft tall, this temple was used as a fortress during the time of the Incan Civil War. Fantastic panoramic images w/ stunning views of the valley welcome us at the top.
* Maras Salt Mines: Discover one of the largest salt extraction centers of prehispanic origin. Over 3,000 ponds, locally owned by 600 families, make up the picturesque Maras, all connected through an impressive underground network of canals that fill these pools with salt water.
* Moray Terraces: Visit this small community famous for its embedded amphitheater, formed by circular terraces which seem to disappear into the ground! Archeologists believe Moray played an important role in the agricultural research conducted by the Incas.
Machu Picchu (1 Night):
"Shrouded by mist and surrounded by lush vegetation and steep escarpments, the sprawling Inca citadel of Machu Picchu lives up to every expectation. In a spectacular location, it’s the most famous archaeological site on the continent, a must for all visitors to Peru. Like the Mona Lisa or the pyramids, it has been seared into our collective consciousness, though nothing can diminish the thrill of being here. This awe-inspiring ancient city was never revealed to the Spanish colonizers and was virtually forgotten until the early part of the 20th century." - Lonely Planet
Voyager Train journey to Machu Picchu: Begin the journey in comfortable seats with panoramic windows and excellent onboard service. Delight in the incredible landscape along the route to Machu Picchu, including imposing mountains, snow-capped peaks, the winding river, and the gradual change of vegetation until the entry point to the magical rainforest home to the Inca citadel.
* Optional Inca Trail hike: Experience and hike the ancient trail used by the Incas for hundreds of years. Along the trek, discover the ruins at Chachabamba and Winay Wayna, the most significant site after Machu Picchu. The trail ends at the Inti Punku (sun gate), the original entry point into the great citadel. *See daily itinerary for difficulty, length, price, & sign up details
Discover the Citadel: Privately guided exploration of the great Inca wonder. Photo ops are everywhere as we learn about this sacred place which served as a place of worship, a site for star-gazing, and a private hacienda of the family of the Inca Pachacutec.
* Optional Huayna Picchu Trek: Trek to the top of the iconic pinnacle at the southern end of the site. "Machu Picchu" means "Old Mountain" or "Old Peak" in the local dialect, while "Huayna Picchu" is "New" or "Young Peak". This is the mountain in the background made famous by thousands of images and postcards seen around the world. The trek to the top is a once-in-a-lifetime experience & the summit affords a unique 'in reverse' view of the main city! *See daily itinerary for difficulty, length, price, & sign up details
Price: $2,595.00
Single Supplement: $495.00
Cancellation Policy & Refunds
*There is a $100.00 administrative fee for all cancellations. Cancellations made 120 days (December 7th, 2023) or more prior to trip departure date are fully refundable except for the $100 fee. Cancellations less than 120 days (December 8th, 2023) prior to the trip departure date will receive no refund of the full amount due. No refunds on unused portions of the tour. Credit card fees and paypal processing fees cannot be refunded. After airline tickets are issued, airline cancellations are per the airline’s policy and are usually non-refundable and changeable with a fee plus new ticket price. Travel insurance strongly encouraged (ask us about policy options). *Hotels subject to change based on availability
COVID Cancellation Policy – Local Planet Travel Services OR Guest may cancel this reservation if the USA or country(s) we are visiting mandates a country-wide closure due to COVID. If this happens, you would receive a full refund. If guest chooses, the funds can remain on file and be applied for any future tour with PhotoFly Travel Club. *Please note bank merchant service fees when using a credit card are non-refundable.
MANDATORY VACCINE REQUIREMENT: The safety of all our guests is a top priority regardless of where our adventures take us. All travelers are required to have an approved COVID-19 vaccination to participate in this tour. Travelers that meet this mandatory requirement can join our adventures after 14 days have elapsed since their final dose. Proof of vaccination must be provided by emailing a copy of the participant's COVID-19 vaccination card to joinus@photoflytravel.com upon sign-up. *Guests who are not vaccinated for medical reasons are exempt from this mandatory vaccine policy with proof from a certified medical professional.
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