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Kids TV Series Are We There Yet?
| Day | Location |
|---|---|
| June 22 | Arrive Lima. City tour today or upon your return |
| June 23 | Flight to Cuzco. City and ruins tour |
| June 24 | Inti Raymi festivities |
| June 25 | Sacred Valley tour – Pisac and Ollantaytambo |
| June 26 | Machu Picchu tour, then free time at the site |
| June 27 | Morning flight to Lima. Intl. flights may depart any time after 2pm |
Inti Raymi 2012
6 days: US$2200 per person
Domestic flights included
(What’s Included)
Experience the splendor and magic of Inti Raymi, the Inca Sun Festival, as well as visiting Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the capital city of Lima. And as on all Southern Crossings trips, you’re taken care of from beginning to end: airport transfers and domestic flights are included!
Departs June 22, 2012
Note: hotel spaces fill up fast for Inti Raymi. Reserve your tour as soon as possible!
INTI RAYMI TRIP ITINERARY
| Day | Activity/Location |
|---|---|
| June 22 | Arrive in Lima and transfer to your 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$2200 per person
Domestic flights included
Is this trip for me?
Inti Raymi 2012 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!
- 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)
- Domestic 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
- 24 hour customer support line while on tour
- Southern Crossings T-shirt
What’s not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport taxes (approx. US$32), 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. We reccomend www.travelguard.com although any travel medical insurance is acceptable.
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima/Cuzco/Machu Picchu: $140 double/$130 single.
Accommodation Upgrades
This tour includes 3 star hotels. We would be happy to give you an upgrade to four or five star. If you would like to select a specific hotel, take a look at the accommodations page above and let us know your preference. We can then work it into your custom itinerary.
Single Person Supplement: $300
Please add this amount to the payment if you will be traveling alone or wish to have private accommodation.
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. 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. Currency Converter
“It was a great pleasure working with Doug Newton and Southern Crossings on our National Geographic family travel TV series ‘Are We There Yet?’. Doug showed a great flair for coming up with fun things for kids to do at Machu Picchu, and put a lot of thought and time into working with our specific needs. He was reliable, organized and thorough, plus he was so friendly and calm that he was a pleasure to work with! Thanks again, Doug!”
- Stacey Jenkins, Associate Producer, Sinking Ship Entertainment
Southern Crossings arranged for us to see so many wonderful things, to enjoy so many activities and to meet so many interesting and wonderful people. There is no way that we could have organized such a complex and interesting itinerary ourselves and no way that we would have known which of the many sites to visits. On top of this, the local guides are all impressively knowledgeable and present this information so clearly – it makes the locations come alive.
- Bishop Family, UK – Belize and Guatemala Custom Tour
I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Machu Picchu absolutely astounded me! In the past I have always traveled “on my own” with maps and guidebook in hand, but for my first trip to South America decided a tour might be wise. A very fortunate decision! With the well-organized itinerary and wonderful guides a one week visit was filled to the brim with fascinating sites and in depth educational opportunities. Many thanks to Marcello in Lima, and especially to Rene! I am back at work but memories of mountains and clouds make me smile all day long.
- Carol Adair, USA – Inca Heartland