Day	Activity/Location
1	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 tour of Lima upon your return.
2	A short flight this morning brings us to Cuzco, capital of the old Inca Empire.  On our included city tour, we'll have time to explore Cuzco's markets, Inca walls and churches as well as the imposing Inca fortress of Sacsaywaman above town.
3	This morning we're off to the Sacred Valley, and then on to Machu Picchu on the afternoon train.  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: Ollantaytambo and Pisac.  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.  Continuing on, Ollantaytambo is the only Inca village still inhabited in the present day.  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.  Afternoon train to Aguas Calientes, below Machu Picchu, where you'll spend the night.
4	Sunrise at Machu Picchu!  After a guided tour, take your time and enjoy this magnificent place.  During peak visiting hours (10-2), try a hike on one of the surrounding Inca trails.  We return to Cuzco in the afternoon.
5	Morning flight to Lima.  International flights may depart any time after 12pm.

 

TRIP DETAILS

5 days: US$1550 per person
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Depart any day!

Is this trip for me?
Inca Blitz! Econoclass is a five day tour which includes walking around ruins and during 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

·     Four nights of Econoclass 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 one-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary

·     Sacred Valley excursion

·     Cuzco city tour

      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: $80 double/$60 single
In Cuzco: $80 double/$60 single
 

Single Person Supplement: $215
Please add this to your total payment if you will be travelling 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 parts of Peru.  Travelers may wish to receive
hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all other standard vaccinations.  The
areas we are visiting are not yellow fever or malarial 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

·         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 warmer and with more chance of rain.

Lima: warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain.  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.