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| Day | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Lima. City tour today or upon your return |
| 2 | Flight to Cuzco. City and ruins tour, then free day |
| 3-4 | Machu Picchu tour |
| 5 | Flight to Arequipa – Arequipa city tour |
| 6-7 | Colca Canyon Excursion |
| 8 | Flight to Lima. International flights may depart any time after 2pm. |
Condor Express
8 days: US$2650 per person
Domestic flights included
(What’s Included)
This eight-day adventure in Peru takes us to Lima and Cuzco, to the world famous ruins of Machu Picchu, and to the Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest, to spot condors and take in the magnificent views. And as on all Southern Crossings trips, you’re taken care of from beginning to end.
Depart any day and customize your tour at no extra charge!
CONDOR EXPRESS TRIP ITINERARY
| Day | Activity / Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | 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. |
| 2 | Morning flight over the Andes to Cuzco. After checking into your hotel, we’ll head to the Plaza de Armas, the center of old Cuzco, visit an Inca temple and a local market, then take a ride to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman above town for great afternoon views over the city. |
| 3-4 | A beautiful morning train journey across the high plain above Cuzco then down the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. After your guided tour, take time to independently explore the site, or try a day hike on one of the many surrounding trails. Return to Cuzco by train in the afternoon on day 4. |
| 5 | A morning flight to Arequipa. Arequipa is a charming colonial city at the foot of El Misti volcano, with the Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest, just a few hours away. On our included city tour, we’ll visit the huge and beautiful Santa Catalina Monastery as well as the Museum of Juanita, the Inca Ice Mummy. |
| 6 | Early morning departure for the Colca Canyon. Keep a lookout for condors as we skirt the side of the canyon. This area also has some of the most extensive Inca and pre-Inca terracing in all of Peru. Overnight in the village of Chivay. |
| 7 | We’ll spend the morning in Chivay, with a chance to soak in the town’s thermal baths, before returning to the comforts of Arequipa in the early afternoon. |
| 8 | Early morning flight to Lima. International flights may depart any time after 2pm today. |
TRIP DETAILS
8 days: US$2650 per person
Depart any day!
Is this trip for me?
Condor Express is an eight-day tour which includes walking in various ruins and on city tours. As always, a certain patience is required for the inconsistencies and occasional 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-Arequipa, Arequipa-Lima
- Seven nights of hotel accommodation
- Breakfast included with all hotel stays
- Machu Picchu excursion, including bilingual guide, round trip Vistadome or Executive train fare, transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and two-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary
- Arequipa city tour and Colca Canyon excursion of two days/one night
- 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
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 recommend www.travelguard.com although any travel medical coverage is acceptable.
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima/Cuzco/Machu Picchu/Arequipa: $140 double/$130 single.
Single Person Supplement: $700
Please add this to your total 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.
Arequipa and the Colca Canyon: Arequipa and the Colca Canyon are temperate, while the journey to the Colca Canyon is very cold in the morning.
Money guide
The unit of currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Automatic cash points are available in Lima, Arequipa 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
My recent trip to Peru was my first time traveling abroad, and it could not have been better. Southern Crossings was competent, friendly, and well-organized; the accommodation was better than expected; and the itinerary really packed in a lot. I can’t wait for my next trip!
- Jaime Rebecca, USA – Custom Peru Tour
The transportation was perfect. Everyone was one time and in the place where they were supposed to be. All of the guides and transportation people were wonderful! I also enjoyed having free time to look through the towns and markets. It was an unforgettable trip. I definitely will encourage my friends to use Southern Crossings for any trips that are possible with this group! It is one of the very best trips I\we’ve ever had!!
- Robin Krause , USA – Inca Blitz
We would travel with Southern Crossings again and can recommend them to anyone confident that they will have a wonderful time. The attention to detail that was put into our vacation was obvious. Every portion of our trip was seamless.
- Allen & Kim Chenoweth, USA – Custom Tour
“This was an excellent trip and hit the highlights with a high degree of comfort and convenience. Karen is an excellent organizer. She was very responsive to all of our inquiries and a great help in planning a last minute trip for us. And Rene is a superior guide. When glitches came up, he showed real concern and ingenuity to make sure that everything went smoothly.”
– Tom Newkirk, USA, Inca Heartland, November 2007