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| Day | Location |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Lima. City tour today or upon your return. |
| 2-3 | Flight to Cuzco. City and ruins tour, then free day |
| 4 | Sacred Valley tour – Pisac and Ollantaytambo |
| 5-6 | Machu Picchu tour, then free time at the site. |
| 7 | Flight to Lima. Free day or city tour. |
| 8 | Departure Day. |
Inca Heartland:
Econoclass
8 days: US$1475 per person
Domestic flights included
Depart any day
(What’s Included)
This eight-day adventure in Peru takes us to Lima and Cuzco, to the Sacred Valley, and to the world famous ruins of Machu Picchu. This tour is for those who wish to delve a little deeper into the Inca homeland and their fascinating remains. And as on all Southern Crossings trips, you’re taken care of from beginning to end: airport transfers and domestic flights are included!
Depart any day and customize your tour at no extra charge!
INCA HEARTLAND 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. |
| 2-3 | 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 imposing Inca fortress of Sacsaywaman. Over the course of today and your free day tomorrow, there is the opportunity to visit Cuzco’s excellent Inca Museum, retrace the steps of the conquistador Pizarro and the Inca rebellion that almost retook Cuzco, take walks to little known Inca sites above town, and generally take in the splendor and beauty of this fascinating región. |
| 4 | 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. Early to bed, as we head further down the valley tomorrow to Machu Picchu. |
| 5-6 | This morning we’re off on a beautiful morning train journey down the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. Unlike most other companies’ trips, we actually spend a night at the village below Machu Picchu. So after your guided Machu Picchu tour, take your time and enjoy this magnificent place. While most of the tourists are heading down to catch the afternoon train, we can stick around and have the site almost to ourselves, and also come back the next day for more exploration. This allows us plenty of time at the ruins, as well as time for some beautiful day hikes in the surrounding mountains. We return to Cuzco by train on the afternoon of Day 6. If you wish to return to Cuzco on Day 6 for a free day there instead, you are welcome to. Just let us know in our booking form. Also, those wishing to add days in Cuzco after visiting Machu Picchu may do so at a rate of US$120 per night (double room). There is plenty to see, including Inca ruins, colonial churches, museums, and colorful local markets. There is also plenty to do, such as horseback riding, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking. Our Cuzco coordinator will assist you in planning your time there. When you’re ready to return to Lima and your flight out, you will be transferred to/from the airports in Cuzco and Lima and will have a room at our hotel in Lima that night. Again, let us know when you fill out the booking form. |
| 7 | After a morning flight to Lima, it’s a free day or an included city tour, depending upon your itinerary. For your free time, we include our own useful guide to Lima and are always happy to recommend activities or make restaurant reservations. Just ask! |
| 8 | Departure Day. International flights may depart any time today, or on Day 7 if you’ve got less time. |
TRIP DETAILS
8 days: US$1475 per person
Domestic flights included
Discount for groups
Depart any day!
Is this trip for me?
Inca Heartland: Econoclass 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 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!
- Private airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip
- Southern Crossings bilingual guides
- All other internal transport – (excluding transport to optional restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)
- Domestic flights – Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima
- Seven nights of 2 star 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 two-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary
- Group Sacred Valley excursion
- Group Cuzco city tour
- Group 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
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, cancellation insurance is advisable. Any medical insurance is acceptable, we recommend Travel Guard. Click on the logo below for a quote:
Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima: $85 double/$75 single
In Cuzco: $70 double/$60 single
In Machu Picchu: $80 double/$80 single
Single Person Supplement: $275
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 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 hysician 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.
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.
We were impressed with Southern Crossings. We have traveled all over the world but never used a travel/tour service before. Southern Crossings put together a custom tour for just the 2 of us that was second to none. They provided a driver as well as a personal guide and historian for each area we visited which made the experience even better. They also understood that we wanted some down time and provided us with our own little piece of paradise in a small community.
-Dawn Huck, USA – Custom Peru Tour
Thanks for everything in Peru! The entire trip went so smoothly and we had a great time and I have never eaten so well away from home. That was a great idea to spend a few hours in Miraflores last night. We had a very pleasant afternoon and an excellent dinner. And while the dinner still wasn’t expensive by my standards, it would have cost three times that much in the U.S., we could have fed ten of us in Cusco for the same price.
We had an excellent trip and will be recommending Southern Crossings to friends and family.
-David Kitchen, USA – Inca Heartland
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
If you ever consider going to Peru, use Southern Crossings. We have recommended them to everyone we’ve talked to since our trip. We always felt connected with them in case we ran into problems, but yet still felt like we were exploring on our own. Would not hesitate to let them plan our next trip, which will probably be Mexico.
-Laura Prato & Karen Carlson, USA – Inca Heartland