Daily Itinerary

Day 1: Arequipa • Main Square • Santa Catalina Monastery • Yanahuara Viewpoint

Upon landing at Rodriguez Ballón International Airport in Arequipa, an Apple Travel Peru representative meets you for a smooth transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, embark on a guided walk through Arequipa’s historic center, built almost entirely from white volcanic sillar stone. Visit the Main Square, the Cathedral, and the expansive 16th-century Santa Catalina Monastery. Conclude your afternoon at the Yanahuara viewpoint for panoramic views of Misti and Chachani volcanoes.

• Meals Included: None (Independent)
• Accommodation: 3-Star Hotel in Arequipa (Elevation: 2,325 m / 7,628 ft)

Day 2: Arequipa • Salinas & Aguada Blanca Reserve • Patapampa Pass • Chivay

Depart Arequipa early in the morning, driving north through the Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Reserve. Keep your camera ready as wild vicuñas, llamas, and alpacas graze across the high plains. Cross the Patapampa Pass before descending into the fertile Colca Valley and reaching the town of Chivay. In the afternoon, relax in the natural thermal baths of La Calera to prepare for your canyon exploration.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: 3-Star Hotel in Chivay / Colca Valley (Elevation: 3,635 m / 11,925 ft)

Day 3: Chivay • Cruz del Cóndor • Altiplano Overland Route • Puno

Depart Chivay early to reach Cruz del Cóndor, the ultimate lookout point over Colca Canyon. Here, watch majestic Andean condors soar directly overhead using morning thermal winds. After taking in views of the canyon floor nearly 1,200 meters below, begin the scenic overland journey across the Altiplano toward Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodation: 3-Star Hotel in Puno (Elevation: 3,812 m / 12,506 ft)

Day 4: Puno • Uros Floating Reed Islands • Taquile Island Homestay

Board a speed launch from Puno port across the blue waters of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. First, step onto the buoyant totora reed islands of the Uros people to learn how these floating communities are constructed and maintained. Continue across the lake to Taquile Island, renowned for its UNESCO-recognized textile arts. Meet your host family for an evening of cultural exchange, home-cooked local meals, and peaceful stargazing.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Accommodation: Traditional Island Homestay on Taquile Island (Elevation: 3,950 m / 12,960 ft)

Day 5: Taquile Island • La Raya Pass • Raqchi Temple • Andahuaylillas • Cusco

Enjoy breakfast with your host family before taking a boat ride back to Puno to board your comfortable tourist bus along the “Ruta del Sol.” Stop at La Raya Pass (4,335 m), the boundary between the Puno Altiplano and the Cusco valley. Visit the massive mud-brick Inca temple of Raqchi, dedicated to Viracocha, and stop in Andahuaylillas to view its famous 17th-century church, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas.” Arrive in Cusco by late afternoon.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Buffet Lunch
• Accommodation: 3-Star Boutique Hotel in Cusco (Elevation: 3,400 m / 11,150 ft)

Day 6: Cusco • Qorikancha • Sacsayhuamán • Q’enqo • Tambomachay

Spend your morning resting and easing into Cusco’s high elevation. In the afternoon, meet your expert guide for a tour through the historic heart of the city. Visit Qorikancha (The Temple of the Sun), where Spanish colonial architecture sits directly atop polished Inca stone foundations. Drive just outside the city to explore the megalithic stone walls of Sacsayhuamán, as well as the ceremonial sites of Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay.

• Meals Included: Breakfast
• Accommodation: 3-Star Boutique Hotel in Cusco (Elevation: 3,400 m / 11,150 ft)

Day 7: Cusco • Pisac Ruins & Market • Sacred Valley • Ollantaytambo

Travel down into the fertile Sacred Valley of the Incas. Explore the vibrant Pisac market, famous for hand-woven textiles and crafts, before hiking up to the terraced Inca ruins overlooking the valley. Continue along the Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo, a continuously inhabited Inca town. Climb the massive stone terraces that lead to the Sun Temple fortress, learning about the military strategy used during the Spanish conquest.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
• Accommodation: 3-Star Hotel in Ollantaytambo (Elevation: 2,792 m / 9,160 ft)

Day 8: Ollantaytambo • Scenic Train • Machu Picchu Citadel • Cusco

Board the scenic tourist train from Ollantaytambo station, following the rushing Urubamba River down into the cloud forest surrounding Aguas Calientes. Catch the shuttle bus up the winding mountain road to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Join your guide for a comprehensive 2-hour exploration of the citadel, visiting the main plazas, agricultural terraces, royal quarters, and sun temples. Return by train to Ollantaytambo in the afternoon, followed by private road transfer to Cusco.

• Meals Included: Breakfast
• Accommodation: 3-Star Boutique Hotel in Cusco (Elevation: 3,400 m / 11,150 ft)

Day 9: Cusco • Private Transfer to Cusco Airport (CUZ)

Enjoy a final Andean breakfast at your hotel. At the scheduled time, our representative provides a private transfer from your hotel to Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) for your departure flight to Lima or your next destination.

• Meals Included: Breakfast
• Transfer Included: Private transfer to Cusco Airport (CUZ)