Travel-Learn Program
Treasures of Peru: With Machu Picchu & Lake Titicaca
When: June 03, 2013 - June 13, 2013 (iCal)
Description
“This was one of the best trips I have taken. Our tour guide made the areas we visited come alive”
Back by popular demand, our Peru journey features a land replete with archaeological, cultural, and natural treasures. Peru draws those eager to learn about both a distant past and a fascinating present of colonial and indigenous influences. As our small group takes in some of the country’s highlights – Cuzco, the incomparable Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca – we will visit ancient temples, colonial cathedrals, and charming villages of a land somewhat off the beaten path. Two guided tours of the enigmatic ruins of Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas,” will allow us to fully absorb this UNESCO World Heritage site. Other highlights of our journey include the stunning city of Lima, the Sacred Valley, and the Floating Islands. An optional 4-day/3-night post-tour extension to the Amazon Rainforest is also available.
Activity level: Active
Cost
From $4,639 (Boston Gateway)
Other dates and gateways available upon request.
Includes land and air; per person, based on double occupancy.
To avoid the disappointment of a sold out program, Register Now!
Contact
Usha Nand Sellers Ed. D., Director Tufts Travel-Learn Program, at usha.sellers@tufts.edu or 617-627-5323.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart U.S. for Lima
We arrive tonight in the Peruvian capital and transfer directly to our hotel.
Day 2 - Lima
We meet our fellow travelers and Tour Director at this morning’s briefing about the journey ahead, and take a tour of colonial Lima. A highlight is our visit to the Larco Herrera Museum, whose ceramics collection is unparalleled. We will attend a welcome lunch together at the museum; dinner tonight is on our own.
Day 3 - Lima/Cuzco/Sacred Valley
We transfer this morning to the airport for the flight to Cuzco, where upon arrival we stop for brunch, then continue on to the beautiful Sacred Valley, a region of Inca sites and indigenous villages. After stopping at the colorful Indian market at Pisac, we will arrive at our hotel mid-afternoon. Before tonight’s dinner, we will attend a native ceremony offering to the Earth.
Day 4 - Sacred Valley
This morning we embark on a full-day exploration of the Sacred Valley, a historic region with agricultural terraces virtually sculpted from the mountainsides. We begin with a visit to the farming village of Chincheros, where native Peruvians live much as their ancestors did; then continue on to the colonial village of Maras, known for its saltpans developed by the Inca and still in use today. We also view the circular terraces of Moray, large, natural depressions in the landscape that the Inca sculpted into terraces hundreds of years ago to serve as an experimental station for the development of different strains of crops. After lunch at a local restaurant we tour the massive ruins at Ollantaytambo; both a temple and a fortress, where work mysteriously halted centuries ago. Late this afternoon we return to our hotel and dine there tonight.
Day 5 - Sacred Valley/Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes
Early this morning we board a train for the journey to Aguas Calientes, after lunch we will board a bus for Machu Picchu and experience our first guided tour of the stunning “Lost City of the Incas.” Thanks to its small size, our group will move nimbly through the ruins and leisurely experience the beauty and mystery of this site whose original purpose has been lost to time.
Day 6 - Machu Picchu/Cuzco
This morning before the crowds of day trippers arrive we take our second guided tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site, when the early morning sun bathes the stones in a haunting, evocative light. After lunch in Aguas Caliente, we will return to Cuzco by train, for an early evening arrival at our hotel.
Day 7 - Cuzco
After a morning at leisure, we will head to the archaeological hub of the Americas, the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city, and UNESCO World Heritage site. Dynamic and historic, Cuzco is rich with the legacies of its Inca and Spanish forebears. We will stop at the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, the still beautiful “House of the Sun,” an Incan masterpiece. Given the importance of meeting local people, our lunch today is at the home of a gracious Cuzco family.
Day 8 - Cuzco/Puno
We depart this morning for the day-long journey by coach to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. As we travel through the rugged snow-capped Andes dotted with small villages and herds of llama and alpaca, we will make several stops along the way: Andahuaylillas, a village known for its beloved 17th-century church; the ruins at Raqchi, once the holiest site in the Incan empire; La Raya, perched on Peru’s altiplano (high plain) and home to the Llama and Alpaca Research Center; and the ceramics center of Pucara. We will arrive at our hotel on the shores of Esteves Island on Lake Titicaca late this afternoon; it’s a short walk to the center of Puno from our hotel.
Day 9 - Puno/Lake Titicaca
We will spend the day exploring the fascinating life of Lake Titicaca, South America’s largest lake and at 12,500 feet above sea level, among the world’s highest navigable lakes. By boat we will visit the Floating Island of Los Uros, where the top-hatted Uros people live on “islands” made of the reeds that grow in the lake’s shallows. Next we will visit Isla Taquile, known for the high quality textiles crafted by the indigenous people who live here. On our visit, we will observe men in their signature woven woolen caps, and women in tailored waistcoats and multi-layered skirts. We also witness the area’s breath¬taking natural beauty, with Bolivia’s snow-capped Cordillera range a striking backdrop to the deep blue of Lake Titicaca. Tonight we will meet for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, and celebrate our Peruvian journey.
Day 10 - Puno/Lima/Depart for U.S.
This morning we will visit the mysterious burial towers (chullpas) at Sillustani overlooking Lake Umayo. Then we will transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima, where day rooms at the airport hotel will be available for us. Late this evening we will depart for our homeward flight to the U.S.
Day 11 - Arrive in U.S.
We arrive in the U.S. this morning and connect with our return flight home.
*Price and Itinerary are tentative and subject to change
617-627-5323|usha.sellers@tufts.edu
