High Andes Archaeology

Circuit of Chile and Peru's Andean archaeology
11 days / 10 nights
From $3,029 per person, double occupancy for 2011

Includes transfers, accommodations, meals and guided excursions as specified. International and domestic air not included

Day 1: Santiago
Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Accommodations at the charming Hotel Orly, buffet breakfast included. This is a small, boutique style hotel which has 28 rooms. A converted mansion, the Hotel Orly is superbly situated in one of the city's more exclusive areas, Providencia. Everything you may want to see is close by - shops, restaurants, downtown, museums, banks, the cable car up the hill.

Day 2: Santiago - Calama - San Pedro de Atacama
You will be picked-up at your hotel and transferred to the airport for your domestic flight to Calama. Upon arrival in Calama, you will be transferred to Hotel Terrantai in San Pedro de Atacama. Upon arrival, you'll be given a tour of this unusually colorful village at 6,600 feet. (B)

Days 3-5: Hotel Terrantai
While at Terrantai, you can choose daily guided excursions (included) such as archaeological treks, visits to geysers, hot springs, lagoons, native villages, and mines, horseback riding and mountain biking. (B,L,D)

Day 6: San Pedro de Atacama - Calama - Santiago - Lima
After breakfast, you will be transferred back to the Calama airport for your departing flight to Santiago. Upon arrival, proceed to the international terminal for your flight to Lima. Airport reception and transfer to the Ramada Costa del Sol, breakfast included. Located adjacent to the airport terminal, this four star hotel features 130 rooms, restaurant, bar, business center, wireless internet, spa, and beauty salon. (B)

Day 7: Lima - CUZCO
Proceed on your own to the airport. Check in for your flight to Cuzco.

Airport reception in Cuzco and transfer to the centrally-located Posada del Inca Hotel, breakfast included.

After settling in, set off on a half day tour of Cuzco and the nearby Inca ruins. Cuzco, the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent, was the capital of the Inca Empire and is considered by many Quechua peoples to be the spiritual center of the world. Much of colonial Cuzco was built on Inca foundations, and your guide will point out Inca stonework along the many streets. Visit the main square, the Cathedral, Santo Domingo Church, as well as a first introduction to Inca stonework at the ruins of Puka-Pukara, Qenqo, Tambo Machay, and the renowned fortress of Sacsayhuaman overlooking Cuzco and the surrounding valley. Set off on a tour of Cuzco and the nearby Inca ruins. (B)

Day 8: Pisac & Ollantaytambo (Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday Only)
This morning, depart with your guide for a full-day excursion to the village and ruins of Pisac located 20 miles from Cuzco. After exploring the ruins you will visit a colorful Indian market where you'll be able to trade with locals for a variety of handicrafts. Lunch will be served in Urubamba, followed by a tour of the town and fortress of Ollantaytambo located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. (B,L)

Day 9: Cuzco - Machu Picchu
Early morning hotel pickup and transfer to the train station where you'll set off on a scenic 4-hour trip through the Urubamba Valley, followed by a 20-minute bus ride up to the breathtaking Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. Upon arrival you'll set off with your guide to explore the walls, stairways, temples and terraces of Machu Picchu. After lunch served at the hotel, you'll be free to explore this enchanting place on your own. Overnight at the Machu Picchu Inn, located in Aguas Caliente. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. (B,L,D)

We can upgrade your hotel to the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel or the Machu Picchu Santuary Lodge, located adjacent to the ruins.

Day 10: Machu Picchu - Cuzco
Enjoy a full morning visit to the citadel on your own (entrance fee and bus ticket not included).

In the afternoon, return to Cuzco by train, where you'll be met and transferred back to your hotel. Overnight accommodations at the centrally-located Posada del Inca Hotel, breakfast included. (B)

Day 11: Cuzco - Lima -Int'l Departure
Hotel pickup and transfer to the Cuzco airport.

Upon arrival in Lima, proceed to the international terminal for your connecting flight home. (B)

Contact us to book the High Andes Archaeology or a customized itinerary of travel in Chile.