Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(11
days/10 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(12 days/11 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(14 days/13 nights)
Colca Canyon - Machu
Picchu
Lake Titicaca
(16 days/15 nights)
Archaeological
& Ecological
Treasures
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca (or Amazon)
(18 days/17
nights)
Colca Canyon - Amazon
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(22 days/21 nights)
Machu Picchu
(10
days/9 nights)
Machu Picchu
(13 days/12 nights)
Machu Picchu - Galapagos
(15 days/14 nights)
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
(18 days/17 nights)
Manu National Park
(8 days/7 nights)
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Galapagos
(11
days/10 nights)
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Galapagos - Andes
(16 days/15 nights)
Galapagos - Amazon
(16 days/15 nights)
Historic Haciendas of the Andes
Cotopaxi - Antisana
- Otavalo
(7 days/6 nights)
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Inka's Empire Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Lima - Colca Canyon - Amazon - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco - Lake Titicaca
Citadel of Machu Picchu.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Every aspect of this journey is infused with awe-inspiring moments...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com, April 2003
Land Price (22 days/21 nights)
Royal US$ 17,480 Imperial US$ 13,550 De Luxe US$ 12,950
The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions with professional guides and chauffeurs, entrance fees, selected category of accommodations, all meals (see details), all land and water transportation, and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see Opulent Itineraries.
Intra-Tour Flights & Fares
Air fares are in addition to the land price.
Lima - Arequipa, Arequipa - Cuzco & Juliaca - Lima: US$ 450
Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús, Arequipa.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
From its roots in southern Peru to its glory in the imperial city of Cuzco, you will experience the panoramic history of the Inca Empire and of the civilizations that inspired the Incas to greatness. Archaeology, art, architecture, folklore and cuisine compose a cultural adventure to forever cherish. While discovering the Empire's archaeological treasures, you'll explore two of its greatest ecological treasures on expeditions to the Colca Canyon and the Amazon Rainforest.
All international flights arrive in Lima, a five-century-old Spanish colonial city and home to the country's major museums. The next morning, enter the historic district's crown jewels. In the afternoon, discover the treasures of the Incas at the Museo Larco and Museo Amano.
Morning flight to Arequipa for an excursion of its colonial monuments and fascinating countryside. Then, set out for three days on an overland expedition to the Colca Canyon; a land of volcanoes, pre-Inca terraces, ancient traditions, all-but-forgotten pueblos, vicuñas and condors.
A morning flight into the Andes takes you to Cuzco, the ancient capital, where you'll have two days to explore its Inca and colonial monuments, two days in the "Lost City" of Machu Picchu and two days for the reknowned archaeological sites and native markets of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
During your stay in Cuzco, you'll make an Amazon expedition by charter flight and riverboat to the Manu National Park, where you'll stay in the Manu Wildlife Center for four nights, observing the world's largest tapir lick, a macaw lick, miles of monkey-rich trails through mature rain forest, two 120-foot-tall (35-meter) canopy platforms and two mature lakes complete with hoatzins and giant otters -- a marvelous place that PBS calls "A Living Eden".
After a spectacular rail adventure on the Orient-Express Andean Explorer through magnificent mountains towering over the deep valleys of the meandering Huatanay River, and across the gentle, rolling Altiplano, where vicuña and alpaca are often seen; your tour will continue on and around Lake Titicaca. First, cruise on your private yacht to the floating Islands of the Uros, traditional Llachon and Taquile Island. Then, drive north to the enigmatic archaeological site of Sillustani; Lampa, with its Church of the Immaculate Conception; the Great Temple of Pukara, the oldest ceremonial site of the Altiplano; and the capricious geological formations of Tinajani. Finally, drive south along Lake Titicaca to ancient and mysterious monuments, such as the phallic temple "Inka Uyo", the millennia-old pilgrimage site of Ccopa Amaya, the anciently carved rockface known as the Puerta de Amaru Muru and the funerary towers of Molloko.
Return to Lima to explore the Pachacamac archaeological site. After a lunch of Peruvian Criollo cuisine next to a 1,500-year-old adobe pyramid, walk in the artists' quarter of Barranco, dine in style and transfer to the airport for your overnight flight home, completing your grand tour of the Inca Empire.
What Luxury Link has to say about Grand Tour of the Inca Empire.
Facade, La Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Highlights
Lima
Day 1: Flight to Lima. International arrival in the afternoon or evening, reception and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in the Orient-Express Miraflores Park Hotel.
Day 2: Lima. Morning walking tour in the colonial quarter, visiting the Plaza de Armas and entering La Casa de Aliaga, La Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, La Catedral and La Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco. In contrast to the religious structures, the Torre Tagle Palace is the city's best surviving example of secular colonial architecture. Lunch at the Café del Museo. Afternoon at the Museo Larco and the Museo Amano. Dine on Criollo cuisine at Astrid & Gastón, one of the highest notes in the Peruvian culinary scene. Overnight in the Orient-Express Miraflores Park Hotel.
Arequipa
Day 3: Lima - Arequipa. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Arequipa. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. In the Campiña are fascinating districts, like Paucarpata and Sabandia, that you will see as you travel along the Via Paisajista. Visit the Molino de Sabandia, Mansion del Fundador, Balneario de Tingo, Mirador de Sachaca, Puente Fierro and the Museo Santuarios Andinos. Typical lunch at Tradición Arequipeña before going up to the Mirador de Carmen Alto and Mirador de Yanahuara. Walking tour of the colonial quarter begins in San Lazaro. Afterward, enter the Convento de Santa Catalina. Continue to the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral. Perambulate the cloister and end on a high note by climbing the Cupula de San Ignacio of the Iglesia y Claustros de la Compañía de Jesús. Dinner at chef Gastón Acurio's La Trattoria del Monasterio. Overnight in the Hotel Libertador Arequipa -- Suite.
Colca Valley
Day 4: Arequipa - Pampa Canahuas - Colca Valley - Chivay. Passing through Yura, arrive at the Pampa Canahuas, a reserve for vicuñas, llamas, alpacas and other indigenous species. Leave the main road and head toward the Ventana del Colca, encountering rock paintings and petroglyphs at Mollepunko, grain storehouses at Pumpunuta, stone models of the agricultural terraces, the enchanted Castillos, Callalli, Sibayo, Tuti and the pre-Inca archaeological site of Canocota. We arrive in Chivay and relax in the hot springs of La Calera. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Parador del Colca -- Suite.
Day 5: Cruz del Condor & Traditional Pueblos. Morning drive to the Cruz del Condor, on the rim of the Colca Canyon, where the Andean condors take advantage of the especially strong winds to soar into the sky. We travel on to Cabanaconde, the Mirador de Tapay, Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque as well as the Mirador de Antahuilque and the Mirador de Choquetico. Another chance to relax in the hot springs of La Calera. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Parador del Colca -- Suite.
Arequipa
Day 6: Chivay - Coporaque - Uyo-Uyo - Arequipa. Excursion to Coporaque, the Mirador de Chininia y Ocolle and the pre-Inca ruins of Uyo-Uyo, later returning to Chivay to have lunch and to begin our four-hour return to Arequipa by way of Patapampa, the Mirador de los Andes, the Chucura Crater and the Pampa de Toccra. Arrival at your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Arequipa -- Suite.
Cuzco
Day 7: Arequipa - Cuzco (A Walk in the Colonial Quarter). Transfer to the airport. Flight to Cuzco. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Morning free to rest. Traditional lunch at Pachapapa before a visit to artisans' workshops and the Church of San Blas. Afternoon walking tour in the colonial quarter. Inca monuments include Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), the fine Inca walls of Inti Q'ijllo, Ajlla Wasi (House of the Virgins of the Sun), the Stone of Twelve Angles and Huacaypata (Leisure Square), now dominated by the Spanish colonial Cathedral. This evening, your guide will meet you for a tour of the Museo de Arte Precolombino. Afterward, a dinner of nouvelle Andean cuisine in the museum's courtyard. Overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
Amazon
Day 8: Cuzco - Boca Manu - Manu Wildlife Center. Early morning transfer to the Cuzco airport to begin your private expedition to the Amazon Rainforest. Flight to Boca Manu. Motor-canoe down the Madre de Dios River to the Manu Wildlife Center, with wildlife-viewing possibilities on the way. Afternoon exploring the diverse forest trails around the lodge, encountering some of the 12 species of monkeys. Short excursion to observe nocturnal life in the rainforest. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Day 9: Manu Wildlife Center (Macaw Clay Lick & Tapir Clay Lick). Boat journey to the only large-parrot and macaw clay lick in the Manu area. After lunch, continue to explore the forest trails and spend the late afternoon up a 34-meter canopy platform. Hike through the night forest to the Amazon's largest known tapir clay lick. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Day 10: Manu Wildlife Center (Excursion to Cocha Blanco). Visit the Blanco Oxbow Lake, with populations of a variety of aquatic life and water birds. After lunch, further explore the forest trails for more wildlife encounters. This evening, search by boat along the riverbank for caiman and other nocturnal life. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Day 11: Manu Wildlife Center (Excursion to Cocha Camungo). Visit the Camungo Oxbow Lake. Look for the giant otters and other lakeside fauna, explore the forest trails and climb the 40-meter canopy platform. After lunch, visit the fruiting and flowering trees. Encounter more monkey species as well as numerous species of birds. Before or after supper, another chance to visit the tapir clay lick. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Sacred Valley
Day 12: Manu Wildlife Center - Boca Manu - Cuzco - Sacred Valley (Chinchero - Maras - Moray). Leave by motor-canoe for the two-hour return trip to the Boca Manu landing strip. Flight to Cuzco. Reception and drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visit to the Chinchero market and church. Private weaving demonstration. Continue to the Moray archaeological site and the ancient salt pans of Maras. If you like, walk down rural paths to the Urubamba River. A lunch of nouvelle Andean cuisine at chef Ricardo Behar's 3 Keros. Arrival at your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Urubamba Villas.
Day 13: Sacred Valley (Pisaq - Ollantaytambo). Hike in the Pisaq ruins. Afterward, a short visit to the Pisaq market. Gourmet lunch of fusion cuisine in the patio of chef Pio's El Huacatay. Tour of the Ollantaytambo ruins. Return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Urubamba Villas.
Machu Picchu
Day 14: Sacred Valley - Orient-Express Vistadome - Machu Picchu. Transfer to the train station to meet your guide. Vistadome to Machu Picchu. Transfer to the ruins. Day entrance. Private guided tour in the morning. Buffet luncheon in the hotel. Afternoon exploration with your guide or own your own. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Sanctuary Lodge.
Cuzco
Day 15: Machu Picchu - Orient-Express Vistadome - Cuzco. Day of exploration with your guide or on your own. Entrance into the ruins. Sunrise over Machu Picchu. Lunch in the hotel. Transfer to the train station. Vistadome to the Poroy Station, on the outskirts of Cuzco. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
Day 16: Cuzco (The Collasuyu Road - Nearby Inca Monuments). Morning excursion beyond the ancient fortress that guarded the Valley of Cuzco. Coming back from the colonial village of Andahuaylillas on the Collasuyu Road, follow the route of early travelers from the southern quarter of the empire. Pass through the ancient gate of Rumicolca, gaze at the pre-Inca ruins of Pikillaqta, taste the traditional bread of Oropesa and admire the royal garden of Tipon before your arrival in the Imperial City of the Incas. Lunch of Italian-Peruvian cuisine at Incanto. Afternoon excursion to the nearby Inca monuments of Saqsaywaman, the Temple of the Moon, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. This evening, Mediterranean cuisine at the tapas bar or in the dining room of La Cicciolina. Overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
Lake Titicaca
Day 17: Cuzco - Orient-Express Andean Explorer - Puno. Transfer to the train station. First Class service on the Orient-Express Andean Explorer to Puno. Three-course lunch, followed by coffee in the observation car. Scenic stop at La Raya, the highest point on the route. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Puno.
Day 18: Puno (Uros Islands - Llachon - Taquile Island). Transfer to the port. All-day cruise to the floating islands of the Uros, the traditional pueblo of Llachon and Taquile Island. Typical lunch. Return to port and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Puno.
Day 19: Puno - Corridor Quechua (Sillustani - Lampa - Pukara - Tinajani). All-day, overland excursion to Sillustani; Lampa, with its colonial mansions, Church of the Immaculate Conception and immense forests of "Queñuales" trees; the Great Temple of Pukara, the oldest ceremonial site of the Altiplano; and the capricious geological formations of Tinajani. Box lunch. Return to Puno. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Puno.
Day 20: Puno - Corridor Aymara (Chucuito - Ccopa Amaya - Puerta de Amaru Muru - Juli - Pomata - Molloko). Drive south along Lake Titicaca to ancient and mysterious monuments, such as the phallic temple "Inka Uyo", the millennia-old pilgrimage site of Ccopa Amaya, the anciently carved rockface known as the Puerta de Amaru Muru and the funerary towers of Molloko. On the way, visit the poetic pueblos of Chucuito, Juli and Pomata, whose churches are jewels of colonial architecture. Box lunch. Return to Puno. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Puno.
Lima
Day 21: Puno - Juliaca - Lima. Transfer to the airport. Flight to Lima. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Morning drive to Pachacamac, the most reknowned pre-Inca and Inca pilgrimage site of the coast. Upon returning to Lima, lunch at the extraordinary Huaca Pucllana restaurant, which reinterprets the Peruvian Criollo tradition. Afterward, continue to Barranco for visits to one of the country's finest crafts shops, the Museo de Arte Colonial Pedro de Osma, La Puente de los Suspiros and La Iglesia de La Ermita. Arrival at your hotel, dinner in its Poissonnerie and transfer to the airport tonight for your Overnight Flight Home. Day Room in the Orient-Express Miraflores Park Hotel.
Note: During December through April, the restaurants used for lunch and dinner are reversed.
Home
Day 22: Lima - Home. Flight and arrival home.
Wooden balcony of the Torre Tagle Palace, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
At ancient Peru's most exalted pilgrimage site, eroded temples speak of the pre-Columbian cultures that flourished in the Lima Valley, worshipping the earth god Pachacamac ("he who gives life to the universe"). When the Incas arrived, they respected the temples and religion of those people, allowing them to worship that god alongside the Incas' own god, the Sun. For their deity, the Incas erected a great stone temple on a cliff above the sea. When the Spaniards arrived, they destroyed the holiest place in their lust for gold but found that the only treasure it contained was spiritual.
Nearby Lima, founded by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, came to be the capital of the New World for a period of three hundred years, reaching its grandest splendor in the 17th and 18th centuries. The city has two principal attractions: the colonial quarter, where a visit to La Casa de Aliaga is to go back in time to the earliest years of the Spanish conquest, and the archaeological museums, which display gold, ceramic and textile masterpieces of Peru's pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. The country's independence movement was led by Jose de San Martin of Argentina and Simon Bolivar of Venezuela. San Martin proclaimed Peruvian independence from Spain on July 28, 1821, marking the end of the colonial period and the beginning of the republican era.
Huaca de Huallamarca, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 1: Flight to Lima
International arrival this afternoon or evening in the five-century-old colonial city of Lima, "City of the Kings" and the capital of Peru. Reception and escorted transfer to your hotel in the garden district of Miraflores, high above the Pacific Ocean and home to the city's grand 19th century mansions. Overnight in the Orient-Express Miraflores Park Hotel.
Entry door of the Casa Aliaga, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 2: Lima
Breakfast. This morning, walk with your guide in the heart of the city, which preserves its Spanish colonial heritage of the 16th-18th centuries. It was Francisco Pizarro, the founder of Lima, who determined the area for the Plaza de Armas as well as the location of the structures around it. In the center of the plaza is a splendid bronze fountain of 1650. Around the plaza and originally dating back to the city's beginnings in 1535 are the Cathedral, destroyed in the earthquake of 1746 and rebuilt in 1758; the Archbishop's Palace, rebuilt in 1924; and the Presidential Palace, rebuilt in 1937. Surviving intact is La Casa de Aliaga. Built in 1535 by Don Jeronimo de Aliaga, a member of Pizarro's conquering forces and co-founder of the city, it is still inhabited by the original family. A visit to this antique-filled mansion is to go back in time to the earliest years of the Spanish conquest of Peru.
17th century library, La Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
On your walking tour, enter the 1599 La Iglesia y Convento de Santo Domingo, Lima's oldest convent; the 1758 La Catedral; and the 1674 La Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco, the most spectacular of Lima's colonial-era churches. It features cloisters and interiors of Spanish tiles; Moorish-style, carved-wood ceilings; a fine museum of religious art; a 17th century library of twenty-thousand books, many dating from the first years of the city's founding; and catacombs begun in 1546. In contrast to the religious structures, the 1735 Torre Tagle Palace, with its gorgeous baroque stone doorway and carved-wood balconies, is the city's best surviving example of secular colonial architecture.
"Huaco" depicting a fisherman in a reed boat.
Lambayeque culture, c. 500 AD, Museo Larco, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Lunch of traditional Peruvian cuisine at the Café del Museo, directed by Peru's most prestigious chef, Gastón Acurio, and located in the gardens of the Museo Larco. Founded in 1926, the Museo Larco exhibits the world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian art -- a treasure trove of gold, silver, semi-precious stones and textiles. The collection's predominant strength is in Mochica ceramics, of which the erotic ones are the most famous. Their notariety ought not to obscure the fact that the museum presents a complete view of the cultural development of ancient Peru through a selection of its 45,000 pieces, housed in a colonial building of the 18th century. For a preview, see Inka's exclusive online exhibition, Art of the Ancient Peruvians, courtesy of the Museo Larco.
Museo Amano, Lima.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Spend the rest of the afternoon at the Museo Amano, which features a collection of artifacts from some of Peru's most important coastal civilizations, including the Chimú, Chancay and Nazca. Its textiles and ceramics are among the best displayed in Lima. A donation to the museum will be made in your name.
Return to your hotel to relax. This evening, dine at Astrid & Gastón. When the restaurant was founded a decade ago by Gastón Acurio and Astrid Gutsche, the restaurant's cuisine was largely French. Both chefs had studied in Paris' Le Cordon Bleu. Gradually, though, as they rediscovered Peruvian flavors and culinary traditions, the kitchen began to incorporate local dishes and ingredients, moving towards the current sophisticated Criollo concept that characterizes the restaurant today and makes it one of the highest notes in the Peruvian culinary scene. Overnight in the Orient-Express Miraflores Park Hotel.
Chachani Volcano as seen from the terraces of Yumina, Arequipa.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 3: Lima - Arequipa
Early transfer to the airport for the flight to Arequipa. Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. On the outskirts of the city, called the Campiña (open country), are fascinating districts, like Paucarpata and Sabandia that preserve their pre-Inca terraces, still in agricultural use. You will see these and other traditional settlements this morning as you travel along the Via Paisajista (scenic route) between Arequipa and Tingo. Visit the 1622 Molino de Sabandia, a working mill, and the Mansion del Fundador, the 1540 home of Arequipa's founder, Don Manuel Garci de Carbajal. On the way back to Arequipa, appreciate the lakeside district of Balneario de Tingo, the view from the Mirador de Sachaca and the Puente Fierro, designed by Gustave Eiffel and built in 1882. Spend the late morning at the Museo Santuarios Andinos, learning about the mummy "Juanita", a Virgin of the Sun who was offered in sacrifice to the "Apus", or mountain spirits, about 500 years ago. She was discovered on the Ampato Glacier during the 1996 expedition of archaeologist Johan Reinhard to the summit of Sara Sara, in search of frozen, sacrificial mummies.
Cloisters of the Compañía de Jesús, Arequipa.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
A typical lunch at the classic open-air Tradición Arequipeña before going up to the Mirador de Carmen Alto, which looks out over the Chilina Valley, and the Mirador de Yanahuara, a splendid lookout over the entire city and the surrounding volcanoes, such as Misti and Cachani. A walking tour of the 16th and 17th-century colonial quarter begins in the district of San Lazaro, the oldest of the city. Afterward, enter the 1579 Convento de Santa Catalina, a place of religious reflection that remained sequestered for almost four-hundred years. Continue to the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral, constructed in 1621 but frequently destroyed by earthquakes. Perambulate the cloister and end on a high note by climbing the Cupula de San Ignacio of the 1654 Iglesia y Claustros de la Compañía de Jesús. Arequipa's typical construction of white volcanic stone from nearby quarries gives it the name of the "White City". As seen in the arcade of this church, the stone's softness allows unusually ornate carving of the blocks, a distinctive characteristic of the region's historic architecture, which you will also observe in the Colca Valley. Dinner of Italian cuisine at La Trattoria del Monasterio, which offers a menu prepared by famed Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio. Overnight in the Hotel Libertador Arequipa -- Suite.
Misti Volcano and vicuñas, Pampa Cañahuas, Arequipa.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
The Colca Valley, to the north of Arequipa, is famed for its geological, ethnographic and cultural wonders. An ethnic group, bearer of ancient and still-strong traditions, has dwelled there for more than 2,000 years. They are the Collaguas, who arrived in the valley from the high regions and seem to be descendents of the Aymaras because of their language and customs. Even under the Inca dominion, they kept themselves relatively independent and preserved their own ways. It is said that the supreme Inca Mayta Capac married a Collagua princess in order to formalize the conquest of the valley and that he built for her an elegant country house made of copper, near Sibayo.
One of the survival skills of the ancient Colca people was the ability to store large amounts of grain for hard times. The storehouses, known as "colcas", gave the the valley its name. In the cool caves of Pumunuta, it is possible to see circular colcas three-feet in diameter, made of mud and starw.
There are almost 20 towns along the valley, whose people preserve the ethnic richness of their past more than any other region of the country. The main ones are Chivay, Cabanaconde, Huambo, Maca, Achoma, Yunque, Lari and Coporaque, all very religious towns, whose Catholic faith also keeps alive pre-Columbian elements. Each town has its own church, bearer of its Hispanic inheritance and exemplar of architectural sobriety and purity, based on the white volcanic stone blocks, often richly carved.
Vicuñas, on the road between Arequipa and the Colca Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 4: Arequipa - Pampa Canahuas - Colca Valley - Chivay
Breakfast. Our overland expedition passes through a land of volcanoes, pre-Inca terraces, ancient traditions, all-but-forgotten pueblos, vicuñas and condors. Passing through Yura and below the snow-covered Chachani Volcano, we arrive at the Pampa Cañahuas, a national reserve for vicuñas, llamas, alpacas and other indigenous species. In Viscachani, we leave the main road and head toward the Ventana del Colca. On this route, in addition to the spectacular rock formations and the exquisite pueblos suspended in time, we encounter caves or overhangs with rock paintings and petroglyphs with an antiquity of more than 5,000 years, such as Mollepunko; admirable "colcas", or strategically-located grain storehouses, such as Pumpunuta; and stone models reproducing the "andenes", or agricultural terraces, with perfectly-functioning irrigation systems. Box lunch.
Petroglyphs of Toro Muerto, near the Colca Canyon.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Along the way, we visit the enchanted Castillos, castle-like rock formations, and Callalli, dedicated to raising llamas and alpacas, due to its altitude of more than 3,800 meters not permitting any type of agriculture; Sibayo, one of the most traditional pueblos that even today preserves its colonial architecture and straw roofs; the village of Tuti, on the banks of the Colca River; and the pre-Inca archaeological site of Canocota. After six to eight hours on the road, we arrive in Chivay, capital of the Colca Valley. The altitude is even higher than Cuzco's, and the same advice regarding altitude sickness should be observed. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Parador del Colca -- Suite.
Colca Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 5: Cruz del Condor & Traditional Pueblos
Breakfast. Early morning drive, passing mile after mile of pre-Inca stone terraces climbing the hills along the river. The amount of social organization and work required to construct these engineering marvels with primitive tools and without beasts of burden in unfathomable. We ascend above the valley to the rim of the Colca Canyon, the second most profound in the world (the first is in the next valley) and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
Usually, in such a deep canyon, the rising winds are surprisingly strong. Between Maca and Cabanaconde, the deepest part of the canyon, the Andean condors take advantage of the especially strong winds to soar into the sky. Called the Cruz del Condor, the observation point is perfect for watching their majestic flight above the dizzying abyss, more than 3,000 feet straight down! With luck, we'll see several condors rising above the canyon walls.
We travel on to Cabanaconde, a pueblo with different ancestors: the "Cabanas", of Quechua origin, making a stop at the Mirador de Tapay, from where we can appreciate the small pueblos of Tapay, Coshñihua, Malata and San Juan de Chucco, all hemmed in by the canyon's hillsides. Typical lunch in Cabanaconde. On the return to Chivay, visit the the pueblos of Pinchollo, Maca, Achoma and Yanque as well as the Mirador de Antahuilque and the Mirador de Choquetico, with their stone models of the agricultural terraces. Returning to Chivay, we can relax in the hot springs of La Calera, located in a beautiful, open-air setting. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Parador del Colca -- Suite.
Andean condor, Colca Canyon.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 6: Chivay - Coporaque - Uyo-Uyo - Arequipa
Breakfast. Excursion to the pueblo of Coporaque, which has the oldest church of the valley and the legend of being the place where Inca Mayta Capac ordered the construction of a palace of copper for one of his wives, metal that was afterward used to make horseshoes and forge the church's bell. The small church, dating from about 1565, bears one of the purest Renaissance-style facades in Peru.
Choquetico Rock, Colca
Canyon.
Photo:
Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
We continue along the edge of the Colca River to the Mirador de Chininia y Ocolle, where we can view the impressive pre-Inca agricultural terraces as well as the ancient grain storehouses, or colcas. We hike through the pre-Inca ruins of Uyo-Uyo, later returning to Chivay to have lunch and to begin our four-hour return to the city of Arequipa by way of Patapampa. From the Mirador de los Andes, we can observe the Cordillera de Chila (Chila mountain range). Mt. Mismi is foremost, Chucura and Huarancote are further away and Ubinas, Misti, Chachani, Ampato, Sabancaya and Hualca Hualca are in the distance. Crossing the Chucura Crater and passing through the Pampa de Toccra, we almost always come across a variety of Andean birds in the peat bogs. Arrival at your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Hotel Libertador Arequipa -- Suite.
The Stone of Twelve Angles, Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
... the most renowned of the Peruvian temples,
the pride of the capital, and the wonder of the empire, was at Cuzco,
where, under the munificence of successive sovereigns,
it had become so enriched, that it received the name of Coricancha,
or "the Place of Gold."
-- William H. Prescott, The History of the Conquest of Peru, 1847
Day 7: Arequipa - Cuzco (A Walk in the Colonial Quarter)
Breakfast. Early transfer to the airport for the flight to Cuzco, the capital of the ancient Inca Empire, called Tawantinsuyo. The name of Cuzco is a Spanish version of the native word Q'osqo, which means the "Navel of the Universe". Arrival, reception and transfer to your hotel. Morning free to rest. A lunch of traditional Andean cuisine in the patio of Pachapapa. Just across the street, visit artisans' workshops and the Church of San Blas (built in 1562). It houses an imposing pulpit from the late 17th century that, for many, is the finest example of a carved wooden structure in the world. Chiseled from a single cedar trunk, the pulpit features angels, demons, saints, virgins and beasts. A native artist, Juan Thomas Tuirutupa, is believed to have been the sculptor. The main altarpiece is Baroque and exceptionally beautiful.
Afternoon walking tour of the imperial city of the Incas to their ancient monuments of Qorikancha (the Temple of the Sun); the fine Inca walls of Inti Q'ijllo; the Ajlla Wasi (the House of the Virgins of the Sun); the Stone of Twelve Angles; and Huacaypata (Leisure Square). All of these constructions date from the era of 1440 A.D., when Inca Pachakuteq, desiring a capital befitting his great empire, pulled down the adobe city and rebuilt Cuzco in stone.
The Inca palaces were in the form of "canchas", or enclosures, formed by massive stone walls with living quarters, temples and courtyards within. Throughout Cuzco, you will see the Inca walls, built upon by the Spaniards in colonial style. The Cathedral was built over the Inca Wiracocha's palace. The Palacio del Arzobispo, or Archbishop's Palace, was erected in the 16th century in an Arabesque style on the walls of Hatunrumiyoc, the palace of Inca Sinchi Roca, which contains the Stone of Twelve Angles. The Church of Santo Domingo (begun in 1534), was built over Qorikancha, the most important religious structure in the Inca Empire. When the earthquake of 1950 collapsed much of the superimposed colonial architecture, it revealed the ancient Temples of the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, Thunder and Lightning, and the Rainbow. Return to your hotel.
This evening, your guide will meet you for a tour of the Museo de Arte Precolombino, which displays 450 pre-Inca and Inca masterpieces dating from 1250 B.C. to 1532 A.D. Afterward, a dinner of nouvelle Andean cuisine at the MAP Café, in the museum's courtyard. Overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
The interior of the temple was the most worthy of admiration. It was literally a mine of gold. On the western wall was emblazoned a representation of the deity, consisting of a human countenance, looking forth from amidst innumerable rays of light, which emanated from it in every direction, in the same manner as the sun is often personified with us. The figure was engraved on a massive plate of gold of enormous dimensions, thickly powdered with emeralds and precious stones. It was so situated in front of the great eastern portal, that the rays of the morning sun fell directly upon it at its rising, lighting up the whole apartment with an effulgence that seemed more than natural, and which was reflected back from the golden ornaments with which the walls and ceiling were everywhere incrusted. Gold, in the figurative language of the people, was "the tears wept by the sun," and every part of the interior of the temple glowed with burnished plates and studs of the precious metal. The cornices, which surrounded the walls of the sanctuary, were of the same costly material; and a broad belt or frieze of gold, let into the stonework, encompassed the whole exterior of the edifice.
Adjoining the principal structure were several chapels of smaller dimensions. One of them was consecrated to the Moon, the deity held next in reverence, as the mother of the Incas. Her effigy was delineated in the same manner as that of the Sun, on a vast plate that nearly covered one side of the apartment. But this plate, as well as all the decorations of the building, was of silver, as suited to the pale, silvery light of the beautiful planet. There were three other chapels, one of which was dedicated to the host of Stars, who formed the bright court of the Sister of the Sun; another was consecrated to his dread ministers of vengeance, the Thunder and the Lightning; and a third, to the Rainbow, whose many-colored arch spanned the walls of the edifice with hues almost as radiant as its own...
All the plate, the ornaments, the utensils of every description, appropriated to the uses of religion, were of gold or silver. Twelve immense vases of the latter metal stood on the floor of the great saloon, filled with grain of the Indian corn; the censers for the perfumes, the ewers which held the water for sacrifice, the pipes which conducted it through subterraneous channels into the buildings, the reservoirs that received it, even the agricultural implements used in the gardens of the temple, were all of the same rich materials. The gardens, like those described, belonging to the royal palaces, sparkled with flowers of gold and silver, and various imitations of the vegetable kingdom. Animals, also, were to be found there --among which the llama, with its golden fleece, was most conspicuous-- executed in the same style, and with a degree of skill, which, in this instance, probably, did not surpass the excellence of the material.
-- William H. Prescott, The History of the Conquest of Peru, 1847
Qorikancha, the Temple
of the Sun, Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
In the time of the Incas, this garden... was entirely made of gold and silver; and there were similar gardens about all the royal mansions. Here could be seen all sorts of plants, flowers, trees, animals, both small and large, wild and tame, tiny, crawling creatures such as snakes, lizards, and snails, as well as butterflies and birds of every size; each one of these marvels being placed at the spot that best suited the nature of what it represented.
There were a tall corn stalk and another stalk from the grain they call quinoa, as well as other vegetables and fruit trees, the fruits of which were all very faithfully reproduced in gold and silver. There were also, in the house of the Sun, as well as in that of the king, piles of wool made of gold and silver, and large statues of men, women, and children made of the same materials, in addition to storerooms and recipients for storing the grain they called pirua, all of which, together, tended to lend greater splendor and majesty to the house of their god the Sun.
All of these valuable works were made by the goldsmiths attached to the Temple, from the tribute of gold and silver that arrived every year from all the provinces of the Empire, and which was so great that the most modest utensils used in the temple, such as pots and pans, or pitchers, were also made of precious metals. For this reason, the temple and its service quarters were called Coricancha, which means the place of gold.
-- Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Inca, 1609
A walk on the forest trails, Manu National Park.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 8: Cuzco - Boca Manu - Manu Wildlife Center
Breakfast. Early in the morning, we will pick you up at your hotel for the transfer to the Cuzco airport. A thirty-five minute flight in a Cessna Grand Caravan takes you to Boca Manu. Here, you take a motor-canoe for the 90-minute journey down the Madre de Dios River to the Manu Wildlife Center, one of the top 10 wildlife lodges in the world.
The afternoon will be spent exploring some of the 30 miles of diverse forest trails around the lodge. On these trails, you have an excellent chance of encountering some of the 11 species of monkeys, including the Monk Saki and Emperor Tamarin, which inhabit the surrounding forest. After dinner, you will have a short excursion to observe nocturnal life in the rainforest. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Red-and-Green Macaws at the clay lick, Manu National Park.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
One of the world's most dazzling wildlife spectacles...
When the morning sun clears the Amazon tree line in southeastern Peru and strikes a gray-pink clay bank on the upper Tambopata River, one of the world's most dazzling wildlife spectacles is nearing its riotous peak. The steep bank has become a pulsing, 130 foot high palette of red, blue, yellow and green as more than a thousand parrots squabble over choice perches to grab a beakful of clay, a vital but mysterious part of their diet. More than a dozen parrot species will visit the clay lick throughout the day, but this midmorning crush belongs to the giants of the parrot world, the macaws.
-- Franz Lanting, Macaws: Winged Rainbows, National Geographic, January, 1994
Giant Otter, Manu National Park.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 9: Manu Wildlife Center (Macaw Clay Lick & Tapir Clay Lick)
Breakfast. Rising before dawn, we take a 25-minute boat journey downstream to the only large parrot and macaw clay lick in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind, we are afforded excellent views and photo opportunities of hundreds of medium-sized and large parrots arriving first at the lick, followed by the large Red-and-Green Macaws arriving to eat the clay. The clay lick is not as active in May, June and July.
After lunch at the Center, we continue to explore the forest trails around the lodge, and spend the late afternoon up a 34-meter canopy platform. Here, we watch the last, frantic activity in the rainforest canopy, or rush hour, before night settles.
We can return for dinner back at the Center, or pack our meal for the leisurely hike about 60-75 minutes through the night forest to the Amazon's largest known Tapir clay lick. We climb up a 17 by 17 foot observation platform, perched 17 feet above the lick itself, where we wait for the lumbering Tapirs to arrive. Then, using powerful flashlights, we hope to observe and photograph them in action. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Choro Monkey, Manu National Park.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 10: Manu Wildlife Center (Excursion to Cocha Blanco)
Breakfast. After another early morning departure by boat and a short hike from the river, you have what promises to be an exciting visit to the Blanco Oxbow Lake. This lake has populations of a variety of aquatic life and water birds, including the prehistoric-looking Hoatzins and a resident family of Giant Otters.
After lunch, your guide is available to further explore the forest trails for more wildlife encounters. Alternatively, independently practice your abilities and experience this expanse of rainforest habitats on your own.
This evening, from the late afternoon until after dinner, search by boat along the riverbank for caiman and other nocturnal life. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Leaf-cutter ants use leaves to cultivate their fungus gardens, Manu National Park.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 11: Manu Wildlife Center (Excursion to Cocha Camungo)
Breakfast. Rising at dawn, you will board the motor-canoe to visit the Camungo Oxbow Lake. In addition to touring the lake by catamaran to look for the Giant Otters and other lakeside fauna, we will explore the forest trails and climb the 40-meter or 130-foot high canopy platform. This platform provides a beautiful view of the Camungo Lake as well as the forest canopy, and on very clear days it is possible to look over the rainforest to the Andes.
After lunch at the Center, we will explore the forest trails with the emphasis on visiting the fruiting and flowering trees that our experienced naturalist guides have been monitoring. Here, we hope to encounter more monkey species as well as numerous species of birds.
Again, before or after supper, those explorers still with enough energy will have another chance to visit the Tapir clay lick. Overnight in the Manu Wildlife Center.
Terraces of Pisaq, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
But the favorite residence of the Incas was at Yucay, about four leagues distant from the capital. In this delicious valley, locked up within the friendly arms of the sierra, which sheltered it from the rude breezes of the east, and refreshed by gushing fountains and streams of running water, they built the most beautiful of their palaces. Here, when wearied with the dust and toil of the city, they loved to retreat, and solace themselves with the society of their favorite concubines, wandering amidst groves and airy gardens, that shed around their soft, intoxicating odors, and lulled the senses to voluptuous repose. Here, too, they loved to indulge in the luxury of their baths, replenished by streams of crystal water which were conducted through subterraneous silver channels into basins of gold. The spacious gardens were stocked with numerous varieties of plants and flowers that grew without effort in this temperate region of the tropics, while parterres of a more extraordinary kind were planted by their side, glowing with the various forms of vegetable life skilfully imitated in gold and silver! Among them the Indian corn, the most beautiful of American grains, is particularly commemorated, and the curious workmanship is noticed with which the golden ear was half disclosed amidst the broad leaves of silver, and the light tassel of the same material that floated gracefully from its top.
-- William H. Prescott, The History of the Conquest of Peru, 1847
Weaver of Chinchero, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 12: Manu Wildlife Center - Boca Manu - Cuzco - Sacred Valley (Chinchero - Maras - Moray)
Breakfast. We leave near dawn by motor-canoe for the two-hour return trip to the Boca Manu landing strip, taking advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. Flight back to Cuzco. Arrival, reception and drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. On the way, visit Chinchero, the birthplace of the rainbow, according to Inca legend. The village is on the altiplano, or highlands, above Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, at an elevation of 12,340 feet, and rises against a superb Andean landscape dominated by eternally snow-capped peaks. This late 15th century agricultural center maintains its Inca traditions, one being its composition of "ayllus", or groups of indigenous, related families that work communally in the cultivation of their fields.
Sunken agricultural terraces of Moray, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Traditional weaving is preserved, in part, through the efforts of The Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco, which has arranged a private demonstration by one of the finest weavers. Another tradition that traces it roots back to the Incas is the barter, or "trueque", market. In Chinchero, people still meet to trade good for goods, just as in ancient times, when money did not exist. The market, noted for its textiles, takes place in the main square, at the foot of an Inca wall. Such traditions are not unique to Chinchero; they still exist throughout the altiplano of Peru. The pueblo exhibits a peculiar Andean-Hispanic architectural style, and paintings by the famous native artist Chiwantito hang in a beautiful colonial church. The canvases are in the Cuzqueña style, dating back to the early Spanish period.
Yucay Church, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Afterward, visit the impressive archaeological site of Moray. These circular terraces were built by the Incas in natural sinkholes on a limestone plateau overlooking the Sacred Valley and, according to experts, were used to grow crops in different microclimates. Nearby, below the colonial town of Maras, are age-old, terraced salt mines. If you like, take a three-quarter-hour walk down rural paths to the Urubamba River, where your driver and car will be waiting.
A lunch of nouvelle Andean cuisine at 3 Keros, of chef Ricardo Behar. 3 Keros and El Huacatay fight for the title of the best restaurant in the Sacred Valley. The two restaurants greatly elevate the gastronomic offering of the valley. Arrival at your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Urubamba Villas.
Ruins of Pisaq surrounding the solar calendar, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 13: Sacred Valley (Pisaq - Ollantaytambo)
Breakfast. Private car this morning to Pisaq. High on a mountain above the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba River, tower the imposing remains of an ancient settlement. The Pisaq ruins take up the entire mountain and are made up of different neighborhoods, or squares, the main one being Intihuatana, which is admired for the architectural skill of its constructions. Its central feature is a monumental solar calendar on a promontory from which there are spectacular outlooks. At the same time, the pre-Hispanic cemetery is of great interest, as it is the largest found in this part of the continent, containing thousands of tombs, some of them looted. The complex is also famous for the colossal terraces that circle the mountains and the fabulous watchtowers, which were used as observation points as well as for control and military defense.
Girl of Pisaq adorned in traditional attire and cantuta flowers, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Far below, in the colonial town of Pisaq, a popular handicraft fair take place under the main square's century-old tree, with wares displayed on vividly patterned and colored textiles. On Sundays, the traditional mass is held in Quechua, the Inca language, at the local church, which is attended by the village leaders from the surrounding communities. They wear their typical costumes and carry their traditional scepter of authority, or vara, that gives origin to their name of Varayoc.
Fortress of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Linger over a gourmet lunch of Mediterranean-Asian-Peruvian fusion cuisine in the patio of El Huacatay, a country restaurant with big-city sophistication. Indeed, Pio Vazquez de Velasco Jimenez (known simply as chef Pio) is making a name for himself throughout Peru after mastering his skills in the kitchen of Lima's culinary landmark, Astrid & Gaston.
Agricultural terraces, Fortress of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Continue to the Ollantaytambo archeological site, a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military center in the era of Tawantinsuyo. The Spaniards called it the Fortress of Ollantaytambo. The architectural style of its streets and squares reflects Inca town planning, with enormous polyhedral stones forming the walls and trapezoidal doorways of temples and palaces set along rectilinear and narrow streets, which have been inhabited continuously since Inca times.
Incan town of Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Above the city, a mountain rises which houses innumerable Inca constructions, such as magnificently-crafted temples and terraces. One striking construction is the partially-destroyed main temple, believed to be the Temple of the Sun, whose carved-stone facade is made up of six perfectly-sculpted, red monoliths. The mountainside on which this enormous fortress is built is strategic: it dominates three valleys that come together at this point. Across one valley, tremendous blocks of stone lie abandoned along the route from the quarry site to Ollantaytambo, their uncompleted journey marking the arrival of the "Conquistadores". According to a legend that inspired the Quechua drama Apu-Ollanta, the fortress belonged to a powerful lord who fell in love with Princess Cusi Coillor, daughter of Inca Pachakuteq. It later served Manco Inca after his defeat by the Spaniards at Saqsaywaman. Return to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Urubamba Villas.
Terraces, Machu Picchu.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Arrive like the Inca!
Consider an unforgettable arrival on the Royal Inca Trail
or the top-of-the-world panorama of the Machu Picchu Mountain Trail.
(Either trek must be requested in writing at the time of booking your tour.)
Photo album: Marvels of Machu Picchu
Day 14: Sacred Valley - Orient-Express Vistadome - Machu Picchu
Breakfast. Early transfer to the station to meet your guide and board the train for a descent into the Urubamba Valley to reach Machu Picchu (Old Peak), the "Lost City of the Incas". The Orient-Express Vistadome's recently renovated carriages have panoramic windows, offering enhanced photographic opportunities. Refreshments will be served. Upon arrival, your guide will accompany you to the Orient-Express Sanctuary Lodge, near the top of Machu Picchu and next to the ruins.
On your private tour this morning, you'll ponder the many theories about this mysterious citadel, including the latest -- that it was Inca Pachacuti's winter palace. The word "ruins" is misleading, as the site is actually in a remarkable state of preservation -- only the wood and palm-frond roofs have decomposed over the centuries. Surprisingly, the Spaniards never discovered the sanctuary, and it remained unknown to the outside world until Hiram Bingham's expedition of 1911. Its discovery captured the world's imagination, and its allure has never diminished.
Sumptuous buffet luncheon in the Sanctuary Lodge and an afternoon of exploration with your guide or on your own. One memorable possibility is the steep trail to the top of Huayna Picchu (Young Peak), a strenuous, two-hour round-trip. Other trails lead to the Temple of the Moon (a moderate, four-hour round-trip), the Inca Drawbridge (an easy, one-hour round-trip) or Machu Picchu's multitude of hidden nooks and crannies.
Walk back to the hotel. From its terrace and nearby lookouts, you'll be able to watch the sunset, southern constellations and sunrise over the citadel, from high above the canyon of the Urubamaba River. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Sanctuary Lodge.
Trapezoidal windows, Machu Picchu.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
The temples and royal chambers, throughout the Empire, were lined with gold, and, in preparing the stone, they left niches and empty spaces in which to put all sorts of human or animal figures: birds, or wild beasts, such as tigers, bears, lions, wolves, dogs and wildcats, deer, guanacos, vicuñas and even domestic ewes, all of which were made of gold and silver...
Imitation of nature was so consummate that they even reproduced the leaves and little plants that grow on walls; they also scattered here and there, gold or silver lizards, butterflies, mice and snakes, which were so well made and so cunningly placed, that one had the impression of seeing them run about in all directions...
In all the royal mansions there were gardens and orchards given over to the Inca's moments of relaxation. Here were planted the finest trees and the most beautiful flowers and sweet-smelling herbs in the kingdom, while quantities of others were reproduced in gold and silver, at every stage of their growth, from the sprout that hardly shows above the earth, to the full-blown plant, in complete maturity. There were also fields of corn with silver stalks and gold ears, on which the leaves, grains, and even the corn silk were shown.
In addition to all this, there were all kinds of gold and silver animals in these gardens, such as rabbits, mice, lizards, snakes, butterflies, foxes, and wildcats... Then there were birds set in the trees, as though they were about to sing, and others bent over the flowers, breathing in their nectar. There were roe deer and deer, lions and tigers, all the animals in creation, in fact, each placed just where it should be.
-- Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Inca, 1609
Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 15: Machu Picchu - Orient-Express Vistadome - Cuzco
Breakfast. Day of exploration with your guide or on your own. Start by ascending Machu Picchu for sunrise, which due to the high, surrounding mountains does not occur until around 7:00 am. It takes an hour to hike up to Intipunku (Sun Gate), the end of the Inca Trail and the ancient entrance into the sanctuary. Its majestic panorama of the citadel, seen from on high, is the first view the Incas had upon arriving from Cuzco. Lunch in the hotel's restaurant.
Early afternoon for further exploration. Descend from Machu Picchu at mid-afternoon and walk to the station for the train departure. Evening arrival at the Poroy Station, on the outskirts of Cuzco, reception and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
Fountains of Tipon, the water garden of Inca Wiracocha.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 16: Cuzco (The Collasuyu Road - Nearby Inca Monuments)
Breakfast. Morning excursion beyond the ancient fortress that guarded the Valley of Cuzco. Coming back from the colonial village of Andahuaylillas on the Collasuyu Road, follow the route of early travelers from the southern quarter of the empire, which reached beyond Lake Titicaca. Pass through the ancient gate of Rumicolca, gaze at the pre-Inca ruins of Pikillaqta, taste the traditional bread of Oropesa and admire the royal garden of Tipon before your arrival in the Imperial City of the Incas.
In Inca times, the name of Andahuaylillas was Antawaylla (anta = copper and waylla = field). Its lands are fertile; its people quiet and friendly. Andahuaylillas has two attractions -- the Church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas and the huge main square it faces. The square, considered one of the most beautiful in the region, is surrounded by pisonay and palm trees. The church, built in 1580 and known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas, features a simple facade in marked contrast to its rich Baroque interior of gilded altars, wall paintings and polychromatic ceilings.
Rumicolca, pre-Inca and Inca gateway to the Valley of Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Departing toward Cuzco, we first encounter Rumicolca, an immense stone fortress at the southeastern entrance to the Valley of Cuzco. It originally served as an entry point into the pre-Inca Huari empire and defended nearby Pikillaqta, their largest city. Centuries later, the Incas fortified and refined the rough construction of the original structure with massive blocks of polished andesite. The fortress became the gateway to their imperial city, guarding the road from Collasuyu, the southern quarter of their "Land of Four Quarters". The southern quarter was the largest, stretching to Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
The pre-Inca ruins of Pikillaqta.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Pikillaqta, the largest Huari city and the major pre-Inca city in the region, reached its cultural height between 800 AD and 1100 AD, in the period corresponding to the Huari regional confederation. A massive hilltop complex of stone structures overlooking Lake Lucre, its long, straight streets and big, rectangular city blocks full of buildings are surrounded by high, flagstone and mud-mortared walls, which taper as they rise. In some of the rooms, little idols made of turquoise were found and now can be seen in the Museo Inka, of Cuzco. "Pikillaqta" translates as the "City of Fleas". The name comes from the presence of many tiny rooms, only four square meters in area, that seem to be part of a military garrison.
Plaza and La Iglesia de Oropesa.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Oropesa has long been known as the "Land of Bread". Locals keep numerous domestic ovens for the production of delicious peasant bread. People from Oropesa still use the traditional ovens, fired with eucalyptus leaves, which give the town its peculiar and pleasant aroma. Near the main square, you can recognize the bread stores because each has a big basket outside. Inside, you will be able to see the bread makers in action and even make your own bread.
Tipon, the water garden of Inca Wiracocha.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Tipon is exceptional for the harmony achieved in the movement of water through its fine stone structures. This beautiful complex is composed of twelve enormous agriculturual terraces, walls of perfectly polished stone, long stairways, aqueducts (some subterranean) and ornamental waterfalls. According to legend, Tipon was one of the royal gardens ordered by the 8th Inca, Wiracocha. It is believed that the site was earlier the royal farm of his father, the 7th Inca Inca Yawar Huacac, at which time it was dedicated to a religious cult and agricultural experimentation. Return to Cuzco for a lunch of Italian-Peruvian cuisine at Incanto.
Temple and fortress of Saqsaywaman, Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Cuzco Tours & Travel.
Afternoon drive to the fortress of Saqsaywaman. To truly appreciate Saqsaywaman, one must realize that what may now be seen is only the base of a colossal construction of a series of three successively-higher, defensive structures made from enormous blocks of stone, joined together with great precision.
Inside this triple enclosure, three tall towers were erected on a large narrow ground. The largest of them was called Mayac Marca, which means the round tower. It was built over a clear, abundant spring, fed by underground canalizations, concerning which nobody knew from where or how they came... This round tower contained rooms with gold and silver paneled walls, on which animals, birds, and plants figured in relief, as though in a tapestry. It was here that the king lived when he came for a rest in the fortress...
The two other towers, which were round, not square, in shape, were called Paucar Marca and Sacllac Marca, and were used to house soldiers of the garrison, which was composed only of Incas by privilege, ordinary men, even combatants, not being allowed inside this fortress, which was the house of the Sun, both its arsenal and its temple...
An underground network of passages, which was as vast as the towers themselves, connected them with one another. This was composed of a quantity of streets and alleyways which ran in every direction, and so many doors, all of them identical, that the most experienced men dared not venture into this labyrinth without a guide, consisting of a long thread tied to the first door, which unwound as they advanced....
It would have been in the interest of the Spaniards to maintain this fortress, and even to repair it at their own expense, because, quite alone, it gave proof of the grandeur of their victory and would have served as a witness to it for all eternity. And yet, not only did they not keep it up, but they hastened its ruin, demolishing its hewn stones, in order to construct their own Cuzco homes at less cost.
They made their portals and thresholds with the big flat stones that formed the ceilings, and to make their stairways, they did not hesitate to tear down entire walls, provided they were based on a few stones that could be used for steps.
And so, that is how the Spaniards destroyed the Cuzco fortress.
-- Garcilaso de la Vega, The Royal Commentaries of the Inca, 1609
Campesina at Saqsaywaman, Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Saqsaywaman was considered a fortress by the Spaniards, since it was a place of defense, weapons and war. It was considered the House of the Sun by the Incas because, at the same time, it was a place of worship and sacrifice. Notably, it was the site of the most important ceremony of the empire, Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun. Its name means "Satiated Hawk" and it was built in approximately 77 years (1431-1508), during the reign of Inca Yupanqui and Wayna Qhapaj. It began being destroyed from 1537 until 1561, becoming the base for the building of the Spanish Cathedral, churches and homes. "Neither the bridge of Segovia, nor the buildings built by Hercules or the Romans, are so worthy of being admired, as this" says the Spanish chronicler and soldier Pedro Sancho de la Hoz, who saw Inca Cuzco intact, along with Pizarro in 1533.
Ritual fountains of Tambomachay, Cuzco.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Further up the hill is the Temple of the Moon; one of the few sites preserving its sculptures of pumas, serpents, condors, llamas and female genitalia, carved into the stone. It is located in a rocky outcropping with natural caves that have been sculpted to a minor extent to create ceremonial platforms and symbols, such as an immense snake. The site is in a singularly beautiful landscape and overlooks the Valley of Cuzco. In contrast to the animal sculptures at this temple, those at Q'enqo, a religious sanctuary devoted to fertility, were obliterated by the Spaniards.
Puka Pukara (red fortress) is located at a strategic point along the road to Antisuyo (the jungle quarter of the Inca Empire). It served as a checkpoint and was a military and administrative center. The Inca's retinue received food and lodging here when he stopped at nearby Tambomachay, on his way to the Sacred Valley. Tambomachay is believed to have been dedicated to the worship of water and its aqueducts are fed by springs all year long. The site includes a liturgical fountain and three terraces with structures made from polyhedral blocks of stone, joined without mortar. The setting is bucolic and the spring water is cold, pure and delicious. After drinking of it and making your devotions, return to Cuzco. This evening, enjoy Mediterranean cuisine at the tapas bar or in the dining room of La Cicciolina. Overnight in the Orient-Express Hotel Monasterio.
Boatman, Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
... the worship of the Sun constituted the peculiar care of the Incas,
and was the object of their lavish expenditure.
The most ancient of the many temples dedicated to this divinity
was in the Island of Titicaca,
whence the royal founders of the Peruvian line
were said to have proceeded.
-- William H. Prescott, The History of the Conquest of Peru, 1847
Orient-Express Andean
Explorer railway, Meseta de Collao, Lake Titicaca.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
Day 17: Cuzco - Orient-Express Andean Explorer - Puno
Breakfast. Early transfer to the Orient-Express Andean Explorer. This spectacular rail adventure begins in Cuzco and runs south to the historic city of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. The gentle climb is breathtaking. The first half of the journey is dominated by magnificent Andean mountains, towering over the deep valleys of the meandering Huatanay River. It then reaches the gentler, rolling Andean Plains, where vicuña and alpaca are often seen. Sightseeing while on board the train is enhanced by a glass-walled observation car. Excellent dining includes a three-course lunch, followed by coffee served in the observation car. The journey is broken by a scenic stop at La Raya, the highest point on the route.
The banks of Lake Titicaca were the meeting place of three cultures: the Aymara, the Quechua and the Spanish, the combination of which becomes evident in their artistic and cultural expressions. This unequaled legacy has resulted in Puno being recognized as the Folkloric Capital of Peru.
Festival of Candelaria,
Puno, Lake Titicaca.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel.
The city of Puno perches in the southeastern highlands of Peru, or Altiplano, at a breathtaking 12,550 feet above sea level. It is situated on the shores of Titicaca, an ancient inland sea thrust high into the Andes. The area, cold and uninviting by some standards, is rich with spectacular landscapes and imposing archaeological ruins.
Around Puno's main square, or the Plaza de Armas, are the 18th century Cathedral; La Casa del Corregidor, a traditiona