15 Day itinerary in Peru, South America
Embark on an unforgettable adventure from Cuzco to Lima, traversing Peru’s breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultures. This exciting journey features a visit to the mystical Machu Picchu, thrilling excursions in the Sacred Valley, and the chance to experience traditional Andean life. Enjoy the Par... Read More
By Bamba Travel Inc
Physical Difficulty
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GUIDANCE
starting point
trip type
trip attributes
Backpacking
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Night
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Admire awe-inspiring views of Lake Titicaca
Feel the wind in your hair on a sand-buggy ride in Huacachina desert
Explore the Ballestas Islands by boat
Stay overnight at the Milhouse Hostel in Cuzco
Admire awe-inspiring views of Lake Titicaca
Feel the wind in your hair on a sand-buggy ride in Huacachina desert
Explore the Ballestas Islands by boat
Stay overnight at the Milhouse Hostel in Cuzco
Accommodation Categories
Day 1: Cuzco, Peru
Market & Cooking Class with a Local
Departure Time: 9:00, 15:00
Duration: 4 hrs
Our Cusco Culinary cooking experience starts at San Pedro Market (at door number 1), with a visit to this historical and traditional local market. We will try some of the most exotic fruits of Peru, the best chocolate, local cheeses, and traditional bread. After that, we will walk to our cooking studio, a traditional house from 1922, that is part of the world heritage Cusco center. We will start our cooking classes preparing the national drink of Peru, passion fruit Pisco sour. Then, we will prepare three traditional Peruvian exquisite dishes and a delicious dessert. Our class is full hands on, and you will take part in all the preparation. After we finish we will enjoy all the food, and you will have a great Peruvian meal. After the class we will also send you the recipes, so then you can share your new talent, as a Peruvian chef, with your family and friends.
NOTE: To know your food requirements is very important. Our dishes are easy to be converted into vegetarian, so if you are vegetarian or Vegan this is the perfect class for you. This experience includes alcohol. Only guests who meet the legal drinking age will be served alcoholic beverages.
Meals: Lunch
Day 2: Puno, Peru
Cuzco to Puno
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Time: 22:15
Duration: 7 Hours
Transfer from Cuzco to Puno
Day 3: Luquina, Peru
Lake Titicaca & Luquina Homestay 2D/1N
Depart Puno for the Uros Floating Islands, Taquile Island & Luquina Homestay (L/D)
You will be picked up from your hostel between around 7:10 am and transferred to the port of Puno, where you will meet your guide and board the motorboat. The first stop will be the Uros Floating Islands, where you will spend about one hour. There are more than 90 floating islands and you will get the chance to visit two of them. On the first floating island, your guide will explain to you about the people who live on the floating islands. Then you will have some free time to walk around, visit the small huts made from reeds, take some pictures and buy a souvenir to support the people of these islands if you wish.
After this visit, you will continue on with a boat ride to Taquile Island. The people who live on this island are very famous because they are considered “the best weavers of Peru”. There, you will go on a beautiful hike for about one and a half hours to admire the panoramic of the lake. On your way, you will get the chance to visit a local family home where you will learn more about the famous textile from the island. You will then head towards the town square of Taquile and visit the handicraft shops to see the typical weaving. The square is also the highest point of the hike (3950 m or 12960 feet). You will finish the hike going to the second part of the island and take off in a boat (35 minutes of navigation) that will lead you to the Luquina community where you will overnight. Your host families will wait for you at the port of Luquina and will take you to their house. You will enjoy a delicious dinner with the local family before going to bed.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Day 4: Puno, Peru
Lake Titicaca & Luquina Homestay 2D/1N
Luquina community & Return to Puno (B/L)
Start the day quite early with a tasty breakfast with the family before getting the opportunity to participate in their daily activities such as sheep grazing, working in the crops, or even learning how to milk a cow. You will then enjoy a delicious lunch before saying goodbye to the family and leave the community. You will take the motorboat back to Puno, finishing the tour around 3:45 pm.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5: Arequipa, Peru
Puno to Arequipa
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Time: 22:00
Duration: 6 Hours
Transfer from Puno to Arequipa
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Arequipa.
Day 6: Colca Canyon, Peru
Colca Canyon Trekking 2D/1N
Arequipa - Colca Canyon Trekking (B/L/D)
We will pick you up from your downtown accommodation between 3:00 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. and transfer you to Chivay town in the heart of the Colca Canyon. We'll have breakfast and then go directly to “Cruz Del Condor viewpoint” where we will see the flight of the condors. From here, we will make our way to the Mirador De San Miguel, the starting point of our trekking route. We will begin our hike towards the Colca Canyon at around 10:00 am by walking down to San Juan De Chucchu Village (3 ½ hours walking), where we will have lunch. Afterward, we will hike back uphill through Cosnirgua and Malata villages arriving in Sangalle by the end of the day where you will have the opportunity to relax in the swimming pool (3 hours walking). Overnight in rustic bungalows.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Day 7: Arequipa, Peru
Colca Canyon Trekking 2D/1N
Colca Canyon trekking - Arequipa (B)
Today, we will get an early start and begin trekking up to Cabanaconde town at around 05:00 am where we will have breakfast (3 hours steep uphill hike). From Cabanaconde, we will take our bus to Chivay Village making a few short stops along the way in Maca town and tourist viewpoints. Upon arrival to Chivay, we will visit the relaxing hot springs in town (30-40 minutes), the perfect remedy for our tired muscles and have lunch. On our way back to Arequipa we will stop to see the National Park and get beautiful views of the volcanoes (weather permitting) and to see native animals such as alpacas and vicuñas. Relax and enjoy the scenic ride back to Arequipa arriving around 6.00 pm.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8: Arequipa, Peru
Free Day
Enjoy a free day to experience on your own
Day 9: Nazca, Peru
Arequipa to Nazca
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Time: 21:00
Duration: 9.5 Hours
Transfer from Arequipa to Nazca
Day 10: Ica, Peru
Nazca to Ica
Type: Bus
Time: 10:00, 12:30, 14:00
Duration: 2.5 Hours
Transfer from Nazca to IcaDay 11: Huacachina, Peru
Huacachina Sand-Buggy & Sand-Boarding
Departure Time: 15:15
Duration: 2 hrs
Welcome to the quaint, quiet and cute oasis of Huacachina with its tranquil lagoon and backdrop of amazing sand dunes anywhere you turn to look. Get ready to cruise to the tops of 500 meter high sand dunes and go rocketing down the slopes in the sand buggy. A roller coaster ride of 360's, sharp turns and steep hills will get your adrenaline pumping before you take your first shot at sand boarding. Strap yourself in tightly, throw your hands in the air and scream away as you are carried over sand dunes in the middle of the expansive desert.
You will have the opportunity to sandboard on 3-4 different dunes so you can try your luck. You will take thrilling rides on a basic sandboard by laying face first on the board and letting yourself fly down the dune to see how far (and fast) you can go. Cheer on your mates and don't let anyone shy away from this unforgettable experience. Lastly, you will admire the breathtaking sunset over the vast desert landscape and have the chance to take photos in the golden twilight before racing back to Huacachina.
Day 12: Paracas, Peru
Huacachina to Paracas
Type: Bus
Time: 12:30, 15:00, 16:30
Duration: 1 Hours
Transfer from Huacachina to Paracas
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Paracas.
Day 13: Paracas, Peru
Ballestas Islands Sightseeing Boat Ride (from Paracas)
Departure Time: 08:00, 10:00
Duration: 2 hrs
As you cruise west from the tiny beach town of Paracas, you won't be able to miss the Candelabra geoglyph, a 150m high and 50m wide figure of a candlestick etched into the mountain, rumored to have been an ancient guide for sailors or a connection to the Nazca lines. A short description and time for photos is given before cruising on to the famous Ballestas Islands.
Ballestas islands is an excellent opportunity to see large families of over 100 sea lions sleeping on the shores, basking in the sun on the rocks or some barking loudly in efforts to protect their territory. Spot cormorants, the Peruvian booby and Peruvian pelican as well as other impressive varieties of sea bird species and Humboldt penguins nesting together in small groups. Feeling lucky? Watch the waters for dolphins.
Apart from the abundant marine and bird life found here, the Ballestas Islands are also very well known for the guano (seabird droppings) deposited on the island over thousands of years which creates a natural reserve of nitrogen-rich fertilizer over 50 meters deep in some areas. The guano came to be Peru's #1 export in the mid-19th century however today the extraction of guano has been regulated to every 10 years.
The return trip to Paracas is a quick, very windy, direct boat ride to the dock. You should have some time to take photos of the friendly pelicans that hang out on the shore line beside the dock, do some souvenir shopping or grab a snack before heading on to your next destination.
Day 14: Lima, Peru
Paracas to Lima
Type: Bus
Time: 08:05, 12:05, 13:30, 15:05, 16:10, 19:10, 20:10
Duration: 4 Hours
Transfer from Paracas to Lima
Day 15: Lima, Peru
Lima with a Local on a Bike
Departure Time: 10:00, 15:00
Duration: 3 hrs
We will meet three blocks away from Kennedy Park, where we will cover safety instructions and information about the amazing places we'll visit. Our tour will cover top sights around Miraflores and Barranco, including the Kennedy Park, Huaca Pucllana, Park of love, Larcomar, Bridge of Sights and Plaza Barranco. As you ride, you will enjoy an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean and street art, learn stories and fun facts about the neighborhoods and our culture. Along this tour we will talk about Peruvian food, spots, culture, local history and anything you'll like. When arriving Barranco feel free to ask your guide for a free beer!
Accommodation
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