Down to Earth: Inca Highlights

This is an excellent adventure holiday which introduces you to the culture and heritage of modern and ancient Peru. Travel to the heart of the Inca empire!

In Cusco, high in the Andes, your brush with Incan culture begins. This is the historical capital of the Incan Empire. Even today you can see walls made of huge interlocking granite stones which were carved so precisely that no mortar was needed to keep them together. And many of the city's buildings are built on the foundations of Inca buildings, such as Korikancha and the cathedral. But you don't just come here for the fascinating past, you also come for the vibrant and colourful present. Cusco is a bit of a ‘mecca' for travellers, and is an exciting place to be. Enjoy the bars and restaurants, watch the Quechuan people go by in indigenous dress, and even bump into the odd llama. The shopping here is excellent too, so be warned!

About an hour's drive out of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas was probably called this because of its great fertility. The Urubamba Valley (as it is officially known) was the bread basket of the area, and actually still is. You can still see people working the terraced hillsides which have been farmed like this for hundreds of years. It is a very scenic area with lots of small traditional villages such as Pisac, which has a not-to-be-missed market several times a week, and Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was one of the Inca's last strongholds, and today it retains superbly preserved ruins.

But of course the main highlight of Incan heritage is the famous ruins of Machu Picchu. A shared tour of the ancient city will undoubtedly be one of the most unforgettable parts of your holiday. Arriving by train at the small town of Machu Picchu (formerly called Aguas Calientes) at the foot of the mountain on which Machu Picchu itself stands, you then take a zig-zag bus journey up to the ruins. Enjoy the spectacle of this magical set of ruins in this dramatic mountain landscape, explore the city with a guide to get all the history and hearsay, then come back and just wander around and soak up the magical atmosphere.

Your last stop is Lima. This is a busy modern city, but has an interesting historical quarter which is well worth exploring if you have the time. Miraflores with its mix of trendy bars and shops is a popular place to hang out and watch the world go by, before you return home.

This is one of Tribes' Down to Earth holidays. This is a great range of more affordable, set itinerary holidays, as opposed to our tailor made trips.
The Down to Earth holidays also have their own website where you will find lots more details about each trip.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE DOWN TO EARTH HOLIDAYS PAGE FOR THIS HOLIDAY

Gallery and trip information

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Included

International flights from the UK (if selected); return flights Lima-Cusco; airport transfers as indicated; 8 nights hotel accommodation; meals as specified; shared halfday Cusco city tour; shared fullday Sacred Valley tour; return train to Machu Picchu; shared tour of Machu Picchu with single day entrance ticket; entrance fees on included organised tours. *Please note that the shared tours within this itinerary may have greater numbers than our above stated max.

Not included

International flights (if not selected); all activities described as optional; meals not mentioned as included, tips, insurance, visas, items of a personal nature, entrance fee to Machu Picchu on optional second day visit.

Is it for you?

This holiday is suitable for all ages and levels of fitness. Adults and children alike should really enjoy the variety this trip offers. All the accommodation is clean, comfortable and friendly.

Best time

This trip can be taken all year round. The dry season in Cusco is from April to October and the peak season is July.

Getting there

If you have not selected internaitonal flights, you will need to fly in and out of Lima. For the purposed of this tour, it has been assumed that you will get an evening flight out of Lima on the last day. Should this not be the case, we can arrange another night in Lima for you.

Weather and highlights

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Tour of Cusco’s main highlights.
Full day tour the Sacred Valley.
The ruins of Ollantaytambo.
Machu Picchu – the lost city of the Incas.

Itinerary

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Duration: 9 days (10 including flights)

Day 1: Day flight from UK to Lima (if selected). Arrive Lima. Transfer to hotel.
Day 2: Fly to Cusco. Transfer to hotel. Free afternoon with optional activities.
Day 3: Free morning. Afternoon tour of Cusco and nearby ruins.
Day 4: Day tour of the Sacred Valley including Pisac market.
Day 5: Day at leisure with optional activities in the Sacred Valley.
Day 6: Train to and day tour of Machu Picchu.
Day 7: Free morning with optional return to Machu Picchu. Afternoon train to Cusco.
Day 8: Day at leisure with optional activities in Cusco.
Day 9: Fly to Lima. Optional city tour then connect with flight to UK (if selected).

For a more detailed itinerary, please follow this link to the relevant page of the Down to Earth website.

Pricing guidelines for Peru holidays

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We hope the following will give you a rough idea of costs. These are quoted per person based on twin share for two people, without international flights but including internal flights. We’ve used good standard accommodation throughout. There are nearly always ways to spend more money than we’ve suggested (!), but these prices show a good and realistic range for each type of trip.

International flights will add from about £750 to £1000 depending on the season and route (unless the airlines have special offers). Peru combines very well with Ecuador (including the Galapagos Island), but can also be linked with Brazil.

For each accommodation on this website you will find an indication of the price. The bands are based on the price per person per night at peak season and are represented by the following values for this country:
	under £60
	£60 to £100
	£100 to £150
	£150 to £300
	Over £300

For a specific personal quote based on any tailor made itinerary you have in mind, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help you.

Example tripPrice per person
2 weeks highlights of Peru using good quality accommodationBetween £2200 and £3000
2 week holiday based in top end hotelsFrom around £4000+
9 day trip, such as Cusco & the Inca TrailBetween £1300 and £1600
18 days Peru & Galapagos (this can be very variable due to Galapagos yacht prices)Between £3750 and £6500

Pricing for Down to Earth: Inca HighlightsOpen Panel 

9 days (10 inc. flights) - from £1040 per person

For all dates and prices, see the Down to Earth website page.

Peru holidays