Tales of the South: Machu Picchu, Easter Island & Tahiti

Arrival
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Now the capital of Peru and its largest city, Lima was once called the “City of Kings” by Spanish conquistadors. If you look beyond the urban sprawl, you'll be rewarded with the National Museum's pre-Columbian treasures and Plaza Mayor's colonial splendour.

City Tour
Depart this morning on a 5 hour sightseeing tour exploring the most impressive sights of Lima along with some of our handpicked favourites. We will start in Miraflores market, a vibrant place visited by local chefs for its wonderful variety of fresh produce from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon. Take the chance to learn more about Peru’s diversity reflected in the colourful assortment of vegetables, fruits, fish and condiments.

On the way to Lima’s downtown we pass by ‘Huaca Pucllana’ an ancient adobe pyramid structure which served as one of the region’s most important ceremonial temples between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD. We continue to the San Isidro district and visit the impressive ‘El Olivar’ Park before stopping at the Pisco Museum where you have the chance to taste Peru’s national drink, the ‘Pisco Sour’ (optional, not included). Later we visit Lima’s downtown with its historic and traditional buildings: the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s palace and the Metropolitan City Hall surround the Main Square. Continue to San Francisco church and monastery, a 17th century jewel, recognised as a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

This tour finishes with a guided visit of the Larco Herrera Museum. This is a fabulous private museum with an exquisite collection of gold and silver treasures from ancient Peru. Many pieces in this museum are now world famous after having been exhibited in the best museums around the world.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city on your own.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Cusco
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

We suggest that you take it easy today to give yourself the best opportunity to acclimatise to Cusco's altitude. This city is bursting with Andean culture and is one of the great culinary destinations of South America. It also just happens to be the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the best-known archaeological site on this vast continent.

City Tour
Your first morning in Cusco can be spent at your leisure, enjoying breakfast before exploring Cusco or relaxing at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be met for your guided tour of Cusco and its archaeological sites. Your Cusco tour will include highlights such as Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and Koricancha Temple. We also visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of Sacsayhuaman just outside of Cusco which were once the former capital of the Incan Empire.

Breakfast included.

Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel to discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full day excursion. This fertile river valley was home to many important sites for the Incas, both strategic and religious. Your first stop will be the lookout Mirador de Taray before visiting a breeding centre for South American camels (guanacos, llamas, alpacas and vicunas).

Continue on to Pisac where you will first visit the archaeological complex, the ruins of the fortress of Pisac which are set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inca citadel are magnificent. You will visit the lower part of the complex where the agricultural area and the pre-Hispanic cemetery are located. Afterwards, visit the colourful local market and have free time to search for a souvenir or two before enjoying a typical Andean lunch at a local restaurant.

We then continue our journey along the River Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, where you will visit Ollantaytambo Ruins and one of its best preserved areas, Hanan Hucaypata. You will be transferred to the local train station where you will catch the scenic afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. On arrival you will be escorted to your hotel by the hotel's staff. Enjoy a free evening and prepare for your early morning visit to Machu Picchu the next day.

*Option to add a night in the Sacred Valley and continue to Machu Picchu early tomorrow, giving you the opportunity to enjoy 2 visits to Machu Picchu.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Guided Tour
This morning you will have an early start to meet your guide and take the shuttle bus to the entrance to the citadel for your first glimpse of Machu Picchu. You will have a guided tour of the ruins and monuments such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Cemeteries. During your guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction. Making use of the provided headsets, you will be able to take pictures freely while enjoying the live briefings. The citadel was discovered in 1911 by the American explorer and academic, Hiram Bingham. Many theories on the citadel exist, but most agree it was a holy site, hidden for centuries and never found by the invading Spanish.

For those looking for adventure, we recommend the one and one half hour trek up unguided Huayna Picchu Mountain, which overlooks Machu Picchu and allows for spectacular views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. Includes guided tour and return bus from Aguas Calientes village.

Train to Cusco
You will take the train from Aguas Calientes through the Sacred Valley to Cusco. As you disembark from the train you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Santiago
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Chile's capital city is surrounded by an extraordinary set of snow-capped Andean mountains to the east and a smaller coastal range to the west. It is truly a beautiful sight. The city offers one of Latin America's most cosmopolitan, vibrant and artistic city centres so your stay here is sure to be an exciting one.

Breakfast included.

City Tour
Let us introduce you to the classic city we know and love on this 6 hour tour exploring the city's most popular sights along with some of our personal favourites. Chile´s rich cultural heritage comes to life as we visit the iconic symbols of the city, including La Plaza de Armas (the main square), La Moneda (the government palace), the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral and the spectacular Cerro Santa Lucia, where the city was founded in 1541.

We continue to the bohemian area of Bellavista and climb the San Cristobal hill for a panoramic view of Santiago with the Andes Mountains in the background. We'll also visit the Orient Sector, the most modern area of the city, with its impressive high rise buildings and classy boulevards before we offer you a choice of the activities designed to enhance your Santiago experience.

You'll be given the option (you can decide on the day) to visit the picturesque Los Dominicos craft market where we can walk through the artisan village and enjoy a tasty empanada at one of the outdoor cafés, discover Santiago's impressive pre-Columbian museum, explore the historic Lastarria Neighbourhood or take a walking tour through the Mercado Central, Chile's largest fresh seafood market where you can try some of the local cuisine on offer. If you'd like to visit all these places then just let us know in advance and we can extend your tour to do this.

On completion of the tour you'll be returned back to your hotel and have free time to further explore the city at your leisure.

* As an alternative to this traditional city tour, we can also offer the city tour as a walking or bike riding tour. Let us know if you'd like more details on these options.

Valparaiso, Vina del Mar & the Vineyards
Today we will head over to the coast and explore one of the most fascinating cities in Chile; Valparaiso. ‘Valpo', as it is fondly known by locals, was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, and it is not difficult to see why. Picturesque architecture and multi-coloured urban housing spread out over more than forty hills, creating one of world's most eclectic, unique cities.

We will visit the downtown area with its new government house, the Plaza Sotomayor, the Plaza Victoria, the cathedral and the harbour area. Afterwards we take a funicular up into the hills where there is a fantastic collection of brightly painted houses and a fantastic view over the city (funicular not included). We enjoy coffee in one of the many cosy restaurants before we enjoy a stroll through the labyrinth of colourful streets lined with impressive street-art. You can also visit the former home of Pablo Neruda (entrance fee not included) and learn a little more about this famous Chilean poet.

From Valparaiso we'll head to the fashionable coastal resort city of Viña del Mar where we can admire the famous city ‘flower clock' and visit the Main Square, which offers an ampitheatre that hosts the Viña del Mar International Song Festival every summer.

We include time for lunch and on the way back to Santiago we will explore the Casablanca valley with its famous orchards, citrus groves, grape plantations and wonderful mountain backdrops. For those interested in tasting some of the local produce a visit to a local vineyard can be arranged (any wine tasting will be paid for locally). We return you back to your hotel in Santiago where you have the evening at your leisure.

Depart Santiago
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive at Easter Island
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, has captured the curiosity of travellers and scholars for centuries. During your stay here you will get a glimpse into the rich history, art and language which is present on this island.

Ahu Vaiha - Rano Raraku - Anakena
Today you will learn more about the fascinating history of Rapa Nui and begin the day heading south along the coast. As you travel along the road you will be able to observe the shoreline with black volcanic rocks and the amazing views of the vast Pacific Ocean. Your first stop will be a place known as Hanga Te’e where you will be able to view a variety of toppled Moai (statues) of Ahu Vaihu. From there you will continue on and arrive to Rano Raraku. This volcano is home to an ancient quarry that supplied stone from which about 95% of the island's sculptures were carved. Here you will enjoy a box-lunch and explore your surroundings. Subsequently you will make your way to the next highlight, Ahu Tongariki. This is the largest restored Ahu on Easter Island and features 15 moai. Afterwards, you will drive towards the east coast and arrive to Te Pito o Te Henua. This location is considered the “bellybutton” of the world boasting the nearby Ahu Te Pito Kura. Last, but not least you will reach the beach of Anakena known for its beautiful white sand and coconut palm trees. After visiting the nearby restored Ahu Nau Nau you will have time for a little rest and refreshing swim in the warm Pacific Ocean.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Orongo & Aku Akivi
In the morning, you will take a drive up the Rano Kau extinct volcano. Along the way you will be able to appreciate panoramic views of the entire island as well as make a brief stop at an outlook point that showcases a crater lake. From there you will head to the ceremonial village known as Orongo. There, you will learn about its past, culture and the history of the birdman cult. You will also be able to observe a variety of petroglyph images and be able to spot 3 islets situated opposite of the coastline. Afterwards you will drive down the volcano to the Ahu Vinapu that includes an ahu with interesting stonemasonry.

Subsequently your last stop of the morning before heading back to the hotel, will be a cave where you will find interesting wall paintings.

In the afternoon you will travel to Ahu Akivi which features seven re-erected moai situated inland. The legend claims that these statues represent the seven explorers who were sent to Rapa Nui by the late king Hotu Matua. From there you will continue on to Hanga Poukura; this is an extraordinary ahu site where a number of tumbled moai statues and scattered topknots are located. Next, you will visit the important quarry of Puna Pau that provided the sole source of the red scoria that the Rapa Nui villagers used to carve the Pukaos.

For the last visit of the day you will head to the ceremonial site of Tahai boasting 3 ahus, restored statues, remains of boathouses and a boat ramp. This is a day is filled with history, culture and breathtaking sights!

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Tahiti
Due to the late arrival time of flights into Papeete, we include a night at an airport hotel for you. On arrival to Tahiti airport, our representative will transfer you to your airport hotel.

Transfer to Moorea Hotel
Our representative will meet you at your hotel in the morning for your transfer to the pier in Papeete. Take a 30 minute boat ride to the island of Moorea and continue your journey by bus to your hotel.

Day at Leisure in Moorea
Spend your day exploring this paradise with its contrast of blue lagoons and green mountains. The lagoon offers the best snorkelling spot in the area where you have the chance to swim with black-tip sharks, sting rays, and a variety of tropical fishes among colourful coral reefs.

Take your time to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty of Moorea.

Breakfast included.

Day at Leisure in Moorea
Spend your day exploring this paradise with its contrast of blue lagoons and green mountains. The lagoon offers the best snorkelling spot in the area where you have the chance to swim with black-tip sharks, sting rays, and a variety of tropical fishes among colourful coral reefs.

Take your time to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty of Moorea.

Breakfast included.

Papeete
Today you will take the Ferry from Moorea to Papeete port, which will take approximately 30 min.

Transfer to your accommodation where you will stay overnight.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Breakfast included.