Incan Route: Cusco to La Paz

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.

Cusco City & Nearby Ruins Tour
Your comprehensive city tour in the afternoon includes the beautiful Koricancha, also known as Sun Temple, the Cathedral as well as the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a most remarkable Inca building, and the amphitheater of Kenko. Then you drive past Puca Pucara (no stop / no visit), a strategically located 'red fortress' that dominated the entire area before visiting Tambomachay, with its two distinctive aqueducts that to this day continue to provide clean water to the area.

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, a scenic lookout point offering impressive panoramic views of the Sacred Valley.

Continue on to Pisaq where you will first visit the archaeological complex, the ruins of the fortress of Pisaq 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.

Afternoon visit to the fortress of Ollantaytambo where the Temple of the Sun (formed of six gigantic monoliths, whose total weight exceeds 50 tons) and the Terrace of the Ten Niches stand out.

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.

Machu Picchu Tour
Early this morning you will be greeted by your guide who will assist you onto the shuttle bus to the citadel’s entrance. For centuries, Machu Picchu remained undiscovered by the Spaniards until American explorer Hiram Bingham found it in 1911. On a guided tour, you'll experience the site's unique location and ingenious construction, making it one of the seven new wonders of the world.

Your Machu Picchu ticket (Circuit 2A Classic) provides access to the classic circuit, which encompasses both the agricultural and urban sectors of the site. Along the route, you'll encounter iconic landmarks such as the Inca quarry, the Sun Temple lookout point, the Sacred Stone, the storages known as Qolqas, the Temple of the Condor, and the Guard House.

At the proper time, walk on your own to the local train station in Aguas Calientes (close to artisanal market) and take the train back to Ollantaytambo where our local representative is waiting to transfer you to Cusco. In case you have left any luggage in the hotel in the Sacred Valley, it will be picked up on route.

Highest Elevation: 2,430m/ 7,972 ft
Lowest Elevation: 2,040m/ 6,692 ft
Approximate time of Visit: 2 hours

Please note:
• Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu must be purchased in advance. Priority will be given to issuing tickets for Circuit #2A (Classic). If no spaces are available, Circuit #2B (Lower Terrace) or Circuit #3B (Royalty Route) will be selected instead.
• If you wish to see multiple circuits during your visit, you must purchase a second entry ticket.
• If you wish to include a trek to Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or Huchuy Picchu, you will need an extra ticket. Please ask us.
• To see the different circuit options, please visit https://eclipsetravel.com/machu-picchu-visitor-information/

Breakfast included.

Bus Tour to Puno
At an appropriate time, you will be picked up and transferred to the bus station where you will take the bus to Puno.

A ten-hour bus trip takes you through picturesque Andean landscapes dotted by small villages and herds of llamas and vicunas. Your destination is Puno; however, you make three important stops along your way: the first one is Andahuaylillas known by its baroque church dating from the 17th century. Then your tour continues to Raqchi to visit the Viracocha Temple. This was the only Inca temple featuring cylindrical columns covered by fine clay layers. Lunch will be served in a typical restaurant en route. Then, you reach La Raya pass (4,335 m/ 14,172 ft) where you enjoy a panoramic view of the snow-capped Andes, before the last leg of the trip takes you to Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca.

Upon arrival in Puno, you will be picked up at the bus station and transferred to your hotel.

Optional upgrades (ask us for pricing):
Private Transfer: A ten-hour road trip with your guide in private vehicle takes you through picturesque Andean landscapes dotted by small villages and herds of llamas and vicunas to your destination Puno.

Swap the bus for a train ride. **Available Wed, Fri, Sun**:
This spectacular rail journey begins in Cusco and travels south to Puno. This train journey cuts across the formidable Peruvian Altiplano. The journey is dominated by the magnificent Andean mountains rolling Andean Plains, where vicuñas and alpacas can be seen. The observation car with bar will provide the perfect opportunity to view the beautiful scenery. A gourmet lunch will be served on board one of the four dining cars. Traditional dances and music will be presented during the journey to make the special experience complete.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Uros & Taquile Island
This morning we board the speed boat for the cruise to the Uros and Taquile Islands. By taking a speed boat we save 2-hours travel time giving you more time to explore the islands.

Our first stop is to visit the Uros Indians, who live on islands of floating reeds and, save for a few modest concessions to the modern world, still live as their ancestors would have done centuries ago.

We continue on to Taquile Island where we will tour around the ruins and visit these beautiful people, world famous for their intricate and fascinating weavings. After lunch we will return to Puno and transfer you back to your hotel.

* If you have an extra day then we recommend spending this evening in an authentic Lake Titicaca island home. On the following day you will return to Puno via Taquile Island.

* Please note: Due to the high altitude (3800m) visitors require a certain level of fitness for the walking on the islands.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Travel to La Paz via Copacabana and Sun Island
Shared overland journey from your hotel in Puno to the picturesque village and harbor of Copacabana, visit to the shrine and the Dark Indian Virgin, as well as the local market. Hydrofoil cruise to Moon Island. Visit the Sun Virgins Temple “Iñak Uyu”, an important sacred place on Lake Titicaca where the insistent beating of the waves whispers memories of the past. For the Inca State, women were fundamental, achieving a textile, agricultural, cultural and religious development. Thanks to the dedication of these young maidens, today we can count on dehydrated derivatives of different types of potatoes, such as “chuño” and “tunta”. The temple is characterized by its forward vaulting technique and its trapezoidal and stepped elements.

Continue to the mythical Sun Island. Visit the Inca “Grand Stairs” and the Sacred Fountain; taste the water believed to give eternal youth and happiness. Lunch at the Uma Kollu archaeological Restaurant; enjoy the small handicraft market.

Hydrofoil cruise back to Copacabana and shared overland journey, crossing the Tiquina Straits by motor boat, to Huatajata, located at the shores of Lake Titicaca. Upon arrival, visit the Andean Roots Eco Village: The Altiplano Museum; Handicrafts village, the Mud Igloos and the mortuary towers of the Urus Chipayas. Meet the Limachi family, builders of the RA II and Tigris for epic expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy our elegant vicuñas, llamas, alpacas and the mythical Suri.

Shared overland transfer to your hotel in La Paz. The road runs parallel to the most fascinating snow-capped mountains of the Andes.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

La Paz City Tour with Cable Car
3 hour City Tour in La Paz. The city and its surroundings transport you to a mysterious past, where every corner and street reveals hidden treasures and adventures. La Paz is a living history that preserves pre-Hispanic traditions and magical rites alongside its colonial and modern heritage. Explore the indigenous, colonial, and contemporary districts, visit the Indian Market and the Witch Doctor's Market, and take in breathtaking panoramas framed by the majestic Illimani Mountain visit Plaza Murillo to admire the colonial architecture as your guide shares the culture and history of La Paz and Bolivia. Savor a traditional mid-morning Salteña snack, stroll through the charming Calle Jaén, and conclude with a ride on the 21st-century cable car, offering a unique bird’s-eye view of the city.

Breakfast included.

Hotel to Airport
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport.

Breakfast included.