Secrets of Machu Picchu / possibility to continue the journey to Easter Island

Meeting at Tallinn Airport at 05:30.

Flight BT857 Tallinn-Amsterdam 07.30-09.00 (Air Baltic)
Flight KL743 Amsterdam-Lima 09.55-15.25 (KLM)

We arrive in Peru in the afternoon of the same day. Transfer to the hotel. Evening at leisure.

Accommodation:  Lima Jose Antonio Hotel 4*

After breakfast, we will take a tour of Lima, a modern city full of contrasts, culture and hustle and bustle. Founded in 1535 by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the South American capital of the Spanish Empire, Lima, the City of Kings, has exploded into the most populous region of Peru with nearly 10 million inhabitants. Here you will find beautiful colonial villas, ruins of pre-Inca cultures, historic churches and excellent museums full of priceless treasures.

The historic center of the city was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991, and its heart is the Plaza Mayor, where, despite the earthquakes that have devastated the city over the centuries, the imposing Lima Cathedral, the Palacio de Gobierno (the presidential residence), the Palacio Arzobispal (the archbishop's residence) and much more stand tall. We visit the church and monastery of San Francisco. 

Then we will visit the LARCO Archaeological Museum, which is located in an 18th century viceroyalty mansion, surrounded by beautiful gardens. The Larco Museum has an amazing display of up to 5,000 years of Peruvian history and development, giving a good overview of the pre-Columbian era in Peru. We will also see a remarkable collection of ancient Peruvian gold, silver, and ceramics from the Mochica culture.

Meals: breakfast 
Accommodation:  Lima Jose Antonio Hotel 4*

This morning we visit the Gold Museum. Peru has been a land rich in gold since ancient times. The vast amount of this shiny and tarnish-resistant metal has been both a source of wealth for Peru and a source of much mischief. Miguel Gallo founded the Gold Museum as a representative private museum, the collection of which is a tribute to the brilliant knowledge and skills of Peru's ancient goldsmiths. Before our eyes, we will see vaults with death masks, crowns, nose rings and earrings, necklaces, helmets, ceremonial figurines and knives made of gold, silver and even platinum. The museum's collection also includes "hats" made of human hair, ceramics, mummies, ponchos made of feathers, etc. On the upper floor of the museum is Armas Del Mundo - a magnificent display of various weapons and military equipment from around the world.

In the afternoon, we fly from the capital Lima to Cusco. 

The evening is for acclimatization. Cusco is located at 3400m above sea level. 

Meals: breakfast
Accommodation: Cusco Yawar Inka Hotel 3*

Today is a day to explore Cusco and its surroundings. We will visit the ruins of Puca-Pucara, Kenko and Tambomachaya. Then we will visit the famous fortress of Sacsayhuaman.

Let's take a closer look at the area around Cusco. The mountainous Cusco, which has now become the tourist capital of Peru, was once the royal capital of the Incas. From here, the fertile Cusco Valley became the birthplace of the largest pre-Columbian empire in the New World in the 12th and 13th centuries. The royal dynasty of the Incas usurped all the surrounding tribes by bribing, intimidating, negotiating, or simply enchanting them. The capital of the ancient Inca empire, which stretched from Colombia to Chile, was captured by Spanish conquistadors in 1532, leaving only the foundation walls of the city. In accordance with the custom of the conquistadors, cathedrals, monasteries, and palaces were built on them. A striking example of Inca architectural art is the basic plan of the city of Cusco and the foundation walls that have withstood countless earthquakes. Inca engineers had long known that earthquake-resistant walls could be built using dowel joints with an accuracy of a fraction of a millimeter.

The hillsides surrounding the city of Cusco are home to thousands of mighty Inca ruins. New archaeological finds are constantly being discovered, helping to piece together, stone by stone, the mosaic of the enigmatic Inca civilization buried in the darkness of history. The gigantic megalithic stone walls of the Sacsahuaman fortress, charged with cosmic energy, in which some of the nearly 350-ton boulders have withstood wars, earthquakes and time. Puca-pucara means "Red Fortress" in Quechua and is a good example of ancient Inca military architecture. The Kenko sanctuary, or huaca, consists of various tunnels and a cave in which a sacrificial altar is located. In the sacred place of the Inca water cult, Tambomachay, a natural spring was tamed so that it formed a series of springs. Here, more than anywhere else, the Inca's innate ability to build in harmony with the surrounding nature is visible.

In the afternoon we will explore the city of Cusco. The main square of Cusco, Plaza de Armas, was the ceremonial “warrior square” of the Incas, where the festivals of the Sun were celebrated and their rulers were honored. The unique jewel of Cusco is the Church of Santo Domingo, which was built on the ruins of the Inca Temple of the Sun (Koricancha). Only legends tell of the incredibly brilliant and magnificent temple of the Incas: in honor of the Sun god Inti, the walls of the temple were covered with pure gold and full of precious stones, in the garden there were life-size statues of animals made of gold and silver, and here the royal mummies of the Incas watched over their people during ceremonies. The conquerors carried away the gold and much of it is still being searched for.

Meals: breakfast
Accommodation: Cusco Yawar Inka Hotel 3*

Today we have a day off for vacation.

Those who wish can hike (for an additional fee, 160usd) to Rainbow Mountain :

Early in the morning we start the drive to Cusipata (81 km, about 1.5 hours), from where we continue for about 25 kilometers (also 1.5 hours) along an unpaved road in the middle of a canyon, surrounded by high boulders. Then we reach the starting point of our hike at an altitude of 4630 meters, where we have breakfast before the hike. We start walking under the leadership of a local guide, who also introduces us to the surrounding areas - the hiking trail passes through farmlands, small villages and alpaca herds. We have wonderful views of the 6384-meter-high Ausangate mountain and other snow-capped peaks. We have enough time to take pictures and enjoy the views of the surrounding Red Valley. The Red Valley is known as the "brother" of Rainbow Mountain, but it is less known and therefore visited by fewer tourists. When we reach the end of the valley, we are at the foot of Rainbow Mountain. We climb to the top of the mountain, where from an altitude of 5100 meters we have a magnificent 360-degree panoramic view of the colorful slopes of Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain in Estonian). On one side are the snowy peaks of Ausangate and on the other side are the rainbow-colored slopes of Vinicunca. After taking pictures and enjoying the magical views, we begin our descent to the parking lot, where we have lunch. Then we drive back to Cusco, where we arrive at approximately 5 pm. 

When going on a hike, you need to take into account the physical strain and the fact that the temperature at such altitudes (Cusipata 3330 m, the beginning of the hike 4630 m and the end of the hike 5100 m) changes quickly, and you need to be prepared for all kinds of weather - sun, rain, and snow.

Meals: breakfast
Accommodation: Cusco Yawar Inka Hotel 3*

Today we drive around the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The Incas considered the Urubamba River region an earthly paradise, and its generous nature was their granary and source of wealth. The ancient farmers skillfully mastered high-altitude farming. They grew more than 70 different local crops on terraced fields and stored five years' worth of grain in giant warehouses for years of famine.

In the difficult conditions of the mountain village of Pisac, the Incas were able to build a fortress, dwellings, temples to the Sun and Moon, and impressive terraced fields high on a mountaintop. Inca engineers connected disjointed road sections into a single, complete network, thus uniting their vast empire.

The journey continues to the beautiful village of Maras, located at an altitude of 3,028 meters, where the Inca nobles lived. Here we see the salt mines that brought wealth to the Incas, some of which are still in operation today.

Then we head to the ancient Inca fortress city and sanctuary of Ollantaytambo. Named after an ancient hero, the inhabitants of this town carry on ancient Quechua traditions. Walking the cobblestone streets of the town, built in a chessboard pattern, peeking into hidden courtyards and climbing the fortress walls, we can feel like we are traveling back in time.

Meals: breakfast, lunch 
Accommodation:  Urubamba San Agustin Hotel 3*

After breakfast we take the train (1.5 hours) to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. This town is hidden between the mountains and is the last stop before moving on to the world-famous ruins. The town is full of hotels, nice cafes and countless souvenir stalls. From Machu Picchu Pueblo a short bus ride takes you up the serpentine mountain to the Machu Picchu ruins.  

The 2,350-meter-high rock city of Machu Picchu takes its name from the mountainside on which it is built. There is nothing more sublime than beginning to glimpse the outlines of the ancient city as the morning mist begins to slowly unfurl from the majestic Machu Picchu peak. The place is magically peaceful, secluded, and meditative - a contrast to the motley international crowd that has come here to visit one of the seven wonders of the modern world. First-time and repeat visitors alike are captivated by the mystique of this masterpiece of nature and man.

Machu Picchu was only discovered for the Western world in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, when nature had completely claimed it for itself. The art of Inca stoneworking has withstood time, powerful destructive forces of nature and human activity. The true purpose of the city and the reason why it was once abandoned by the Incas still remain a mystery. Experts speculate that the site may have been a place of worship for the gods, where the movement of the stars was observed, or that it was the country villa of the ninth Inca ruler, Pachcutec. Usually, you only spend four hours at the ruins of Machu Picchu, with tourists arriving by train from Cusco at 11 a.m., and all of them leaving for Cusco by train at 3 p.m. Our great advantage is that we stay here for the whole day. What a mystical feeling it is here, when you suddenly find yourself almost alone in the ancient center of the Inca Empire. 

NB! We will be going to Aguas Calientes with backpacks, we will pick up the large suitcases again the next day in Cusco.

Meals: breakfast
Accommodation: El Mapi Inkaterra Hotel 3* in the town of Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu

This morning we will use the afternoon to visit Machu Picchu again. This will give you a great opportunity to explore the mysterious places of Machu Picchu with a tour guide (or on your own). Early in the morning we will also have the opportunity to go to Huayna Picchu, from where you will have completely new views of the entire surroundings.

In the afternoon we take the train to Cusco.

Meals: breakfast
Accommodation:  Cusco Yawar Inka Hotel 3*

In the morning we fly from Cusco to Lima.
Free time in Lima, which has a large concentration of world-class restaurants!

In the evening we drive to the airport to start our journey back home.

Flight AF501 Lima-Amsterdam 20.10-14.05+1

Meals:  breakfast

Flight BT860 Amsterdam-Tallinn 16.45-20.05