PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPERIENCE IN PERU 12D/11N

Our local representative will greet you at Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport (34 masl/112 ft) and then transfer you by private transport to your hotel in the Miraflores or San Isidro districts.
Prepare your camera to capture your first pictures on Peruvian soil. Along with a guide, you will tour tourist attractions such as Kennedy Park, the Costa Verde, and Parque del Amor, where you'll have views of the Pacific Ocean. The guide will assist you for 2 hours, where you can also take advantage of the opportunity to exchange dollars and activate your SIM card. The guide will then drop you off so you can explore the area or head to a restaurant for dinner.

At a coordinated time, approximately 11:00 a.m. The guide will pick you up from your hotel and begin the tour to Pachacamac. On the way, you'll enjoy views of the city of Lima. After a one-hour drive, we'll arrive at Pachacamac. This was the main sanctuary of the central coast for over a thousand years. Its temples were visited by multitudes of pilgrims on the occasion of the great Andean rituals, as Pachacamac was an accurate oracle capable of predicting the future and controlling the movements of the earth. Residents from all over the Andes also came to the Pachacamac sanctuary in search of solutions to their problems or answers to their questions. The citadel includes temples, pyramids, and palaces. Highlights include the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of Pachacamac, the "Acllahuasi," or the Palace of the Virgins of the Sun, among others. The entire site was considered sacred and part of the mystical axis of the world. We will continue our tour with a national tradition, which has become the pride of a people: the Paso Horse Show. Our tour takes place at a private "De Paso" ranch located in the Lurín Valley. In its beautiful gardens, a rider or chalan will introduce you to the world of the Peruvian Paso Horse, telling the story of this noble animal. The show includes a buffet lunch. Finally, there will be a panoramic tour of Lima's Contemporary or Modern Zone, where you can see the main buildings and residential areas. We will finish in Miraflores and return to your hotel.

Depending on your flight schedule, we will transfer you 3 hours in advance from your hotel to the Lima airport. You will board a flight to the historic city of Cusco. Upon arrival at the airport in Cusco, a shuttle will be waiting for you and will take you to your assigned hotel.
In the afternoon, you will have a walking tour of the city. The tour begins with pick-up from your hotel at a previously agreed time, approximately 3:00 pm. We will walk to the San Pedro Market. Depending on the location of your hotel, we will be there in 5 to 10 minutes. We will learn about the living culture of the population inside the market and its surroundings. Inside the San Pedro Market, you will find a variety of products, including fresh juices, cheese, chuta bread (circular bread in large sizes), coffee, coca leaves, and handicrafts that are representative of the city, such as ponchos, chullos, and alpaca sweaters. If you like, you can try some of the foods being sold at the different stands there.
We will continue our tour and a few minutes away is the Santa Clara Arch. Beautiful for its design and architecture, it is one of the arches that surrounds the city of Cusco. We will pass by San Francisco Square, where we can observe a botanical garden where the native Andean flora of the region is displayed. We will pass through Marqués Street until we reach the main square of Cusco which is located at an altitude of 3399 meters above sea level (11151 ft) also known as Aucaypata, a Quechua name meaning important place, currently this place houses its surroundings beautiful cobblestone streets, portals and many tourists of different nationalities who visit the imperial city daily, it is also a favorite place for visitors to enjoy in the restaurants that surround the square. On this tour we will also go to the Sapantiana aqueduct, a colonial construction in the form of 2-story arches, we will continue towards the street of seven sheep during this 2-hour tour you will be able to discover the charms that this city holds.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. At approximately 7:40 a.m., your guide will pick you up from your hotel and begin a tour of the entire Sacred Valley. We will stop at the Taray tourist viewpoint. From this point, you will capture the impressive Sacred Valley, where you can appreciate the unique landscape surrounded by mountains and vegetation. After a few more minutes of travel, we will arrive at the archaeological site of Pisac (2,972 meters above sea level/9,751 feet), built on the top of the mountain formed by towers and terraces, where ancient settlers had to find ways to produce agriculture and irrigate on the mountaintop. We will also visit the Pisac artisan market. Then we will head to Urubamba where we will have a buffet lunch prepared with local products, in the afternoon we will head to the town of Ollantaytambo known as the living Inca city because they still preserve their culture and identity, we will also visit the archaeological center of Ollantaytambo, according to its Inca constructions this place was a very important military and religious center since it has enclosures, platforms, water channels and the doors are made with giant stones; It is time to return to Cusco, on the way back we will make our last stop in the town of Chinchero beautiful for its terraces that are shown and where currently the population maintains their customs inherited from its ancient inhabitants, this town is famous for the textiles they make and show their iconographies in their fabrics where they represent the apus and lagoons that surround the town, then we will return to Cusco where you will be transferred to your hotel.

The day has arrived to visit one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, Machu Picchu. We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and transfer you to the Ollantaytambo train station, where you will board the Vistadome Observatory train to Aguas Calientes. The trip lasts 1 hour and 40 minutes. Along the way, you will enjoy music and a show on board, accompanied by incredible landscapes. From the observation car, you can enjoy the entire route. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you will be taken to your hotel to get ready. Then, your guide will pick you up and take you to the bus station where you will board the transport to Machu Picchu. The trip lasts 35 to 40 minutes. The path zigzags through lush vegetation until you reach the entrance gate of Machu Picchu (altitude: 2,430 meters above sea level/7,972 feet).
Accompanied by your private guide, you will begin your tour along the assigned route. The charm and architecture of Machu Picchu will connect you with the history and magic of this sacred site. You will be amazed by the precision of the stone carvings and the hydraulic system used by the Incas. The guide will make stops to provide details of each site and allow you to take photographs. After a 2.5-hour tour, it will be time to return. We will take the bus down the same route to Aguas Calientes and then drop you off at your hotel so you can rest or enjoy dinner.
We recommend an early night's rest; the next day we will embark on another adventure with an early departure.

The guide will pick you up from your hotel, and together you will head to the bus station, where you will board the first buses to Machu Picchu. You will head to the entrance gate for Circuit 3 of Huayna Picchu, from where you will begin a 20-minute hike through the lower part of Machu Picchu. Along the way, you will pass Inca buildings, where you will also see the citadel's water channels. Then, you will arrive at the checkpoint to enter Huayna Picchu.
The route is a narrow path surrounded by vegetation on either side, with shrubs endemic to the area. After a 10-minute walk, we will have incredible views of the mountains and the landscape that can be seen from this point. The route has stone steps in some parts and if you require support to ascend, you can support yourself with your hand, believe me, if you need it, little by little we will be ascending to the top. During your journey, we recommend that you hydrate to achieve the goal of reaching the summit. After 1 hour and 30 minutes of ascending, we will reach the summit of Huayna Picchu (altitude: 2,690 meters above sea level / 8,826 ft). We will witness how the Incas built on the top of the mountain since the infrastructure that we will see will be surprising. From the summit, we will have impressive views of the citadel of Machu Picchu and the immense mountain range that forms it. It will undoubtedly be one of its best postcards since from this point you have the best landscapes and the panorama is unique where you can see the town of Aguas Calientes and how the mighty Urubamba River runs alongside it. After spending some time at the top it is time to return by the same route, the return will be a little challenging since our legs will feel tired, we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes, in the town you will have free time for lunch and prepare for your return, you must go to the station 30 minutes before the departure time of your train, you will board the return train to the Ollantaytambo station and upon arrival at the station an assigned transport will be waiting for you who will return you to your hotel in Cusco.

We will begin our tour with pickup from your hotel. The guide will pick you up at 2:30 p.m. and then board a shuttle that will take us to the first stop. 30 minutes from Cusco, Manos de la Comunidad is a place full of charm and tradition. This place welcomes us with its colorful decoration based on alpaca and llama wool fabrics. We will begin the tour by visiting the most iconic camelids of the Andes: llamas and alpacas. Here, you will have a unique experience interacting with animals such as the Suri, Guanaco, Alpaca, and Llama. You will be able to take numerous photos, feed them, and interact directly with the camelids. You will also have a close-up experience of how they make different textiles, such as blankets, purses, sweaters, and decorative ornaments for the home. After this unique experience, we will continue our tour to Cristo Blanco, located about 10 minutes away at an altitude of 3,575 meters above sea level/11,729 feet. This tourist viewpoint is located in the upper part of Cusco, very close to the Sacsayhuaman esplanade. From this point, we can enjoy the landscape and the mountains surrounding the imperial city of Cusco. It is time to descend along a cobblestone path, and after 10 minutes, we will reach another tourist viewpoint, San Cristóbal, located within the city. From there, we will also have an impressive close-up view of the majesty and charm of the Inca city and take photographs. We continue descending until we reach the oldest neighborhood in Cusco, the San Blas neighborhood, with its narrow cobblestone streets, some of which are steep, so that just walking through them is a pleasure and a great satisfaction to be in this city that holds so much history and tradition. In the afternoon, we will have our last stop, very close to the Qoricancha temple. It's time to experience preparing a delicious Pisco Sour. Our bartender will explain the ingredients we'll be using and the quantities to use, such as pisco, lemon, egg white, and others. After a brief explanation, each person can prepare their own drink, always under the supervision of our team. It's time to try our drinks. If you're happy with the preparation, you can do it at home!
You can also opt for dinner at this same location; the restaurant offers a menu of Peruvian flavors.

In the morning, have breakfast at your hotel. At approximately 7:00 a.m., your guide will pick you up, with whom you'll begin this adventure, heading to the tourist viewpoints of Chonta in the Limatambo district. On the tour, we'll pass through the towns of Anta and Limatambo. After a two-hour drive, we'll arrive at Tarawasi, where we'll make a brief stop to visit this site. Tarawasi is believed to have been a religious center where rituals were performed due to its altar (Usnu) and trapezoidal windows.

We'll then drive across the Huayronka Bridge, then continue along a narrow dirt road surrounded by rugged landscapes. Along the way, we'll see the crops cultivated by the locals and plenty of wild flora. From the parking lot, we'll embark on a one-hour hike to the tourist viewpoints, located 3 kilometers away, where you can watch the condors fly over.

There are three tourist viewpoints located in super strategic locations. To get the best view, we position ourselves at the third viewpoint, which is the most popular. From this point, we will have an impressive view of the Apurímac Canyon. According to the park rangers, the condors fly over in the afternoon between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. We will have to wait patiently and have our cameras ready to capture that moment. The best time to see them is from April to October, as it is the dry season in Cusco, when the wind blows harder, ideal for them to take flight.
If, due to weather factors, it starts to rain, unfortunately, the condors will not fly over, but the landscape seen from this point will be incomparable and comforting.

We'll begin the tour with pickup from your hotel in Cusco at 5:00 am. Then, we'll head through the southern valley of the city for approximately 2 hours until we reach the town of Cusipata, where we'll have a buffet breakfast at a local tourist restaurant. We'll continue our journey along a dirt road, passing through different villages in the area for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Along the way, we'll enjoy stunning views of the mountains' flora and fauna. You'll also have the opportunity to take photographs until we reach the starting point of the hike to climb Palccoyo Mountain.
It's time to prepare our photography equipment and get the best photos. We'll walk along an adjacent road with stops to enjoy the scenery, and after 50 minutes to 1 hour, we'll be at the summit. The view from the top of Palccoyo Mountain is impressive. We are located at an altitude of 4,900 meters above sea level/16,076 feet. From this point, you can see the mountain range that covers the valley with its red, ochre, and magenta colors. After a rest and taking the best photos, it's time to return to the parking lot. We'll board the shuttle again to the restaurant where we'll have lunch prepared with local products. Then, at approximately 3:00 p.m., you'll be transferred to the Cusipata Lodge, located next to the river. This day, you'll spend the night in the small, quiet village of Cusipata. It's time to recharge your camera batteries for the next day. Don't worry, our guide will be there for you.

Early at approximately 5:00 a.m., we will prepare to visit our second destination, Pallay Poncho Mountain, located in the Layo district. We will drive in our vehicle for 2 hours and 30 minutes until we reach the starting point. Along the way, we will pass through Checacupe, Combapata, San Pedro, Sicuani, and Marangani.
From the base of the mountain, we will begin our hike for approximately 1 hour through grasslands and surrounded by Andean fauna such as llamas and alpacas. The hike to the viewpoint is steep, and here we do require a lot of energy to reach the summit. From some points, when we make stops, you can already see the mountain with colorful lines of red, ochre, magenta, turquoise, brown, and yellow. These have formed perfectly over the years into fine, layer-like lines that beautify the landscape and the mountain. From here, you can take spectacular photographs. Once at the summit, we'll be located at 4,700 meters above sea level/15,420 feet. From here, we'll have stunning views of the horizon and Pallay Poncho Mountain. We'll also have impressive views of the Langui-Layo Lagoon. We'll have time to rest, explore, and take photos of Pallay Poncho Mountain and the Andes mountain range.
It's time to return to the base along the same path we ascended. We'll board our transportation and drive back to the town of Cusipata, where we'll have a buffet lunch. Then, we'll return to Cusco.

This day is free for you to rest and relax at the hotel or go shopping at traditional markets.

It's time to say goodbye. Two hours before your flight's departure time, we'll transfer you to the Cusco airport where you'll board your flight to Lima. Depending on your schedule, you'll board your international flight.