a taste of peru - Holbrook Travel
Transcription
a taste of peru - Holbrook Travel
PERU Photo by Laura Hare CUSTOMIZE A TASTE OF PERU AM THIS PROGR THE SACRED INCA EMPIRE AND THE LOST CITY 8 Days | Choose your dates In July of 1911, noted historian Hiram Bingham rediscovered the Lost City of the Inca, the breathtaking ruins of Machu Picchu. This carefully crafted 8 day program takes travelers to the essential highlights of Peru, including Machu Picchu, the Pisac Market, the colonial city of Cusco, and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Discover Peru’s rich and layered cultural history during this fascinating journey of exploration and adventure. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS • Journey high into the Andes to discover the mysteries of Machu Picchu. • Explore the Sacred Valley and the ruins of Ollantaytambo Fortress. • Experience the bustle of the Pisac Market and the vibrant colors of local art. • Discover the city of Cusco, the oldest inhabited city in South America. • Walk through history as you wander the Sacsayhuaman ruins. • Marvel at scenic vistas as you ride the train to Aguas Calientes. holbrooktravel.com | 800-451-7111 ITINERARY DAY 1 - LIMA Upon arrival in Lima you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel. Overnight at Casa Andina Select. DAY 2 - LIMA After breakfast you will visit the National Archeology Museum (closed on Mondays). This is Peru’s oldest and largest state museum. It is housed in an old colonial mansion on Plaza Bolivar, in the Pueblo Libre District of Lima. The museum displays a large collection of ceramics, textiles, sculptures, and ancient Peruvian metals dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Some notable pieces in this collection are the Raimondi Stela and Tello Obelisk. Another portion of the exhibit focuses on the country’s colonial and Republican periods. After lunch at Senorio de Sulco, you will receive an orientation on Lima including a visit to La Catedral. La Catedral is the most important church in any town in Peru. This beautiful colonial building in the Plaza de las Armas presumably houses the remains of Francisco Pizarro—whether the bones are authentic or not is a matter of conjecture. Overnight at Casa Andina Select. (BL) DAY 3 - SACRED VALLEY After an early breakfast, depart for the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you can enjoy a cup of coca tea and then depart for Yucay at an elevation of 8,500 feet. The city lies in the Urubamba Valley, which is the historic heart of the former Inca Empire. The Incas intensively cultivated the landscape using terraces that increased the land’s harvest several fold and provided food for a large population. The Urubamba Valley is also called the Sacred Valley of the Incas because it was here that, without the benefit of the wheel, the Incas built massive stone cities and ruled an empire that stretched 3,300 miles over some of the harshest terrain on Earth. Without the use of mortar, the Incas constructed cities, suspension bridges, and aqueduct systems with an engineering expertise that still exists today. Along your journey through the valley, you will stop at Pisac Market. The town’s main square is filled wall-to-wall with stalls selling the full range of Peruvian artesanía: carved gourds (mates burilados), ceramics, felt hats, alpaca sweaters and mittens, musical instruments, paintings, antiques, a huge variety of trinkets, and, most of all, weavings and jewelry. Overnight at Sonesta Posada el Inca Yucay. (BL) DAY 4 - MACHU PICCHU After breakfast, board the train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival you will take the bus to the top of the mountain for your guided tour of the ruins at Machu Picchu. The guided tour is about two hours and you have the rest of the day to enjoy this magical place on your own. Machu Picchu, known as “The Lost City of the Incas,” is probably the best known yet least understood of all Incan sites. Apart from a few locals, nobody knew of Machu Picchu’s existence until 1911, when American historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the thickly overgrown buildings almost by accident. The quality of the stonework and the abundance of ornamental sites indicate that Machu Picchu must have been an important ceremonial center, but knowledge of the city’s history has been lost over time. Overnight at El MaPi Hotel. (BLD) DAY 5 - CUSCO This morning you will have time explore Aguas Calientes on your own or a second visit to Machu Picchu (please note your second entrance fee and bus costs are NOT included). Named for the hot springs located on the edge of town, Aguas Calientes was once a small farming community. In the 1920s it became a railway workers camp and it now serves as the base for visitors to Machu Picchu. This afternoon you will board the train for your scenic journey back to Yucay and on to Cusco. Overnight at Casa Andina Private Collection. (B) DAY 6 - CUSCO The early part of today will be spent on your own. This afternoon you will enjoy a guided tour exploring Cusco and surrounding areas starting with a visit to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Sacsayhuaman forms the head of the Puma design of old Cusco. It is a wonder of technical achievement and a testament to human will and its construction remains a mystery since the stones are not found in the region, and most of the blocks weigh over a ton. The largest rock weighs more than 300 tons. The ruins are constructed of huge polygonal blocks which interlock with one another and are so precisely placed that a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. Next you will explore Cusco. The center of Cusco is a history lesson. Modern and colonial buildings are built on top of Inca foundations, and colonial churches dominate the central square. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to shop and explore on your own. Overnight at Casa Andina Private Collection. (B) DAY 7 - LIMA Today you will be transferred to the airport in Cusco for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival you will be transferred to hotel for overnight. Overnight at Casa Andina Select. (B) DAY 8 - FAREWELL! This morning you will be transferred to the international airport for your departure flight. (B) This itinerary can be customized. PROGRAM PRICING Shared services (maximum group size 16) $1,775 (per person, double occupancy w/two people traveling) $1,425 (per person, double occupancy w/four people traveling) $1,340 (child rate under 9 years of age, sharing room with parent*) $675 add on for single supplement Private Services $1,875 (per person, double occupancy w/two people traveling) $1,525 (per person, double occupancy w/four people traveling) $1,445 (child rate under 9 years of age, sharing room with parent*) $675 add on for single supplement *Must have copy of passport Cost includes: hotel accommodations with hotel taxes, meals as mentioned, all ground transportation, and tours as mentioned. Not included: international and internal airfare, departure taxes, meals not mentioned, tours not mentioned in itinerary, beverages, tips/gratuities, and optional travel insurance. Valid for travel in 2016. THE FINE PRINT Rates are based on this itinerary with hotels; any changes can alter the final cost. Please note that very few hotels offer quad occupancy. Deposit: $200 per person is due upon confirmation. Final payment is due 60 days prior to travel. If confirmed within 60 days, full payment is due upon confirmation. Cancellations must be received in writing, however, will be considered effective upon advisement of the cancellation. Cancellations received 61 days or more prior to departure are refundable less a $100 per person processing fee. Cancellations received 60 days or less prior to departure are non-refundable. We strongly advise you to invest in travel insurance, which covers the cost of your tour in the event of an emergency before or during your trip. For additional information about Travel Insurance, please speak with your Holbrook consultant or contact Travel Insured at 800-243-3174 or visit travelinsured.com. Holbrook Travel’s agency number is 15849. ACCOMMODATIONS Casa Andina Select The Casa Andina Select hotel is located in Lima’s trendy Miraflores neighborhood, within easy access to restaurants and local attractions. The newly constructed hotel has 155 rooms with modern installations and various amenities. Room amenities: Private bathroom with hair dryer, air conditioning, safety deposit box, minibar, soundproof windows, direct dial phone, television. Facility amenities: Restaurant, spa, gym, sun terrace with Jacuzzi, conference rooms, business center, Wi-Fi, laundry service, currency exchange, luggage storage, souvenir shop. Casa Andina Private Collection Converted from a beautiful 18th century colonial house, with five stately courtyards, and featuring their restaurant “Alma” with creative, regional cuisine. The hotel is located three blocks away from Cusco’s main square. Room amenities: 100 rooms with heat, cable television, safe deposit box, direct-dial telephone, coffee making facility, private bathroom with hair dryer. Oxygen available upon request. Facility amenities: Restaurant and bar, Wi-Fi, laundry service, room service, medical assistance, currency exchange. Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay The 87-room Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay is located in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, five minutes far from Urubamba, one-hour drive from the ancient Inca capital of Cusco and close to Machu Picchu. The Sonesta Posada Yucay is a former 18th century colonial-style monastery and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Room amenities: Television, heater, telephone, private bathroom with bathtub, safe, hair dryer upon request. Facility amenities: Business center, Wi-Fi, laundry service, room service, luggage storage, currency exchange, restaurant, bar/lounge, fitness center, meeting rooms. El MaPi Hotel Located in the heart of the bustling village of Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), it satisfies the needs of many travelers in search of an easy going stay, a relaxed atmosphere, in a modern place, with a good and warm attention, comfortable facilities and healthy food. Room amenities: Private bathrooms, safe, television, Wi-Fi, hair dryer, telephone, minibar, reading lights. Facility amenities: Restaurant, Wi-Fi, business center, laundry service, bar/lounge, luggage storage. COLOMBIA Equator ECUADOR Iquitos BRAZIL PERU Lima Ballestas Islands Machu Picchu Paracas Tambopata Cusco BOLIVIA PACIFIC OCEAN CHILE CONTACT INFORMATION PHOTOS BY Visit holbrooktravel.com or reach a travel consultant at 800-451-7111 or travel@holbrooktravel.com Eric Lindberg, Laura Hare, Alton Biggs, Elizabeth Sanders