5 days, 4 nights Pre-Voyage
Machu Picchu was built around the year 1460, but was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later, at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire. Although known locally, it was said to have been forgotten for centuries when the site was brought to worldwide attention in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, an American historian. Since then, Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction.
Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Since it was not plundered by the Spanish when they conquered the Incas, it is especially important as a cultural site and it is considered a sacred place. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu.
While the Inca people certainly used the Andean mountain top (9060 feet elevation), erecting many hundreds of stone structures from the early 1400's, legends and myths indicate that Machu Picchu (meaning 'Old Peak' in the Quechua language) was revered as a sacred place from a far earlier time. Whatever its origins, the Inca turned the site into a small (5 square miles) but extraordinary city. Invisible from below and completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs, Machu Picchu seems to have been utilized by the Inca as a secret ceremonial city.
Two thousand feet above the rumbling Urubamba river, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation. These structures, carved from the gray granite of the mountain top are wonders of both architectural and aesthetic genius. Many of the building blocks weigh 50 tons or more yet are so precisely sculpted and fitted together with such exactitude that the mortar less joints will not permit the insertion of even a thin knife blade.
Visit these incredible ruins and spend some time in the stunning colonial city of Cusco - one of the most beautiful and impressive cities in the Americas. Take a unique train journey along the Urubamba valley to Puentes Ruinas before your guided tour of the historical Machu Picchu ruins. Return to Cusco, with some time for independent exploration and an overnight stay, before flying back to Lima and to Buenos Aires.
Itinerary
Day 1 :
Arrive in Lima and transfer to your hotel. Free time to explore this fascinating city depending on your arrival time. Peru's vibrant capital offers fine museums, striking architecture and historical neighbourhoods.
Day 2 :
In the morning you will fly to Cusco where you will be transferred to your hotel. Later today a city tour will introduce you to the sights such as the Temple of the Sun, the Convent of Santo Domingo and old parts of the city. Overnight (B).
Day 3 :
Today a train will take you to the lost city of the Incas where you spend most of the day exploring these well preserved ruins. Machu Picchu is a wonderful stone city constructed with a technique that was very advanced for its time with impressive detail. After your visit board the afternoon train back to Cusco. (B, L)
Day 4 :
Fly back to Lima after breakfast, get to know Peru's capital on a sightseeing tour including visits to the Cathedral, the impressive Museum of Archaeology and several other colonial sites. (B)
Day 5 :
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Buenos Aires. (B)
| Oct 2010 - Mar 2011 |
Oct 2011 - Mar 2012 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Twin prices from | £1503 | £1563 |
| Supp* | £221 | £227 |
* Single supplement.
All above prices are in £s per person based on two people travelling together and sharing a twin room.
YOUR EXTENSION PACKAGE INCLUDES :
- Economy flights Lima - Cusco.
- One-way flight Lima - Buenos Aires including applicable taxes and charges.
- Transfers as applicable.
- 2 nights in Lima including dinner and breakfast.
- 2 nights Cusco including breakfast.
- City tour in Lima and Cusco and Machu Picchu visit as per programme.
NOT INCLUDED :
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Optional excursions
- Luggage handling
