Cusco-Puno-Arequipa-Cusco Trip 5 Days

DAY 1.  CUSCO – PUNO.

Breakfast at the hotel. Pickup. At the hotel at approximately 7:30 a.m. Stop at Piñi Pampa town and learn how they make the clay tile roofs and also stop at Oropesa village to see how they make the largest bread, which everyone loves here. After, visit the site of Racchi, also known as the Temple of Wiracocha, the spiritual God of the Incas. These are magical ruins built with adobes and stone at the same time. Lunch buffet and after stop at various attractions on the way to the city of Puno – Lake Titicaca to take amazing photos, snowcapped mountains and other beautiful scenery. Visit the Puma Temple of Pukara, which is very beautiful for its stone carvings. Get to Puno around 6:00 p.m.; check in to your beautiful Hotel. Dinner on your own. Altitude in Lake Titicaca about 12,500 ft. (B,L)

DAY 2.  LAKE TITICACA.

After breakfast, 8:00 a.m. pick up at the hotel for a boat ride to the floating islands. There are 70 islands where the locals still wear the beautiful costumes of their ancestors heritage. You will ride on a reed boat like the ancient people used, seeing a diversity of colorful birds. Your boat will also take you to the amazing Island Takile. This is a great location to see the Bolivian side of the lake and their part of the Andean snowcapped mountains. Surface elevation of the lake is 12,507 ft. Climb to an ancient temple (2 miles round trip, 650 ft elevation change); have a lunch of local trout on the island of Takile, which is famous for its food and knitting. Back to Puno for overnight.  (B,L)

DAY 3.  LAKE TITICACA TO COLCA CANYON.

Pick up at 9:00 a.m. for travel to Colca Canyon, approx. 6 hours driving. You will pass by lakes with many beautiful birds of the Andes and natural rocks formations and other beautiful places to take good photos. Also you will hike to the 8,000 year old caves named Sumbay – and discover ancient petroglyphs on the cave walls. This is where you are going try a traditional chicken on the oven or have lunch. Arrive at your beautiful hotel on the canyon. Discussion of your next day’s activities. (Hot springs are available 24 hours) on the side of the hotel. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

DAY 4.  COLCA CANYON

Pick up at 6:00 a.m. to drive to the Condors Cross, where you can see these majestic birds from the Andes flying just a few feet from us. Here the floor of the Canyon is about 4,000 ft. from the rim. Express your gratitude to these sacred birds by learning from them in this sacred spot in the middle of the Andes. Take photos of the second deepest canyon in the world. Buffet Lunch along the canyon, you will hike the rest of the afternoon via ancient trails. Back to the Hotel and you will spend the evening relaxing at Hot Springs. Bring your swim apparel. Dinner on your own. (B, L)

Note: Hike will be 2 miles downhill from the cross at 12,467 ft to 11,900 ft.

DAY 5.  COLCA CANYON – CUSCO

Pick up at 8:00 a.m. for travel to Cusco City approx. 8 hours driving, stopping at various places. You will pass by lakes with many beautiful birds of the Andes and natural rock formations and other beautiful places to take good photos. Get to Cusco around 6:00 p.m. Altitude in Cusco about 11,000 ft. (B, L)

End of the Service by Red Andes Tours.

Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner

Notes: All hikes will be at a leisurely pace and would qualify as moderate although altitude makes a difference. None are long. You have the option to stay in town instead of participating on any hike.