Monday & Tuesday: Flight to Peru & Cusco
Check in for our flight to Peru, landing in Lima before boarding our connecting flight to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco we are met by our Tour Manager and check in to our hotel. We enjoy brunch at the hotel before a guided walking tour of Cusco. We discover the highlights of the town including the Koricancha Temple (Temple of the Sun), the bohemian borough of San Blas where famous artists have their ateliers, and if time allows, the Cathedral with its magnificent chapels and baroque altars. Finally we reach the main square, a jewel of colonial architecture, surrounded by coffers and worked balconies of ancient Inca palaces and colonial mansions. Cusco is the glittering heart of the Inca Empire and we will be able to see an astonishing array of ancient remains alongside notable restaurants, hidden markets and shops bursting with handmade woven goods.
In the late afternoon, we make the short transfer to Cusco Planetarium led by Professor Erwin Salazar. This is a cultural interpretation centre of Incan astronomy, a planetarium of southern skies and also an amateur observatory, all surrounded by an incredible natural environment. Astronomer, Astrophotographer and TV Presenter, Pete Lawrence, will be on hand to guide us around the dark skies. Afterwards, we enjoy some local snacks before returning to the hotel.
Included: brunch and evening snack (Tuesday)
Wednesday: Sacred Valley of Urubamba, Pisac, Maras, Moray & Ollantaytambo
We depart for the Sacred Valley of Urubamba. We visit the ruins and village of Pisac and attend the local agricultural open-market where artisans from all over the area congregate to sell their crafts. Then the excursion continues to Maras, the principal salt production centre since Inca times – an extraordinary spectacle of the terraced white salt mines. At a short distance, towards the west are the circular terraces of Moray built by the Incas in order to create different micro-climates for agricultural purposes.
We stop for lunch in a countryside restaurant before continuing to the village of Ollantaytambo and its fortress built during the Inca Empire, an excellent sample of military architecture. We stay overnight in Ollantaytambo.
Included: breakfast and lunch
Thursday: Machu Picchu & Aguas Calientes
We board the train from Ollantaytambo station up to Aguas Calientes village. From here, shuttle minibuses take us to the sacred city of Machu Picchu. This short trip showcases some fascinating views, with a number of big curves through a mountain with jungle characteristics.
We enjoy a guided visit of the highlights and most important parts of the beautiful Inca city, Machu Picchu, before some extra time to explore the site on our own.
Shuttle minibuses take us back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and later we board the train back to Ollantaytambo with a final bus transfer back to our hotel in Cusco.
Included: breakfast and lunch
Friday: Lima
We transfer to the airport for our flight to Lima. Upon arrival, we enjoy a guided city tour through Lima passing by outstanding monuments such as the Government Palace, the Cathedral at the Plaza Mayor, and the San Francisco Convent. We also visit the Larco Museum which since 1926 has possessed the world’s largest private collection of pre-Columbian art with a unique assortment of erotic pottery, genuine and rich jewels in gold, silver and semi-precious stones. The museum holds 45,000 pieces of ceramics plus mummies and Paracas textiles.
The city tour includes a typical lunch and finishes in the district of Miraflores which boasts a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean. We then check into our hotel.
Included: breakfast and lunch
Saturday: Santiago
We transfer to the airport for our flight to Santiago where we meet our Tour Manager. We then transfer to our hotel with free time at leisure before we enjoy dinner together at the hotel.
Included: breakfast and dinner
Sunday: Andes Mountains
We depart for our excursion into the heart of the Andes Mountains admiring panoramic views of Santiago on the way up. We enjoy a late lunch in the modern ski resorts area of Valle Nevado with its beautiful panoramas. The area is situated 65km from Santiago, in front of Cerro el Plomo, the largest peak at 5,434m, which was used as a ceremonial site by the Incas and is visible from Santiago on clear days.
Included: breakfast and lunch
Monday: Casablanca Valley & Valparaíso
Our full day excursion takes us to Casablanca Valley, with a stop at a vineyard for a visit and wine tasting, and Valparaíso including lunch in a local restaurant.
Valparaíso is a city-port located at 100km from Santiago. On our way to the coast we enjoy the diverse landscapes and vegetation of the Curacaví and Casablanca valleys. Comprising more than 4,000 planted hectares, the valley of Casablanca is one of the best new wine producing areas in Chile, and is known throughout the world as one of the premium areas for the production of white wines. Today, in addition to the traditional grapes, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, the interesting varieties of Merlot and Pinot Noir have been added.
The arrival into Valparaíso offers an astonishing colourful spectacle of houses almost hanging from the hills that shelter the main Chilean commercial port; a natural amphitheatre that faces the Pacific Ocean. Valparaíso was designated a Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO; recognition that the city is of value for its historical, artistic, cultural, aesthetic, archaeological and anthropological qualities. As well as several hills such as Concepción, Alegre, Artillería, Barón and Cordillera, the traditional funiculars are not only attractive as modes of public transport, but also as viewpoints from which we can admire this amazing city in all its splendour.
Back at the hotel in Santiago this evening, we enjoy a pre-eclipse presentation with Pete Lawrence who will give advice, information and guidance on the forthcoming eclipse.
Included: breakfast and lunch
Tuesday: Eclipse Day
We have an early grab and go breakfast as we head to the airport for our private charter aircraft from Santiago to La Serena.
The flight takes around one hour and on arrival we meet our coach and travel to the eclipse site around 60km north and close to the centre line. There will be plenty of time to find your own space and set up any equipment ready to take in the wonder of the eclipse. We enjoy an included lunch on site which will be equipped with seating, shade and toilets.
Once we have witnessed the eclipse, we can enjoy a glass of bubbly and then make our way back to La Serena and re-board our own private charter aircraft to Santiago.
Back at the hotel, we enjoy a cold buffet and continue with our celebrations.
Included: breakfast, lunch snack and cold evening buffet
Wednesday: Santiago
This morning we enjoy an entertaining post eclipse presentation with Pete Lawrence and Will Gater which also gives us a chance to share our eclipse experiences with our fellow travellers. We then have some time to spend at leisure.
In the mid-afternoon, we enjoy an excursion to the Pailalen Observatory. ‘Pailalen’ is an indigenous word meaning ‘being quiet, lying on the back staring at the sky’. Here we have the pleasure of observing the stars from a wide terrace far from light pollution in privileged natural surroundings followed by dinner. There is also the possibility of direct astronomical observations using telescopes depending on weather conditions. We return to the hotel in the late evening.
Included: breakfast and dinner
Thursday & Friday: Departure
After our last breakfast at the hotel, we enjoy some time at leisure before we transfer to Santiago airport for our flight home, arriving back in the UK the following day.
Included: breakfast (Thursday)