Tales of the South: Machu Picchu, Easter Island & Tahiti

Arrival
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Now the capital of Peru and its largest city, Lima was once called the “City of Kings” by Spanish conquistadors. If you look beyond the urban sprawl, you'll be rewarded with the National Museum's pre-Columbian treasures and Plaza Mayor's colonial splendour.

City Tour
Depart this morning on a 5 hour sightseeing tour exploring the most impressive sights of Lima along with some of our handpicked favourites. We will start in Miraflores market, a vibrant place visited by local chefs for its wonderful variety of fresh produce from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon. Take the chance to learn more about Peru’s diversity reflected in the colourful assortment of vegetables, fruits, fish and condiments.

On the way to Lima’s downtown we pass by ‘Huaca Pucllana’ an ancient adobe pyramid structure which served as one of the region’s most important ceremonial temples between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD. We continue to the San Isidro district and visit the impressive ‘El Olivar’ Park before stopping at the Pisco Museum where you have the chance to taste Peru’s national drink, the ‘Pisco Sour’ (optional, not included). Later we visit Lima’s downtown with its historic and traditional buildings: the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s palace and the Metropolitan City Hall surround the Main Square. Continue to San Francisco church and monastery, a 17th century jewel, recognised as a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

This tour finishes with a guided visit of the Larco Herrera Museum. This is a fabulous private museum with an exquisite collection of gold and silver treasures from ancient Peru. Many pieces in this museum are now world famous after having been exhibited in the best museums around the world.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city on your own.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Cusco
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

We suggest that you take it easy today to give yourself the best opportunity to acclimatise to Cusco's altitude. This city is bursting with Andean culture and is one of the great culinary destinations of South America. It also just happens to be the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the best-known archaeological site on this vast continent.

Breakfast included.

City Tour
Your first morning in Cusco can be spent at your leisure, enjoying breakfast before exploring Cusco or relaxing at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be met for your guided tour of Cusco and its archaeological sites. Your Cusco tour will include highlights such as Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and Koricancha Temple. We also visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of Sacsayhuaman just outside of Cusco which were once the former capital of the Incan Empire.

Breakfast included.

Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel to discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full day excursion. This fertile river valley was home to many important sites for the Incas, both strategic and religious. Your first stop will be in Awana Kancha (weaver's palace in Quechua), where you will have the opportunity to learn about the different ancient weaving and dyeing Andean techniques which are still used today. You will then visit a breeding centre for South American camels (guanacos, llamas, alpacas and vicunas).

Continue on to Pisac where you will first visit the archaeological complex, the ruins of the fortress of Pisac which are set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inca citadel are magnificent. You will visit the lower part of the complex where the agricultural area and the pre-Hispanic cemetery are located. Afterwards, visit the colourful local market and have free time to search for a souvenir or two before enjoying a typical Andean lunch at a local restaurant.

We then continue our journey along the River Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, where you will visit Ollantaytambo Ruins and one of its best preserved areas, Hanan Hucaypata. You will be transferred to the local train station where you will catch the scenic afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. On arrival you will be escorted to your hotel by the hotel's staff. Enjoy a free evening and prepare for your early morning visit to Machu Picchu the next day.

*Option to add a night in the Sacred Valley and continue to Machu Picchu early tomorrow, giving you the opportunity to enjoy 2 visits to Machu Picchu.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Guided Tour
This morning you will have an early start to meet your guide and take the shuttle bus to the entrance to the citadel for your first glimpse of Machu Picchu. You will have a guided tour of the ruins and monuments such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Cemeteries. During your guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction. Making use of the provided headsets, you will be able to take pictures freely while enjoying the live briefings. The citadel was discovered in 1911 by the American explorer and academic, Hiram Bingham. Many theories on the citadel exist, but most agree it was a holy site, hidden for centuries and never found by the invading Spanish.

For those looking for adventure, we recommend the one and one half hour trek up unguided Huayna Picchu Mountain, which overlooks Machu Picchu and allows for spectacular views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. Includes guided tour and return bus from Aguas Calientes village.

Train to Cusco
You will take the train from Aguas Calientes through the Sacred Valley to Cusco. As you disembark from the train you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Santiago
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Chile's capital city is surrounded by an extraordinary set of snow-capped Andean mountains to the east and a smaller coastal range to the west. It is truly a beautiful sight. The city offers one of Latin America's most cosmopolitan, vibrant and artistic city centres so your stay here is sure to be an exciting one.

Breakfast included.

City Tour
Let us introduce you to the classic city we know and love on this 6 hour tour exploring the city's most popular sights along with some of our personal favourites. Chile´s rich cultural heritage comes to life as we visit the iconic symbols of the city, including La Plaza de Armas (the main square), La Moneda (the government palace), the Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral and the spectacular Cerro Santa Lucia, where the city was founded in 1541.

We continue to the bohemian area of Bellavista and climb the San Cristobal hill for a panoramic view of Santiago with the Andes Mountains in the background. We'll also visit the Orient Sector, the most modern area of the city, with its impressive high rise buildings and classy boulevards before we offer you a choice of the activities designed to enhance your Santiago experience.

You'll be given the option (you can decide on the day) to visit the picturesque Los Dominicos craft market where we can walk through the artisan village and enjoy a tasty empanada at one of the outdoor cafés, discover Santiago's impressive pre-Columbian museum, explore the historic Lastarria Neighbourhood or take a walking tour through the Mercado Central, Chile's largest fresh seafood market where you can try some of the local cuisine on offer. If you'd like to visit all these places then just let us know in advance and we can extend your tour to do this.

On completion of the tour you'll be returned back to your hotel and have free time to further explore the city at your leisure.

* As an alternative to this traditional city tour, we can also offer the city tour as a walking or bike riding tour. Let us know if you'd like more details on these options.

Valparaiso, Vina del Mar & the Vineyards
Today we will head over to the coast and explore one of the most fascinating cities in Chile; Valparaiso. ‘Valpo', as it is fondly known by locals, was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, and it is not difficult to see why. Picturesque architecture and multi-coloured urban housing spread out over more than forty hills, creating one of world's most eclectic, unique cities.

We will visit the downtown area with its new government house, the Plaza Sotomayor, the Plaza Victoria, the cathedral and the harbour area. Afterwards we take a funicular up into the hills where there is a fantastic collection of brightly painted houses and a fantastic view over the city (funicular not included). We enjoy coffee in one of the many cosy restaurants before we enjoy a stroll through the labyrinth of colourful streets lined with impressive street-art. You can also visit the former home of Pablo Neruda (entrance fee not included) and learn a little more about this famous Chilean poet.

From Valparaiso we'll head to the fashionable coastal resort city of Viña del Mar where we can admire the famous city ‘flower clock' and visit the Main Square, which offers an ampitheatre that hosts the Viña del Mar International Song Festival every summer.

We include time for lunch and on the way back to Santiago we will explore the Casablanca valley with its famous orchards, citrus groves, grape plantations and wonderful mountain backdrops. For those interested in tasting some of the local produce a visit to a local vineyard can be arranged (any wine tasting will be paid for locally). We return you back to your hotel in Santiago where you have the evening at your leisure.

Please note: All services are offered as private except the wine tasting in the Casablanca Valley. This tour will be shared with a group of up to 25 people.

Depart Santiago
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive at Easter Island
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, has captured the curiosity of travellers and scholars for centuries. During your stay here you will get a glimpse into the rich history, art and language which is present on this island.

Ahu Vaiha - Rano Raraku - Anakena
This morning, the first stop is Ahu Vaihu, where eight large moais lie in ruins. Next, on to Ahu Akahanga, which is also known as the “platform of the king”. Your trip will continue to one of the most attractive places on Easter Island, the volcano Rano Raraku, where 95% of all moai were carved. Next, you'll visit the beautifully restored Ahu Tongariki. This magnificent platform is the largest on the island, containing fifteen moai. Then, you'll continue your trip along the north coast and pass through La Perousse Bay to stop at Ahu Te Pito Kura. This is the site of the largest moai ever transported and erected onto an ahu. Last stop is the beach of Anakena, where King Hotu Matua first landed on Rapa Nui.

Orongo & Aku Akivi
From Hanga Roa, it is a thirty minute drive to the volcano Rano Kau, where the ceremonial village Orongo is also located. It is the ceremonial centre of the cult of the bird man, "Hombre Pajaro", which began when the "Short Ears" stopped building Moais. Your guide will explain this "new" culture of the island and show you famous petroglyph images. This site offers the view of three small islets in the Pacific: Motu Nui, Moto Kau, Moto Iti.

The afternoon excursion will take you to the Ahu Akivi site, which boasts seven Moais. This site was one of the later constructions built, probably at a time when the statue cult was beginning to unravel. Ahu Akivi is unusual because it is neither at the coast nor are its Moais facing towards the land, unlike all the other ceremonial statues.

At the ceremonial centre of Ahu Akivi there are seven standing Moais who, unlike most others, look out at the sea. It is said they represent the sons of a Maori sorcerer sent to search for Rapa Nui, the home for King Hotu Matua. However, Georgia Lee states, "their function was to look out over the ceremonial area... the ocean just happens to be out there in the distance." Approximately a week after the spring equinox, the seven statues all look directly at the setting sun. This inland ahu was restored in 1960, and all around the site are volcanic caves which you are free to explore. The most impressive caves are called "Two Windows" and the "Cave of the Banana." Before returning to your base, you'll visit Ahu Tepeu and the quarry Puna Pau, where topknots - hats or hairpieces for the Moai, in essence - were carved from the soft volcanic scoria.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Tahiti
Due to the late arrival time of flights into Papeete, we include a night at an airport hotel for you. On arrival to Tahiti airport, our representative will transfer you to your airport hotel.

Transfer to Moorea Hotel
Our representative will meet you at your hotel in the morning for your transfer to the pier in Papeete. Take a 30 minute boat ride to the island of Moorea and continue your journey by bus to your hotel.

Day at Leisure in Moorea
Spend your day exploring this paradise with its contrast of blue lagoons and green mountains. The lagoon offers the best snorkelling spot in the area where you have the chance to swim with black-tip sharks, sting rays, and a variety of tropical fishes among colourful coral reefs.

Take your time to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty of Moorea.

Breakfast included.

Day at Leisure in Moorea
Spend your day exploring this paradise with its contrast of blue lagoons and green mountains. The lagoon offers the best snorkelling spot in the area where you have the chance to swim with black-tip sharks, sting rays, and a variety of tropical fishes among colourful coral reefs.

Take your time to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere and natural beauty of Moorea.

Breakfast included.

Papeete
Today you will take the Ferry from Moorea to Papeete port, which will take approximately 30 min.

Transfer to your accommodation where you will stay overnight.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Breakfast included.