Southern Peru small group tour
Highlights
Lima | Arequipa | Colca Canyon and condors | Lake Titicaca | Puno | Floating Uros Islands | Cuzco | Sacred Valley | Machu Picchu by rail | Pisac Indian marketDescription of Southern Peru small group tour
The Inca heartland of southern Peru is an atmospheric blend of rugged Andean landscapes, pretty colonial towns, ancient fortresses and vibrant Quechua markets, bursting with colour and chatter. This small group tour of southern Peru reveals the region’s cultural and natural highlights, from the gleaming white city of Arequipa, with its volcanic stone walls, to the condors that glide overhead at Colca Canyon.Voyage to the immense Lake Titicaca, which straddles the Bolivian border, and sail to the floating reed islands still inhabited by Aymara communities. Continue on to Cusco, the imperial city of the Incas, where intricate stonework combines with colonial charm. From here, you can take the train to southern Peru’s cultural crown: Machu Picchu, the ancient city perched high on a lush ridge spur and surrounded by mountain peaks. Characteristic llamas and alpacas amble amongst the ruins, while far below, the Rio Urubamba rushes through a tropical canyon.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.comCheck dates, prices & availability
Small group adventure vacation
This trip is run by a company which specialises in only Central and South America vacations. Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travelers (depending on the trip and how many others are booked on it) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are traveling alone, with your partner or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travelers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places, whilst being led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader.Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your vacation will help support conservation and local people.
Tourism to Peru has boomed over the past few decades. For this reason there is even greater emphasis for tours to be carried out in a responsible and sustainable manner. We have picked hotels specifically with this in mind: for example our beautifully located lodge just outside the Machu Picchu ruins is part of the eponymous Inkaterra hotel group, a leader in sustainable tourism in Peru. It is their mission to provide vacations to diverse exotic destinations in Peru, in a responsible manner that respects the culture and people who live here, in addition to preserving the environment.
One of the principle reasons for the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park near Arequipa being established is to preserve the diverse flora and fauna endemic to the region. In visiting the extraordinarily beautiful park on this trip, we provide financial support to schemes created to preserve communities of Vicuña, Guanaco (llama), Taruca (red deer) and flamingo. In addition, our accommodation for the two nights in the Colca Valley will be at the famous Colca Lodge, sensitively constructed using traditional Inca methods and materials typical of the region and look attractive with minimal impact on the surrounding area.
The Impacts of this Trip
Your tour leader, who is either from or spent a considerable amount of time living in Peru, will encourage interaction with the local communities at every stage. This includes trips to local markets in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and villages in the Colca Valley. Also included is a trip out to the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca, where a selection of remote, traditional communities have turned to tourism to diversify their livelihoods and welcome visitors to their extraordinary islands, entirely made of the local totora reed. A wonderful opportunity to experience the fascinating indigenous way of life.
Tourism to Peru has boomed over the past few decades. For this reason there is even greater emphasis for tours to be carried out in a responsible and sustainable manner. We have picked hotels specifically with this in mind: for example our beautifully located lodge just outside the Machu Picchu ruins is part of the eponymous Inkaterra hotel group, a leader in sustainable tourism in Peru. It is their mission to provide vacations to diverse exotic destinations in Peru, in a responsible manner that respects the culture and people who live here, in addition to preserving the environment.
One of the principle reasons for the National Reserve of Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park near Arequipa being established is to preserve the diverse flora and fauna endemic to the region. In visiting the extraordinarily beautiful park on this trip, we provide financial support to schemes created to preserve communities of Vicuña, Guanaco (llama), Taruca (red deer) and flamingo. In addition, our accommodation for the two nights in the Colca Valley will be at the famous Colca Lodge, sensitively constructed using traditional Inca methods and materials typical of the region and look attractive with minimal impact on the surrounding area.
The Impacts of this Trip
Your tour leader, who is either from or spent a considerable amount of time living in Peru, will encourage interaction with the local communities at every stage. This includes trips to local markets in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and villages in the Colca Valley. Also included is a trip out to the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca, where a selection of remote, traditional communities have turned to tourism to diversify their livelihoods and welcome visitors to their extraordinary islands, entirely made of the local totora reed. A wonderful opportunity to experience the fascinating indigenous way of life.
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