Sample trip Peru and Bolivia, 21 days
21-day tour through Peru and Bolivia
Peru is known as the land of the Incas. You start your 21-day trip in Peru and Bolivia in Lima. Via the capital Lima you fly with a domestic flight to the old colonial city of Arequipa. You visit the Colca Canyon and Lake Titicaca before crossing the border to Bolivia.
In this second country you will stay in La Paz, the highest capital in the world, and take a wonderful three-day excursion to the Uyuni Salt Flats.
To conclude your 21-day tour of Peru and Bolivia, you will visit the former Inca capital Cusco and Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
NB: If you have more time than 21 days, there are several options to extend your Peru and Bolivia tour; for example with a visit to the south coast of Peru, the cities of Sucre and Potosi in Bolivia and/or an extension of a few days in the rainforest. We would be happy to tell you about all the possibilities.
Tour Plan
Start of 21 days through Peru and Bolivia
You will arrive at the airport of Lima in the early evening for 21 days in Peru and Bolivia. At the airport you will be met by Samantha from our own office of Tura-Travel in Lima. You will be taken to your hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. This is a drive of about 45 minutes. On the way, Samantha (who lived in the US for many years and speaks good English) will tell you something about the city of Lima and briefly update you on the coming days of your Peru and Bolivia trip. Close to the hotel there are restaurants where you can have dinner in the evening. Samantha or the reception of the hotel will be happy to advise you in finding a nice Peruvian restaurant.
Domestic flight to Arequipa
At the end of the morning you fly with a domestic flight from Lima to Arequipa. Arequipa, also called 'the White City' is located at an altitude of 2300 meters.
Highlights in Arequipa are the beautiful, large and colorful Santa-Catalina monastery in the middle of the city and the museum Santuarios Andinos with (when she is not traveling, she is often loaned to foreign museums) ice mummy Juanita. This still intact mummy was a girl of about 12-14 years old who was sacrificed about 500 years ago. The mummy, which was stuck in the ice, was found by chance by a mountain climber shortly after an eruption of the nearby Ampato volcano in 1995.
Free day in Arequipa, the colonial 'White City'
Today you have a free day in Arequipa. A recommendation is a breakfast on the central square, la Plaza de Armas, with a view of the volcanoes el Misti, Chachani and Pichu Pichu.
A nice excursion for day 3 is the approximately four-hour Arequipa Tour.
To the Colca Canyon
Today the two-day tour to the Colca Canyon starts. During this 3-week tour in Peru and Bolivia you will travel to real heights for the first time. In the morning you will be picked up by your guide at your hotel in Arequipa. You will visit the Colca Canyon in a small international group. The route to the Colca Canyon is 160 kilometers. Along the way the driver will stop regularly so that you can enjoy the beautiful nature. Animals that you can encounter along the way are llamas, alpacas, wild vicuñas and various species of birds. The highest point during this trip is at 4900 meters. From this point you have a beautiful view of the many surrounding mountains and volcanoes, including the Ampato volcano where the ice mummy Juanita was found. After this you descend again to a height of 3600 meters and finally arrive at the town of Chivay in the Colca Canyon. In Chivay you will have lunch and be taken to your hotel.
To catch our breath after this morning ride and to get used to the altitude, we always find a visit to the medicinal hot springs of la Calera, just outside Chivay, very relaxing. Your guide who will accompany you these 2 days will gladly take you there.
In the evening it is possible to have dinner during a show with traditional dance and music from the Andes.
Visit to 'Cruz del Condor', viewpoint for condor spotting
Early in the morning you get up to enjoy the beautiful view of the Colca Canyon. In an hour and a half you drive to the point 'Cruz del Condor' and you pass beautiful viewpoints over the Colca Canyon. You also make a stop at the hanging tombs of the Collawas and you drive past beautiful villages where the women often still walk in colorful, local costumes. At the point 'Cruz del Condor' you can see the largest bird in the world, the majestic condor, with a bit of luck, floating by on the thermals of the warming air.
After lunch you will say goodbye to the group and travel individually by bus from Chivay through a beautiful plateau with small villages and lakes to Puno. You will arrive here in the early evening.
Tip: Stay an extra day in the Colca Canyon during your Peru and Bolivia tour and spend a night in a nice hotel in the town of Coporaque, on the other side of the canyon. In Coporaque you can make beautiful walks. We would like to tell you more about this.
Visit to the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca
In an international group, you will start today with a two-day excursion on Lake Titicaca. In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel in Puno and taken to the harbor. In about half an hour, you will sail to the Uros islands, which are made entirely of reeds. On these islands, you can get to know the local population, who mainly live from fishing and tourism. Sometimes you can sail a bit on a traditional reed boat. After this, you will sail further onto Lake Titicaca to the island of Amantani. In clear weather, you will see several beautiful, snow-capped mountain peaks in the distance. Halfway through the afternoon, you will arrive at the island of Amantani. In contrast to the reed islands of Uros, Amantani is a 'real' island.
On Amantani you will take a nice walk with your guide. You will walk along different terraces and you will be taken to the farm of your host family, who will cook for you and where you will spend the night. It is appreciated by your host family if you bring a small item from the mainland of Peru or the Netherlands, such as pens, soap, etc.
Optional: If you prefer to stay overnight in a local lodge on Amantani instead of with a local, this is also possible.
Visit to Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your guide and say goodbye to your host family. You will sail to the island of Taquile by boat, a 'real' island just like Amantani. Together with your guide, you will take a nice walk on the island. There is a good chance that you will encounter knitting men on the island, a tradition that has been passed down from father to son for generations. On this island, you will meet around lunchtime. If you like fish, fresh trout (trucha in Spanish) from the lake is recommended. You will arrive back in Puno at the end of the afternoon.
NB: You can also do a 1 day excursion instead of 2 days on Lake Titicaca. You will visit the reed islands of Uros in the morning and the island of Taquile in the afternoon. The island of Amantani is skipped.
By bus from Puno via Copacabana to La Paz
In the morning you travel by bus via the picturesque town of Copacabana on Lake Titicaca, to La Paz. Copacabana is located on a peninsula, completely surrounded by the mainland of Peru. This is the reason that you also take a ferry for a part of this trip. On Lake Titicaca you will see a number of boats of the Bolivian navy. Bolivia does not (anymore) border the sea, but they do still have a navy!
You leave Puno in the morning and arrive in La Paz at the end of the afternoon (Bolivian time). From Puno you drive along Lake Titicaca for a long time.
Two free days in La Paz, the highest capital in the world
A couple of free days in La Paz, which is also known as the highest capital in the world. This is not actually true. Sucre is the capital of Bolivia. However, the government is located in La Paz. La Paz is located at an altitude of 3600 meters. If all goes well, you have now become sufficiently accustomed to the altitude. The center of La Paz is walkable. Visit tips in La Paz are the Witches Market, the colonial district with its museums, the Coca museum and the central square with its cathedral and government palace.
Tips:
– We have heard from our travelers several times that they enjoyed a city tour in La Paz with an English-speaking, local guide. At the reception of your hotel they can tell you more about where and when the tours start. You then go to this location, join the group and let the guide show you around. You decide how much tip you pay the guide. The tour itself is free.
– In La Paz, cable cars have been built between the lower part of the city where the center is located and 'el Alto', the higher part. From the cable car you have beautiful views over the city and you can see how the inhabitants of La Paz live.
On day 10 you take the night bus from La Paz to Uyuni in the evening, arriving there in the morning on day 11.
NB: For an additional charge it is also possible to fly between La Paz and Uyuni.
Start of the 3-day tour at the Uyuni Salt Flats
Start of the three-day tour on and at the Salt Flat of Uyuni. You share a jeep with your driver and 6 other passengers. In the morning you first visit the village of Colchani, on the edge of the salt flat. The inhabitants of this village depend on the production of salt. They will gladly show you how kitchen salt is made. This is also the perfect place to buy souvenirs made of salt.
Your driver then drives onto the salt flats and stops at the salt hotel (made entirely of salt) and the 'island' of Incahuasi. Incahuasi is not a real island, but a large, large rock formation that protrudes above the Salar de Uyuni (as the salt flats are called). On this 'island' you can take a nice walk between the gigantic cacti and the volcanic rocks. You will also get a delicious lunch here, prepared by your driver. After this visit you drive another hour over the salt flats with the jeep. You visit the caves Cueva del Diablo and Galaxia Cristal and spend the night in a local hostal in the village of San Pedro de Queméz or San Juan, on the edge of the salt flats.
Second day of the tour and visit the beautiful volcanoes, lakes and rock formations
This second day of the tour you will drive along the volcano Ollagüe in Chiguana. Then you will visit the Laguna Hedionda, also called the 'stinking lagoon' because it contains a lot of sulfur. Many birds live at the lagoon, including flamingos. After this you will go to the Siloli desert, where you will visit the rock formation of el Arbol de Piedra (the stone tree). This day you will end at the Laguna Colorada (colored lagoon), where you will spend the night in a simple lodge.
Last day of the tour and visit colorful lakes, geysers and the train graveyard
You leave early in the morning to enjoy the sunrise at Laguna Colorado. You visit the Licancabur volcano, geysers and the Laguna Verde (green lagoon). You can also take a bath in one of the natural hot springs.
On the way back to Uyuni you visit the town of Culpina, Valle de las Rocas and the Cementerio de Trenes, the cemetery with discarded trains. At the end of the afternoon you return to the city of Uyuni.
In the evening you travel by night bus from the city of Uyuni to La Paz.
NB: For an additional charge it is also possible to fly between Uyuni and La Paz.
Free day in La Paz
In the morning you will arrive back in La Paz. Here you will have a last free day.
By bus from La Paz to Cusco
Today you will travel by bus from La Paz to Cusco. This is a long journey of about 13 hours driving!
NB: Instead of traveling by bus during the day, it is also possible to travel by night bus between La Paz and Cusco.
For an additional fee, it is finally possible to fly between La Paz and Cusco. You will fly from La Paz to Cusco in the afternoon on this day.
Free day in Cusco
The city of Cusco can be explored on your own. Today is a free day, so that works out well. If desired, we can always organize an excursion in this beautiful city for you. Highlights in this former Inca capital include the church of Santa Domingo, the cathedral on the Plaza de Armas (the central square of the city) and the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman just outside Cusco. On Sacsayhuaman you can also enjoy the beautiful view of the city. Cusco also has many nice markets, museums, shops, restaurants, etc. and is a city where you can't possibly get bored.
Eating guinea pig: Guinea pigs are often kept and eaten in the Andes mountains. The guinea pig is considered a delicacy and is reminiscent of rabbit meat. Many restaurants in Cusco have guinea pig on the menu. If you have always wanted to eat guinea pig, Cusco is a great place to do so. Don't be alarmed if the guinea pig is served with its head intact!
Tips for activities this day:
– In the morning, have a taxi driver drop you off at the site of Sacsayhuaman (also known as 'Sexy Woman'). Sacsayhuaman is an Inca fortress with very large stones. The Incas used ingenious techniques to place these stones on top of each other. At Sacsayhuaman you can take a nice walk and have a wide view of the city of Cusco. From Sacsayhuaman you can easily walk back to the city of Cusco. All you have to do is keep descending and you will automatically end up at the Plaza de Armas, the central square of Cusco and the lowest point in the city.
– An interesting experience is a visit to the market of Cusco. This is the place where the Cuscueños (as the inhabitants of Cusco are called) buy their clothes, food, etc. The tastiest, fresh fruit drinks (jugos) can be prepared for you here.
By train to Aguas Calientes near Machu Picchu
In the morning our driver will take you to the station of Poroy (a town near Cusco) for the train ride to Aguas Calientes. This beautiful train ride goes through the vast, green, and fertile Sacred Valley. Here in the Sacred Valley the Inca expansion began. In the afternoon you are free in the town of Aguas Calientes.
NB: Since 2019 it is again possible to take the train from the San Pedro station in the center of the city of Cusco to Aguas Calientes. You then zigzag through the valley where Cusco is located. With this train journey you experience the urban morning life of the suburbs of Cusco up close. A very interesting experience! This train journey has an additional cost, we would be happy to tell you more about it.
Beautiful walk near Aguas Calientes
A nice walk for the afternoon is to a waterfall near the town of Aguas Calientes. You walk out of the town with the Urubamba River on your left. After a little over a kilometer you can cross the river via a bridge, but you go right here. You walk past a railway station and continue along the mountainside over the railway. Watch out for passing trains. These trains do not go fast, but you do have to be off the railway in time. After an hour of walking on the railway you will see a restaurant on your left. Here you can have a drink on the terrace. The restaurant is the start of a walk of about 20 minutes through banana plantations to the local waterfall.
Visit to the world wonder Machu Picchu
Today you will visit perhaps the highlight of the 3-week tour in Peru and Bolivia. To experience sunrise at Machu Picchu, you will have to get up early. At Machu Picchu itself, you will get a guided tour of approximately two hours, who can explain a lot about this beautiful place. You will then have another 2 hours to walk around the grounds of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world. In the afternoon, you will take the train back to Poroy. In Poroy, our driver will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel in Cusco.
Climbing the Huayna Picchu
In 'the photo' of Machu Picchu you can see the mountain top Huayna Picchu on the right (in Quechua, the language of the Incas, this means 'young mountain'). The top of Huayna Picchu can be reached via a steep climb. The climb takes an hour. Tickets for the climb are limited and must be arranged in advance. We can arrange the entrance ticket for the climb for you.
Extra free day in Cusco
A second free day in Cusco. It is also possible to make a day excursion to for example the Rainbow Mountain Peru, the Sacred Valley Peru or Maras & Moray.
Cusco is the ideal starting point for a stay in the rainforest of Peru. With a stay in the rainforest you extend the 3-week trip in Peru and Bolivia by a few days. From Cusco there are buses and domestic flights to the town of Puerto Maldonado, in the middle of the rainforest. We have contacts with several lodges, from somewhat cheaper to very exclusive. We would like to explain the differences between the lodges.
Domestic flight back to Lima
In the morning you fly from Cusco back to Lima, where you are free in the afternoon. During this last evening of your tour in Peru and Bolivia, don't forget to enjoy the delicious food and the nice atmosphere in one of the restaurants in the bustling Barranco district. In Barranco, the photo museum MATE is also named after - and with work by - the famous Peruvian photographer Mario Testino.
Tip: During your 3 weeks in Peru and Bolivia, visit the magnificent fountains of el Paseo de las Aguas. This beautifully landscaped park is home to the largest fountain in the world. The Peruvians are proud that this record has been included in the 'Guinness Book of Records'. This park is also called 'Circuito Mágico del Agua', or 'the Magical Circuit of Water'. In the park you can enjoy a magnificent spectacle of water, light, music and images.
Free day in Lima and return flight home
The last day of your 3-week tour of Peru and Bolivia. You have one last free day in Lima. You can take an excursion to Islas Palomino or visit the colonial center of Lima.
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