Come with us on a magical, mystical tour of some of the most incredible sights in all of the World. Come with us and let us show you why we love Peru. Chinchilejo is a corporation owned entirely by Mariella Noriega, a Peruvian born and raised in Iquitos, Peru - a friendly city of 300,000 inhabitants nestled on the banks of the Amazon River. Mariella is a professional guide and has been running tours in Peru for the last 8 years. She is married to an American, Alan Shoemaker who also assists her on “chinchilejo tours.” She also speaks English but has assistants that can be brought in for groups that speak fluent Chinese, French, and Italian. If other languages are needed, Mariella has extensive contacts and will supply the group with the translator needed.

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Peru: The Magical Mystery Tour

Day 1: One day in Lima exploration: visit to the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, the Gold Museum and the Catacombs of San Francisco. We'll take private minibuses for this one-day tour.

Day 2: Early plane to Cuzco, the capital of the ancient Incan empire called Tawantinsuyo, the "Four Quarters of the Empire". The name of Cuzco is a Spanish version of the native word Q'osqo, which means the "Navel of the Universe". Pick up at airport and transport to the Hotel Monastario, one of the few truly 5-Star hotels in Peru. At the hotel we will have a coca leaf divining ceremony in the open courtyard as we drink coca tea, which is an excellent way to combat the altitude. Private car this morning to the colonial town and archaeological site of Pisaq. In the town on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, a popular handicraft fair takes place under the main square's century-old tree, with wares displayed on vividly patterned and colored textiles. On Sundays, the traditional mass is held in Quechua, the Inca language, at the local church, which is attended by the village leaders from the surrounding communities. Return to Cuzco. In the evening we will explore the Plaza and its fantastic shopping: Truly one of the extraordinary markets for alpaca articles and Peruvian fine art in the World. Following this we will dine in one of the fine restaurants on the Plaza offering traditional Peruvian highland dancing. The evening will end in a private minibus to the mountainsides overlooking the city lights of Cuzco.

Day 3: Travel to several of the sites around Cuzco by private minibus as we continue to acclimate. There are a number of interesting ruins, at least two of which are particularly geared toward feminine energy and a must. Return to Cuzco at about 3pm, free time till 5pm. At five we'll take our minibus up to Sacsayhuaman, the immense religious center/fortress just outside Cuzco. Our guide will accompany us to explain some of the theories about this spectacular site, including what it might have been used for and how it might have been built. There, as the sun sets, we will walk down from Sacsayhuaman to Cuzco, a beautiful, spectacular time down a narrow, stepped street which will lead us back to our 5-Star “Hotel Monastario” and a fine dinner. The evening will end in a private minibus to the mountainsides overlooking the city lights of Cuzco.

Day 4-5: An early start with a train to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu. The ride is one of the world's most fascinating train rides, taking us up and over the mountains ringing Cuzco valley and into and through the Sacred Valley. We'll check into our hotel in the small quaint town nestled at the base of the mountain, Aguas Calientes (Hot Water). This day is for exploring this interesting town and perhaps lounging in the hot springs for which the town gets its name. The following day we take a bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu to explore the ancient and mystical ruins. Those who wish may hike/climb to Winya Picchu peak or walk to the Portal of the Sun. We'll catch the late-afternoon train back to Cuzco and arrive at about 10pm, rechecking into the Hotel.

Day 4-5: An early start with a train to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu. The ride is one of the world's most fascinating train rides, taking us up and over the mountains ringing Cuzco valley and into and through the Sacred Valley. We'll check into our hotel in the small quaint town nestled at the base of the mountain, Aguas Calientes (Hot Water). This day is for exploring this interesting town and perhaps lounging in the hot springs for which the town gets its name. The following day we take a bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu to explore the ancient and mystical ruins. Those who wish may hike/climb to Winya Picchu peak or walk to the Portal of the Sun. We'll catch the late-afternoon train back to Cuzco and arrive at about 10pm, rechecking into the Hotel.

Day 6: Our private minibus tours our group into “The Sacred Valley” to explore two or three of the ancient cities and ruins there. Our bus will continue on through the early evening to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, stopping along the way for photos and taking at least an hour or two beneath the spectacular nighttime sky of the region, truly one of the most fantastic sky-views in the world.

Day 7: A day on the Lake Titicaca exploring the floating islands and ancient way of life of the highest navigable lake in the world.

Day 8: Our bus will make it's way from Puno down the Andes to the coastal highway, where we will drive along the Pacific ocean to Nazca, home of the ancient Nazca lines. There, we will take a hotel for our flight over the Nazca lines the following morning.

Day 9: Small plane flight over Nazca lines. From there our minibus will take us north along the coast through Ica and on to Lima for the night.

Day 10-11-12: Morning flight to Iquitos, heart of the Peruvian Amazon. Transfer to the air conditioning of the large boats for a three day tour of the Amazon, jungle, night time crocs, bird watching, indigenous villages, small towns and their arts and crafts deep in the jungle.

Day 13: Flight Iquitos to Lima. Transfer to the Hotel. Lunch and shopping in “Miraflores”.

Day 14: Loose ends and goodbyes. Some of the group will have early morning transfers to the airport.

chinchilejo tours

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Experienced tour operators since 1992

Contact: chinchilejo@hotmail.com

Telephone: (+) 51 65 22 49 87