10-Nights Route of the Inca: Peru to Bolivia

Lima

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Sacred Valley

The Urubamba valley is also named the Sacred Valley. It begins in the Urubamba's village and continues to Macchu Picchu.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is a fortress city of the ancient Incas, in a high saddle between two peaks 50 miles NW of Cuzco, Peru. The extraordinary pre-Columbian ruin consists of five sq. miles of terraced stonework link by 3,000 steps; it was virtually intact when discovered by Hiram Bibghan in 1911.

Cuzco

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Puno

Puno lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca. This area is the cradle of the Aymara civilization and the birthplace of the Inca Empire.

Lake Titicaca (Bolivian Coast)

Born from the legends of Incan lore, Lake Titicaca is a beautiful and most venerated lake that hides a 1,500-year-old mystery in the depths of the calm blue waters. A temple submerged was discovered marking the birthplace and origins of the Incas wherein according to legend, after a great flood, the god Viracocha sprung from the lake to create the world, the sun, moon, stars, and finally man. Lake Titicaca is surrounded by 41 other islands in the lake also deemed sacred. It is home to 530 aquatic species and has a large population of water birds. The shorelines meets the mountains and many visitors can venture to hike lost coves, floating islands and explore Bolivia, its culture and traditions.

La Paz, Bolivia