DAY/ACTIVITY | DESCRIPTION | ||
THURSDAY, FEB. 13 ARRIVE LIMA |
Your Insight Cruises host will meet you after you have claimed your luggage and passed through customs at Lima, Peru’s airport. Transfer to our hotel, the Ramada Costa del Sol, and regroup. Join us in the early evening for a welcoming cocktail party and then have the remainder of the evening at leisure (no other services included this evening) [Ramada Costa del Sol]. |
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FRIDAY, FEB. 14 LIMA to CUSCO
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Our escorted group will take an early morning flight to Cusco. We’ll check in to the Hotel Monasterio and you will have time to rest and acclimate to Cusco’s elevation. In the afternoon, we’ll survey key archaeologic sites in Cusco and environs (The city of Cusco itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site). We’ll visit the Koricancha, known as “The Temple of the Sun” or the “Golden Enclosure,” a sacred Inca site which became the foundation of Santo Domingo Convent. We’ll go next door to see the Gothic-Renaissance Cathedral of Santo Domingo, noted for its collection of colonial art, archaeological artifacts, and incorporation of stones from Sacsayhuaman, an Inca holy site. Sacsayhuaman is our next stop, home of the Inti Raymi summer solstice festival of the sun. We’ll take a look at Qenqo, whose purpose is unknown and whose Inca stonework is remarkable. Our next-to-last stop is Puca Pucara, the "Red Fort," which provides an excellent view of the Cusco Valley. Then off to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum for a tour of the museum. Dinner this evening will be in the museum! (Breakfast and dinner are provided) [Hotel Monasterio]. |
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SATURDAY, FEB. 15 CUSCO to MACHU PICCHU
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We’ll transfer from the Hotel Monasterio to Ollantaytambo train station, getting a glimpse of everyday life in the Andes, and take the Vistadome train through the Sacred Valley, bracketed by green peaks and the seething Urubamba River. We’ll then ascend Machu Picchu from the train station in bustling Aguas Calientes. After lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, a guide will accompany us into Machu Picchu citadel. (Breakfast, lunch, and a special dinner are provided.) [Sanctuary Lodge at Machu Picchu]. |
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SUNDAY, FEB. 16 MACHU PICCHU to CUSCO
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After breakfast, you can take a second look at the citadel of Machu Picchu with our guide, providing us with additional insight and perspective on the site. In late afternoon, we’ll head back to Cusco by Vistadome train and van. Dinner is at leisure (Breakfast and lunch are provided) [Hotel Monasterio]. |
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MONDAY, FEB. 17 CUSCO to SANTIAGO
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After an early breakfast at the Monasterio Hotel, we’ll transfer to Cusco airport for our trip to Santiago, Chile. Dinner is at leisure (Breakfast is provided) [Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites]. |
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TUESDAY, FEB. 18 SANTIAGO
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This morning we’ll orient ourselves to the city by seeing different aspects of Santiago: civic spaces, public art in Santiago’s modern subway system, a museum, residential districts, and a panoramic view of the city. After lunch at the Central Market we’ll return to our hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore Santiago on your own. (Breakfast and lunch in Santiago are provided) [Plaza El Bosque Park & Suites or comparable] |
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WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19 SANTIAGO to VALPARAISO
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This morning we’ll transfer to Valparaiso to embark on Holland America’s ms Zaandam (Breakfast provided in our hotel and lunch is provided onboard the Zaandam). |
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DETAILS | Trip Includes:
Misc. and Pricing:
Not Included:
Cancellation Charges
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