Lima once ranked as the richest and most important city in the Americas and was considered to be the most beautiful colonial settlement in the region. Founded in 1535 by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish Crown's "City of Kings" quickly became the center of power and trade for the entire American vice regency that stretched from Quito to Santiago. Lima was home to some of the Americas' finest baroque and Renaissance churches, palaces, and mansions, as well as the continent's first university, founded in 1551. For 2 centuries, the capital also served as the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition. With a population of 8 million - about one-third of Peru's population - and as the seat of the national government and the headquarters of most industry, Lima thoroughly dominates Peru's political and commercial life. The country's best museums, restaurants, and nightlife are here, and many of the classic colonial buildings in the old centro are slowly being refurbished.

The city of Cuzco is the archaeological capital of the Americas and the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city. Cuzco is located 2.930 m (9.600 feet) above sea level. The Inca's built massive stone walls, which line most of Cuzco's central streets and form foundations of colonial and modern buildings. The streets are often steep, narrow, and thronged with Quechua-speaking descendants of the Incas. This is a great city to spend a few days with plenty to do. Plazas, archaeological sites, churches, museums, coffee shops, markets, artist communities such as San Blas, and wonderful local people are just a few of the attractions. Archaeological attractions include the surrounding Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Puca Pucara, Tambo Machay, the nearby Pisac ruins and market, and the fortress and Inca village of Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley (1 hour from Cuzco). Indian markets and picturesque traditional villages include Pisac, Yucay, Andahuaylillas, Maras, Morai, and Chinchero.

A few kilometers north of Cuzco, stretches out the beautiful valley of Urubamba River. Called Valle Sagrado, the Sacred Valley, it was a sacred place for the Incas and the place that gave birth to the Inca civilization. The valley is still a sacred place for the local people who respect the valley and its history, and for the visitors who will be overwhelmed by the atmospheric touch and the unique mixture of culture and nature. The valley is situated at about 2.750 m (9.000 feet) in the Andes Mountains, and you will already feel the influence of the nearby Amazon basin. The Sacred Valley has a warmer, pleasant climate and is more humid than nearby Cuzco. You can also take an exciting river-running trip down the Urubamba river. One of the main attractions in this area is the Pisac Indian Market, where you will be able to find colorful crafts made by hand.

The Incas hid Machu Picchu so high in the clouds that it escaped destruction by the empire-raiding Spaniards, who never found it. It is no longer lost, of course - you can zip there by high-speed train or trek there along a 2 or 4 day trail - but Machu Picchu retains its perhaps unequaled aura of mystery and magic. No longer overgrown with brush, as it was when it was rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale archaeologist and historian Hiram Bingham with the aid of a local farmer who knew of its existence, from below it is still totally hidden from view. The majestic setting the Incas chose for it remains unchanged: The ruins are nestled in almost brooding Andes mountains and are frequently swathed in mist. When the early morning sun rises over the peaks and methodically illuminates the ruins row by row of granite stones, Machu Picchu leaves visitors as awestruck as ever.

Puno, founded in the late 17th century following the discovery of nearby silver mines, is a messy, ramshackle town that draws numbers of visitors wholly disproportionate to its innate attractions. A mostly unlovely city on a high plateau, it has one thing going for it that no other place on earth can claim: Puno hugs the shores of fabled Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable body of water, a sterling expanse of deep blue at 3.800 m (12.460 feet) above sea level. South America's largest lake, Titicaca is also the largest lake in the world above 2.000 m (6.560 feet). The magnificent lake straddles the border of Peru and Bolivia; many Andean travelers move on from Puno to La Paz, going around or, in some cases, over Lake Titicaca.

The southern city of Arequipa, the second largest in Peru, might be the most handsome in the country. Founded in 1540, it retains an elegant historic center constructed almost entirely of sillar (a porous, white volcanic stone), which gives the city its distinctive look and the nickname La Ciudad Blanca, or "The White City". Colonial churches and the sumptuous Santa Catalina convent gleam beneath palm trees and a brilliant sun. Ringing the city are three delightfully named snowcapped volcanic peaks: El Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu, all of which hover around 6.000 m (20.000 feet).

Santiago is an architectural collage of Old Spanish colonial charm, European elegance, and North American suburbia, populated with 5 million amiable Chileans. However, the city lacks the Indian markets prevalent in other Andean countries. In the city's center there are pedestrian malls with cobblestone walkways lined with shopping galleries, fountains, cafes, movie theaters, ice cream shops, and banks. Garden lovers will love the varied and rich gardens along the city streets and quaint homes. There is an intense activity in the arts and also an exciting nightlife.

Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, is located by the Rio de la Plata, which is the widest estuary in the world. One of the largest cities in the world, with a population well over 11 million in the metropolitan area, Buenos Aires is also the capital of the tango and futbol (soccer), the gaucho and the asados. It is a modern city able to blend some of its old traditions. In order to catch the spirit of Buenos Aires, it is necessary to walk along the streets in downtown to see its elegant shop windows, enjoy a coffee in a sidewalk café, and visit the residential neighborhoods (like La Boca), where the old buildings alternate with the most modern constructions. This is a city with plenty of restaurants that offer typical food of all the regions of Argentina, as well as excellent international cuisine.

Iguaçú Falls is one of the most important tourist sights in Brazil and in the world. The spectacular falls are formed by 275 waterfalls, some of which drop as far as 81 m (270 feet), make up the largest concentration of falls in the world, pouring as much as 21 thousand cubic feet per second in a breathtaking water spectacle, where mere mortals feel small, fragile and fleeting. They form a horseshoe along its border with the frontier of Argentina. Tropical forests and 1.100 species of birds, along with other various fauna, surround the Iguaçú National Park. UNESCO designated the area as a Natural Heritage of Humanity in 1985.

Blessed with a wonderful natural setting wedged between mountains and the sea, watched from above by Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, and surrounded by tropical forests and lagoons, Rio de Janeiro has transformed into one of the world's most beautiful cities. A city of 6 million people, Rio offers world-class hotels, restaurants, shopping, and various sporting activities. The 95 km of beaches are Rio's main attraction. The weather is favorable practically all year round. The most famous beaches are Copacabana and Ipanema. The nights in Rio offer a wide range of exciting entertainment with options for every taste, often a glittering and scintillating world of glamorous amusement. There are elegant restaurants, some with cozy piano bars, and small, offbeat spots, featuring Brazilian pop-music, rock or jazz. The most glittering highlights in the Rio calendar are the festivals during Carnival and New Year.

1- Arrival in Lima, Peru
Welcome to Peru, the cradle of the Inca Empire. Immigration and Customs. Meet and greet at the airport in Lima and arrival transfer to your hotel. Your room will be ready by noontime, if you prefer we can also arrange you an early check-in (at a surcharge) and you will have your room ready upon arrival, so you can freshen up and rest before exploring Lima. Overnight in Lima.

2- Lima
Half Day City Tour to explore the historic center and modern districts of Lima. The Plaza de Armas (main square) with beautiful buildings, the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Palace of the Archbishop and the Cathedral are still the most important places in town. You will continue on to the San Francisco Monastery and then the most popular place, Plaza San Martin. The tour ends in the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores. Overnight in Lima.

3- Depart Lima - Arrival in Cuzco - Sacred Valley (Frequency only TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS and SUNDAYS)
Check-out in the morning and transfer to the airport in Lima. Flight to Cuzco. Meet and greet at the airport in Cuzco, followed by a Full Day Tour visiting the Sacred Valley. Drive to the valley of the Urubamba river, the so called Valle Sagrado, the Sacred Valley of the Inca. You will proceed then to Pisaq where hundreds of visitors and people from remote communities dressed in their traditional and colorful attires meet to market and barter their products. Today, the market also has a tourist element, so there is an opportunity to buy souvenirs. Afterwards, visit to this Inca site set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisaq's Inca citadel are magnificent. Overnight in Yucay.

4- Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco
Check-out in the morning and transfer to the train station in Ollanta. Departure to Aguas Calientes. This journey on Vistadome Rail service (approximately 1,5 hours) begins in Urubamba, in the heart of the magnificent valley, and travels to the legendary ancient citadel in Machu Picchu. On arrival a small coach take you up the steep roads to the entrance of the citadel. Guided tour to the citadel. The uniqueness of its location and the genius that went into its construction make this Inca archaeological site truly one of the great wonders of the world. In the afternoon you will board the train back to Cuzco, where you are met at the train station and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Cuzco.

5- Cuzco
Half Day City Tour through Cuzco and nearby ruins. The tour includes the beautiful church of Santo Domingo, the Cathedral as well as the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a most remarkable Inca building, the amphitheater of Kenko. This is followed by a visit to Puca Pucara, a strategically located "red fortress" that dominates the entire area before visiting Tambomachay, with its two distinctive aqueducts that to this day continue to provide clean water to the area. Overnight in Cuzco.

6- Cuzco - Puno
Today a pleasant regular bus trip takes you through picturesque Andean landscapes, dotted by small villages and herds of llamas and vicunas (approximately a 8 hour drive). Final destination is Puno, however you’ll make three important stops along the way: the first one is Andahuaylillas, known by its baroque church dating from the 17th century. After that the bus will climb to La Raya Pass at 4.335 m (14.172 feet) to enjoy a panoramic view of the snow-capped Andes. Lunch included. Then the tour continues to Raqchi to visit the Viracocha Temple. Arrival in Puno and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Puno.

7- Puno - Arequipa
Half Day Tour to the Uros floating islands. You will board a small boat and venture out onto the waters of Lake Titicaca. Visit to one of the native Uros communities located on a man-made floating island in the lake. The Uros people live totally interwoven with the totora reed which grows abundantly in the shallows of the lake. In the afternoon, transfer from Puno to Arequipa (approximately a 6 hour drive) across Altiplano landscapes. The average altitude en route reaches the 4.500 m (14.700 feet). Overnight in Arequipa.

8- Arequipa - Arica, Chile
Half Day City Tour to explore the city of Arequipa, often called the most beautiful city in Peru because of its elegant colonial architecture and striking setting. Continue on to the extraordinary Santa Catalina Convent. This cloister, built in the 16th century, is a huge structure that once served as a town within itself housing 450 nuns. The convent complex has been beautifully refurbished, bringing the past vividly alive once more. In the afternoon, transfer from Arequipa to Arica, Chile (approximately a 7 hour drive). Overnight in Arica.

9- Depart Arica - Arrival in Santiago de Chile
Check-out at noon and transfer to the airport in Arica. Flight to Santiago de Chile. Meet and greet at the airport in Santiago de Chile and arrival transfer to your hotel. Freshen up in your room and then set off to a Half Day City Tour through historic and modern Santiago de Chile. See the Presidential Palace, once the National Mint and thus called La Moneda, the historic main square or Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Palacio de la Real Audiencia, today housing the National History Museum, and Casa Colorado historic residence of the Governor in colonial times. Overnight in Santiago de Chile.

10- Depart Santiago de Chile - Arrival in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Check-out at noon and transfer to the airport in Santiago de Chile. Flight to Buenos Aires. Meet and greet at the airport in Buenos Aires and arrival transfer to your hotel. Explore the nightlife and consider going to a tango club or one of the amazing steak houses. Overnight in Buenos Aires.

11- Buenos Aires
Half Day City Tour through Buenos Aires, visiting the imposing Colón Theatre, one of the five most important opera houses in the world and the peculiar architecture of buildings such as the Palace of Justice, the National Congress, the Cabildo (Old Town Hall) or the Pink House (Government House). Overnight in Buenos Aires.

12- Depart Buenos Aires - Arrival in Foz do Iguaçú, Brazil
Check-out at noon and transfer to the airport in Buenos Aires. Flight to Foz do Iguaçú. Meet and greet at the airport in Foz do Iguaçú and arrival transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the hotel facilities or explore the nightlife in Iguaçú.

Other tour options are a Half Day Tour to see the Argentinean side of the falls, a Half Day Tour to the world’s largest power plant - the Itaipú Dam, a visit to the Bird Park or a delightful evening with folkloric show and dinner at Plaza Foz do Iguaçú Theater. Overnight in Foz do Iguaçú.

13- Depart Foz do Iguaçú - Arrival in Rio de Janeiro
Half Day Tour to see the magnificent Brazilian side of the falls. The view from the Brazilian side is the most panoramic! This tour will leave you speechless (and a bit wet!). After taking photographs of the breathtaking panoramic views from the observation deck, a guide will lead you along a walkway to almost within touching distance of the falls. There is also an elevator for those wishing to see and photograph the falls from the top. The Iguaçú Falls are located 23 km (14 miles) above its confluence with the Alto (Upper) Paraná river, at the Argentina-Brazil border. The falls resemble an elongated horseshoe that extends nearly three times wider than Niagara Falls in North America and significantly greater than the width of Victoria Falls in Africa. Numerous rocky and wooded islands on the edge of the escarpment over which the Iguaçú river plunges divide the falls into some 275 separate waterfalls or cataracts, varying between 60 m and 81 m (200 and 270 feet) in height.

Check-out at noon and transfer to the airport in Foz do Iguaçú. Flight to Rio de Janeiro. Meet and greet at the airport in Rio de Janeiro and arrival transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the hotel facilities or explore the nightlife. Overnight in Rio.

14- Rio de Janeiro
Half Day City Tour to Sugar Loaf with guide. Today you will take the two-stage cable car up to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain - Pão de Açúcar - in the middle of the Guanabara Bay at 396 m (1.300 feet) above sea-level and enjoy breathtaking panoramic views. From here you can see Rio’s beaches to the south, and beyond, like Sugar Loaf itself, half a dozen granite monolithic morros rising straight from the water’s edge in Guanabara Bay.

In the afternoon, as an optional tour we suggest to take a tour to Corcovado, where the statue of Christ, the Redeemer, overlooks Rio and its famous beaches. Or experience the rain forest right inside of Rio de Janeiro with the Jeep Tour. Or have a wonderful dinner followed by a spectacular samba show with elaborately costumed mulatas, singers and dancers, presenting Brazil's folklore and capturing the carnival rhythms. Overnight in Rio.

15- Depart Rio de Janeiro - Next City
This is your last day in Rio. It may be time for shopping. Visit the Amsterdam Sauer Jewelry Museum. They provide free transportation to and from the hotel. We can arrange this visit for FREE. Check-out at noon. Transfer to the airport in Rio de Janeiro. Homebound flight or proceed to your next destination.

Land-Only prices in US-Dollars per person in double occupancy (single supplement available), including:

• Regular roundtrip transfer Airport LIM in Lima/Hotel/Airport LIM in Lima featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking tour escort.

• Regular transfer Hotel in the Sacred Valley/Ollanta Train Station featuring air-conditioned vehicle with driver only.

• Train Ticket from Ollanta Train Station to Machu Picchu and back to Cuzco Train Station by Vistadome Coach (first class).

• Regular transfer Cuzco Train Station/Hotel in Cuzco/Cuzco Bus Station featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking tour escort.

• Regular tourist bus Inka Express on the route Cuzco/Puno (SIB, approximately 8 hours) with bilingual guide (English/Spanish), 3 visits, entrance fees included and buffet lunch at local restaurant.

• Private transfer Puno Bus Station/Hotel in Puno/Puno Bus Station featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking tour escort.

• Regular bus on the route Puno/Arequipa (SIB, approximately 6 hours) featuring comfortable vehicle with driver only.

• Regular transfer Arequipa Bus Station/Hotel in Arequipa featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking tour escort.

• Regular transfer on the route Arequipa/Arica (approximately 7 hours) featuring air-conditioned vehicle with driver only.

• Regular transfer Hotel in Arica/Airport ARI in Arica featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking tour escort.

• Private roundtrip transfer Airport SCL in Santiago de Chile/Hotel/Airport SCL in Santiago de Chile featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking guide.

• Private roundtrip transfer Airport EZE in Buenos Aires/Hotel/Airport EZE in Buenos Aires featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking guide.

• Private roundtrip transfer Airport IGU in Foz do Iguaçú/Hotel/Airport IGU in Foz do Iguaçú featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking guide.

• Private roundtrip transfer Airport GIG or SDU in Rio de Janeiro/Hotel/Airport GIG or SDU in Rio de Janeiro featuring air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking guide.

• In Lima, Half Day City Tour through colonial and modern Lima (private, approximately 3 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Cuzco and surroundings, Full Day Tour to Sacred Valley + Pisaq (private, approximately 8 hours, operates only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) with English speaking guide, Full Day Tour to Machu Picchu (private, approximately 10 hours) with English speaking guide from Aguas Calientes on, Half Day City Tour through Cuzco and surrounding Ruins (private, approximately 4 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Puno, Half Day Tour to the Uros Floating Islands (private, approximately 4 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Arequipa, Half Day City Tour + Santa Catalina Convent (private, approximately 4 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Santiago de Chile, Half Day City Tour (SIB, approximately 3 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Buenos Aires, Half Day City Tour (private, approximately 3 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Foz do Iguaçú, Half Day Tour Brazilian Falls (private, approximately 2-3 hours) with English speaking guide.

• In Rio, Half Day City Tour to Sugar Loaf (SIB, approximately 4 hours) with English speaking guide.

• Accommodation in the hotels of your choice.

• Daily buffet breakfast, unless indicated above.

• Meals as per description (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner).

• Hotel taxes.

-> Please note that in order to better preserve the unique sites and surroundings of the Sacred Valley, Pisaq, and Machu Picchu, visitors will not be able to smoke, drink alcohol, and the use of rubber shoes is recommended.

-> Additional for Russian speaking guide (Santiago de Chile, Buenos Aires, Foz do Iguaçú and Rio de Janeiro only!) = US$ 492 per person.

-> To reduce or extend number of nights in this package, simply click on the hotel of your choice and check the desired period.

To receive more information, please email us at office@opcotours.com.