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Treasures of Peru & Bolivia

16 days, Lima to La Paz

Travel back to the time of the ancient Inca Empire as you explore the temples and terraces of Machu Picchu, as well as the former capital city of Cusco in Peru. You’ll also visit Bolivia’s historic cities Sucre and La Paz, where you’ll discover the fascinating heritage of the region’s indigenous population. Throughout your trip, experience the wonder and the beauty of lush mountain landscapes, and natural geographic features such as the Uyuni Salt Flats. Plus, you’ll also explore the shores of Lake Titicaca, where you’ll marvel at the sweeping vistas of its lakes and islands.

16 days - Lima to La Paz

From$39119HKD
Valid on Jan 11 2025
Trip Code: SPLNG

Special Offers

Expires on Jun 01, 2024 03:59 UTC
Promo Code G24SDQ010SAM01

Travel back to the time of the ancient Inca Empire as you explore the temples and terraces of Machu Picchu, as well as the former capital city of Cusco in Peru. You’ll also visit Bolivia’s historic cities Sucre and La Paz, where you’ll discover the fascinating heritage of the region’s indigenous population. Throughout your trip, experience the wonder and the beauty of lush mountain landscapes, and natural geographic features such as the Uyuni Salt Flats. Plus, you’ll also explore the shores of Lake Titicaca, where you’ll marvel at the sweeping vistas of its lakes and islands.

Is this tour for me?

Travel Style: National Geographic Journeys

Greater exploration, insider access, and the freedom to roam – all without sacrificing comfort.

Service Level: Upgraded

Quality accommodations and more inclusions than on other G Adventures tours, like meals, private transport, and activities.

Physical Rating: 3 - Average

Some tours may include light hiking, biking, rafting, or kayaking in addition to walking.

Trip Type: Small Group

Small group experience; Max 16.

Age requirement: 12+

All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Check Your Visa Requirements

Before booking, use our handy entry requirements tool so you know which documents you need to enter and travel through the countries on your trip.

View our Entry Requirements tool

16 days - Lima to La Paz

From$39119HKD
Valid on Jan 11 2025
Trip Code: SPLNG

Special Offers

Expires on Jun 01, 2024 03:59 UTC
Promo Code G24SDQ010SAM01

See how your trip uplifts communities

In a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.

Trees for Days

Help us spread love around the world — with trees! Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.

Trees planted for this trip: 16

Ripple Score

Want to create ripples that change lives? The higher the Ripple Score percentage, the more money stays in the local communities you visit.

Ripple Score for this trip: 84

Map of the route for Treasures of Peru & Bolivia

Places visited

Itinerary Notes

There are new Health & Safety Protocols for National Geographic Journeys tours. Please see here for full details and up-to-date requirements as they may change.

Itinerary

Day 1Lima

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Day 2Lima/Urubamba

Board an early flight to Cusco, once the capital of the Inca empire, then drive to Urubamba through the scenic Sacred Valley. Explore the terraced salt pans of Maras, which have been used for salt extraction since pre-Inca times, and tour the Inca site of Moray—believed to have been an agricultural laboratory where priests would test soils and crops. Later, we’ll enjoy a meal of local specialities, prepared in a pachamanca, or underground stone oven.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 3Urubamba

Continue exploring the Sacred Valley with a visit to the G Adventures–supported Parque de la Papa, or Potato Park, a rural Andean community working to preserve hundreds of varieties of native potato. During this exclusive experience, you'll walk through the park with a local guide to learn about potato cultivation, traditional weaving, and the importance of both these practices to Andean culture. We’ll also tour the fascinating Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo and Pisac and enjoy a meal at the G Adventures–supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Traditional Andean Experience| Your G for Good Moment Parque de la Papa (Potato Park)| Your G for Good Moment Parwa Community Restaurant the Sacred Valley

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 4Urubamba/Aguas Calientes

Catch an early transfer to the Ollantaytambo station and board a train to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu. Ride through lush Andean scenery, enjoying breathtaking views of ancient ruins and everyday life. Settle into your hotel in Aguas Calientes, and choose from a variety of optional activities: take a relaxing soak in the local hot springs, visit a beautiful botanical garden, or wander the handicraft stalls in town as you prepare for an early start the following day to go up to Machu Picchu.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 5Aguas Calientes/Cusco

This morning, embark on a guided tour of Machu Picchu—the 15th-century Inca citadel famously introduced to the world by archaeologist Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine. After being taken through the temples and terraces of this awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage site, return to Cusco by train.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 6Cusco

Spend the day exploring charming Cusco. Opt to visit Plaza de Armas, the historic main square; the 15th-century Sacsayhuaman fortress; or some of the city’s museums and ornate churches. This evening, we’ll head to the Cusco Planetarium to learn about the importance of astronomy to the ancient Inca and, weather permitting, look out at the glittering, starry sky through telescopes.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Cusco Planetarium| Your Discover Moment

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 7Cusco/Lima

Fly back to Lima. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure or choose to take a half-day guided tour of the Peruvian capital. Visit the San Francisco Monastery, part of Lima’s World Heritage-listed historic center, and descend into its famed catacombs. Wander across Plaza Mayor, the city’s oldest public square, and enjoy Peruvian tapas and a tasting of pisco sours before returning to your hotel.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 8Lima/Copacabana

Fly to Juliaca this morning and travel across the Bolivian border to Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca. En route the group will stop at the Luquina Chico Community, taking in the sweeping views of the lake and its islands. Join a local family for a delicious lunch in their home, where you’ll experience a personal perspective of everyday life in rural Peru. You’ll also learn about Inca culture, Quechua language and meet other local families. Continue on to Copacabana for a Chief Experience Officer-led walk through town before enjoying dinner and the rest of the evening on your own.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Lake Titicaca Community Home Lunch

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch

Day 9Copacabana/La Paz

The day begins with a boat tour of Isla del Sol—known as the birthplace of the sun and the Inca bloodline. On the island, you’ll explore Inca ruins, learn traditional weaving techniques and take in some of Lake Titicaca’s most stunning vistas. Afterwards, take a boat ride back to Copacabana and continue to La Paz.

Meals included:

Lunch

Day 10La Paz/Sucre

Catch a flight to charming Sucre, then enjoy an orientation walk around the main square. This afternoon, relax at a local café, explore on your own, or opt to take an immersive tour of Sucre with a local expert that focuses on the city’s stunning colonial architecture and historic sites, best viewed from the ubiquitous rooftop terraces.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 11Potosi Countryside

Enjoy free time this morning before travelling into the southern highlands to our historic hacienda. Surrounded by lush agricultural fields and rolling hills, this working farm offers unique opportunities for cultural exchanges with the resident family. Get a glimpse into daily life here while lending a hand at the dairy and in the fields, and step back in time during visits to the property’s private rooms, chapel, and museum. Cap off your experience with an authentic farm-to-table dinner featuring an array of local specialities.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment Bolivian Hacienda Experience

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 12Potosí/Uyuni

Make the short drive to the centre of Potosí and enjoy a guided tour of the Casa Nacional de la Moneda, the old silver mint and now a museum dedicated to Bolivian art and history. Take a scenic drive to Uyuni, gateway to the world's largest salt flat. Learn about the industrialization of salt and the geographical history of the region while driving across this mirror-like landscape.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 13Uyuni

Journey deeper into the salt pans to explore their varied geographical features. Along the way, stop for a visit to the small community of Coquesa, located at the base of the Tunupa Volcano on the edge of the Salar. After this, have lunch on the salt flat before continuing our exploration of the desert and its pans. Cap off the day with a sunset picnic on the salt flats before returning to the hotel.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 14Uyuni/La Paz

Catch a flight to La Paz and enjoy free time to explore before joining the group for an optional dinner.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 15La Paz

Awake in lofty La Paz, the highest capital city in the world. Spend the morning at leisure, or opt to take an excursion to see the stunning maze of canyons and spires in the Valley of the Moon. This afternoon, set out by foot, van, and cable car to discover this sky-high city with your guide. Explore vibrant squares, historical landmarks, and lively markets, learning about the balance of old and new along the way. In the evening, enjoy an interactive culinary experience at a popular local restaurant, including demonstrations on how traditional foods such as quinoa are integrated into modern fusion dishes. With a local chef as our guide, we’ll sample a variety of dishes and discuss the growing popularity of La Paz as a culinary destination.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Your Journeys Highlight Moment La Paz Culinary Experience

Meals included:

Breakfast | Dinner

Day 16La Paz

Depart at any time.

Meals included:

Breakfast
View full itinerary

What's Included

  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Traditional Andean Experience, Urubamba
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cusco Planetarium, Cusco
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Lake Titicaca Community Home Lunch, Lake Titicaca
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Bolivian Hacienda Experience, Potosí
  • Your Journeys Highlight Moment: La Paz Culinary Experience, La Paz
  • Your G for Good Moment: Parque de la Papa (Potato Park), Pisac
  • Your G for Good Moment: Parwa Community Restaurant the Sacred Valley, Lamay
  • Your Discover Moment: Cusco
  • Arrival transfer
  • Two-day Sacred Valley tour including Ollantaytambo, Moray, and Pisac ruins and pre-Inca salt pans
  • Traditional pachamanca-style dinner
  • Scenic train and guided tour of Machu Picchu
  • La Paz city tour
  • Sucre orientation walk
  • Excursions to the Salar de Uyuni
  • Internal flights
  • All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Hotels (14 nts), Hacienda/farm (1 nt).

Meals

14 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
Allow USD405-530 for meals not included.

Transportation

Private van, train, plane, walking, 4x4 vehicle, boat.

Staff & experts

CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.

Available extras (Add these to your tour when you book)

1-Day Inca Trail Hike - From $2349.00

Traverse cloud forests while enjoying spectacular views on this '1-day Inca Trail' trek. Start by disembarking the train at km 104. Follow the local guide as the trail rises steeply up into the mountains and winds past the archaeological sites of Wiñay Wayna and Inti Pata. Gain insight into the fascinating culture of the Incas en route to the trek's culmination at the Sun Gate. Enjoy a packed lunch along the way, and reach the Sun Gate in the late afternoon. Enjoy free time to explore a bit of Machu Picchu before the guided tour the following day. After, take one of the blue buses from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes to spend the night in a hotel in town. Opt to visit nearby hot springs to soak sore muscles, if time permits. **Please note this must be pre-booked as it requires an Inca Trail permit, which is on request and subject to availability. Please speak to your GCO or travel agent for more information.

Cusco Cooking Class - From $369.00

Channel your inner chef and get a taste of Peruvian cuisine. Learn all about the essential ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes with a local expert

Lima Cooking Class (4hrs) - From $629.00

Get a taste of Peruvian cuisine, visit local markets, sample exotic fruit, select fresh ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes influenced by China, Italy, West Africa, and Japan.

My Own Room - From $9549.00

If you're travelling solo and would prefer to have your own private room throughout your trip, select this option during the online booking process.

Make it a private tour

Book this tour as a private departure, with your own CEO and all the benefits of a G Adventures group tour.

Treasures of Peru & Bolivia

| 16 days - Lima to La Paz - from $39119 HKD