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Backpacking in Peru does not get better than this. Discover one of the coolest countries in South America, mixing with the Incas and discovering lost worlds. Cusco city tour, Sacred Valley, Inca trail, Macchu Picchu, Floating islands of Uros, Amantani cultural exchange and Taquille are just some of the highlights!
As with all Xtreme Experience trips this is all about having an incredible adventure, exploring the local culture and having the time of your life in somewhere completely unreal. This trip gets you round Peru, with the help of local travel gurus and partners Bamba Experience, checking out the best sites and sounds.
Be sure to check the video section and click here for more on included activities.
Trip Summary
Day 1: Lima: Arrival to Lima and airport pick-up.
Day 2: Lima: City tour to the historic city center.
Day 3: Lima – Paracas – Huacachina: Ballestas Island Boat Ride. Sand Buggy & Sand Boarding.
Day 4: Nazca: Expedition to 2,000-year-old Cahuachi Pyramids.
Day 5: Nazca Lines: Nazca Lines Flight. Overnight bus to Arequipa.
Day 6: Arequipa: Historic city center tour of Arequipa.
Day 7: Arequipa – Colca Canyon: 2-day journey to Colca Canyon.
Day 8: Colca Canyon – Arequipa: Excursion to natural bird observatory and Inca villages.
Day 9: Puno: Bus to Puno through the breathtaking Andean Mountain Range.
Day 10: Puno & Lake Titicaca: 1-night home-stay with a local Quechua family.
Day 11: Puno & Lake Titicaca: Explore unique and magical Taquile Island
Day 12: Puno – Cuzco: Departure to Cuzco traveling along the high plateau of Collao.
Day 13: Cuzco: City tour to explore the mysterious and ancient city of Cuzco.
Day 14: Inca Trail: Begin the adventurous guided trek of Inca Trail.
Day 15: Inca Trail: Enjoy beautiful scenery of Andean peaks along the way.
Day 16: Inca Trail: Trek past ancient Inca ruins near Machu Picchu.
Day 17: Inca Trail – Cuzco: Magical arrival to Machu Picchu. Guided tour of ruins.
Day 18: Cuzco: Free day for relaxing, shopping and wandering the streets of Cuzco.
Day 19: End of trip. Airport drop-off.
The best of Peru...Some of the inclusions.
Peru has been popular with backpackers for decades, long before the rise od the loneley planet. For good reason too, a trip to Peru is shrouded in adventure. With interesting history, pyramids, lost cities and impressive geography there is plenty to keep you occupied, and that is before you have hit the craft markets or ment the incan locals.
Lots of Spanish colonial history mix with indian tradition and on a well trodden backpacker trail, you will meet lots of like minded travelers up for an adventure.
Lima
The start of the adventure takes you to Lima, the capital city dominated by rusty old VW beetles (made in Mexico) and historic landmarks. You will be taken on a city tour by our local guides and learn about the history and culture of Peru, of its colonial past and before then, when the Incas dominated the region. Next stop you will head south.
Huacachina - An Oasis Paradise and Sandboarding
if you have never heard of sandboarding, or even know what it is, prepare for some real fun. You will hit Huacachina in the dessert and be taken sandboarding around a stunning oasis. Check the video section and here for details.
The Nasca Lines
One of the great mysteries of the world, located in Peru is the Nasca lines.
Man made (or are they ;)) lines, pictures and geometric shapes, built by the Nasca people that can be seen from space. No one really knows why there are there but they are truely impressive.
First spotted when commercial airlines first started flying over Peru in the 1920s lots of research has been done by scientists, theologists and the occassional odd ball to uncover the answer.
Many questions remain, but one thing is certain, a visit to the lines will open up a world of interest in the previous activities of the Nasca people and South America in general.
Please note we do not include the flight in this trip. this can be arranged locally or prebooked for an addition €80
Colca Canyon
Colca Canyon is next up, the worlds 2nd deepest gorge and the ideal place to spot the national symbol of Peru, the Andean Condor.
It is an impressive landscape that highlights the dramatic scenery of the Andes. Fair warning though, seeing a spectacle like this can leave you feeling pretty small indeed. Read more.
Floating Islands of Uros and Lake Titicaca and Amantani Homestay
Further on in the adventure you will be taken to Puno and onto Lake Titicaca, the worlds highest lake. The lake is impressive in itself with pure azure waters, but that is not all it is famous for. Whole villages have popped up, man made on huge floating reed platforms. Every year the villagers have to repair and maintain their village to stop it sinking into the waters. During the trip you will have a 2 day 1 night visit and home stay on Amantani Island.
Cuzco and the Andes
The trip takes you through some of the worlds most dramatic scenery, the Andes Mountain range was created by 2 tectonic plates colliding violently, no where else on earth do you get such a severe change in geography. From the Pacific Ocean to the snow capped peakes you can go from beach to dessert to snowline in a couple of hours. During the trip you will see some of this incredible scenery go by. The trip ends in Cuzco, where you will be embarking on the world famous Inca Trail, this needs no introduction really, but if you want one here we go!
The Inca Trail is a high mountain pass that starts just out side of Cuzco and heads through the Andes ending at the lost city of Machu Picchu. Machu Piccue was a lost city, and Incan strong hold built high up in the sacred valley, deserted for some unknown reason it was only rediscovered in 1913 by an American, who stumbled accross it quite by accident. He was lucky to have found it at all, as the jungle and undergrowth had covered much of it.
The Inca Trail leads you up to the Sun Gate after a stunning trek through the mountains. This is no easy task, as the air is thin due to the high altitude and the going can be steep. It is so worth the effort though, the views, the accomplishment and the people you meet along the trail spur you on until you are rewarded with the incredible site of Machu Picchu on your last day.
Please note permits are limited on the inca trail, they only give out 500 permits a day and this is for tourists, guides and porters all together. Best is to book 3 months in advance. If there are none available at the time of booking, you can opt for an alternative inca trail trek, which gets you up to Machu Pichu too!
Read more about this trip in the details section. You can also check the videos tab for more as well.
Does this look like your dream trip? You might have more questions in which case check out the FAQ section.
Curious to know more about where you will stay and the location? See accommodation section.
We would love to hear from you!
You can contact us with your questions about this trip, or you can tell us about your trip plans and we can tailor make the perfect trip you. You can also request trip notes on the right. You can book for only £100 so get booking up and secure your spot asap.
Gap Year Travel with us is all about adrenaline travel: exciting adventure travel programmes, offering you genuinely exciting alternatives to make the most of your gap year.
