From Cusco, the navel of the world, to Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas, an itinerary through Peru's millennia-old history, spanning archaeological sites and ancestral rituals.
Peru is the ancestral history of the Incas, it is nature bursting forth in all its grandeur and boundlessness, it is a welcoming and warm-hearted people, it is the slow unfolding of landscapes and the frenzy of city life, it is breath that changes — not only because of the altitude, but also because of a beauty that takes it away entirely.
This Latin American country is nearly four times the size of Italy, and within that expanse a remarkable variety of climates and landscapes unfolds: the Andean mountains with the trek leading to Machu Picchu, the Amazon rainforest with its extraordinary biodiversity safeguarded by indigenous communities, the Nazca desert with its lines tracing an enduring enigma, and the Pacific Ocean with its penguins, seals and sea lions.
Time to travel through Peru will never seem enough, but slowness is the key to appreciating the millennia-old story woven into everyday life, where the culture and traditions of ancient peoples blend with the contemporary spirit of modern cities. From the trendy nightlife of the capital Lima to the ancestral ritual of the "pago a la tierra" in gratitude to Mother Nature, from colonial cities encircled by volcanoes to floating villages on Lake Titicaca: this is the itinerary Turisanda proposes for exploring Peru, a 14-day individual journey through unmissable highlights and authentic experiences in close contact with the Peruvian people and their culture. By choosing this option, travellers can journey in complete independence without forgoing the assurances that come with Turisanda: hotels in unique locations, transfers equipped with every comfort, constant assistance and one-of-a-kind moments to share with fellow travellers.
From Italy, the plane lands directly in Lima and, after a night in the air, travellers are ready to explore the capital — a colonial jewel centred on Plaza de Armas, overlooked by institutional buildings and the cathedral, and spread across various neighbourhoods including the bohemian barrio of Barranco, where one can wander through streets brought alive by bars frequented by artists and writers. In one of these very venues — the bar of hotel B Barranco — visitors are invited to take part in a special lesson on making a Pisco Sour, Peru's national drink, and to raise a glass to the start of a new adventure.
From Lima, another flight takes travellers to Arequipa: encircled by volcanoes, fertile valleys and canyons, it is known as the white city for the pale stone used to construct its colonial buildings. Here, visitors explore the celebrated convent of Santa Catalina, a religious complex spanning some 20,000 square metres, and the San Camillo market, where they can discover countless varieties of exotic fruit and the many different types of potatoes and maize found across Peru.
From Arequipa's altitude of 2,335 metres, a bus journey ascends to Puno at 3,830 metres, and from there a private boat sets off to explore Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, home to floating islands built on platforms of totora reeds, an aquatic plant that grows wild along the lake's shores. The itinerary stops at the Titino islands, which — unlike the Uros islands — have retained their authentic character, then continues to Taquile, known for its magnificent agricultural terracing and its tradition of weaving, and finally to Luquina, a rural village on the Chucuito peninsula.
Still by bus, the following day you reach Cusco to begin immersing yourself in Peru's ancestral heritage: the city is known as the navel of the world because, according to Inca culture, it was the point of connection between the underworld, the visible world and the upper world. From Cusco the journey continues to Pongobamba, a local community in the Sacred Valley situated on the banks of the evocative Lake Piuray. Here there is the opportunity to experience a spiritual moment of Quechua culture through a propitiatory offering ritual to Pachamama, Mother Earth.
The itinerary then includes a visit to the imposing Maras salt flats, with salt pools arranged on terraces that are still active today, an exploration of the archaeological site of Moray — an Inca agricultural experimentation laboratory — and then Ollantaytambo, with its imposing fortress that once guarded the entrance to the Sacred Valley.
A bus, once again, finally leads to the pinnacle of the journey: the discovery of Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas set at 2,400 metres above sea level among lush mountains, waterfalls and rivers. A guided tour of approximately three hours will reveal the great archaeological site, which is counted among Unesco World Heritage Sites and the seven wonders of the modern world.
The itinerary then retraces its steps: passing through Ollantaytambo again, the route returns to Cusco, where there is plenty of time for a trek to Vinicunca, the rainbow mountain in the heart of the Andes Cordillera, at over 5,000 metres above sea level. Here, geological phenomena have created mineral deposits with incredible coloured striations — red from iron oxide, yellow from limonite, green from chlorite and magnesium iron, blue and purple from manganese and copper. The intensity of the colours varies with sunlight, humidity and the angle of the rays, making every visit a unique experience.
All that remains is to return to Lima and from there back to Italy, eyes enriched with colour and hearts full of smiles: gracias Perù!
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