| Starts | Lima, Peru |
|---|---|
| Ends | Lima, Peru |
| Region | South America & Central America |
| Duration | 3 days |
| Tour Operator | Peregrine |
Itinerary
Day 1 - Starting: Lima & Finishing: Lima
Your trip starts today in Lima with an airport arrival transfer. Your local guide will welcome you this evening at approximately 6 pm at your hotel. Afterwards, you are free to go out and enjoy a dinner (optional) in one of the city's many great eating spots. With free time to explore, perhaps enjoy some Aji de Gallina (spicy creamed chicken) or head to La Catedral to witness its stunning baroque facade. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, it was from Lima that all Spanish territories in South America were governed. Few cities at that time could rival Lima’s power, wealth and opulence. However its glory days ended in 1746 when the city was virtually destroyed by an earthquake. Many of the colonial buildings were rebuilt and you will get a first-hand look at several of them on the tour. The striking Plaza Mayor (Plaza de Armas), flanked by some of the most important buildings in town such as the cathedral, the huge Government Palace and the Archbishop’s Palace, constitutes the heart of the city.
Day 2 - Starting: Pisco - Nazca Lines - Paracas & Finishing: Pisco - Nazca Lines - Paracas
Travel to by bus to Pisco where you’ll embark on a scenic flight over the Nazca Lines in the Peruvian desert. Nazca’s origins date back to the 2nd century BC and here, in the dry desert conditions, relics have been remarkably well preserved to give archaeologists clear snapshots of this highly developed civilisation. Etched into the landscape some 22 kilometres north of Nazca are an assortment of perfectly straight lines, trapezoidal zones, strange symbols, images of birds and beasts on a giant scale. Witness the spider, shark, lizard and monkey motifs – as well as various geometric patterns – drawn in shallow lines across the landscape. These ancient geoglyphs stretch for over 80 kilometres. There are many theories about how and why these 'lines' exist, let alone who created them. The forms are so difficult to see from the ground that they were not discovered until the 1930s. Therefore the flight over the Nazca lines is the only way to really see them. After flying back to Pisco, you continue by road to the nearby coastal town of Paracas, gateway to the Paracas National Reserve. Covering 335,000 hectares of land and sea, this is considered one of the most integral marine reserves in the world. It works to preserve Peru's marine ecosystems as well as the cultural heritage of the local people. The national park is known for its proliferation of marine birds, in fact, it has the highest concentration of them in any one area in the world. It is also a natural habitat for dolphins and sea lions.
Day 3 - Starting: Paracas - Ballestas Islands - Lima & Finishing: Paracas - Ballestas Islands - Lima
You will awake early for an excursion to the Ballestas islands. You will first make your way to Paracas' port, where you will board a boat bound for the islands. Often referred to as the Galapagos of Peru, the Ballestas Islands are home to an abundance of wildlife, including pelicans, red-footed boobies, flamingos, sea lions and Humboldt penguins. You will have the opportunity to see the wildlife up close on a boat tour of the islands (approximately 1.5-2 hours). Between June and September the port may be closed due to weather conditions, if this is the case, an alternative land tour of the Paracas National Reserve will be arranged. After the excursion you will travel by bus from Paracas back to Lima. Your tour concludes back in Lima in the afternoon. You will be transferred from the bus station to either the airport or your hotel in Lima, should you have extra accommodation organised. Important Note: If you are booking a flight departing Lima today, please ensure your flight departs no earlier than 8 pm. At Peregrine we are always looking for ways to improve our trips and your feedback is invaluable to us and to our tour guides. It tells us what we're doing right, what you believe could be done better and what improvements you feel could help future travellers choose and enjoy Peregrine. At the end of your trip we ask that you to take a few minutes of your time to complete our on-line feedback form. Just go to http://www.peregrineadventures.com/tour-feedback for our easy to fill out questionnaire. We’d love to hear what you have to say!
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