Southern Peru: Nazca Lines, Colca Canyon & Lake Titicaca

B= Breakfast • L= Lunch • D= Dinner

Friday, October 24, 2025: Fly to Lima, Peru
Depart home on flights to Peru. Upon arrival at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), you will be met at the airport and transferred as a group (time TBD) to our hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight. Two nights at the 5-star AC Hotel Lima Miraflores.

Saturday, October 25: Lima: Walking tour, Larco Museum | Welcome dinner
Gather at a private breakfast with our AIA lecturer and tour manager for an introductory meeting and first lecture. We then explore downtown Lima and the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), where we will leisurely walk and appreciate the colonial architecture of prominent landmarks such as the Government Palace, Cathedral of Lima, and City Hall. After lunch, we visit the renowned Larco Museum, which houses the nation’s most significant collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, spanning over 5,000 years of ancient Peruvian history. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner hosted by our AIA lecturer. (B,L,D)

Sunday, October 26: Pachacamac | Paracas
We drive south to the archaeological site of Pachacamac, which covers about 1,500 acres and was the most important oracle on the Peruvian coast. We will visit the site museum and see the Painted Temple, Temple of the Sun, and Old Temple. The site flourished for about 1,300 years until the Spanish invaded. Continue our journey along the Pan-American Highway, traversing desert landscapes on our way to Paracas. Stop for lunch in Chincha, at a cotton plantation called Hacienda San Jose that was the first to introduce African slaves. The Hacienda is known today for its magnificent grounds, catacombs, and exquisite baroque chapel. We then continue on to Paracas and check-in to our luxurious, seaside hotel where we enjoy dinner. Two nights at the 5-star La Hacienda Bahia Paracas. (B,L,D)

Monday, October 27: Boat trip to the Ballestas Islands | Paracas National Reserve
Paracas is where the desert—adorned in ochre, yellow, and gold hues—meets the Pacific Ocean: a blend of awe-inspiring coastal beauty and vibrant marine life, with a rich archaeological tapestry. We will take a boat to the Ballestas Islands (the “Galápagos of Peru”) for an up-close encounter with sea lions, penguins, and seabirds. Return to the mainland to explore the Paracas National Reserve with its dramatic cliffs, picturesque beaches, and unique rock formations at Roja and Yumaque. The Interpretation Center showcases the Reserve’s diverse flora, fauna, and archaeological treasures. After lunch return to our hotel in Paracas, where the balance of the day and dinner are at leisure. (B,L)

Tuesday, October 28: Flight over the Nazca Lines | Nazca
In the early morning, we will transfer to Pisco’s airport for an exhilarating flight over the renowned Nazca Lines. This aerial adventure offers a one-of-a-kind perspective of the Peruvian landscape and the geoglyphs etched into the earth below. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Nazca Lines depict huge images of animals, plants, and geometric shapes. The overflight allows you to marvel at the scale and precision of these iconic lines while pondering the mysteries of their origin. Later, we will enjoy an early lunch before driving south to Nazca, where dinner awaits. Two nights at the 4-star Casa Andina Nazca. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, October 29: Cahuachi citadel | Nazca: Antonini Museum | Cantalloc Aqueducts
This morning we will visit Cahuachi, a major ceremonial center of the Nazca culture, dating from about A.D. 1 to 500. This vast site comprises more than 40 mounds topped with adobe structures. We will return to Nazca and visit the Antonini Museum, a small, comprehensive archaeological museum showcasing a diverse array of Nazca artifacts, including mummies, pottery, textiles, and more. Exhibits describe the geography of the desert coast and how to decipher the symbols and iconography found on Nazca pottery and textiles. After lunch we will see the engineering marvel of the Cantalloc Aqueducts, an intricate system of more than 30 underground tunnels and channels built by the Nazca people between A.D. 200 and 900 to access vital water sources in the desert. Many are still used to irrigate the surrounding fields. We return to our hotel for dinner. (B,L,D)

Thursday, October 30: Huacachina | Ica
After a leisurely morning we drive north for a few hours, stopping at Huacachina, a village built around the only natural oasis in South America, surrounded by sand dunes. Continue driving a short distance to Ica, where we check-in to our resort hotel with four swimming pools and views of the dunes. Dinner is on your own tonight. Overnight at the 4-star Las Dunas Hotel. (B,L)

Friday, October 31: Ica: Regional Museum, Winery lunch | Lima
This morning we will visit Ica’s Regional Museum of Ica Adolfo Bermúdez Jenkins, which exhibits artifacts from various cultures of Peru—Inca, Nazca, Chincha, Wari, and Paracas. The museum features utensils, textiles, ceramics (huacos), musical instruments, quipus (recording devices fashioned from strings), a model of the Nazca lines, and more. Afterward, savor lunch at Tacama, one of South America’s oldest wineries, with Peruvian cuisine paired with fine wines amidst the scenic vineyards. This afternoon we relax on a long, scenic drive back to Lima, where we check-in to our hotel, conveniently located next to the airport for our flight tomorrow, and gather for dinner. Overnight at the 4-star Costa del Sol Wyndham. (B,L,D)

Saturday, November 1: Fly to Arequipa | Arequipa: City tour
We transfer to the airport this morning for our group flight to Arequipa, Peru’s second-largest city (after Lima) and its regional and provincial capital. Arequipa is at an elevation of over 7,600 ft., and is known as “the white city” for its more than 500 colonial mansions and a cathedral made of large white ashlars of volcanic origin. Embark on a city tour through the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Plaza de Armas, the imposing cathedral, and the iconic, 16^th-century Monastery of Santa Catalina de Siena. The interior features numerous colonial buildings such as a cloister, bell tower, and church with an embossed silver altar. We will admire elegant baroque furniture and paintings of the Cusco School. We check-in to our hotel and enjoy an independent dinner. Two nights at the 5-star Costa del Sol Arequipa. (B,L)

Sunday, November 2: Arequipa: Sillar quarries, Santuarios Andinos Museum
Arequipa’s architectural landscape is predominantly crafted from sillar, a white volcanic stone. We will visit the route to the quarries (the Sillar Route), showcasing the extraction and carving process of this unique mineral that is a trademark of the city. Then visit the Santuarios Andinos Museum to see a variety of Andean artifacts and mummified remains, including the famous Momia Juanita (Mummy Juanita). Also known as the Lady of Ampato, this is the well-preserved, frozen body of an approximately 12- to 15-year-old Inca girl. Believed to be the victim of ritual sacrifice and buried atop the Ampato Volcano sometime in the 16^th century, this mummy was not discovered until a retreating glacier exposed it in 1995. The evening and dinner are at leisure. (B,L)

Monday, November 3: Chivay | Colca Canyon
Today we drive higher into the Andes through a magnificent landscape to awe-inspiring Colca Canyon, the world’s second-deepest canyon with a length of 43 miles. We will stop at Chivay, a quaint town nestled within the canyon at an elevation of just under 12,000 feet. After lunch in Chivay we will visit embroiderers, and watch these skilled artisans demonstrate their centuries-old craft. Our comfortable hotel overlooks the Colca River and features thermal springs for relaxing. Dinner is at our hotel. Two nights at the 4-star Colca Lodge Spa & Hot Springs. (B,L,D)

Tuesday, November 4: Cruz del Condor | Maca | Uyu Uyu | Colca Canyon
Our adventure continues as we explore the wonders of the Colca Canyon region, starting with breathtaking views from Cruz del Condor, with a nearly 4,000-foot drop to the river below and the chance to see Andean condors gliding effortlessly on thermal air currents rising from the canyon. Continue to Cabanaconde and the charming village of Maca, followed by a visit to the intriguing but little-known Inca archaeological site of Uyu Uyu. This small citadel features ceremonial and residential areas, its winding streets adorned with still-functional aqueducts. Return to our hotel and then gather for dinner. (B,L,D)

Wednesday, November 5: Drive to Puno & Lake Titicaca
Our journey continues with a drive through the Andes to Lake Titicaca, with stops along the way at scenic viewpoints to stretch our legs and behold the awe-inspiring sights of the Ampato and Sabancaya volcanoes. Ampato is a dormant, ice-capped stratovolcano that rises to a height of 20,630 feet. Sabancaya is an active stratovolcano with a height of 19,606 feet, whose last major eruption was in 1990. We will enjoy a boxed lunch picnic and look for the herds of wild and domesticated camelids and flocks of wild birds that inhabit the area. When we reach Lake Titicaca, we will find our hotel adjacent to the lake with its own jetty. Two nights at the 4-star Casa Andina Premium Puno. (B,L,D)

Thursday, November 6: Lake Titicaca: Uros floating islands, Taquile Island | Farewell dinner
Lake Titicaca is a huge, freshwater lake that is often called the highest navigable lake in the world, with a surface elevation of 12,507 feet. It is the largest lake in South America, both in terms of volume of water and surface area. We will visit the renowned Uros floating islands, situated on the outskirts of the Titicaca National Reserve. The Uro-Aymara people take great pride in their rich culture: the men showcase their skillful navigation of the lake’s waters on traditional reed rafts, while the women demonstrate their expertise in weaving. Continue on to Taquile Island, renowned for its exceptional textile art, recognized as one of UNESCO’s masterworks of Oral and Intangible Heritage. Return to our hotel and gather for our farewell dinner hosted by our AIA lecturer. (B,L,D)

Friday, November 7: Sillustani | Juliaca | Fly to Lima | Fly home
After breakfast, and depending on our flight schedule, we may take an excursion to the archaeological site of Sillustani to see the best preserved chullpas (collective funerary towers) for the pre-Inca Pucará, Tiahuanaco, and Colla cultures, and later for the Incas themselves. We will then transfer to Juliaca’s Inca Manco Cápac International Airport (JUL) for our group flight to Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM). Upon arrival at Lima, our local representative will be waiting to assist you with connecting international flights homeward. (B)