Day 2 Lima City Tour 
Day 3 Lima-Ica Overland – Nazca Lines Overflight, Photo Tours 
Day 4 Ica-Paracas-Lima 
Day 5 Cusco Arrival
Day 6 Cusco City Tour
Day 7 Sacred Valley Tour
Day 8 Machu Picchu Tour – Return to Cusco
Day 9 Return to Lima – International Departure
We begin the adventure in Peru’s sparsely populated coastal desert, which spans the country’s entire western third, from Ecuador in the north, extending into Chile and the Atacama in the south. The coast hides many secrets, preserved for the ages by a near-complete lack of rain. Despite the aridity, fog coats the dunes and craggy peaks, bathing them in a perpetually soft light.

This part of Peru, known as Pisco, already famous for the grappa -like whiskey bearing its name, has gained new renown among oenophiles for delicate whites. We’ll stay at well-known winery’s luxury rustic accommodations to sample for ourselves. The following day, we overfly the beautifully delicate Nazca lines, taking them in from a perspective unavailable to their creators centuries ago.

Following an overnight back in Lima, we then fly to Cusco, heart of the ancient Inca Empire, widely regarded as the jewel of South America. Photographers from around the world converge to admire the distinct Spanish colonial architecture and mysterious Inca stonework. Beyond the city lay countless ancient shrines, a testament to a civilization that thrived for hundreds of years in this high, barren landscape, before succumbing to the 16th Century Spanish Conquest.

Despite centuries of Spanish domination and imposition of their culture, religion and language, remnants of the Inca civilization remain to this day, hidden away in isolated pockets of the Andes, where Quechua, the Inca’s language, is spoken exclusively, and residents’ knowledge of the world is limited to their particular valley, with ancient superstitions still prevalent.

After touring the city of Cusco, we visit the Sacred Valley, so-called for its abundance of spiritually-significant Inca and pre-Inca ruins. The following day, we will rise early to catch the sunrise at the famous Machu Picchu, the jewel of the Inca Empire. Following our return to Cuzco and overnight, we take the early morning flight back to Lima in order to catch the international flights home.

Jonathan Stewart as tour leader Professional drivers and specialist guides.

Jonathan Stewart Bio
An attorney by training, Jonathan Stewart has been traveling the world for his entire adult life. Fluent in Spanish, Jonathan was educated in sociology and law in California (UCLA), Argentina (Universidad de Belgrano) and Mexico (Universidad de Guanajuato), before falling in love with Peru in 1994 during a mountaineering expedition to Huascaran, Peru’s highest mountain. Since then, Jonathan has dedicated much of his free time to exploring the most remote corners of that wonderful country.

A lifelong enthusiast, Jonathan began a second career as a photographer roughly seven years ago. Jonathan’s photography explores the natural spaces on our planet, and the people who remain connected to them. His work has been featured in publications and galleries, and can be seen online at www.jonathanstewartphotos.com.

Jonathan currently lives in Southern California with his Peruvian wife, Carmen, and their three children.


Day 1 Arrivals

International Arrivals – Arriving from your international flight, you’ll be met at the airport for transfer to the group hotel, located in Lima’s prosperous Miraflores district. No group activities planned.




Day 2 Lima City Tour

This morning we enjoy breakfast at our group hotel and depart on our Lima city tour at 9:00 a.m., taking in the colonial and modern sights of this cosmopolitan capital city, such as the Miraflores Love Park, the City Center, and the San Francisco Convent and Museum, enjoying a gourmet group lunch at one of the city’s premier Peruvian restaurants.  Group fashion shoot with  professional Peruvian models. 


Day 3 Lima-Ica Overland – Nazca Lines Overflight

We board our private bus around 6:30 a.m., entering the dry coastal desert of Peru’s south, arriving at the City of Ica for our midday over-flight of the incredible Nazca Lines. Etched into the harsh desert “pavement” centuries ago by the long-vanished Nazca culture they depict, some say to the gods, others to aliens, the life found below: a whale, a spider, a monkey, a waving human figure, and the most famous of all, the hummingbird. Lunch at Hotel Mossones Restaurant beside the spectacular palm-lined desert oasis of Huacachina. Optional dune buggy and sandboarding , or free time for hiking, photography and exploration. Dinner at Viñas Queirolo Hotel. Wine and pisco tasting and visit the vineyards of the property. 



Day 4 Ica-Paracas-Lima

Departure from the hotel around 8:00 a.m. to Paracas National Park for a private, charter boat tour of the Islas Ballestas, home to myriad marine mammals and birds, including the Humboldt Penguin. Lunch in Paracas and free time for exploration and photography. Return to Lima by approximately 6:30 p.m. Dinner in Lima on your own.



Day 5 Cusco Arrival

Arriving in one of the most important capitals of the ancient Americas, we adjust to the altitude with an easy day, transferring to our group hotel before departing before sunset to capture the magic hour at a viewpoint overlooking the city, with models of indigenous origin and dress to photograph, before retiring to the city for our group dinner accompanied by a display of traditional dance.



Day 6 Cusco City Tour

Following a relaxed breakfast, we embark on a full-day tour of Cusco and its numerous Inca and colonial constructions, taking in such sights as the Plaza de Armas, Qoricancha and Sacsayhuaman, with expert interpretation by our local English-speaking guides. Evening free for shopping and exploration in the city before our group dinner.



Day 7 Sacred Valley Tour

We leave Cusco in our private bus, crossing the high country with views of the Cordillera Urubamba, dropping towards the Urubamba River into Peru’s Sacred Valley, so called because it is rife with Inca and pre-Inca spiritual sites. Today we start in Pisac ruins, which offer a panoramic view of stone-terraced slopes and a fascinating altar to the sun. From there we visit Pisac market, a gathering rich in photographic opportunities. After the market, we’ll enjoy a delicious group lunch, then board a train to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu. Night in Aguas Calientes.



Day 8 Machu Picchu Tour – Return to Cusco

Nowhere is the Inca’s finely attuned natural aesthetic and mastery of stone more visible than in the citadel of Machu Picchu, a site so well hidden, it escaped Spanish destruction and was only “discovered” by American Hiram Bingham approximately 100 years ago.

Today we’ll catch a 5:30 a.m. bus for the short ride up to Machu Picchu to observe the sunrise over the Andes and photograph the ruins in the beautiful dawn golden hour. After this leisure session, those sleeping in will join the others for a guided tour of the ruins, with English-language interpretation from our wonderful local guide, with plenty of time for photos at every location. For those wishing to get in some leg-burning exercise, we will offer the option to walk approximately 2km to the Inti Punku, or Sun Door, where the ruins are first seen by travelers hiking through the mountains along the fabled Inca Trail. The view of the valley and ruins from this site has been described by many as nothing short of a spiritual experience.

After our group lunch in Aguas Calientes, we’ll catch our afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, where we’ll enjoy our group dinner and board our private bus back to Cusco, where we will spend the night.



Day 9 Return to Lima – International Departure

Today, we board our flight back to the capital city, Lima, in order to catch our international flight home.

Trip cost includes

Hotel accommodation, sharing basis
Meals as indicated in itinerary
All road, rail, and air transportation within Peru
Entry fees to all sights visited
English-speaking local guides
Jonathan Stewart and Carmen Stewart as Tour Conductors and translators
Group trip insurance (for residents of USA)
2 Fashion shoots

Trip cost DOES NOT include

International flight
Excess baggage on domestic flights
Optional activities at Huacachina Oasis (sand buggy rides or sand board rentals)
Alcoholic beverages
Single supplement ($1000)
Shopping and extras.
Tips to guides
Hotel early check-in fees (if necessary) in Lima.
Hotel extras (e.g. massage , minibar, room service, internet fees, telephone, etc.)
Airport-to-hotel transfer ( appx . $35) if not arriving on group flight (schedule TBD).


Payment


$1200 Non-refundable deposit due at time of reservation.
Remainder due within 30 days via bank transfer or US$ Check
Paypal and installment plans available upon request (fees apply)
Total package price $5,500 - Value $7,000
Single supplement $1,000
Prices based on 20 passengers, double room sharing basis.
$1,200 deposit via PayPal below required to secure your place.
Compare our ITINERARY, INCLUSIONS AND PRICE - this is a very well priced package.


If the trip is canceled for any reason at any time by Kenneth Purdom or Jonathan Stewart, or if the trip does not proceed due to insufficient participants, you will receive a 100% refund on your deposit paid.

Passenger cancellations before June 1, 2016 shall be subject to forfeiture of the initial $1200 deposit. Between June 1 and September 1, cancellations shall also result in a penalty equal to 20% of the trip cost. No refunds for cancellations after September 1. For this reason, we strongly advise participants to purchase their own travel insurance, that will reimburse them in the event of cancellation for covered reasons.

We will have group travel insurance to cover our travel within Peru however, we strongly recommend that you take out your own comprehensive travel insurance. We recommend you purchase your travel insurance within 10 days of your initial payment so that your trip deposit will be covered in the event you need to cancel for a covered reason. We recommend the website insuremytrip.com. Look for “Package Policies” and choose one that provides a minimum of $100,000 in emergency rescue/evacuation coverage.  

You are advised not to purchase your international air tickets until you receive confirmation from Kenneth Purdom or Jonathan Stewart that the minimum group size has been reached and that the trip will proceed as planned.