pre‐tour nazca 5 days / 4 nights (august 15 – august 19)2 day 03 ballestas islands ‐ ica ‐...

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Pre‐tour Nazca 5 days / 4 nights (August 15 – August 19)

Day 01 Lima (arrival) ‐ Transfer to Hotel – Briefing Welcome to Lima, “the city of the kings”. At your arrival you will be received by us at the airport and brought

to the hotel. After your check‐in you have a little welcome snack and

a short introduction to the itinerary. On demand we can also take a

little walk through the quarter where our hotel is.

Overnight at Hotel 3***

Meals: Welcome Snack

Day 02 Lima ‐ Pachacamac – Paracas – Paracas National Reserve – History Museum After breakfast, we drive on the “Panamericana” to Pachacamac and

then continue to the bay of Paracas. Our first stop is the ruins of

Pachacamac from where we have a great view over the Pacific Ocean.

Pachacamac with its oracle was an important cultural and spiritual

center before and during the Inca empire. It is the location in which

the priests communicated with the gods with a holy piece of wood.

After the visitation we continue our trip to the bay of Paracas where

we will visit the National Park of Paracas. This nature reserve is the

only one of its kind at the Peruvian coast and is considered by

UNESCO as one of the most extraordinary and richest ecosystems.

Here were also found the vestiges of a “Quena” flute, the first

Peruvian musical instrument. You will be enchanted by impressing

steep coasts, bizarre coast deserts and spectacular views to the

peninsula of Paracas. Enjoy this unique landscape under bright

sunshine and the extensiveness of the Pacific Ocean. The modern

world already marvels at the legacy of the Paracas culture which

inhabited this coastal region more than 2000 years ago: a diversity of

color and the finest woven textiles which were found in their burial

places as well as the famous elongated skulls.

After having visited the nature reserve we continue to the Paracas

History Museum where there are plenty of deformed and elongated

skulls, which allegedly cannot be assigned to any human species. The

highlight of this museum is that these skulls will be taken out of their

glass cabinets, which doesn’t happen in any other museum!


Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Lunch

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Day 03 Ballestas Islands ‐ Ica ‐ Regional Museum ‐ Cabrera Museum – Huacachina Oasis ‐ Nazca After breakfast, we drive to the Ballestas Islands aboard a comfortable speedboat which is also called “Little

Galapagos”. We first behold the oversized geoglyph “El Candelabro”,

the symbolism and cultural affiliation of which still puzzles experts to

this day. We continue with our boat trip and will see dozens of sea lions

which swim around the boat or bathe in the sun. Furthermore, we will

see a variety of seabirds, for example the Guano Cormorants, Peruvian

pelican, blue‐footed boobies, Atlantic puffins or the famous Humboldt

Penguins. We return to the hotel and continue our journey to Ica.

In Ica, we visit the Regional Museum with its extraordinary collection

of deformed and trepanned skulls of the Paracas and the Nazca culture.

After lunch, we visit the private Museum “Museo Gliptolitico” of Dr.

Cabrera including a private guidance. The museum became world‐

famous by “The Stones of Ica” and the controversies which were

caused by this and which last to this day. Form your own opinion

about this in the Huacachina Oasis, where we can relax or experience

desert adventures such as riding on a sand buggy through the dunes

or sandboarding (optional). In the late afternoon, we continue to

Nazca where we spend the night.


Meals: Buffet breakfast

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Day 04 Nazca Lines ‐ Cahuachi – Cantayoc Aqueducts ‐ Antonini Museum After breakfast, we view the stepped pyramids of Cahuachi

clouded in secrecy. There is controversy as by whom and exactly

when these adobe pyramids were built. The 30‐km²

archaeological site is officially assigned to the Nazca culture and

should have served as a cultural center from about 500 BC to

500 AD. It is one of the greatest ceremonial sites known from

pre‐Columbian times. The whole area viewed from the air is

suggestive of once being flooded by a huge mud inundation

which resulted from a catastrophic event in the past. Could it be

connected to the weird “Cemetery of the Whales” in the

Ocucaje desert about 300 km south of Lima on which surface

the mortal and petrified remains of 15 whales are beached?

Subsequent to this we see the Aqueducts of Ocongallo.

In the afternoon, we have a flight over the mysterious and

world‐famous Nazca lines and the geometric earth figures of

Palpa. During the 45‐minute‐long sightseeing flight you can take

unforgettable photos of the world‐famous geoglyphs: amongst

others, the condor and the hummingbird, but also the so‐called lines and earth roads or “runways”, the

“artificially cut” ridges with an airstrip or the Palpa Mandala. The figures can only be viewed from the air.

After this impressive flight, we visit the Antonini Museum,

which holds in readiness some surprises. Our last stop today is

the Aqueducts of Cantalloc (still working today after more than

2000 years) which spiral downwards into the desert soil and on

the other hand consist of canals up to 11 km long, which run

under the desert surface about 12 meters in depth and also

puzzle mine engineers today.

*Remarks: Due to unforeseen weather conditions the flight over

the Nazca Lines cannot be guaranteed and in case of poor

weather we’ll try again next day. In case of a delay in the

overflight, Cahuachi will be visited the next day

**Remark:


Meals: Buffet breakfast

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Day 05 Nazca ‐ Lima ‐ Afternoon free We leave Nazca and visit the open‐air cemetery of Chauchillo where we stand face to face with mummies and

mummy bundles. Our next stop is the Maria Reiche Museum before

we return to Lima. The afternoon is free. In the evening, we have a

welcome snack and briefing

Lodging in Lima included in the Main program

Meals: Buffet Breakfast

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Main tour Peru 14 days / 13 nights (August 19 – September 02)

Day 01 Lima (arrival) ‐ Transfer to Hotel – Welcome snack and briefing Welcome to Lima, the city of kings. At your arrival you will be

received by us at the airport and brought to the hotel. After your

check‐in, you have a little welcome snack and a short

introduction to the itinerary. On demand we can also take a little

walk through the quarter where our hotel is.


Meals: Welcome snack

Day 02 Lima City tour ‐ Historic Center – Gastronomic Museum of Peru ‐Modern Lima ‐ National Museum for Archaeology – Larco Herrera Museum

The city tour will guide us through Miraflores and San Isidro,

the modern quarters of Lima, and through the historic center of

the city which was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The tour includes a visit of the Monastery of San Francisco, the

most visited church of the city (1674). Its subterranean tunnels

lead to catacombs which served as burial sites to the year of

1808. Then we visit the Gastronomic Museum with its

exhibitions covering a period of 8,000 years. Our next stop is the

Archaeological Museum, which especially distinguishes itself by

its exhibition of textiles and where you can admire the famous

Raimondi Stela. The museum offers a good overview of the

early advanced cultures before the Incas, their development

and chronological order. Subsequent to this we go to the Larco

Herrera Museum. The collection there covers the 3000‐year‐old

history of Peru before the arrival of the Spaniards. Its

masterpieces are considered worldwide as icons of pre‐

Columbian art and have been exhibited in the most renowned

museums. Objects finely processed with gold and adorned with

semi‐precious stones are appealingly exposed in the rooms of

the museum.

Overnight at Lima 3***


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Day 03 Flight to Ayacucho – City tour ‐ Ciudad Wari ‐ Huanta / Huanta Valley ‐ Lauricocha – Pikimachay

In the morning, we have a flight to Ayacucho and transfer to the

hotel. We make a City tour in the town of the 33 churches. After

the City tour we visit the Huari Archaeological complex north

of Ayacucho. The capital of the Huari‐culture dates from 600‐

1000 AD, when the Huari culture spread across most of Peru. It

was the first urban walled center in the Andes and was used for,

administrative, ceremonial, residential and productive

purposes. Up to 4m high stone walls, rectangular houses and

streets can be seen. There are tombs with perfectly shaped

stones, which were supposedly there long before the Huari, as

well as subterranean canals and tunnels.

The Huari complex is divided in several sectors and we will

explore the most important. The Cheqowasi area consist of

multi‐level underground chambers with rectangular,

quadrangular and circular mezzanines, which were possibly

mausoleums for rulers and nobles. The nearby Moradochayoc

area reveals evidence of close contact with Tiwanaku, located

some 1500km away in the Lake Titicaca basin. Amazing stone

masonry reminds of the ones in Puma Punku near Tiwanaku,

while its semi‐subterranean patios correspond to the Tiwanaku

semi‐subterranean temple. In Capillapata, we see well

composed trapezoidal and rectangular structures up to 400

meters in length and endowed with stone walls more than 10m

in height.

In the nearby Ushuaqoto, molded human figures have been

found, indicating that it was an industrial or workshop center

with its corresponding warehouses.

If time is left, we will continue to Huanta. The present village

with its pleasant plaza, is the place where the Pokras and

Chancas warriors put up their last brave fight against the Inca

invasion.

This area is notable as the site of perhaps the oldest known

culture in America, 20,000 years old, evidence of which was found in the cave of Pikimachay. All the remains

are in Lima’s museums.



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Day 04 Ayacucho ‐ Andahuaylas ‐ Laguna Pacucha ‐ Sondor – Abancay Early in the morning, we drive to Andahuaylas where we take

lunch. This town with its colonial houses, which contrast with

modern buildings, is the commercial center of the region. After

lunch, we visit the nearby Pacucha lagune and the

Archaeological complex of Sondor. In the caves of the nearby

Muyumuyu mountain we are able to see offerings to

Pachamama. The Muyumuyu Mountain is located within the

huge Sondor‐site with its Inca and Pre‐Inca structures. We will

climb up the 500 steps to the top of the Pyramid from where

we have a breathtaking view over the Pacucha lagune and the

spectacular landscape. According to local legend, the waters of

the lagoon are trapping a once beautiful village which had been

a paradise on earth because of the beauty and humanity of its

habitants. But it was invaded by strange beings who brought

corruption and evil, so the gods decided to submerge the town.

After exploring Sondor we continue to Abancay where we

spend the night.


Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 05 Abancay ‐ Saywite ‐ Tarawasi ‐ Quillarumiyoc – Cuzco Early in the morning, we continue our tour in the direction

Cusco. Our first stop is Sayhuite, known for its monolith, which

measures about 4 x 2.5m, in whose surface one can see more

than 200 engraved images of buildings, mountains, rivers and

animals. This unique andesite stone, whose age is unknown, is

the outstanding object of interest of an archaeological site

comprising 60 hectares that contains megalithic structures with

evidence that an unknown high technology was used for stone

cuts and holes, as well as ruins of cult places, dwellings and

irrigation plants, which are assigned to the Inca culture.

We continue our trip in order to visit the sites of Tarawasi and

Quillarumiyoc. Tarawasi is said to have been a ceremonial site

of the Incas. In Quillarumiyoc, we marvel at megalithic

structures, among them a moon sanctuary carved in rock to

which is assigned extraordinary forces and where the number 7

is clearly epitomized. According to traditions, it is a “star gate”,

moon portal, a portal to other dimensions or a “devils gate”.

After an extensive viewing, we continue our trip until we reach

Cusco in the evening where we spend the night.


Meals: Breakfast

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Day 06 Cuzco Citytour ‐ Ruins (Saqsayhuaman, Quenko, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, Lanlakuyuk, etc.)

After breakfast we explore Cusco, the former capital of the Inca

Empire. We visit the bohemian town of San Blas, the

Hatunrumiyoc street with its famous block of the 12 corners,

the Plazoleta Nazarenas, the Plaza de Armas (the central place

of Cusco), the Regional Historic Museum, the market of Cusco,

the cloister and the golden monstrance of La Merced, the

Loreto street, the cathedral and the sun temple Coricancha.

The Coricancha holds some surprises such as worked ashlars

with core drillings or structures which commemorate

“spaceship doors”.

In the afternoon we’ll visit the surrounding ruins. First we visit

the legendary fortress of Saqsayhuamán, whose cyclopean

walls challenge our understanding. It is unsatisfactorily

explained to this day what kind of technology was used to

transport the stones and create the walls. Our next stop is

Quenko, an exciting site with riddles, be it canals which run in

zigzag lines, stairs carved in the rock, tunnels with strange

structures or the “amphitheater”. The megalithic construction

method indicates an origin long before the Incas. One legend

reports about the mythological origins before the foundation

of Cusco when there was a lake in the valley of Cusco

(scientifically proven) under which there was a huge temple

(this is evocative of the legends of tunnel systems beneath the

Lake Titicaca which many Bolivian people tell). But it

experienced an explosion, which resulted in the destruction of

the temple as well as the lake. The massive debris flew through

the air and struck the ground, sometimes a few kilometers

away, partially upside down, and burst apart, whereas some

greater boulders stayed unchanged in their location to this day.

From Quenko on we move to the fortress Pucapucara and the

water sanctuary Tambomachay, which is also called “the bath

of the Incas”. From a spring framed by stones, water with

curative qualities is drained by artificial canals. We then return

to Cusco.


Meals: Breakfast

Day 07 Cuzco ‐ Chinchero ‐ Maras ‐ Moray ‐ Naupa Iglesia ‐ Ollantaytambo After breakfast, we travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas to

the Andean village of Chinchero, where we turn our attention

to the gigantic temple of the Pre‐Inca and Inca period on which

there is a church which keeps a special secret. We’ll explore the

nearby megalithic structures which predate the Inca by

thousands of years.

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We continue our journey to the Salt Terraces of Pichingote near

Maras of which around 3,000 are situated on a steep slope and

have been worked now for over 2,000 years. After this we visit

the archaeological agricultural center of Moray whose round

terraces are unique. On these stepped terraces, arranged one

upon the other, it is alleged that over 20 different microclimates

could be achieved. The powerful place also has extraordinary

acoustic properties.

Thereafter we visit the little‐known, mystical Moon Sanctuary

of Naupa Iglesia, “the old temple in which shines the gold”,

where we discover a complex of buildings of the Inca period as

well as a trapezoidal portal carved out of the rock to which is

assigned supernatural powers. It is known that sacrifices are still

made here in honor of the moon, the sun and the Apus

(mountain gods).

We continue our journey to Ollantaytambo with its

archaeological site comprising 600 hectares. We go to the

fortress which gave the town its name and we visit the Sun

Temple (consisting of 6 gigantic monoliths, as well as the

“terrace of the 10 niches”). Shortly after passing the entrance,

we find to the right a strange granite block whose workmanship

is as precisely manufactured as the famous stones of Puma

Punku. In this fortress took place the only successful fight of the

Incas against the Spanish conquerors and this town is the only

one which has kept its original Inca layout. Overnight in the

Sacred Valley.



Day 08 Ollanta ‐ Machu Picchu – Ollanta Very early in the morning, we have a train ride through the

Sacred Urubamaba Valley to Aguas Calientes. There we take a

bus up to the citadel of Machu Picchu, the crown jewel of South

American Archaeology. We have a guided tour through the

archaeological site. Machu Picchu was never discovered by the

Spaniards. It was not until 1911 when the American investigator

Hiram Bingham re‐discovered the weathered walls of the

mighty construction that it became famous worldwide. We will

assert that the Inca built here atop existing megalithic

structures. Among these is a barely known boulder with more

than 30 angles. The megalithic structures and the geometry of Machu Picchu suggest that there was a

connection between ancient Peru and ancient Egypt. After the official guidance through the citadel we will

have enough time to explore it for ourselves. We then have a bus ride back to Aguas Calientes. After having

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had lunch in this hospitable village, we have free time to roam over the market or to enjoy the goings on of

this enclave. At a time to be specified, we have a train ride to Ollantaytambo and transfer to the booked hotel

in the Sacred Valley.



Day 09 Pisac ‐ Andahuaylillas ‐ Museo Ritos Andinos ‐ Huaro (Museo) ‐ Piquillacta ‐ Tipon – Cuzco After breakfast we drive to Pisac which is directly situated at the

Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The ruins of

Pisac were constructed 600m above the village and are among

the best preserved and most important ones of Peru. The site,

constructed on a crest, comprises a fortress and also some

dwellings, palaces and temples. The artificially constructed

terraces on the slopes are still in use today. After we enjoy

spectacular views into the Sacred Valley, we continue our

journey to Andahuaylillas where we visit the Museo Ritos

Andinos and examine the “Human‐Hybrid Mummy” also known

as “Alien Baby”, which caused a worldwide stir in 2014.

Thereafter, we drive to the nearby Waro Museum, where we'll

see a controversial collection of stones with petroglyphs. Our

next stop is the 50‐hectare‐wide archaeological complex of

Pikillacta, an extended city of the Huari culture. The exact

planning of the city, as well as the cultural connection to the

Tiahuanaco culture, is very interesting. We continue to Tipon, a

masterpiece of hydrologic engineering with an efficient

network of aqueducts and irrigation canals that are still working

to this day. We continue to Cuzco where we spend the night.

Remark: Due to unpredictable weather conditions the visit of

Tipon cannot been guaranteed



Day 10 Cuzco ‐ Yaurisque ‐ Maucallakta ‐ Puma Orqo ‐ Raqchi ‐ Sicuani – Yauri Very early in the morning we start our tour off the beaten tracks

to the Paccariqtambo district, south of Cusco, where we visit

the town of Yaurisque. Our first stop is the church in Yaurisque,

which was built using stones from ancient buildings. Some of

these stones have carvings from pre‐Inca times. Thereafter we

visit the archaeological sites of Maucallakta and Puma Orqo, the

home of the Paccariqtambo origin myth of the Inca. According

to legends, the four Ayar brothers and their sisters emerged out

of four caves located underneath the huge rock of Puma Orqo.

One of them Ayar Manco, later known as Manco Capac, was the founder of the mythical Inca‐Empire together

with his sister Mama Occla. On the summit of Puma Orqo we see perfectly shaped megalithic stones and

engraved pumas, which may predate Inca‐times. From here we enjoy spectacular views into the valley and the

Andean panorama. On the opposite side of the valley is the Archaeological complex of Maucallakta. This large

site with over 200 masonry structures is closely associated with the nearby rock outcrop and caves of Puma

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Orqo. Both were among the most sacred temples of the Inca. After exploring the site and enjoying the

beautiful landscape we continue our trip, visiting the ruins of Raqchi, which lie at the feet of the volcano

Quinsachata. On the continuation of our trip, we turn right off from Sicuani to Yauri. This town is the home of

the nearby Tintaya zinc and copper mines and our starting point to explore amazing archaeological sites

embedded in one of the most spectacular landscapes all over Peru, which are rarely visited by tourists. Hostel

in Yauri.

Overnight at Hostel 3***


Day 11 Yauri ‐ Mauca Llakta – Pukara T’aqrachullo (Maria Fortaleza) – Three Canyons After breakfast we start the Sukuytambo‐expedition. Our first

stop is the Machupuente with its nice colonial bridge. We then

drive to Paris Pucara, an archaeological site with a big rock and

stone gate. The origin and function of this site is still unknown.

From here we continue to Maukallacta and Pukara

T’aqrachulla, both located in the Sukuytambo valley, better

known as Three Canyons. Maukallacta lies at the riverbed of the

Apurimac River and consists of 75 round and oval structures and

several rectangular and quadrangular buildings. The acropolis

on the top of the hill was dedicated to Pachamama. The most

beautiful building is the chullpa, the most perfect funerary

tower in Peru. Before the Inca, Maucallakta was a Huari and

Kana site. The Rock art sites in the Sukuytambo valleys date

back at least 8,000 years. We then reach T’aqrachullo or Maria

Fortaleza, a site that used to be a Huari fortress, as well as a pre‐

Incan ceremonial site. There are no less than around 100

funerary structures predating the Inca. From here we have a

nice panoramic view over and into the Sukuytambo valley. We

then continue to the Sukuytambo‐lookout point from where

we have a magnificent and well isolated view over the Three

Canyons, a canyon where the Callumani and Cerritambo creek

meet the Apurimac river, flanked with up to 130‐meter‐high

stone walls. After enjoying these impressions, we drive back to

Yauri where we spend the night.

Overnight at Hostel 3***

Meals: Breakfast

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Day 12 Yauri ‐ Kanamarka ‐ Ayaviri ‐ Tinajani Canyon ‐ Pukara – Chucuito After breakfast we continue our journey to Lake Titicaca. Our

first stop is Kanamarka a large pre‐Inca site built by the Kana

culture around 1,500 years ago. Here we’ll find the typical

Machu Picchu style but bigger thatched roof houses and an

oval, windowless, stone bungalow. There are also perfectly

shaped stones and irrigation systems. The Kana had a close

connection to Tiwanaku. We continue to the Tinajani Canyon

near the small town of Ayaviri. According to local legends,

Tinajani is the place where the devil took his bath. In the rainy

season it is told that you can still hear his voice. Today this

amazing place is also called The Devils Canyon. Other legends

say that the devil is jailed in the “stone needles”. In this Petrified

Forest we see some rocks eroded into fantastic shapes, some

up to 60m high. There are a few funeral sites within caves that

predate the Inca era. After this spectacular and breathtaking

view, we continue our tour to the famous potter village of

Pucara, in which a pre‐Inca temple site is situated. This site is

very close to the Tiwanaku cultures with the same elements

such as semi‐subterranean patios and well‐shaped stones. It is

said the tunnels at Pucara belong to a network of tunnels that

originate in Cuzco, go under Lake Titicaca, until they reach

Tiwanaku. In the Museo Lítico (Stone Museum) we marvel at

sculptured monoliths and stelae of this cultural epoch. We

continue our journey to Chuquito at Lake Titicaca where we

stay overnight.


Meals: Breakfast

Day 13 Titicaca Lake ‐ Uros ‐ Cutimbo ‐ Inca Uyo After breakfast we enjoy a breathtaking view over Lake Titicaca

where there is a legend that Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo

descended from heaven in order to create the Inca empire.

From Puno we go by boat to the floating islands of the Urus and

receive the impression of how the contemporary dwellers live

on these reed isles. We then return to Puno, where we have

lunch.

In the afternoon, we visit Cutimbo, an archaeological site which

barely is in the focus of tourism and is mostly deserted. Here,

there are several grave towers, so‐called “Chullpas”. On the outer wall of the Chullpas you can see stone works

that look very similar to those of Gobekli Tepe in Turkey, ancient Egypt and Tierradentro in Columbia.

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Back in Chuquito we visit Inka Uyu. In this rectangular temple is

situated a huge mushroom or phallus made of stone

surrounded by about 80 smaller ones.



Day 14 Chucuito ‐ Sillustani – Juliaca ‐ Lima – Connection to international flight Today we visit the Chullpas of Sillustani in the surroundings of

Lake Titicaca. The oversized towers, constructed with polygonal

architecture, are believed to have been erected some thousand

years before the Inca. The highest of them is the “Chullpa del

Largato” (Chullpa of the Lizard) which stands at 12 meters and

is the highest in America. The damage of the towers suggests a

cataclysmic event. The remnants of two stone circles are

interpreted as an observatory. The partial extraordinary

magnetic anomalies which we measured on the pyramid stone

in the sector of the rising route are astonishing. Sillustani has an

idyllic and impressive location on a peninsula of the Umayo

Lake. In the Local Museum we can see elongated skulls and

some monoliths that show tool marks that closely resemble

those at Gobekli Tepe (south east of Turkey). The agricultural

irrigation system is also fascinating. It dates from a time before

the Incas and still works today.

Participants who will not undertake the Bolivia extension will be

taken to the Juliaca Airport to catch their flight to Lima with

connection to their international flight. For the participants

attending the the Bolivia extension, we continue the tour after

we’ve said goodbye to our friends from the Main tour.

Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Box Lunch

Post‐tour Bolivia 6 days / 5 nights (September 2 ‐ September 7)

Day 01 Chucuito ‐ Sillustani – Juliaca – Amaru Muru ‐ Copacabana Today we visit the Chullpas of Sillustani in the surroundings of

Lake Titicaca. The oversized towers, constructed with polygonal

architecture, are believed to have been erected some thousand

years before the Inca. The highest of them is the “Chullpa del

Largato” (Chullpa of the Lizard) which stands at 12 meters and

is the highest in America. The damage of the towers suggests a

cataclysmic event. The remnants of two stone circles are

interpreted as an observatory. The partial extraordinary

magnetic anomalies which we measured on the pyramid stone

in the sector of the rising route are astonishing. Sillustani has an

idyllic and impressive location on a peninsula of the Umayo Lake. In the Local Museum we can see elongated

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skulls and some monoliths that show tool marks that closely

resemble those at Gobekli Tepe (south east of Turkey). The

agricultural irrigation system is also fascinating. It dates from a

time before the Incas and still works today.

In Juliaca we say good bye to our guests who had booked the

14‐day Tour. We then continue the journey along the shores of

Lake Titicaca to Copacabana in Bolivia. The impressive basilica

in which the black Madonna is venerated is one of the most

important places of pilgrimage of South America. On the way

we stop to visit the “Star Portal” of Amaru Muru, lying on the

west shore of Lake Titicaca. This gate carved out of a sandstone

rock is also called “The Devil’s Gate”, “Interdimensional Gate”

or “Star Gate”. According to legends an Inca nobleman with his

entourage disappeared through this gate escaping from the

Spaniards. It is told that he opened the portal by means of a

golden disc. Hotel in Copacabana.


Meals: see day 14 of Main tour

Day 02 Copacabana ‐ Sun Island ‐ Copacabana After breakfast, we go by boat to the Sun Island which we

explore on foot. We visit the Pilcocaina ruins and the Sacred

Rock “Titi Khar’ka”, (the stone of the wildcat), which gave the

sea its name. According to the Inca legend of creation, the god

Viracocha sent brother and sister Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo

to this place in order to find an appropriate location for the

chosen people of the Incas. We continue our trekking to the

Inca fountain before we drive back to Copacabana.


Meals: American Breakfast / Lunch

Day 03 Copacabana ‐ Santiago de Ojje – Tiquina – La Paz After breakfast, we continue our tour to Santiago de Ojje,

where you will be astonished by the shaped stones of a temple

complex excavated in 2013. It’s theorized that this site formerly

was a serpent‐temple. Afterwards we will cross the narrowest

gap of Lake Titicaca on a rustic ferry. Then we drive over the

Altiplano to La Paz. We check into the hotel and then the rest

of the afternoon is free for exploring the city on your own.



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Day 04 La Paz – City tour ‐ Tiwanakumuseum ‐ Gold Muesum ‐ Whiches market After breakfast, we start the sightseeing of La Paz. We visit the

colonial center of the city and some museums such as the

Museum of Precious Pre‐Columbian Metals (Gold Museum)

and the Tiwanaku Museum. Furthermore, we visit the “semi‐

subterranean Temple” in the quarter of Miraflores, where we

can marvel at some sculptures of Tiwanaku. The temple itself is

a reconstruction, which is geared to the original temple in

Tiwanaku, however, the objects within are original pieces. We

then visit the amazing Moon Valley, followed by the famous

Witches Market, which is unique in the world. The rest of the

day is free for optional activities.



Day 05 La Paz – Tiwanaku – Puma Punku ‐ Khonko Whankane ‐ La Paz In the morning we drive to the village of Tiwanaku, after which the famous ruins are named. Tiwanaku is an

enigmatic complex of temples, pyramids and strange objects. At

the Sun Temple of Kalasasaya, we marvel at the “Ponce

Monolith” and the “El Fraile Monolith”, which are remind us of

astronauts, and the famous Sun Gate, which is unique in the

world. Next to the Kalasasaya is the Akapana Pyramid. On the

upper platform of this stepped pyramid are some monolithic

blocks, where we can detect magnetic anomalies by means of a

compass. Next to the pyramid is the Semi‐subterranean

Temple, where hundreds of stone heads are embedded in the

walls.

We then get to Puma Punku, which is older than Tiwanaku and

arguably one of the most mysterious sites on the continent.

Furthermore, we visit the Lithic Museum where we marvel at

the 7m high Benneth Monolith among other artifacts, and the

church in the village of Tiwanaku, whose entrance is flanked by

two stone statues wearing turbans! In the church’s interior are

stelae which represent deities and are venerated to this day.

Finally, we drive to Konko Whankane, a small and almost

unknown site with unique and amazing carved stelae. After

investigating this site we return to La Paz.


Meals: Buffet Breakfast / Lunch

16

Day 06 La Paz ‐ … Origen After breakfast we have a last get together before you will be

transferred to the airport for a return flight to your home

country.


pre‐tour nazca 5 days / 4 nights (august 15 – august 19)2 day 03 ballestas islands ‐ ica ‐...

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