Pricing
Departures: Throughout the year as a private journey.
Price:
Per person sharing room from $4,990
Internal air per person (estimate) $590
Hiram Bingham train upgrade per person $490
2010 SPECIAL PRICING: Book this Peru journey with
R. Crusoe by 30 September 2010 for travel in 2010 or 2011, and enjoy
$250 per person off the regular cost. This offer is not combinable with
any other offer. Offer applies to new bookings only.
For more information, to book, or to speak to an R. Crusoe & Son tour specialist, please call us at 800-585-8555.
What Makes This Journey Best?
- Opt to stay at the only lodge by the entrance of Machu Picchu (it allows early access, before others arrive).
- Opt to ride the elegant Orient Express Hiram Bingham train to and/or from Machu Picchu.
- Witness sunrise and sunset at Machu Picchu.
- See a weaving demonstration in Chinchero.
- Have lunch at a private hacienda in the Sacred Valley.
- Enjoy a picnic lunch near the off-the-beaten-path Inca ruin of Tipon.
- At Machu Picchu, choose one of three options—walk to Inti Punku, hike up Mount Huayna Picchu, or take a short walk along an Inca road
Local Flavor
The Inca—master masons, worshippers of the sun, and rulers of Peru. That is, until one particularly heady conquistador rode into town and single-handedly wiped out an entire civilization. Today, Peru, gentle South American republic, is a mix of ancient temples and Spanish colonialism. Except in Machu Picchu, where for four centuries or so Inca—and Inca alone—reached for the sun from a peak 2,000 feet above the rain forest. Head south with R. Crusoe & Son on a unique journey to explore the riches of Peru. Study the still mysterious Inca culture, and acquaint yourself with the stories of brash conquistadors.
Perusing Peru. Sunrise & Sunset Over Machu Picchu Included. 9 Days.
Seen one ruin, you’ve... Not like these, you haven’t.
Touch down in Lima, refresh during a quick overnight, and head straight for Cusco, former capital of the Inca Empire and oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent. The spirit of the Incas still lingers here. You sense their presence near the village of Pisac, where well-defined remains tell stories of Inca life as it once was. In Chinchero, see women artisans demonstrate traditional textile-making just for the likes of your small group. Then the odd salt works of Maras and the terraced ruins of Moray.
Take lunch in the private hacienda of a well-known Cusco family.
Examine the mortarless masonry of Ollantaytambo, a "living ruin," before we board a train for an excursion to the Sacred Valley. Your choice: the Vistadome or the luxury-packed Hiram Bingham Orient Express. In either case, enjoy dramatic scenery out the windows. The Hiram Bingham ices the cake with a gourmet meal, utter comfort, great company, and extraordinary service.
Though what we've seen so far has been something else, it is only a preamble to Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas. In 1911, American historian Hiram Bingham was wandering about looking for one lost city when he chanced upon another lost city. (Isn't that always the way?) Hidden for centuries in the clouds, Machu Picchu is wonderfully preserved (the conquistadors never got there). 
Archaeologists and anthropologists think it was a religious center for the ancients.
Precariously perched 2,000 feet above the Urubamba River, it's arguably the ruin with the most spectacular setting of any in the world. Seeing Machu Picchu in the light of the setting sun is wondrous; seeing it at dawn is a defining moment. We urge you to stay at the best hotel in the area, the only lodge situated at the entrance to the site, so you can access Machu Picchu before other visitors arrive. Before we leave, there are options: a hike to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, Machu Picchu’s original entryway. Or hike up Huayna Picchu, a neighboring peak that offers extraordinary views of the ancient site. Looking for something a bit less strenuous? Consider a 45-minute walk along a narrow Inca road that leads to an ancient stone bridge.
Next, the Vistadome or the Hiram Bingham takes us back to Cusco to continue our adventure. Develop a taste for Spanish colonial architecture as we tour the city. Head beyond the city limits to see what else the Inca left behind: the fort of Sacsayhuaman; the oft-missed complex of Tipon (we suggest a picnic lunch outside the ruins).
On to Lima, founded by conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535. Churches, palaces, and vast catacombs have such tales to tell. The Museo Rafael Larco Herrera exhibits pre-Columbian riches and an unusual collection of centuries-old erotic ceramics. Imagine that.
Prepare for your flight home in a dayroom reserved for you in Lima. Better yet, consider continuing on to the Galápagos on one of our journeys:
Or carry on in Peru with a customized journey to the oft-overlooked (but very worthwhile) Colca Canyon.
To request a detailed itinerary for this journey (and others), click here.