Eclipse Tour Destination: Peru & Chile (Northbound)
Journey from Peru’s Sacred Valley of the Incas to the ancient mountaintop city of Machu Picchu. Explore the rich Inca and Spanish colonial past in historic Cuzco. Enjoy an optional excursion to see the famed Nazca Lines from the air. And as the centerpiece of your adventure, travel to our special viewing site in the foothills of the Andes – close to four of the world’s largest telescopes – to stand for 2 minutes and 15 seconds in th ...Show more
The fact that TravelQuest’s eclipse-viewing site is close to four of the world’s largest telescopes – Cerro Tololo, La Silla, Gemini South and Las Campanas – tells you we’re likely to encounter minimal cloud cover, even though the 2019 eclipse falls in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere’s winter. We’ve selected a site that’s tucked into a protected valley in the Andean foothills. It’s far enough inland to escape any coastal cloudiness that might occur on the big day, and deep enough in the mountains to erode any passing clouds from larger-scale weather systems. Satellite measurements show an average daytime cloudiness of just 35% in July, making our site one of the best in the region. Based on past weather statistics, we know that 25 days of the month are liable to be either sunny or partly cloudy, with most of those clouds in the morning hours, well before the arrival of the lunar shadow.
This morning we discover the historic side of La Serena, Chile’s second-oldest city, strolling with our local expert through the well-preserved central precinct. Set on a bay edged with sandy beaches, this regional capital is known for its pleasant weather – even when we’re visiting at the height of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. After a stroll among colonial-style buildings, we visit La Recova, the main market, where you’ll find a diverse array of artisanal crafts and other uniquely Chilean products. After lunch we carry on to the scenic campus of the University of La Serena, which has splendid panoramic views. At the end of the day, join your TravelQuest astronomer for an informative discussion of photography techniques, eclipse safety and the latest weather updates for tomorrow’s big event.
After an early breakfast, we’re off to La Serena Airport for the flight to Cuzco, ancient capital of the Inca Empire. From there we travel northward, deeper into the Andes, with a stop at the market town of Chinchero to shop for textiles and local crafts while taking in the stunning foothills scenery. Then, after lunch, we carry on to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. At 2,870 m (9,420 ft) above sea level, it’s lower than Cuzco and is considered a good place for acclimatizing to the region’s high altitude.
After an early breakfast, get ready to experience Machu Picchu, the legendary Inca city in the sky. We’re keeping our hotel rooms in Cuzco, so you only need to bring a small travel bag for your overnight excursion. At nearby Ollantaytambo, board our first-class Vistadome train to travel from the Sacred Valley up into the cloud forest, enjoying unmatched views of the peaks through the glass-ceilinged cars. Your 1.5-hour journey ends at Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu, where we arrive in time for lunch at a typical Andes restaurant. We’ve timed our tour of Machu Picchu for later in the afternoon, as many visitors arrive earlier in the day and will already have headed back down the mountain – creating a more enjoyable experience for us. After lunch, a shuttle whisks you up the mountain to the site entrance, where our expert guide is waiting to show you this magnificent Inca city that remained hidden from outsiders for so long. Seeing and photographing firsthand the expansive stone ruins, steep terraces and looming cliffs, it’s easy to understand why Machu Picchu is ranked among the true wonders of human design: the stonework is so well engineered that many walls remain almost perfectly intact after more than five centuries. Following this initial experience of Machu Picchu, we return to Aguas Calientes and our comfortable hotel for the night.
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart in the late morning for Cuzco, passing through the archaeological center of Pisac and enjoying lunch at a restaurant with wonderful views of the Sacred Valley. Continuing our journey, we stop at the magnificent Inca citadel of Sacsayhuaman, whose walls were built using massive stones. It’s an awe-inspiring feat of construction – and the outlooks offer superb views of our final destination: Cuzco. Arriving in late afternoon, you’re free to enjoy dinner and an evening of exploring on your own.
You only need to step outside the door of our hotel to discover the historical and cultural legacy of Cuzco – or Q`osqo, “The Navel of the World,” in the Quechua language. As the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th through the 15th centuries, Cuzco was renowned for its palaces, temples and other stone structures. Unfortunately, during the Spanish conquest many of these gems were destroyed and their foundations used for the public buildings and churches we see today – themselves monuments to another bygone age. This dual legacy of Inca and colonial architecture made Cuzco an obvious choice to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Highlights of your morning walking tour include Korikancha, the Incas’ Temple of the Sun and later the site of Santo Domingo Convent, as well as the impressive cathedral overlooking Plaza de Armas in the heart of the city. In the afternoon, stroll the streets of Cuzco at your leisure to shop for interesting keepsakes, sample regional cuisine at one of the many excellent restaurants and just absorb centuries of history in this magnificent city among the peaks.
Your expert-guided tour of Lima begins in the city’s historic central square, which is ringed by the Archbishop’s Palace, Government Palace, City Hall and the imposing Basilica Cathedral. Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima was the center of Spanish rule in South America for three centuries. Today its colonial heart is rightly protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your tour also includes a visit to the Convent of Santo Domingo, renowned for its beautiful cloisters and various relics of Santa Rose and San Martin de Porres, Peru’s two most important saints. For the balance of the day, relax and explore Peru’s fascinating capital on your own, prior to a farewell dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
