PERU VACATION FEATURING MACHU PICCHU & LAKE TITICACA

We're off to a good start with this trip which was listed in our last newsletter. It's a fantastic trip where we will be visiting Lake Titicaca in addition to Cuzco and Machu Picchu a fascinating spot called the Lost City of the Incas. We start off with 1 night in Lima to rest up from our internatonal flight, then we'll fly to Cusco, the center of the Incan world for 2 nights. We?ll tour the city and ruins including the Temple of the Sacred Water and we'll even have an opportunity to mountain bike through the Sacred Valley. Then we'll take the Inca Express train through the unforgettable Urubamba Gorge for our 2-night visit to Machu Picchu where we can trek through the final stretch of the Inca Trail. There are really no words to explain Machu Picchu adequately except to say it is majestic and magical. With surreal clouds that hang from the surrounding mountains it appears as if these sacred ruins are leaping out from a fantasy. It is one of my favorite places on earth. From there we'll spend one more night in Cusco and then take a train to Puno and the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. We'll enjoy the incredible view of the herds of alpaca and llamas grazing on these highland pampas, interspersed with small villages, and the majestic backdrop of the Andes. Here, indigenous culture is at its height despite modernization of the rest of the Andes. The Uros Islands are divided into 35 floating islands with about 1000 habitants divided into 250 families. In the 13th century the Uros Indians took refuge in the middle of the lake's water in order to escape slavery and fighting with the Incas. We'll even have an opportunity to stay with the locals. Then we'll visit to the famous pre-inca tombs of Sillustani on the way, located on the shores of the solitary Umayo Lagoon, these tombs or Chullpas with circular shaped towers were a cemetery for the religious leaders of Tiawanacu Culture almost 2000 years ago. We'll head back to Lima, spend the night, and enjoy a final city tour. Cost of just $2,289 includes air from LAX, air from Lima to Cusco and Juliata to Lima, 8 nights hotel (dbl. occupancy), all land transfers, train to Machu Picchu and to Puno, all entrance fees to sites in the itinerary, 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, service charges, and taxes. Not included in this price are departure tax/ fuel surcharge (currently at $248) and the $12 departure tax from Peru. To sign up please visit www.singlesinparadise.com where you will see this trip and can fill out our trip form and pay the $200 deposit. Balance is due on 9/1. NOTE: Members of the Athletic Singles Association save $100 on this trip.