Mountains of the Sun God Tour, Peru

The “Les montagnes du Dieu Soleil” tour at a glance

Les montagnes du Dieu Soleil (Mountains of the Sun God) is a 12-day, 11-night Club Med Discovery tour of Peru, starting and ending in Lima, part of the Nature Escape theme. It climbs gradually in altitude: Arequipa, the white city, then Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the visit to Machu Picchu after a train ride to Aguas Calientes, and Lake Titicaca with the floating Uros islands and Taquile island. An extension in Bolivia stretches the trip to 16 days, as far as the Uyuni salt flat. You stay mostly in 5-star hotels, including a hacienda in the Sacred Valley. Domestic flights, trains, full board with one local drink per meal, visits and French-speaking guides are included.

How does the tour unfold, from Lima to Machu Picchu?

After arriving in Lima, day 2 shows you the capital differently, with the Rímac district, the Casa Aliaga and the Larco museum, before the flight to Arequipa. Day 3 is spent in the white city, at 2,360 m, among its convents and volcanic-stone facades. On day 4, a morning flight reaches Cuzco: the colonial centre, the Coricancha temple, the Sacsayhuamán fortress, then a night in the Sacred Valley. On day 5, you visit the Ollantaytambo fortress before taking the train to Aguas Calientes. Day 6 is Machu Picchu day, and the train brings you back to the Sacred Valley in the evening.

And then, from Cuzco to Lake Titicaca?

On day 7, you meet the rural community of Misminay and discover the circular terraces of Moray before reaching Cuzco, at 3,400 m. Day 8 leads to the Pisac market, a corn farm and the Cochahuasi animal sanctuary, and ends with a dinner show in Cuzco. On day 9, the road to Puno, at 3,900 m, stops at Checacupe, the Andahuaylillas church and the Raqchi temple. On day 10, you sail on Lake Titicaca to the floating Uros islands, made of reeds, then to Taquile island. On day 11, you visit the Sillustani burial site before the Juliaca-Lima flight, and day 12 reveals the Barranco district, the Víctor Delfín museum and the Huaca Pucllana.

How does the tour handle altitude?

The itinerary is designed for a gradual climb in altitude, for a gentle journey. You first spend two nights in Arequipa, at 2,360 m, then sleep in the Sacred Valley, around 2,800 m, before tackling Cuzco at 3,400 m and Puno at 3,900 m. The highest point of the tour reaches 4,300 m. Your body adapts in stages, and the most demanding days come once you are already acclimatized. The pace is brisk, designed for curious travellers in good shape.

What does the Bolivia extension to the Uyuni salt flat offer?

The extension replaces the end of the tour from day 11 and stretches the trip to 16 days and 15 nights. From Puno, you reach La Paz via the Tiwanaku site. A flight then leads to Sucre, and the road runs on to Potosí and Colchani (410 km). Day 14 is devoted to crossing the Uyuni salt flat, with the Galaxias cave and Incahuasi island, and the night is spent in a hotel built of salt. On day 15, a flight returns to La Paz for the Valley of the Moon, and on day 16, a last flight reaches Lima.

Which hotels do you stay in during the tour?

In Lima, you stay at the Souma Hotel Vignette Collection, a 5-star hotel, and in Arequipa at the Costa del Sol, also 5 stars. In the Sacred Valley, the Hacienda Urubamba (5 stars) welcomes you among the mountains, and the night at the foot of Machu Picchu is spent at the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (5 stars). In Cuzco, it is the Marriott Cusco (4 stars), and in Puno, the Sonesta Posadas del Inca (4 stars), on the lakeshore. The extension adds the Met Hotel in La Paz and the Samary Hotel in Sucre, both 4 stars, and the simple, comfortable Palacio de Sal on the salt flat.

What is included, and who travels with the group?

The package includes domestic flights and their taxes, air-conditioned transport, the trains to Machu Picchu, accommodation, full board with one local drink, tea or coffee at every meal, visits, guides, porters and local taxes. Still to plan are international flights and airport transfers, extra drinks, tips, the annual Club Med membership fee and travel insurance. From 10 participants, a Club Med tour leader travels with the group, assisted by local guides; in smaller groups, French-speaking local guides look after you at each stage. Departures are guaranteed from the first booking.

When should you go to Peru for this tour?

In the Andes, the dry season runs roughly from May to October: clear skies, sunny days and cool nights at altitude. From December to March, the rainy season turns the mountains green and the sites are quieter. Your advisor tells you which departures are offered and helps you choose the right season.

How do you get to Lima from Quebec, and what documents do you need?

Lima is reached by flights from Montreal, with a stopover. Your advisor also books the transfers between the airport and the hotel, which are added to the tour. Canadian travellers leave with their passport; for Peru as for Bolivia on the extension, your advisor checks the requirements at the time of booking.

Which Club Med resort can extend the trip?

After the Andes, a week by the sea does a world of good. Our Club Med resorts in South America lend themselves to that extension, notably Club Med Trancoso, on the coast of Bahia, and your advisor arranges the flights between Peru and Brazil. For another great nature trip, see Patagonie et croisière au bout du monde or Natura verde in Costa Rica, and read our article on Peru and Machu Picchu from Quebec.

Why book this tour with AquaTerra?

Voyages Synergia received the Club Med Excellence Award 2025, and our advisors know how to prepare a high-altitude trip: choice of season, whether to add the Bolivia extension, flights and extra nights in Lima. Compare with the other Club Med tours in the Americas and the Caribbean, all Club Med tours and our Peru page.

Call 1-866-628-6241. You will reach someone who knows this tour and has time for you. We look together at what is available on your dates, we choose the right departure, and we stay on the line throughout your trip. That is the difference between booking alone in front of a screen and travelling with someone behind you.

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