Peru Honeymoon Vacation Package

Lima reaches the hillside like an oasis as it shimmers in the sunlight while you venture into the arid desert of Ica. The sweet aroma of grapes along the desert earth has replaced the fragrance of the city, rising from the wine-growing region of Paracas. You watch the expanse of the plain sweep to the horizon where the sapphire blue of the Pacific gives respite to the desert panorama. The sweet smell of grapes and dry earth stretches across the open desert lands. Once in Ica you will board a sightseeing plane and soar through the open sky where you can look down onto the earth and witness the sensational Nazca lines. Spread across the valley are giant geoglyphs that display diverse representations of natural and geometrical objects from a spider to a monkey, a bird to a hand, each one carved into the earth and preserved for centuries leaving mystery and beauty behind.

At the Huacachina Lagoon you will witness the brilliance of a true oasis. The sand dunes of the desert wrap around the pristine waters of the lagoon like a fortress, hiding the source from the elements and those beyond the ridge. It feels like you have been transported to the Sahara where dunes rise and fall along the desert plain for miles.  The sweet scent of the palms surrounds the sand as the trees sway in the welcome breeze. The water is cool against your toes and fingertips. The sun sinks behind the dunes and burns the sky giving a golden glow to the horizon that looks like your own personal fireplace. Snuggle up and watch as the passionate fire in the sky begins to fizzle out and give way to a sea of stars.  As night spreads over the desert you will settle in the luxuries of the town of Paracas.

The romance leads you away from the desert oases and back to the Pacific shores where the grandeur of the Ballestas Islands await you. The ocean mist billows in the refreshing breeze. The cool air brushes against your cheeks. As the boat drifts out farther from the shore you can look back and see the Candelabra of Paracas etched into the hillside. Like the Nazca Lines, the Candelabra has graced the land for centuries, filling the hillside with beauty and mystery. As you continue out to sea it looks like the candelabra is flickering and flittering just for you, your own private guiding light in the rolling waters. Once you arrive at the Ballestas Islands you can see the series of rock formations that have given refuge to the brilliance of wildlife. Sea lions bark and lounge along the craggy shores in the short distance. They crawl over and nestle into one another’s fur. Waves crash over the rocks; the mist flies into the air. You can see the sunlight bursting through the holes in the rocks like a spotlight showcasing the natural beauty of the sea, the land, and Peru.

Arrive back on shore with the Candelabra now hidden on the hillside. Venture to fabulous Lagunillas, which is located in the Paracas National Reserve. The sea is touched by the corners of the hills that continue to spread into the horizon, their peaks rounded and rolling across the sky. The earth is craggy against your hands as you make your way up the terrain for the spectacular view across the sea. The rush of waves and gentle breeze gives you the seclusion that only nature can provide, where the world continues to spin and cities continue to bustle, but it’s you, your loved one, the view, and the breeze whispering the romance in your ear. In the evening you will find yourself back in Lima where you can relax like the royalty that you are, set within the luxurious embrace of the City of Kings.

The splendor of the City of Kings has and will continue to shine between the sea and foothills for lifetimes to come as you wave goodbye to Lima and head toward Cusco. The sensations of the Inca Capital are written on the streets and in the buildings. The Spanish architecture sits within the depths of the Andes and rises along Inca foundations while filled with Quechua devotion. The streets rise and fall with the rolling of the hills that seep into the mountains surrounding the city. Colorful rooftops glow; the Incan fortress of Sacsayhuaman stand proud on the precipice overlooking the city; the ancient heart of Cusco continues to beat powerfully within the Plaza de Armas.

The mountain air is crisp and cool. The sound of laughter and bartering drips out of the central market. Chinchero women texture their gorgeous garments at the Cultural Center. Their hats shine with red ridges that wrap around their crests. Their magnificent weaving ability gives effervescence to the quality and color of the textiles. The only colors that could compare to the vibrancy of their clothing can be found in nature. When the evening drapes over the city you can settle into the comforts of your hotel and the sweet bitterness of some coca tea.

Step into the depths of the Sacred Valley where the wonders reach from the mountaintops to the basin, each village offering new excitement, each moment offering new beauty. Beneath the snowcapped peaks of the Andes, climbing down the hillside of Moray, are the circular terraces that are unlike anything you have ever seen. What look almost like crop circles sunk into the ground are actually a series of rotund agricultural terraces that have climbed and sunk through the hillside for hundreds of years. The intensity of the circles comes with their drastic microclimates, where the cool and lush top tier can change by over 40 degrees by the time you reach the bottom terrace. The magnificence of the site may make you want to reach the bottom and call up to the top terrace with the romantic words of Romeo calling to Juliet on her balcony.

Within the sensational valley are the saltpans of Maras. As you wind down the hillside the distance looks to be covered in a mixture of white and watery pools that range in size. As you reach closer to the saltpans, which looked like small crevices from the distance, you can see their actual girth steeped on the side of the mountain. Fed by a natural spring in the valley, the technique to mine the salt has been used since before the Inca, where the pools were terraced and filled with the natural salt water; when the water evaporates the salt is left and ready for harvest. You can dip your fingers into the pool; the salt is course against your skin. The magnitude of the saltpans is impressive and somehow graceful in their reach across the valley. In the evening you will return to Cusco where the setting sun gives a wonderful sparkle to the city streets.

The morning washes over the city with the rich fragrance of Peruvian coffee beckoning you awake. Today you will journey by train to the illustrious ruins of Machu Picchu, a city famous for its perfect condition and spectacular position. The train offers sensational views of the Sacred Valley where the grass stretches along the foothills reaching up into the snowcapped peaks and down again. The rich jungle shades the train from the sun and stretches to the edges of the valley basin. Once along the foothills of the lost city you will find the stone stairs that climb up the mountainside. The stones are calm and cold in the morning air. The clouds have burned off letting the sun shimmer against the stones. Machu Picchu rises in front of you, the ruins taking away your breath as you stand 7,972 feet above sea level.

Take your time amongst the history, where the images of the past are romantic, and the niches of the city offer seclude moments that bring history to life. The shadow of Huayna Picchu drifts across the plateau. The large stones are clear as day, unhindered by sprawling vegetation. At the Temple of the Three Windows you can see the awkward shapes of the windows, polygonal spaces between the stones that fit perfectly together. Gracing the floor is a large boulder smoothed into the ground. The position of the stone and the window capture the exact location of the sunrise. The beauty of the ruins and their position overlooking the valley are never less than breathtaking. Whether sitting along the terraces or strolling through the collection of temples, take your time, embrace the sky, and find the splendor of the lost city; it won’t take long.

The desirable qualities of Cusco go beyond the fact that it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in South America. The cobblestone streets flourish, giving a romantic air to the open and narrow alleyways.  There is an undeniable Spanish feel that is filled with a zest of Andean spirit. The wondrous architecture sparkles along the streets as if the golden walls of certain buildings continued to decorate the city. It is hard to turn away from the powerful monoliths of Sacsayhuaman that you feel watch over you as much as they guard the city. Exploring the splendor of Cusco brings you from the power of the Inca to the prowess of the Spanish, all set within the splendor of the modern city graced with a romantic flame.

The Church of Santo Domingo was once the glorious temple of the Koricancha, Temple of the Sun. The walls were once plated with gold, making the Spanish believe that the city was the fabled site of El Dorado. Although the golden walls have gone, the opulence of the church and the temple remain, including the perfectly structured rounded wall that graces the outside of the church.  Stand on the small platform within the first chamber of the church to witness the perfect symmetry of openings in the stone chambers. A series of Inca stones reveal the fabulous concept of male and female blocks and how they fit together, which has been the jewel of architectural splendor and has kept their structures standing and thriving for hundreds of years.

The fabulous city of Cusco begins to fade into the distance as you make your way out of the Andes en route to the Amazon. The closer you come to the canopy the more the passion pulses through you as you come within reach of the secluded elegance of the rainforest arriving in Boca Manu. The air is warm and absorbing and the trees almost overtake the sky in the distance. You can hear the gentle rush of water along the riverbanks as you step closer to the famous Amazon River. The sky rumbles with the caw of parrots; the sound echoes through the brush. Board a motor taxi and soon you will cruise through the refreshing water of the Madre de Dios River, arriving at the spectacular private location of the Manu Wildlife Center.

Within the rich and fabled rainforest lies the majesty of the wildlife center. The calm water sits beneath the canopy in a stunning lagoon. Leaves whisper around you in the still air. The light shines through the canopy in flashes spotlighting flowers, roots, and nests in the trees. Follow your guide as he shows you the treasures of the jungle hidden within the jungle. Monk sakis clamber along the thick branches. The monkey looks like a monk, its hair shaped into a bowl cut by nature and evolution, and has an orangutan face and a long, black tail. Beneath the trees, you will delight in a wondrous dining experience, where the aroma of the food calls to you as if you had been stuck in the trees. Within the calm of the evening, you will venture to the clay lick and climb to the top of the 17-foot tall observation center. Tapirs lumber to the clay, a mammal that looks like a combination between a forest pig and an anteater. Their high-pitched grunting echoes through the leaves. Beneath the wealth of the night sky, you can rest in the fabulous comforts of the rainforest.

Part of the glory of the morning in the Amazon is rising to the sound of the birds tweeting and calling beneath the canopy. The early air is a welcome cool that you want to soak into your skin. The aroma of fresh coffee drips around the trees and calls you to breakfast. Along the famous cliffs of the parrot clay lick, you find the red sand quiet. One by one you can see the colors of birds waiting in the trees. Soon, though, the first parrot sits along the edges of the cliff, biting at the mineral-rich clay. Eventually more and more parrots join, a kaleidoscope of color swirling around the clay, with feathers that burst from the earth with shades of blue and red that you can hardly believe are natural. When the calls and cries, wing flaps and claw scraping fades, the colors of nature return to normal and the morning is quiet once again.

Within the depths of the oxbow lakes you can sit at its heart and listen to nature as you go unnoticed.  Giant otters slide through the water and rest on the shores, blending into fallen branches. Hoatzins spend time beneath the trees, their red feathers, standing like a Mohawk, shine in the spots of sunlight. The plump bird has a prehistoric look somewhere between a turkey, a fish eagle, and a punk rocker with wings. Their circular wingspan is dotted with colors that help them blend into the brush. The more time you spend amongst the stunningly wild life of the Amazon the more your passion grows.

Monkeys hop and crawl along the branches giving a bounce and rustle to the leaves around you at dawn and providing you with a unique morning in the seclusion of the jungle. The fragrance of coffee and fresh rain give way to a delectable sweetness from a variety of fruit trees indigenous to the jungle. Fig trees wrap around their host like a vine, giving them the name Strangler Fig Trees and producing fruit that is sweet to the taste. The raspberry red insides of the Titoki tree and are as alluring and sensual as they come. Your guide beckons you forward and points into the distance. It is hard to see through the dangling branches and spots of light; along the trees you can make out the swish of a tail and yellow, piercing eyes. Sighting a jaguar is equal parts exhilarating and terrifying, but as you watch the big cat sun itself it is impossible to turn away. Her spots are displayed brightly against the log. You want to look directly into her eyes but are warned not to. You quietly leave the jaguar, letting it resume its relaxation in peace. Follow your guide back to the center and revel in the sight, the sound, and the brilliance of your time beneath the canopy.

The time has come for you to venture out of the Manu Wildlife Center; you will travel along the waters of the Madre de Dios River once again, where the gentle sound of the water trickles up from beneath the boat. The morning calls of macaws rush out from the trees. Fish soar through the river. Fish eagles glide above the water in search of breakfast. Fisherman cast lines and nets into the water, the delicate ecosystem continuing as it has for as long as anyone can remember. You dip your fingers into the warmth of the water as you glide along the banks; once you disembark the boat you will board your flight and watch the canopy disappear beneath the clouds. Your return to Cusco will have you relaxing along the serene view of Plaza San Blas, where the comforts of a tangy and sweet Pisco sour and the panorama of the city are yours to absorb. It might be a big change from the canopy, but the colorful rooftops are just as exciting and, in their own way, just as beautiful.

Today your holiday through Peru will take you out of Cusco and farther into the sky for your return trip home. You can see the mountaintops poking into the air as the plane glides away. You search the distance to see if you can find the greenery of the canopy and the meandering waters of the Amazon but soon even the mountains fade.  There is no doubt that your venture through Peru has been filled with splendor, from the seaside to the riverbanks, mountainside to ruins. When home comes into view you can be rest assured that the memories of your honeymoon will never fade and the romance of Peru will always be at your fingertips.

Consider adding on to this customized Peru tour. Take a look at the Machu Picchu travel agent reviews for traveler feedback and ideas.