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Australians can experience an authentic South American Easter this April – complete with colourful processions, folk dances and cultural ceremonies – on a new tour to Cuzco, Peru. The trip will also include a visit to the famed Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, and the lively capital city, Lima.

The team at Contours Travel – Australia’s longest-running tour operator for Latin America – are experts in planning special interest tours, personalising trips for different families and groups. ‘Easter week at Cuzco’ is an itinerary designed to focus on authentic cultural experiences, particularly the spectacular religious celebrations which grace the city each year.

Starting on April 12, 2019, the six-night tour begins in Lima, Peru’s seaside capital city, where guests will visit Government Palace, City Hall, the cathedral, an art gallery and Torre Tagle, a beautiful mansion built in 1735. Guests will then fly to Cuzco, where they will tour the city and its nearby archaeological sites. On Palm Sunday, guests may encounter folkloric dancers beginning the celebrations, and on Monday will watch the procession of the Señor de Los Temblores (Lord of the Tremors), a statue of Christ which is said to have miraculously stopped an earthquake in 1650. It is the most important Catholic symbol in the city and usually stays in the cathedral, except for the Easter celebrations.

The journey then continues to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with its temples, fortresses, and traditional textile displays from families who have had the craft passed down from their ancestors. An unforgettable day will be spent at Machu Picchu, which guests will travel to by Vistadome train, before touring this most renowned example of Incan architecture.

Guests will then return to Cuzco by train for Holy Thursday, a day traditionally for eating 12 different dishes of food, including delicious desserts. There, guests can sample traditional Peruvian sweets such as crispy maicillos biscuits, sponge cakes and empanada pastries, before transferring to the airport for their onward flight.

Along the way, guests will stay in four-star hotels with breakfast included. Including accommodation, city tours of Lima and Cuzco, entry to Machu Pichu, services of an English-speaking guide and all transfers as per itinerary, the tour costs from $2259 per person, twin-share. Flights from Australia are extra.

Specialising in Latin America only and headed by Ted Dziadkiewicz, a well-travelled expert on the region, Contours Travel offers hosted group tours and tailor-made itineraries for independent travellers throughout Latin America.

To book or make enquiries call Contours Travel on 1300 135 391 or visit www.contourstravel.com.au