The Amazon and Machu Picchu

Welcome to Peru

Lima was the center of Spanish power in the Americas for three centuries. Today it is a bustling modern city which still retains some of its historical ambiance.

When your international flight arrives in Lima you will be met and assisted by our English-speaking representative. He will accompany you to the Costa Ramada el Sol Hotel located at Lima Airport. We recommend spending the first night at the airport hotel since most flights from the US arrive late in the evening and your flight to Puerto Maldonado will leave the next morning. This way you will have a good night sleep.

Welcome to Peru

In the morning you will be transferred to Lima airport to board your internal flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado. From there you will be assisted in your transfer by boat to the Reserva Amazonica in Tambopata. Tambopata is located between the regions of Puno and Madre de Dios and was established in 1990 to protect the flora and fauna found there. After a brief rest, you will take a guided walk along one of the many beautiful trails, where you see many different examples of bird and insect life. This is a wonderful introduction to the Amazon Rainforest. As the sun starts to set, you will take a boat ride along the Madre de Dios River and observe how the environment changes as twilight gives way to darkness.

You also may have the opportunity to see such animals as nightjars (a species of bird), owls, capybaras, and caimans.

Day of Jungle Activities

In the morning you will take a five minute boat ride to the Canopy Inkaterra Interpretation Center. The center consists of eight observation platforms, located 30 meters up and linked by suspension bridges. You will spend some time walking on the bridges that stretch between the different platforms, observing the jungle from above and seeing various bird species flying in the canopy or landing nearby. Some of the animals you may see include woodpeckers, toucans, monkeys, and sloths.

After lunch, you can enjoy a visit to the Sandoval Lake. This palm-rimmed lake is the most beautiful and rich in wildlife of all the lakes in Tambopata. It is the home of many species, including giant river otters, hoatzins (prehistoric-looking birds), kingfishers, and herons. The lake is also good place to cool off with a refreshing swim.

Day of Jungle Activities

This morning, you take a ten-minute boat ride to visit Concepción, home to a botanical garden with more than 200 different species of plants.

After lunch, you take a boat to visit Rolin Island and Community, where you will spend an hour exploring and learning about island ecosystems.  This includes a presentation at the Primate Rescue Center, home to three species of primates: the brown capuchin, white capuchin, and squirrel monkey.

Private Transfer to the Sacred Valley/Sacsayhuaman Complex/Living Museum of Awanacancha

North-west of Cusco the fertile Urubamba valley (also known as the Sacred Valley) winds westwards, with picturesque villages, local markets, and archaeological sites framed by towering peaks. The town of Ollantaytambo is famous for its Incan complex, Pisac has a lively market, and the salt pans of Maras and the Inca terraces of Moray are definitely worth a detour.

This morning you transfer to Puerto Maldonado and visit the city’s butterfly farm, which contains more than 3,800 varieties of butterflies and moths, making it unique in Peru.

Afterwards you will be transferred to the airport to board your direct internal flight from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be met and assisted by our Cusco host. You will head straight for the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River. The valley is a tranquil oasis of cultural, historical, and agricultural richness just 45 minutes from Cusco and a few thousand feet lower in elevation. Heading straight to the valley upon arrival will help you with the acclimatization process.

You will make your way to the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, an ancient Incan complex, built in the form of the sacred puma, that stands above the city of Cusco. You will wonder at the amazing engineering feats of the Inca, whose techniques for fitting together huge stones with neither mortar nor cement are marvelled at the world over.

You will make another stop at the Living Museum of Awanakancha, where you can find weavers, Incan agricultural terraces, and the South American camelids, which include the Vicuña, Guanaco, Llama and Alpaca.

Pisac Archaeological Complex and Market

Today you will explore Pisac, a name that refers both to the colonial town and to the archaeological complex that lies on a mountain spur 1900 feet above. A walk around this archaeological complex provides tremendous views of the valley below and its agricultural terracing, which wrap around the south and east flanks of the mountain in graceful curves. The archaeological site is divided into 4 sections: Pisaqa, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa, and Kinchiracay. The sun temple is located in the Intihuatana Zone and contains a “hitching post” to tie up the sun during its journey across the sky. It is believed to have served an astronomical purpose for the Inca priests. There are also Inca crosses representing the three levels of existence planted in the earth here.

You will have ample time to explore the native village, which is very quiet most of the week but springs to life when the market is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Here you can purchase handmade items such as ceramics, silver, costume jewelry, embroidery, tapestries, and textile arts directly from the artist who created them. The variety of colorful crafts and textiles available is a treat for the eye.

After lunch at the 3 Keros Gourmet Restaurant, you will return to your hotel.

Train Journey to Aguas Calientes/Private Visit of the Sanctuary.

For most travelers, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is the climax of their visit. This is an awe-inspiring sight, superb Inca craftsmanship perched amidst verdant vegetation, high above the winding Urubamba River.

After breakfast, you will have an early morning departure to the train station for the ride to Aguas Calientes, and then a private guided tour of the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is the best-known Inca site of the modern world, but little is known of its importance to the Incas. It is not mentioned in any of the Spanish chronicles, and archaeologists can only speculate about its function. Though known to the Quechua peasants who lived around it, the modern world was unaware of its existence until Hiram Bingham ‘discovered’ it by accident in 1911. From the fine quality of its stonework, it is assumed that it must have been an important ceremonial center for the Incas. After a complete overview of the site with your guide, you will enjoy lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge and then have the remainder of the day to further explore the site either alone or with your guide.

Free Day in Machu Picchu

You will have the day at leisure to enjoy Machu Picchu in relative tranquillity before the day-trip visitors from Cusco begin to arrive. For the energetic, there are numerous short hikes to be done in and around Machu Picchu, the most popular being the climb up Huayna Picchu, which is the pyramidal peak that forms the backdrop of the classic picture of the site. (Please note that only 400 persons per day are allowed to climb this mountain, so early departure is recommended). Otherwise, this day provides a great opportunity to find a quiet place and reflect upon the great mystery of Machu Picchu on your own.

In the afternoon you will board the Vistadome Train back to Cusco. Upon arrival to the train station of Poroy, you will be met and taken to your hotel in Cusco.

Private Walking Tour of Cusco

According to legend, Manco Capac plunged his golden staff into fertile ground and found the "navel of the earth." There he founded the capital of the Inca Empire. Today Cusco is probably Peru's most attractive city, a fascinating fusion of the past and present that most visitors find very hard to leave behind.

This morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel at the agreed time to begin your tour. You will start your walking city tour with a visit to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, which will help you to understand modern Peruvian culture through history. Next you will walk up to the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas. This charming part of the city is known as the gathering point for the artistic community. You will also visit the neighborhood church of San Blas. The highlight here is an incredibly intricate pulpit carved from a block of cedar wood. It was sculpted by the Quecha carver Juan Tomas Tuyro Tupaq more than four centuries ago.

Afterwards you will walk down and pass the narrow alley of Hatun Rumiyoq, the most famous Inca passageway of all. Within its impressive walls lies the famous 12-angled Inca Stone. From here you continue to Koricancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun, which is the main religious center of the Inca sun cult. Koricancha has some of the best Inca stonework in the city.  On top of this site, the Spanish Conquistadors built the Santo Domingo Convent with elaborate carvings, paintings, and other colonial-style works of art.

Your last stop for today will be the local market of San Pedro. Afterwards you can enjoy a free afternoon in the Inca Capital to explore on your own.

Return Home

Today you will be transferred to the airport to board your internal flight from Cusco to Lima. You will be met and assisted upon your arrival to Lima airport and transferred to Miraflores (the main commercial district of Lima) where you can spend some free time.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to Jorge Chavez Airport for your international flight back home.