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Arrival in Lima
AM: Arrival in Lima, welcome at the airport, and transfer to your selected hotel.
Lima – Cusco
AM: Following breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to the airport at the appropriate time for your flight to Cusco. After being met at the Cusco airport and then taken to your chosen hotel, you will be welcomed with a traditional mate de coca, a typical infusion that helps to acclimatize visitors to the city’s high altitude. The rest of the morning will be free for you to relax.
In the afternoon we will tour the imperial city of Cusco, visiting some of the best archeological remains from Incan times. We will also visit amazing colonial-era sites such as The Cathedral, famous for its gold and silver baroque style; Qurikancha, the “Temple of the Sun”; the Saksaywaman temple and fortress; Q’inqo, with its halls and passageways; Puka Pukara, an Inca fort and storehouse; and Tambomachay, the place of the water rituals.
Return to Cusco.
Cusco – Sacred Valley – Aguas Calientes City
AM: Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will visit the town of Pisac and the Pisac Market, renowned for its high-quality crafts. We will have lunch in the ancient town of Urubamba, and then a drive to Ollantaytambo, the sole Incan town that retains a pre-Hispanic architecture style. Built between two mountains in a strategic position that covers the entire valley, Ollantaytambo formerly served as a military complex and a religious center. We will then drive to Ollanta Station, where trains bound for the town of Aguas Calientes depart. After a 2-hour trip, we will reach your hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Aguas Calientes City – Machu Picchu – Cusco
AM: After breakfast, we will take a 30-minute bus trip to the entry of the fabulous citadel of Machu Picchu. Declared a UNESCO “World Heritage Site” and one of the “Seven Wonders of the World,” we will begin our tour of the citadel, admiring its steps, temples, sanctuaries and terraces. There is still no known explanation as to how the Incas could move 20-ton stones to the top of Machu Picchu, a mystery that makes this a uniquely spiritual and beautiful site. We will then have lunch.
In the afternoon, we will take a scenic train ride back to Cusco.
Cusco – Lima
AM: After your breakfast at the hotel, we will drive you to the airport with plenty of time to reach your next destination: Peru’s capital city of Lima. Transfer to your hotel.
In the afternoon we will begin your tour through Ancient Lima with a visit to Huaca Pucllana, an archeological site built in the 4th century A.D. Here, you can observe world-renowned sacred pyramid structures that were typical of pre-Columbian times along Peru’s Pacific coast. The tour will continue with a visit to Colonial Lima, where you will be able to appreciate its striking republican architecture and streets with colonial-era mansions and their Moorish balconies. We will also visit the Paseo de la República, Plaza San Martín and the Plaza Mayor, the Palace of Government, the Archiepiscopal’s Palace, the Cathedral and the Municipal Palace. In the capital city’s historic district, we will also visit the Museum of the Central Reserve Bank, where you can appreciate the “Treasures of Peru,” a select exposition of gold, ceramic and textile antiques from diverse pre-Columbian cultures. We will enter the San Francisco convent, which houses the largest display of colonial religious art in the Americas. From there we will tour the subterranean crypts, considered catacombs due to their similarity to the Roman crypts.
Finally, we will tour Contemporary Lima, visiting the upscale residential areas of the capital, including El Olivar de San Isidro, Miraflores and Larcomar, as well as the tourist district, with its spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.
Lima – Iquitos
AM: Following your breakfast at your hotel, we will drive you to the Lima airport for your flight to the Amazonian city of Iquitos. You will begin your Peruvian jungle adventure with a 60-mile journey to the town of Nauta, the first township founded by the Spanish, on the Marañón River.
In Nauta, we will visit the Sapi Sapi Pond where you can see exotic aquatic species such as paiche (the largest Amazonian fish), and quelonios and taricaya turtles. You will also be given a brief overview of the town at Centenary Square.
From Nauta, we will board Hatuchay Hotel boats to Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge. Once there, you will receive a warm welcome with a seasonal fruit drink and a presentation in the Kukama Kukamiria language by a member of the local tribe. After leaving your luggage in your room, we will then have lunch. In the afternoon we will go for a walk where typical plant and animal life of the jungle will be pointed out.
In the late afternoon, we will try to locate demdrobates, tiny “poison-dart” frogs characterized by their bright colors. We will return to the lodge with ample time to relax before dinner.
Pacaya Samiria Reserve – Amazonian Lodge
AM: After breakfast, we will venture into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve to reach an area called “Nauta Caño.” During this excursion, near the gorge of the same name, we will search for pink and gray dolphins. Here, you will find yourself immersed in the vast variety of plant and wildlife the reserve offers.
We will also go for a walk through a flooded forest, where we will try to spot a few primates and sloths. During the journey, you will also be able to observe the great variety of birds and witness traditional Amazonian subsistence fishing.
Later we will visit the women’s crafts center (seasonal) of the San Jorge community, known for their work with natural chambira fiber and Wingoor pumpkin carving.
After this excursion, you will have some well-deserved downtime, followed by dinner.
After dinner, a guide will invite you to sit around a fire, where he will share myths and legends of the Peruvian Amazon with you.
Jungle Hiking – “Amazonian World View” Presentation
AM: After breakfast, we will go hiking through the jungle, where you can see a variety of timber-yielding trees and birds native to this forest. Hopefully, you will get glimpses of more primates and mammals as we journey toward a rustic camp to rest in hammocks and enjoy our boxed lunches. If you wish, you can also enjoy a refreshing swim in the waters of a high gorge, where the guide will explain the importance of its existence and the role the gorge plays in the ecosystem. We will return to the lodge to get some rest prior to a presentation about “The Amazonian World View,” particularly the use of medicinal plants and Ayahuasca. This will be followed by dinner.
Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve
AM: Immediately following breakfast we will leave for one night of camping in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. During this visit, we will canoe on black waters and visit the indigenous Veinte de Enero community, where the guide will explain resource management carried out by local groups – including palm and turtle/fishery resources management. You will once again be immersed in the wide variety of flora and fauna that the reserve offers.
At noon we will stop for a boxed lunch, and then visit the Japón and Plantano lagoons, both possessing a wide variety of palm trees and beautiful scenery. Next, we will reach another flooded forest, where we will set up camp. You may choose to take a walk to observe more animals, or you might prefer a cool dip in a nearby natural pool.
In the evening, we will go on an excursion by boat to observe nocturnal wildlife habits, followed by dinner.
Pacaya Samiria Amazon Reserve – Lodge – Iquitos – Lima
AM: In the morning we will return to the lodge by boat, during which time you can enjoy the view of the strikingly beautiful Amazonian surroundings and perhaps see some of the animals we didn’t observe on our way into the reserve – in the jungle, nothing can be predicted. We will reach the lodge about midday, where lunch will be ready.
From there, you will be taken back to Iquitos for your return flight to Lima.
Price per person
First Class
USD$ 3886
Included in the price
- Nine (9) nights of lodging at your chosen hotel, with daily breakfasts included
- Meals indicated in this itinerary
- Tours based on private services with English-speaking guides
- Vistadome Train on the Ollantaytambo/Aguas Calientes/Poroy routes
- Private ground transportation between hotels, airports and/or bus stations
- Regular tours at the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (Iquitos)
- Local guide services at Machu Picchu
- Entrance fee to Machu Picchu
Not included in the price
- National flights (Lima – Cusco// Cusco – Lima – Lima – Iquitos // Iquitos – Lima)
- International flights
- Services not indicated in the itinerary
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses
