Trip name: Machu Picchu & Amazon Basin
Trip Length: 10 Days
Type service: Group Tour
Type itinerary: Customize Destinations: Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Amazon Jungle Activities: Culture and History / Trekking and Walking
Difficulty / Physical Activity: ***Moderate – 3-5 hour of physical activity daily
Comfort: **Moderate to superior-class accommodations, combined with basic accommodations or camping

Highlights: Lima, Enjoy Amazon Rainforest depth Tambopata Reserve, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Andes Mountains, Cusco, Pisaq ruins and Indian market, Ollantaytambo ruins, Mandor Valley Bird watching

Discover southern Peru’s Inca ruins, highland scenery & lush Amazon rainforest

Discover the wildlife & Inca culture. A perfect 10 day trip for travelers who want to see the best of Peru in a short amount of time, like: Lima, Amazon Tambopata Rainforest, Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and more.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – International Arrival in Lima

Our representative will meet with you at International Lima Airport and escort you to your hotel.

There are no planned activities, so check into the hotel and rest up. Overnight at Lima Hotel

Meals Included: None

Note: Arrive in Lima at any time but we highly recommend you arriving to Lima between 3 to 10pm

Day 2 – Lima Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at the Hotel; morning free to relax; we recommend you to take a long rest and be prepared to begin with this unforgettable journey through our wonderful country.

At 2:30pm start your guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima, the “City of Kings”. This excursion offers the best combination of the different attractions in Lima and its three historical periods: pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary. In Lima, there were several different pre-Columbian cultures which are dated thousands of years back. Lima was part of the Inca Empire until was founded by the Spaniard Francisco Pizarro on the 18th of January, 1535; back to Hotel – Overnight at Lima Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3 – Flight to Cusco – Cusco Sightseeing Tour

Breakfast at your hotel; transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital of the Incas. Upon arrival to Cusco; reception and transfer to your Hotel – free morning to get acclimatization

After lunch at 1:30pm; Cusco tour including the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara and Tambomachay. Our tour will beginning on to the Main Square of Cusco. You’ll enter the Cathedral of Cusco and see the beautiful woodwork and colonial paintings containing extensive Incan iconography. Visit the Korikancha (Temple of the Sun) on which the Santo Domingo Convent was built. Legend says this temple was completely gold coated, which impressed the conquerors upon their arrival.

Ascend to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman and visit the Cuidadela. This is the royal house where they admired the Sun God but also worshiped younger gods. Admire this large structure and enjoy the magnificent landscape which brings peace and tranquility. Next, visit Qenqo, the old temple of the Puma. Inside you can see a sacrificial altar made of a huge stone. At Tambomachay, you’ll see the sacred fountains of life and health.

Pucapucara safeguarded the city gates and the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The tour ends with a detailed visit of the city of Cusco – Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 4 – Sacred Valley of the Tour

Breakfast at the hotel; pick up from the hotel at 8:30am for your full day tour to the impressive Sacred Valley of the Incas, explore the beautiful Peruvian countryside with a full-day tour of the magical Sacred Valley. First place, you will visit the town of Pisaq, famous for its bustling market. This native town was once where “exchange transactions” took place. In this type of transaction, customers would exchange one good for another instead of using currency. Visit the market of Pisaq where you can purchase beautifully crafted products hand-made by the locals.

On Sunday, the main attraction is a mass celebrated in Quechua and conducted in Spanish. It is attended by the mayors and their attendants who play traditional musical instruments called “pututos.”

Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a typical Peruvian lunch (included in price) before visiting the fortress of Ollantaytambo.

Next, you will visit the impressive ruins of Ollantaytambo fortress. These magnificent ancient ruins serve as great vantage points to look out over the valley. Originally the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuteq during the Inca Empire, this site later served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui in the Inca´s final rebellion against the Spanish. In the afternoon back to Cusco – Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5 – Train to Aguas Calientes & Mandor Valley Bird watching

Breakfast at the hotel; Pick from the Hotel for your Excursion to Machu Picchu 2 Day, early transfer to the nearby train station to Poroy for the train journey to the mysterious lost city of Machu Picchu, the train ride to Machu Picchu is one of the most beautiful journeys that visitors can experience in our country. The trip offers a great natural, so many staggering views of the Andes and a jungle atmosphere after descending to the (2000m/6560ft). After around 3 ½ hours, we will have arrived in Aguas Calientes, transfer to the Hotel after check in. Lunch in Aguas Calientes at Indio Feliz Restaurant

Mandor Valley Bird watching; after lunch you’ll visit Mandor Valley; we walk along the Vilcanota River following the railroad tracks into the Mandor Valley to visit its waterfall. The valley is inhabited by varied and fascinating birdlife, including Speckle-faced Parrots and Green Jays, and we have opportunity to find Cock-of-the-Rock. We will relax and perhaps bathe under the waterfall before walking back to the hotel in the shadow of Machu Picchu

Overnight at Aguas Calientes Hotel

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6 – Full Day Machu Picchu & Back to Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel; full day Excursion to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, early transfer at 5:30am to the Bus Stop for the short ride (25 minutes) up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, you will participate in a guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, houses, warehouses, a large central square; and all connected by narrow roads and steps that are surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side. After the tour you’ll have time to stroll around the Archaeological Site at your leisure.

Then, you will have time to perform some of the following activities by yourself (not included in the price):

1. Climb to Wayna Picchu; for the most adventurous people, we suggest to go up the Wayna Picchu from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being high anddistant.
2. Walk to Sun Gate; opportunity to walk (approx. 1 hour) up to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku)

Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant in Machu Picchu (included in the price)

Train back to Cusco: In the afternoon you’ll return to the train station in Aguas Calientes for the trip back to Cusco – train departure to Cusco; upon arrival to Cusco reception and transfer to the Hotel

Overnight at Cusco Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7 – Flight to Puerto Maldonado – Tambopata Lodge

Breakfast at the hotel; transfer to Cusco airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado; upon arrival from Cusco, reception by an English speaking guide, while enjoying your first taste of the forest in our gardens we will ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days, and leave the rest at our safe deposit. Drive 20km (12, 42 miles) to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. The 2 ½ hours boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas will take us past the Community of Infierno and the Tambopata National Reserve´s checkpoint and into the buffer zone of this 1.3 million hectare conservation unit.

Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.

Canopy Tower; a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas leads to the 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you.

Ecotourism Lecture; a daily presentation on the Infierno ecotourism project is available every night from a staff member – Overnight at Posada Amazonas Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 – Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake – Ethnobotanical Tour

Breakfast at Lodge; visit Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake; Tres Chimbadas is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters (seen by 60% of our lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. Otters are most active from dawn to eight or nine AM.

Ethnobotanical Tour; a twenty minute boat drive downriver leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants.

Night walk; you will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.

Overnight at Posada Amazonas Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 – Parrot clay lick – Ceiba Trail Hike – Farm visit

Parrot Clay Lick; this clay lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow- headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons.

Ceiba Trail Hike; we leave from the lobby at Posada Amazonas and embark on a two hour hike crowned by the largest tree in the vicinity: a giant ceiba tree. During the hike we will focus on the natural history of the rain forest and its principal taxonomic groups.

Farm Visit; a thirty minute boat drive downriver takes us to the most complete farm in the community of Infierno. The owner grows a diverse variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. In his garden, just about every plant and tree serves a purpose – Overnight at Posada Amazonas Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 – Departure from Lodge – Flight to Lima – Connect at International Flight

Breakfast; transfer Boat – Posada Amazonas to Tambopata River Port then to Puerto Maldonado, we retrace our river and road journey back to Puerto Maldonado, our office and the airport. Depending on airline schedules, this may require dawn departures; flight to Lima where you can connect at the same airport for International flight.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Services Included

All mentioned land transport (bus, etc.), Hotel accommodation with breakfast, entrance to parks and cultural sights, guided visits and mentioned excursions, English/Spanish speaking guide to accompany visits and excursions, all transfers, meals as indicated in the itinerary, Train tickets Expedition Class, Amazon Tour

Services not included

International airfares, domestic flights

Airport departure (US$ 30 per person for international flights and US$ 6.5 for national flights) taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature, personal equipment, obligatory personal insurance and meals which are not mentioned, Entrance fee to Wayna Picchu Mountain.

Flights

Domestic flights are not included in the price; you’ll need to book the following

 Day 3 – Flight to Cusco – Cusco Sightseeing Tour

Lima to Cusco in the morning; you can buy with Star Peru –www.starperu.com

Day 7 – Flight to Puerto Maldonado – Tambopata Lodge

Cusco to Puerto Maldonado in the morning; you can buy with Star Peru – www.starperu.com

Day 10 – Departure from Lodge – Flight to Lima – Connect at International Flight

Puerto Maldonado to Lima in the morning; you can buy with Star Peru –www.starperu.com

Other companies that you can buy domestic flight tickets will be LAN www.lan.com OR AVIANCA www.avianca.com.pe