Trip name: Machu Picchu & Amazon Basin
Trip Length: 10 Days
Type service: Group Tour
Type itinerary: Fixed 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, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Andes Mountains, Cusco, Pisaq ruins and Indian market, Ollantaytambo ruins, Mandor Valley Bird watching, Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone, Bahuaja Sonene National park, Macaws Clay Lick & Sandoval Lake

Discover Machu Picchu citadel and Macaws Clay Lick & Sandoval Lake

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, Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and more. The amazing macaw Clay Lick “Collpa” in the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park and the wonderful Sandoval Lake in the Tambopata – Candamo Reserved Zone.

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. 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 – Wasai 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 and transportation to the Wasai Maldonado Ecolodge, where you will receive a welcoming tropical fruit beverage. You will embark for a 4 hour motorboat trip up the Tambopata River to Wasai Tambopata Lodge & Research Center (box lunch on board). During the trip into the heart of the rain forest we will be able to observe clouds of butterflies, typical Amazon communities, while groups of birds pass over the boat and animals such as capybaras turtles and caiman. Reception and accommodation at Wasai lodge.

Introductory nocturnal walk to understand rainforest ecosystems and see some of the amazing trees

Return to the lodge for dinner. We will enjoy diverse sounds of the jungle which will accompany our first night in the Amazon – Overnight at Wasai Tambopata Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 – Visit Macaw Clay Lick

Early wake up at 4:30am to take a light breakfast (coffee or mate), to begin with our 40- minute journey upstream to the Macaw Clay Lick “El Chuncho” in the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. We will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful natural sceneries and wildlife of the riverbanks. At our arrival, if weather permits, we will observe one of the greatest wildlife spectacles where hundreds of parrots and different species of macaws gather to eat clay, an unforgettable experience. Then, we will walk through the river beach searching for animal footprints while we have refreshment.

In the middle morning we return to the lodge to have breakfast and then take a rest to relax or do the additional adventure activities like: zip line, triline, floating ropes or enjoy the facilities and the surroundings of Wasai.

(At 11 am) We leave again to take a 10 minute river journey to enjoy “Cascadas del Gato” (Cat Cascades), where we will swim in a “natural Jacuzzi”. If you wish, you can join us to fish in the river where inhabit more than 250 species of fish or do kayaking on the river (additional).

After lunch, we will have an ethno botanical walk into the rainforest by the Tambopata cross path, to learn about plants and medicinal trees of the area; and to observe the amazing jungle ecosystem where we will see walking palm trees, giant lupuna trees, snake trees and so on. At nightfall, we embark again to make a nocturnal caiman search – Overnight at Wasai Tambopata Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 – Visit Lake Sandoval

After breakfast we will make a trip in boat to the Wasai Maldonado Ecolodge, in Puerto Maldonado where we will relax in our bungalows and enjoy a tasty lunch. After lunch we will leave and travel for thirty minutes on the Madre de Dios River, to the access trail to Lake Sandoval, a beautiful typical rainforest lake. 3 km hike to the banks of the lake. There we will board a canoe to paddle around the lake enjoying the beauty of the landscape and observing the wildlife, such as kingfishers, herons, hoatzins (unique pre historic looking birds), monkeys, etc. If we are lucky we could see the family of giant otters which live at the lake. It is time to begin our return hike to the Madre de Dios River to return to Puerto Maldonado. There we will stay in the modern and comfortable bungalows of Wasai Maldonado Ecolodge. After dinner we will be able to rest or go around the city on foot or on bicycle. We can enjoy the pool and its cascade surrounded by verdant vegetation. Rest of the night free to enjoy the night life of this welcoming city – Overnight at Wasai Maldonado Ecolodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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

Breakfast; transfer Boat – Wasai Tambopata Lodge 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 – Wasai 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