Coast Andes and the Amazon Rainforest

Day 1: Arrive Lima and transfer to your hotel

You will be met at Lima International Airport and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel, in the pleasant district of Miraflores.  You have free time to relax after your flight and stroll through the cliff top parks, or depending on your arrival time, enjoy a seafood lunch at one of Barranco’s famous ceviche restaurants.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Miraflores, Lima.

Day 2: Morning Group Tour of Modern & Colonial Lima

After breakfast you will be picked up from your hotel to join a Group Tour of Modern and Colonial Lima. First you will visit the Colonial centre and the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), where you will see the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Next, you will visit the 16th century San Francisco Convent, famous for its catacombs. The last stop is the modern district of Miraflores and after visiting one of the parks you have a transfer back to your hotel. You have a free afternoon to relax at your hotel or do some independent exploring.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Miraflores, Lima.

Day 3: Travel from Lima to Paracas

At the appropriate time you will have a private transfer from your hotel to Lima bus station.  Travel on a comfortable air-conditioned bus for three hours from Lima to Paracas.  Upon arrival in Paracas you will have a private transfer to your hotel.  Enjoy a free afternoon by the beach or at the hotel pool.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Paracas.

Day 4:  Morning Ballestas Island tour, and return to Lima

Early in the morning you will meet your guide and group at the Paracas pier to board your boat trip to the Ballestas Islands. You will see the mysterious Candleabre figure in the sand as well as sea-lions, cormorants, humbolt penguins and if you are lucky, bottle-nose dolphins swimming in the bay. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and ends when you return to Paracas pier.  At the appropriate time you will have a private transfer from your hotel to the bus station.  Travel on a comfortable coach from Paracas to Lima (3.5 hours).  Upon arrival in Lima you will have a private transfer to your hotel.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Miraflores, Lima.

Day 5: Travel from Lima to Cusco (Flight not included)

Day 6: Free morning, afternoon Group Tour of Cusco & Ruins

You have a free morning to begin exploring the City of Cusco independently, or enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel. In the afternoon, you will join a group with an English speaking local guide for a Cusco City Tour, including the Main Plaza, the Cathedral and the Koricancha temple in the centre of town. Your tour also takes in the archaeological sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puka Pukara and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman located on the hills overlooking Cusco. You will be back at your hotel by around 6pm.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Cusco.

Day 7: Full day Sacred Valley tour & train to Aguas Calientes

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for a full day Group Tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Your first stop is the picturesque town of Pisac and its colourful handicraft market. At midday you will stop for a buffet lunch at a traditional restaurant. In the afternoon you continue to the town and Inca Fortress of Ollantaytambo, a huge administrative, agricultural, civil, military and religious complex from the time of the Inca Empire. In the late afternoon or evening, you will take the train to Aguas Calientes where our local agent will be waiting to take you to your hotel.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Aguas Calientes.

Day 8: Machu Picchu Guided Tour and return to Cusco

You will have an early start today as you take one of the first buses up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. You will have a private tour with a local guide who will show you all the major sectors of the site, including the Intiwatana or sun dial, the Sun temple and the Condor temple. After the tour you will have a chance to explore the citadel independently. When you are ready you can take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where there are plenty of restaurants to choose from for lunch. In the afternoon you will travel to Ollantaytambo by train before having a private transfer back to Cusco.  Spend the night at our standard hotel in Cusco.

Day 9: Free day in Cusco

You have a whole day to enjoy the city of Cusco.  You might want to visit some of the city’s varied museums, the handicraft markets, or the central San Pedro market, as well as the San Blas neighbourhood and you will surely want to try a local restaurant or two.  Your Tourist ticket from your Sacred Valley tour is still valid and includes entrance to a traditional music and dance show performed every evening from 7-8pm (details on the ticket). Spend the night at our standard hotel in Cusco.

Day 10: Travel Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (flight not included) and transfer to your lodge

At the appropriate time you will have a private transfer from your hotel to Cusco airport or bus terminal.  Note: The following is a typical itinerary. However, your guide will consider the weather and conditions at the time, and tailor your tour accordingly.  Upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado you will be welcomed at the airport by your guide and have a 5 minute transfer to the lodge headquarters in Puerto Maldonado. Afterwards you will travel on an unpaved road to Puerto Nuevo past various types of woodland, traditional banana and citrus plantations, cattle ranches and small creeks. Once in Puerto Nuevo you will embark on a one and a half hour boat trip up the Tambopata River which includes lunch. During your journey you might see river birds such as oropendulas, toucans or the magnificent macaws. Occasionally you may also be able to spot mammals like capybaras or monkeys or reptilians such as spectacled caimans and turtles. Once you arrive at the lodge, there’ll be a briefing and your guide will show you around the installations and to your room. In the afternoon you’ll head out into the jungle for a short walk in order to observe the flora such as immense Ironwood or Kapok trees and birds such as trogons, quails and wild turkeys. Once night falls you’ll also be able to find spiders such as tarantulas and other nocturnal creatures. Spend the night at our standard Amazon Rainforest Lodge.

Day 11: La Torre Clay Lick, Cocococha Lake trek, Farm and Nocturnal Boat Ride

It’s an early start this morning to visit La Torre Clay Lick where, from a hideout, you’ll be able to watch the macaws, parrots, parakeets and the occasional mammal feeding on the earth. Returning to the lodge you’ll have breakfast and after a short rest head for the Cocococha Lake on a two and a half hour trek. Cocococha Lake is located deep in the Tambopata National Reserve and is surrounded by swampland, lowlands and hills. This change in elevation and vegetation in combination with minimal human influence leads to a very high level of biodiversity. It also forms an important habitat for many of the endangered and emblematic species such as macaws, black caimans and giant river otters that can feed and reproduce in peace here. After lunch back at the lodge, you’ll visit a traditional farm in the afternoon. This is a great opportunity to see, harvest and try various exotic fruits from the amazon such as Copazú, Arazá, Pijuayo and Yucca. There are also various herbs and medicinal plants which are widely used by the local people. The farms also create open spaces for papaya and banana plantations. This is the preferred habitat for birds such as silver beaked tanagers, oreoles, oropendulas, toucanets and various woodpeckers. In the evening, you’ll head out in the boat to experience the sights and sounds of the Amazon at night. You might see a thunderstorm spilling out on the horizon or marvel at constellations like the Southern Cross or Scorpion. The boat carries a powerful searchlight in case you come across any nocturnal animals such as caimans, bats, nightjars or capybaras on the banks of the river. Spend the night at our standard Amazon Rainforest Lodge.

Day 12: Transfer from your Lodge to Puerto Maldonado airport

After an early breakfast you will return to the local office in Puerto Maldonado before heading to the airport. Your guide will accompany you and help with the check-in process for your flight back to Cusco or Lima.