Peru
Machu Picchu & Amazon Adventure
In just 10 days, you'll see the very best of the Peru's Andes and Amazon, visiting the Sacred Valley, Chinchero market, Inca sites & ruins, plus a one-day trek along the spectacular Royal Inca Highway to Machu Picchu. End your exploration with a 3 day stay in the Amazon at Tambopata Eco Lodge.
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Enjoy the very best of the Andes and Amazon of Peru in this exciting, action-filled group adventure tour! Imagine trekking for one day on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, passing isolated Inca ruins along the spectacular Royal Inca Highway unitl you reach the Gate of the Sun, where Machu Picchu suddenly appears! Explore ridge-top Inca temple sites high above the beautiful scenery of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, such as Saqsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, Pisaq with their perfect stone architecture. Enjoy the local Quechuan culture at Chinchero market. Then discover the astonishing beauty of the Amazon rain forest, at Tamabopata Eco Lodge. On this trip you'll experience all these thrills, the remarkable Inca sites of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, plus intriguing museums and excellent shopping in Lima. You stay in superior hotels and lodges throughout the program - there is no camping.
Use these Activity Level Ratings as a general guide to help determine which of our adventures is best for you. Your perception of level of difficulty may vary from ours according to your own level of fitness and travel experience. Whether or not you stay in your comfort zone on the trip you select may also be influenced by the pacing we build into the itinerary, and your own preparation for the trip. While relatively high elevations are unavoidable when you're traveling in the Andes Mountains, we may judge a trip as "moderate" so long as passengers have sufficient time for acclimation. Our detailed trip itineraries give much more information about what you can expect. If you are unsure which trip is best for you, please call us. We'll help guide you toward the right fit.
Moderate
These adventures involve fairly easy travel. There is no camping: you sleep in hotels and country inns each evening. Trips may include short hikes and/or walks of two to three hours. Our itineraries include excursions in passenger mini-vans, over roads with many curves and potholes. Elevations rarely exceed 12,600'. At Machu Picchu and other Inca sites, we climb and descend relatively steep stone staircases. Trips to Amazon lodges involve travel by boat and canoe, plus hikes on forest trails at a moderate pace. In the rainforest, you may encounter rain, mud, and pooled water. Trips to the Galapagos include optional hikes on sometimes uneven rocky and/or slippery terrain. Passengers must get into and out of dinghies on beaches and at docks.
Active
These adventures include more hiking than in our moderate trips. You negotiate a variety of terrain, at elevations no more than 15,000'. Some trips include long days of overland travel. You sleep comfortably in hotels each evening.
Strenuous
While we rate all of our treks as strenuous, there is a substantial range of challenge between the easiest and the most demanding of our treks. Expect to hike 6-8 hours each day over steep and rugged terrain. You may hike to elevations of 17,000', with options to hike higher from several camps. Many include camping multiple nights at relatively high elevations. On most treks in the Andes, night-time temperatures can drop below freezing on one or more nights. On our Inn to Inn based treks, you'll spend each evening in a comfortable mountain lodge.
Extreme
Our toughest treks are suitable for those that enjoy a good physical challenge. You trek (and in some cases climb) over steep, rugged terrain at high elevations with substantial altitude gains. Some glacier travel requires knowledge of basic climbing techniques including use of crampons, ice axe, and ropes. These trips are in remote wilderness areas and include camping as high at 17,700'. Successful summit bids top out at 18,871' (Nevado Pisco), 19,347' (Volcan Cotopaxi) and 20,945' (Nevado Ausangate).
Departures: Monthly from March - December
2011 & 2012 Land Cost, per person, twinshare:
2011: $2,251 (4 to 16 passengers)
2012: $2,295 (4 to 16 passengers)
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Read MoreDepartures: monthly from March - December
2011 & 2012 Land Cost (per person, twinshare basis):
2011 Rates:
$2,251 (4 to 16 passengers)
$2,399 (2-3 passengers)
2012 Rates:
$2,295 (4-16 passengers)
$2,459 (2-3 passengers)
Single Hotel Supplement: $625
Internal air from Lima: $527, subject to change
Local Payment: The Machu Picchu Sanctuary 2-day visitor fee for touring Machu Picchu is a local payment, and will be collected by your tour guide in Peru. As of Sept. 1, 2009, it is approximately US $50; this rate is set by park authorities and is subject to change without prior notice.
Departure Dates:
| 2011: | 2012: |
| Oct 7 - 16 | Mar 2 - 11 |
| Nov 4 - 13 | Apr 6 - 15 |
| Dec 23 - Jan 1, '12 | May 4 - 13 |
| Jun 1 - 10 | |
| July 6 - 15 | |
| Aug 3 - 12 | |
| Aug 31 - Sep 9 | |
| Oct 5 - 14 | |
| Nov 2 - 11 | |
| Dec 21 - 30 |
2013 dates will be similar to 2012.
Days 1/2 Lima/Cuzco
Fly into Lima and spend your first night in a comfortable hotel. Bright and early next morning we fly into the Andes, landing at Cuzco (10,922 feet), former capital city of the Inca Empire.
Read MoreDay 1 (Friday) Travel to Lima
We meet your flight and transfer you to a comfortable hotel for overnight. Daily breakfasts are included; other meals included are designated BL (Box Lunch), L (Lunch), D (Dinner).
Day 2 Cuzco
Morning flight to Cuzco (3,310 rn/10,857'). After resting for several hours to adjust to the altitude, we tour the Inca palaces, colonial temples, and fascinating streets of the former capital of the Inca Empire. We also visit Saqsayhuaman, the enormous Inca fortified ceremonial centre overlooking the city. 0/N in Hotel Taypikala or similar.
Day 3 Chinchero/Moray
The Sunday market transforms the normally quiet highland town of Chinchero into a vivid multi-cultural gathering. In the market plaza, farmers barter their homegrown produce, while in the square adjacent to the church townspeople offer a colorful selection of weavings and traditional crafts. Wander into the church with its 17th century murals, investigate the carved boulders on the Inca terraces, shop for souvenirs, or simply relax in the sun on an Inca wall overlooking the bustling scene. After a very full morning amid the sights and sounds, we depart across a highland plain to explore the beautiful and mysterious Moray ruins. In late afternoon we descend into the Sacred Valley of the Incas for overnight in a country inn. LD
Day 4 Ollantaytambo/ Pisaq
We spend the morning In the town of Ollantaytambo, where many buildings display original Inca stone foundations. The adjacent Sun temple offers some of the finest stone construction we’ll see on the trip. After lunch we explore the fortified ridgetop temple site at Pisaq. Return to our country inn. LD.
Day 5 Machu Picchu
We board the train for the dramatic 90-minute ride down the rugged Vilcanota River gorge toward Machu Picchu. Descending opposite the ruins of Chachapampa, we cross the river on a suspension bridge, and follow a moderate trail past waterfalls leading up to Winya Wayna, a dramatic Inca site overlooking the river. Winya Wayna has an exquisite semi-circular temple and a cascade of ceremonial baths flanked by an extensive terraced agricultural site. After picnic lunch, we traverse through cloud forest to emerge at the Gate of the Sun for our first view of Machu Picchu (2,430m/ 7,970') from high above the city. Stroll down the royal road for a suitably regal entrance to the Lost City of the Incas. Total walking distance is approximately 7 miles, and typical walking time is 6 hours. Tonight we are in comfortable hotel accommodation at the Inti Inn in Aguas Calientes. LD
Day 6 Machu Picchu
We enter the ruins early to explore this unforgettable site. You have ample time to photograph the main city site in addition to exploring some of the peripheral trails. An exciting option today is the steep climb to the summit of Huayna Picchu, overlooking the main site. Return to Cuzco by train in late afternoon. Overnight in Hotel Taypikala or similar. L
Day 7 Amazon
We fly to the bustling Amazon town of Puerto Maldonado, and travel some 3½ hours upriver by motorized canoe with sunroof and comfortable seats to the Tambopata Eco Lodge. After settling in to our cabaña suites, we take a short introductory nature hike in the forest. We also take an after-dinner hike to discover the sights and sounds of the forest by night. LD
Day 8 Amazon
We have a long, rewarding morning excursion through varied terrain from upland terra firma to seasonally flooded forest. After two hours we reach an oxbow lake called Condenado. You spend part of the morning hiking and part in canoes, exploring the margins of the lake. A family of Giant otters, an endangered species elsewhere in the Amazon, may be seen from time to time in this lake. LD
Day 9 Lima
We return down river to Puerto Maldonado and fly to Lima, arriving in mid-afternoon. After checking into our hotel, you'll have some time for last-minute shopping and to enjoy sunset over the Pacific from the cafes on the Miraflores boardwalk.
Day 10 (Sunday) Home
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Included:
Comfortable superior class hotels (shared twin basis; single accommodation is available at extra cost): daily breakfast; [budget US$60-70 for other meals): airport transfers on scheduled arrival and departure days: tips for baggage handling: Cuzco multi-site entrance ticket plus entrance to Cathedral and Santo Domingo/ Koricancha church; reconfirmation of flights.
Excluded:
International and domestic airfare, airport departure taxes; Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary user fee* (*Note: passengers pay the face value of any Machu Picchu site fees according to terms and conditions of visitor fees at the time of the visit. The current rate is S/. 148, approximately US$50); Tambopata Candamo Reserved Zone fee (currently $10.00, subject to change); gratuities for tour staff, immunizations, insurance, laundry, telephone, other personal items.
Please Note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary but reserve the right to make minor changes where necessary for the safety and comfort of tour participants. Where changes result in increased costs, such costs will be the responsibility of the tour participant.
Hotel Costa del Sol, Lima
Hotel Taypikala, Cuzco
Sacred Valley Lodge
Inti Inn, Aguas Calientes
Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Hotel Jose Antonio, Lima
Read MoreHotel Costa del Sol
Conveniently located right at the Lima airport, the Costa del Sol is our recommended hotel for one-night stopovers. The on-site spa and luxurious bedding will ensure you start your adventure off feeling refreshed. There is a full service restaurant and bar. Guest rooms are fully up to the standard of a 4-star hotel.
Hotel Taypikala Cuzco
Hotel Taypikala's location on a quiet cul de sac behind the famous convent of the Qorikancha affords guests a welcome respite from Cuzco's noisy streets. Yet you're just three blocks from the Plaza de Armas, an easy stroll to all the popular tourist services. The colonial style of the hotel and the Andean style interior decor create an atmosphere that invites you to relax. The patio is the ideal place for sunbathing or on mild summer nights to enjoy a glass of wine or a steaming cup of coffee in the romantic glow of torches.
Sacred Valley Lodge
This 16-room country inn in the traditional community of Yanahuara is perfectly scaled to the landscape and its environment. It's an excellent choice for families and small groups who want to be in touch with authentic Peruvian countryside. Far enough from the busy main highway to be quiet, it's only 15 minutes to the Ollantaytambo train station for your Machu Picchu train. Guest rooms are spacious with views over the beautiful countryside.
Inti Inn
This upscale modern hotel is built in a more rustic style that’s designed to blend in with the town’s natural surroundings. Most of the 30 guest rooms are double and have timber-beamed ceilings, colorful modest furnishings, phones, TVs and heating, with oxygen tanks available for a surcharge. There’s also a cafeteria, bar-and-grill restaurant & massage services.
Libertador Tambopata Lodge
Founded in 1991, the Libertador Tambopata Lodge is one of the most established eco-tourism lodges on the banks of the Tambopata River. There are now a total of nine rainforest lodges in the Puerto Maldonado area, reinforcing the status of the region as one of the major rainforest eco-tourism destinations in South America.
With a capacity of 59 it is also one of the smallest lodges. Smaller groups contribute to a more fulfilling visit and reduce the impact on the many species of fauna that abound in the surrounding forest.
The lodge employs twenty Peruvian staff, the majority of whom are resident in Puerto Maldonado. In addition, naturalist guides both from Peru and abroad are at your service throughout your stay. As well as introducing to visitors the many marvels of the forest, a number are undertaking research projects, thereby contributing to a greater ecological understanding of the area
Hotel José Antonio (Lima)
This 84-room tourist-superior hotel boasts a great location in the exclusive district of Miraflores, just four blocks from the Pacific Ocean boardwalk and the popular LarcoMar Center. Guests may stroll up to the Parque Kennedy, the social heart of Miraflores, with its lively cafe and restaurant scene and shopping opportunities.
The one-day hike to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail requires a trail permit. These are in limited supply, and usually sell out 4 months or more in advance of the trip departure. Once trail permits are sold out, you arrive to Machu Picchu via the conventional route of train and shuttle bus.
For additional detail on the trek permit, please visit our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu FAQ
Read MoreThe one-day hike to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail requires a trail permit. These are in limited supply, and usually sell out 4 months or more in advance of the trip departure. Once trail permits are sold out, you arrive to Machu Picchu via the conventional route of train and shuttle bus.
For additional detail on the trek permit, please visit our Inca Trail to Machu Picchu FAQ
You should schedule a visit to a local travelers' health clinic to update your protection against Yellow fever and malaria.
Quick Facts
- 10 days/ 7 nights hotel, 2 nights Amazon lodge
- In/Out Lima
- Explore magnificent Inca palaces & temples in Cuzco
- Browse the traditional market in Chinchero
- Sample the famed Inca Trail on a one day hike to Machu Picchu
- Discover an astonishing diversity of wildlife in the Amazon rain forest