Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Lima
Welcome to beautiful Peru! At the airport, look for your Juve Travel Peru host holding a sign with your name on it.They will escort you to your hotel.
Overnight and breakfast: Casa Andina Miraflores Centro
Day 2: Fly to Puerto Maldonado and Start with the Amazon Jungle Adventure
Today we fly to the Amazon Basin town of Puerto Maldonado. At the airport the Inkaterra team will be waiting for us and we will travel by canoe to Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica Lodge in Tambopata for our Luxury Amazon travel experience. Settle into your beautiful cabaña and enjoy a delicious lunch made from local ingredients served when you arrive to the lodge. After lunch, there is a time for a rest to get over any jet lag from your flight. Then our tour will start walking along the nearby trails to enjoy the Amazon Basin. The trails offer an excellent introduction to the Rainforest environment and here we will have opportunity for bird watching and observing impressive trees including the Shihuahuaco.
Late in the afternoon we will take a guided boat ride on Madre de Dios River to witness the change from the diurnal to a nocturnal world in the Amazon and to learn about animals and birds that have adapted to the night.Afterward you can enjoy dinner at the lodge and sleep to the amazing sounds of the Amazon jungle.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Hacienda concepcion (L, D)
Day 3: Tambopata Nacional Reserve
After breakfast, we will visit lake Sandoval in the Tambopata Nacional Reserve. We will board a wooden canoe and cross the beautiful lake which is home to the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkey, red bellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles and black caimans. We will return to the Inkaterra lodge for lunch.
After lunch we will walk to the remarkable Inkaterra canopy. Ascending the first tower 29 meters above the forest ground, you will begin your encounter with the treetop realm. For more than a quarter of a mile, we will walk through the rainforest canopy on the suspension bridge networking eight observation platforms. During this hour and a half expedition, we will look for colorful toucans, woodpeakers, trogons, monkeys and sloths. If you wish, you may extend your excursion and enjoy the sunset from one of the towers. After we descend from the canopy, we will go on the anaconda walk and observe different species of flora and fauna. Back at the lodge, you can enjoy the daily nature presentation in the Eco center.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion (L, D)
Day 4: Gamitana Creek -Inkaterra Hacienda Conception
Today we will enjoy the journey to Gamitana Creek which is located 30 minutes from the lodge. For an hour and a half we will explore the rainforest by canoe along the banks of a winding, dark-water creek that is home to many piranha, caiman, turtles and birds, until we reach the Sanipanga landing point. We will return to Gamitana Farm to do a short guided tour to see how local farmers grow fruits and vegetables, before returning to the lodge for lunch. After lunch, enjoy the Hacienda Concepcion excursion, with over 200 different plant species, and learn about the uses and benefits of local flora. This is followed by a canoe trip to look for turtles, sun grebes, nightjars and exotic herons. After returning to the lodge, take the Rainforest by Night excursion through the Inkaterra Ecological Reserve. Venture into the forest and experience the mystery of the animal activity that awakens in the rainforest after dark. Listen to nocturnal forest sounds and spot species that only emerge at night.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion (L, D)
Day 5: Fly to Cusco – Sacred Valley Acclimatization
After breakfast, we will take you to the airport for a spectacular one-hour flight over the Andes Mountains to Cusco. From the airport in Cusco, we will drive in our private transportation to the Sacred Valley for some unique Peruvian experiences. This day will help your acclimatization to the higher altitude. The journey from Cusco follows a beautiful mountain with views of the stunning valley below, formed by the Urubamba River. After we descend into the Valley, our first stop will be at the Pisac market where we will see colorful Peruvian handicrafts. Then we will go to the Pisac archeological site for a walking tour of the Inca site. From there we will continue through the Sacred Valley for lunch and on to the hotel to relax and spend the night.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (L,D)
Day 6: Sacred Valley
This morning we go to Chinchero, a place sacred to the Incas because it is the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Inhabitants live amongst almost untouched Inca constructions in the same way that our ancestors lived. In this weaving village, local people have preserved a living heritage expressed in the handcrafted textiles. Artisans from Chinchero are happy to show you their ancient technique of how the wool of alpaca and sheep is prepared, washed, spun, dyed and woven into their works of art. Then we will go to Moray, an important Inca site whose multi-terraced architecture made it an advanced bio-agricultural laboratory in its time. Enjoy the natural beauty while you marvel at the mysterious circular terraces which some historians believe created mini-microclimates used to grow different crops. After exploring Moray, we will go to the incredible salt ponds of Maras. Originally mined by the Incas, these ancient and colorful pools are now individually owned and tended by local people. Enjoy lunch in Urubamba before continuing to Ollantaytambo, one of the few remaining Inca cities in the Sacred Valley that has retained its original Inca urban planning. We will climb up the terraces toward the Temple of the Sun where we can enjoy views of the valley and see the quarries which provided the stones for Ollantaytambo. Return to your hotel in the afternoon and relax on your own.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba (D)
Day 7: One day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
After breakfast we will travel by private transportation to the train station at Ollantaymbo to board the scenic train and travel to Km 104, the starting point of the trek. We ascend gradually to Wiñay Wayna, the best-preserved Inca site around Machu Picchu, visiting Chachabamba on the way. Lunch will be at a place chosen by the tour guide. We continue on the stone-paved Inca Trail through the cloud forest to Inti Punku (Sun Gate) where we will have a panoramic view of Machu Picchu and some time to enjoy the magical Inca city at sunset. Then we will go by bus to Aguas Calientes, where our hotel and dinner will be waiting for us.
Overnight and breakfast: Inkaterra Machu Picchu (L,D)
Day 8: Machu Picchu to Cusco
After an early breakfast at the hotel we will take the bus back to Machu Picchu for the complete guided tour of the magical city. Our guide will explain the significance of the stone structures, temples and the most important places. Later, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then take the train back to Ollantaytambo. From there, our private transportation will take us back to the hotel in Cusco.
Overnight and breakfast: Casa Andina Cusco Plaza (D)
Day 9: Cusco and nearby Inca Sites
Today we will explore the nearby Inca site of Sacsayhuaman where you will view the impressive architecture of the Incas and the massive stones used in the fortress overlooking Cusco. We will visit Qenqo, a labyrinth with carved stone walls. Then continue to Puka Pukara, which is believed to be a defense fortress and is made up of large walls, terraces, and staircases. End your visit at the Incan bath and water temple of Tambo Machay. Spend the remainder of the day shopping, dining and exploring the diversity and rich culture of Cusco!
Overnight and breakfast: Casa Andina Cusco Plaza (D)
Day 10: Cusco to Lima
Enjoy a last morning to explore Cusco at your own pace. Our tour leader will be happy to offer suggestions for places to go and sights to see. We will take you to the airport in our private transportation for your flight back across the Andes to Lima to connect with your flight home.
WHAT WE RECOMMEND BRINGING:
- Current passport is required. If your passport expired between booking and starting your tour, bring both the old and new passports!
- Short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, fleece, lightweight pants
- Small pack to carry things that you will need during the day
- Rain gear or poncho
- Hiking boots with ankle support
- Flashlight/headlamp and batteries
- Camera, film and batteries (batteries die faster in cold conditions)
- Hydrating face and body lotion
- Sun block and insect repellent
- Water bottles (Nalgene or metal ones are required, plastic bottles are not allowed)
- Toilet paper and tissues
