Arrival in Lima, the “City of Kings” famous for its Spanish Colonial architecture, extraordinary museums and cuisine. Lima is internationally recognized as the “Gastronomic Capital of the Americas”, and its cuisine is considered among the most diverse and exquisite in the world on par with French cuisine.
Upon arrival our host will greet you and assist you in transporting you to your hotel and in registering.
8:00 a.m. You will be picked up from your hotel in Lima and then we will take a private vehicle towards the Paracas. The car ride to the Paracas Reserve lasts about 3 hours.
Arrive at hotel
Free time for the rest of the day.
In the morning you will be met by our local guide at the port and afterward you will be led to the local dock of El Chaco where you will board a speed boat to visit the Ballestas Islands. During our boat excursion to the Islands you will see many attractions including a huge design etched on the slope of a hill, known by the local people as The Candelabra. This is an enormous figure that can be seen clearly from the sea. Our local guide will explain the most important theories concerning this drawing. Afterward, we will continue our excursion around the Ballestas Islands, where you will see hundreds of birds flying (Peruvian Bobbies, Inca terms, Pelicans, Cormorants and others) above the Islands, as well as dozens of sea lions on the shore of the beaches, and if you are lucky you also can see the famous Humboldt Penguins and dolphins swimming nearby. It is not allowed to land on the Island, which means you will spend all the tour on the boat. Afterward we will get back to the mainland.
Later on you will be driven to the airport of Pisco to take a fantastic flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines. Upon your arrival at the Pisco airport our local guide will assist you with all the information you need before you board the airplane. While we wait for our flight, our local guide will inform you about the most popular theories concerning the Nazca Lines and also will give you a map of the archaeological zone so that you can orientate yourself during the flight. Our company operate a Cessna Caravan aircraft based at the Pisco airport. Our aircraft offers leather seating, quiet air conditioned comfort and great viewing for all passengers. Among the figures, you will see an impressive representation of a monkey, a whale, a spider, a hummingbird, a parrot, a condor, geometrical shapes and hundred of straight lines crisscrossing the Nazca desert. In addition you will also spot the bizarre figures of Pozo in Ica Santo and some Palpa Lines figures near the Nazca Valley.
Back at the Pisco airport our representative will meet you at the exit gate and then will take you to a local restaurant in Paracas for lunch.
Eventually we will depart for the city of Lima, getting there after sunset.
Drop off at your hotel in Lima.
Transport to Lima Airport for flight to Arequipa.
Reception and transport to hotel. We will visit the Santa Catalina Monastery, Plaza de Armas, the Jesuit Church “La Compa Compañia”, its cloisters and domes, the Tristan del Pozo House, Yanahuara neighborhood (vantage point and Church), having an amazing view of the visit the typical city districts of high and Yanahuara Carmen.
Overnight in Arequipa.
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast, continue by land on your excursion towards the Colca Valley driving across Pampa Cañahuas at the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, habitat of herds of Vicuñas and stopping at the Mirador de los Andes, the Crater of Chucura, the Mirador de Chivay, where beautiful pre-Columbian terraces still being cultivated by native Collaguas can be observed. The highest point of the road is 14,271 feet (4350 m.a.s.l.) Arrival to Chivay at approximately 1 p.m.
Transport to your Lodge.
lunch.
After lunch you will have some free time to visit the thermal Hot Spring and Medicinal Baths.
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
Early morning departure to the “Condor’s Cross” from where the great Andean bird, the Condor, may be spotted flying in circles above still farmed green pre-Hispanic terraces. Enjoy the impressive panorama of the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the World (3,180 mts.). On the way back to Chivay, we will visit the Mirador of Chinina, where we will find the famous Hanging Tombs and the Hanging Bridge of Sifón that joins the Town of Yanque with Coporaque. At the Town of Yanque, we will visit its beautiful church and its characteristic cobbled stone streets among other attractions. To get a spectacular view of the Colca Valley we will drive to the observation points of Choquetipo and Artahuilque and also to the Town of Maca.
After lunch at a local restaurant we will return to the City of Arequipa arriving approx at 6 p.m. Overnight at your hotel.
Meals Included: Breakfast and lunch
We will board the train in the Baroque city of Arequipa. Take some time to get comfortable in your cabin and acclimate to the indulgent atmosphere of the train as you begin your journey towards Puno.
Then take your seat in one of the elegant dining cars for your first dinner on board. Relax and savor refined Andean dishes served with contemporary flair.
After dinner, you can spend some time with your fellow travelers enjoying some cocktail drinks in the on-board bar-car.
Awake early for a spellbinding experience as you witness the sunrise across Lake Titicaca. Breakfast is served on board; the perfect set up for a day full of adventure.
This afternoon we explore Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The beautiful lake is home to many diverse islands, each boasting a unique way of life.
First we take a traditional boat to Uros, a man-made island artfully constructed from interwoven reeds which are constantly being replenished. The people who live on the island use the same reeds to create homes, ships and tools.
Continue your exploration to Taquile Island, notable for its stunning agricultural terraces. The people here follow a social code that has been barely touched by time. Their handwoven fabrics are regarded as the best in Peru.
Enjoy lunch at Collata beach, followed by a performance from local dancers and a demonstration of artisans at work.
Return to the station at the lake for a delicious afternoon tea. Board the train and relax as the journey continues on to Cuzco As evening descends enjoy another delicious dinner in the dining carriage.
Wake to a delicious breakfast, accompanied by stunning views as the train sets off from Marangani.
Along the way, disembark to visit Raqch’i. Once an important Inca settlement, today this fascinating archaeological site boasts many architectural gems.
Soon we will arrive at Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire.
Bid farewell to your crew and disembark for your onward travel arrangements.
Breakfast in the hotel.
See this magical city, capital of the Inca Empire (15th Century) on a tour that includes the
Main Square, the cathedral, Santo Domingo monastery, the legendary Korikancha temple and a stop at San Cristobal for a panoramic view of the city. Then, in the outskirts you will see the Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, an impressively designed fortress built of huge stone blocks. Also you will see, Qenqo ceremonial and ritual center, the amphitheater where sacrifices were held. Tambomachay, a temple dedicated to a water cult.
Return to Cusco and a brief stop at Plaza Regocijo and the Main Square to visit the cathedral, the principal church of the Diocese of Cusco.
At the end of the visit we will transport you to your hotel.
At 8:00 a.m. transport from your hotel in a private car or van to Poroy Train Station approximately 25 minutes. Here you will board the Hiram Bingham service journeying through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the Lost City of Machupicchu. The trip on the Hiram Bingham takes you across one of the most beautiful and romantic stages in Peru.
Sights as incredible as the vast agricultural terraces of Jaquijahuana, the remains of a major Inca city that was sadly destroyed during the Spanish conquest, the beautiful village of Ollantaytambo hidden in the Sacred Valley and home to the Urubamba river and an ancient temple complex called The Fortress, all await you.
Throughout the out-going journey you are served a delicious brunch as the stunning scenery gently passes by, before arriving to the town of Machupicchu.
The beautiful valley, known as ‘Vilcamayo’ to the Incas, stretches out from the Inca citadels of Pisac to Ollantaytambo along the Urubamba River or “Sacred River.”
Hidden in the Sacred Valley is the picturesque village of Ollantaytambo, its ruins are said to contain the most impressive Inca stonework anywhere in Peru. The village is surrounded by the great temple-fortress clinging to the sheer cliffs beside it.
Ollantaytambo is located where the valley becomes narrow and the road can no longer climb. It was used as a fortress to defend Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas from the jungle tribes of the north.
As you trundle through the spectacular Peruvian countryside, in the comfort of a beautifully restored Pullman carriage, we will serve you a delicious meal from our Andean inspired menu.
In the morning, on the way towards Machupicchu you’ll enjoy a delectable three-course brunch, complete with refreshing sparkling wine and freshly squeezed orange juice.
In the evening, on the journey from Machupicchu to Poroy you will be served a luxurious four-course menu, complete with Pisco Sour and Peruvian delicacies.
After breakfast you will be taken to the Cusco Airport for you to continue your trip to Puerto Maldonado.
Welcome to Puerto Maldonado.
Begin to experience the enchantment of the rainforest as you take a 45-minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River to arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica lodge.
After a short briefing, settle into your beautiful cabaña and enjoy your lunch in the dining room.
Take a nap.
Refreshing tea time
Get ready for the afternoon excursion.
After gathering with your Inkaterra Explorer Guide, choose from the various excursions available at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica Lodge. On your first day, we recommend a guided walk along the Trail system, into the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica natural area, where you will discover the Amazon Basin. This trail offers an excellent introduction to the jungle environment, winding past impressive trees such as the Shihuahuaco, and the strangely beautiful strangler fig. You will have excellent opportunities for bird watching and observing exotic insects.
We also recommend on the first night our Twilight River excursion — a guided afternoon boat ride on the Madre de Dios river. Witness the transformation from a diurnal to a nocturnal world: animals and birds of the daytime give way to species specially adapted to the night. As you enjoy the paradise you are all in, you will learn about their habits. You will also have opportunities to search for nightjars, owls, capybaras and big and small caimans.
Dinner will be served in the main dining room from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
After dinner, you may retire early to your own cabaña, or join us to talk about your experience in the rainforest, as you listen to the intriguing sounds of the jungle at night.
Wake up late or rise early — the choice is yours. Breakfast begins at 5:30 a.m., for those who want to avoid the heat and enjoy nature at its fullest. A full buffet breakfast is served from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
This morning you will visit the Lake Sandoval excursion into the Tambopata National Reserve. Glide in a wooden canoe, across a beautiful, mirror-like oxbow lake that is home to the endangered giant river otter. Other animals include the red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles and black caimans. Return to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.
After lunch, you will have the opportunity to visit the remarkable Inkaterra Canopy Walkway and Anaconda Walk. Ascending the first tower, 29 meters above the forest ground, you begin your encounter with the treetop realm. For more than a quarter of a mile, you will literally walk through the rainforest canopy on a suspension bridge network linking eight observation platforms. During this hour-and-a-half expedition, be on the lookout for bright toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkeys and the three-toed sloth. If you wish you may extend your excursion and appreciate the sunset from one of the towers. After your descent from the Canopy, experience the Anaconda Walk for about 30 minutes along the 200-meter wooden bridge over the Aguajales swamps. In this lush eco system, you will observe the various species of amphibians, birds, mammals, abundant flora, trees and there is a possibility of seeing snakes of this flooded marshland. The walk finishes by returning to the lodge.
Once at the lodge, enjoy the daily nature presentation in the Eco Center.
Dinner starts at 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy a full breakfast before departure. A 45-minute return trip by boat on the Madre de Dios River takes you to Puerto Maldonado, where you will visit the Butterfly House. Peru boasts the greatest variety of butterflies in the world, with 3,700 known species. Many of these can be seen at the Butterfly House, a showcase for the variety, beauty and adaptability of these fascinating insects.
Arrive in Lima and transport to hotel, spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Tonight, enjoy a Dinner Show with local Peruvian specialties and say goodbye to your travel companions and Tour Manager
Overnight: Lima
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Breakfast in the hotel. transport to the airport and take your flight home
Meals: Breakfast