Lima: The starting point for your trip to Peru, the capital city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserves some of the best examples of Colonial-era mansions, and plays host to well-curated history and art museums as well as internationally renowned restaurants.
Cusco: Spanish colonial architecture (Cusco Cathedral) and Pre-Columbian ruins (the fortress of Sacsayhuaman and Puca Pucara) come together in the ancient Inca capital.
Chinchero and Ollantaytambo: Settled on the banks of the Urubamba River, both Sacred Valley attractions offer an insiderâs glimpse into the ancient Inca lifestyle.
Machu Picchu: Set high in the Andes Mountains, the âLost City of the Incasâ offers a glance into Peruâs past and an unforgettable view of the area today.
Iquitos: As a gateway to the massive jungle of northern Peru, this port city is the worldâs largest that cannot be reached by road.
This eight-day Peru tour encompasses many of the main attractions of the Land of the Incas and historical Sacred Valley, home to the majestic Machu Picchu ruins, and delves into the worldâs largest tropical rainforest and most biologically diverse place on Earth. When you book a trip on this Amazon Adventure to explore these Peru highlights, you will not only experience the best the country has to offer, but also open your eyes to the world of the unknown.
Your trip to Peru has commenced! A representative will pick you up from the airport at the scheduled time to transfer you to your hotel in Lima. A modern metropolis full of history, travelers can find comfort and cultural activities in the capital cityâ though youâll want to get plenty of rest as your sightseeing adventure begins the following day.
Enjoy breakfast at your Lima hotel before continuing your Peru highlights trip to Cusco city. After a short flight (90 minutes) from Lima to Cusco, youâll have a chance to settle into your hotel before an afternoon of exploration.
Once the capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco is full of architectural gems spanning varying centuries and shifts in power. A private tour will allow you to appreciate Santo Domingo Convent, a large, Renaissance-baroque complex built over Coricancha (âThe Temple of the Sunâ), the most important temple of the Inca Empire. Next, marvel at the Cathedral, the most imposing monument of the Main Square, before heading over the hills of Cusco city to visit the 15th century stone fortress Sacsayhuaman, ritualistic site Qenqo, and the alleged military ruin Puka Pukara. Once finished, you will be ushered back to your hotel for the evening.
Following breakfast, you will start your Sacred Valley tour en route to Pisac, whose charming market is filled with beautiful alpaca textiles, musical instruments, and other handmade crafts fashioned after ancient Inca pieces. Next, we will tour the Pisac archeological vestiges, which are the largest, Incan-built agricultural terrace complexes in the area. After lunch, we will continue our Sacred Valley tour to the Ollantaytambo Park and Ollantaytambo, an ancient town whose residents still live in accordance with Incan traditions. At the end of this leg of the trip, you will return to Cusco city in time to relax for the evening.
Today weâll encounter the majestic Machu Picchu ruins after breakfast at the hotel. In order to arrive to the renowned archaeological site, weâll take a train ride to Aguas Calientes, a small town filled with handicrafts and markets often referred to as âMachu Picchu Pueblo.â After a short transfer, weâll reach the Machu Picchu ruins, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. Take time to tour the timeless architectural masterpiece and soak in its views. Once finished, weâll descend on a bus to Aguas Calientes and have lunch at a local restaurant before starting our return back to Cusco in the afternoon.
Enjoy your final breakfast at your hotel in Cusco before a transportation service takes you to the airport for your return flight to Lima. Upon arrival to Lima, you will catch a connecting flight to Iquitos (2 hours).
After landing in the city of Iquitos, you will be transferred to Nauta, from where you will navigate to the Ucamarca Confluence, where the Amazon River is formed. Then, you will be transferred to the Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge to enjoy a welcome drink and lunch. Afterwards, take an educational, daytime hike in the restinga (muddy area) forest to observe the local flora and fauna followed by a nighttime hike before dinner to view a great variety of rainforest frogs.
After having breakfast at the lodge, you will board a boat that will take you to the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, the worldâs largest protected flooded forest, nicknamed the âJungle of Mirrors.â After visiting pink dolphins and flooded forests, observing local fauna, and practicing artisanal fishing, you will return to the lodge to have lunch before heading to the womenâs temporary crafts center of the San Jorge community. Then, continue the dayâs Amazon tours by taking a boat tour along the Marañón River to the San Jacinto Cocha, a land depression that converts into a lagoon during the rainy season. Later, learn about the protection of the paiche, the largest freshwater fish of the Amazon jungle, before an exclusive opportunity to see immense Victoria amazonica. Wrap up the day by returning to the lodge to dine and rest.
Have a delectable morning meal before beginning your hike through the restinga forest, ending with lunch. Upon your return to the lodge, you will participate in the program called âAfternoon Encounter with Manâs Cosmovision,â which will enable you to have a clearer idea of the indigenous spiritual medicine Ayahuasca and other medicinal plants. After dinner, your final evening in the Amazon is yours to rest and reflect.
Enjoy your final breakfast at your Amazon lodge before taking a boat along the Marañón River to the Shirayacu cocha, where will practice artisanal fishing. You will then return to the lodge, gather your belongings and catch your Iquitos-Lima flight.
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