Peru Adventure: From the Andes to the Amazon and back!
9 days / 8 nights
December 5 - 14, 2018
HIGHLIGHTS
Lima – Cusco – Machu Picchu – Amazon Rainforest – Trekking – Hiking – Maras Salt Mines – Ollantaytambo Train - Lima Bike Tour - Mountain Biking - Swimming with the Seals
|
There's so much to experience in Peru, where do we even begin? For
Epic's Peru Classic Amazon to the Andes, we start in Lima and head immediately to Cusco by air. You will take in the marvels of this cobble-stoned, cosy town and learn about it's magnificent history, before heading to the Sacred Valley. You will visit the Inca site of Moray, and the mountain salt mines of Maras, by your choice of bus or mountain bike. On the fourth day, after you've had time to acclimatize to the altitude, you'll set off for your private guided trek to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail. |
After resting overnight in the quaint little town of Aguas Calientes you
will go back to Machu Picchu by bus the following morning for a full guided tour of these ancient Incan ruins, along with an optional hike to the Inca Bridge. We will return by train to Cusco and fly out to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to the Amazon. We will take a riverboat to our jungle lodge in the Amazon where will spend three days watching wildlife, exploring the rainforest and learning about the jungle. We'll fly back to Lima to spend a day there, with city tours, a bike tour and an option to swim with the seals, before we finally head home and say goodbye to Peru... until next time. |
DAY 1: Change of country
Arrive into Lima at anytime. Our guides will greet you at the airport and take you to your hotel for some much-needed rest.
DAY 2: Cusco
|
Get picked up from your hotel and hop on a flight to Cusco. Select a window seat on the left side of the plane for the best views, as the approach to Cusco is magnificent! Our friendly staff will greet you at Cusco Airport with some fresh cocoa tea and take you to your hotel. There's plenty to see and do in Cusco, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like visiting Museo Inka, Museo de Historia Regional, the Sun Temple or the local market. Take it easy today and let your body get used to the altitude.
|
|
Day 3: The Sacred Valley
|
Pack a little day bag for your adventure today. You will be picked up in the morning for a full day tour of the Sacred Valley - you can opt for either the bus tour or the bike tour. We will take you to the little village of Chinchero, the center of weaving in Peru. Local women put on a weaving demonstration and show how they produce different colors for the wool they spin and weave. It is possible to see how the wool is washed, dyed and spun. You can watch them spin and create alpaca jumpers right in front of you. The ladies dress in traditional costume, and are happy to display how the weaving works. They are super friendly and will afterwards sit and drink mate de coca with you.
After this colorful start to the day, it is time to choose - bus or mountain bike - and head off down the Sacred Valley to the spectacular salt mines of Maras and the intriguing Incan site of Moray. We will end the day in the town of Ollantaytambo at the Hotel El Albergue, a boutique hotel with its own organic farm and coffee processing plant. Explore the town with its cobblestone streets and the nearby ruins, or simply relax and enjoy the farm and its animals. Choose to dine at the El Albergue's in house restaurant with meals prepared with fresh ingredients from the farm, or have a meal at any of the cosy restaurants in town. |
Day 4: The Inca Trail
|
Take the early morning train through the mountains and get dropped off at KM 104 to begin your hike and ascent to Machu Picchu. Carry only a day bag, as your luggage will be transported to the next hotel for you. We start by crossing a suspension bridge over the river and begin the 3 hour climb to our lunch spot, where we'll enjoy a picnic lunch. The trail continues with more panoramic views of the surrounding valley, until we climb a final long set of stone steps to reach the Sun Gate and get our first magnificent view of Machu Picchu. Take a well-deserved break and some llama selfies, and then continue downhill to Machu Picchu. Once there, soak in the 360 view and get some more great shots, and then head down to the bus stop to get a ride into Aguas Calientes for a nice hot shower, a warm meal and a cosy bed.
|
|
Day 5: Machu Picchu
Day 7: Exploring the AmazonWake up and continue exploring. Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters (seen by 60% of our lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. The Parrot Clay Lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow- headed Amazon, Blueheaded Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is active at dawn, during the late mornings and mid-afternoons.
After lunch, a twenty minute boat ride downriver leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants. You will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories. Day 8: Amazon to LimaWe retrace our river and road journey back to Puerto Maldonado and the airport. Fly out to Lima and get transferred to your hotel in Miraflores, the heart of Lima. Enjoy the evening strolling through the city at your leisure, with a walk to the nearby Barranco district and maybe catch the sunset along the coast.
|
Have a hearty breakfast and then take the bus back up to Machu Picchu with your guide, who will take you on a detailed interpretive tour of the ruins. Enjoy some leisure time to explore on your own, or opt to hike up to the Inca Bridge. Take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, followed by lunch, and then take the train back to Cusco. Explore more of Cusco and enjoy your evening walking, discovering and dining.
Day 6: Off to the AmazonPack your bags and get transported to the airport for your flight out to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival we will drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the native community of Infierno. A forty-five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas Lodges will take us into the community's primary forest private reserve. The lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips. A twenty minute walk from the lodge leads to the 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Occasionally toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species land in the treetop next to you.
|
Day 9: Lively Lima
|
Today is an exciting day with a plethora of options. You can simply explore and absorb the vibe of the city to your heart's content. Or check out the ancient ruins right in the heart of the city. Or opt to visit the Palomino Islands, observe all the variety of wildlife there, and even swim with the seals if you're brave enough! Enjoy a delectable lunch, along with some of the best ceviche in South America. You can also choose to enjoy a local cooking experience with a Peruvian family. In the afternoon you can opt for a Lima Bike Tour or shop for last minute mementos. Later in the day, get transported to Lima International Airport for your flight home. Most flights to North America depart late night and land in the morning.
|
DOWNLOAD THE FULL ITINERARY BELOW:
| Peru Itinerary: Amazon to Andes |
|
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
Airport Transfers Local flights Train tickets Boat transfers Luggage Transfers Private guides Machu Picchu Permit Inca Trail Permit 3-star hotel accomodation Halal Peruvian food Local transport Amazing customer service, and One helluva trip |
PRICE
$CAD 2,999 PROMO PRICE: ONLY $CAD 2,699 LIMITED SPOTS. BOOKINGS WILL BE CLOSED ONCE GROUP CAPACITY IS REACHED TO BOOK OR FOR INQUIRIES CALL NOW 1-888-433-4666 |