WILD PERU EXPEDITION: AMAZON, ANDES & ALTIPLANO

WELCOME TO PERU!

Once the capital of the Spanish Viceroyalty, Lima is now Peru’s vibrant culinary capital.

Upon arrival at Jorge Chavez International Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel in Lima.

Discover Lima, Peru’s capital, through more than 2,000 years of history and the distinctive cityscapes that make it so captivating.

The morning is at leisure to rest and relax.

In the afternoon, explore Lima’s Historic Center, where architecture from the 16th century to the present day tells the story of the city. Visit the Plaza de Armas, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Government Palace, and historic Casa Aliaga, home to generations of the same family since the colonial era.

Continue to the 16th-century San Francisco Convent and through some of Lima’s most traditional residential districts, including San Isidro, El Olivar, and Larcomar. Stop at the famous Park of Love for spectacular views over the Pacific Ocean.

Begin your Amazon adventure with a transfer to Lima Airport and a flight to Iquitos. Upon arrival, continue to the town of Nauta, the first Spanish-founded settlement on the Marañon River, approximately 97 km away and about a 1.5-hour drive.

In Nauta, board a riverboat and continue toward the lodge. During high-water season, visit Fundo Casual in search of local flora and wildlife. At the lodge, receive a warm welcome from a member of the Kukama Kukamiria culture, enjoy a refreshing fruit-drink station, settle into your cabin, and have lunch.

In the evening, enjoy a conversation about Amazonian myths and legends, followed by a night excursion through the forest surrounding the ecolodge in search of frogs, tarantulas, insects, and other nocturnal species.

Lunch / dinner included.

After breakfast, enjoy interpretive and adventure walks through the primary forest surrounding the lodge, following a route known for primate sightings. Your guide will introduce the extraordinary biodiversity of the region and explain traditional uses of medicinal plants and trees.

In the afternoon, depart for the Nauta Caño sector of Pacaya Samiria National Reserve.

Explore the reserve in search of pink and gray river dolphins while experiencing the extraordinary variety of flora and fauna found in this protected ecosystem.

One of the most striking features is the way the river mirrors the sky, clouds, shoreline vegetation, and towering trees so perfectly that visitors feel as though they are traveling between reflections. For this reason, Pacaya Samiria is also known as the Forest of Mirrors.

Enjoy an interpretive excursion through flooded forest, where you may encounter primates and sloths, identify local birdlife, and learn about traditional fishing practices and the tools used by Amazonian communities for subsistence.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Travel by riverboat along the Marañon River to Cocha Shiriyacu or downstream, depending on the season and fishing conditions. Visit the San Jorge community to meet local residents and learn about their way of life and ancestral customs.

Visit the Kukama Women’s Handicraft Center (Pua Kamatawara), a project developed by Pacaya Samiria Amazon Lodge. Continue with your transfer to Iquitos Airport or your city hotel.

Breakfast and lunch included.

NOTES

– Lunch on the final Amazon day is included depending on the flight departure time. If the schedule is too tight, lunch may not be possible before departure.

– The program may vary according to weather conditions and high- or low-water season. Guides may adjust activities to make the most of the experience.

Fly back to Lima and connect onward to Cusco.

WELCOME TO CUSCO!

Once the capital of the powerful Inca Empire, Cusco is now a vibrant city in the Peruvian Andes.

Upon arrival, our representative will welcome you and transfer you to your hotel. Relax with a cup of muña tea, a traditional Andean mint infusion.

The rest of the day is at leisure to rest and acclimate to Cusco’s elevation of approximately 11,150 ft (3,400 m).

Journey into the Sacred Valley to discover one of Peru’s historic salt-harvesting landscapes, enjoy lunch with a local community, and travel by train toward Machu Picchu.

Continue to the Maras Salt Mines, an extraordinary open-air complex where salt is harvested from more than 4,000 small terraced pools using techniques passed down through generations.

Journey along the Vilcanota mountain range, with snowcapped peaks in the distance, and drive through the town of Maras, known for its colonial streets and carved doorways. Continue to a local Andean community for a closer look at village life.

Enjoy an authentic Andean lunch in the home of a local resident.

In the afternoon, board the train to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.

Overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Today, discover one of the finest expressions of Inca architecture, engineering, and water management.

After a 25-minute bus ride, arrive at the magnificent Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Explore its ancient pathways with your guide and discover sites such as the Temple of the Sun, the Pachamama Sanctuary, the quarries, main plazas, and other areas included with your selected circuit.

Lunch in Aguas Calientes.

In the afternoon, board the train back to Ollantaytambo and continue by private transportation to Cusco.

Journey by bus from the capital of the Incas to Peru’s folklore capital.

In the morning, transfer to the bus terminal for your journey along the Manco Capac Route. Along the way, visit Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes, followed by Raqchi and its temple dedicated to the Inca god Wiracocha. Stop in Sicuani for an Andean buffet lunch, then continue to La Raya, the highest point of the route at approximately 14,100 ft (4,300 m). Before arriving in Puno, visit the Pukara Museum and learn about one of the foundational cultures of the southern Andes. Upon arrival, transfer to your selected hotel.

Overnight at your selected hotel in Puno.

Discover ancient communities of Lake Titicaca.

Early in the morning after breakfast, transfer to the port of Puno.

Board a boat to the floating Uros Islands for an immersive encounter with this ancient lakeside community.

Return to Puno.

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

Transfer to Juliaca Airport for your flight back to Lima.

Thank you for visiting Peru!

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