Day 01: – Lima
Arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel. Check inn and overnight.
Day 02: Lima – Arequipa
At proper time transfer to the local airport and regular flight to Arequipa. Arrival in Arequipa, transfer to the selected Hotel. Afternoon visit to the most important tourist sites and a visit to Santa Catalina Convent. Overnight.
Day 03: Arequipa – Colca
Early in the morning, after breakfast, start your trip to the Colca Canyon, visiting on the way Pampas Cañahuas, the Mirador of the Andes, the Crater of Chucura, the Mirador of Chivay, where pre-Inca cultivation terraces may be appreciated. Arrival to the Town of Chivay at 13:00hrs. approx. Transfer to your selected Lodge. Lunch in not included. (light meals in the altitude).
In the afternoon free time to visit Hot Spring Thermal and Medicinal Baths. Overnight.
Day 04: Chivay – Arequipa – Puno
After breakfast, very early in the morning, drive to the Condor s Cross, a natural observation point from where the magnitude of the Colca Canyon and the spectacular flight of the majestic Condor can be appreciated. On the way back to Chivay, visit to the Mirador of Chinina, where we will find the famous cliffside Tombs and the Hanging Bridge of Sifón that joins the Town of Yanque with Coporaque. When at the Town of Yanque, visit its beautiful church and its characteristic cobbled streets among other attractions. To have spectacular views of the Colca Valley, we will drive to the Lookout points of Choquetipo and Artahuilque and also to the Town of Maca. Arrival and transfer to the selected hotel in Puno.
Day 05: Puno/ Uros / Taquile
Early in the morning, we take a two-hour motor boat excursion on the waters of Lake Titicaca to the unique Floating Islands of the Uros. These ancient inhabitants of the lake, known as the Water Tribe, have built their own islands by periodically adding new layers of a type of reed unique to the area called Totora. Their homes and boats are also made from this material. We continue our motorboat trip to Taquile Island, inhabited by Quechua-speaking natives who have developed efficient and unique social systems, as well as fine hand weaving techniques, down through the generations. Upon arrival at the Town of Taquile we will have a lunch. Then we will walk through the various hills and archaeological sites of this 6km long island. In the afternoon, return to Puno for overnight at selected hotel.
Day 06: Puno – Cusco
Breakfast, In the morning transfer to the bus station and departure to Cusco in Inka Express bus with stops in Pukara, La Raya, Raqchi and Andahuaylillas. Lunch in Sicuani. Arrival in Cusco and transfer to the selected Hotel. Overnight.
Day 07: Cusco
Breakfast. Free time for acclimatization. In the afternoon, a city tour within the archaeological capital of America and its nearby ruins known as: Qenqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay and the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. Return to the hotel and overnight
Day 08: Cusco: The Sacred Valley of the Incas
Breakfast. Full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, along the Vilcanota River, where we will have the opportunity to share closely the peasants customs and bargain with vendors at the typical indian market of Pisac, held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Lunch in a local countryside restaurant.
In the afternoon, passing through the Towns of Calca and Urubamba, we visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to this part of the Valley, and protect it from possible invasion from the tribes of the Lower Jungle. You can walk through the quaint streets of the nearby Town, and get a good idea of what this strategic military, religious, and agricultural centre was like during the Inca Empire.
Late afternoon return to Cusco and transfer to your hotel for overnight.
Day 09: Cusco – Machu Picchu
Early in the morning, transfer to Cusco Train station for a three hours train ride to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the most renowned examples of Inca architecture, known as «The Lost City of the Incas», stepping off the train in Aguas Calientes Station for a 30 minutes drive climbing a 6km of winding road to reach the marvellous Citadel. Upon arrival, guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of Three Windows and various burial grounds. Time free to stroll by the Archaeological Site. Lunch at a local restaurant. (is not included). Transfer to your selected hotel in Machu Picchu or in Aguas Calientes, the closest Town, at only 15 minutes by bus from Machu Picchu.
Day 10: Machu Picchu: Aguas Calientes / Cusco
Leisurely breakfast. Excellent opportunity to wake up early and enjoy a beautiful sunrise as well as a stroll through the Town of Aguas Calientes and visit its Hot Springs Thermal Waters. Then, you will have time to perform some of the following activities: (not included in the overall tour price).
1. Visit the Citadel of Machu Picchu for the second time.
2. For the most adventurous people, we suggest to go up the Huayna Picchu (if it is not raining) from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being high and distant. (not included in the overall tour price).
Arriving at the top takes about two hours and a half and it must be before 13:00 hours. It is necessary to register in an office at the beginning of the trail. An exciting adventure for the travellers who want to see, from the top, the nature and the carved stone emerging from the ground as if a geological miracle.
In the afternoon, back to Cusco by train, and transfer to your hotel.Overnight.
Day 11: Cusco – Puerto Maldonado – Posada Amazonas
Arrival and Reception by Guide. Our guides are biologists, tourism professionals, or community members. Unless noted otherwise, our guides speak English. We assign guides at 10:1 ratio . This means groups smaller than 10 people will be merged with other groups under one guide. If you would like a private guide or a guide in a language other than English please let us know.
Transfer Airport to Pto Maldonado Headquarters. Upon arrival from Lima or Cusco, we will welcome you at the airport and drive you ten minutes to our Puerto Maldonado headquarters. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in our gardens we will ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days, and leave the rest at our safe deposit. This helps us keep the boats and cargo light.
Puerto Maldonado to Tambopata River Port. Skirting Puerto Maldonado, we drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. The port is a communal business.
Boxed Lunch.
Tambopata River Port to Posada Amazonas. The forty five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas will take us into the Community is Primary Forest Private Reserve.
Orientation. Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.
Canopy tower: A twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas 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. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you.
Ecotourism Lecture. A daily presentation on the Infierno ecotourism project is available every night from a staff member.Overnight in Posada Amazonas.
Day 12: Posada Amazonas
Breakfast.
Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake: Tres Chimbadas 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.
Parrot clay lick: This 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, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is most active at dawn and during the late mornings and mid-afternoons.
Ethnobotanical Tour: A twenty minute boat drive 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.
Night walk. 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.
Overnight in Posada Amazonas
Day 13: Posada Amazonas-Puerto Maldonado-Lima
Breakfast. Transfer Boat – Posada Amazonas to Tambopata River Port.
Transfer Tambopata River Port to Pto Maldonado Headquarters. Transfer Pto Maldonado Headquarters – Airport. We retrace our river and road journey back to Puerto Maldonado, our office and the airport. Depending on airline schedules, this may require dawn departures. Arrive and transfer to elected hotel
Day 14: Lima
Breakfast. In the aftermoon we will visit the Convent of San Francisco, a real jewel of colonial architecture dating from 1546; we will walk through its main cloister decorated with tiles from Sevilla of the seventeenth century, the Sacristy with paintings by Rivera and Zurbaran, the Catacombs (underground crypts of the colonial era). Continue in the new financial center of the city, El Boulevard Tarata 290, Miraflores Lima Perú Tel: 51 1 4466170 / 2428922 Fax: 51 1 2557841 info@panamtourperu.com / web: www.panamtourperu.com
Olivar San Isidro with their olive trees dating from the late sixteenth century, brought from Spain,
Central Miraflores Park, The Park of Love and Larco Mar, an example of modernity of the City and from which we will enjoy a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean.
Day 15:Lima
Breakfast. transfer to Lima airport to take your departure flight.
