ITINERARY:
(1 night in Lima, 1 night in Pisco, 1 night in Nazca, overnight bus journey, 2 nights in Arequipa, 1 night in the Colca Canyon, another night in Arequipa, 2 nights in Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, 4 nights in Cuzco and 3 nights in the Amazone jungle)
DAY 01
Upon arrival in Lima by airplane you will be transferred to the hotel of your choice.
Optional city tour in the afternoon of Lima. (click here or more info on the optional city tour)
DAY 02
Morning transfer to the bus station to catch a public bus to Pisco. The bus journey is done in a comfortable bus and the journey takes about 3 hours. Most of this journey goes through the Atacama dessert which is the driest dessert on earth. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Rest of the day free to explore Pisco or do an optional excursion to the Peninsula of Paracas.
DAY 03
Transfer to the small port of el Chaco where a speedboat is waiting to take you to the the Ballestas islands. Here thousands and thousands of birds are breeding like cormorants and Peruvian Boobies and they are accompanied by thousands of seals. This is certainly a spectacle.
On route we stop at the Candelabra, a figure in the dessert which is best seen from the ocean.
Afternoon transport to Nazca where you’ll spend the night.
DAY 04
Transfer to the small airport of Nazca for a flight over the Nazca lines. These lines are figures in the dessert which date back to pre-Inca times. You will be able to see the monkey, the spider, the astronaut, hands, and the hummingbird among others.
Overnight bus to Arequipa. This is a journey of about 10 hours through the Atacama desert..
DAY 05
Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon there is a city tour of Arequipa which includes a visit to the Santa Catalina convent.
DAY 06
Free day to explore Arequipa.
DAY 07
Excursion to the Colca Canyon. You will be collected from your hotel at about 8.30 am to start our 5 hour journey to Chivay.We arrive at the small town of Chivay at about 13.30 and you will be transfered to the hotel of your choice. The rest of the afternoon is free to go walking or visit the local hot springs. In the evening there is the possibility to attend a folk show (optional)
DAY 08
We have an early breakfast and leave the hotel at about 6.30 AM to drive for about 1.30 hours to Cruz del Condor. At this place we have got a good possibility to spot condors flying relatively low. We stay here for about an hour before returning to Chivay. On route we stop several times at view points and in some of the small villages we pass like Pincholle, Maca and Yanque. After lunch (optional) we return to Arequipa where we arrive at about 6.00 PM and take you to the hotel of your choice.
DAY 09
Transfer from your hotel to the airport of Arequipa for a 35 minute flight to Juliaca. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel in Puno which is on the shores of Lake Titicaca and about 45 km away.
DAY 10
In the morning there is an half day excursion to the floating Uros reed islands. A motorized boat will take you to the islands which are about 40 minutes away. At the moment there are about 40 islands of which you will visit about three. On the islands live indians who try to sell their handicrafts. Their children go to school on the islands and there is also a medical post. There is also the opportunity to join a ride on an original reed boat.
In the afternoon there is an half day excursion to the pre-Inca grave towers of Silustani which are about 45 minutes away from Puno.
DAY 11
Bus journey from Puno to Cuzco. This is a very scenic journey of 375 km through the mountains and over the high plateau. The journey takes about 10 hours and is done in a comfortable bus with stops and photo opportunities in Pukara, La Raya, Sicuani, Racqchi and Andahuaylillas. Lunch included. Upon arrival in Cuzco transfer to your hotel.
DAY 12
Free morning to explore Cuzco. In the afternoon there is a city tour which last for about three and a half hours and you will visit the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Quenqo, Pukipucara and Tambomachay. It also includes the temple of the sun (Qoricancha) and the cathedral. To enter all this sites and lots of other sites in the city you need a tourist ticket (BTC) which comes included in the price.
DAY 13
Excursion to Sacred Valley: Departure at 08.30 A.M and last all day You visit the small market town of Pisaq, the ruins of Ollantaytambo and the small community of Chincheros. Lunch included in a restaurant in the Sacred Valley.
DAY 14
Excursion to Machu Picchu: Last all day. You will be collected from the hotel and transferred to the train station. The comfortable tourist train will take you to the small town of Aquas Calientes from where busses leave to the ruins (+/- 20 min). A guided tour through the ruins of about two and a half hours followed with an opportunity for lunch (not included). Some more time to explore the ruins and then back by bus and train to Cuzco where you will be transferred to your hotel.
DAY 15
Transfer from your hotel to the airport to catch your 40 minute flight toPuerto Maldonado. Arrival and transfer to the river port. Travel by boat on the Madre de Dios River for about 2 hours. On the way, you can observe several birds and maybe some other animals. Arrival at the lodge. Welcome drink, check in at one of the bungalows and lunch. Afternoon visit to Monkey Island which is located nearby the lodge in the middle of the river. Hopefully we can enjoy an amazing sunset in the jungle and we finish the day with dinner at the lodge.
DAY 16
After breakfast you’ll walk for several hours through the jungle to a lost lake. This area is a refuge for a large variety of animals like, nutrias, caimans, turtles, wild pigs, many birds, jaguars and fish. There is an observatory and also time for a canoe ride around the lake. Return to the lodge for lunch. Afternoon boat ride on the Madre de Dios river to visit a typical local family. Dinner at the lodge.
DAY 17
After breakfast a boat ride on the Madre de Dios river to the mouth of a smaller river. We leave the boat and walk through the jungle until we get to this smaller river somewhere much further upstream. We get here on the canoe and will follow this winding river downstream without using the engine. This is a great experience and this way we can enjoy the sound of the jungle and have a good possibility of spotting animals like birds, turtles, caimans, butterflies and a great variety of insects. Lunch and dinner included.
DAY 18
Breakfast at the lodge and boat ride back to Puerto Maldonado. Transfer to the airport to catch your flight to Lima.
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