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| SUGGESTED PROGRAMS |
 Amazon Rainforest & Machu Picchu 11 days / 10 nights program |
Day 1 - USA/Lima
Upon arrival we are met and transferred to our hotel. Overnight at selected hotel.
Day 2 - Lima/Puerto Maldonado/Sandoval Lake
Morning transfer to the airport for flight to Puerto Maldonado. On arrival transfer to the river port on the Madre de Dios River. A 25 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios River by motor canoe brings us to the end of the trail into Sandoval Lake Lodge. We walk 2-mile (optional rickshaw ride) through secondary forest, followed by a canoe ride through a flooded forest of 100-foot tall Mauritia palms to reach the shimmering surface of the Sandoval Lake, we are transferred to a catamaran and are leisurely paddled across half the lake to the lodge. After lunch we explore the entire west end of the lake. Here, in the flooded palm forest we drift to the sounds of hundreds of Red-Bellied Macaws as they return to the palm forest for the night. Return to the lodge. After dinner we will spot the large and extremely rare Black Caimans. If it is a clear starlit night, we will also be able to float in the middle of the lake and marvel at the brilliance of the sky. Overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge (B,L,D)*.
Day 3 - Sandoval Lake
At dawn we will enable to be on the lake for sunrise and a hopeful encounter with the family of Giant Otters which frequent the lake and are most active at this time of day. Most of the fish-eating water birds around the lake actively fish in the early morning as well, and this outing should provide excellent views, and photographs, of the prehistoric- looking Hoatzins. After returning for a late breakfast we set off into the cool under story of the tall virgin forest near the lake to see some towering wild Brazil Nut trees and a demonstration of how our hosts collect, open and commercialize this important natural product. After lunch we explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might see one or more of the five species of monkeys which live in the forest near the lake, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey. There is a final chance after dinner to try and spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night walk through the primary forest. Overnight at Sandoval Lake Lodge (B,L,D)*
Day 4 - Puerto Maldonado/Cusco
After an early breakfast we return to Puerto Maldonado for flight to Cusco. On arrival we are met and start our way out of Cusco through a succession of picturesque towns, agricultural terraces, and many archaeological sites to the Urubamba Valley known as the Sacred Valley. Overnight at selected hotel (B)*
Day 5 - Pisac & Ollantaytambo
Today we will explore The Sacred valley of the Incas, in this area the Incas intensively cultivated the landscape using terraces that increased the land’s harvest several fold and provided food for a large population. We will stop first at the colorful Pisac Community Market, a quiet Andean village. The market features produce, goods and Peruvian handicrafts for locals and tourists. After lunch at a local restaurant we continue visiting the Ollantaytambo Fortress, which it is believe, served as dual purpose of providing protection and as a religious center. The complex considered an architectural wonder is perched on a hilltop overlooking the town of Ollantaytambo. Overnight at selected hotel (B,L)*
Day 6 - Sacred Valley/Chinchero, Maras & Moray
Today we will enjoy a full day excursion visiting amazing sites through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop will be Chinchero a lovely village once a major population center during the reign of Topa Inca, the son of Pachacuteq, it gradually declined in status under Spanish rule. Today it is a tranquil village known for its handicrafts, weavers and its Sunday textile market. We visit the Inca ruins with an enormous Inca wall with trapezoidal niches, fine terraces and water canals as well as the colonial church with its finely painted frescoes. Following we continue our journey and visit Moray, a very unique archaeological site in the region, enormous natural depressions or hollows in the ground surface used as a prototype of a greenhouse or experimental biological station. Our last stop after a ride through the Andes and amazing landscapes is Maras the famous Inca Salt mines which are constituted by about 3000 small pools with an average area of 5 m² (53.8 ft²), constructed in a mountain slope. Natives are still using the same traditional methods as 500 years ago to extract the salt. Overnight at selected hotel (B,L)
Day 7 - Machu Picchu
Following an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the Ollanta Railway Station, for our journey to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival we will take the bus to the top of the mountain for your full day guided tour of the ruins at Machu Picchu, known as “The Lost City of The Incas”. It is probably the best known, yet the least understood of all Incan sites. Apart from a few locals, nobody knew of Machu picchu’s existence until 1911, when American historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon the thickly overgrown buildings almost by accident. The quality of the stonework and the abundance of ornamental sites indicate that Machu Picchu must have been an important ceremonial center, but knowledge of the city’s history has being lost over time. Overnight at selected hotel (B,L,D)*
Day 8 - Machu Picchu/Cusco
This morning before the crowds arrive, enjoy a second visit to the ruins on your own, or simply explore the small town of Aguas Calientes. Mid- afternoon you will take the train back to Cusco, on arrival transfer to hotel. Overnight at selected hotel (B)*
Day 9 - Cusco
Morning at leisure. This afternoon we tour the colonial Cusco and its surrounding ruins. Cusco is set in a bowl-shaped valley and laid out in the form of a Puma. During Incan times, a massive stone fortress called Sacsayhuaman protected the city and formed the head of the Puma. Sacsayhuaman’s huge polygonal stone blocks were cut to interlock and join without mortar. The largest stone weighs more than 300 tons. The stone work of the Koricancha, the temple of the Sun, is considered to have no equal. Overnight at selected hotel (B)*
Day 10 - Cusco
Day at leisure to explore Cusco on your own. stroll along Cusco’s bustling, central streets filled with local artisans line the streets to make and sell their handicrafts. Retail shops sell everything from leather to pre-colonial ceramic reproductions. Overnight at selected hotel (B).*
Day 11 - Cusco/Lima/Departure
Morning transfer to the airport for flight to Lima. On arrival transfer to hotel. Afternoon tour of the colonial center visiting the Cathedral at the Main Plaza, San Francisco Church and catacombs and the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores. Drive though the stylish suburb of San Isidro and watch the surf of the Pacific Ocean pound the dry cliffs of the shoreline. Following with a visit to Larco Herrera Museum. Evening transfer to the airport for flight back to USA. (B)
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| *(Meals code: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) |
Includes: Accommodations, airport transfers, mentioned meals, scheduled private or regular tours as your selection, entrance fees, land transportation and English speaking guide.
Not included: International & internal airfares, airport departure taxes; tips to porters, guide and drivers, expenses of personal nature; meals not included in the itinerary; alcoholic beverages. Travel Insurance.
Our sample programs are for information only and can be customized.
For pricing, please contact us at 1-888-232-4125 or info@peru-tours.biz |
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