After being transferred from the hotel to the airport you will fly to Arequipa, over 1000 km south of Lima, where you will have the morning free to become accustomed to the altitude (2,380 metres). After lunch the city tour of Arequipa includes the historic centre, with the Jesuit church and San Francisco, as well as the unique “city-within-a-city” which is the 16th century Santa Catalina convent, once home to a closed order of nuns who remained isolated from the outside world until 1970.
Day 3
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Today you will have an early start for the journey to the Colca Canyon, about five hours from Arequipa. During the journey we leave the valley and climb to the road’s highest point at 4,450 metres, where volcanoes can be seen on the horizon. In the afternoon you will be free to explore the village of Chivay on foot and visit the thermal baths at Calera, just outside the town.
Day 4
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At around 6am we will leave Chivay to travel to Cruz del Condor to observe these giant Andean birds as they rise from the valley floor on the morning thermals. Later in the day, on our way back to Chivay, we will have a chance to visit the typical villages of Tapay, Pinchillo, Maca and Yanque, arriving at our hotel in Arequipa in the late afternoon.
Day 5
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After time to relax after breakfast, you will take a late morning scheduled flight to Cusco, where you have the afternoon free to relax and get used to the altitude (almost 3, 400 metres above sea level) or explore the historic centre on foot. The evening can be spent enjoying the fine local Novo Andino cuisine and an evening folkloric show.
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Day 6
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After a morning free to wander the city, shop for souvenirs or simply relax in a balcony café overlooking the main square, you will be picked-up after lunch for a tour of the city. We begin with a visit to the cathedral, which was built between 1560 and 1654 on the site of the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. Its main altar is completely covered in silver, and the basilica contains many fine paintings from the Cusco School of religious art. From the cathedral we move on to Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, where we will see some of the finest remaining examples of Inca stonemasonry. From the city we will go on to explore the Inca remains in the hills around Cusco. The Sacsaywaman Archaeological Park is home to the great fortress temple of Sacsaywaman itself, as well as the ritual baths of Tambomachay, the temple site of Qenqo and the fortified construction known as Puka Pukara. In the evening you will have the opportunity to enjoy Cusco’s fine Novo Andino cuisine – based on traditional local ingredients and international gourmet techniques – and a show featuring Andean music or dance.
Day 7
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Today will be spent in the Urubamba Valley - also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Apart from the valley’s breathtaking scenery – with fertile slopes surrounded by towering peaks – the main attractions include ancient ruins, colonial villages and traditional markets. The quiet village of Pisac is home to a colourful market and high above the village stand the ruins of the Inca ceremonial and fortress site of the same name. At the far end of the valley, Ollantaytambo is the only remaining example of Inca urban architecture, where descendants of the Incas live beneath the imposing ruins of the temple built by their ancestors. We will spend the night in a valley hotel where typical colonial architecture and the quiet village atmosphere provide the perfect backdrop for all the comforts of the modern world.
Day 8
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From the village of Ollantaytambo we take the train to Machu Picchu on what is widely considered one of the world’s most spectacular train rides, following the Urubamba River through the gorge it cuts down into the tropical forest. Machu Picchu is set amid forested hills, on a saddle between two peaks, where it remained undisturbed by the outside world until its discovery in 1911. We will have the rest of the day to explore Machu Picchu’s streets, temples, palaces and residential areas in the company of an expert guide, before returning to Cusco on the afternoon train, arriving early evening to be transferred to the hotel in time for a free evening in the city.
Day 9
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Many studies have been made of the fauna and flora along the Tambopata River, revealing an incredible abundance of life forms. It is believed that the ecosystems in this part of southeast Peru are the most diverse on the planet. Within the entire territory of the Libertador Tambopata Lodge there are limitless opportunities to observe the tropical rainforest and its wildlife. After a short morning flight to Puerto Maldonado you will be met at the airport and transferred to the port for your boat trip of approximately three hours up the Tambopata River to the lodge. In the late afternoon you will set-off on a short introductory walk into the forest surrounding the lodge.
Day 10
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After breakfast we travel by the boat for the fascinating 4-6 hour journey upriver to the world’s largest known macaw clay-lick. The night will be spent at our well-equipped campsite. In the afternoon we will hike into the forest in search of monkeys and other fauna.
Day 11
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: A predawn start to watch the birding spectacle at the lick, as several species of parrots and macaws arrive to feed on the mineral deposits on the riverbank. After breakfast we will hike into the forest before returning by boat to the lodge by early evening.
Day 12
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Early departure from the lodge in time for the return flight to Cusco or Lima.
Option: Why not choose to spend more days in the rainforest on our 5-day program. Additional days at the macaw lick are available to increase your time at this unique location, or you might choose to spend more time relaxing at the lodge.
