Great Combination
Lima – Arequipa – Colca – Cusco – Puerto Maldonado (10 days / 9 nights)
Day 1: Lima
Assistance and transfer to the selected hotel.
Day 2: Lima – City
In the morning, guided sightseeing tour to the most attractive and important sites in Lima. The tour starts with a panoramic visit to the Huaca Pucllana, archaeological precinct built in the IV century A.D. It was a ceremonial and administrative centre which was considered by the Incas as a sacred site. The tour continues passing through the Historical Centre, with its colonial mansions and its Moorish style balconies, San Martin Square and the Main Square with their different buildings: Government Palace, Archbishop’s Palace, Cathedral Basilica and the Town hall.
A visit to the Banco Central de Reserva Museum (*) is included. It has a fine selection of objects made in gold, ceramic and textiles of different pre-columbine cultures. Then we visit the San Francisco Convent, which displays the largest collection of religious colonial art in America, and where we can appreciate the great Patio decorated with Seville tiles from the XVI century, Moorish arches and underground catacombs.
The tour finishes in Larcomar, an entertainment center and a privileged spot to have a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean.
(*) Banco Central de Reserva Museum closed to the public on Saturdays and Sundays afternoon and Mondays all day.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Lima – Arequipa – City
Transfer to the airport for your trip to Arequipa. Upon arrival transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon city tour, passing by the Main Square and the Cathedral, the Church and Cloisters of the Compania de Jesus; Santa Catalina Monastery with its religious cloisters, built on the 16th century and after 400 years of monastic life was open to the public; San Francisco Church and Square and Yanahuara district, with its famous viewpoint, from where you can look at the city and its volcanoes.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Arequipa – Chivay
Departure from Arequipa early in the morning, towards the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. We pass by Aguada Blanca or Pampa Canahuas National Reserve, one of the best habitats for the vicuna protection. We continue through the ‘Mirador de los Andes’, a viewpoint where we can watch the mountain range and the volcanoes, to the town of Chivay. Transfer to the hotel. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit to the hot springs (bring a bathing suit – entrance fee not included).
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 5: Colca Canyon – Arequipa
We leave early in the morning to the ‘Condor’s Cross’, from where we will have an impressive panoramic view of the Colca Canyon. We can also watch the majestic condor flying through the Andean sky. On the way back to Chivay we pass by typical towns. After lunch, we return to Arequipa. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Day 6: Arequipa – Cusco – City
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon city tour, passing by the Main Square and the Cathedral, with its valuable paintings of the Colonial Cusco School, the famous Temple of the Sun or Koricancha, an ancient Inca temple over which the Santo Domingo Convent was built. Then we pass by the impressive ruins of Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Cusco – Machu Picchu
Early in the morning, transfer to the train station for the trip to Machu Picchu Pueblo. The train journey passes by the Andes, parallel to the Urubamba River with the magnificent view of the High Jungle. From there we will ascend to the archaeological complex of the ‘Lost City of the Incas’, Machu Picchu, located on a high mountain covered by exuberant Amazon vegetation, with its rich fauna and flora. In the Historic Machu Picchu Sanctuary we can appreciate the mix of the impressive precision of its stone structures, which reveal the deep knowledge and the technological advance of the Inca Culture, with the mystical aspect of one of the most important archaeological sites of the world. After lunch, return to Cusco and transfer to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Day 8: Cusco – Puerto Maldonado – Jungle
At agreed time, transfer to the airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. On arrival, reception at the airport and from there we will go to the office to obtain the official waterway permits and leave the luggage that we will not require during our stay in the Jungle. We embark at Capitania Port, towards the lodge, for a 40-minute navigation on the Madre de Dios River. After lunch and a free time to relax we have our first contact with the Rainforest. On this trek we see a large variety of tropical trees, medicinal plants, insects, butterflies and other animals in the 60-hectare-area of Corto Maltes.
Upon return we make a small stop at a lookout to watch toucans, macaws and other species of birds. The duration of this hike is 2 to 3 hours. Before dinner we go on a nightly boat trip, a little safari trying to spot the white caiman that lives in the river banks.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 9: Lake Sandoval – Monkey Island
At 6:00 am we navigate the Madre de Dios River towards Lake Sandoval (aprox 20 mins). During a 3 km hike through the exuberant vegetation, we enter the territory of Tambopata National Reserve, where we have the chance to admire giant trees, snakes, monkeys (squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys and capuchin monkeys) and various birds (Hoatzin, kingfishers and snakebirds). Once on the lake, we navigate in small rowing boats, searching for the giant otters. We also have the possibility to spot caimans, piranhas and a variety of birds.
We then stop at a rest area, where we eat breakfast, rest and collect our strength for the way back to the landing stage and the continuation of the journey to Monkey Island. Here, about 5 species of monkeys live in the wild. They are used to visitors and can come very close. Kindly note that it is very important to always follow the instructions of our guide. We return to the lodge for lunch.
At 3:30 pm we visit one of the two lookout towers (20 and 42 meters high) and designed for bird watching and viewing of other types of animals living at this altitude. In addition, we will enjoy an incredible view of the sunset.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 10: Parrot Clay Lick – Puerto Maldonado
At 5:30am we go on a trek of about 20 min until we arrive at the parrot clay-lick. Here a minimum of five different species feeds on special clay, vital to their metabolism. It’s a truly marvelous, multicolored spectacle. We return to the lodge for breakfast. Then we navigate back to the city, pick up our luggage and transfer to the airport. En route we visit the local fruit market.
Meals: Breakfast
Note: If you require this same tour in a superior or de luxe category, please request the description of days 8 to 10, and we will send it at soon as possible.
