Peru's Amazon Rainforest & Inca Trail Adventure - 16 Days

Highlights

• Get bragging rights after completing the four-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
• Spend two days choosing your own adventures in the Amazon rainforest
• Discover tasty Peruvian and Andean cuisine during private cooking sessions
• Take guided tours of ancient Inca sites at Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo & more

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Lima, Explore

Hola! Welcome to Lima, Peru's capital, a vibrant coastal city that manages to blend history and culture in a modern setting by the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival at Lima airport, a private driver will meet and transfer you to your hotel. Drop your bags and set out to explore the city at your own pace. The UNESCO-listed historic center is full of charming colonial architecture, magnificent cathedrals and palaces, and fascinating stories, so there's plenty to see.

A good place to start is Plaza Mayor, Lima's central square, which is lined with Spanish colonial buildings, including a magnificent 16th-century church—the Cathedral Basilica of Lima—that took 80 years to complete. You can also visit the San Francisco Convent with its ornate altars, dome, and underground catacombs.

Continue to the bohemian district of Barranco, beloved for its quirky street art, then stop by the eclectic Love Park in upscale Miraflores, where you can admire a huge kissing statue, beautiful mosaic walls, and a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean. End the day by sampling tasty Peruvian dishes at one of Lima's world-class restaurants. 

Day 2: Lima Culinary Experience

There are many ways to get to know a city, but one of the most gratifying and interesting is through its food. Luckily, Lima is a renowned culinary destination, celebrated for its diverse gastronomy that combines traditional Peruvian flavors with international influences. Today you'll join a food tour through the bohemian district of Barranco guided by a professional chef. Together on foot, you'll feel like a local as you swan through the market, picking up ingredients for your cooking class. After, wander Barranco and stop for teas, coffee, or chocolate.

Day 3: Fly to Puerto Maldonado, Boat to Tambopata National Reserve

This morning you'll transfer to Lima airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway to Peru's Southern Amazon and Tambopata National Reserve. Upon arrival, you'll take an hourlong boat ride to the Tambopata River Lodge while soaking up stunning views of the national reserve and snacking on a picnic lunch. Once you've checked into your room, peruse the menu of more than 20 on-site activities, and start exploring the lodge and its surroundings.

Days 4-5: Choose-Your-Own Amazon Adventures

Over the next 48 hours, you'll have the freedom to handpick your Amazonian adventures, squeezing in up to four fun things each day. For example, you could go trekking through the marshy forest while looking for rare and colorful jungle birds, hike dozens of trails through the dense forest while admiring the wild orchids and lush flora, or join a sunset cruise while watching the jungle transform from day to night. You can also go piranha fishing or search for giant river otters.

If that's not enough, you can also build your own jungle raft while learning survival techniques from the Ese Eja people. Another option is to ascend up the canopy tower to see the surrounding jungle from the treetops. Finally, you might like to take a night walk to see the animals that wake up in the darkest hours of the day. The choice is yours.

Day 6: Boat to Puerto Maldonado, Fly to Cusco, Transfer to the Sacred Valley

Enjoy one last morning waking up to the cacophony of jungle sounds in this unspoiled natural wonderland. Listen as parakeets chatter away in the trees and monkeys swing through the treetops. Enjoy a slow breakfast before checking out. A motorized boat will be waiting to transfer you back along the snaking Tambopata River to Puerto Maldonado. From the airport, you'll take a domestic flight to Cusco, the former capital of the Inca empire. Your guide will meet you at the airport for your journey through the Sacred Valley.

Drive through dramatic Andean scenery as you look for rice fields, eucalyptus forests, small Andean villages, and the imposing peaks of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range. Slowly descend into the Sacred Valley, stopping at sites along the way. Due to the elevation of approximately 9,000 feet (2,743 m) and its peaceful atmosphere, this valley is the perfect place to enjoy your first days in Cusco while you acclimatize to the altitude. Some of the most beautiful villages are located in this area—and it's strategically placed between Cusco and Machu Picchu. 

Day 7: Andean Textile Tour at Misminay, Hike to Moray & Maras

Today your guide will lead you to Misminay, a beautiful traditional Andean community in the Maras plateau. Weaving and dyeing are local customs that have been perfected in the Andes throughout the centuries. Fine alpaca wool is dyed naturally using local plants and minerals before being woven using Andean designs into innumerable clothing and utilitarian textiles. Enjoy a delicious lunch here with the local community before venturing off to a unique viewpoint.

With a half-hour hike, you'll reach a point to admire the Moray terraces and snowy peaks of the Vilcanota Mountain Range. Continue downhill for an hour to reach the terraces and admire them up close. Depending on time, you'll either continue walking for another hour or drive to Maras village, where 3,000 salt pools carved into the mountainside date back to pre-Incan times. The salt mines are still in use today, and you can find the salt at the nearby markets—great for souvenirs.

Day 8: Visit Ollantaytambo, Traditional Andean Lunch

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Immerse yourself in the ancient Inca city of Ollantaytambo this morning. This is one of the few remaining places in the Sacred Valley that has retained its original Inca urban planning, and it gives us a glimpse into the ancient architecture and vibrant life of the people who once lived here. Spend the morning walking through the streets with Inca-era canals and view the ancient houses still in use today. Climb the agricultural terraces where you'll be able to see the stone quarries used to build the city. It's amazing to think how far these large stones were transported. 

Take a break to enjoy a traditional Andean lunch. Pachamanca means earth oven, and today's meal will be cooked underground using preheated stones and leaves to separate the ingredients from the soil. Start with a welcome cocktail made with a traditional Peruvian spirit, and learn about this special cooking technique. Watch as Andean tubers like potato, sweet potato, oca, and mashua, as well as beef or lamb and Andean aromatic herbs, are placed in the dish and left to cook underground. Enjoy a feast of traditional food, and finish the meal with a traditional Andean digestif.

Day 9: Inca Trail (Day 1): Hike to Huayllabamba

Today you're embarking on the Inca Trail, a legendary four-day, 26-mile (42 km) trek through breathtaking Andean landscapes and ancient Inca ruins. The trail culminates at the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Along the way, you'll traverse mountain passes, hike through cloud forests, and walk along stone-paved paths, soaking up views and the cultural heritage of the Incas, an ancient civilization that once thrived in this mystical region.

The adventure begins in Piscacucho, a community located at KM 82 of the railway from Cusco to Quillabamba. Here you'll meet a team of porters, cooks, and assistants that will help during the trek. After registration at the checkpoint, you'll cross the Urubamba River and start a gentle climb to the Llactapata archaeological site, where you'll pause for lunch. From here, leave the Urubamba Valley and set off up the Kusichaca River to your first camp in Huayllabamba. Today's total hike is around 7.5 miles (12 km) and reaches an altitude of 9,843 feet (3,000 m).

Day 10: Inca Trail (Day 2): Hike to Pacaymayo

For many travelers, the second day of the trek is the hardest as you'll need to climb over the highest part of the trail, from 9,843 feet (3,000 m) to 13,776 feet (4,200 m), and then back down to 11,788 feet (3,590 m). First, leave your camp in Huayllabamba, commencing a steep one-hour climb to Ayapata. Follow alongside the Llullucha River, watching as the trail gets steeper and the landscape greener!

Day 11: Inca Trail (Day 3): Hike to Wiñay Wayna

Early this morning, you'll start the steep ascent toward Runcurakay, an archaeological site surrounded by astonishing mountains. Continue upward to the Runcuracay Pass at 12,960 feet (3,950 m). From here, enjoy incredible views of the Vilcabamba Mountain Range before the descent to Sayaqmarka, another Inca archaeological site at 11,811 feet (3,600 m). After visiting the site, you'll climb stairs and pass through an Inca tunnel carved from rock until you reach the Puyupata Pass, where you'll pause for lunch and a brief rest.

Continue on to the Phuyupatamarca site, then marvel at the descent into the cloud forest, a perfect example of the exceptional engineering the Incas achieved. Finally, three hours after leaving Phuyupatamarka, you'll reach Wiñay Wayna at 8,858 feet (2,700 m), one of the most beautiful Inca sites on the route. You'll spend your last night here before arriving at the mystical Machu Picchu tomorrow. Today's total hike is 8.3 miles (16 km).

Day 12: Inca Trail (Day 4): Hike to Machu Picchu, Transfer to Cusco

Today is the day you'll witness the marvel of Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca citadel located at 7,970 feet (2,430 m). From Wiñay Wayna to Intipunku (Sun Gate), it's a two-hour hike, and the final descent to the citadel takes about 15 minutes more. After passing the last control, you are ready to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 Day 13: Free Day in Cusco

Day 14: Explore Sacsayhuaman, Visit Pisac Market & an Andean Camelid Farm

Today you'll explore the outskirts of Cusco, starting with a visit to Sacsayhuaman, a massive Inca fortress overlooking the city. One of the most important archaeological complexes of the Inca Empire, this fortress—which covers 7,400 acres (3,000 ha)—shows the precision of the engineering used, delving into the history of what was once the greatest civilization in pre-Columbian America. The complex would have required the work of 25,000 men, including architects, astronomers, engineers, stone carvers, and transporters.

Later, pass through the picturesque Andean landscape on your way to the traditional Pisac Market. Along the way, you'll stop at an Andean Camelid Farm dedicated to the rescue and preservation of camelids of the Andes. Get up close with alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, and guanacos and learn about their importance to Peruvian culture and tradition. Finally, reach Pisac and explore its vibrant market with local handicrafts, including textiles, ceramics, and jewelry. After a day of exploring and shopping, sit back, relax, and enjoy the stunning views on the drive back to Cusco.

Day 15: Cusco City Tour, Fly to Lima

Get to know Cusco on a deeper level today during a guided tour through the city. First, walk through the Plaza de Armas and explore the Cathedral of Cusco, home to several paintings from the Escuela Cuzquena (Cusco School), which were created during the 17th and 18th centuries. From there, head to the remainder of the legendary Qoricancha, or Temple of the Sun, once the most important temple to the Inca, whose walls were said to be plated with gold.

Later, you'll take a private transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima. This evening you're staying at a hotel near the airport in preparation for your departing flight tomorrow.

Day 16: Depart Lima

It's time to say goodbye to Peru! You stayed near the airport last night, so when the time is right, make your way to the terminal for your international flight home. Return home filled with happy memories, new friends, and great pictures from your Peruvian adventure. Safe travels!

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