Cloud Forest and Rainforest

The focus of this itinerary is to visit the magical site of Machu Picchu, the monumental city of Cuzco, as well as the magnificent Manu National Park - South America’s largest and best protected Tropical Forest National Park. In this itinerary you will go straight into the depths of the rainforest in a propeller plane and land on the airstrip at Boca Manu. You will witness the amazing spectacle that is the Macaw lick, the Tapir feeding lick, climb on the observation tower to see the canopy: In short, the best of what the rainforest can offer with top guides with our ecologically sound approach.

Good time to travel: This itinerary is possible from March to December. Absolute best time: May-September.

Day 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

On arrival from your evening international flight, you will be collected by our English-speaking representative and driven to Country Club Lima Hotel, a wonderful property dating back to the 1930's where it was the gathering spot for the Lima elite. You can also try a charming boutique option called Second Home Peru.
Overnight at the Country Club Lima Hotel or Second Home.

Transfer to the airport to take your 1-hour morning flight to Cuzco (3,400m/11,220 ft). On arrival into Cuzco, you will be transferred to the Urubamba Valley (1 hour drive), which lies at lower altitude and makes acclimatization easier. The Urubamba river valley is dotted with villages, markets and archaeological sites. On the way to your hotel you will visit the wonderful ruins of Pisac and its famous market. Lunch at a local restaurant. Spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure at one of the following charming countryside hotels: Ticllabamba Maison d'Hôtes, Sol y Luna or Villas Urubamba

Day 3

Urubamba Valley: Ollantaytambo and Chinchero

You will be collected by your private guide and driven for 30 minutes to visit the village and Inca site of Ollantaytambo, which boasts some of the finest Inca architecture known. Return towards your Hotel and lunch at the lovely Hacienda Huayo Ccari, the private estate of one of Cuzco's oldest land owning families. Gourmet lunch. In the afternoon you will have the choice of either visiting the colonial village of Chinchero including a visit to the workshop of the Center for Traditional Textiles where you will have a guided textile demonstration, or visiting the Inca site of Moray and the salt pans of Maras. Both are approximately 45 minutes away from the Hacienda.
Overnight at Ticllabamba Maison d'Hôtes, Sol y Luna or Villas Urubamba

You will be collected by your guide and driven to Ollantaytambo (30 min) at approximately 8:00am to take the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes, the station that serves Machu Picchu. The total train ride is approximately 2 hours, mainly through wonderful cloud forest scenery. You will get off approximately 1 ½ hours before arrival at Aguas Calientes, and start your 1 day Inca trail. You will carry your daypack and box lunch only. You will cross a hanging bridge to then approach the small but interesting Inca archaeological complex of Cachabamba. After a brief visit of this site you will begin a three to four hour ascent to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna: an important Inca spiritual site, and one of the loveliest of all Inca ruins. At this point the trail joins with the main Inca Trail. From here you will be walking on Inca pavement. Here the Inca Trail cuts across the ridge above Machu Picchu to finally reach Intipunku or Gate of the Sun, from where the trail winds downhill into the lost citadel located right above the Urubamba River. Enjoy a guided afternoon visit of the site and overnight at either the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge right by the site, or Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel in Aguas Calientes, 30 minutes bus drive away.
Overnight Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge or Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel.

Day 5

Machu Picchu – Cuzco

This morning you will be able to enjoy Machu Picchu almost all to yourself, as you will be able to access the site as soon as it opens, and watch the morning unfold. Machu Picchu at this time is pure magic and you will have the rest of the day to enjoy it at your own pace. Afternoon (3pm approx) return by Vistadome Train from Machu Picchu to Cuzco, journey time is approximately 3.45 hours. At the trains station you will be collected and driven to the Hotel Monasterio where you will overnight.
Overnight Monasterio.

Day 6
Cuzco

In the morning you will meet your guide for your walking tour of the city of Cuzco. Visit the Cathedral, Korikancha (the Sun Temple) and walk around this wonderful city observing the juxtaposition of Inca and colonial architecture and getting the feel of its wonderful atmosphere. Late light lunch at MAP café. Set in an intriguing glass ‘box’ in the courtyard of the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, this restaurant offers the best in Andean Nouvelle cuisine.  Afternoon visit of Sacsayhuaman and other Inca sites around the city. Overnight Monasterio.

Your private guide will collect you and take you to Cuzco airport for the thrilling 30 minute shared flight to Manu. You will fly on a chartered aircraft, Cessna Caravan twin engine plane with a maximum capacity of 12 passengers. Enjoy the feast for your eyes as you cross the Andes and approach the Amazon which emerges like a thick green blanket beneath you. Upon your arrival at Boca Manu you transfer to a motorized canoe for a 90 minute journey down the Madre de Dios River to the Manu Wildlife Centre. The 44 bedroom Manu Wildlife Centre is located in a private 40,000 acre rainforest reserve adjacent to the Amarakaeri Reserved Zone. This is the only Lodge in the Manu lowlands that has private ensuite bungalows. After lunch, start to explore the 30 miles of forest trails surrounding the Lodge. After dinner, you will go on a short night excursion to explore the nocturnal life of the rainforest.

Day 8
Manu

Rising before dawn, you travel by boat downstream for 25 minutes to the only large macaw and parrot “clay lick” in the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind you will be afforded excellent views of the hundreds of medium-sized and large parrots arriving at the lick, followed by the large Red and Green Macaws arriving to eat the clay. You have a choice of lunch options: eat at the Centre, or pack your lunch for a leisurely 60-75 minute hike to the Amazon’s largest known Tapir clay lick. Here you will climb an observation platform, perched six metres (20 feet) above the ground, to wait for the lumbering Tapirs to arrive. (Please note that the day’s activities might vary slightly to maximize your sightings of wildlife. This depends on reports from our researchers and naturalists on the ground).
Overnight Manu Wildlife Center.

Another early morning departure by boat followed by a short hike to the Blanco Oxbow Lake. Here you may have the chance to see a large variety of aquatic life and birds, including the prehistoric-looking Hoatzin and a family of Giant Otters. After lunch at the Centre, you can explore the forest with or without your guide. In the evening, you will have the chance to search by boat for Caiman and other nocturnal life along the river bank.
Overnight Manu Wildlife Center.

Rising at dawn, you board a motorized canoe for the two hour return trip to Boca Manu where you will catch your flight back to Cuzco. At the Cuzco airport, our representative will assist you to connect with your 1-hour flight to Lima. In Lima, transfer to your Hotel.
Overnight at the Country Club Lima Hotel or Second Home.

You will have a full day visit of Lima today. Your city tour in Lima will be conducted by one of our specialist guides, who are architects, conservators, or archaeologists. Morning visit of the colonial centre of Lima visiting the Cathedral, the Convent of San Francisco and other architectural gems of Spanish Colonial America. Lunch at Casa Garcia Alvarado a Republican home in Miraflores where you will be hosted by the owner. In the afternoon you will have a vehicle and driver at your disposal to go wherever you prefer. Transfer to the airport to catch your evening international flight home.