Peru and Bolivia tour
| country: | Bolivia, Peru |
| departures: | Departs 1 - 3 times a month throughout the year |
| price: | From £960 (21 days) excluding flights, local payment US $700. Single Supplement additional. Those who choose not to do the Amazon Jungle or Inca Trail excursions pay less |
the amazing things you'll be doing
One of our most popular and extensive tours of Peru, incorporating and finishing in Bolivia. This tour combines the wild and scenic highlights of the Pacific coast with stunning Colca Canyon, Cuzco – the vibrant highland capital of the Incas - the steamy Amazon Jungle and the fascinating islands of Lake Titicaca.
This tour is designed to show you the major highlights of Peru and a bit of Bolivia in a fairly short amount of time. You will see the very best of Peru's ancient Inca monuments, Bolivia's stunning scenery and Andean culture. We include many excursions, such as Ballestas Islands, Huacachina Oasis, Chauchilla Cemetery, Puerto Inca, Colca Canyon, Amazon Jungle, Inca Trail or Lares Valley Trek, Machu Picchu, Pisac, Uros / Amantaní / Taquile Islands, Tiahuanaco ruins.
Price details: Twenty nights in total are included in the tour price (from the arrival day until check-out time on the final day of the trip). They consist of: 14 nights spent in centrally located hotels; 2 nights in a jungle lodge, 3 nights camping on the Inca Trail where all equipment is provided except sleeping bags. 1 night is spent on the Island of Amantani (Lake Titicaca excursion) with local Indians. Rooms are very basic (no electricity, sheets, outside toilet only and no showers). The local families provide thick, warm blankets.
Best time to go: May to November is the best time of year to go. If you want to trek the Inca Trail, please be sure to book well in advance as permits are strictly limited and can sell out quickly over the peak summer period of June to August.
This tour is designed to show you the major highlights of Peru and a bit of Bolivia in a fairly short amount of time. You will see the very best of Peru's ancient Inca monuments, Bolivia's stunning scenery and Andean culture. We include many excursions, such as Ballestas Islands, Huacachina Oasis, Chauchilla Cemetery, Puerto Inca, Colca Canyon, Amazon Jungle, Inca Trail or Lares Valley Trek, Machu Picchu, Pisac, Uros / Amantaní / Taquile Islands, Tiahuanaco ruins.
Price details: Twenty nights in total are included in the tour price (from the arrival day until check-out time on the final day of the trip). They consist of: 14 nights spent in centrally located hotels; 2 nights in a jungle lodge, 3 nights camping on the Inca Trail where all equipment is provided except sleeping bags. 1 night is spent on the Island of Amantani (Lake Titicaca excursion) with local Indians. Rooms are very basic (no electricity, sheets, outside toilet only and no showers). The local families provide thick, warm blankets.
Best time to go: May to November is the best time of year to go. If you want to trek the Inca Trail, please be sure to book well in advance as permits are strictly limited and can sell out quickly over the peak summer period of June to August.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Lima. The tour begins in Lima, Peru's capital. Lima was founded by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, after he eradicated the Incas and made the city his capital. Lima has many fine colonial buildings and some of the best museums in South America including the Gold Museum, Museum of the Inquisition and the slightly creepy Catacombs below the San Francisco Church. Peru's capital has much to offer and many of the sights, including the city's two main squares the Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, are within easy walking distance. The Plaza de Armas houses the cathedral, Municipal Palace and Presidential Palace where the changing of the guard can be seen every day at 12 noon. If you want more time to explore Lima properly you may wish to allow a few extra days before the beginning of your tour. |
| Day 2-4: | Pisco – Huacachina Oasis - Nazca – Puerto Inca . A short drive south along Peru's Pacific coast brings us to Pisco, from where the Peruvian national drink, the pisco sour gets its name. The following morning we travel along the coast to neighbouring Paracas where we take a motorboat out to explore the Ballestas Islands. Known among nature lovers as an less expensive alternative to the Galapagos, the Ballestas Islands are teeming with over 150 species of bird life (including penguins, cormorants, boobies and pelicans). The noise of the wildlife can be fairly deafening at times as the islands are also home to thousands of sea lions which inhabit some quite amazing rock formations. Although it is not possible to set foot on the islands, you will experience the magnificent sight and sounds of the thousands of sea lions and birds and maybe even spot seals and dolphins playing around the boat. Our boat trip also takes us past the mysterious “Candelabra” figure etched on the side of a huge sand dune. Best viewed from the sea, many believe the Candelabra is linked to the Nazca Lines. Back on shore we head deep into the desert towards the Huacachina oasis where you have the chance to try your hand sand boarding down the enormous sand dunes, which is a lot of fun, but be careful, they are very steep! The brave can go for a dip in the murky lagoon which is said to contain therapeutic properties. We continue to Nazca, an oasis town famous for the strange parallel lines and geometrical figures, otherwise known as geoglyphs, which have been etched into the desert floor. Although the shapes seem to have been created by the ancient Nazca people, noone has yet determined the origin or function of the fascinating pictures and they continue to defy explanation. Perhaps they were intended to be an offering to pagan gods, maps for extraterrestrial visitors or race tracks for athletes. Although there is a viewing tower, the lines are on such a scale that they're best viewed by air. You can take a fascinating flight (optional) over these mysterious lines and shapes, which include a monkey, hummingbird, condor, spider and even a spaceman. You can also take optional tours to visit the underground aqueducts, gold mines and ceramic shops. We'll have a chance to visit the extraordinary Chauchilla Cemetery where you can see the ancient mummies which still have skin and hair intact. A short drive further down the coast takes us to Puerto Inca, the Inca people's original port, which was only discovered in the 1950's. It was from here that a series of relay runners would take fresh fish to the Inca Emperor in Cuzco. |
| Day 5-8: | Arequipa – Chivay – Colca Canyon – Cuzco. We drive out of the desert and into the foothills of the Andes to Arequipa, which stands at 2,380 metres above sea level. This lovely city is at the foot of the conical El Misti Volcano. The Plaza de Armas is one of South America's most attractive main squares with a large cathedral overlooked by El Misti. The plaza also has an abundance of restaurants for lunch or dinner. Arequipa's other main attraction is the Santa Catalina Convent (optional), which is almost a city within a city with its maze of cobbled streets, cloisters and decorative buildings. This mysterious establishment was only opened to the public in 1970 and has a fascinating history. We continue our journey through the barren Andean landscape, visiting several ghost towns destroyed by earthquakes enroute to the Colca Canyon. A considerable amount deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States, Colca Canyon is the world's deepest ravine. From the lookout point at Cruz del Condor you can view this impressive scene with the river flowing 1200 metres below and condors with wingspans of over 3 metres soaring out of the canyon on the hot thermal currents. Our base for visiting the Canyon is Chivay where we have ample time for an optional soak in the nearby thermal pools. The spectacular scenery continues with Inca terracing on the steep hillsides and incredible views in every direction. The landscape gradually becomes greener as we get closer to the former Inca capital of Cuzco, which means "navel of the earth" in the Inca Quechua language. This enchanting city has a mostly indigenous population of around 300,000 and is centred around the Plaza de Armas, which is dominated by the cathedral and La Compañia de Jesus Church and its cloistered arcades, which house many fine restaurants, bars and shops. Cuzco has a number of very interesting churches, such as the cathedral, which houses nearly 400 colonial paintings. The collection includes the Last Supper by Marcos Zapata which depicts Christ and the Apostles dining on guinea-pig, and drinking chicha. Cuzco's many fine colonial buildings and picturesque streets often feature Inca walls, arches and doorways. |
| Day 9-12: | Amazon Jungle - Cuzco. Today we fly to the jungle community of Puerto Maldonado, our starting point to visit the Amazon rainforest. This bustling town has many thousands of motorcycles, busy markets and shops. Upon arrival we have a short tour of the town's medicinal markets. Our journey begins here to the jungle lodge, firstly by bus and then motorised canoe, a 30km journey along the River to our jungle lodge: (Approx 2 hours total, bus & canoe). The large canoes are very safe and lifejackets are supplied. Arriving at the inviting lodge at the river's edge you will be allocated a bungalow, all of which are built from rustic and typical materials from the area. Each room is sealed by meshed netting to stop mosquitoes and other insects from entering you room. All rooms have private en suite bathroom. Other facilities in this complex include a welcoming reception area with friendly staff (as well as some semi-wild animals, mostly parrots) dining room, bar facilities, a library and living room where you can relax. All excursions are led by local guides who specialise in biology and ecology, and all our jungle guides are English speaking. After a delicious lunch on the first day and settling into the lodge our jungle program begins, with an introductory walk in the jungle. You will have plenty of time to enjoy marvellous jungle landscapes and rich diversity of flora and fauna. It is possible to see a great variety of monkeys such as the ‘maquisapa', the black and the white ‘Martins', ‘Leoncito de la Selva' (Little lions), ‘Frailes' (Friars), ‘Achuñis', ‘Ronsocos' etc, as well as an array of birdlife. In the evenings it is often possible to enjoy the wonderful sunset, one of the most impressive sights of the forest (weather permitting). Tonight we will travel by canoe to spot caiman and other nocturnal wildlife along the rivers edge. The next day we will awake to the sounds of the jungle. After a typical jungle breakfast we will set off early to walk through the rainforest along specially adapted pathways with bridges to cross the marshes. Our guide will explain the medicinal plants and delicate ecological systems of the Amazon Jungle before arriving at a hidden oxbow lake. The lake has transparent waters surrounded by wide marshes and giant trees. We take a short canoe ride observing caiman, abundant bird life and the possibility to catch a glimpse of the rare giant otter. Afterwards we will enjoy the view of the lake and observe the parrots, guacamayos, toucans, camungos, shanshos, herons, turtles and caiman (alligators) from our viewing point. Then we will return to the lodge for a well deserved lunch. A short siesta to pass the heat of the day and then it's time to visit a farming family close by the lodge, to observe the local way of life of the Amazon people. This evening our guide will take us on a short night walk to listen to the sounds and sights of the jungle. On the final day in the jungle we return upriver to Puerto Maldonado for our flight back to Cuzco where you have the rest of the day free to further explore this fascinating ancient capital. The next day you are free to explore. Alternatively you may choose to tour the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There are many optional excursions and activities available in Cuzco such as white water rafting, horse riding, mountain biking, canoeing, jungle excursions, and shopping (make sure you bargain!). This evening those who are trekking to Machu Picchu will have a briefing to prepare for the next few days and there will be an early departure the following morning. |
| Day 13-16: | Inca Trail (or free time) - Machu Picchu – Cuzco. A day to day itinerary of your trek can be found on our website in the ‘Inca Trail Information Sheet' or ‘Lares Trek Sheet’. The Lost City of Machu Picchu was originally completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs. Located high above the fast flowing Urubamba River, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation that will simply take your breath away. The ruins were only discovered by the outside world in 1911, when American explorer Hiram Bingham found them while looking for another “lost city” called Vilcabamba. Due to their isolation many of the buildings are still quite intact and you can't help but admire Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”), which towers above the ruins. It is a hard climb to the top of the mountain (it takes about 50 minutes) but you are rewarded with spectacular views over the whole site |
| Day 17-19: | Puno Amantaní & Taquile Islands. Leaving Cuzco, we'll drive along roads abundant with herds of llamas, alpacas and vicuñas before reaching the Altiplano (high plain) where our journey takes us past hot mineral pools, snow capped mountains and through villages where local Indians sell food, fur hats and alpaca sweaters. At the highest point, the La Raya pass at 4,321 metres, you can see a research station for high altitude animals. Shortly before Puno we visit the burial towers of Sillustani.The beautiful scenery continues all the way to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca located at 3,855 metres above sea level – the highest navigable lake in the world. We visit the floating reed islands in the Bay of Puno to see the Uros Indian's way of life and you can ride in a traditional reed boat (optional) before continuing our boat journey to the island of Amantaní. Here we enjoy the hospitality of the native Aymara/Quechua Indian families and sleep in their homes for the night. The next morning we visit Taquile, where the men stand around knitting distinctive woollen hats while the women work the fields. You can buy some of these unique handicrafts in the local co-operative shops. After lunch we board our boat for the return journey to Puno. We'll arrive in time to visit the colourful market, arguably the best place to barter for an alpaca sweater. |
| Day 20-21: | La Paz. We take a scenic drive around the lake to the border town of Desaguadero where we will change money before crossing into Bolivia. We'll visit the celebrated ruins of Tiahuanaco, which date back as far as 1,600 BC and are renowned for the Gate of the Sun, an underground temple, plus the Acapana Pyramid and its six magnetic pillars. On leaving this site we drive through adobe villages on dirt roads before we descend towards Bolivia's capital, experiencing breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains as the road winds its way down into La Paz the highest capital city in the world at 3,636 metres. Built on a series of hills and considered one of the world's most beautiful cities, La Paz is built in the basin of a canyon with the snow-capped Mount Illimani in the background. Our hotel is very centrally located and is just around the corner from the city's colourful Indian street markets including the fascinating and suitably named "witches market'', where women in bowler-hats and colourful flared skirts sell such items as dead cats and llamas foetuses said to ward off evil spirits. The main square, Plaza Murillo, is also within walking distance. The square still retains its colonial buildings including the Presidential Palace. La Paz is possibly the best place to experience a traditional peña show of Andean music and dance where local bands play time-honoured instruments such as zampoñas (pipes) and charangos (ukulele). There are also many optional excursions available if you are staying on for a few extra days. Check out the Moon Valley with its strange rock formations shaped by the weather or take in the incredible views from Mount Chacaltaya and the world's highest ski resort at 5,221metres. Another fantastic excursion is to Coroico, the gateway to the Bolivian jungle region and a great place to see sub-tropical vegetation and plants. En-route you will cross a 5,000 metre high pass before descending to 1,300 metres on narrow mountain roads bordered by sheer drops. The excursion to Coroico can also be done by mountain bike, as it is downhill nearly all the way and very exhilarating, but not for the fainthearted! Our tour concludes on day 21 |
small group adventure holiday
Whether you are travelling alone or with friends/family its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.how this holiday makes a difference
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Travelling on a clean, modern, well-maintained, privately-owned expedition vehicle designed to meet European emissions standards, this tour gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know Peru and Bolivia while minimising our carbon emissions and therefore our environmental impact.
We encourage you to learn at least a few phrases of the local language and interact with the locals as much as possible to maximise your social experience. Language sheets are available on our website and our tour leaders are able to teach you useful words on the road. If you’re courageous enough to test out your language skills and start a friendly conversation you’ll learn more about the culture than you could from any travel book. During this tour you will experience a homestay on the island of Amantaní. Here we enjoy the hospitality of the native Aymara/Quechua Indian families and sleep in their homes for the night so you can first hand their way of life. Apart from enjoying a cross-cultural exchange, your visit will also help to support the local economy. Your tour leader will introduce you to many local restaurants and bars throughout the tour, helping you discover the authentic local cuisine and to support local businesses. Local guides will also lend their expertise to the journey, explaining the historical background and cultural significance of the places we visit. They will help you to appreciate the importance of respecting the environment of heritage sites and understand the conservation efforts undertaken at various parks and on the Inca Trail or Lares Trek. Your entrance fees will help to conserve and preserve heritage sites, such as ancient ruins, while entrance fees at national parks support the conservation efforts of forests as well as native animal and bird species. We have a specific policy in place which is enforced to protect the rights and conditions of porters on the Inca Trail. We will visit many local shopping districts and markets along the way, giving you plenty of opportunity to support local merchants. We will encourage you to purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans rather than mass produced goods from chain stores, as you will learn more about the skill involved in the production, while also supporting the traditions of the craft itself. We have a full Responsible Travel policy available on our website, which our reservations team will tell you a link to when you book. It’s full of practical tips for responsible travellers and details our company’s commitment to minimising our impact on the people and the places that we visit. We also encourage all our clients to offset the carbon emissions of their international flights with international conservation charity World Land Trust. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |