Inca trail & Amazon Rainforest holiday
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Peruvian Amazon, Machu Picchu |
| trip type: | Moderate / strenuous trekking holidays |
| departures: | Departs 2 - 5 times a month, from March to December |
| price: | From £1806 - £1999 (16 days) including flights from the UK, from £1095 - £1255 excluding flights. Local payment US $300 |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Exploration of Peru's Amazon rainforest and the high altitude world of the Incas. The jungles and mountains of South America provided refuge to many civilisations, whose ancient cities and sites are still being discovered. The most famous of the indigenous people were the Incas, a remarkable master-race whose greatest city, Machu Picchu, stunningly situated between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon, was rediscovered only in 1911. Our three-part itinerary includes the Inca Trail, a high altitude walk in wonderful Andean scenery, and - in complete contrast - an expedition deep in the jungles of the Amazonian rainforest. Finally, there is the high altiplano, which runs through the south of Peru, and is a landscape of harsh, dramatic beauty.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London, arrive Lima. |
| Day 2: | Fly to Puerto Maldonado; river expedition deep into jungle to Tambopata Reserve; guided jungle walks from lodge. |
| Day 3-4: | Jungle exploration. |
| Day 5: | Fly to Cuzco; free time to relax and explore city. |
| Day 6: | Optional visit to Sacred Valley of the Incas; time for sightseeing or rafting |
| Day 7-10: | Inca Trail trek from Km82 to Machu Picchu. |
| Day 11: | Visit Machu Picchu; guided tour of site. Return to Cuzco by train. |
| Day 12: | Bus across altiplano to Puno, on shores of Lake Titicaca. An often spectacular drive, scheduled stops along the route to visit some of the most interesting sites help break-up the day. |
| Day 13: | Excursions on and around Lake Titicaca: sail to Amantani Island where we spend the night in a native homestay. |
| Day 14: | Morning travel to mainland, afternoon return to Lima. |
| Day 15: | Guided tour of colonial and modern Lima. Evening depart. |
| Day 16: | Arrive London. |
travellers' tales
An optional visit to a farm in the rainforest was real eye-opener. The Libertador Tambopata lodges were excellent and gave you a real feel for the rainforest. (more)
avoid disappointment - book your Inca Trail holiday in time
In the last few years, the Peruvian government has imposed increasing restrictions on tourism on the Inca Trail in order to protect it from overuse. The aim is to minimise ecological impact and erosion, mainly by having limited access and improving the quality of the operators. There are now only a very limited number of trekking permits available - 500 per day (around 200 for travellers and the rest for staff) - and they are being issued on a first-come-first-served basis. In order to avoid disappointment we recommend booking well in advance (up to a minimum of 3 months in peak season), unless you are extremely flexible over your travel dates.small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends 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.award winner
This tourism business won an award in our 2004 Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical, Magazine of the Royal Geographical Societyhow this holiday makes a difference
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Our Peruvian partner responsible for operating this trip has been cited as the "BEST REGIONAL ADVENTURE TRAVEL AGENT" by the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism for three years in a row, and they share our goal to set the standard for sustainable, responsible tourism in the Andes, providing our customers with the very best in Adventure Travel.
On the Inca Trail, porters play an integral role in ensuring a successful and enjoyable trip. We is a member of IPPG (International Porter Protection Group) which is an organisation formed to protect the interests of porters against unscrupulous trekking companies and private trekkers and to raise the awareness amongst trekkers for the need to ensure porters welfare.  When runnning trips in the Amazon, we follow strict codes of practice to ensure minimum impact on this fragile environment. On arrival at the jungle lodge, clients will be advised of how they can make sure their actions do not have an adverse effect on the environment. As a traveller, we believe that you have as important a role as we do. We believe that we provide a framework for Responsible Tourism but your choices and actions before, during and after your holiday have a considerable part to play. |
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. |