Tailor made holiday in Peru
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Machu Picchu |
| departures: | This trip can be tailor-made and departures can be arranged all year. The sample itinerary below can be modified to your personal wishes including departure date, duration, accommodation used & how long you spend in each destination. |
| price: | From £3195 (17 days) including flights from the UK, private transfers, accommodation and services of an experienced driver/guide. This trip can also be booked without flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Peru has an array of "must see" sights that are positioned to see in a logical order. Whilst the bustling city of Lima is a worth a night or two for museum lovers, many people see it as a springboard for the rest of the country.
Flying southeast of Lima, the beautiful whitewashed city of Arequipa is reached, idyllically set at the foot of El Misti and Chachani volcanoes. Taking the road out towards the Colca Canyon opens up an area of rugged landscape dominated by volcanoes and herds of llama and vicuna. Descending into the Colca Valley brings a change of scenery with fertile land dotted with small villages where farming still takes place on pre-Inca terracing.
The steep walls of the Canyon are home to families of the mighty Andean Condor and an early morning excursion to see these majestic birds hit the thermals is a must. Continuing by road to Puno passes by serene lake scenery offered by the Lagunillas Lakes before arriving at the bright blue waters of Lake Titicaca. From Puno sail to the floating Uros Islands that are made from tortora reeds that grow on the lake. Also, learn about traditional dress and farming methods directly from the islanders of Taquile Island.
Back on dry land, Puno is the place to board the train to Cuzco for the fantastic altiplano train journey. In Cuzco, the capital of the vast Inca Empire, visit many of the highlights in the compact centre as well as many of the surrounding Inca ruins. From Cuzco you will take a spectacular flight into the Amazon basin. The vast Tambopata Reserve is renowned for its unspoilt nature in such an accessible location and is a great place to see some of the rarer mammals including river otters as well as a multitude of birdlife. Upon returning to Cuzco, the highlight of the trip is left to the end. Driving into the stunning Sacred Valley, the larger Inca ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo are visited before staying in one of the remote hotels in the valley.
The next day the train to Machu Picchu provides a fantastic journey along the banks of the raging Urubamba River. Spending a night in Aguas Calientes really finishes off this itinerary in style as a second day can be spent exploring the magical ruins before returning to Cuzco.
Flying southeast of Lima, the beautiful whitewashed city of Arequipa is reached, idyllically set at the foot of El Misti and Chachani volcanoes. Taking the road out towards the Colca Canyon opens up an area of rugged landscape dominated by volcanoes and herds of llama and vicuna. Descending into the Colca Valley brings a change of scenery with fertile land dotted with small villages where farming still takes place on pre-Inca terracing.
The steep walls of the Canyon are home to families of the mighty Andean Condor and an early morning excursion to see these majestic birds hit the thermals is a must. Continuing by road to Puno passes by serene lake scenery offered by the Lagunillas Lakes before arriving at the bright blue waters of Lake Titicaca. From Puno sail to the floating Uros Islands that are made from tortora reeds that grow on the lake. Also, learn about traditional dress and farming methods directly from the islanders of Taquile Island.
Back on dry land, Puno is the place to board the train to Cuzco for the fantastic altiplano train journey. In Cuzco, the capital of the vast Inca Empire, visit many of the highlights in the compact centre as well as many of the surrounding Inca ruins. From Cuzco you will take a spectacular flight into the Amazon basin. The vast Tambopata Reserve is renowned for its unspoilt nature in such an accessible location and is a great place to see some of the rarer mammals including river otters as well as a multitude of birdlife. Upon returning to Cuzco, the highlight of the trip is left to the end. Driving into the stunning Sacred Valley, the larger Inca ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo are visited before staying in one of the remote hotels in the valley.
The next day the train to Machu Picchu provides a fantastic journey along the banks of the raging Urubamba River. Spending a night in Aguas Calientes really finishes off this itinerary in style as a second day can be spent exploring the magical ruins before returning to Cuzco.
best time to travel
The UK summer months are the ideal time to do this trip, and anytime from April to late October should give plenty of sunshine. Temperatures in the highlands do tend to plummet at night, although in Amazon regions, temperatures remain hot and humid year round. Rainfall is at it's highest in December, January and February in the highlands and Amazon areas with views often bcoming obscured.day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly from London to Lima via Madrid, where you will be met and taken direct to your hotel. |
| Day 2: | Fly to Arequipa. Free afternoon to explore the city and visit one of the best preserved mummies in South America, Juanita, stored at the university. |
| Day 3: | City tour of the beautiful city of Arequipa. First stop is the colourful Santa Catalina convent which is built entirely from volcanic lava and dates from the 16th century. You will then visit the Plaza de Armas and its Cathedral, the cloisters of La Compañia Church and the Church and Square of San Francisco. The tour is rounded off with great views of the city from the Yanahuara Belvedere. |
| Day 4: | Depart from Arequipa taking the stunning drive towards the National Reserve of Pampa de Cañahuas where groups of alpacas, vicuñas and sometimes guanacos are often seen. After descending into the Colca Valley and the main town of Chivay you will be taken to your lodge. |
| Day 5: | After an early start you will reach the Cruz del Condor viewpoint to wait for the mighty Andean Condor to hit the morning thermals. The afternoon is at leisure to take short walks along the inca and pre-inca terracing, deep into the local farming community. |
| Day 6: | Complete the journey to Puno by road to your lakeside hotel, passing baron altiplano scenery and the serene Lagunillas Lakes. |
| Day 7: | Boat tour of the Uros and Taquile Islands on Lake Titicaca. You will stop off at the reed islands of Uros before continuing to Taquile, where members of this self-supporting island will welcome you and offer a glimpse into their ancient traditions and customs as well as admiring spectacular views over the haunting beauty of Lake Titicaca. |
| Day 8: | Take the first class train to Cuzco, across the imposing Altiplano. |
| Day 9: | Guided tour of the highlights of Cuzco including the main Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Koricancha or Temple of the Sunthe followed by a trip to the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, overlooking the modern day city, Kenko, the red Fortress of Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay. |
| Day 10: | Fly from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado and then take a series of boats and canoes to your Amazon Lodge. |
| Day 11: | Group excursions into the jungle |
| Day 12: | Group excursions into the jungle |
| Day 13: | Return from your lodge to Puerto Maldenado to take your return flight to Cuzco. |
| Day 14: | Drive into the stunning Sacred Valley visiting the Inca ruins at Pisac. You will then visit the town's main square where locals gather from all over the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and pochos and jewellery amongst the locally produced goods. After lunch in a traditional hacienda, a visit to Ollantaytambo to explore the ruins which tower above it. |
| Day 15: | Transfer to the railway station for the early morning departure to Aguas Calientes and then a bus ride up to the spectacular Machu Picchu ruins where you will have a guided tour of the ruins. In the afternoon you will return to your hotel in Aguas Calientes. |
| Day 16: | An early start is advisable this morning to avoid the crowds. You will have more time to explore the wonder of Machu Picchu and maybe take some of the trails off from the main site to further appreciate the scale of the site. In the afternoon you will return to Cuzco on the train. |
| Day 17: | Morning at leisure in Cuzco. In the afternoon fly to Lima to connect in with your international flight home. |
tailor made holidays
This trip can be tailormade to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more individual trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments, with the flexibility to plan a trip at your own pace. Quality and value are the hallmark of these trips, with most services being provided on a private basis.how this holiday makes a difference
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Many tourists only spend one day at Machu Picchu before returning to Cuzco on the evening train. By doing this they miss out on a stay in the wonderful Pueblo Hotel. With over 5km of ecolological walks in 12 acres of private cloud forest the hotel offers educational and recreational programs, including orchid and bird walking tours and expeditions throughout the day.
Sandoval Lake Lodge is the only lodge in the Tambopata Reserve that lies on the banks of a protected oxbow lake.This privileged location gives you exclusive access to the lake in the early morning and late afternoon, the choice hours for wildlife viewing and photography. The Lodge is built entirely of mahogany driftwood and is owned jointly by a nonprofit conservation group and five families of indigenous Brazil nut collectors. Rooms come complete with en-suite facilities with hot-water showers, restricted hour electricity with power generated by solar panels. Alternatively you may wish to have an extended stay in the Amazon at Refugio Amazonas and the Tambopata Research Centre. These lodges are part owned by the Infierno community, providing an invaluable income allowing the indigenous population to retain their identity and not be dependent on government or oil company handouts. The Research Centre is a working scientific project, monitoring breeding patterns of macaws on the nearby mineral clay lick (the largest in the world!). Therefore staying here will contribute to both the human and environmental future of the Amazon rainforest. |
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