Peru: Machu Picchu and Amazonia

Day 1. Arrival in Cusco. Dinner and instructing the group. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2. Cusco – Aquas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Oyantaytambo – Maras salt mines – Cusco. In the morning, explore the incredible historical reserve of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca city, is considered one of the most amazing and significant archaeological sites in the world and is one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. There are several hypotheses about what Machu Picchu was used for. One of the most common options is that it was a sacred site and a residence for the Inca emperor. Perhaps religious ceremonies and rituals were also held here. Machu Picchu has also been associated with the study of astronomical phenomena. Machu Picchu attracts millions of tourists every year and is the most popular tourist destination in Latin America. The city is about 2,430 metres above sea level and is located on top of a mountain in the Urubamba River Valley. Surrounded by high mountains and dense rainforest, Machu Picchu has spectacular natural scenery. The city was built using masonry construction without the use of brick or limestone. Machu Picchu’s most important structures include palaces, temples, agricultural terraces, and unique stone staircases and walkways. Many of the structures have outstanding engineering, which is considered an amazing achievement for the ancient Incas. After wandering around the ancient city, closer to noon we will travel by train to Oyantaytambo. Also today we will stop by the Maras salt mines, a huge complex of baths for evaporating salt from hot spring water. In the evening transfer to Cusco.
Day 3. Drive to Rainbow Mountains. Perhaps you have never seen anything more contrasting in nature – it is impossible to imagine how so many colours could be mixed into the slopes of these mountains – the colours vary from light yellow to dark brown, alternating with dozens of layers of all colours of the rainbow. We leave Cusco for the town of Cusipata, the duration of the trip is about 2 hours, then 2-2,5 hours of easy walking and we are on the spot. If we are lucky we will also catch a glimpse of condors, South America’s largest flying birds. After a short drive we stop for the night. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 4. Transfer to Puno. Puno is a city located in southern Peru, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, at an altitude of about 3,800 metres above sea level. The city is known for its unique geographical position and cultural attractions related to the heritage of ancient civilisations – archaeological complexes and Indian burial towers. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 5. Sail to the floating reed islands of Uros, where local Indian families live, and Amantani or Taquile Island, where you can watch traditional dances of local tribes, see the family life from inside and take a walk on a reed boat. Overnight on the island.
Day 6. Return to Puno. Transfer (300 km) to Salinas and Aguada Blanca National Park, transfer to the city of Arequipa – which is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful cities in Peru. It was created in the XVIII century, there is a large number of buildings in colonial style made of white volcanic stone. The old part of the city is represented by historical and architectural sights, the main ones include ancient churches, monasteries. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 7. Transfer (564 km) along the ocean shore to the city of Nazca, in the evening – flight over the Nazca Lines. These are giant geoglyphs located in the desert. They are hundreds of huge figures on the surface of the earth, created by ancient peoples between 500 B.C. and 500 A.D. The lines are made up of various figures, including geometric shapes, animals and human figures. The most interesting thing is that the drawings are entirely visible only from the air, and 2000 years ago people did not fly! Moreover, there were no tools for designing at this scale until as late as the 20th century! One of the most amazing features of the Nazca Lines is their precision and symmetry. Despite their enormous size, the lines are drawn with amazing precision and symmetry, forming a variety of shapes, including geometric shapes such as triangles, squares and spirals, as well as images of animals such as spiders, monkeys, llamas and birds, and human figures. Few people know, but next to the Nazca Lines there is a second desert with similar lines – the Palpa Desert. We can also fly over it by aeroplane. The Nazca Lines have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and are recognised as an important archaeological site. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 8. Morning – reserve in case of bad weather. Transfer to Lima. On the way we will visit the famous Huacachina Oasis, taking a plunge into Africa itself, as well as the Andean Candelabra, a huge geoglyph on sand dunes on the Paracas Peninsula in the vicinity of the city of Pisco in Peru. It depicts the outline of an abstract man and is enormous in size: it is about 180 metres high and about 70 metres wide. The geoglyph can be seen from far away, as the sand dunes in the area can be up to 50 metres high. Hotel in Lima, dinner at a famous oceanfront restaurant, overnight at the hotel.
Day 9. Flight to Iquitos, the largest city on the planet with no land connection to civilisation. Departure by boat from Nanay Harbour, with a stop to see the confluence of the Nanay River and the Amazon River. We will continue down the river, enjoying the scenery and the opportunity to see river dolphins (grey and pink), herons (such as the white snowy egret), kingfishers, yellow-billed terns, turtles and many other species of flora and fauna. During the sailing, you will also see Amazon Indian villages such as the Barrio Florido and the world’s densest jungle before reaching our spacious loggia. Before lunch, we will take a short walk around the neighbourhood of the lodge to get acquainted. Then we will go to Macac Island where you will meet and play with ara, Amazon parrots, sloths and many different monkeys: woolly monkeys (mono choro), titi monkeys (mono tochon), spider monkeys (mono araña or maquisapa), tamarins (mono pichico), growling monkeys (mono aullador), marmoset monkeys (mono leonsito) and others. Macaca Island is a family-run rescue centre, with all the necessary permits, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of monkeys that have been victims of the pet trade. Since 1997, they have freed more than 200 monkeys.
Day 10. Early rise, no sleep today – board our boat to see the sunrise and start searching for Amazon dolphins. This is the best time to see them playing in the river against the backdrop of the sunrise. Fresh breakfast with local fruit juice. Travelling along the Amazon River to our destination of Yanayacu. Here we will explore the Amazon by boat, canoe and on foot in search of sloths, monkeys (pichico, negro) and rare birds, from herons to the famous yellow-tailed cacique (locally known as Paucar) or the elusive black-winged hawk if we are lucky. In Yanaiyaku we will also show you the sites of the famous Victoria regia (or Victoria Amazonica) plant, the world’s largest lily leaf. Lunch at the lodge. We prepare for our journey to the settlement of Santa Maria de Fatima, a small village on the banks of the Amazon with a population of about 200 people. They have developed an ecotourism project and built a 15 metre high wooden tower in the middle of the jungle to enjoy the landscape and the different bird species in the surrounding area (they call it “El Garzal”). Evening walk in search of wildlife such as smoky jungle frogs (sapo hualo), lizards, snakes and others. We can also find many medicinal plants growing in the area and taste the water from the vine (called “cat’s claw” or “Ancaria tormentosa”). The guide will tell us how to use them. Before returning to the lodge, we will go on a canoe expedition to look for white caimans.
Day 11. We get up very early again and start our morning with a photo bird hunt. An ethnobotanical walk through the jungle to see and learn about Amazonian plants and their relationship to the people who inhabit the region. We will learn about the medicinal plants of the Amazon on our way to the Lupuna tree (Ceiba pentandra), one of the giant trees of the Amazon. On this day we will Visit one of the oldest indigenous tribes in the Amazon, the Yahua tribe, learn about their songs and dances, practice shooting with a Serbatana air rifle and have the opportunity to support them by purchasing handicrafts. We will then go piranha fishing the way the locals do. The guide will teach you and help you catch your own lunch. Lunch at the lodge with traditional food. Return by boat to the port of Nanai. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 12. Flight to Lima. In the morning we will travel to the islands where thousands of harbour seals live. Here we are scheduled to swim with them. It is not dangerous, this event is very popular, life jackets are issued, the ship’s crew continuously monitors the bathers. SEALs are peaceful animals, they like to swim with tourists, touch them with their fins and never show aggression in case of adequate behaviour of tourists. In the afternoon we will walk around Lima – after all it is one of the most colourful cities of South America, the cradle of history.
Day 13. Departure.