Peru: Machu Picchu and Amazonia — 13 Days

This trip is made for people who want to see the different sides of Peru in one trip rather than choose between Andean archaeology, high-altitude landscapes, the Pacific coast and Amazonia. The route starts in Cusco, passes through Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains, continues at Lake Titicaca, in Arequipa and at Nazca, and finishes in Lima and the jungle near Iquitos.

The defining feature of the tour is the sharp change of altitude and climate. In the first days the group is in the Andes and climbs to 5100 m, then descends to the coast and, after a flight, arrives in the hot, humid Amazon. There are no technical mountaineering sections, but this is not an ordinary sightseeing trip either: the trip includes early starts, a walk at high altitude, domestic flights, boats and drives of up to 564 kilometres.

The order of the visits is kept, but the exact times of the trains, the domestic flights, the entry to Machu Picchu, the Nazca overflight and the boat trips are confirmed for specific dates. Weather, water levels, transport operations and the rules of protected areas can all affect the timing of individual activities. Encounters with particular animal species are not guaranteed.

Before the trip, read up on altitude sickness and high-altitude adaptation, on a traveller’s personal first-aid kit and on malaria prevention. Medical decisions, vaccination and medication should be discussed with a doctor who knows your health and your route.

If a walking route to Machu Picchu matters more to you, compare this trip with the Salkantay trek. For a serious independent trek in Peru, the Huayhuash, Alpamayo and Ausangate circuits are also suitable.

Day 1. Arrival in Cusco

The group meets in Cusco, checks into the hotel and rests after the flight. In the evening there is dinner, an introduction to the guide and a detailed briefing on the route, the altitude, the early starts and baggage. Night in a hotel.

Day 2. Cusco – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Maras – Cusco

The main cultural day of the route is given to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. After the journey from Cusco the group visits the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu, then continues through Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo to the salt terraces of Maras. The exact entry time and the train and transfer times depend on the tickets available for the chosen dates. In the evening we return to Cusco. Night in a hotel.

Day 3. The Rainbow Mountains

An early departure from Cusco towards Cusipata, a drive of about two hours. Then a walk of roughly 2 to 2.5 hours to the Rainbow Mountains, climbing to 5100 m. At that altitude even a technically simple route calls for a slow pace and constant attention to how you feel. After the descent we drive to the overnight stop and check into the hotel.

Day 4. Transfer to Puno

The route continues across the high plateau to Puno on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The town lies at about 3800 m, so the day keeps its altitude load even without a long walk. Check-in and night in a hotel.

Day 5. The Uros islands and Amantani or Taquile

The boat route on Lake Titicaca starts at the floating reed islands of Uros. The group then visits the island of Amantani or Taquile; which one is confirmed before the trip. Meeting the local way of life and a trip on a reed boat follow the rules of the host community. Night on the island.

Day 6. Puno – Salinas y Aguada Blanca – Arequipa

Return to Puno and a drive of about 300 kilometres through the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve. In the afternoon we arrive in Arequipa, a city whose historic buildings are of pale volcanic stone. Check-in and night in a hotel.

Day 7. Arequipa – Nazca

A long drive along the Pacific coast to Nazca, about 564 kilometres. In suitable weather and at a confirmed departure time, the sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines takes place in the evening. The geoglyphs read best from the air, but the flight depends on visibility and on the airfield’s operations. Night in a hotel.

Day 8. Nazca – Huacachina – Paracas – Lima

The morning is held in reserve for the Nazca flight if the weather prevented it the day before. Then we drive to Lima with stops at the Huacachina oasis and in the Paracas area to see the Andean Candelabra. In the evening, check-in at the hotel and dinner in Lima.

Day 9. Lima – Iquitos – Amazonia

A flight to Iquitos and a transfer to the port of Nanay. On the boat route the group passes the confluence of the Nanay and the Amazon, and sees riverside settlements and the ecosystem of humid tropical forest. River dolphins, birds and turtles may be seen along the way, but the appearance of particular animals depends on nature. After arriving, we get to know the surroundings of the lodge and visit a monkey rescue and rehabilitation centre. Night in a lodge.

Day 10. Yanayacu and Santa María de Fátima

An early boat trip at dawn to look for river dolphins, then breakfast. In the Yanayacu area the route continues by boat, by canoe and on foot: participants observe tropical vegetation and wildlife with a local guide. After lunch, a trip to the settlement of Santa María de Fátima and the climb up a wooden observation tower about 15 metres high. In the evening, a walk in the jungle and a canoe trip to watch nocturnal wildlife and look for white caimans. Night in a lodge.

Day 11. Ethnobotanical walk and the Yagua community

An early start to watch and photograph birds. Then an ethnobotanical walk to a large lupuna tree, with an account of the plants of Amazonia and their part in local life. The visit to the Yagua community follows an agreed format: an introduction to their culture, a demonstration of the traditional blowpipe and the chance to buy handmade work. After piranha fishing and lunch, we return by boat to the port of Nanay and spend the night in a hotel.

Day 12. Iquitos – Lima and a sea trip

A flight to Lima. After arriving, a sea trip to the islands where sea lion colonies live; whether swimming is possible is decided by the weather, the state of the sea, the operator’s rules and the boat crew. Then a walk in Lima and the end of the main trip. Night in a hotel.

Day 13. Departure

The end of the journey and departure from Lima. The hotel checkout time is set by the international flight schedule.

The exact contents of the package are fixed in a written quote and contract once the Machu Picchu tickets, the domestic flights, the accommodation and the transport for the chosen dates have been checked. Until then, the daily descriptions show the route of the journey but do not take the place of a specification of the services paid for.

• International air tickets
• Visa arrangements
• Any services not stated in the confirmed quote and contract

For a private group the dates and the price are quoted separately, once Machu Picchu entry tickets, domestic flights, hotels, lodges and ground logistics have been checked. The standard of the town hotels, extra days and the group composition are all open to discussion, without changing the order of the key regions on the route.

• A passport valid for the whole period of the trip
• The documents required to enter Peru on your nationality
• Medical insurance covering travel at altitudes up to 5100 metres, walking routes, water-based activities, search and rescue and evacuation
• Tickets and confirmations for the internal flights
• Proof that you meet the current health requirements for visiting Amazonia, if any are in force on your travel dates
• Copies of your main documents, kept separately from the originals

A single trip passes through three different climate regions. In the Andes you can meet cold, strong sun, wind and sharp changes in temperature; on the coast conditions are usually drier; in Amazonia it is hot and humid, with the chance of heavy downpours.

Weather and visibility bear directly on the flight over Nazca, the boat trip on the coast, the river outings and the wildlife watching. The morning of day eight is set aside as a reserve for the flight, though neither the reserve nor the schedule guarantees that a weather-dependent activity will go ahead. The exact travel dates are chosen once every section of the route has been checked.

The route uses town hotels, one night on an island in Lake Titicaca and a lodge in Amazonia. There are no nights under canvas on this trip. The standard of each property, the room type and the meals provided are set out in the quote for your particular dates.

On the island and in the jungle, conditions are more basic than in the town hotels. Hot water, electricity, mobile signal and internet may run to a timetable or be limited. Before the trip is confirmed you receive the exact list of overnight stops and the meal plan.

• The trip involves early starts, domestic flights, boat journeys and one drive of about 564 kilometres
• The maximum altitude is 5100 metres, so how you feel matters more than the pace planned
• The night at Lake Titicaca is spent outside a town hotel
• Amazonia brings high humidity, insects, heat and limited communications
• For the boat journeys you need watertight protection for documents, phone and camera
• Encounters with any particular animal are not guaranteed
• Visits to local communities follow the rules of the hosts
• Weather-dependent activities may be moved, shortened or cancelled at the decision of the operator on the spot

• A small rucksack for the day outings
• Broken-in trekking footwear with a stable sole
• Light footwear to change into
• A warm layer for the high country
• A windproof and waterproof jacket
• Light clothing that covers arms and legs, for Amazonia
• A sun hat
• Sunglasses
• High-SPF sun cream
• Insect repellent and your own protection against insects
• A flask or water bottle
• Head torch
• Dry bags or cases for documents and electronics
• Power bank and a plug adapter
• A personal first-aid kit, holding only the medicines agreed with your doctor

It is worth reading our pieces on the personal first-aid kit, the risks of altitude sickness and malaria prophylaxis beforehand. The final kit list is confirmed for the season and for your confirmed dates.