Peru has been home to many civilisations, most notably the Incas, whose ancient cities and fortresses are still being discovered across this fascinating region. This three-part itinerary includes the Inca Trail, which takes in beautiful mountains and cloud forest as it follows a historic route to Machu Picchu, the best-preserved and most dramatic Inca ruin. It also explores the harsh landscapes of the high altiplano and the islands of Lake Titicaca and, in complete contrast, the dense jungles of the Amazon Rainforest.
This trip includes a few of our Citizen Science Departures. These special departures offer you the opportunity to be involved in the collection of freshwater samples during the trip. The environmental DNA information derived from this sample will contribute directly to the eBioAtlas; the world’s largest repository of flora and fauna species data, contributing to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity both locally and globally. To book onto one of these special departures, see the Dates & Prices tab. For more information on these departures and the eBioAtlas, click here.
Day 1: Start LimaWelcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. There’s plenty of adventure on your trip, but today’s all about settling into the hotel. You will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. There will be a notice board in the hotel reception with details of where and when the group welcome briefing will be held.
Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)
Day 2: Fly to Puerto Maldonado; boat journey into Tambopata Reserve; guided jungle walksWe have an early start today for the flight via Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, a small jungle town. After a short drive via the lodge office (where we store our main luggage) to the river, we take a boat to our jungle lodge in the Tambopata Reserve (generally between 1hr 30min and 3hr 30min depending on the lodge used). On the way, we may see caimans, river turtles and a wide variety of birdlife.
Our rainforest lodge is basic, but all accommodation has en suite facilities with cold showers. Electricity is by generator and only available for a few hours a day in the dining room area.
Accommodation: Cayman Lodge (or similar)
Day 3 - 4: Jungle exploration including forest walks and boat tripsThe next two days are spent exploring the forest, rivers and lakes surrounding the lodge, on foot and in both motorised and paddle canoes. Although a lot of the wildlife tends to hide in the dense foliage, we can expect to see a wide variety of birds, including herons and egrets, jacanas, macaws and the prehistoric-looking hoatzin, plus several species of monkey, reptiles and insects and, with luck, giant otters that live in the Amazon Basin rivers.
Accommodation: Cayman Lodge (or similar)
Day 5: Fly to Cuzco; free time to explore the ancient capital A dawn start is required for the boat trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of sunrise over the river. The wildlife is particularly active at this time; howler monkeys are frequently heard as they stake out their territories. After our flight to Cuzco, there is usually time for an afternoon orientation tour of the city. Cuzco is an extremely high city (at 11,155ft/3,400m) and you may find yourself short of breath on arrival.
Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
Day 6: Free day; optional Sacred Valley excursionWe have a free day in Cuzco today. The Inca Capital is among the most attractive cities in South America, with many interesting buildings, museums and sites. There are various optional activities that can be arranged through your leader, such as a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley (including the fortresses of Pisac and Ollantaytambo) or a visit to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, situated on a hillside above the city.
We have a full-trek briefing this afternoon (usually around 6pm).
Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
Day 7: Start Inca Trail trek from Km82; walk along Urubamba River, climb to HuayllabambaThe Inca Trail is a tangential branch part of a 27,960mi (45,000km) road network linking the whole empire to Cuzco. It was built in the 15th century to reach Machu Picchu but was abandoned soon after the Spanish conquest.
We leave Cuzco early and drive for roughly two hours to Ollantaytambo; our last chance to buy any items needed for the trek. From here, we veer off the road and follow a track beside the river (45 minutes) to the start of the Inca Trail at Piscacucho, commonly known as Km82. After greeting our trekking crew, we show our passports at the checkpoint and begin the Inca Trail trek. The trail runs alongside the Vilcanota River beneath the impressive snow-capped Nevado Veronica, passing through cactus gardens and cornfields until we reach the enormous Inca ruins of Llactapata, where we continue up a side valley to camp near the hamlet of Huayllabamba.
Accommodation: Full-service camping - Huayllabamba Camp
Day 8: Cross Dead Woman's Pass, then descend to PacaymayuThis is the longest and most strenuous day. A long climb (largely up stone staircases) takes us first through an area of cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then over the Warmihuañusca (Dead Woman's) pass, the highest point on the trek at 13,830ft (4,215m). After quite a long, steep descent we camp in the scenic valley of the Pacamayo River (11,810ft/3,600m).
Accommodation: Full-service camping - Pacamayo Camp
Day 9: Over Runquracay Pass to ruins of Sayacmarca and PhuyupatamarcaWe start the day with an easier climb that takes us past the ruins of Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (12,895ft/3,930m). From here, the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined path made of flat boulders. We pass the ruins of Sayacmarca and suddenly enter cloud forest; at one point the trail passes through an Inca tunnel. We camp at a spectacular campsite on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (12,075ft/3,680m) to benefit from the views of sunset and sunrise.
Accommodation: Full-service camping - Phuyupatamarca Camp
Day 10: Walk down Inca steps to Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu via the Sun GateFrom the ridge, we take the Inca steps: a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase taking us rapidly downhill amid a panorama of overwhelming immensity, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above, and the river thousands of feet below. After visiting the attractive ruins of Wiñay Wayna, we have an undulating walk through cloud forest high above the river to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. From here we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu itself, with Huayna Picchu rising behind.
The Inti Punku is traditionally busy with photo-taking trekkers in the morning, so our late afternoon arrival affords us unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. We will also get a chance to snap some classic photos of Machu Picchu this afternoon, before we take the 30-minute bus down to Aguas Calientes for a shower and a comfortable bed for the night. Tomorrow morning we return well rested for our guided tour of Machu Picchu.
We reunite with those who have been on the Moonstone Trek at the hotel this afternoon.
Accommodation: Terraza de la Luna / Inti Punku Machu Picchu (or similar)
Day 11: Guided tour of Machu Picchu; return to Cuzco by train and by roadTo beat the day-trippers arriving from Cuzco and reach the ruins as early as possible, an early start is required for Machu Picchu; buses return us up the winding road to the site entrance, and during high season (May-October) there may be a bit of a wait.
Machu Picchu is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world and what makes it all the more dramatic is the staggering mountain backdrop. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained an enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Your guided tour will highlight the history, culture, architecture and mysteries that Machu Picchu still holds to this day.
This afternoon we catch the train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) and continue by private bus to Cuzco (1hr 30min).
Accommodation: Hotel Koyllur (or similar)
Day 12: Drive across altiplano to Puno, on the shores of Lake TiticacaWe take a bus ride across the altiplano, the high plains separating the Andes from the jungles. Although it is quite a long drive (10 hours including stops), the views are spectacular. There are scheduled stops at some of the most interesting sites, which helps break up the journey and we get a feel for the immensity of the Andean landscapes. A packed lunch is included today. We arrive in the evening in Puno, a high, chilly town on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
Accommodation: Casona Plaza Hotel (or similar)
Day 13: Boat to Amantani Island for village homestayWe explore Lake Titicaca, visiting the lesser-known Titinos communities who live on islands of floating reeds and produce some fine textiles. Though the altitude here (12,630ft/3,850m) is tiring, the air is very clear and the lakeside views can be magnificent, with the snow-capped peaks of the Andes towering in the background. There is the option to walk to the top of the island to watch the sunset. We spend the night on Amantani Island where we experience a homestay with the local villagers; this really allows us to see what life is like for the people in an isolated island community.
Accommodation: Titicaca Homestay (basic accommodation)
Day 14: Morning travel to mainland; afternoon fly to LimaWe take a boat to Chifron Bay and spend time exploring the peninsula before flying back to Lima (from nearby Juliaca airport). Depending on the flight taken, we may have time free for shopping and sightseeing, including an optional visit to the Gold Museum. Flight times vary and some groups will not arrive into Lima until late afternoon or early evening.
Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)
Day 15: End LimaThe trip ends after breakfast today. However, if you’d like a little longer to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
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