South America Natural Adventures

Your Peru journey continues.....

Day 6 - Monday: Amazon River /Puerto Miguel/Nauta/Iquitos/Lima
We start the day by boarding our skiffs to visit Puerto Miguel to meet local villagers to learn about their culture, traditions and folklore. We may visit one of the villagers' homes, seeing how they live and the simplicity of their lifestyle; we can also purchase some of the handcrafts they make. On our return to our boat we enter the Amazon River to continue to Nauta. After enjoying a final tropical lunch aboard we disembark at 1.30pm, return by road to Iquitos, and go direct to the airport for our 5pm flight back to Lima, arriving at 6.40pm. We are met and transferred to our hotel in Miraflores. This evening we have time to reflect on our Amazon voyage of exploration, on the mightiest river and greatest rainforest in the world.            (B,L)

Day 7 – Tuesday: Lima / Cusco/ Ollantaytambo
After breakfast return to the airport for your 8.25am or 9.30am fly to Cusco on Lan, arriving at 9.40am or 10.40am. You are met and take a private tour of the Sacred Valley, ending at Ollantaytambo, where you overnight and visit the amazing ruins. Along the way you will visit the market town of Pisac, and stop at a small farm to see how alpaca wool is spun and dyed for the colorful and traditional Andes cloth and clothing. One of the more interesting features at Ollanto is a fountain that stops and starts with a pass of the hand. When a hand is placed in the flowing water, it stops. Touch the entrance again, and it starts. Easier than the Clapper, and predating touchscreens by half a millenium. The area around the upper ruins is good for seeing the amazingly large Giant Hummingbird.          (B,L,D)

Day 8 – Wednesday, Ollantaytambo/ Machu Picchu/ Cusco
Take an early morning Vistadome train to Machu Picchu; the trip is an hour and twenty minutes. By overnighting in Ollanto and taking an early train you have up to a couple of hours at Machu Picchu before the crowds arrive. After arrival at the Machu Picchu Village (was Aguas Calientes) station take the 20 minute bus ride up to Machu Picchu itself. Your guide takes you through the ruins, explaining its history and culture, for about 2 hours. After that you can continue with the guide, or explore on your own. At 2.30 return down the mountain – about 20 minutes – to Machu Picchu Village, in time for the 3.25pm train to Cusco. Alternatively it's about an hour’s walk down a trail and along the road to the village. The 3.25 is the only train back to Cusco, and so it is longer and more crowded than the one from Ollanto. However, you do get a decent snack and hot tea on board, and there is entertainment as well. At Poroy, the last station before Cusco, deboard and transfer to your Cusco hotel, arriving about about 7pm. Your hotel is located in the old part of town, close to the main square, so tonight is left free to discover the small cafes around this area.          (B,L,S)

Day 9 – Thursday: Cusco
Today we explore the ancient city of Cusco, the capital of the Inca Empire. We begin with a city tour, where among other things we see Incan walls still in use as the walls of current shops, hotels and private residences. The walls of Koricancha, the Temple of the Sun, remain despite a major earthquake; like many other Inca walls they survived while the more modern buildings built on top of them fell away. A little way outside town are the important sites of Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Pucapucara and Tambomachay, which we visit. This evening we have time for a little meandering of our own, and have the opportunity to try a local restaurant of our own choosing.          (B,L)

Day 10 – Friday: Cusco/Lima/ Ica/ Paracas
This morning fly back to Lima where you are met and begin your private tour to the Nazca Lines and the Ballestas Islands. First travel along the stark desert coast to Ica, about 4.5 hours south of Lima. Near Ica are Peru's famous Nazca Lines, huge geoglyphs created by the Nazca culture about 500 BCE by removing surface rocks to reveal the light colored ground beneath. The symbols are a mix of animal and human figures and geometric shapes. At the small airport you will receive an introduction to the Nazca Lines, then we board our small airplane for a 45 minute flight over the lines, the only way to see and appreciate them. After our return to the airport we visit the Regional Museum, with its collection of artifacts including textiles, pottery, metalware and mummies from the several cultures that have inhabited this area. After the flight return a little way north to Paracas on the coast, where you overnight in a modern and comfortable hotel.         (B,L,D)

Day 11 - Saturday: Ballestas Islands / Paracas / Lima
This morning visit the Ballestas Islands. On the way out we look shoreward to see the Candelabrum, a huge, 700ft high geoglyph on the cliff in the shape of a trident. While easily mistaken for another part of Nazca culture, the candelabrum hails from a later time, although its origin is unknown - theories range from ancient 2,500 year old Nazcas to more or less modern sailors creating a sailing guide. The most accepted explanation is that the Paracas culture created it around 200BCE, as pottery of that era has been found in the vicinity. Once closer to the islands you start to see their weathered shapes, and notice the birds wheeling overhead. At this point you may begin to hear the sea lions voices over the water, and as you get closer they will likely approach the boat. While you do not land on the islands the boat spends time at each to allow observation of the wildlife, at close quarters. Many seabirds will be seen, including the beautiful Red-legged Cormorant, Peruvian Booby, Inca Tern, Chilean Pelican and others. Humboldt Penguins nest on the islands, and these are usually seen swimming and diving in the water as well. After the return to the mainland visit the main information center for the reserve, look for other wildlife here, and walk out to the lookout tower to observe the Chilean Flamingoes that gather here. Most visitors are surprised to see flamingoes in this harsh arid environment - all the coast of this part of Peru is desert, and rainfall is rare. We then head north, back along the coast, and return to Lima. We expect to arrive about 7 to 8pm, and go directly to the airport in preparation for our flight home. Although the airport is new and modern, checking in will still be a two-hour process. Once check-in has been done you can relax in the VIP lounge that we have prebooked for our tour participants. Most flights leave around midnight or very early in the morning from Lima, and these comfortable surrounds will be welcome before the flight.        (B,L)

Day 11– Sunday: Lima/ Home City
Arrive back in your home city this morning.         (*B)

(B: Breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner; M: Meal; * in flight meal)

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