Icons of Peru

Peru’s capital is a rich kaleidoscope of colonial architectural jewels, revered pre-Columbian sites, charming residential areas, and vibrant shopping districts perched over the blue Pacific.

On arrival here in Lima, you will be greeted at the airport by our local representative and transferred to our hotel in Lima for the next few nights. The rest of the day is at leisure to get your bearings. Your Big Journey Tour Director will be on hand to discuss the rest of the trip with you.

This morning we enjoy a city tour of colonial Lima, Peru's capital city, including a visit to the San Francisco Convent, built in the 17th century. Its “Catacombs” - an ancient underground cemetery of Lima - are a highlight of the tour. We continue along the city’s lovely Pacific coastline for lunch together at La Rosa Nautica.

In the afternoon, we visit the Larco Herrera Museum, which is always an enlightening visit. Walking through the exhibition halls of the Larco Museum – the largest private collection of pre-Columbian art of the world - with our own curator makes the visit an inspiring experience giving you first-hand information about the collection and the people who made these beautiful archaeological objects.

This evening we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

Today we will return to Lima Airport for our flights (included) to Puerto Maldonado.

Upon our arrival in Puerto Maldonado, we will be transferred to the offices of Rainforest Expeditions, where we will leave our main luggage, taking with us only what we will need for the next few days. From the office, we will continue to the Infierno indigenous community, where we will board a boat that will take us on a roughly 45-minute journey to the Posada Amazonas lodge. We will eat lunch on board.

In the afternoon, we will visit an observation platform built to enable visitors to experience the forest canopy easily and safely. From the tower, we can enjoy a spectacular view of the Tambopata River and the rainforest canopy, as we look out for toucans, parrots, and macaws. After dinner, a presentation will be offered on the ecotourism project being run by Rainforest Expeditions and the Infierno indigenous community.

This morning, we will visit Tres Chimbadas Lake and paddle in a catamaran in search of a family of giant river otters, as well as hoatzins and other aquatic birdlife. The otters are most active from dawn to around eight or nine in the morning.

After lunch, we will take a guided ethno-botanical tour at the Ñape Center, a community organization that produces medicines using plants grown at the center and administers them to those people who come to the center in search of assistance. The center tour will explain the different uses of a range of medicinal plants.

After dinner, we enjoy together a night walk in the forest to observe the may different species of frogs with their extravagant appearances and fascinating natural histories.

Early this morning we will visit a parrot clay lick located about a 20-minute walk from Posada Amazonas, where birds gather to take advantage of the mineral deposits. From a specially constructed hide, we will be able to observe dozens of parrots and parakeets as they fly down to the riverbank. The clay lick is most active at dawn.

After experiencing this natural spectacle, we will set off on a 2-hour (approx.) forest trail walk. Our guide will focus on the natural history of the jungle and we will see the kapok trees- the giants of the Amazon.

After lunch, we will embark on a 30-minute boat ride to a small farm run by the Infierno Indigenous Community, where they grow a range of sustainable Amazonian crops, some of which we will recognize, while others are sure to be new to us. We return to the lodge and enjoy dinner

After breakfast, we will be transferred back to Puerto Maldonado, where we will stop briefly on our way to the airport to collect our main luggage and fly to Cusco.

We will be met from our flight in Cusco and transferred from the airport to a very special place - the aptly named Sacred Valley. We have some free time to explore the hotel and its beautiful surroundings before meeeting together for dinner this evening.

This morning we visit Pisac, a beautiful place where Incan and Colonial influences have created a unique way of life for the local inhabitants. We will enjoy the opportunity to explore this quaint town and its artisan markets, valued for their unique jewelry, ceramics and textile craftwork.

A few miles away, on the picturesque slopes of a mountain overlooking the Vilcanota River, we visit the Archaeological Park of Pisac, one of the best archaeological complexes in Peru. Here the Incan ruins include terraces, aqueducts, palaces and towers. 

We will enjoy a pachamanca for lunch today, a typical Peruvian feast slowly cooked in a traditional Peruvian earth-oven. We return to our hotel in the evening and enjoy dinner

Today we will spend the day with the villagers of the Ccorccor community, learning about their culture and traditions alongside the people themselves. We walk with the villagers to participate in a ritual offering of gratitude to Pachamama, Mother Earth, and the Apus, mountain protector deities. Today we will enjoy a very special opportunity to participate in and learn about the preparation of a delicious pachamanca meal with the villagers, cooking with a variety of local produce. 

The rest of the day will be spent at leisure in Cusco, or you may wish to take advantage of the optional extra activity available.

This morning, we will continue our trip towards Ollantaytambo, one of the last remaining Incan towns. Once a fiercely guarded massive fortress, serving as a wayside inn for royal delegations on long journeys, what remains today tells a fascinating story of past cultures and their ways of life. Surviving structures here include multiple walls and towers that were used to protect the citadel from possible invasions.

We leave Ollantaytambo by PeruRail Vistadome, a comfortable train with incomparable panoramic vistas of the Andean landscape. We will enjoy a truly spectacular journey towards our next major destination - Machu Picchu.

On arival at  Aguas Calientes train station, we will be transferred to our hotel where we will enjoy dinner at the hotel together. 

Today we will visit probably Peru's most famous landmark - the Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu.

The ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu is a truly spectacular site and the energy held in its enigmatic structures will take your breath away. Set high in the Andes Mountains, it is renowned for well-preserved constructions built from huge blocks fused together without mortar, the buildings intriguing astronomical alignments and for the sites panoramic views. We travel by bus to the entrance gate. From there we ascend the steps to the citadel, following in the footsteps of the ancient Incas to explore this magical citadel along with the tour guide.

Later, we will be taken back to Aguas Calientes station to board our return Vistadome train to Poroy. Our private transfer service will be waiting to take us back to the hotel to spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Today we will enjoy a city tour of Cusco. Cusco was once the capital of the Inca Empire and is now known for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture.

Today's tour will visit the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a colossal example of Inca military architecture. From the statue of Cristo Blanco, we will enjoy panoramic views of the city before exploring the San Pedro Market. Here at Cusco’s main street market, you will be able to take in the aromas, tastes, sights, and colours of the local products of the Cusco region. Afterward, visit the Qoricancha (which means room of gold in Quechua), a temple dedicated to the Sun god where legend has it that its inner walls were once completely lined with gold. Finally, will head to Cusco Cathedral for a guided tour to admire its lovely atria and priceless 17th and 18th-century paintings of the Cusco school of art. 

This evening we will enjoy some authentic local cuisine and hospitality, at our farewell dinner together at a local restaurant.

After breakfast, it's time to check out and you will be transfer to Cusco Airport for your flights home.