Discover, Plan & Go!

"DAY 1 : ARRIVE LIMA Welcome to Lima, the City of the Kings! Upon arrival at the international airport, transfer to a nearby hotel to rest and recover from your travels. Overnight Melia Lima Hotel or similar. [Meals on own.] (Most flights from the USA arrive at night or at dawn.) DAY 2 : EXPLORE THE SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS Begin your adventure with an hour flight to Cusco which sits at 11,000 feet above sea level. Take your first photos of the snow capped peaks, high plateaus and deep Andean valleys as you drive down to the Sacred Valley of the Incas (8,000 feet) where its easier to acclimatize over the next two days. Visit a cameloid farm and learn more about llamas and alpacas and how their wool is dyed and woven into textiles. Wander through the colorful market in Pisac, mingle with the local people as they buy food, clothing and other supplies and barter with the artisans for their handicrafts. Eat lunch at a restaurant overlooking the wild Urubamba River. Enjoy free time to acclimatize relaxing at the hotel pool or chose one of the optional (not included) activities including mountain biking and horseback riding offered by the inn. Overnight Sol y Luna Hotel or similar. [BL] Share time with the precious children at Casa de Milagros orphanage. DAY 3 : LIFE IN THE SACRED VALLEY Discover the engaging spirit of the children of Casa de Milagros, Home of Miracles as we spend the morning lending a hand with the activities at this remarkable orphanage. In addition to providing shelter, food, clothing, medical care, education and arts programs, Casa de Milagros is dedicated to promoting self confidence and self worth for children in need. We will coordinate needed supplies you can donate to the orphanage. Driving in the Sacred Valley surrounded by ancient Incas terraces still in use today, we will stop by the side of the road to observe farmers sowing and tending their crops with oxen and simple hand tools. Depending on time and interest, you visit a ceramics workshop and learn more about native culture and Inca history in the living Inca village of Ollantaytambo and the ruins fortress where the Incas fought and won a battle against the Spanish. A casual evening at Sol y Lunas wayra (ranch) is perfect for feasting on delicious pizza baked in a brick oven. Overnight Sol y Luna Hotel or similar. [BLD] DAY 4 : DISCOVER MACHU PICCHU Travel by morning train to Machu Picchu, South Americas best known and most spectacular archaeological site. History comes alive as your guide unravels the mysteries of this ancient Inca civilization while we examine and explore the ruins including the Intiwatana, the ancient stone sundial. Climb to the Hut of the Caretaker of the Funerary Rock for an incredible overview of the entire complex. Wander around and lose yourself in the mysterious maze of streets and take photos of the ceremonial baths, the sacred temples, plazas and stone buildings of this magnificent citadel. If time allows get a taste of trekking and hike back up the Inca Trail to Intipunku, Gate of the Sun where trekkers on the Inca Trail get their first glimpse of Machu Picchu. Ponder your impressions of Machu Picchu on the late afternoon train ride back to Cusco. Transfer and overnight at the Hotel Libertador or similar. [BL] DAY 5 : INVESTIGATE CUSCO Explore the massive three tiered zigzag walls of the main fortifications of Cuscos most impressive ruin, Sacsayhuaman. Kids love to play on the 60 million year old natural lava slides and delve into the network of interconnected tunnels in the back part of the ruins. A downhill walk brings us to cobblestone streets of the charming district of San Blas and a delicious lunch of typical Peruvian food. Enjoy some free time to experience the pulse of this vibrant city and shop for souvenirs. We will celebrate our adventures in the Andes with delicious Peruvian cooking at a lively pena of colorful Andean dance and pan pipe music. Overnight at the Hotel Libertador or similar. [BLD] A pristine rainforest environment with diverse flora and fauna. DAYS 6-7 : AMAZON RAINFOREST IMMERSION Off to the jungle! Up early, leaving the ancient world behind on the 35 minute morning flight to Puerto Maldonado, a bustling, tropical frontier town and launching point for a visit to the Amazon Rainforest. Watch for typical riparian bird species including the Bat Falcon, Horned Screamer, Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, and Capped Heron traveling downstream on the Madre de Dios River to a private ecological reserve adjacent to the Tambopata National Park. Our naturalist guide will train us to identify footprints in the wet soil, listen for the calls of birds and mammals in the forest canopy above, and discover how the local natives use the lush vegetation for medicine. Try your luck fishing with fishhooks, spears, nets, and traps. Far from city lights, in the heart of the rainforest, view the constellations of the southern sky. Track and identify different Amazon ant species and discover how important these little creatures are to the Amazon ecosystem. Venture into the rainforest after dark with a guide and a flashlight hoping to catch a glimpse of an armadillo or even an ocelot. Overnights Reserva Amazonica. [BLD] DAY 8 : JOURNEY HOMEWARD Soak in your final sights and sounds of the rainforest on the boat trip back to Puerto Maldonado where we board the two-hour flight for Lima. Relax in a hotel dayroom, or if time permits meet Salvador Velarde, a painter who together with his wife, Carolina, teaches art to local children. Or take a Lima city tour, visit the surfing museum, or shop for any last souvenirs before winging your way home on your international flight. (Most international flights leave in the evening arriving home the following day.) [B] "