Peru: Amazon to Andes (EA103)

Early morning flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy coca tea to help with acclimatization at 3,400 m. In the afternoon, explore Cusco’s highlights, including the Cathedral, Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), and Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park with Tambomachay, Q’enq’o, and Puca Pucara. Return to the hotel. (B)

Begin the overland journey from Cusco into the cloud forest, descending from the Andes toward the Amazon basin. Along the way, visit wetlands, mountain villages, pre-Inca chullpas, and Ajanaco viewpoint for stunning rainforest panoramas. After lunch, continue through lush forests rich with orchids, ferns, and birdlife. Arrive at Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge in the afternoon and visit the lek to see Peru’s national bird, the Cock-of-the-Rock, in its vibrant courtship display. (B, Box Lunch, D)

Early morning offers another chance to see the Cock-of-the-Rock and spot birds or monkeys nearby. After breakfast, continue descending into the lowland rainforest, stopping at Patria to visit a legal coca plantation. At Atalaya, board a motorized canoe along the Alto Madre de Dios River to your jungle lodge. On arrival, enjoy forest trails and wildlife viewing, including toucans, kingfishers, hummingbirds, and butterflies. (B, Box Lunch, D)

Early in the morning, enjoy a short walk on the lodge trails before departing for Manu Wildlife Center. Travel by boat along the Alto Madre de Dios River, passing the last foothills of the Andes and spotting birds such as terns, cormorants, White-winged Swallows, and nighthawks. Along the way, pass the mouth of the Manu River, gateway to Manu National Park, and stop at Boca Manu village to visit the local boatyards where dugout canoes are built.

After approximately 6 hours by boat, arrive at Manu Wildlife Center, one of the top wildlife lodges in the world. After settling into your private bungalow, explore the surrounding rainforest trails, learn about the forest ecology, and look for wildlife, including Spider Monkeys and Emperor Tamarins. (B, Box Lunch, D)

After an early breakfast, take a short boat ride and walk to the Macaw Clay Lick, where scarlet macaws gather in a spectacular display as they feed on the mineral-rich clay banks. After enjoying this unforgettable wildlife experience, continue exploring the forest trails before returning to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, visit the 34m/112ft Canopy Tower to observe the rainforest canopy at sunset, when wildlife activity is at its peak. Later, continue along the collpa trail to the famous Tapir Clay Lick, the most active in the Amazon, where 8–12 tapirs regularly come to eat clay that helps neutralize toxins in their diet. From a comfortable elevated platform, you will have the rare chance to observe these shy animals up close in their natural habitat—an extraordinary and unique Amazon experience. (B, L, D)

Start early with a visit to an old oxbow lake filled with water lilies and sunken logs. As we explore the lake by catamaran, we may spot the resident Giant Otter family, monkeys, Wattled Jacanas, Sun Grebes, Anhingas, Ospreys, Hoatzins, as well as woodpeckers, tanagers, macaws, toucans, and parakeets around the lake.

After lunch at the lodge, enjoy guided wildlife walks or explore the rainforest trails at your own pace. In the evening, if river conditions allow, take a boat excursion along the riverbank to search for caiman and other nocturnal wildlife. (B, L, D)

Depart very early for a 2.5-hour boat ride downstream to Colorado Village, with breakfast served on board while enjoying early morning wildlife activity along the river. Along the way, observe native settlements and gold miners working on the banks of the Madre de Dios River. From Colorado, continue overland to Puerto Carlos, cross the Inambari River by boat to Santa Rosa, and then travel by van to Puerto Maldonado Airport. From there, take a commercial flight back to Cusco. (B)

Free day for the acclimatization. (B)

After breakfast, travel to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, known for its scenic landscapes and mild climate. Descend to Pisac (2,800 m) to visit its traditional market, where locals from surrounding villages trade goods and wear colorful traditional clothing, preserving ancient customs.

After lunch, continue through Calca and Urubamba before arriving in Ollantaytambo, an important Inca agricultural, military, and religious center. Known for its impressive architecture and strategic design to defend the valley, it is considered the best-preserved living Inca town. Overnight in Ollantaytambo. (B, L)

Early breakfast and transfer to the train station at 06:00. Enjoy a 2-hour train ride to Aguas Calientes (below 2,000 m), followed by a 20-minute bus ascent to Machu Picchu, located high above the Urubamba River. Explore the citadel with your guide and learn about its history, myths, and significance beside the dramatic Huayna Picchu peak. Experience its misty mountain setting and breathtaking views.

Return by bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch, then take the afternoon train back to Cusco and transfer to your hotel. (B)

Transfer to Cusco airport for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and begin a city tour of Lima’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Plaza Mayor, the Presidential Palace, Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall, and Desamparados Station. Continue to Plaza San Martín, San Francisco Monastery and its catacombs, then explore modern districts including San Isidro and Miraflores, the Financial Center, Olive Grove Park, and Huaca Pucllana, a pre-Inca pyramid that still stands within the modern city. (B)

Transfer to airport. (B)