The Best of Peru – The Ultimate Trip

Upon arrival at Lima Airport, you will be greeted by our local staff and transferred to your hotel.

You will have the rest of the day for yourself.

Although the Spanish foundation of Lima was in 1535, we know that Lima was inhabited many years before that. Today, you will go on a tour that will take you back in time through the Colonial and Pre-Hispanic stages of Peruvian history!

On route to your first stop, you’ll be able to see vestiges of the ancient civilization that occupied this part of the country, such as the 2000-year-old pyramids in the center of Miraflores.
You’ll pass by one of these old prehispanic monuments to have a glance from outside, before heading to the Larco Museum.

The collection exhibited at Larco features the most luxurious gold, silver, and ceramics from ancient Peru and offers the perfect introduction to our millenary history. Afterward, you head to Lima’s City Center to have a look at its imposing architecture.

Here, you will visit the 16th Century Santo Domingo Convent and have a look at Lima’s main square.

You will leave the city of Lima for a day.
You start early this morning and head to Pisco airport and board our aircraft to fly over the enigmatic Nazca Lines.

During the flight, we’ll observe the mysterious figures of animals, humanoids, and geometric shapes perfectly crafted in the desert. After having some free time for lunch in Lagunillas, small villages at Paracas National Reserve.

Here, you can admire the immensity of the ocean and beautiful beaches, from some cliff-top lookouts. Finally, you begin your return journey to Lima, arriving at 6 pm approx.

Transfer by private bus from Lima hotel to the airport.
Pick up from Padre Aldamiz Airport in Puerto Maldonado.
Transfer to the office for registration and to pack only the necessary before heading to the port where the motorboat awaits (Make sure you have all the elements you will need for your stay). 

Travel down the Madre de Dios river through the heart of the jungle surrounded by ¬flora and fauna and breathtaking scenery before arriving at Amazon Planet Lodge (Approx. 1 hour 15 min).

Arrive at Amazon Planet and settle into your private bungalow (Your bags will be taken to your bungalow by the local staff). 

Meet your guide at the main house to watch a video of the Taricaya Eco reserve and the different projects developed over the years. Time for questions and sharing moments.

Take a night walk with your guide and experience the jungle as it transforms from day into night making way for nocturnal animals especially adapted for the dark (1 hour)

Dinner and enjoy delicious Amazonian cocktails at the bar. Rest and end of the day.

Energy is from solar panels so please, save energy, and turn off lights and fans when not in the room.

Today’s activities begin by walking through the trails of our reserve surrounded by 300+-year-old trees while your guide explains the history and biology of the flora and fauna by sight and sound before arriving at your first platform located 15 meters high in the crown of an old Kapok tree, accessed by a suspension bridge. 

Continue your walk into the Taricaya Reserve towards the Canopy platform, the highest tree platform in South America.
Located 45 meters high up in the crown of an ancient Kapok tree and connected by a 90-meter-long suspension bridge, not for the faint-hearted.

Catch a glimpse of flying Macaws, parrots, or Toucans; the views from this platform are truly unforgettable! 

An early wake before sunrise, a cup of coffee, and a to-go breakfast before heading upriver to the entrance of the Tambopata National Reserve.

5:30h – Start your 3 km trek to Lake Sandoval. Upon the way enjoy the diverse ecosystem spotting wildlife on the way like squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, blue and yellow macaws,s and more.
Arrive at the mouth of the lake and hop on a rowboat, your guide will paddle your group around the pristine mirror-like lake to enjoy the beautiful scenery with the opportunity to encounter the impressive large black caiman.

Continue on your search for the family of the endangered giant river otter that calls this lake home (Approx. 5 hours) Take your snack by the water´s edge.

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to our Amazonian friends. This morning, we board our boats to return to Puerto Maldonado, where we’ll pass by our office to collect any baggage you might have left and then continue to the local airport to board your flight Cusco.
Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel and you will have the rest of the day for yourself.

This morning, we’ll strap on our walking shoes as we get ready for a soft hike around the Historical Centre of Cusco and the surrounding countryside!

We begin the tour on the outskirts of Cusco with a visit to Sacsayhuaman, a massive Inca fortress overlooking the city. Next, we’ll start an easy one-hour descent walk through a small portion of an old Inca road, one of the best-preserved in the area, until arriving at the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas.

Our walking city tour will take us not only through the most tourist sites in Cusco such as the Main Square, Cathedral, and Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), but also along ancient streets, local markets, and old neighborhoods. There we will discover the magic of Cusco!

This hike is the perfect way to get an authentic feel of this marvelous city and its people. The afternoon will be free to wander and enjoy the city at your own pace.

You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and head by transport for about 1 hr 30 min until reaching the village of Cruz Pata at 3550 m.a.s.l.

From here you’ll get your biking equipment and after going over a few safety procedures the ride begins. During the first part of the ride, you’ll pass a lake, there are a few up-hills and some nice downhills with optional single tracks for those who like it a bit more technical.

The scenery is unforgettable with excellent views of the Veronica mountain range. The first main stop will be at the Incan agricultural testing site of Moray (3575 m.a.s.l.) and you’ll take a break here to catch your breath and explore the area.

Continuing the ride, you will arrive at Maras where you’ll have your break.

Afterward, you’ll carry on riding to the crystal-white terraces of the pre-Incan salt and ending on the bank of the Urubamba river (2875 m.a.s.l.). 

This exciting day begins early in the morning as your tour guide and our driver will pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco.

The first stop of the day will be in Mollepata to have a nourishing breakfast, then we’ll continue on our way until we get to Challacancha for a short rest.
From here, we’ll begin our walk towards Soraypampa, which is where our camp is located.

You will arrive at your destination, Sky Camp, located in front of the majestic and snowy Salkantay and Humantay mountains, where the reception staff will be waiting for you with an exquisite lunch.

Here, you’ll have some time to rest in your igloo or wander around the site before we prepare for our afternoon hike. You’ll embark on the uphill climb to Humantay Lake (4,200 m / 13,780 ). You’ll take things slowly due to the altitude and once you reach the top, you’ll have me take in the truly beautiful view of the jewel-like lake among the snowy, white backdrop.

You’ll then make your way back down to Sky Camp for an enjoyable dinner and some star-gazing. When you head to bed, you’ll be able to stare out of the roof of your igloo and let the constellations send you off to sleep.

Today’s the grand day because we’ll reach the highest point of the trip, where you’ll come across marvelous landscapes bordered by an impressive complex of mountains.

You’ll enjoy a filling and nutritious breakfast before you gradually ascend to Salkantay Pampa and then through a challenging path known as “The Trail of the 7 Snakes” until we get to the impressive Salkantay Pass at 4,630 m / 15,190.

After enjoying a view of the snowy mountains and feeling the force of nature, you’ll pass through some unique stony scenery and descend until we reach our lunch spot in a place called Soyrococha. After lunch, you’ll continue to descend toward Soraypampa and, in the distance, you’ll have a remote view of the great snow-covered forest of stones.
Once you get to the Sky Camp, you’ll have one last rest to drink water or eat some snacks before heading out on the last stretch for 30 minutes to board the transport back to Cusco.

Ollantaytambo train station to take the train to Km 104, which is the beginning of the trail.

At Km 104 the train stops to get off and go walking to the main checkpoint for the respective registration, this place is located at an elevation of 2,150 m/ 7,052 ft, after the registration we will walk for a couple of minutes and we will reach the first Inca site called Chachabamba that consists in having temples, the main patio, sacred rock, etc. In, our guide will deliver a great information about this site.

Afterward, we will continue walking gradually uphill enjoying the spectacular sceneries until reaching the Wiñaywayna Incan temple whose meaning is “forever young”, where our guide will deliver you a great history of the site.

After the exploration of the Inca temple, we’ll take our snacks or packed lunch at the Checkpoint of Wiñaywayna. We’ll then continue hiking to Machu Picchu for two more hours, entering in this wonder of the world through the Gate of the Sun, from where we’ll have the first views of the famed Incan city, and take our time to make great shots from this point.

Once we arrive at Machu Picchu we’ll take our time to make great shots of the Incan city, as the afternoon is usually with fewer people. We’ll then take the bus to Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes town) where we’ll stay at comfortable hotel, and have dinner at the restaurant.

Waking up early, you’ll take one of the first buses to back up to Machu Picchu to enter the site as soon as it opens (06:00 am). You’ll have a 2-hour guided tour of the site where you’ll learn about the Incas and visit all the most important areas of the citadel.

After your tour, you’ll have free time to explore the site by yourself.

Throughout your Rainbow Mountain 1 day Hike, you will hike through a vibrant green valley with Magnificent views of snow-capped Mountains, seeing Llamas, Alpacas, and Ausangate Glacier towering in the distance, on the final part, you will hike through the gorgeous red valley, where you feel as though you are on planet Mars.

We skip the crowds!— Everybody else goes to Rainbow Mountain at the same time. That means they’re all up at the top at the same time. There is only one spot to take the classical picture of Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) and it wouldn’t be nice with a huge crowd of people.

Since we leave from Cusco at 04:00 am you will get the Rainbow Mountain before the crow. Your guide always brings oxygen tanks which is important as you get over 5040 meters/16,500 feet above sea level! Not all travel agencies offer this, so this is definitely something to look out for when choosing the best Rainbow Mountain tour operator.

You will take your time and you will enjoy the hike without pressure.

“The Route of the Sun”, which is a day-long trip throughout the Andean countryside with 5 stops to see various Incan ruins, several tourist attractions, and history. 

It is by far the most comfortable and fun way to make the trip from Cusco to Puno.

The distance between Cusco and Puno is 387 km, which is why the best way to visit “The Route of the Sun” must necessarily be done by tourists and comfortable transportation.

This is a day-long trip and it lasts approximately 10 hours.

Places to visit during the trip, such as:

Andahuaylillas (Church)
Raqchi (Incan ruins)
La Raya (Vista overlook, 4,338 meters/14,232 feet high)
Lithic Museum of Pucará (Museum)

We will go to your hotel to pick you up at 7:00 am (provide us your hotel information in Puno), we will then go to the port from where to go aboard the boat, the first place to visit is Uros floating islands, where, we will learn concerning of people who live on the floatings islands, and we will have time to hang out with them.

After the visit these floating islands, we will continue sailing to get to the next island Amantani, when we arrive at the port of Amantani, the local people will be waiting for you with big and contagious smiles and will take you to their houses to have lunch. 

Later, we will be part of their daily activities that they do as farmers, we will then explore the island and of course, we will go to Pachatata ( pre-Incan temple) where we will have stunning sunset. At night about 7:00 pm, we will have dinner.

After dinner, we will be part of the small celebration party organized by locals to enjoy the Andean music made of pure flute, eventually, at about 10:30 pm, we go back to the house to sleep.

***Note on family houses: The houses are very simple and the services are basic, but all clean. There is no running water in many of the houses and toilets are basic. There are no showers as they get energy from the solar panels. For many people, this homestay experience and the encounter with the host family is a revelation of the reality of Andean people at such altitude and remoteness.

We will have breakfast, which is made by the local family, and right after that, we will embark on the boat to Taquile island, the trip is about 1 hour.

Upon our arrival on this island, we will take a short hike to get amazing views as we make our way to the small village of Taquile, where we will have lunch (this lunch is not included)

Next, we will explore this small town and walk back to the dock to take the boat back to Puno, we will be getting to the hotel at about 4:00 pm or after this time.

Departure Sillustani is a marvelous burial site made up of large cylindrical tombs called Chullpas that date from before the Incas. However, after the Incas conquered the Pukaras in the XVth century, they took over this site and continued building more chullpas.

After the tour, we continue to the airport Puno. Fly to Lima

Transfer Out – International Flight