Lima, Lake Titicaca, Nazca Lines, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Plus 3 Day 2 Night Jungle Tour (12 Days)

We begin this incredible all-inclusive survey of the best of Peru in Lima in the famous Miraflores neighborhood. a major nightlife area in the city. Next we visit Lake Titicaca to see the spectacular Floating Islands of Uros and Taquile, followed by the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu and the ancient city of Cuzco. Finally we travel through the Amazon Jungle to Sandoval Lake to see the local wildlife, including Giant Otters and Macaws!

Day 1: LIMA

• Upon arrival to Jorge Chavez Lima International Airport, you will be transferred with one of our guides by first class van to your selected hotel.
• You will be given a radio for the duration of your trip to communicate with us for any last-minute needs or any emergency you may have
• Depending on arrival time, we can arrange:
  • optional museum visits
  • city tours
  • culinary tours
  • a crash course in Spanish
  • or even paragliding off the cliff tops of Miraflores!
• You will finish the day with an overnight stay in the Miraflores District or near the Lima airport.

Day 2: LIMA to LAKE TITICACA

• Start the day with breakfast in your hotel, with an a.m. pickup for transfer to the Lima airport for your a.m. flight to Juliaca (the flight to Lake Titicaca through the Andes Mountains is absolutely beautiful, keep your eyes looking out the window!).
• Morning or early afternoon you will arrive to the Juliaca airport. On the way to your selected hotel, you will have a box lunch and a visit to the necropolis of Sillustani, 12,000 feet above sea level, followed by the lagoon of Umayo and the fabulous “chullpas”, or tombs in the shape of cylinders.
• The rest of the day is free to adjust to the altitude and explore the unique city of Puno.
• End your day with an overnight stay in Puno.

Day 3: FLOATING ISLANDS OF UROS & TAQUILE

• Start the day with breakfast in your hotel, followed by an early morning pickup to go to the docks at Lake Titicaca.
• From the docks we will go by boat to visit the Floating Islands of Uros and see the famous Lake Titicaca (the world’s highest navigable lake). We will visit various floating islands made all natural of reeds from the lake (there are a total of about 30 islands). You can take short trips on the all reed boats from island to island and see the amazing life of the Aymara speaking Uros Indians.
• After visiting the floating islands we will move on to the Taquile Island, known for its good quality woven and alpaca goods, to eat your included lunch.
• In the evening you will return to your hotel.

Day 4: PUNO to CUZCO

• Morning transfer to bus station and bus to Cuzco (7 hrs). On the way you will visit an Incan site, a pre Inca site and a historical Spanish Cathedral.
• Upon arrival to the Cuzco Bus station you will be met by our staff and driven to your selected hotel, where you are advised to rest to acclimatize to the altitude.
• End the day with an evening dinner show with a large variety of local foods and local dances.

Day 5: CUZCO

• After breakfast your Cuzco adventure begins with a guided tour of:
  • A guided tour of the Plaza de Armas: the main cathedral
  • The amazing Coricancha: the temple of the sun
  • The guided tour continues to the beautiful Incan sites of Sacsahuaman: an impressive Incan military fortress overlooking Cuzco
• The rest of the day is free to adjust to the altitude and explore the unique city of Puno, with an overnight stay in Puno.

Day 6: SACRED VALLEY to AGUAS CALIENTES (base of Machu Picchu)

• After breakfast you will take the amazing scenic drive through the famous Andes Mountains to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• Here you will visit Pisac with its beautiful ruins and its wonderful Andean market, following your included lunch, an excursion to the great fortress of Ollantaytambo is waiting.
• In the afternoon/early evening you’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes (the base of Machu Picchu).
• Bathe in the natural hot springs or dine in one of its numerous restaurants.
• End with an overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

Day 7: MACHU PICCHU

• After an early breakfast at the hotel, go see the ruins at sunrise before other tourists arrive and climb the beautiful towering peak of Huayna Picchu to see the ruins from above.
• You can take a short bus ride or do the 1 hour hike to the awaiting ruins of Machu Picchu.
• Once there, you will have a guided tour of the ruins and time to explore the ruins on your own.
• A late lunch or early dinner is included (at our top pick restaurant) followed by a late afternoon or early evening return train to Cuzco.
• You’ll transfer to your hotel and end with an overnight stay in a Cuzco hotel.

Day 8: CUZCO TO PUERTO MALDONADO/SANDOVAL LAKE LODGE (or similar lodge)

• After breakfast, you will be transferred from your hotel to the airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado, then transferred from the Puerto Maldonado airport to the river port on the Madre de Dios River.
• A 25-minute journey down the Madre de Dios River by motor canoe brings you to the riverside trail head.
• From here the trail takes you on a 2-mile walk until we reach a small canal where we board canoes and paddle through a flooded forest.
• As the canal opens onto the shimmering surface of the lake, we transfer to a catamaran and are leisurely paddled across half the lake to the lodge.
• After lunch at the lodge, we will explore the west end of the lake in search of Macaws, various species of monkeys, and reptiles. After dark you will venture out to spot Black Caimans on the lake.
• Return to lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 9: SANDOVAL LAKE LODGE (or similar lodge)

• A pre-dawn wake-up call will enable us to be on the lake for the sunrise and a hopeful encounter with the family of Giant Otters. Sandoval Lake offers abundant wildlife, including over 40 species of birds resident to its lake margins. Most of the fish-eating water birds around the lake actively fish in the early morning.
• After a late breakfast we set off into the cool under story of the tall virgin forest near the lake to see some towering wild Brazil Nut trees and wildlife.
• After lunch, you will board the catamaran to explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might see one or more of the five species of monkeys, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey and Squirrel Monkey.
• We will leave after dinner to try and spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night walk through the primary forest.

Day 10: SANDOVAL LAKE LODGE (or similar lodge)/PUERTO MALDONADO

• After early breakfast we leave near dawn and we take a final, shorter paddle around the west end of the lake to try and glimpse the Giant Otters before returning by motor canoe for the 35 minutes return trip to the Puerto Maldonado Airport, taking advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river.
• From here our guides will take you to the Puerto Maldonado airport for your flight to Lima, followed by a bus to Paracas.
• End your day with an overnight stay in your Paracas hotel.

Day 11: PARACAS/NAZCA

• After breakfast, in the morning or early afternoon will be your flight over the mysterious Nazca Lines, ancient drawings in the desert done over 5,000 years ago which includes a hummingbird, monkey, spider, and a condor.
• In the afternoon you will transfer to your hotel along the Pacific coast town of Paracas.

Day 12: PARACAS/LIMA

• After breakfast you’ll have an early morning cruise in the Pacific to see the Ballesta Islands and all they have to offer, including sea lions, penguins, and up to 60 different species of birds.
• You’ll return to Lima by first class bus and transfer to the Lima international airport for your flight home.