Ultimate Peru: The Amazon and Machu Picchu

Arrivals in Lima. Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Holbrook representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Holbrook sign. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check in usually begins at 3 p.m.

Arrivals in Lima. Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Holbrook representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Holbrook sign. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check in usually begins at 3 p.m.

After breakfast, we will enjoy a presentation on Biodiversity in Peru by a local expert at the hotel. Afterwards visit the Archaeological Museum. Lunch will be at a local restaurant, where we will also have a short presentation on Peruvian Cuisine. In the afternoon we will have a walking city tour of colonial Lima, visiting the main square and Santo Domingo Convent. Dinner at the hotel this evening.

After breakfast, transfer to the local airport for a flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival transfer to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion hotel which is about 45 min away. This afternoon take a walk through the properties nature trails, learning about the primary and secondary rainforest. This evening navigate along the Madre de Dios River for a twilight river excursion to learn about the nocturnal animals in the area.

After breakfast walk into the Tambopata National Reserve through terra firma forest, towards Lake Sandoval. Then navigate by dugout canoe around this beautiful oxbow lake. Learn about the reserves conservation efforts, the lake formation, the water palms (Mauritia flexuosa) and the animals that inhabit this lake such as the endangered giant river otters (Pteronura brasiliensis), blue and yellow macaws (Ara ararauna), red howler monkeys (Alouatta seniculus), black caimans (Melanosuchus niger), and one of the world’s biggest fresh water scaled fish, paiches (Arapaima gigas). Return to Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion in time for lunch. In the afternoon, take a 20-minute boat ride across the Madre de Dios River to climb the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway and navigate the Anaconda Walk. The Inkaterra Canopy Walkway is a sophisticated and safe 344 meter (1,135 feet) network of seven ecologically constructed hanging suspension bridges, strung between eight treetop observation platforms above the forest floor. Originally constructed for our non-profit organization, Inkaterra Asociación, to carry out conservation projects, this is an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from the rooftop and gain a sense of its colossal size. Ascend the first vertiginous tower 38 meters (124 feet) above ground, keeping an eye out for white-throated toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, squirrel monkeys and the three-toed sloth. Back at the base, follow the Anaconda Walk, strolling the seasonally flooded aguajales wetlands on an elevated wooden boardwalk. Come nightfall, under the cover of darkness explore the rainforest on foot as your senses heighten to movements in the undergrowth and the raucous sounds of the rainforest.

This morning enjoy some time to explore around the property. Take a walk inside Inkaterra Hacienda Concepción nature trails. Learn about primary and secondary rainforest, its components, uses and transformations by the humans, and its relevance for the world. See the cacao plantation, bread fruit trees, rubber trees, etc. After lunch, a short boat ride takes you to a local farm, where its inhabitants use ancient methods to grow their crops. Learn about local techniques of cultivation and taste some of the local products.

After some morning activity we will check out and start our transfer to local Airport in P Maldonado for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival meet with our local guide and transfer to Sacred Valley. En route we will visit Awanakancha Alpaca Center. The Awankancha Alpaca Center is a living museum where visitors can see llamas, alpacas and vicuna. A demonstration will show how the wool from these South American animals is used to make woven textiles. We will then continue to our hotel and check in. Arrival in the late afternoon. Dinner will be at the hotel.

Morning visit to a local market and on site discussion on the importance of the Sacred Valley as the "farmer's Market" for the Inca Empire. Identify and learn about the fruits and vegetables that are unique to this region. Afterwards visit Maras Salt Mines and then continue to Chinchero to visit a local weaving community where we will learn which ancient traditions are still practiced by modern day descendants of the Inca. Traditional lunch with members. We will end our day with an ancient Pachamama ceremony led by a shaman.

Early morning transfer to enjoy our rafting , At 9:00 am. The rafting guide will be waiting the group arrival. Here we will receive rafting equipment and a safety briefing (toilet facilities and changing rooms available). After a brief practice on the flat parts of the river, they will start their journey on easy waters while admiring the spectacular views of the mountains and archaeological remains, a strong class 3 rapid that includes waves and small whirlpools. They will then reach the river take out located in the community of Cachiccata (Toilets and changing rooms available).
After rafting we will enjoy out lunch on Ollantaytambo area and visit the Archeological site, learning about the engineering genius of the Inca.
In the afternoon return to our hotel and relax for the rest of the afternoon.

After breakfast we will take the train to Machu Picchu following the Urubamba River with spectacular views of the Andes. Upon arrival we will continue with a bus transfer to the Machu Picchu Ruins, where we will have lunch at a local restaurant close by. We will have a full afternoon guided field trip in and around Machu Picchu Ruins, including site lecture.

After breakfast explore the property. Lunch at the hotel before taking the early afternoon train to Ollanta. We will visit Ollantaytambo ruins learning about the engineering genius of the Inca. We will then transfer to Cusco. Dinner will be at the hotel.

After breakfast we will enjoy a visit to the impressive Sacsayhuaman ruins. The stone fortress at Sacsayhuaman forms the head of the Puma design of old Cusco. It is a mystery how it was constructed since the stones are not found in the region and most of the blocks weigh more than a ton. The largest rock weighs more than 300 tons. Sacsayhuaman is constructed of huge polygonal blocks which interlock with one another so precisely a knife blade cannot be inserted between them. Next, we will visit Kenko an Incan archaeological site located a few miles from Cusco. Due to the lack of written records from the time period, the purpose of many Incan ruins is a mystery. Though, archaeological evidence shows that the Inca built the site as a "huaca" or holy site and researchers speculate that death rituals, mummification and human sacrifice were practiced here. Researchers believe that priests used the channels carved into the site to determine whether a person lived a good life by observing the route that liquid poured into the channels - chicha (fermented corn), holy water, or blood flowed. The last stop of the day is Tambomachay. This Inca site was used as a spa for Inca political elite; aqueducts and canals channel water from a nearby thermal spring into waterfalls that cascade into a small pool. Lunch at a local restaurant featuring typical Cusqueño fare. We’ll regroup at the hotel before dinner for a presentation by a local expert on the history of Incan and Andean musical instruments. In the evening farewell dinner with folklore at local restaurant.

Today we will explore colonial Cusco including a visit to the Koricancha Temple and the Cathedral Complex. Lunch will be at a local café in the main plaza where you can enjoy the colonial architecture of the city. We will have some free time in the afternoon, before we transfer to Cusco airport for our late afternoon flight back to Lima. Upon arrival to Lima, we will check in for our international flight. There is no hotel night included on this day.

Arrive United States.