INDEPENDENT PERU HIGHLIGHTS WITH PERU'S AMAZON

Visit Peru

1 ARRIVE LIMA, PERU

Welcome to Lima, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.

2 LIMA

Your included city tour focuses on Lima's rich colonial history as well as the modern city. Lima was the bastion of Spanish South America from its founding in 1535 until the independence of the South American republics in the early 19th century. See the cathedral, where the remains of Francisco Pizarro are sealed in a wooden coffin, and the Santo Domingo Convent to see the relics of three famous Peruvian saints-Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martin de Porres, and San Juan Macias. (B) Today's I-Time Tips

This evening, you may choose to head over to a nearby park to witness the largest electronic water fountain complex in the world, certified by the Guinness Book of Records. You will enjoy a wonderful show of water, lights, music, and images.

3 LIMA-CUSCO

Fly to Cusco, high in the Andes, where you will be met by your Local Guide. Your guided tour visits the cathedral in Plaza de Armas and Santo Domingo Monastery, one of the most important temples devoted to worship of the sun. It is said it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature. Take a short drive outside the city to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a fortress of gigantic stones-with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons. Followed by the amphitheatre of Kenko, and the red fortress of Puca Pucara. (B)

4 CUSCO-SACRED VALLEY

Today, a short drive into the Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, brings you to Awanakancha to learn about the importance of the alpaca for Inca cultures, as well as the ancient weaving techniques still in use today. Continue to the market town of Pisac, where you can buy handmade rugs, alpaca sweaters, and jewelry at bargain prices. At the other end of the valley, visit Ollantaytambo to see some of the finest examples of Inca masonry. (B,L)

5 SACRED VALLEY-MACHU PICCHU

Embark on a train trip bound for Machu Picchu and cut a path through the Sacred Valley to this "Lost City of the Incas," discovered by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911. On a guided tour of Machu Picchu, explore this intact fortress with its temple remains, holy houses, and mile-long aqueduct. For hikers, a brisk one-hour walk leads to the Sun Gate, the ancient entrance used by the Incas. (B,L,D)

6 MACHU PICCHU-SACRED VALLEY-CUSCO

A morning at leisure allows you to wake up early to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu with your second included entrance to the ruins. Return to Cusco by train. (B)

7 CUSCO-PUERTO MALDONADO

Fly to Puerto Maldonado, capital of Madre de Dios and the entry to Peru's Amazon Jungle. Embark on a motorboat ride for a journey up the Madre de Dios River to view the exotic wildlife. Arrive at your Amazon Jungle lodge and meet your Naturalist. After settling in, head out with your Naturalist for a nature walk along nature trails to learn about primary and secondary rainforest. At dusk, take a canoe ride to learn about the Amazon River ecosystems, nocturnal animals' behaviour, and the southern constellations. (B,L,D)

8 PERU'S AMAZON

This morning, take a Naturalist-guided walk into the Tambopata National Reserve and then navigate by dugout canoe around Lake Sandoval, a beautiful oxbow lake. Learn about the reserve's conservation efforts and the animals that inhabit this lake, such as the endangered giant river otters, blue and yellow macaws, red howler monkeys, and black caimans. This afternoon, the canopy walkway shows you a different perspective 100 feet above ground. From the treetops, keep an eye out for white-throated toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, squirrel monkeys and the three-toed sloth. After night falls, your Naturalist introduces you to the nocturnal animals of the Amazon. (B,L,D)

9 PERU'S AMAZON

A short boat ride brings you to a native farm where farmers use ancient methods to grow crops. Learn about local cultivation techniques and taste some of the produce. This afternoon, you can fish for piranha like the local indigenous communities do and visit a clay lick to observe wildlife from a blind to observe the normal routine of the fauna without disrupting the environment. (B,L,D)

10 PUERTO MALDONADO-LIMA

Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Lima and then transfer to your hotel upon arrival in Lima. (B)

11 LIMA

Your holiday ends after breakfast this morning. (B)

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