Welcome to Peru and the City of Kings! Upon your arrival a member of our staff waits for you to take you to your hotel.

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Girasoles Hotel

Today we start the adventure in the Toyota Runner 4x4. We pick you up at the hotel and head to Paracas. On the way, we first stop in Pachacamac, a sacred ancient and ceremonial site, where thousands of pilgrims converged to pay tribute and consult the Pachacamac oracle, who they believed could see the past, the future and fate. The site comprises the Temple of the Sun, the Temple of Pachacamac, and the Acllahuasi or Palace of the Inca Virgins of the Sun. Then, we stop in the little Pucusana fishing port, a bay with sandy beaches and a traditional fishing port from where we start our adventure in a wooden boat and try to fish as much as we can. Its calm waters make Pucusana perfect for swimming and amateur diving. While fishing we may be able to see birds, sea lions and dolphins. After one hour, we return to the dock and head to Paracas for 2.5 hours. Upon arrival we check in at the hotel.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Hotel Emancipador

In the morning, we board a speedboat to head to the Ballestas Islands, a group of rocky formations that are home to important marine fauna like guano birds, Humboldt penguins and sea lions. On the way, we pass by the Candelabrum, a very big figure traced in the sand whose purpose is still a mystery. We return to the dock and then visit the Paracas National Reserve, the cradle of the Paracas culture. Our first stop there is Sequion beach where we observe migratory birds. We appreciate colorful landscapes of the sub-tropical desert. An amazing lunch waits for you in front of the ocean at our secret restaurant. We explore further with the red beach and at Lagunillas you are able to take refreshing dive in the Pacific Ocean. After this we travel further to the south for 1.5 hours to the oasis in the middle of the sunny Ica desert. Here you have a chance to take part in an optional tour in which you can try sandboarding in the hugh sand dunes and watch the sunset in the desert.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Hotel Mossone, Calle San Antonio, Ica, Peru

You wake up at the oasis. On our journey to Nazca, we make a stop at an artisanal local winery where you can learn about Peruvian wine and pisco. Today we are able to visit a place few other travelers enjoy. With our 4X4 we drive to the San Fernando Reserve that concentrates a rich marine and marine-coastal biodiversity, including sea wolves, otters, penguins and cetaceans. In the same way, you witness the typical fauna of the mountain range, represented by guanacos and condors that descend to the beach encouraged by the vegetation of hills and fauna- through a fragile biological corridor.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Nazca Lines

Today we focus a full day exploring the fascinating mysteries of pre-Inca Nazca culture. We visit the aquaducts, the Cahuachi ceremonial center, the mummy cemetery and off course you have a chance to see some of the Nazca lines. A monkey, a hummingbird, a whale and a lizard are only a few of the mysterious figures that are drawn in the desert floor. You can observe the figures the best from the air. Optionally you can take a flight in a small plane over the lines (aprox. 120USD/pp)

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Nazca Lines

Today we start early and will go completely off the tourist path. We will drive from the coast to the Andes. First, we pass by “Cerro Blanco”, the highest sand dune of America with 800 meter from top to base. We gradually go higher, passing through small Andean villages and through the beautiful “Pampa Galeras” National Reserve that protects the beautiful vicuña animals (camelids), and where we also have the chance to see condors (usually all by yourself). After lunch we continue to the Cotahuasi valley and canyon passing through beautiful Andean valleys and old forgotten villages until we get to Cotahuasi town.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Cotahuasi

After a long ride yesterday it’s time to move our bodies. This morning, you can choose between two treks: The first one is to the 7 Sipia waterfalls. The highest reaches 150 meters and has three divisions or waterfalls in its body. The trek takes about 3.5 hours altogether. The second trek option is to Cahuana town, in order to have a great view of the Colca Canyon. This trek takes about 5 hours altogether. After doing any of those treks, you are transferred to Arequipa town for 8 to 9 hours.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Casa de Avila Hotel

Our local contact person will take you the the historical center. Arequipa is surrounded by three beautiful volcanoes: Picchu Picchu, Chachani and El Misti. In the afternoon, your guide takes you on a walking tour in the city which includes a visit to the colorful Santa Catalina Convent. Arequipa city is also known for its mild climate and its great regional gastronomy, so make sure to try some local dishes in one of the many restaurants of the city.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Casa de Avila Hotel

We pick you up at the hotel at 04:00 am to move to the Colca Canyon. We then stop in the first village, Chivay (3650 meters), after 3 hours of travel to use the restrooms and have breakfast. Then we continue with our journey to the “Cross of the Condor”, where we enjoy for 1 hour the fabulous flight of the Condors. After 30 minutes, we arrive at the town of Cabanaconde (3287 meters), a place where we have lunch and prepare to start our walk through the canyon, passing through the Mirador of Achachihua, where we can appreciate part of the route we take. We begin our descent of the Canyon towards the camp of Llahuar (2050 meters) with a walk of 5 hours approximately. We arrive at the river and appreciate the geysers, finishing in a camp where we enjoy the pools of hot waters at 35 °C, and we can also go fishing in the afternoon (trout). Dinner.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Llahuar Lodge

We have breakfast at the agreed time with the guide to continue our journey through the canyon, visiting the town of Paclla (2350 meters), where we can see fruits, native and medicinal plants. Then we rest, and continue climbing up to 2800 meters for an average of 2.5 hours approximately. Then we take a flat walk and descend again to the canyon to Sangalle (2160 meters) also known as the Oasis, where we arrive after 5 hours of walking. We have lunch, and a free afternoon to relax, then have dinner and stay in bungalows overnight.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Colca Canyon

We get up at 05:00 in the morning, upon coordination with the guide to begin the hike up to the village of Cabanaconde (3280 meters) for 3 hours approximately. We have breakfast, and then take a trip to the district of Chivay (3650 meters). On the way, we stop at the Wayrapunku viewpoint to appreciate the Incan and pre-Incan terraces as well as the town of Maca, and then head to the thermal baths of La Calera -at 38ºC- where we can enjoy its relaxing waters. After some time, we return to Chivay. After lunch, we head to Puno for 5 hours.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Jose Antonio

We pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to the port to get onboard a boat to visit the islands at the Titicaca Lake, first by going to the floating Uros Island where we can appreciate the customs and habits of the locals. After that, we go to the Taquile Island (declared as a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO). We make a walk on the island, learn about the traditions, have lunch and see how they make their textiles. In the afternoon we travel back to Puno by boat.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Jose Antonio

We pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Puno. On the way, we first stop at the Sillustani tombs, a pre-Incan cemetery near the shores of the Umayo Lake which are built above ground in tower-like structures. Then we visit the Pucara museum, which shows monolithic sculptures with a variety of geometric, zoomorphic, and anthropomorphic images, multi-colored ceramics in a variety of ritual and domestic forms. We stop at La Raya, a watershed between the valley that flows into Lake Titicaca and the valley that leads to Cusco. We have lunch in Sicuani. Then we visit Raqchi, the temple of Wiracocha and the Andahuaylillas church, considered the “Sistine Chapel of America”. We arrive to the beautiful town of Cusco in the later afternoon.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Niños Hotel Fierro

Pick up from the hotel with your private guide to start the city tour. By walking through the city center, you can see the incredible mix of Inca and Colonial architecture, watch the merging of indigenous and spanish influences, and feel the history of every street. First, we will visit Qoricancha or "Sun's temple" to appreciate its architecture and perfect stones contructions. Once finished, we will continue to the main Cathedral in the Plaza de Armas to see a wide range of paintings and works in gold leaf. Some steps away, we will see the famous "12 angles stone" as well as the neighborhood of San Blas. Finally, we will visit the touristic market of San Pedro. Continuing on, we will head outside the city to visit Sacsayhuaman, to see its famous and enormous stones; Qenqo, an archaeological religious site; Puca Pucara, an ancient military construction; and Tambomachay, a temple dedicated to the water.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Niños Hotel Fierro

In the morning, we pick you up at the hotel to start a private full-day tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You visit the ruins of Pisac with its impressive Incan terraces, and the colorful market of the town of Pisac. After this visit, we go to the authentic Incan town of Ollantaytambo, where many people still live in houses that were originally built by the Incas. You can appreciate that the urban water channels in the tiny Incan streets are still intact. You then visit the Inca Fortress of Ollantaytambo and spend the night in this little town to prepare yourself for the trek.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: El Albergue Ollantaytambo

We pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to the Ollantaytambo train station. Then we take the train until we arrive at km. 104 from where we start our trek. We visit the ruins of Chachabamba, and then we start the 4-hour ascent with a spectacular view of the valley and the nature that surrounds the citadel. In the afternoon, we just pass through Machu Picchu and then we take a bus to Aguas Calientes for our overnight stay.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Jaya Suite Machupicchu

In the morning, your guide picks you up from the hotel to take the 30-minute bus to the citadel. We arrive and enter Machu Picchu. You have a private guided tour for approximately 3 hours visiting this forgotten Incan city with its plazas, temples, sacred fountains and terraces. After the tour, you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. Later in the afternoon, you take the train back to Ollantaytambo

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: El Albergue Ollantaytambo

First, we stop in Moray, a group of circular terraces that have the form of an amphitheater, which are believed to be used as storages. Then we visit the salt pits of Maras, a group of salt ponds which color varies from white to a light reddish or brownish tan, depending on the weather. Finally, we visit the town of Chincheros, a small Andean Village that is very popular because of its market before we return to Cusco.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Niños Hotel Fierro

Very early in the morning, we go for a 3-hour drive to the bottom of the Ausangate Mountain to start the 3-hour ascent to the top in order to see “the Rainbow Mountain”. We rest and enjoy the view. This ascent is very demanding since you hike up to 5200 meters. In the afternoon we return to Cusco.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Niños Hotel Fierro

We travel for ten minutes to the Puerto Maldonado headquarters. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in the gardens, they ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days, and leave the rest at their safe deposit. This helps them keep the boats and cargo light. Skirting Puerto Maldonado, they drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. The port is a communal business. The boat ride from the Tambopata Port to the Refugio Amazonas lodge takes us past the Community of Infierno and the Tambopata National Reserve´s checkpoint and into the buffer zone of this 1.3-million-hectare conservation unit. Upon arrival, the lodge manager welcomes you and briefs you with important navigation and security tips. You have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but difficult to see. Easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories. The car returns to Lima today.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Refugio Amazonas

Four and a half hours by boat from the lodge, in the pristine heart of the reserve, lies the Tambopata Research Center. One and a half hours into our boat journey, as we cross the confluence with the Malinowski River, we leave behind the final traces of human habitation. Within the 700,000-hectare, uninhabited nucleus of the reserve, sightings of capybara, caiman, geese, macaws and other large species will become more frequent. Two hours away from Refugio Amazonas, deep in the Tambopata National Reserve, we stop at the Chuncho clay lick. After a short walk (5 minutes), we have the chance to see dozens of large macaws feeding on the special sodium-rich clays of the riverbank. The Chuncho clay lick probably attracts more large macaws than any other clay lick in the world and the sight of dozens of macaws taking flight is truly unforgettable. The details of our stopover depend on the weather and the amount of macaw activity, as the birds do not visit the clay lick when it is raining. Upon arrival, the lodge manager welcomes you and briefs you with important navigation and security tips. A three-to-five-kilometer hike leads us to commanding magnificent views of the Tambopata, winding its way into the lowlands. The forest on this trail, regenerating on old bamboo forest, is good for howler monkeys and dusky Titi monkeys. After dinner, scientists provide an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, their feeding habits, the theories for clay lick use, their breeding and feeding ecology, population fluctuations and the threats to their conservation.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Tambopata Research Center

On most clear mornings of the year, dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on this large river bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story. Discretely located fifty meters off the cliff, we observe green-winged, scarlet and blue-and-gold macaws and several species of smaller parrots descending to ingest clay. Outings are at dawn when the lick is most active. This five-kilometer trail covers the prototypical rain forest with immense trees crisscrossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahuacos, we look for squirrels, brown capuchins, and spider monkeys as well as peccaries. Tambopata Research Center is located within this habitat. Ten minutes upriver from the lodge is a tiny pond with a platform in the middle. It is a great place to spot waterfowl such as Muscovy ducks and hoatzins along with the woodpeckers, oropendolas, flycatchers and parakeets that call this pond their home. You have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Tambopata Research Center

We retrace our river and road journeying back to Puerto Maldonado, our office and the airport. Depending on airline schedules, this may require dawn departures. We take the afternoon flight back to Lima. Upon arrival, we are taken to the hotel.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

• Stantard: Girasoles Hotel

At a proper time, we pick you up from the hotel and transfer you to the airport to take your international flight

Meals: Breakfast