PERU PLUS with Cuzco Sacred Valley of the Incas Lost City of the Incas,  Machu Picchu and wildlife rich rainforest experience plus Lake Titicaca and La Paz 14 Days

Lake Titicaca & Reed Boat

Locally Hosted Independent Tour Suggested Departure Day: Thursday

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Thursday - Miami - Lima: Afternoon flight south to Lima, arriving in the evening. Meeting and transfer to Miraflores Park Hotel in fashionable Miraflores for overnight stay.

Friday - Lima: Morning visit to the main points of interest in Lima, often called "The City of Kings" and once the seat of the Vice Royalty of Spain, including the Plaza de Armas with government palace and cathedral, the San Francisco or Santo Domingo Convent and the new suburbs of the city. ALso visit your choice of either the famed Gold Museum or the Archaeology Museum. Afternoon at leisure to explore at your own pace. (B)

Saturday - Lima - Cuzco: Transfer for early morning flight over the Andes to Cuzco, ancient capital of the Inca empire and considered the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. Upon arrival, meeting and transfer to the Hotel Monasterio for overnight stay. Afternoon visit to the main points of interest in Cuzco, considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere, and to the nearby ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Kenkko, Puka Pukara and Tambo Machay. (B)

Sunday - Cuzco-Urubamba: Full day excursion through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the town of Pisac to visit the colorful Indian Market - plenty of time to explore and bargain for textiles and souvenirs, and to roam the produce and animal sections of the market. Then continue through the valley to the ruins of Ollantaytambo, precariously perched on the mountainside, for a visit. Lunch en route and afternoon drop-off at the Sol y Luna for overnight stay. (B/L)

Monday - Urubamba-Machu Picchu: Early morning transfer to the train station in Ollantaytambo for VistaDome rail service to Aguas Calientes for mini-bus 2,000 foot serpentine ascent to the top of the mountain and the entrance to famed Machu Picchu, Lost City of the Incas. Enjoy a guided tour of these spectacular ruins, never found by the Spanish Conquistadores and only rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, have lunch and time to explore at your own pace. The ruins remain open until dusk. Overnight at either the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge at the ruins. (B/L/D)

Tuesday - Machu Picchu-Cuzco: Day at leisure to explore at your own pace. You'll want to plan to re-visit the ruins early in the morning so you have plenty of time to explore at your own pace before the day-trippers begin to arrive around 11 AM. The ruins open at 7AM; re-entry tickets are available for purchase at the ruins. Be sure to be back at the train station at Aguas Calientes in time for your return train to Cuzco, with evening arrival. Upon arrival, meeting and transfer to the Hotel Monastario for overnight. (B)

Wednesday - Cuzco - Puerto Maldonado - Reserva Amazonica: Early morning transfer to the airport for 40 minute flight east northeast to Puerto Maldonado. Meeting at the airport and transfer to the port where you board typical motorized canoe for 30 minute cruise on the Madre de Dios River to the Reserva Amazonica. Check-in, have lunch and in the afternoon begin your exploratios of this wildlife rich 40-square-mile private ecological reserve deep in the Amazon rainforest. Walk through the trails inside the Inkaterra Ecological Reserve, while your guide tells you about the primary and secondary rainforest, its components, uses, and transformation by people, and its importance to the world. Tonight you'll make a trip by canoe looking for nacturnal wildlife. (B/L/D)

NOTE: You should leave Cuzco dressed for the rainforest - lightweight clothing, long sleeves, long pants, good walking shoes and have your rainforest essentials in your day gear pack. Also remember to leave your large traditional suitcases back in Cuzco and pack only a duffel-style bag for your rainforest visit.

Thursday - Reserva Amazonica: Morning excursion to Rolín Island, located in the Madre de Dios River in front of Reserva Amazónica. In association with INRENA (Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales), Reserva Amazonica runs a conservation project to protect endangered primates and reintroduce them into their natural habitat. In front of this island is the Rolín Community where Reserva Amazonica promotes education and conservation programs to improve their quality of life. In the afternoon visit the only canopy walk in Southern Peru. A five-minute boat transfer takes guests to the Canopy Inkaterra Interpretation Center, to learn about the tree canopy's construction and about Inkaterra Association's (ITA) conservation projects. Ascend the tower and cross the tree-top bridges that offer a birds-eye view of the dense rainforest.  The canopy walk lasts about 30 minutes, followed by a 15-minute walk to the wetlands, to learn about the floodable ecosystem. (B/L/D)

Friday - Reserva Amazonica-Puerto Maldonado-Cuzco: After breakfast transfer back to Puerto Maldonado. TIme permitting you'll visit the Butterfly farm before transferring to the airport for your flight to Lima.  Meeting upon arrival Cuzco, meeting and transfer to Hotel Monasterio for overnight stay. (B)

Saturday - Cuzco - Puno: Morning transfer to the train station to board the Andean Express for a full day of riding the rails! Cross the scenic Altiplano and pass through many villages, with a scenic stop at La Raya, the highest point of the train journey. Lunch is served on board.  Arrive Puno in the late afternoon and transfer to your hotel on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the Hotel Esteves. (B/L)

Sunday - Puno - Lake Titicaca - Inca Utama: Morning transfer to the port to board your modern hydrofoil for your "flight" across the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. Make a stop at the floating reed islands of the Uros Indians and then "fly" to Copacabana where you will have time to visit the historic cathedral. Then re-board your hydrofoil for "flight" to Sun Island.  Walk up ancient Inca steps, visit the Fountain of Youth and have spectacular views of Moon Island and the lake the Uma Kollu restaurant where you will have lunch. Continue by hydrofoil to Moon Island to visit the Sun Virgin's Temple and then finally "fly" through the narrow Tiquina Strait and to the Inca Utama Hotel and Spa for two night stay.  This evening you'll enjoy a briefing on the magical, mystical world of the Kallawayas, the medicine men of the high Altiplano, and a visit to the Kallawayas Museum. (B)

ABOUT THE INCA UTAMA: A five star hotel right on the shores of Lake Titicaca, there are 60 rooms and suites, each with private facilities, space heater, electric blanket and lots of of water. There is a new Choza Nautica over-the-water restaurant, a cozy bar with over-stuffed couches and roaring fireplace, "Suma Utavi" restaurant, a complete spa, and elevators in both the original hotel building and the new Colonial Towers. The Inca Utama has a complete cultural complex consisting of the Altiplano Museum; Andean Eco Village complete with handicraft center, Eco Museum, Limachi brothers and their full size replica of the RA II, stone fisherman village, mud igloos and floating islands of the Urus Chipayas, Tikanas agricultural terraces and the famous Sukakollos; Kallawayas Museum and the Alajpacha native observatory.

Monday - Lake Titicaca:   Today you will visit the "Andean Roots" cultural complex with Altiplano and Eco museums, "chullpas" (mortuary towers) and reed island. This evening you will visit the "alajpacha" (native observatory) for a look at the southern skies. (B)

Tuesday - Lake Titicaca - La Paz: This morning you will drive towards La Paz and then off the main road to the ruins of Tiahuanaco where the remains of five civilizations, one on top of the other, have been found - the last one disappearing 100 years before the first Inca arrived. After your visit, continue driving to La Paz for overnight stay at the Hotel Europa  in the heart of the town and just blocks from the famed Witch Doctor's Market.  In the afternoon visit the main points of interest in La Paz, including the Witch Doctor's market. (B)

Wednesday - La Paz - Miami: Early morning transfer for return flight to Miami. Clear customs and immigrations and make connections to your home city.

RATES and DETAILS: