Peru Amazon & Andes – Nature and Adventure (8D/7N)

Your adventure begins with our reception at the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport or at the Cusco bus terminal. A representative from our team will be waiting for you with a sign with your name to provide a private transfer to your selected hotel. During the ride, you will receive a brief informational talk and key recommendations for acclimatizing to the altitude.

At approximately 1:00 PM, we will pick you up at your hotel to begin the Archaeological City Tour. Our first stop will be Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), the most important religious center of the Inca Empire, where we will appreciate the astonishing fusion of Inca and colonial architecture. Then, we will travel to the outskirts of the city to visit the imposing fortress of Sacsayhuaman, famous for its megalithic walls of astonishing precision.

We will continue our tour exploring the energetic and religious centers of Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and finally Tambomachay, known as the Temple of Water. At the end of the tour, around 6:00 PM, our transport will drop you off at Plaza Regocijo or Plaza San Francisco, allowing you to enjoy the city’s nighttime illumination and the excellent gastronomy of the historic center before returning to your hotel on your own.

The most anticipated day of your trip begins very early, at approximately 4:00 AM, with pickup at your hotel in Cusco to travel to the train station. Boarding the first morning trains around 6:00 AM, we will begin a spectacular journey through the changing landscapes of the Sacred Valley, where the mountains give way to the lush cloud forest, always following the Urubamba River until reaching the town of Aguas Calientes.

After a brief meeting with our guide at the station, we will take the bus along the winding road to the entrance gate of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. Once inside, we will begin our guided visit of approximately 2 to 3 hours, exploring the most significant areas such as the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, and the residential quarters. Our guide will immerse us in the history and mysteries of this jewel of Inca architecture, allowing us to connect with the unique energy emanating from its ancient stones.

At the end of the tour, we will descend by bus to Aguas Calientes where you can enjoy free time, ideal for lunch and browsing the town’s colorful artisan markets. The return by train to the Ollantaytambo station will be at alternative times, based on availability — 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM, or 7:00 PM — ensuring your experience is comfortable and hassle-free.

Upon arriving at the return station, our transport will be waiting to take you back to the city of Cusco. The tour will conclude around nighttime, dropping you off at Plaza Regocijo or Plaza San Francisco, a strategic point from which you can head to your hotel or enjoy a quiet dinner in the heart of the city.

This morning will be full of adrenaline and unforgettable landscapes. Around 6:30 AM, pickup from the hotel to begin our trip to our ATV base in Chequerec. Once there, our team will provide a detailed safety briefing and distribute the equipment and corresponding ATVs. After a guided practice session to familiarize yourself with the controls, we will begin our ATV route through trails surrounded by the majestic Andes mountain range until reaching the archaeological center of Moray.

At Moray, we will take a guided visit to appreciate the impressive Inca agricultural laboratories, composed of enormous circular terraces. After the visit, we will get back on our ATVs to ride back to our base in Chequerec. Once the machines are returned, we will board our transport (bus) to continue the route to the Maras Salt Mines. This complex of over 3,000 salt pools offers a unique white and gleaming panoramic view unlike any other in the world, allowing us to walk and capture spectacular photographs of this resource that has been harvested since the Inca era.

After our adventure, we will return to the city of Cusco, arriving at approximately 1:00 PM at Plaza Regocijo. From this point, you will have free time until 5:00 PM to enjoy lunch in the imperial capital, make last-minute purchases, or stroll through its historic streets. This is the ideal time to prepare your belongings and relax before your next destination. In the late afternoon, we will coordinate your transfer to the bus terminal where, between 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM, you will board your bus to Puerto Maldonado. This overnight trip will allow you to rest comfortably, crossing the mountain range to wake up the next day in the lush Amazon rainforest.

Your Amazon adventure begins first thing in the morning with your arrival in the city of Puerto Maldonado. Our team will be waiting at the bus terminal to give you a warm welcome and transfer you to our central office. After a brief registration and the recommendation to pack your luggage to bring only essentials to the lodge, we will begin a land journey of approximately two hours to the banks of the Tambopata River. There, we will board a boat that takes us deep into the jungle to reach the Hacienda Tambopata Lodge.

Upon arriving at the lodge, you will receive an orientation talk about the facilities and jungle safety, followed by room assignments and your first typical regional lunch. In the afternoon, the jungle will give us its first official welcome with an introductory tropical rainforest walk. During this trek, we will have our first direct contact with the amazing local biodiversity, observing various species of medicinal plants, insects, reptiles, and, with luck, some mammals and monkeys in their natural habitat.

After this initial immersion, we will return to the lodge to rest and enjoy the nighttime sounds of the Amazon. This first night in the heart of the jungle is the perfect prelude to the great bird spectacle we will witness the following day. Dinner will be served in the lodge’s main dining area, providing total relaxation before our early morning departure to the clay lick.

Our day begins at 4:30 AM, departing by boat to the Chuncho Clay Lick, one of the largest and most spectacular in the world. During the approximately ninety-minute river journey, we will enjoy the jungle’s awakening — the ideal time to spot capybaras, tapirs, and, with some luck, the majestic jaguar resting on the riverbanks. After a picnic-style breakfast facing the imposing Amazonian landscape, we will witness a unique natural spectacle: hundreds of red, green, and blue parrots and macaws descending toward the clay walls to feed, creating an unforgettable explosion of colors and sounds.

After this impressive activity, we will return to the lodge for lunch and prepare for a change of scenery. We will begin the transfer to the Lake Sandoval area, navigating the Madre de Dios River until reaching the Monte Amazonico Lodge, where we will settle in. This new section of the reserve offers a different ecosystem and new observation opportunities.

As night falls, we embark on an exciting nighttime boat excursion equipped with flashlights. We will navigate along the riverbanks searching for white caimans and capybaras, whose eyes glow in the darkness reflecting the light. After exploring the nocturnal wildlife, we will return to the lodge for a restorative dinner and rest, surrounded by the symphony of the deep jungle.

After enjoying breakfast at the lodge, we will begin a 2-mile (3 km) walk through the dense tropical rainforest heading to Lake Sandoval, one of the most beautiful and biodiverse ecosystems in the Tambopata National Reserve. Upon reaching its shores, we will board a rowboat to explore its calm waters, where we will have the privilege of observing a great variety of birds, primates such as the howler monkey, and, with some luck, the family of giant river otters and black caimans in their natural habitat.

After this immersive experience, we will return to the lodge to enjoy a final typical regional lunch and rest briefly while preparing for departure. In the afternoon, we will begin the boat journey back to the city of Puerto Maldonado, leaving behind the jungle’s density to return to civilization.

Once in the city, our transport will take you directly to the Puerto Maldonado bus terminal. There, around nighttime, you will board your return bus bound for the city of Cusco. This overnight trip will allow you to rest comfortably as the bus crosses the mountain range once again, ensuring you wake up the following morning in the imperial capital.

Upon your arrival at the Cusco bus terminal very early in the morning, our private transport will be waiting to take you to your hotel, allowing you to rest and have breakfast after the trip from the jungle. You will have the morning free to relax and prepare for an afternoon of authentic exploration.

In the afternoon, we will begin an experiential Walking Tour with a different approach. Instead of following a rigid route, our expert guide will design the route before starting the tour based on congestion and crowds at the stops, adapting to the group’s pace and the day’s suggestions. You can immerse yourself in the energy of the San Pedro Market, get lost in the alleys of the most traditional neighborhoods, or discover hidden plazas and artisan fairs that only locals know.

This guided format allows you to take advantage of spontaneous city events, such as local festivals or temporary markets, ensuring an organic and personalized experience. It is the ideal opportunity to buy authentic handicrafts and discover the real Cusco, away from the crowds. The tour will conclude in the historic center, leaving you at the perfect spot to enjoy your last night in the Capital of the Incas.

Today concludes your journey through Peru’s most beautiful contrasts, from the majesty of the Andes to the lush Tambopata jungle. After enjoying a last breakfast at your hotel, you will have the morning at your disposal for final photographs, buying those last souvenirs, or simply sitting in the Plaza de Armas to contemplate the beauty of the city of Cusco.

At the coordinated time, we will pick you up at your hotel to provide a private transfer to the Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport or the Cusco Bus Terminal, according to your travel plan. We will ensure your arrival at the departure point is punctual and hassle-free, assisting with your luggage and wishing you a safe journey home.

We say goodbye with the joy of having shared with you the magic of Machu Picchu, the adrenaline of the ATVs, and the wildlife of the Amazon. Thank you so much for choosing us, and we hope to welcome you again to explore more corners of our living culture!