Enjoy in comfort the most exclusive Peruvian gastronomy, the grandeur of the empire of the Incas and the splendor of the colonial period.
Iquitos, capital of the Loreto region, is one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse places in Peru, and part of its charm lies in the fact that there are no roads to the city.
Enjoy in comfort the most exclusive Peruvian gastronomy, the grandeur of the empire of the Incas and the splendor of the colonial period. In Lima, the old viceroyalty capital, visitors can explore the city’s plazas, the Cathedral and San Francisco church. Lunch will be served at «Astrid & Gaston Casa Moreyra», one of the finest exponents of Peruvian haute cuisine. In the afternoon you will visit the Larco Museum, with its remarkable collection of gold, silver and erotic pottery, housed in a magnificent mansion. At the end of your stay in Lima, you will dine at «Huaca Pucllana», a restaurant located at a pre-Inca ceremonial site which dates from the 5th century. In Cuzco, the visit to Koricancha will demonstrate the harmony achieved between Spanish colonial architecture and monumental Inca structures. After spending the afternoon visiting the ruins in the hills around the city, you will relax and enjoy an evening meal at the Map Café. Your visit to the Sacred Valley will take you to Inca ruins and the traditional market in the village of Pisac, followed by lunch in Wayra, in a very pleasant setting. The highlight of this part of the trip is the marvelous rail journey in the luxurious Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu, during which you will be served food as you listen to live Peruvian folk music.
Arrival at Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport: The Peruvian capital is located in the central western part of South America and is a city composed of more than 40 districts and around 8 million inhabitants, stretching over more than 24 miles / 40 kilometers. Upon arrival in Lima you will be transferred from the airport to your hotel. With its mild climate, the seat of the Peruvian government is hospitable, interesting and possesses a vibrant gourmet tradition. You will be met by our representative, transferred and checked into your hotel. Evening free to dine independently.
Buffet breakfast.
During the morning you will visit Lima, known as «The City of Kings». The tour includes a visit to the Plaza de Armas (Main Square), surrounded by the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral and Church of San Francisco, a wonder of colonial-era art. You will then visit the most modern and residential zones of the city: San Isidro, with its «El Olivar» park, and the district of Miraflores, with its views of the Pacific Ocean. Lunch will be served in the «Astrid & Gaston Casa Moreyra» restaurant, a great exponent of Peruvian haute cuisine. In the afternoon you will visit the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th century viceroyalty era residence, built over a 7th century pyramid and surrounded by magnificent gardens. Its impressive galleries offer an exceptional chronological overview of 3 000 years of pre-Columbian historical development in Peru. Its collection includes gold and silver artifacts from ancient Peru and a number of suggestive erotic sculptures.
Evening free to dine independently and overnight at the hotel.
Buffet breakfast.
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel. You will have the morning free to enable you to acclimate to the altitude, and you will be free to lunch independently. In the afternoon, you will visit the Main Square (Plaza de Armas), one of the most beautiful city squares in the world. The architecture of the Incas and the Spaniards is exquisitely combined,particularly in the case of the Dominican church of Santo Domingo, built over the walls of Koricancha or the Inca temple of the Sun. You will then visit the important Inca archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman (great fortress), Qenko (oracle and sacred shrine), Puka Pukara (administrative center) and Tambomachay (ceremonial baths). Evening: A-la-carte dinner at Map Café.
Overnight at the hotel.
Buffet breakfast.
After breakfast you will leave by private bus for Urubamba, visiting Awanacancha along the way to see the different species of the South American camel family in their natural habitat: Llamas, alpacas, vicuñas; and to observe the traditional techniques for creating wool (spinning the wool and natural dyes). You will then continue to the Pisac archaeological site, with its impressive agricultural terraces surrounding the mountain and the fine Inca architecture of the ceremonial and residential zones clinging to the steep slopes. In the most imposing sector, you will visit the solar observatory, or Intihuatana, which crowns the mountain; this is the sacred sector, resembling Cuzco’s temple of the sun and Machu Picchu. The village of Pisac is known for its handcraft market, where fine textiles, alpaca wool clothing, jewelry, candies and other crafts are displayed. Lunch will be served in the hotel Sol y Luna «Wayra» restaurant. The hotel displays a fine collection of Peruvian art, in a modern and traditional setting surrounded by beautiful gardens. Return to Cuzco in the afternoon.
Evening free to dine independently and overnight at the hotel.
Breakfast.
After breakfast you will be transferred to Poroy station to board the Hiram Bingham (except on Sundays). This trip is described by international magazines as one of the world’s great train journeys, and it offers passengers an all-inclusive luxurious and exclusive service. The train is decorated in blue and gold, while the wooden interior is elegant and comfortable. The train has four cars: two dining cars, a bar and observatory car and kitchen car. It can carry up to 84 passengers. Brunch will be served on board. Upon arrival at the town of Aguas Calientes, you will be transferred in an exclusive bus to the citadel of Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu visit: The mystery surrounding this site has transformed it into a symbol of Inca civilization and its humiliation and extermination, and it will almost certainly never reveal all its secrets. The site is composed of a large complex of temples, palaces, fountains, dungeons, walls, stairways and several impressive series of agricultural terraces that cling to the vertiginous slopes of this condor’s nest. The legendary site was discovered in 1911 by a young American historian, Hiram Bingham. Guided by local residents, he revealed this Lost City to the world. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the station for the return journey to Poroy (you must meet with the other members of the Hiram Bingham group at 16:30 in the lobby of the Sanctuary Lodge hotel).
Dinner will be served aboard the Hiram Bingham train.
Evening: You will spend the night at your hotel.
Breakfast.
After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima. That evening’s farewell dinner will be served in «Huaca Pucllana» restaurant, located at a pre-Inca ceremonial site which dates from the 5th century.
Breakfast.
Transfer to the airport for your international flight.
Iquitos, capital of the Loreto region, is one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse places in Peru, and part of its charm lies in the fact that there are no roads to the city: the only way to get there is by air or river. Another of its attractions is the Amazon, the world’s mightiest river, which itself serves as a great highway, along which many crafts sail. Three of those boats are the AQUA, ARIA and DELFIN-I, which offer 4-day and 3-night cruises in splendid spacious and air conditioned suites, during which passengers are served with delicious Peruvian and international cuisine, against a natural backdrop of extraordinary scenery. Daily expeditions take guests from the river into the surrounding forest, exploring tributaries in comfortable and well-equipped launches and walking trails along which it is possible to observe many species of monkeys and birds, towering ceiba trees and medicinal plants. During this tour guests will be invited to fish for piranhas and they will have the chance to observe an enormous variety of wildlife, including pink and gray dolphins. You will also visit the sustainable projects being developed in the forest, and enjoy an opportunity to marvel at a magnificent sunrise on the edge of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, where rivers meet to form the great Amazon itself.
You will be met at Iquitos airport and transferred by air conditioned bus to the port, where the Aqua motor vessel will be waiting for you. While you are settling into your spacious suite, the vessel will begin the journey along the Yanayacu river, in the depths of the Amazon. Before the evening meal you will meet on the upper deck to receive information about safety on board, after which the naturalist guides will give a brief talk about life on board, the places that will be visited and what will be seen during your journey along the Amazon river. A welcoming evening meal will be served onboard.
You will set off very early on our Amazon River expedition in order to observe your first dawn over the Amazon river. This will be just a first taste of what awaits during the rest of the trip. You will return to the Aqua for a delicious breakfast and continue to enjoy the early morning over the river. Aboard a comfortable launch where life jackets, rain ponchos, rubber boots and fresh water will be available, you will navigate towards a river of dark waters, the Tahuayo, observing a great variety of tropical songbirds, blackbirds, swallows, black-necked hawks, as well as monkeys and sloths, and other species that share this marvelous place with us. At Charo lake you will be able to use your fishing gear and try to catch a ferocious piranha. Upon your return to the Aqua refreshing towels will be provided. You will have free time to rest before lunch, while the boat continues along the Amazon river. In the afternoon there will be plenty of time to explore the Yacapana islands, where there are many iguanas that can be observed at close range. As the sun sets, you will have a chance to see and photograph pink and gray freshwater dolphins. Returning to the boat, you will continue up river, watching the sunset. We recommend that you drink a Pisco Sour before dinner.
After breakfast you will leave on a full-day excursion to the primary forest. This morning you will visit a sustainable development project in the Amazon, a plantation from which palm oil is obtained. Your guide will also show you the artificial nests created in the sand to protect turtle eggs. You will then be escorted into the jungle to see tall ceiba trees and learn more about the importance of the forest’s medicinal plants. Returning to the boat, after lunch there will be time for a relaxing siesta. In the afternoon you will leave on an expedition to observe several species of monkeys (squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, tamarin monkeys and pygmy marmosets), as well as the different types of freshwater dolphins, including pink dolphins. You will be able to observe lizards, and you will need your binoculars to help you spot the more than 200 bird species it is possible to see. After dinner you will board a launch for a nocturnal excursion in search of caimans, boas and other animals, before returning to the AQUA and continuing downriver along the Marañon river, one of the tributaries of the Amazon.
Breakfast.
This morning the Aqua will enter the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. You will need to get up early and be ready to set off in your boat at 05:30 hrs. to see one of the greatest spectacles in the southern hemisphere, as the sun comes up over the Amazon river. This morning excursion will be accompanied by the many sounds of birds as you pass by in your launch, close to the banks inhabited by long-billed swallows, laughing falcons, short-tailed parrots and dozens of other species. After arriving at the community of Puerto Miguel you will have the chance to meet and interact with local people, learning about their culture, traditions and folklore. During the return trip, there will also be a chance to see the world’s largest aquatic plant, the «Victoria Regia». After the final lunch, you will disembark and visit the Amazon Fauna Rescue Center, where manatees and dolphins are cared for before being reintroduced into their natural habitat.
