SPECIAL PERU

ITINERARY:

DAY 1: LIMA

Reception at Lima Airport and transfer to your selected hotel. Free time to rest and prepare for starting your trip around our magical country.

Overnight in Lima.

DAY 2: LIMA

Breakfast.

Morning free to relax.

In the afternoon sightseeing tour of Lima which consist of the best combination of attractions in Lima from pre-Hispanic, Colonial and Modern times.

You will have a guided tour of Huaca Pucllana, a magnificent ceremonial and administrative site, dating back to the IV century A.D. You will also visit Huaca Huallmarca, a typical pyramid characteristic of sacred pre-Hispanic edifications found along the Peruvian coast.

Then you will have a visit to Lima's historic downtown, including Paseo de la República , Plaza San Martín, the Main Plaza and the surrounding monuments: the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, City Hall, the Desamparados train station, the Museum of the Banco Central de Reserva and the Moorish-style houses and balconies along Lima's old streets.

The next stop will be San Francisco Convent, with the best exhibition of Colonial Art in Latin America . The tour includes the Choir Hall, the Monks' Library and the Sacristy, featuring a collection of Zurbarán and Rivera oil paintings. After visiting the Main Patio of the Cloister to see its fine XVI century Seville tiles and Moorish Arches, the tour will proceed to the Underground Crypts known as the Catacombs.

Finally you will have a visit to the traditional neighborhood near the San Isidro Golf Club, the Olive Grove park and the modern LarcoMar shopping and entertainment complex, a distinctive landmark of Modern Lima offering a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean . The tour of LarcoMar features a splendid exhibit of Peruvian alpaca textiles, and jewellery and handicrafts from the many regions and civilizations of historic Peru.

Return to your selected hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

DAY 3: LIMA - CUSCO

Continental Breakfast.

Transfer to Lima's Airport. Flight Lima-Cusco.

Reception at Cusco Airport and transfer to your selected hotel.

Free Morning.

In the afternoon, sightseeing tour of Cusco visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral ( built between 1560 and 1664 is considered one of the most imposing strutures in the city). and the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha (the most important temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun and whose walls were plated with sheets of gold). Take a pleasant walk in the bohemian District of San Blas, home to the best known craftsmen of Cusco. Visit its beautiful church, to admire its impressive carved wooden pulpit, with images of local fruits carved into it in filigree. Pop into some of the craft shops in its small Main Square. On your way back to the Centre of Cusco go through Hatunrumiyoc Street with its famous Twelve-angled stone.

Then, we drive out of the City to visit the Inca sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The latter site is strategically built on a hill overlooking Cusco and is famous for its enormous carved stones, some of them standing over 9m / 30ft tall, and weighing over 350 tons, set together with astounding precision to form the outer walls.

Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 4: CUSCO - SACRED VALLEY

Continental breakfast.

Full-day excursion to the "Sacred Valley of the Incas". The first stop will be in Pisac, a modern quarter, dating from the colonial period. It also has Sunday market which attracts thousands of visitors and people from remote communities, dressed in colorful, traditional attire.We will have the opportunity to share closely the peasants' customs and bargain with vendors at the typical indian market of Pisac, held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Lunch in a local countryside restaurant.

After lunch, passing through the Towns of Calca and Urubamba, we visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to this part of the Valley, and protect it from possible invasion from the tribes in the Lower jungle. The Fortress consists of a series of stepped carved stone terraces accessed by long staircases. Later on you can walk through the quaint streets of the nearby Town, and get a good idea of what this Strategic Military, Religious, and Agricultural Centre was like during the era of the Inca Empire. On our way back to Cusco we stop of at the picturesque Andean Village of Chinchero where the ruins of the Royal Hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui lie. You can admire the well preserved Inca Wall in the Main Square, and visit the beautiful Colonial temple built on Inca foundations, with interesting frescoes in the portico. Overnight in Cusco.

DAY 5: CUSCO - MACHUPICCHU

Continental breakfast.

Full day excursion to the citadel of Machupicchu known as well as "The lost city of the Incas".

The day starts with an early morning rise to transfer to Cusco Train Station for a three hour train journey to Machupicchu. Arrive at Aguas Calientes Station followed by a 30-minute bus drive, climbing 6km of winding road, to the wonderfull Citadel. Upon arrival, you will participate in a guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and various burial grounds. After the tour you'll have time to stroll around the Archaeological Site at your leisure. Lunch at a local restaurant and Late afternoon transfer to your selected hotel in Machu Picchu or in Aguas Calientes, the closest Town, at only 15 minutes by bus from Machu Picchu.

DAY 6: MACHUPICCHU - CUSCO

Continental breakfast.

Excellent opportunity to wake up early and enjoy a beautiful sunrise as well as a stroll through the Town of Aguas Calientes and visit its Hot Springs Thermal Waters.

If you want as well you can visit the Citadel of Machu Picchu for the second time. Or, if you are an adventurous person you can go up the Huayna Picchu (if it is not raining) from where you can appreciate the immensity of Machu Picchu, even more amazing being high and distant.

In the afternoon, back to Cusco by train, and transfer to your hotel.

Overnight in your selected hotel in Cusco.

DAY 7: CUSCO - MANU

We leave Cusco early in the morning in our specialized overland vehicles. Approximately mid-morning we visit the interesting Pre- Inca tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as "Chullpas". We continue to Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then to the Acjanacu pass, which marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve. Here, a thick cloak of clouds provides perpetual humidity and makes an ideal habitat for epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. This varied and fascinating world is home of the Cock of the Rock, Spectacled Bear, Orchids, Tree Ferns (one of the oldest living plants), mosses and lichens. This cloud forest exists between 2000 and 3500 meters above sea level and at least 50% of the plant species found here are endemic to this region. Overnight in our open air lodge "San Pedro".

DAY 8: MANU - CLOUD FOREST

Today we wake up very early to observe the Cock-of-the-Rock (Rupicola peruviana), Peru's national bird. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange and about 5:00am. as many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a ritual mating dance in a comfortably installed on an observation platform called "Lek". The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast we continue by bike down the narrow road between waterfalls and canyons toward Pilcopata town (*1) for 2 hours approximately (*2). A 30 minutes bus ride to the port of Atalaya where we will board our covered outboard motor boat and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River for approximately 30 minutes toward our private reserve of "Erika Lodge" where we will spend the next two nights. Short walk around the lodge.

(*1) Optional: Descend with mountain bikes from San Pedro Lodge (1700 m.a.s.l.) - Cloud Forest to Pilcopata- High Jungle (700 m.a.s.l.).

(*2) Optional: Here in Pilcopata we will make the final settings for a 3 hour tropical jungle river rafting trip down the Kosñipata river where we will have the opportunity for a dip and of course enjoy the spectacular view of the Koñeq canyon. Continuing down the tropical river of Alto Madre de Dios to Erika Lodge.

DAY 9: : MANU - WALK TO THE LAKE

Erika Lodge is located in a transition zone between high and low jungle (600 m.a.s.l. to 1,150 m.a.s.l, 1,200 to 3,450 feet) encompassing different habitats. This altitude range explains the high diversity of wildlife found around this lodge, so immediately after breakfast, we will start walking near the riverbanks, during the hike our guide will talk about insects, medicinal plants, trees, reptiles, mammals, etc. Early afternoon we will start a short ride by boat to visit a small lake near to the Alto Madre de Dios River, here we are going to have the chance to see the Hoatzin, a primitive bird, white caimans, many species of birds, insects, etc. Short night walk. This will be our last night in the wonderful amazon jungle. Overnight in the lodge.

New!!! Canopy tour: Our guests traverse from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal traverse cables, as they sail through the treetops of the tropical rainforest canopy, and over the trails far below. Expert guides assist you in this exciting journey through the different layers of the virgin rain forests and explain what's going on around you, from the time you leave the ground, until you rappel back down to the forest floor.

DAY 10: MANU - PARROT LICK "COLLPA" - CUSCO

This day we will get up very early to board our boat, and after five minutes, we will arrive to a Parrot Lick "Collpa", which is a wall of clay in the riverbanks, where many species of parrots such as the blue headed parrot, white-eyed parakeet, feed for mineral and salt supplements to their diet of seeds and fruits. After this we will take the boat to Atalaya where the bus takes us out of Manu, arriving Cusco late in the afternoon.

DAY 11: CUSCO - LIMA

Breakfast.

At proper time transfer to the airport in Cusco.

Flight Cusco - Lima. Reception at Lima's Airport and transfer to your selected hotel.

Free day.

Overnight in Lima.

DAY 12: LIMA - OUT

Continental breakfast.

At proper time transfer to the airport and assistance on your departure.

INCLUDED:

•  Flight Tickets Lima - Cusco - Lima.

•  03 Nights accommodation at a selected hotel in Lima.

•  04 Nights accommodation at a selected hotel in Cusco.

•  01 Night accommodation at a selected hotel in Aguas Calientes

•  03 Nights accommodation in lodge in Manu.

•  11 Breakfast.

•  01 Buffet Lunch at the Sacred Valley

•  01 Lunch in Aguas Calientes

•  All Meals in Manu

•  In and out transfers.

•  All applicable taxes.

•  City tour in Lima

•  City tour in Cusco

•  Full day excursion to the Sacred Valley

•  Full day excursion to Machupicchu

•  All Excursions in Manu

•  Bilingual guided excursions.

•  Entrance fees for the excursions mentioned above.

NOT INCLUDED:

•  Baggage excess.

•  Alcoholic drinks, soda or bottled mineral water.

•  Personal expenses.

•  Tips

•  International or National personal telephone calls.

•  Additional nights for bad weather o flight cancellation

•  Snacks.

•  Laundry

•  Airport taxes ($28 for international flights and $5 for domestic flights).

THINGS YOU SHOULD BRING ALONG ON A TRIP TO MANU

•  Binoculars,

•  Camera and films (ASA 200 and 400 for the inner forest)

•  Light clothes, a jacket, long sleeve shirts and long pants (cotton) wide brim hat and sun glasses for sunny days,

•  100% waterproof rain gear (long poncho or rain wear)

•  Insect repellent (at least 50% Deet),

•  Sunscreen lotion

•  One pair of lightweight ankle height boots and sandals

•  Flashlight, enough batteries (alkaline) and bulbs

•  Towel, swimming suit

•  Personal medicines and/or supplies (liquid for contact lenses for example)

•  A day pack and one back pack or duffel bag of luggagee.