11 DAYS HIGHLIGHTS OF PERU & AMAZON RIVER CRUISE

Arrival in Lima

Upon arrival in Lima, you would be transferred to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may rest or explore the neighbourhood at leisure.

Lima City Tour (Full Day)

Explore the Historic Centre of Lima, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Start from Plaza de Armas, where we admire the exterior of the Cathedral of Lima, the Government Palace, and the Archbishop’s Palace.

Continue to the Basilica and Convent of Santo Domingo and Casa Aliaga, which is reportedly the oldest private house in the Americas and still family-owned after 17 generations.

Sample local street foods such as Limeño bites as you roam the colonial and modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, and enjoy panoramic city views from a bell tower. Thereafter, visit Larco Museum, home to the country’s most extensive collection of pre-Columbian art, and conclude at the bohemian neighbourhood of Barranco, renowned for colourful street art, 19th-century plazas and the Puente de los Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs).

Transfer: Hotel to Airport
You would be transferred to the airport for your flight to Cusco.

Flight: Lima to Cusco
Take a short ~1 hour 20 minutes flight from Lima to Cusco airport.

Manos de la Comunidad enroute to Sacred Valley
Upon arrival at Cusco Airport, we transfer ~1½ hours to the Sacred Valley.

Visit Manos de la Comunidad along the way and learn about the South American camelids – llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos – that live in the Andes region.

Lunch at Hacienda Sarapampa (~2 hours)
Enjoy an authentic farm to table lunch experience at Hacienda Sarapampa, a historic Peruvian ranch dedicated to producing Cusco’s Giant White Corn. Learn about rural corn farming traditions, back country cuisine, and the sweet and simple hacienda life while soaking in views of beautiful Sacred Valley.

Option A: Pisac Market & Ruins
Explore the quaint town of Pisac (Elevation: ~2,972m), famous for its artisan markets where you may find extraordinarily fine jewelry, ceramic and textile crafts.

Then head to the Archaeological Park of Pisac (Elevation: ~3,300m), located on the slopes of a mountain overlooking Vilcanota River. The well-preserved Incan ruins feature extensive andéns (“terraces”) of different areas and altitudes; the most notable of which is the solar calendar (Intihuatana) that means – “Where the sun is tied”.

Option B: Ensifera Hummingbird Gardens (~1½ hours)
Instead of the Pisac ruins, you may choose to visit Ensifera Hummingbird Gardens, a paradise for hummingbirds. Ensifera sits just outside the Mantanay Private Conservation Area and is a unique introduction to the rich biodiversity of Peru.

It is home to more than 125 recorded hummingbird species and with the help of local naturalist guides, you will be able to feed the hummingbirds by hand while enjoying a close-up view of their shimmering plumage and accelerated wingbeat.

Excursion To Mara Salt Mines
We make a short excursion across the Urubamba River to the Mara Salt Mines, which has been in use since Incan times. There, you may see the local people demonstrate the ancient techniques of salt mining by hand and enjoy the stunning juxtaposition of white salt flats against the surrounding mountains.

Visit Moray Archaeological Site
Continue to the Archaeological Site of Moray (Elevation: ~3,500m), featuring fascinating circular terraces that descend to a depth of 150m from top to bottom. The terraces were believed to have been used as an experimental farm by the Incas for optimal crop production, such as potatoes and the lima bean.

Gastronomic Experience with Peru’s Potato Whisperer (~3 hours)
For a unique experience, tour the potato fields of Manuel Choqque, also known as Peru’s Potato Whisperer. Choqque is a farmer listed as a gastronomic visionary in 50 Next’s World’s Best 50 Restaurants (2021), and he has agriculturally engineered more than 300 potato varieties, some of which has been used by the award-winning Central restaurant.

Try Choqque’s most famous creation – Oxalis, a wine made from Andean potatoes, and learn how to prepare uchucuta – a traditional spicy sauce from Peru. You may also learn how Choqque and his family have perfected different ancestral potato varieties, one of the most important foods during Incan times.

Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park
Depart early to Ollantaytambo Archaeological Park (Elevation: ~2,792m), which shows the best example of city planning done by the Incas outside of Machu Picchu. Its formidable stone walls were both a temple and a fortress, and it served as a wayside inn for Inca elite on long journeys.

Train: Ollantaytambo to Agua Calientes
You will be transferred to Ollantaytambo train station, from which you take a ~1 hour 40 minutes scenic train to Aguas Calientes with a boxed lunch onboard.* ^

Machu Picchu: First Look
Upon arrival, we take a guided tour of Machu Picchu (Elevation: ~2,430m), following in the footsteps of the ancient Incas. Also known as “La Ciudadela” (“The Citadel”), Machu Picchu is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, with amazingly preserved architectural ruins in the middle of mist-shrouded green peaks.

Spend a night in the citadel or nearby Aguas Calientes, also known as the Machu Picchu pueblo, so you can explore the iconic site in the late afternoon and early morning with fewer crowds.

*The carry-on baggage allowance for trains to Machu Picchu is ~5kg and 157cm (length + height + weight), due to limited space for big luggage on the train.

^You may also opt for an upgrade to the luxurious Hiram Bingham, a Belmond Train, which serves up cocktails and gourmet meals. 

Explore Machu Picchu
You’ll have the whole morning to explore Machu Picchu with your guide.

For the ardent hikers, you may also hike up to the Sun Gate (Elevation: ~2,745m) or Huayna Picchu (Elevation: ~2,693m) for stunning bird’s eye views of Machu Picchu (please book in advance as an extra ticket is needed).

Note: the hikes to the Sun Gate and Huayna Picchu take ~3 hours for a round trip.

Train: Aguas Calientes to Cusco
Take a ~3½ hours scenic train ride from Agua Calientes back to Cusco.

From the train station, you would be met and transferred to your hotel.

Cusco City Tour (Half-Day)
Explore Cusco (Elevation: ~3,399m), the ancient capital of the Inca empire, and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Discover the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, believed to have cosmic energy and to have served as an astronomic observatory and Inca oracle, before visiting the Cathedral for its beautiful paintings from the Cusco School of the 17th and 18th centuries.

We then tour one of the most important and sacred temples of the Inca empire – the Qoricancha. Also known as the Sun Temple or Golden Temple, it was dedicated to the worship of the Sun God, and its interior walls are said to have been covered in gold.

Transfer: Hotel to Airport
You would be transferred to the airport for your flight to Iquitos, also known as Peru’s Gateway to the Amazon.

Flight: Cusco to Iquitos
Take a ~5 hours 55 minutes flight (estimated time only) from Cusco to Iquitos, transiting in Lima.

4D3N Amazon River Cruise

Day 1 Amazon Cruise: Embarkation & Sailing Along Amazon River
Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred from Iquitos International Airport to downtown Iquitos for a city tour and welcome lunch. Thereafter, you’ll head to your port to board your Aqua Expeditions Amazon Cruise. Note that embarkation is at 5:30pm.

Settle into your spacious and luxurious suite for the adventure of a lifetime. Meet your naturalist guides before dining at the restaurant onboard, featuring Amazonian cuisine by one of Peru’s top chefs, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino. 

Day 2 Amazon Cruise: Explore Yanayacu Yacapana River
Head out in the early morning for a birdwatching session along the Amazon River. We then embark on a skiff excursion along the Yanayacu Yacapana River, a tributary of the Amazon River, in search of diverse wildlife from macaws and hawks to sloths, monkeys, and caimans.

Learn about the region from our expert naturalist guides and go line fishing for Amazon’s notorious piranhas. In the afternoon, we sail along the black waters of Nauta Caño River (Aria Amazon) or Yarapa River (Aqua Nera) for more wildlife spotting and adventure. Cap off the day with a memorable stargazing session.

Day 3 Amazon Cruise: Amazon Village Visit & Marañon River
In the early morning, explore Yanayacu Pucate River near Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (Aria Amazon) or Clavero Lake (Aqua Nera). We then pay a visit to an Amazon village, where you’ll get to interact with native riberenos (people of the river) and learn about their customs.

Canoe or swim in the area’s enchanting black waters, keeping a lookout for the endangered Amazonian pink dolphins, before returning onboard for lunch. After lunch, explore the Marañon River in search of more Amazonian wildlife; we end with a short walk in the jungle forest to discover endemic flora and fauna such as medicinal trees, insects, and poison dart frogs

Day 4 Amazon Cruise: Nauta Town & Manatee Rescue Centre
On your last day, take a guided visit to the local market and discover the regional produce of the Peruvian Amazon, sampling exotic snacks if you wish, before returning to your cruise for breakfast. Disembarkation will be at 9am. En route to the airport, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Manatee Rescue Center, a sanctuary for orphaned Amazonian manatees to rehabilitate before their release back into the wild.

Transfer: Port to Airport
You would be transferred to Iquitos airport for your onward journey or flight home.