DAY 1: Arrive in Lima 

Fly Home – Lima (flights not included).

Walk to the conveniently located Costa del Sol Wyndham upon arrival.

Overnight: Costa del Sol Wyndham.
Meals Included: –

DAY 2: Arrive in Cusco & Local’s Tour of Cusco

Fly Lima to Cusco (flight not included)

Touch down, collect your luggage and meet your guide, then drive twenty minutes through the colourful South American streets to your hotel.

Meet in the Coffee Museum at 1pm to enjoy a tasty lunch and learn about the story and people behind this popular drink.

After lunch step out into the Cusco streets and explore with one of our carefully chosen guides. They are not only very knowledgeable but also great fun to be with. You do not want to cram too much in on your first day at altitude, so relax and get used to being up high with a gentle walk around this old Inca capital.

Visit the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Qoricancha temple of the sun and perhaps take in the sights, sounds and smells of San Pedro food market too. If you normally shop in supermarkets and farmers markets, you are in for a surprise.

Stands full of juicy exotic fruits, counters heaving with cow heads and sheep hooves and cheerful local women selling handmade cheeses, local breads, healthy juices and even toad soup.
The evening is free to relax and wander around the UNESCO World Heritage Site city center.

Overnight in Cusco: Hotel Quinta San Blas or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 3: Cusco Ruins Hike

Today you stretch your legs with a delightful hike in the hills above Cusco. First you visit the impressive site of Sacsayhuaman. Huge stone ramparts surround a beautiful grass amphitheater.

Once the scene of fierce battles it now hosts the annual re-enactment of traditional Inca ceremonies such as Inti Raymi and Warachikuy. Sundays also see families from Cusco head up here to play, fly kites and dig the traditional huatias, a method of cooking potatoes in the ground.

Next is the Inca water temple of Tambo Machay lying at 3700m (12,000 feet) followed by a special picnic lunch. A trail through the fields leads you to the intricately carved Inca Temple of the Moon.

From here a beautifully preserved section of royal Inca Trail leads you down into the old San Blas district, home to the city’s artists and finally into the Plaza de Armas.

Hiking distance: 8km / 5mi
Hiking time: A full day includes time to explore
Hiking Elevation: 3750 to 3300m / 12,303ft to 10,827ft

Overnight in Cusco: Hotel Quinta San Blas or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 4: Moray to Maras Salt Pans Hike

Leaving Cusco behind you start your journey towards Machu Picchu. The hike starts at the fascinating circular ruins of Moray. While some think it was a landing pad for alien spaceships, most agree the Incas built this as an experimental agricultural centre.

Concentric circular terraces allowed them to simulate different facing slopes and different growing temperatures to see which crops would grow where. They then used this knowledge to cultivate the varied terrain of their vast empire providing abundant amounts of food to feed the people.

After exploring Moray you take a mainly downhill trail through the fields. Depending on the time of year, you may have a chance to stop and chat with local farmers digging their fields of corn or planting potatoes. Perhaps you could have a go with the hand tools that have been used for centuries.

Along the way you stop for a for a homemade picnic with marvellous views across to the snow capped Viilcanota mountains before carrying on down to the spectacular salt pans of Maras.

Here you can stop and watch as local families extract the salt by hand, much as they have done for centuries. You could even buy some of the famous Maras Pink Salt as a souvenir. Finally you take the old track down to the Sacred Valley, where once llamas, then horses carried out the salt to be sent across the empire.

Your support vehicle is on hand most of the day, should anyone prefer to take a ride rather than walk at any point.

Hiking distance: 11km / 7mi
Hiking time: 6 hours includes time to explore
Hiking Elevation: 3532 m to 4050m / 11,588ft to 13,288ft

Overnight in Ollantaytambo: Hotel Pakaritampu or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 5: Hike the Royal Inca Trail (km 104) to Machu Picchu

You start the day with an early transfer to catch the train towards Machu Picchu. Jumping off at km104 you pass through the control point and begin your Inca Trail trek.

First you visit the recently restored ruins of Chachabamba before gradually ascending through tropical cloud forest up towards the the base of Wiñay Wayna. Here you climb more steeply on old Inca stairways through these beautiful terraces, stopping to explore the various buildings and water features.

Here we can enjoy our packed lunch, with a great view. You then continue on perhaps the loveliest part of the whole Inca Trail. Lush vegetation flanks you on either side, the scent of wild orchids fills the air, and all around you brightly coloured tropical songbirds fill your ears with song.

Soon you will reach a final set of stairs to arrive at Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun. As you step through the old stone gate-way, Machu Picchu appears laid out before your eyes. After plenty of photos you carry on past this wonder of the world to catch the bus down to the lively town of Machu Picchu Pueblo and a well-deserved hotel and shower.

Total hiking distance: 11 km / 7 mi. While walking all you need is your daypack, as your over-night luggage will be transferred to your hotel in Machu Picchu town to await your arrival.

Hiking distance: 12km / 7.5mi
Hiking time: 8 hours
Hiking Elevation: 2100m to 2700m / 6,889ft to 8,858ft

Overnight in Aguas Calientes: El MaPi by Inkaterra or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

DAY 6: Machu Picchu Ruins & Train to Cusco

Today you explore the pinnacle of Inca engineering – Machu Picchu.

For years it was lost to the jungle. Rediscovered in 1911 by the Yale professor Hiram Bingham, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu exceeds all expectations.

This astounding site lies in an even more astonishing location. Perched high on an inaccessible hilltop it is protected by huge cliffs and the raging Urubamba river. Things are slightly easier now than in the time of the Incas and so you start your day with a twenty minute bus ride up to the site.

You will arrive early, allowing you to explore the ruins in the company of your guide, before they get too busy. The guided tour takes around two hours leaving you a few hours free to wander amongst the old Inca walls and just sit and take in the scale of the place on your own. For those who want to walk a bit more, you could take the hour long trail up to the Sun Gate, or a shorter trail to visit the Inca Bridge which once spanned a sheer cliff face.

Eventually the time comes to catch the bus down to Machu Picchu Pueblo and board your train back along the Urubamba River. The scenery is beautiful and the train jolts softly along, allowing you to sit, stare out the window and reflect on a wonderful week.

Overnight in Cusco: Hotel Quinta San Blas or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 7: Fly to Puerto Maldonado. Travel to Tambopata Research Center

Transfer to the airport in time for your flight to the Amazon.

Fly Cusco to Puerto Maldonado (flight not included).

You will be greeted by your guide upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado, capital of Madre de Dios. From here, you will take a 1-hour bus and a 2.5 boat journey till the lodge (bus and boat are private for lodge guests). Your first taste of the Amazon culinary will be in the river while you leave the city to enjoy the amazing jungle landscapes.

As we cross the confluence with the Malinowski River, we will leave the final traces of human habitation behind. Within the 700,000 hectares uninhabited nucleus of the reserve, sightings of capybara, caiman, geese, macaws and other large species will become more frequent.

Tambopata Research Center awaits – a spacious boutique eco-lodge, with bar, a massage center, and buffet service in the heart of National Reserve of Tambopata, being the only lodge inside the reserve surrounded by dozens of macaw nests belonging to the Macaw Project.

Accommodation includes rooms from 21 mts to 83 mts suites with a private bathroom and an open window facing the forest.

Your stay includes three meals daily, teas, coffee, guided excursions and activities, refreshments upon arriving, and transfers to and from the airport. We assign guides on private small groups of 6:1

This afternoon join the Overlook A three to five-kilometer hike will lead us to overlooks commanding magnificent views of the Tambopata winding its way into the lowlands. The forest on this trail, regenerating on the old bamboo forest, is good for Howler Monkey and Dusky Titi Monkey.

You will have the option of hiking out at night when most of the mammals are active but difficult to see. Easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.

Overnight: at the TRC
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 8:Tambopata Research Center

On most clear mornings of the year, dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots congregate on this large river bank in a raucous and colorful spectacle which inspired a National Geographic cover story.

Discretely located fifty meters from the cliff, we will observe Green-winged, Scarlet and Blue-and-gold Macaws and several species of smaller parrots descend to ingest clay. Outings are at dawn when the lick is most active.

This five-kilometer trail covers the prototypical rain forest with immense trees crisscrossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas, and shihuahuacos we will go for a monkey search Squirrel, Brown Capuchin, and Spider Monkeys as well as peccaries. TRC is located within this habitat.

Ten minutes upriver from the lodge explore the island where is a tiny pond with a platform in the middle. It is a great place to spot waterfowl such as Muscovy duck, sunbittern and hoatzin along with the woodpeckers, oropendolas, flycatchers, and parakeets that call this pond their home.

After dinner scientists will provide a night lecture, an in-depth look at the biology of macaws, their feeding habits, the theories for clay lick use, their breeding and feeding ecology, population fluctuations and the threats to their conservation.

Overnight: at the TRC
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 9: Tambopata Research Center

Stepping carefully over the winding “highways” of peaceful leaf-cutter ants, the Rainforest Master Hike will leave you with unforgettable memories and a profound sense of accomplishment.

Due to their years of local experience, our Tambopata Research Center guides know everything about the forest. They’ll spot the tiniest bird hiding in the canopy, the most elusive monkey, and the most spectacular plant life.

Twilight descends early in the jungle. Under the thick tree cover of the rainforest, darkness falls quickly, when the light cannot slip through the foliage any longer. Now, as afternoon slips into evening, you’re about to see one of the world’s most spectacular sunsets. The Sunset Cruise floats down the wide river, countless oranges and pinks reflecting off the water in lovely patterns.

Overnight: at the TRC
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10: Fly to Lima. Free Afternoon

It is time to say goodbye, as the expedition comes to an end.

Your visit will make a direct contribution to the Macaw Project and the National Reserve of Tambopata.

You will take the journey back to the city to the airport for your domestic flight onwards. Fly Puerto Maldonado to Lima (not included).

Your driver will be holding a board with your name on it. They will then help you with your baggage to the awaiting transport for your transfer to your hotel. This interesting journey lasts for about forty-five minutes.

Overnight: Casa Andina Select Miraflores or similar
Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 11: Lima Must See City Tour & Depart

Free morning. In the afternoon head out on a Must-See Half Day Lima City Tour. From modern and cosmopolitan Lima, Peru’s Capital City, you will go back in time through the Colonial and Pre-Hispanic stages of Peruvian History.

Drive through Lima’s first freeway, built during 1960s and 1970s to arrive to the Downtown Lima, historic site per UNESCO, where you will appreciate its impressive monuments and imposing architecture from the colonial times.

You will visit Convento de Santo Domingo (circa 16th century), one of the best preserved monasteries in whole of Lima where you will be able to see the old Lima from its tower.

Visit continues to the Larco Museum, featuring the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru and the famous “erotic” archaeological collection. Finally, you will be able to try a dessert based with an endemic Peruvian fruit “lucuma” at the Cafe del Museo.

On most clear mornings of the year dozens of large macaws and hundreds of parrots and parakeets congregate in a raucous and colorful spectacle on a cliff located near the lodge. This spellbinding spectacle inspired a National Geographic cover story.

We will install ourselves on the opposite side of the Tambopata River at approximately fifty meters (165 feet) from the cliff. From our unobtrusive spot and with the assistance of powerful telescopes and weather permitting, we will be able to observe Green-winged, Scarlet and Blue-and-gold Macaws and several species of smaller parrots and parakeets as they descend to ingest clay. Outings are at dawn when the clay lick is most active.

Recommended for: Early Morning
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Learn how to become a keen birdwatcher. The bird world at TRC is astoundingly diverse and the ideal place to catch the bird watching fever. During your outing with an expert birding guide, you will learn about the proper use of binoculars and telescopes, the basics about bird watching techniques, how to identify the main families, recognize sounds and their different habitats.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

If you’re already familiar with the basics of birding and the proper use of your birding equipment, you are ready for the next step. On this excursion we will shift our focus from learning the basics to a more in- depth birding experience.

Our main emphasis with the assistance of our birding guides, is to learn to differentiate between different habitats and to better understand the behavioral patterns of your favorite bird species.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

This is the ideal activity for seasoned birdwatching lovers. With the assistance of our professional birding guides, we will help you find those species missing from your list. Tambopata holds a vast diversity of specific species. Get ready for an intense 4 hour birding session in order to search and try to find the elusive birds missing from your list.

Recommended for: Morning, Afternoon, or Night
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging

Explore the surrounding area around TRC at a relaxed pace. A pristine primary forest encircles the lodge so it is not necessary to wonder too far to have exiting encounters with a large diversity of flora and fauna.

Accompanied by your guide, you will walk in a flood plain forest. Imposing ancient trees are the main feature along a trail that is crisscrossed by creeks and ponds. Among them are imposing tree species like the fig, ceiba and shihuahuaco, which host countless species of insects, reptiles and mammals.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

If you love butterflies you will enjoy this activity. The Tambopata region holds the record for more species of butterflies in the world. Our researchers and guides have identified their favorite habitats according to the species.

Large, small, colorful, transparent… you are in for a delightful visual experience. Also this is a great chance to photograph these colorful creatures. Apart from witnessing an extraordinary nature show, you will have the opportunity to learn about their behavior and amazing adaptations methods to survive in the rainforest.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Embark on a hike on the Ceiba trail. The highlight during this hike is the encounter with largest tree in the vicinity: a giant ceiba. The native people consider these trees sacred. During the hike we will focus on the natural history of this majestic tree and learn why they are so special.

A three to five-kilometer hike through a regenerating old bamboo forest will lead us to the edge of stunning overlooks which commands magnificent views of the capriccios Tambopata River as it winds its way into the lowlands.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

An entirely different habitat featuring smaller, thinner trees atop hills and slopes is covered by this five-kilometer trail. A favorite ecosystem for the many monkey species who inhabit Tambopata region. Great opportunity to learn about these curious and lively habitants of this captivating forest.

Recommended for: Morning – Afternoon
Duration: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate

Ten minutes upriver from the lodge is a small pond with a platform in the middle. It is a great place to spot waterfowl such as the beautiful Agami heron, Capped heron, the rare curassow, Muscovy duck, Sunbittern and hoatzins along with woodpeckers, oropendolas, flycatchers and parakeets that call this pond their home.

You will also have an opportunity to learn about the varieties of fish that live in the amazon. If you are fortunate you may even get to see a caiman or two.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

Growing on the remains of an oxbow lake and providing both arboreal as well as terrestrial mammals with fruits throughout the year, the aguaje palms are one of the most important food sources in the rainforest.

Unfortunately, this habitat is also in high demand by humans since the swamps provide ideal conditions for planting rice, making the palm swamps one of the most threatened habitats in the rainforest. Once thing is certain. Swamps are truly picturesque habitats and should be in everyone’s short list of places to visit during your stay at TRC.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 3 hrs.
Difficulty Level: Challenging

Marvel at the rainforest’s towering trees. This five kilometer trail covers the prototypical rain forest with immense trees crisscrossed by creeks and ponds. Amongst the figs, ceibas and shihuahuacos we will look for Squirrel, Brown Capuchin, and Spider Monkeys as well as peccaries. TRC is located within this habitat.

Discover the Magnificence of Jungle Trees: This part of the forest teems with every type of tree, from enormous, 400-year-old Ironwoods to funny-looking “Potbellied” palms, with their tusk-like horn growths. Many trees tower up to 50 meters (about 160 feet) into the canopy, with truly giant trunks and far-ranging root systems that will leave you in awe.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate

Ready for a challenge? Join us on a 4-hours walk crossing different habitats. This is an early morning activity and one of the most rewarding in terms of wildlife encounters. Once at the Bowl, you learn about how this patch of forest changes through the seasons.

Recommended for: Morning
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging

One of the most remarkable and mega diverse ecosystems in Tambopata is the bamboo forest. Bamboo is a fast growing plant. Where it grows, bamboo takes over and establishes a total different habitat. Learn more about what species choose this ecosystem as their home. This trail is particularly attractive for bird lovers since this is home to highly specialize species of birds, including some endemics.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging

Continue your exploration of the rainforest and it’s endless diversity by hiking in the Terra Firme forest, which is traversed by many creeks that wind their way towards the Tambopata River. Our main focus during this activity is to have an in-depth understanding of the surrounding forest and creek ecology.

Recommended for: Morning or Afternoon
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty Level: Challenging

This is the perfect outing for the hardcore hiker and nature lover. Crisscrossing through an array of ecosystems and an endless network of trails, this hike will take around 6 hours and maximize your opportunities for wildlife. Bring plenty of water and repellent!!!!!

Recommended for: Morning
Duration: Half-day
Difficulty Level: Challenging

Walking through the rainforest at night challenges all your senses. In deep darkness, surrounded by an array of jungle sounds and with the aid of your guide’s powerful spotlight, you enter a world inhabited by the most unique, diverse and shy night creatures.

If fortunate, you will be able to find poison dart frogs, night monkeys, tarantulas, amphibians and insects with the most unique adaptations to life under the cover of darkness.

Recommended for: Night
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty Level: Easy

TRC is the home of the Macaw Project. Scientists are conducting macaw research in Tambopata for the past 30 years. During this activity, you have a rare opportunity to observe first-hand the work done by the researchers as they climb giant trees to monitor natural and artificial nest sites around TRC.

Nest sites are located close to ninety meter above ground. Researchers with the help of climbing gear reach the nests sites in order to collect the macaw chicks. Carefully placed on plastic buckets the chicks are lowered to the forest ground where researches will weigh and measure the chicks to monitor growth and also check for parasites. Once the monitoring is done, chicks are placed back in their nests.

After dinner scientists will provide an in depth look at the biology of macaws. You will learn about their feeding habits, the theories for clay lick use, their breeding and feeding ecology, population fluctuations and the threats to their conservation. These lectures also will provide you with an opportunity to find out how to get involved and/or support this amazing project.

Recommended for: Night
Duration: 45 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy