The Jungle, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca

The Experience

This sample itinerary has it all: Machu Picchu and the Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley, jungle exploration and wildlife and the miraculous floating islands of Lake Titicaca.

 

The Travel

Welcome to Peru
Upon arrival in Lima, you will be escorted to the Costa Ramada el Sol Hotel in the Lima airport by your Kuoda host. Most international flights arrive late in the evening and your morning flight to Puerto Maldonado will leave early, so we recommend a good night´s sleep.

 

Day of Jungle Activities 
In the morning, your Kuoda host will take you to the airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, you will be taken by boat – a ride that will provide a fascinating introduction to the Amazon rainforest – to the Reserva Amazonica in Tambopata.

You will rest briefly and then take a guided walk along one of the many beautiful trails, observing the wildly diverse bird and insect life. As the sun sets, you will take a boat ride on the Madre de Dios River. As the twilight deepens, you may see owls, capybaras and caimans.

 

Day of Jungle Activities 
In the morning, a boat will bring you to the Canopy Inkaterra Interpretation Center - observation platforms high in the rainforest canopy. You will spend some time walking on the bridges that stretch between the different platforms, observing the jungle from above and looking out for monkeys and sloths.

After lunch, you can enjoy a visit to palm-rimmed Sandoval Lake, home to the Amazon´s famous giant river otters. This is an excellent place to cool off with a refreshing swim.

 

Day of Jungle Activities 
This morning, you take a ten-minute boat ride to visit Concepción, home to a botanical garden with more than 200 different species of plants.

After lunch, you again take a boat to visit Rolin Island and Community, where you will spend an hour exploring and learning about island ecosystems.  This includes a presentation at the Primate Rescue Center, home to three species of primates: the brown capuchin, white capuchin, and squirrel monkey.

 

Sacred Valley / Inca Ruins at Sacsayhuaman / Living Museum of Awanakancha
In the morning, you will leave the jungle behind and visit Puerto Maldonado´s truly unique butterfly farm before boarding your flight to Cusco.

Upon arrival, your Cusco host will take you to the archeological complex of Sacsayhuaman, perched just above Cusco, where you can wonder at how Inca engineers so perfectly fitted the huge stones that make up the complex walls.

The final stop of the day takes you to the Living Museum of Awanakancha where you will see Incan agricultural terraces, interact with traditional weavers and feed South American camelids, including the Vicuña, Guanaco, Llama, and Alpaca.

 

Pisac Archaeological Complex and Market
Day six takes you to the colonial town of Pisac and the Inca ruins that sit on a mountain spur 1900 feet above the town. You will first stroll through the ruins, taking in the tremendous views of the agricultural terracing that wraps around the mountain and the valley below. Note the Inca crosses representing the three levels of existence and the sun temple.

Afterward, there will be ample time to explore the town with its small adobe homes and peruse the lively market for handmade textiles, ceramics, jewelry and crafts.

You will enjoy lunch at the Tres Keros Restaurant – one of the best gourmet experiences in the Sacred Valley – and will then return to your hotel.

 

Train Journey to Aguas Calientes / Private Visit to Machu Picchu
After breakfast, your guide will accompany you for the early-morning train to Aguas Calientes and will then take you on a private guided tour of the incredible ruins at Machu Picchu. Enjoy the complicated history of the site, note its exceptionally fine stonework and take in the awe-inspiring scenery.

After a complete overview of the site, you will lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge and will then be able to explore the site alone or with your guide for the remainder of the day.

 

Free Day to Explore on Your Own

A day of leisure to enjoy Machu Picchu on your own. For the energetic, there are numerous short hikes to be done in and around Machu Picchu, the most popular being the climb up Huayna Picchu.

In the afternoon you will board the Vistadome Train back to Cusco. Upon arrival to the train station of Poroy, you will be met and taken to your hotel in Cusco.

 

Private Walking Tour of Cusco

On day nine, you will take a private walking tour of one of Peru´s most attractive, fascinating cities: Cusco.

Your guide will illuminate past and present, from the Inca walls and sun temple to the Pre-Columbian Art Museum to the ancient churches and cathedrals to the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas to the bustling modern market in San Pedro.

The afternoon will be free so you can explore Cusco on your own.

 

Luxury Andean Explorer Train to Puno
Your host will take you to the train station of Cusco for your luxury train to Puno. You will contine your adventure through the sierras of Peru with a train journey from Cusco to Puno, a spectacular trip where you will be able to admire the beautiful high plains of Puno from the comfort of your seat. You will cross the countryside with a view of the immensity of Lake Titicaca, observing small villages en route, until your arrival at the height of the journey on the border between the districts of Puno and Cusco. Here, you will stop for a visit to the artisans´market, where you can purchase souvenirs and crafts directly from the craftspeople who made them.

 

Cultural Tour / Uros Islands / the Island of Taquile
Day eleven begins at Lake Titicaca’s harbor, where you will board a boat for your voyage to the Floating Islands of Uros, home to the ancient inhabitants of Lake Titicaca. This community has endured for hundreds of years thanks to their continual renovation of the island floor with totora reeds and mud.

Next, you visit the Island of Taquile, whose residents are known for their friendliness and for their weavings.

Here you enjoy a typical lunch prepared by the people of Taquile and bask in their incredible hospitality. You will then return to Puno by boat and transfer to your hotel.

 

Return Home

Today you will be transferred to the Juliaca airport for your return flight to Lima. You will be met at the Lima airport and transferred to Miraflores, the principal shopping district of Lima. You will have a car at your disposal in case you would like to explore more of Peru’s capital.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred back to Jorge Chavez Airport for your international flight home.

 

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