Day 1 Arrive Lima: On arrival to the International Airport in Lima, our staff will greet and transfer you to the Hotel
Day 2 Fly Cusco: An early morning flight brings you to the Inca capital of Cusco where Quechua speaking descendents of the Incas move back and forth in the busy plazas and markets. After settling into our hotel, we tour Cusco's largest open market and the adjacent witches' market where natural medicines and charms for curing heartache and other afflictions are sold. The afternoon is free to explore Cusco's busy plazas, ancient ruins, and interesting museums on your own.
Day 3-4 Mountain Biking to the Amazon (B,L,D): Overthe next two days our journey will take us across two Andean mountain ranges and down into the lush Amazon basin. We'll travel by van, mountain bike, and our own two feet to descend into the verdant Amazon and the pristine Manu Biosphere. We'll ride past rich agricultural fields tended by Quechua farmers and through remote colonial villages. Our first night we make camp in the village of Tres Cruces where we can enjoy a spectacular sunrise over the Amazon. On our next morning, we set off on foot to descend through cloudforest. This is a transitional ecosystem between the high Andes and the Amazon rainforest, and contains some of the highest density of bird species in the world. After lunch, we can travel by bike or board the support van to continue our descent to the Cock of the Rock Lodge.
Day 5 Whitewater Rafting (B,L,D): Rise at dawn in hopes of seeing one of Peru's most famous birds - the cock of the rock. After breakfast, we head to the put-in point for the Kosnipata River. The next few hours we tackle the adventure of Class III-IV rapids while enjoying the stunning beauty of this mountainous jungle. In the late afternoon, we transfer to the Alto Madre del Dios River where we travel by dugout canoes deeper into the jungle to overnight at Pantiacolla Lodge.
Day 6-8 Manu Wildlife Center (B,L,D): Today, we join another group heading to Manu Wildlife Center to explore one of the world's greatest rainforest treasures. The trip takes about 6 hours by motorized canoe, but it's well worth our time to travel deep inside the 4.4 million acre Manu National Park. Manu is the largest protected area in Peru and some biologists believe it has greater biodiversity of any protected area in the Amazon.
Manu Wildlife Center is located just 25 minutes from the largest macaw lick in the reserve, and the lodge has built a movable blind that lets us get closer to the morning action. The macaws and parrots tend to disperse around 9 am, and the rest of our time in Manu is filled with excursions into the jungle to learn more about rainforest ecology and observe the abundant wildlife. Two nearby oxbow lakes have families of giant river otters and Manu is an excellent place to encounter such seldom seen tropical animals in their native environment as the tapir, white lipped peccaries, and the elusive jaguar. For the adventurous, there's an option to camp out on an elevated platform near a tapir lick.
Day 9 Boca Manu - Cusco (B,D): Morning transfer to Boca Manu airstrip for our charter flight to Cusco. The day is yours to relax and get ready for the next day's trek to Machu Picchu. Tonight, enjoy dinner on us and meet your trekking guide.
Day 10 Short Inca Trail (B,L,D): In this shorter version of the classic Inca Trail, we take the train part way to Machu Picchu before disembarking to follow the footsteps of the Incas. We pass the small ruins of Chachabamba before beginning our ascent through forest, past a waterfall, into mountain grasslands and finally to the impressive ruins of Winay Wayna. After lunch at Winay Wayna, we continue onward to the Sun Gate for our first views of magnificent Machu Picchu. Tonight, soak your muscles in the thermal baths at Aguas Calientes.
Day 11 Machu Picchu/ Cusco: This morning we return to Machu Picchu at dawn for a complete tour of the ruins. We'll learn about the ancient Incas' relationship with the sun and stars and hear how this cosmology continues in modern Andean religion. Later head off through thick cloudforest to the seldom visited Temple of the Moon or climb Huayna Picchu overlooking the ruins. Return by train to Cusco in the afternoon.
Day 12 Fly Lima/ Return Home
Fly to Lima in time to connect with a late-night flight home or overnight in Lima
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: Prices start from $2,112.00 per person in double occupancy from Lima, Peru. This includes all meals from Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, accommodations as stated in the itinerary, domestic airfare, Vistadome Train, ground transportation during the tour, and guide services provided by our guide. It does not include airfare from your home to Lima and return, airport departure taxes, alcoholic beverages, special gratuities, phone calls, laundry, or items of a personal nature. The single supplement for this tour is $350. You will be charged a single supplement if you desire single accommodations.
TOUR REGISTRATION: To register for this tour, complete the Tour registration form and return it with a deposit of 50% per person. If registering by phone, the deposit must be received within 10 days or the space will be released. Full payment of the tour fee is due 60 days prior to the tour departure date.
AIR INFORMATION: Sun God Expeditions Tours E.I.R.L is a full-service travel agency and we will be happy to make any domestic or international air travel arrangements from your home and return. Please feel free to contact us to confirm your air arrangements.
CURRENCY: Nuevo Sol; as of February, 2006, $1 USD = 3.42 Nuevo Sol. Local currency and USD are available from ATM’s at Lima airport and major cities
DOCUMENTS: For U.S. citizens, a passport valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure is required. Non-United States citizens should check with their local Peruvian consulate or embassy. A visa is not required; a tourist card will be issued by the airline
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
- Departure tax: Lima/USA $28.25 as of August 2005. This may be paid in Peruvian Soles or U.S. dollars.
- Electric Current: 220 Volts (flat pin plug).
- Time: Eastern Standard Time
Note: Upgrades and Hiram Bingham train and private tours, please contact us for details
Before booking, it is important to have read and understood the Terms and Conditions. Please bear in mind that significant price reductions are available for group
