Peru: Nature Lovers Program 10 days – 9 nights

Upon arrival in Lima International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to Costa del Sol Ramada Hotel located at the airport. Our representative will assist you with check-in procedures and provide you with a detailed itinerary, vouchers covering all the services included in your tour and additional information on the organization of your Peru trip. You will also receive a contact information sheet with all the hotel details as well as our offices contact information for each city and a 24-hour emergency number. Overnight in Lima.

Early in the morning transfer to Lima Airport to board your flight to Cusco (1 hour aprox.) Upon arrival to the capital of the Inca’s Empire transfer with assistance to the hotel in Sacred Valley of the Incas. On the route to the valley you will take a chance to stop at Awanacancha to observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel-related Andean animals – llamas, guanacos, alpacas and vicunas. Alpacas have thick wool and is the most commonly used while the vicunas are small and delicate with fur considered the finest. Awanacancha is a weaving center with the goal to keep alive the traditional textile arts. Here you can meet these four types of camelids, learn about the harvesting of the different wools and the natural dying techniques and have a chance to see native weavers from different areas showing their different weaving styles.
Visit the town of Pisac, where the Incas built an observatory t o study astronomy as well as an impressive network of cultivated terrace. After this, you will have the opportunity to bargain with vendors at the local handicraft market.

Garden Lunch at Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado.

Hidden away from the outside world, El Jardin restaurant is the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious lunch surrounded by the great outdoors. Select a table in the warm sunlight or the cool leafy shade. Relax to the sounds of birdsong and gently flowing water. Using the best locally-sourced ingredients, our garden lunches and homemade breads are not to be missed.
Return to the hotel and overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Start your day with the Visit of Chinchero Village. An attractive church built during the Colony is the highlight of this village and on the inside hang lovely paintings from the Cusco School. Yet, it is on Sundays that the action really starts to happen when area merchants and farmers assemble at the flea market to buy and sell, using the age old method of bartering for goods. Likewise, you can visit impressive archeological remains in the area.
Continue to Maras and Moray; two still relatively unknown sites for the mainstream traveler, which we definitely recommend visiting during your stay in Cusco. The salt mines of Maras are an arrangement of terraces, where salt is gathered in small pools, which are filled by hot spring waters containing an astonishing percentage of salt.
These springs have been exploited since Inca times. It proves to be an unforgettable experience when you see the sun reflected on the hundreds of white salt pools. Moray is something very different. Four natural depressions in the landscape were used by the Incas to build terraces that served them as a botanical laboratory to improve their harvest. The circular-shaped terraces still remain intact. After enjoying a delightful lunch at a local restaurant in the Sacred Valley, you will visit the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. The site was built just as the Spaniards arrived and evidence of how it was constructed is still visible. After seeing the magnificent past of the spot stroll through the quaint streets of the present town.
Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Your private guide will meet you at your hotel early this morning. You will be driven to the train station to board the Vistadome train, for a dramatic train ride to Machu Picchu (6180 feet), the great mountain-top city abandoned by the Inca Empire, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to humanity until its rediscovery in 1911. The legendary 'Lost City of Machu Picchu' is without a doubt the one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites.
Built by the Incas on the summit of "Machu Picchu" (Old Peak), overlooking the deep canyon of the Urubamba river in a semi-tropical area 120 Km. (75 miles) from the city of Cusco at 7,000 feet above sea level. It sits on a mountain site of extraordinary beauty, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest; Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height, with its giant walls, terraces and ramps, which appear as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments.
Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca's best kept secrets, since they did not left written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel, it remains a mystery. Upon arrival to the ruins, a guided tour of the lost citadel.
Lunch included at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge´s Tinkuy Restaurant. Dinner included at the hotel.
Overnight in Machu Picchu.

Check out at 10am. Morning at leisure without guide. (2nd entrance fee NOT included)
Excellent opportunity to wake up early and enjoy with a beautiful sunrise. Then, you will have time visit the Citadel of Machu Picchu for the second time.
In the afternoon, back to Cusco by train, and transfer to your hotel.
Overnight in Cusco.

Walking city tour, including a visit to the district of San Blas, with its winding streets, the whitewashed houses, the blue balconies hung with geranium-filled flowerpots, the uneven line of the tiled rooftops and the endless stairways. In the neighborhood live the folk artists of Cusco, who for centuries have used their hands to tell the tale of their longings and frustrations working in stone and woodcarving, sculpture, doll-making, silverware, weaving and textile arts, gold-leaf, mask-making, and an array of ceramics in utilitarian, architectural, sculptural, monumental, grotesque and many other styles for example Edilberto Merida, renowned sculptor. He looked to religion for his primary inspiration, but he moved away from traditional religious images, by making grotesque images with exaggerated features. It is a form of sculpture that has come to be known as "mud of protest." His style is one of expressionism and has thus been referred to as Expresionismo Indio. Then visit the Pre-Columbian Art Museum, the only museum in Peru dedicated to rebound the arts of ancient Peruvian cultures. The collection of 450 master pieces date from 1250 B.C to.1532 A.D.
Continue with a visit to the Cathedral, the Main Square, the Korikancha temple.
PM: Transfer to the Cusco airport. Arrival in Lima and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in Lima.

AM: Lima will open its doors for a wonderful tour. Founded by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, Lima was then named the City of Kings by the Spaniards who took the city in name of the Spanish Crown. The most important buildings are located around the Plaza Mayor, the main one being the Government Palace where one can still observe the changing of the guard performed by the Húsares de Junín. But the beautiful Cathedral and the various small palaces and colonial balconies that adorn the capital of the Peruvian Republic play also their part in the beauty of the city. Thanks to its well preserved architecture, Lima was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Also, today you will have the chance to learn about the millennial cultures that precede the Inca´s culture with a visit to the famed Larco Herrera Museum, containing a priceless collection of pre-Columbian artifacts, an ancient pre-Inca erotic pottery, one of South America’s finest.
PM: Afterwards, transfer to the airport for your flight to Iquitos.

Arrive to the Amazon city of Iquitos:

Our crew will be expecting your arrival at the airport, then transfer all together by our comfortable private vehicle over paved road to the city of Nauta, 95 kilometers away. Nauta is literally the "end of the road" where you will embark the Delfin. Along the way, you will see vibrant "terra firma" (non-flooded forest) and various aspects of daily jungle life.

Arrive to Nauta port:

Nauta is a small riverside town on the banks of the Marañon River and was the first city founded in the department of Loreto. Once we reach Nauta, you will enjoy a VIP greeting at our private port along the shores of the Marañon River where the vessel awaits you.

Embarkation:

Aboard Delfin, you will be served by our qualified staff who will introduce you to your exquisite and cozy suite, specially equipped with all the amenities for the experienced traveler as yourself. Orthopedic beds, pure cotton sheets, pillows of 100% pure natural latex, cotton bathrobes, air conditioning, and private bathroom with Spanish style hot water showers.

Orientation:

While the Delfin begins its initial navigation, you will enjoy the most fantastic panoramic views from the elegantly outfitted outdoor observation area located on our second deck. Our bartender will be waiting to serve you with an exotic cocktail made with regional fruits and pisco, the beloved national brandy liquor of Peru. Then, your naturalist guide will give you an overview of your journey's schedule, activities, route, highlights, wildlife and vegetation to keep your eye out for, geographical and historical background, and other useful details.
The second deck also features an outdoor lounge area perfect for relaxing during your time in the Amazon with us. To one end, there is a completely equipped bar so you can test any combination of regional and international liquors and aromas that the bartender will be happy to provide for you to enjoy under the spell of the beautiful Amazonian afternoons and night, and the sweet breeze of the rainforest. At the other end is a library with extensive literature about the area (fauna, flora, etc.) is available for your perusal.
Overnight on board.

Dawn and dusk are ideal times for nature observation, and an early rise is therefore highly recommended. On your first morning, coffee will wake us up, and pancakes will be a delicious choice for this morning of adventure and surprises.
AM: Fundo Casual: On your first morning with us, we recommend getting up early to appreciate one of the most important zones of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Early rising is always rewarding since wildlife is most abundant and active with the rising of the sun. The walk at Fundo Casual jungle trail will take you deep into the rainforest on terra firme (non-flooded forest) where your guide will point out the dynamic creatures and vegetation of the Amazon. Be sure to keep an attentive eye open for spotting surprises!
PM: Dorado River: This afternoon, you will have the chance to do some fishing for the famous piranha, a delightful and challenging experience you won't forget! When the night shift strikes, you’ll encounter a whole new world of adventure and your guide will take you on a night safari in search of caiman alligators and night birds
Overnight on board.

AM: Zapote River:

The morning is a perfect time for kayaking along the calm and inspiring rainforest waters. Our guides will take you upstream; this will be a good chance to spot prehistoric looking iguanas that laze in the sun while we travel along the shoreline searching for whatever the jungle has to offer us. Squirrel monkeys are very active at this time of the day, when they move in large groups at mid to upper levels of primary and secondary lowland forest. As you float and paddle down the river, see if you can spot some elusive creatures on your own!

PM: Supay Lake:

After lunch, explore Supay Lake via skiff. Wildlife will greet you and the biodiversity you will experience will be outstanding.
You will have the chance to enjoy some of the myriad bird species, colorful, butterflies and other diverse insects, and noisy monkey troops. If you didn’t get a chance to kayak in them morning, this afternoon is your chance!
Overnight on board.

AM: Puerto Miguel community: On board our skiffs, you will visit the community of Puerto Miguel to meet local villagers who have called Amazonia their home for generations. You may step into a typical schoolhouse where the children will be very happy to have visitors, and then stop by an area to see the women of this community who have a most amazing arts & craft market.
Disembarkation: With heavy hearts, the staff will wish you farewell as you begin your departure. At the port of Nauta, our ground crew will be waiting to take you by our private vehicle back to the city of Iquitos, about 95 kilometers journey by paved road.
PM: The Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals (ACOBIA): On our way from Nauta back to Iquitos airport, you will visit the Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals (ACOBIA) where you will have the chance to meet baby manatees and learn about these wonderful and docile creatures and why they are on the endangered species list. You will also have the chance to pet and feed these kind manatees. As well, there are also some other animals cared for by the center that have been rescued from capture for the intention of being turned into pets and other threatening conditions. We welcome you to donate to this ambitious organization and education center as you wish.
Our land personnel will wait you at the airport and give your boarding passes and help you check in.
Airport departure: Our staff will be on hand to help you with your luggage and check in at Crnl. FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport in Iquitos. The return flight will take you directly to the city of Lima, the capital of Peru. At the security gate, your guide and Delfin crew will say goodbye. We truly hope that you enjoyed your stay and Amazon travel experience with us!
Upon arrival to Lima, you will be assisted with your luggage and check-in procedures for your international flight to any other destination or your way back home.