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DAY 1 LIMA
Pick up upon arrival at Lima’s airport and transportation to the
hotel. Overnight (No meals)
DAY 2 PUERTO MALDONADO
Early breakfast and pick up to go to the airport for your flight to
Puerto Maldonado (airfare not included).
Transfer from Puerto Maldonado airport to the river port on the
Madre de Dios River. A 25 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios
River by motor canoe brings you to the riverside trailhead to
Sandoval Lake Lodge. From here the trail takes you on a 2-miles
(3,2-kilometers) walk through secondary forest, until we reach a
small canal where we board canoes and are paddled 220 yards (201
meters) through a flooded forest of 100-foot (30-meters) tall
Mauritia palms. As the canal opens onto the shimmering surface of
the lake, we transfer to a catamaran and are leisurely paddled
across half the lake to the lodge.
After lunch and a brief rest to avoid the early afternoon heat, we
will learn about the history of the lodge and the philosophy of its
founders. Then we once again board the catamaran and set off to
explore the entire west end of the lake. Here, in the flooded palm
forest we drift to the sounds of hundreds of Red-Bellied Macaws as
they return to the palm forest for the night. This macaw species is
found locally in parts of the Amazon, always living in flooded palm
forests such as the beautiful palm stand at Sandoval Lake. At
500-800 birds, this flock of macaws at Sandoval Lake is currently
the largest reported in the world for this highly-specialized macaw.
As night falls we will look for the large and extremely rare Black
Caimans. If it is a clear starlit night, we will also be able to
float in the middle of the lake to marvel at the brilliance of the
sky and listen to the sounds of the forest.
We return to the lodge for a short video or slide presentation and
dinner. At any point, you could step out from the bar to admire the
wide variety of nocturnal moths, beetles and praying mantis
attracted to our black light in the lodge clearing.
For those with lots of energy, our guide will take us on a short
night-walk into the forest behind the lodge. (B, L,D).
DAY 3 SANDOVAL LAKE
A pre-dawn wake-up call will enable us to be on the lake for sunrise
and a hopeful encounter with the family of Giant Otters who frequent
the lake and are most active at this time of day. Sandoval Lake
offers abundant wildlife including over 40 species of birds resident
to its lake margins, most of the fish-eating water birds around the
lake actively fish in the early morning as well, and this outing
should provide excellent views, of the prehistoric- looking Hoatzins,
These are easy to observe and also photograph from the paddled
canoes or catamarans.
After returning for a late breakfast we set off into the cool under
story of the tall virgin forest near the lake to see some towering
wild Brazil Nut trees and a demonstration of how our hosts collect,
open and commercialize this important natural product.
After lunch and an hour or so to relax we once again board the
catamaran to explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might
see one or more of the five species of monkeys who live in the
forest near the lake, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey and Squirrel
Monkey.
Before dinner we will again enjoy an informative natural history
video or slide presentation. We will leave after dinner to try and
spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night walk
through the primary forest. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 RAINFOREST
After a dawn breakfast, we will cross the lake by catamaran and take
a short walk into the interior of the Mauritia palm forest to stand
beneath and closely view the impressive morning congregations, this
place has a very interesting concentration of parrots, parakeets and
large and small macaws that can be observed using dead Mauritia palm
trees, some of them are resident nesters (Yellow headed Parrot,
Mealy Parrot, Blue headed Parrot, Scarlet Macaw, blue and Yellow
Macaw, Red and Green Macaw, Chestnut fronted Macaw, Dusky headed
Parakeet, Red bellied Macaw, Cobalt winged Parakeet, Tui Parakeet).
Returning from the macaw show we will cross the lake to explore a
primary forest trail and admire the impressive ancient rainforest
trees and lianas with our knowledgeable resident naturalist guide.
As we walk, the forest will be brought to life as your guide
explains the ecology of the rainforest and its diverse flora and
fauna.
We return for lunch, and then there is an optional rest for those
who would like to escape the early afternoon heat. For those still
full of energy, there is an option to independently explore some of
the forest trails using our trail map. You might stroll through our
medicinal plant garden or watch hummingbirds visiting the nectar
feeders, or the tanagers visiting our fruit feeders.
In the cooler late afternoon we will once again board the catamaran
to explore the eastern end of the lake, and hopefully experience a
spectacular sunset over the lake before returning to the lodge for
dinner. For some people, an alternative afternoon activity would be
to relax on benches inside the forest perched above a clear running
stream in which a variety of bathing hummingbirds and forest birds
visit.
After dinner, there is a final chance to look for Black Caiman on
the lake, or to go on a short night hike through the forest. (B,L,D)
DAY 5 PUERTO MALDONADO - CUSCO
After early breakfast we leave near dawn and we take a final,
shorter paddle around the west end of the lake to try and glimpse
the Giant Otters before returning by motor canoe for the 35 minutes
return trip to the Puerto Maldonado Airport, taking advantage of
valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. From here
you fly to Cusco (airfare not included). Upon arrival to Cusco
Airport. Reception and transportation to the Hotel where you will
receive an aromatic coca tea to stimulating for the height, will
have the day to rest and also we suggest you have a light lunch in
either your hotel or in one of the surrounded; in the afternoon we
will depart on a City tour (entrance to the archaeological centers
and museums including) we will visit the Main square, Cathedral, the
Koricancha (temple of the sun) and in addition we will make a route
bordering archaeological centers like Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Q'enko,
Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, tour finishes 6:30pm approximately at
the main square in order you can take dinner in one of the exquisite
restaurants in the area, then overnight. (B)
*Optional Buffet Dinner with Folkloric Show: Adding $24 per
person
DAY 6 FULL DAY SACRED VALLEY TOUR
Breakfast. You will be picked up at 8:15 am. Full day excursion to
the Urubamba Valley visiting: the colorful Indian market in Pisac
where a mixture of color and tradition will be able appreciated
besides will have a good opportunity to try our bargain skills on
the free time to interact with the local craftsmen to purchase their
hand-made souvenirs. The Valley has a distance of 31 km (19 miles)
of Cusco, and an altitude of 2,970 ms (9,700 p), Pisac is located to
the entrance of the Sacred Valley and followed by Ollantaytambo, the
older town continuously occupied of the American continent. The
narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their channels that have
not varied from the time Inca, evoke their ancestral inheritance,
lunch in a typical restaurant and then the last visit will be to
Chinchero market.
Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow.
Its major claim to tourism is its colorful Sunday market which is
much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac. At the end,
return to Cusco main square at 6:30pm approx.
The night is free for you to eat in a restaurant of your choice;
although we always have plenty of suggestions for you should you
require them. (B, L)
Note: Take this tour on market days: Tuesday, Thursday and
Sunday
Bilingual Guided tour on different days
DAY 7 FULL DAY MACHUPICCHU TOUR
Early breakfast and pickup to go the train station to depart to
Machu Picchu, the trip takes about 4 hours. During the trip we will
have an amazing view of the landscapes of the Sacred Valley of
Urubamba and the Amazon rainforest providing you a small hint of how
much Peru has to offer. Upon arrival to the little town of Aguas
Calientes you will have to approach the bus station towards the
“Ciudadela of Machu Picchu” (Only 20 minutes ride) to receive a
professional guided tour by this Huge Historical Sanctuary follow by
some free time to explore the zone on your own and then take your
buffet lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge restaurant (included),
an according time, we will go down to the Aguas Calientes town to
return to Cusco City. Reception at the train station and transfer to
your accommodation (B,L).
DAY 8 CUSCO - PUNO
Early breakfast and transfer to the bus station so you can take the
ride to Puno. Depart Cusco on guided bus to Puno, visiting on the
route picturesque towns and archeological sites such as
Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Sicuani, La Raya and Pukara. Lunch included.
Afternoon arrival in Puno, reception and transfer to your
accommodation. Overnight at the hotel.(B,L)
(*) Additional fare if travelling by train. Ask for availability.
DAY 9 UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
You will be picked up from your hotel at 6:30 a.m., to go to the
port of Puno to take a tourist motor boat and to direct towards the
wonders floating islands of the Uros. After a 2 hour motorboat ride,
you will arrive at the Uros island in the Titikaka lake. Fishermen
and hunters inhabit the floating islands of the Uros. The residents
of the Uros are known as the “water tribe”, because they must
construct its own Islands periodically, adding new layers of totora
reeds, which grows in the lake, to create the conditions that ensure
the islands stay afloat. The dense roots that the plants develop
support the island. The roofs are waterproof and the houses are
extremely humid because of the surrounding water.
They used it as home and trade centers for the natives, who use
hand-made boats of the same material as their means of
transportation. At present, they speak Quechua and Aymara. Following
this exciting tour, you will be led to the Island of Taquile, ,
place where the form of typical and rustic experience was appraised,
the place is colorful and landscaping, where they even maintain its
customs, ritual, religious and folkloric traditions, in the town of
Taquile we will taste a typical lunch with fresh fish (trout). There
is also a craft fair on the plaza that sells exceptional wool goods
which are of very fine quality and somewhat expensive. Taquile
Island is famous for its craft production, particularly for its
beautiful textiles. The island is narrow at about 1 Km. wide and 6
to 7 Km. long. The visit could be exhausting because of the altitude
(13,000 ft above sea level). On Taquile there are numerous pre-Inca
and Inca ruins as well as Inca terracing. We will return in Puno in
the afternoon, overnight (B,L)
DAY 10 SILLUSTANI - LIMA
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima (airfare
NOT included). On the route to the airport, we will visit at the
Sillustani Chullpas (pre-Colombian funeral towers). The scenery is
desert but impressive, in a beautiful setting on a peninsula on
Ayumara lake about 32 Km. from Puno. Most of the towers date from
the period of Inca occupation in the 15th century; the engineering
involved in their construction is more complex than anything the
Incas built. Upon arrival Lima’s airport, reception and transfer to
the hotel and overnight (B)
DAY 11 TRANSFER OUT
Transfer to the airport for your international flight and end of the
services (B)
END OF SERVICES |
click to enlarge
Macaw clay
lick
we will board a canoe to paddle around
the Lake Sandoval
Cathedral
Machu
Picchu
typical
native fishing boat
Sun Island
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