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DAY 1 LIMA
Reception in the Lima airport and transfer to Carmel Hotel or
similar located in Miraflores, Lima. Depending on the arrival time
of your international flight, we may have the time to visit the
Peruvian Gold Museum (not included in the rate). (No Meals)
DAY 2 CUSCO
After an early breakfast, we will transfer to the airport where we
will take the flight to Cusco (airfare not included). Upon arrival,
reception and transfer to our Orquidea Real Hostal or similar,
followed by a few cups of mate de coca, while you ask any questions
that you may have about the tour. At 13:30, you will leave on the
Cusco City Tour. This tour includes the major sites of historical
interest in Cusco, such as the famous Inca fort at Sacsahuaman, and
the temple of the Sun. Also included in this is a tourist card,
giving you access to all the sites in the Cusco area as a
whole (i.e., including outside of the City itself). This tour
finishes at 18:00 hrs. ( B )
DAY 3 RAFTING
Breakfast. At 09:00 hrs. we leave for Urubamba river on the Sacred
Valley of the Incas (North of Cusco), where our guide will give a
introductory chat on safety and equipment for our trip running the
Urubamba. After lunch we return back to Cusco, arriving at around
17:00 hrs. Overnight at Orquidea Real Hostal or similar (B,L)
INCLUDED:
*Private Round Trip Transportation.
*Professional English/Spanish speaking rafting guide.
*Lunch (Meal, salad, sodas, tea, coffee, desert, fruits)
*Complete Rafting Equipment (helmet, life jacket, rain coat, paddle,
wetsuit, boat).
OPTIONAL: Video and photos service.
WE RECOMMEND TO BRING:
*Bathing suit
*Towel
*Sandals or running shoes
*Short pants (to use over the wet suit)
*Hat, sun block
*Photo camera.
DAY 4 INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU (4 days 3 nights)
Pick up at your hotel. We start our trek escorted by native
"quechua" porters going through semi-arid terrain along the Urubamba
river with magnificent views of snow capped mount Veronica, later
going through Llactapata, an ancient Inca citadel that protected the
entry to two valleys.(B+L+D)
Kilometers walking: 12 Km. (Km.82 to Huayllabmba)
Altitude: Cusco (3400 m) - Chillca (2720 m) - Huayllabamba (2950 m)
DAY 5 INCA TRAIL
Today the first part of the trek takes us to the Inca Hamlet of
Huayabamba. Later, we will go through Warmiwañuska pass (4200 mt),
known as "dead woman's pass".(B+L+D)
Kilometers walking: 12 Km. (Huayllabamba to Pacaymayo)
Altitude: Huayllabamba (2950 m.) - Pakaymayu (3600 m.)
DAY 6 INCA TRAIL
Today, we will walk on a remarkably preserved Inca Trail passing
ancient archaeological sites covered by dense jungle overgrowth,
later visiting the Phuyupatamarca (city above clouds) with
spectacular view of snow covered Andean ranges, camping at
Wyñaywayna, probably the most spectacular archaeological complex
during the trek.(B+L+D)
Kilometers walking: 16 Km. (Pacaymayo to Wiñayhuayna)
Altitude: Pakaymayo (3600 m.) - Wiñaywayna (2700 m.)
DAY 8 INCA TRAIL (day 4)
Passing through the Intipuncu (Gate of the Sun), we arrive to Machu
Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, complete guided tour. Overnight
in Agues Calientes at Presidente Hostal or similar. (B)
Kilometers walking: 5 Km. (Wiñayhuaina to Machu Picchu)
Altitude: Wiñayhuayna (2700 m.) - Machu Picchu (2400 m.)- Cusco
(3400 m.)
HEIGHTS:
Cusco City: 3,360 m.a.s.l.
Machu Picchu: 2,400 m.a.s.l.
Urubamba Valley: 2,850 m.a.s.l.
Inca Trail highest point: 4,200 m.a.s.l.
INCLUDES :
-Transportation to head of trail
-Entrance ticket to Inca Trail
-Tents, and camping equipment
-Meals as specified in the above itinerary
-Porters and cook
-Professional bilingual guide
-Train ticket back to Cusco (Backpacker)
-Mattress
NOT INCLUDED:
-Sleeping Bag rental US$30.00 per person for the 4 days available upon request.
-Extra porter for your personal items: Available for US$105.00 for 16 pounds for the 4 days/ 3 nights.
-Both additional services has to be pay in full when booking your inca trail
-Lunch at 4th day.
YOU SHOULD BRING:
-Personal sleeping bag
-Warm Jacket or Sweater
-RainGear (from nov to april)
-T-shirt , short, long pants.
-Back pack, trekking shoes, sandals
-Sun Hat, wool hat , sun glasses
-Water bottle, flash light, hat
-Personal clothing for trek
-Insect repellent, suncream
-Personal medication
-Water Purification Tablets.
MEALS
3 Breakfasts (the first day breakfast is not included)
Breakfasts varies from day to day and can include:
- tea, coffee or hot chocolate
- pancakes or bread (with butter/jam)
- eggs (fried, omelet) or Fruit
3 Lunches (the last day lunch is not included)
Lunch includes:
- soup
- seconds (spaghetti or rice with veggies and meat)
- tea or coffee
3 Dinners (the last day dinner is not included)
Dinner consists of:
- soup
- seconds (fish or chicken accompanied by potatoes en vegetables)
- tea or coffee
Vegetarian food available on request.
* Participants need to be in good physical health and condition to
be able to enjoy the Inka Trail. The trekking will be difficult if
you have not exercised regularly before your trip. To fully enjoy an
Inka Trail adventure, we advise passengers to get into an exercise
program for their own safety and enjoyment. If a passenger suffers
from any medical condition, we advise him/her to consult a physician
about joining an Inka Trail Expedition.
PARK REGULATIONS:
The Inca Trail is part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a protected
area of 32,592 hectares, managed by the National Institute of
Natural Resources, INRENA. Every visitor must obey park regulations
prohibiting littering, cutting or damaging trees, removing or
damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing plants, killing
animals, lighting open fires or camping in the archeological sites
(Only authorized campsites can be used).
DAY 9 MACHUPICCHU - CUSCO
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes to continue visiting the area
and Machu Picchu (bus ticket and entrance fees not included). In the
afternoon train back to Cusco . We will stay overnight at Orquidea
Real Hostal or similar. (B)
DAY 10 MEETING IN THE JUNGLE
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Pto Maldonado (airfare
not included). We are met by our guide at Puerto Maldonado airport
and transferred to the port on the Tambopata River. Here we board a
motorized canoe for a four-and-a-half hour journey to the Heath
River Wildlife Center. After descending the Tambopata River for 5
minutes to the confluence with the larger Madre de Dios River, our
boat heads east, downstream on the mighty Madre de Dios River,
passing small gold prospecting barges before reaching the
Peru-Bolivia border.This stretch of the Madre de Dios River is
particularly attractive, as more than 75% of the riverbank is still
covered by towering, virgin rainforest, and periods of 15-20 minutes
go by without a single sign of forest cutting. (For comparison,a
similar length of river travel up the Tambopata River features only
10-15% of primary forest along the riverbank---the rest is in
agriculture and freshly burned forest clearings). Here we transfer
to a smaller motorized canoe and head up the narrow, intimate Heath
River, which forms the wilderness border between Peru and Bolivia,
to arrive at our 100% Indian-owned lodge, the only all-Indian-owned
lodge in the Tambopata region. We will provide a complete box lunch
during the river trip. PLEASE NOTE THAT VALID PASSPORTS MUST BE
BROUGHT FOR THIS JOURNEY. In the late afternoon, our Ese Eja Indian
hosts will take us to explore the forest surrounding the lodge in
search for the various species of monkeys and hundreds of species of
birds that make the rainforest home. After dinner we explore the
forest by flashlight, including a visit to a small mammal clay lick
if it is active.(L, D)
DAY 11 RAINFOREST
Rising before dawn we once again board the canoe for the journey up
the Heath River to the Macaw and Parrot Clay Lick. Depending on the
level of the river this journey can take up to one hour. During the
river trip upstream, we nearly always see one or two families of
Capybaras on the banks of the river. At 120 pounds (55 kilograms),
this simply gigantic relative of the guinea pig is the largest and
most photogenic rodent in the world. Once at our specially-designed
floating blind, our breakfast is served as we marvel at the
medium-sized, emerald-green and electric-blue parrots and the large
blazing Red-and-Green Macaws that arrive in two shifts to eat the
clay. Note that in some years ALL macaw and parrot licks in southern
Peru are less active in May, June, and early July than in the rest
of the months of the year. Thus, bear this in mind if you are
especially interested in photography of the parrots and macaws.
Returning to the lodge after the a beautiful parrot display our
native guides take us on an ethno-botanical walk through the forest,
explaining how they use many of the forest trees and plants in their
daily lives, either as medicines or for bows and arrows and in home
construction. After lunch and a short rest we go first by canoe then
a short walk to a natural forest of towering, 170-foot-tall
(55-meter-tall) Brazil nut trees to learn how the slight, yet
surprisingly powerful, men of the village harvest these nuts, which
fall from the treetops encased in rock-hard brown spheres the size
of small grapefruits. Our Ese Eja Indian hosts have harvested these
delicious, valuable nuts for thousands of years, and now they will
show you the mystery and splendor of this wonder of the Amazon.
Starting at some point in mid-2002, our hosts also will feature a
new canopy attraction in the top of a huge canopy emergent tree. The
details will be available as this attraction is completed. (B, L, D)
DAY 12 JUNGLE TRAILS
Extra day exploring the jungle trails. Overnight at Heath River
Wildlife Center with full board. (B, L, D)
DAY 13 MACAW & PARROT CLAY LICK
Rising before dawn we once again board the canoe for the journey up
the Heath River to the Macaw and Parrot Clay Lick. Depending on the
level of the river this journey can take up to one hour. During the
river trip upstream, we nearly always see one or two families of
Capybaras on the banks of the river. At 120 pounds (55 kilograms),
this simply gigantic relative of the guinea pig is the largest and
most photogenic rodent in the world. Once at our specially-designed
floating blind, our breakfast is served as we marvel at the
medium-sized, emerald-green and electric-blue parrots and the large
blazing Red-and-Green Macaws that arrive in two shifts to eat the
clay. Note that in some years ALL macaw and parrot licks in southern
Peru are less active in May, June, and early July than in the rest
of the months of the year. Thus, bear this in mind if you are
especially interested in photography of the parrots and macaws.
After the spectacle of the lick we return to the lodge to pack and
then boat back upstream on the Madre de Dios River to Sandoval Lake
Lodge, which is located on the banks of the lake that most experts
consider to be the most beautiful in all the southern Amazon of
Peru. A box lunch will be eaten during the journey. Arriving at the
trail head to Sandoval Lake Lodge we take a 45-minute walk or
rickshaw ride through the forest to a small canal where we board a
canoe and then transfer to one or more hand-paddled catamarans, each
of which has a capacity for 20 people. Arriving on the lake in the
cool golden light of the late afternoon, we enter into a flooded
palm forest and drift beneath dozens (and often hundreds) of
babbling 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. We return to the lodge around
nightfall for dinner.
(B, L, D)
DAY 14 EXPLORING THE JUNGLE
After a dawn breakfast, we explore the western end of the lake in
the hope of encountering the family of nine Giant Otters that live
in the lake. For those with lots of energy, our guide will take us
hiking through the forest, and will bring the forest to life with
stories of the rain forest and the medicinal uses of the plants.
Following lunch and an optional rest, in the late afternoon we once
again board the catamaran and set off to explore the eastern end of
the lake. Here we might see Brown Capuchin and Bolivian Squirrel
Monkeys as they forage along the lakes' edge. After dinner we can
return to the catamaran to look for large Black Caiman, the rarest
of the crocodilians of the Amazon. If it is a clear starlight night,
we will also be able to float in the middle of the lake and marvel
at the brilliance of the night sky. There is a final after-dinner
opportunity to look for Caiman on the lake, or to explore the lodge
trails by flashlight. (B, L, D)
DAY 15 BACK TO LIMA
After a dawn breakfast we return to Puerto Maldonado for the flight
back to Lima. (airfare not included). Upon arrival transfer to
Carmel Hotel or similar. Overnight . (B)
DAY 16 TRANSFER OUT
Transfer to the airport in time to get your international flight
connection (B) |
click to enlarge
Cathedral
Inka trail
camping
An
optional hike for the more dynamic persons up to Huaynapicchu
View of
Machu Picchu with the Hiram Bingham road
Roomy
floating blind
Macaw clay
lick
Towering
canopy platform
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