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WIT: Peru 2027 Machu Picchu and the Amazon

Your Advisor

Charlotte Thomas

YNA Travel - An Independent Affiliate of Uniglobe Travel Center

charlotte@ynatravel.com

704-929-8717

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Full Itinerary Daily Overview Pricing Documents

Overview

10-day National Geographic Journeys tour from Lima to Cusco, combining the Amazon rainforest, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.

Trip Details

Trip Inclusions

WHAT’S INCLUDED Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Cusco Planetarium, Cusco Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Traditional Andean Experience, Urubamba Your G for Good Moment: Parwa Community Restaurant the Sacred Valley, Lamay Your G for Good Moment: Pa...

Important Itinerary Note

Machu Picchu regulations require all visitors to follow a pre-determined circuit within the site as a way to prevent overcrowding. The circuit specific entrance tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. At the time of booking, you...

G Adventures Tour Description

Day 1 · Lima

Arrival transfer in Lima — Jorge Chávez International Airport to hotel

Arrival transfer Arrive in Lima at any time. An arrival transfer from the airport to your hotel is included.

Hotel Antigua Miraflores check-in

Check in to Hotel Antigua Miraflores (or similar) in Lima. Please note: Hot water shortages and power outages can be fairly common in Peru (even in upgraded hotels and private homes). There are some very early morning starts on this trip to make t...

Arrival day and welcome meeting

The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will revi...

Optional Lima Tours

You must have landed and be settled before 10:00 a.m. to participate in these tours. This will mean coming in a day early.

Other tour options outside of G Adventures are possible.

OPTIONAL: Lima Cooking Class
Lima Cooking Class (4 hrs) Get a taste of Peruvian cuisine, visit local markets, sample exotic fruit, select fresh ingredients, and try your hand at preparing unique Peruvian dishes influenced by China, Italy, West Africa, and Japan. Notes: You wi...
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OPTIONAL: Lima City Tour
$40.00
Lima City Tour (optional, approx 40 USD) Discover Lima’s cultural and culinary highlights on this half-day guided tour: Visit the Santo Domingo Monastery Walk around Plaza de Armas Marvel at the Bodega y Quadra Museum Explore some of Lima's lovely...
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Day 2 · Tambopata

Flight from LIMA>PUERTO MALDONADO

LIM

PEM

Note Internal flights are included for this tour. This adventure travels to high altitude, medically defined as anything over 8,000 ft (2,440m).

Motorized canoe to Tambopata Lodge

After a brief stop in town to store large luggage at the lodge's office in Puerto Maldonado, drive by private vehicle to the boat landing (about 1 hr). Then board a covered motorized canoe for a 2–3 hour journey Puerto Maldonado – Tambopata, trave...

Tambopata Lodge stay

Corredor Turistico Tambopata Km 4, Puerto Maldonado, Peru

Stay 2 nights at Tambopata Lodge (or similar), a comfortable low-impact eco-friendly lodge near the Tambopata National Reserve in the Amazon rainforest. Features and experience: Native architectural style and materials Low-impact, eco-friendly tec...

Wildlife-spotting night walk

Before dinner, head out for a night walk around the lodge grounds in Tambopata. With the help of a naturalist guide and flashlights, search for: Snakes Tarantulas Owls Poison dart frogs Other nocturnal creatures living around the lodge

Day 3 · Tambopata

Jungle excursions in Tambopata

Spend the day exploring the thriving ecosystems of the rainforest with the lodge’s naturalist guides. Typical activities include: Early morning forest walk to experience the jungle at its wildest and coolest Walk slowly through the forest searchin...

Free time at Tambopata Lodge

Enjoy free time around the lodge or explore further afield in the Tambopata area. Relax, observe wildlife from the lodge, or join additional walks or canoe outings as available locally. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Caiman-spotting night cruise

After dark, head out by motorized canoe for a caiman-spotting cruise on the river. Highlights: Search the riverbanks for caimans, smaller cousins of alligators Learn about caimans from an expert naturalist guide Take advantage of the guides’ keen ...

Day 4 · Cusco

Motorized canoe from Tambopata to Puerto Maldonado

Motorized Canoe: Tambopata – Puerto Maldonado (approx 3h) Depart the lodge by covered motorized boat, travelling along the Tambopata River back to Puerto Maldonado. Travel out of the jungle by boat and catch a flight from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco...

Taypikala Hotel Cusco stay

Taypikala Hotel Cusco (or similar) Use this well-located hotel as your base in Cusco before heading into the Sacred Valley and again later in the trip when you return from Machu Picchu. Meals included on this arrival day: Breakfast (earlier at the...

Cusco Planetarium visit (Journeys Highlight Moment)

Cusco Planetarium, located in the Llaullipata Ecological Reserve. Experience includes: Presentation on the southern sky and contemporary astronomy Insights into the ancient Incas’ relationship with the cosmos Visit to the on-site museum Use of tel...

Day 5 · Cusco

Machu Picchu Trek Begins

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Cusco colonial side walking tour with Sapantiana waterfalls
Meet your guide at the Cusco Cathedral and set off on a group walking tour of Cusco's colonial side. Highlights: Explore colonial architecture and influence visible in Cusco Visit the beautiful Sapantiana waterfalls Finish with a delicious lunch a...
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Free time in Cusco
Suggestions: Admire the cobblestone streets Visit museums and the Cathedral Arrive in Cusco in the afternoon and enjoy free time to stroll around plazas and markets. Take it easy to acclimatize to the higher altitude.
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Optional Inka Museum visit
Inka Museum, Cusco (approx 10 PEN) Explore artifacts from the Inca Empire including: Mummies Jewelry Skulls Ceramics Learn more about Inca history and culture at this archaeology museum.
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Sacred Valley Hotel TBD

Optional Cusco Tourist Ticket

Cusco Tourist Ticket (approx 130 PEN) This ticket allows admission to 16 sights in and around Cusco, including: Many popular museums and cathedrals Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park Sights in the South Valley of Cusco Sites in the Sacred Valley of ...

Day 6 · Urubamba

Inca Trail Hike Begins

Refer to the G Adventures link for details. Day 6: Set out on the iconic Inca Trail, departing Urubamba by van to the starting point of the trek. Immerse yourself in the enchanting Andean countryside, hiking along meandering streams and crossing r...

Lares Trek Begins

Refer to the G Adventures link for details. Day 6: Start early and drive (3 hrs) to Lares town where the hike will start with a leisurely pace through the valley of Cuncani. Hike 4km (2.5 mi) to Chancachaca then stop for lunch. Be sure to rest and...

Machu Picchu Trek

Day 6: Drive to the scenic Sacred Valley for a full day of exploration with a local guide. Tour the G Adventures–supported Parque de la Papa, or Potato Park, a rural Andean community working to preserve hundreds of varieties of native potato. During this exclusive experience, you'll walk through the park to learn about potato cultivation, traditional weaving, and the importance of both these practices to Andean culture. We’ll also visit the fascinating Inca ruin of Pisac, and enjoy a meal at the G Adventures–supported Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo.

Parque de la Papa (Potato Park) visit
Highlights: Learn about six communities of approximately 6000 indigenous people preserving over 700 species of potato Walk through the park with a local guide Visit the seed bank with ties to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway Observe planti...
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Parwa Community Restaurant lunch (G for Good Moment)
Parwa Community Restaurant Enjoy a meal at the Parwa Community Restaurant in Huchuy Qosqo, a small village of 65 families in the Sacred Valley. Highlights Contribute to sustainable tourism by dining at this resident-run, farm-to-table restaurant L...
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Pisac ruins guided tour
Tour the fascinating Pisac ruins, a hilltop Incan citadel. Features: Plunging gorges and a ceremonial centre Winding agricultural terraces still in use today Sweeping green valleys and mountain peaks Views of a pocketed cliff across Kitamayo Gorge...
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Day 7 · Urubamba

Machu Picchu Trek: Scenic Andean drive, Multiple Ruin Tours, lunch near Maras

Scenic Andean Drive and lunch near Maras Moray – Maras 1h-1h30m Set out on a scenic drive above the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Stop along the way to look out over small farms carved into the hills and small villages dotted along the landscape. En...

Day 8 · Aguas Calientes

Machu Picchu Trek: Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes

After breakfast at the hotel in the Sacred Valley, the group will catch the scenic train for a journey following the Urubamba River Valley to Aguas Calientes. After enjoying a quick orientation walk around the town of Aguas Calientes the group wil...

Machu Picchu Trek Options to Add

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Optional Machu Picchu thermal baths
$6.00
Machu Picchu Thermal Baths, Aguas Calientes (approx 6 USD) Relax in the local thermal baths: Temperatures vary from 38ºC (100.4°F) to 44ºC (111.2°F) Waters come from a natural spring of volcanic origin and are yellowish due to the presence of sulfur
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Optional Mandor Waterfalls visit
Mandor Waterfalls Optional Visit, Aguas Calientes (approx 20 PEN) Visit this botanical garden featuring: A beautiful waterfall Varied wildlife Lush scenery Walk along one of the trails and admire the many orchids.
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Optional Machu Picchu Museum visit
$7.00
Machu Picchu Museum Visit, Aguas Calientes (approx 7 USD) Get an in-depth look at Inca history and learn more about Hiram Bingham, the American archaeologist and explorer who brought Machu Picchu to international attention. The museum holds the la...
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Optional Machu Picchu Butterfly Garden visit
Machu Picchu Butterfly Garden, Aguas Calientes (approx 20 PEN) Visit the butterfly sanctuary located inside the National Park of Machu Picchu. Highlights: More than 100 different endemic butterfly species Learn about the life cycle and conservatio...
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Day 9 · Machu Picchu

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

This morning, embark on a guided tour of Machu Picchu—the 15th-century Inca citadel famously introduced to the world by archaeologist Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine. After being taken through the temples and ...

Guided tour of Machu Picchu

Enjoy a 1.5–2 hour guided visit of Machu Picchu, the famed 15th-century Inca citadel. Highlights: Explore ancient dwellings, stone temples, and sculpted terraces Learn about the history of this massive mountaintop citadel from a local guide Experi...

Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo

Train: Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo (approx 1h30m–1h45m, 31km) Board the train back along the Urubamba River Valley to Ollantaytambo. Meals included: Breakfast

Optional Inca Bridge visit: Free

Inca Bridge Visit, Machu Picchu (free) Use any leftover energy from your Machu Picchu visit to walk to the Inca Bridge site nearby, thought by some to be a secret back entrance to Machu Picchu. Trek up to the bridge cleaving to a 579m (1,900 ft) c...

Private vehicle from Ollantaytambo to Cusco

Private vehicle: Ollantaytambo – Cusco (approx 1h30m–1h45m, 60km) Travel by private vehicle back to Cusco through the Sacred Valley. Meals included: Breakfast

Taypikala Hotel Cusco stay (return)

Return to Taypikala Hotel Cusco (or similar) for your final night in Cusco after visiting Machu Picchu. Meals included: Breakfast

Day 10 · Cusco

Departure from Cusco

Depart Cusco at any time. If you would like to extend your stay, G Adventures offers post-accommodation; please request this at time of booking. Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements if you plan to continue your adventure. Meals...