Acclaimed Cusco, Sacred valley and Tambopata tour

Cusco, Sacred valley, Machu Picchu and Tambopata National Park

09 Days / 08 Nights

Your best choice to know Peru in its own words. You will be able to visit Lima known as “the city of the kings”, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world, and the Tambopata National Park.

This tour is the best program for those who have problems with “soroche” or “sltitude sicknees”, because upon your arrival to Cusco, you will be transferred directly to the Sacred Valley which is 2700 m.a.s.l. You will stay overnight there, instead of staying in Cusco city which has an altitude of 3400 m.a.s.l. Also you will enjoy the landscapes and tourist attractions located along the Vilcanota river and its surroundings.

Also, you will visit the Tambopata National Park, where you will stay for 3 days at a lodge located two hours from Puerto Maldonado navigating Madre de Dios river, an Ecological 4798 hectares Reserve within the rainforest in the heart of Amazon paradise in Tambopata.

Finally, in Lima, you will visit the Gold museum, where we will find a private collection of pre-Inca and Inca gold, jewelry and ceremonial objects.

Itinerary:

Day 1 : Arrival in Lima

Reception and assistance at Jorge Chavez Lima airport. Peru Travels will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it. Then we will transfer you to your selected hotel.

In the afternoon, you will visit Lima City: the historic center is packed with 16th- and 17th-century marvels, including immaculately restored homes such as the Casa de Aliaga and the Palacio Torre Tagle.

The city tour starts at the Plaza Mayor, which is graced with a bronze fountain from 1650 and flanked on one side by the Catedral, which was built in the late 16th century. It contains the carved wooden sepulcher of Francisco Pizarro, who was murdered in 1541 by the mob of Almagristas, a rival political faction.

As you enter, the first chapel on the right is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and contains a carving of Jesus that is considered to be among the most beautiful in the Americas. The highlight of the cathedral are the choir stalls carved in the early 17th century by Pedro Noguera.

Also, you will observe the Government Palace, which forms the other side of the Plaza Mayor and was built by the Spanish on top of the home of Taulichusco. Then, you will have a small visit to Lima’s antique post office, the Casa de Correos y Telegrafos, which has a small stamps museum.

Finally, you will visit the 16th-century San Francisco Monastery, with its beautiful cloister and entrance, as well as the catacombs or public cemetery, where slaves, servants, and others without money were buried until 1821 (rich citizens were usually buried in their home chapels). The underground labyrinth is a series of wells, some 20 meters deep, where bodies were stacked and covered with lime to reduce odor and disease. After they decomposed, the bones were stacked elsewhere.

Then you will travel back to the XX century visiting modern districts with beautiful squares, small squares and avenues, as well as Miraflores with its beautiful beaches, intensive commercial trading and active nightlife. You will visit the Park of Love, where a big sculpture representing a “Couple of Andean Lovers” faces the Pacific Ocean. Finally, transfer back to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 2 : Cusco – Sacred Valley: Pisac and Ollantaymbo

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board your flight to Cusco.

Arrival, reception and transfer to the hotel in Sacred Valley. The city of Cusco has the shape of Puma and its head was the Sacsayhuaman site.

On the way touring the countryside, stopping to view the Cordillera Vilcanota and small towns along the way. We will stop at Pisac to enjoy the ruins and have a walk through them. After that we will visit the Indian market of Pisac with lots of handmade blankets, clothes and curious Inca handicrafts. You will be able buy some beautiful textiles, jewelers and ceramics at good prices.

On the way you will get nice pictures of the valley, and you can have lunch in some of the very good buffet restaurants, some with splendid views and famous Peruvian cookers. After lunch we will travel to Ollantaytambo, discovering the ruins and the town “The Cradle of the Inca Empire”.

The Fortress of Ollantaytambo is a large site characterized by its terraces, canals, granaries, fortress wall, and the temple of the sun. The fortress was used by the Inca emperor Manco Inca to conduct successful attacks on Francisco Pizarro and other Conquers, who were based in Lima.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 3 : Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today you will take an early train to Aguas Calientes. Then, we will take a 20 minute bus ride to the ruins of Machu Picchu. The ruins are on the eastern slope of Machu Picchu in two separate areas: the agricultural and the urban.

We will have a guided sightseeing through the archaeological site of Machu Picchu visiting the main plaza, the circular tower, the sacred sundial (the greatest Intihuatana), the royal quarters, the temple of three windows and various burial grounds.

Time free to stroll by the archaeological site and to have lunch in Aguas Calientes town. In the afternoon you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and from there take the train back to the Sacred Valley.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Day 4 : Sacred Valley: Maras, Moray & Chincheros – Cusco

Breakfast at the hotel.

Your driver will pick you up in the morning for another interesting valley trip. You will enjoy the spectacular views of the salt mines situated between the mountains that surround the Sacred Valley.

Later on, we will visit Chincheros, an indian village, which is dominated by a formidable Inca wall composed of huge stones and 10 trapezoidal niches, you’ll find the famous Chincheros markets. Here you’ll be greeted by bustling artisan sellers, dressed in traditional clothing, and eager to win your attention (and secure a purchase). We will stop on the way to have lunch.

If time permitting, we will visit Moray as well, an interesting and photogenic Inca greenhouse. After this spectacular visit you will come back to Cusco.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 5 : Cusco: City tour

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today we will have enough time to discover Cusco.

In the afternoon, you will have the city tour of Cusco visiting the impressive colonial cathedral that contains over 400 paintings from the Cusquenian school and several altars.

After that, we will go to visit the Temple of the Sun, the main religious center of the Incas dedicated to the Sun Cult. According to the chroniclers, the walls of this temple were entirely covered with gold. From here, we will go by bus to visit the four surrounding ruins located at less than 8 km.

We will start with the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, people think it was an astronomical observatory and used for meditation because of its great accumulated cosmic energy. Then, we will visit Q’enqo, this place was used for worship and ceremonial center. W will continue with Puca-Pucara which means “Red Fortress”, this site was an administrative and military center. Finally, Tambomachay or Inca’s Bath, considered as a place of the cult to the water.

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 6 : Cusco – Tambopata National Park

We will leave Cusco early in the morning to board the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon your arrival in Puerto Maldonado, Peru’s Capital city of biodiversity, we will welcome you at the airport.

Then, we’ll start our program with a visit around the city by bus. Afterwards, we will go to Puerto Capitanía, to board a motorized riverboat, and we’ll navigate on the Madre de Dios River. During the journey, we will submerge into a fascinating natural environment, if we are lucky we will witness ronsocos, caimans, turtles, herons, cormorants and other animal species in their natural environment.

Arriving at the Ecoamazonia Lodge, we will enjoy an exquisite welcome drink, we’ll get settled in our bungalows and will have lunch together. Once satisfied, you will be conducted by our specialized tour guide through an interpretive trail conveniently signposted to the Caimán Cocha, a small lake with an abundant presence of specimens of Black Caiman (Melanosuchus Niger) and Caiman (Caiman Crocodilus).

At the end of the evening, we will witness the spectacular sunset in the Amazon, an experience full of intensities and overwhelming color ranges. Upon returning to the lodge, a delicious dinner will await you, and enjoy free time to share unforgettable moments at the bar, equipped with an excellent game room and all the drinks you can imagine.

Day 7: Tambopata National Park

The morning begins with the sound of beautiful bird songs from the Amazon Paradise. A hearty breakfast will provide the energy for a morning full of new experiences. After breakfast, we’ll start to hike towards the depths of the forest, on trails especially prepared, with bridges to cross gorges and rivers.

During the journey we will observe the flooded forest and a variety of flora and wildlife, and continuing we’ll get to the majestic Lake Apu Victor with its crystal clear waters, surrounded by marshes and giant trees. Afterwards, we’ll go up to the Observation deck, from which we’ll enjoy a panoramic view on the lake, observing Parrots, Macaws, Toucans, Camungos, Shanshos, Herons and other animals, such as Caimans, Turtles, etc. If we are lucky, we’ll have a chance to observe the Giant Otter, one of the rainforests most spectacular animals.

After several hours, we will head back to the Lodge to enjoy lunch together. In the afternoon, accompanied by our specialized guide, we will visit Monkey Island, a unique place in the heart of Madre de Dios River, five minutes away from the Lodge.

During the hike, we will observe extraordinary landscapes, with an exuberant flora, sheltering a variety of monkey species, in their natural habitat, such as Maquisapas, Capuchins, Small Lion Monkeys, Frailes, Cotos and other animal species like the Coati and Sloths and a great variety of birds. Finally, we’ll complete our visit to the island, enjoying the sunset, with the most impressive dusk in the jungle. Back to the lodge we conclude the day with a pleasant dinner.

Day 8: Tambopata National Park – Puerto Maldonado – Lima: Gold Museum

After a restful night’s sleep, the morning begins with the sound of beautiful bird songs from the Amazon Paradise.

In our dining room awaits a farewell breakfast before embarking the return to Puerto Maldonado. Then you will take your flight back to Lima. Arrival at Jorge Chavez Lima’s Airport and transfer to your selected hotel.

In the afternoon, we will visit the Gold Museum. On our tour of Peru’s Gold Museum , visitors will appreciate a dazzling collection of gold artifacts from various pre-Colombian civilizations, some more than 3,000 years old. Metal pieces and jewelers of incalculable value in gold, silver and precious stones used by the Incas, the children of the Sun God and monarchs of the vast Inca Empire, are shown in this collection.

Five hundred years ago, the gold of Peru attracted many European adventurers who conquered the Inca and founded the Viceroyalty of Peru under the Spanish Crown. Peru’s Gold Museum also houses a valuable collection of old and modern weapons that ranks among the best in the world. The halls in this section show the Arms of the World Collection of armor, uniforms and various ancient war artifacts and weapons from various time periods around the world, some dating back to as long ago was 1300 B.C. Finally, transfer back to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 9 : Lima

Breakfast at hotel. At fixed time transfer from your hotel to the airport to board your domestic or international flight.

**Prices may vary depending on travel dates. For more information, fill in the form to get in contact with a Travel Advisor.

What’s included:

02 overnights at selected hotel in Lima with breakfast included.
02 overnights at selected Hotel in the Sacred Valley with breakfast included.
02 overnights at selected Hotel in Cusco with breakfast included.
02 nights at lodge in Tambopata National Park with full board included (from lunch on first day to breakfast on last day).
All transfers.
English speaking guides.
All tours and visits as described.
All entrance fees.
Round trip train and bus tickets to Machu Picchu.

Not included:

Meals unless mentioned.
Tips.
Flight tickets Lima/Cusco – Cusco/ Puerto Maldonado/Lima.

Important information:

Sunscreen: No matter what season you travel, the radiation in Peru is high and you need constant sun protection.

Trekking shoes: For long walks in the jungle or the mountains. They are the ones you need to better travel around Machu Picchu and its surrounding mountains.

Raincoat: If you travel to the jungle or Cusco you will most likely encounter rain, so waterproof clothing is ideal.

What to bring to Peru according to the season?

The seasons in Peru are not as intense as in Europe or in the extreme south of Latin America. However, its internal climates are very variable. So much that in the same city you can feel very hot during the day and very cold at night.

In addition, the intermediate seasons such as autumn and spring are not so defined, so you can feel cold at the end of September, when the winter is over.

Remember that the seasons in the southern hemisphere are:

Summer: December to March.
Autumn: March to June.
Winter: June to September.
Spring: from September to December.

How to pack for summer?

In Lima the temperature ranges from 20° to 27° degrees without rain, while in Cusco it reaches a maximum of 17° but it does rain, so, apart from light clothing, you should pack waterproof clothes and shoes, as well as rain boots.

On days when you are walking in Lima during the summer, it is advisable to take a fine jacket with you for windy nights. Remember that Lima faces the Pacific Ocean and the sea breeze can be cold at night. You can wear shorts but, if you go to the jungle, you should take the same precautions as in tropical climates and protect yourself against mosquitoes, especially in the rainy season.

What to bring to Peru in winter?

In Puno, at almost 4000 m.a.s.l. the winter is relentless, with temperatures below zero. However, in the rest of the country it is tolerable if you travel with a good coat. A plush, hooded, long-sleeved jacket may be sufficient. However, you should also pack thicker pants and sweaters, closed shoes and some headgear. Since these clothes take up a lot of space in your backpack, consider the option of thermal clothing that comes with built-in winter heaters.