2-Week Itinerary

Morning: Your international flight arrives Lima Airport, where you will be greeted by your personal host and privately transferred to your hotel.

Morning at leisure.

12:00pm: Enjoy a recommended lunch at Amor Amar.

1:00pm: Private tour of the historical center of Lima with your personal guide, including the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, City Hall, the Cloister of San Francisco, as well as San Isidro and the antique/bohemian neighborhood of Barranco.

4:00pm: Visit the Larco Museum with your personal guide. Located in an 18th century vice-royal mansion built over a 7th century pre-Columbian pyramid, the Larco Museum provides an excellent overview of 3000 years of Peruvian pre-Columbian history, including fine gold and silver collections from ancient Peru and the famous erotic archaeological collection.

Evening: Dinner at Astrid y Gaston or Cala.

Accommodations: Miraflores Park Hotel

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Pants, short-sleeved shirts, light jacket

Morning: Private transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco.

In Cusco, transfer to your charter flight to Bocu Manu Aerodrome in the Southern Amazon (45 min flight).

Arrive at Boca Manu. You will be greeted by your host and privately transferred to the river port. You will then embark with your personal guide on a 90-minute motorized canoe to the Manu Wildlife Center, arriving in time for lunch.

Afternoon: Explore some of the 30 miles of forest trails surrounding the lodge with your personal, specialized naturalist guide. The Manu Biosphere Reserve is the most biologically diverse terrestrial region of the Amazon, home to 1,000 species of birds, more than 200 species of mammal, and 13 species of monkey. While traveling on the river and walking in the jungle you are likely to encounter, among other species, Black Caiman, Capybaras, Collared Peccaries, Three-Toed Sloths, Red and Green Macaws, Fasciated Tiger Herons, and at least one of the many species of monkeys which live in the surrounding forest, such as Red Howlers, Monk Saki and Emperor Tamarins.

Evening: Dinner at the lodge followed by an evening hike in the jungle. Accompanied by your personal guide, you’ll discover the nighttime sights and sounds of the forest. Note: Night hike is optional

Accommodations: 3 overnights at Manu Wildlife Center

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Long-sleeved shirts & light trousers for jungle excursions, waterproof jacket and hiking shoes

Morning: Early start for the Blanquillo Macaw Lick. From the comfort of a floating blind, you’ll enjoy a full breakfast as you observe one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles – hundreds of parrots and macaws congregating to eat the mineral-rich clay. Return to the lodge for lunch.

Afternoon: Continue exploring the trails around the lodge. As twilight approaches, you’ll climb the 112-foot Canopy Tower, where you can view the forest from treetop height, looking for monkeys and endemic birds such as trogons, tanagers, and woodpeckers.

Later, you’ll walk with your guide to the Tapir Claylick, the most active of its kind in the Amazon. These rare, elusive animals come to this lick to eat clay, which helps their digestion. From a specially constructed blind, you’ll have an excellent chance of viewing a Tapir from as close as 10 yards away, along with other nocturnal animals that visit the lick.

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Long-sleeved shirts & light trousers for jungle excursions, waterproof jacket and hiking shoes

This morning, you’ll set out for Cocha Blanco, a scenic oxbow lake that’s home to a family of Giant Otters. You’ll circle the lake in a catamaran, looking for water birds and other wildlife. You might also explore the trails around the lake in search of Emperor and Saddleback Tamarins, Red Howler and Squirrel Monkeys, and perhaps the rare Goeldi's Monkey, which is often seen here.

Return to the lodge for lunch.

Afternoon: Relax at the lodge or accompany your guide on a spontaneous expedition, designed according to your interests and whatever noteworthy wildlife has been spotted in the area.

In the evening, take a guided boat ride along the river in search of caiman, nightjars and other nocturnal creatures. Note: Boat tour is optional

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Long-sleeved shirts & light trousers for jungle excursions, waterproof jacket and hiking shoes

Morning: Private transfer by motorized canoe to Boca Manu Aerodrome. Board your charter flight to Cusco.

Early afternoon: Flight arrives in Cusco. You’ll be greeted by your personal host and privately transferred to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure.

Evening: Transfer to a colonial mansion on the outskirts of Cusco for a private dinner, followed by a private concert of Andean music. This is a privately owned property located on the top of a hill with spectacular views over Cusco. Simon Bolivar (liberator of South America) is alleged to have stayed there. You will enjoy a gourmet dinner specially prepared for your party by a local chef. After dinner, a group of young musicians from the University of Cusco, garbed in traditional Peruvian attire, will demonstrate a variety of wind, percussion and string instruments typical of the region.

Accommodations: 2 overnights at Monasterio

Day dress code: Casual
Evening dress code: Smart casual
Recommended clothing: Short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants

Enjoy a guided tour of the main attractions of Cusco (Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, Koricancha), and of the Museum of Religious Art (the Archbishop’s Palace).

Bordering Cusco’s main plaza (the Plaza de Armas) and built on the site of the palace of the Inca Viracocha, the Cathedral possesses some 400 canvasses of the distinguished Escuela Cusqueña and amazing woodcarvings with a clear display of Andean influence. Koricancha is considered the Temple of the Sun and was used by the Incas as a vast astronomical observatory and calendrical device. The Museum of Religious Art contains an impressive collection of works depicting the conquest, held in the former Archbishop’s Palace with its intricate Moorish-style elements.

You’ll also visit the Sacsayhuaman ruins, just outside of Cusco overlooking the city. This was the site of one of the fiercest battles between the Spanish conquerors and the army led by Manco Inca. It contains three tiers of zigzagging walls built with individual stones weighing up to 300 tons. After the conquest, many of the original stones were used by the Spaniards for construction in Cusco. Despite this, it remains one of the most impressive sites in the Cusco area.

Evening: Recommended dinner at the Map Café, one of the finest restaurants in Cusco, located in the patio of the colonial Casa Cabrera, home to the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Enjoy a selection of meat and fish dishes together with a range of traditional Andean cuisine.

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants

Morning: Visit the traditional Central Market of Cusco, where you will get a sense of the daily rhythm of the Cusquenian way of life while browsing through its dazzling array of products and fresh local produce. You will also be able to buy some traditional handicrafts. This rich tapestry of modern and yet highly traditional Cusco shouldn’t be missed.

Mid-Morning: Private transfer to the Sacred Valley. Visit the town of Pisac and its nearby ruins with your personal guide. Terraces carved into the mountainside high above the community of Pisac characterize the ruins. There is also a pre-Colombian “cemetery” at the site, as human remains have been found in small caves carved into the adjacent cliff face. Visit the market in Pisac, offering a variety of local handicrafts for you to browse at your leisure.

Lunch at the Hacienda Huayoccari, a working farm, where you will be able to enjoy delicious homemade Peruvian dishes along with a spectacular view of the Sacred Valley. Following lunch, meet with Roger Valencia, a specialist of Peru's history, who will give your group an informative talk on Peru’s past, including the archeological background of Machu Picchu and the emergence and expansion of the Inca civilization.

Afternoon: Arrive at Tambo del Inka, near the town of Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. After check-in, depart for gentle outdoor excursion – biking along the Maras salt flats or kayaking on Lake Piuray – or relax at the resort.

Accommodations: 1 overnight at Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Active wear, short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants

Morning: Board the train for your journey to Machu Picchu. Sit back and enjoy the spectacular landscapes of the majestic Andes, lush green fields and bright villages. (Note: there is a 11 lb. luggage limitation per person on the train – if staying overnight at Machu Picchu, you will be given a duffel bag for the items you’ll need for your stay. You will be able to leave your remaining luggage at your hotel or with the host staff.)

Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, a private shuttle will take you to the ruins.

Alternative: You can exit the train at kilometer 104 to hike the last portion of the Inca Trail with your personal guide. This is a moderately strenuous trail with a maximum elevation of 8,858 feet. After a scenic 6-hour hike past waterfalls and the exquisite Wiñay Wayna ruins, you will reach Machu Picchu in the early afternoon. Approaching the site through the famous Sun Gate, your view from above will be unforgettable. (Note: Please keep in mind there is a limited number of permits available for Km 104)

Afternoon: Guided tour of the Machu Picchu ruins with your personal guide. Machu Picchu has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is perhaps the most awe-inspiring archaeological site in the Americas. It was built by the Inca Pachacutec in the 15th Century and is perched between two peaks, offering incredible views of the Urubamba river valley and the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Evening: Enjoy a delicious dinner at your lodge.

Accommodations: Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge

Alternative: Return to the Sacred Valley by train in the evening. Accommodations at the Tambo del Inka.

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Active wear, short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants, hiking shoes

Early Morning: Enjoy the mystical experience of Machu Picchu at sunrise, as you watch mist clear from the ruins.

Spend the rest of the morning at leisure, exploring the ruins and discovering the different hiking trails such as Huayna Picchu (the smaller of the two peaks surrounding the site). A winding uphill trek takes you to the top of Huayna Picchu, where you will be rewarded with a dazzling overhead view of the ruins. (2-3 hours round trip.)

Afternoon: Further explore the ruins or relax at the lodge.

Evening: Enjoy dinner at the lodge.

Accommodations: Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge

Alternative: Take a white-water rafting trip through the Sacred Valley on the Urubamba River (easy Class I and II, or more challenging Class III and IV). Or enjoy a scenic horseback riding adventure.

Accommodations: Tambo del Inka

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Active wear, short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants, hiking shoes

Morning: Private transfer by shuttle to Aguas Calientes, where you will take the morning train to Ollantaytambo, then private transfer to Cusco.

Commercial flight from Cusco to Lima. Private charter flight from Lima to Ica airport. Private transfer to Hotel Paracas.

Afternoon: Poolside lunch on arrival.

5pm: Depart for your Desert Adventure. The landscape around Paracas is one of the most arid deserts in the world; rain is quite infrequent, and its dunes create an incomparable image at evening or dawn. This region teems with history and culture, and the landscape will take your breath away. Enjoy the action and adventure of crossing this desert in SVUs driven by experts who know the spectacular Paracas dunes well. Your excursion ends with a dinner under the stars in a choice location.

Accommodations: 3 overnights at Hotel Paracas

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants

Morning: Depart for half-day Ballestas Islands tour by private yacht. This excursion consists of a three-hour boat trip to the Ballestas Islands to observe wildlife there: sea lions, Humboldt penguins, and an endless number of migratory birds. Along the way, there will be ample opportunity to marvel at the Candelabro, a mysterious and huge geoglyph that stands watch over the Ica coastline, and to listen to the islands’ history, as recounted by our knowledgeable guides. This is a unique experience that includes refreshments and lunch onboard the yacht.

Afternoon: Private overflight of the Nazca Lines. Explore the beauty of the Paracas sand dunes and gaze in wonder at the enigmatic Nazca Lines on a low-altitude flyby in a Cessna Caravan. Many theories have been formulated about these lines and incredible designs, created between 500 BC and AD 500, and only visible from the air. The most plausible theory is that they form a gigantic astronomical calendar based on the movement of the sun. The lines themselves, some almost 300 meters long, run from simple designs to more than 30 complex animal figures, such as a monkey, spider, and hummingbird.

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Active wear, short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, sun hat, waterproof jacket, pants

Today you can choose from a variety of tours and activities, including:
- Archaeological tour of Tambo Colorado, one of the most important and well-preserved administrative centers of the Inca civilization
- Pisco Route Tour, for those who wish to learn more about how the spirit used in Peru’s famous Pisco Sours is harvested and produced
- Water sports such as windsurfing and kayaking
- Tour of Paracas Natural Reserve, Peru’s only protected marine area, along with a visit to the Regional Museum

Or you can spend the day relaxing at the hotel and enjoying the pools and spa.

Dress code: Casual

Morning at leisure.

Early afternoon: Private transfer to Ica airport for your charter flight to back Lima.

Late afternoon: Flight arrives in Lima. Greeting by your personal host and private transfer to your hotel.

Dinner at the hotel or a recommended restaurant.

Evening: Private transfer to the airport for your international flight home.

Dress code: Casual
Recommended clothing: Short-sleeved / long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, pants