Inca Trail & Amazon (12 Day)

DAY 1:   ARRIVE LIMA
Lima Accommodations
Arrival and transfer to your hotel. If you arrive early, we can arrange optional tours to museums or to visit the city and surroundings sites.

DAY 2:   LIMA – PUERTO MALDONADO – AMAZON JUNGLE LODGE
Amazon Lodge Accommodations
Morning transfer to airport for flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed at the airport and drive you ten minutes to the Puerto Maldonado headquarters. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in our gardens you will be asked to pack only the necessary gear for the next few days and leave the rest safely secured at the office. This helps keep the boats and cargo light. Skirting Puerto Maldonado, we drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. A boxed lunch will be provided. The forty five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas will take us into the Community´s Primary Forest Private Reserve. Upon arrival, the lodge manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips. Lodge guides are biologists, tourism professionals, or community members. Unless noted otherwise, the guides speak English. Guides to passenger ration is 10 to 1. Canopy tower: A twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas leads to the 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you. Return to lodge for dinner. Ecotourism Lecture. A daily presentation on the Infierno ecotourism project is available every night from a staff member. Overnight in Posada Amazonas. (B,L,D)

DAY 3:   AMAZON JUNGLE LODGE
Amazon Lodge Accommodations
After breakfast, we go to Tres Chimbadas Oxbow lake. It is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters (seen by 60% of our lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. Parrot clay lick: This clay lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a blind located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow- headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is most active at dawn and during the late mornings and mid-afternoons. Return to lodge for lunch. Ethnobotanical Tour: A twenty minute boat drive downriver leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants. Return to lodge for dinner. Night walk. You will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories. Overnight in Posada Amazonas. (B,L,D)

DAY 4:    PUERTO MALDONADO – CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Early return departure downriver to Puerto Maldonado, pick up stored luggage and transfer to airport for short flight to Cusco, center of the Inca Empire. Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax and acclimatize to the altitude (10,856 ft.). Overnight Cusco hotel. (B)

Boat Transportation: Lodge departures are scheduled for airport flight departures with a maximum two hour wait.

DAY 5:   CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Morning guided walking tour to visit the local markets of Cusco, the colonial Cathedral and Koricancha, the impressive Temple of the Sun. After we will depart for a tour of Cusco's temples and visit each distinct Inca sight: The fortress of Sacsayhuaman with its megalithic stone terraces; Kenko, with its carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars; the small fortress of Puka Pukara that protected the royal capital from attacks and the water temple Tambo Machay. Return to hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Evening briefing session to orient you to the upcoming trek. (B)

DAY 6:    CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY
Sacred Valley Accommodations
Full day guided excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop will be the picturesque town of Pisac and its open air market*, this is a great opportunity to enjoy the lively market and/or to visit the ruins above the town. After lunch, we continue down the Urubamba valley to reach the charming town of Ollantaytambo (9,185 ft.). Here we will have plenty of time to explore the town and the impressive Inca fortress that towers nearby. The Urubamba valley was an important agricultural area in Inca times, as manifested by the many Inca remains dispersed throughout the valley. Overnight in Sacred Valley. *Due to its popularity, there is a market at Pisac every day, with the largest market day being Sun, as well as Tue & Thu. (B,L)

DAY 7:   SACRED VALLEY – PISKAKUCHO – PATALLACTA
Camp
Up early for the morning bus ride to Piskakucho (Km 82), where we disembark to begin our trek. After meeting our porters we begin the trek, crossing the Urubamba River by bridge. Continuing on our way along the winding path, between the sloping banks of the Urubamba River, we can observe the Vilcanota mountain ranges and see Mount Veronica (18,745 ft.). In the afternoon, we visit the Patallacta (8,800 ft.) archeological complex and the Q’ente platforms. Overnight Patallacta camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 8:   PATALLACTA – LLULLUCHAPAMPA
Camp
Our route takes us through the narrow Cusichaca valley, whose slopes show the clear imprint of an ancient culture and its agriculture practices. Later we pass the small indigenous community of Huayllabamba (9,025 ft.). Along the trail, up this narrow hanging valley, we begin to see a cloud forest that harbors the Queñua tree, a rare forest to be found in the Andes. From here the trail ascends steeply to Llulluchapampa (12,300 ft.), a large pampa below the first pass. Here we have a breathtaking view of Mt. Huayanay. Overnight Llulluchapampa camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 9:   LLULLUCHAPAMPA – PHUYUPATAMARCA
Camp
Slow and steady is the rule of the day as the trail ascends steeply towards Warmiwañusca pass (13,680 ft.), the highest point on the trek. From the pass, the trail descends to the Pacaymayo River and then climbs slowly up past the ruins of Runkuraqay. From here we cross a lower pass to the ruins of Sayacmarca (12,628 ft.). We continue our way along a marvelous section of Inca engineering to finally reach the beautiful ruins of Phuyupatamarca (12,000 ft). Overnight Phuyupatamarca camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 10:  PHUYUPATAMARCA – MACHU PICCHU
Machu Picchu Accommodations
After continuing along a buttress and passing Phuyupatamarca ruins, the flag stoned trail winds sharply down into the cloud forest to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna (8,855 ft.), located along the same watercourse as Phuyupatamarca, with well restored Inca ruins. After a two-hour walk through a cloud forest covered Inca Trail, we arrive at Machu Picchu (7,800 ft.) through the Intipunku, the door of the sun. Hike down to a great viewpoint for photos, and continue down (via bus) to nearby Aguas Calientes. Overnight Aguas Calientes hotel. (B,L)

DAY 11:  MACHU PICCHU – POROY – CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Early morning bus ride brings us to the ruins for incredible photos and the opportunity to climb the famous peak of Huayna Picchu (8,900 ft/2,720 m), beautifully situated, overlooking the Machu Picchu ruins*. Afterwards we have a guided tour of the ruins (3 hrs approx). The rest of the day can be dedicated to exploring this extraordinary site at your leisure. The mid-afternoon Vistadome train (3-4 pm approx) returns us to Poroy (3 hrs), where a private bus is waiting to transfer us the 20 minutes back to Cusco and your hotel. Overnight Cusco hotel. (B)

*Climbing Huayna Picchu – an early AM departure is essential, consult your guide as to the preferred departure time.

DAY 12:  CUSCO – LIMA
Morning transfer to the airport for the return flight to Lima and your connecting international flight (End of Services). Trip extensions to other regions or extra days in Lima or Cusco can also be arranged. (B)

Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner

Physical Requirements: Involves moderate to strenuous trekking/hiking at high elevations (above 10,000 ft.) and in varying temperature conditions. Good walking/aerobic fitness is required.

Note: Any physical activity at high altitude can be a challenge. It is the traveler's responsibility to best evaluate their physical ability to meet the stated Physical Requirements.

PRICING & ADDITIONAL DETAILS

TRIP COST:   (per person / 2 passenger minimum - with private tour & custom dates)

$2275   (3 star hotels)
$2950   (4 star hotels)
$3295   (5 star hotels)

- All departures feature private first class transport and private guide/tour services (unless otherwise noted); passengers have the option to choose different levels of accommodations.

Price includes:  Bilingual guides on trek for all tours as noted, all airport/hotel transfers, all land transport during the itinerary, cost of entry/permits for all scheduled tours/treks and archaeological sites, all hotel accommodations, all meals as noted, accommodations and support staff on trek.

Not included:  International round-trip airfare to/from Peru, internal airfare (will be quoted with trip proposal), sleeping bag, hiking boots and other personal gear, lunches and dinners in the cities (unless otherwise noted), personal expenses (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, medical or travel insurance, laundry, airport taxes, etc.).

Single Supplement (hotel/lodges): Trip cost is based on twin shared hotel accommodations, a single supplement charge is assessed for those traveling alone or preferring single hotel/cabin accommodations.

Trip Extensions: Peru Day Tours and Peru & Amazon Multi-Day Tours are a great way to complement your Machu Picchu experience.

Carbon Offset Program:

Go South Adventures is proud to promote the CarbonFund.org program - which gives all of us the ability to offset our carbon footprint both at home and while traveling on a Go South Adventure. Learn more at CarbonFund.org, where their motto is: "Reduce what you can. Offset what you can't".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

The Trek: We hike roughly 5-6 hrs/day. Hikers have plenty of time to walk at their own pace! Trekkers are expected to carry only a small daypack with their camera, spare film, water bottle and rain gear if the weather looks bad at the start of the day. Our porters carry additional clothing, personal effects and the camping equipment. All trekkers are provided with a quality tent and sleeping mat. Free from a large pack, trekkers have more time for photography, observation and discovery on this Inca Trail Peru tour.

Trekkers are awoken early in the morning with a cup of tea brought to their tent along with a bowl of hot water for washing. Expert trail cooks, who for years have been presenting hearty trekking food using fresh vegetables, beef and chicken, prepare your meals. Vegetarian offerings are also available.

We start trekking around 8am and try to get the majority of the walking done before the lunch stop. We aim to arrive at the campsites by mid afternoon to give trekkers plenty of time to unpack their duffel for the night and to enjoy the surroundings. At no point do the hikes become forced route marches. Trekkers have ample time to walk at their own pace. This tour is a trekker's dream.

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Restrictions: The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is limited to 500 permits per day (including guides, cooks and porters). That equals roughly 180 clients hiking the Inca Trail. For those interested in hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, it is essential that you reserve your trip dates well in advance in order to obtain the proper permits. The issue of permits is strictly enforced. Trekkers can only hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with licensed outfitters.