Day 1
Flight to Lima. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be picked up in a private car by an English-speaking guide and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2
Morning, private tour of Lima, one of the most important cities in South America since its founding in 1535. Journey through the historic center of the city. Admire the beauty of San Martín and Major squares, the Cathedral, the Government Palace and visit San Francisco Convent, a religious building from the end of the 16th century, and its catacombs. Also drive through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores. After the tour, we will have lunch at a typical cevicheria in Miraflores facing the Pacific Ocean.
Afternoon, visit to Larco Herrera Museum, Archeological Museum or Gold Museum (see details below). Evening, transfer and dinner at one of the best restaurants of typical Peruvian cuisine: Las Brujas de Cachiche.
Day 3
Morning transfer to the airport to take the flight to Cuzco. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure to acclimatize. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 4
Morning walking tour of Cuzco. We will visit the Cathedral (hosting some of the finest artwork in all of Peru) and San Francisco Church. We will pass by some of the city’s most colorful streets and Major Square (Plaza de Armas). We will have time to eat lunch before we start the afternoon tour of the Korikancha temple or Temple of the Sun, and the Inca ruins around the city of Cuzco: Tambomachay (Inca Fountains), Puca Pucara (Red Fortress), amphitheater of Kenko and finally the Sacsahuaman Fortress. Afternoon, return to your hotel. Evening, transfer and dinner, and folkloric show at La Tunupa.
Day 5
Morning, transfer from your Cuzco hotel to the Poroy train station to board the Hiram Bingham Train to Machu Picchu. The train leaves in the morning, taking a spectacular journey through a changing landscape while you enjoy breakfast. We will pass through the Sacred Valley and its lush fields and colorful villages in the foothills of the Andes. From there, the journey is highlighted by wonderful vistas of the mountains and the beautiful Urubamba River, which runs through the Sacred Valley. On arrival in the town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of Machu Picchu, you will be taken by bus to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge for lunch, overlooking the ancient citadel. After lunch, we will have a guided tour of the ruins. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, was a flourishing ceremonial and agricultural site, probably the gateway to the jungle marches of the Inca Empire. The central buildings were erected with the polished stone works of the Cusco Imperial style, though the site was probably occupied well before the Incas started their expansion. It was associated with the earth cult revolving around the Coca leaf, which was a privilege of the Inca Royal family and priests. Typical English afternoon tea will be served at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. Dinner at the Sanctuary Lodge.
Day 6
Our resident guide will pick you up at your hotel in the morning for a second visit to the Machu Picchu ruins. Those who are more adventurous may want to do a soft hike to Wi±ay Wayna. We will go through the ruins up to the Inti Punku or Sungate, along the last part of the Inca Trail to the ruins of Wi±ay Wayna. This fantastic site, located on a steep ledge overlooking the Urubamba River, offers a perfect example of Inca terrace farming. The name Wi±ay Wayna means “forever young,” and this complex is believed to have been reserved for ceremonies and religious water rites. Early evening, return to Cuzco by Hiram Bingham Train. Cocktails and dinner will be served on board. Upon arrival in Cuzco, transfer to your hotel.
Day 7
Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Iquitos. Arrive there in the late afternoon, and transfer to the M/V Aqua, your luxury home for the next five days, waiting for you near the village of Nauta.
On your way there, you will visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people and fishermen. Biologists will give a presentation about the project and its efforts to help these helpless mammals. You will also see how the manatees are cared for and are prepared for re-introduction into their natural habitat.
Day 8
This morning we will board the skiffs to explore this amazing black water stream, part of the vast Amazon flooded forest. Your guides will tell you about the rainforest and its dynamic life, as we explore what scientists call a “gallery forest,” because of its narrow vegetation, creating a tunnel of leaves. As we float through this tunnel, it is easy to spot parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys, very close to the skiff. Then, we will return to Aqua for lunch. In the afternoon, we will take a magical journey through the “Mirrored Forest,” seeing towering trees reflected in the black water river, while spotting dozens of enchanting parrots, blue-yellow macaws, and a great variety of primates and sloths enjoying nature unperturbed by our presence. As we make our way back to our vessel, you will also have the chance to see caymans and frogs and fishing bats.
Day 9
This morning we will rise early to cruise this beautiful and intricate ox-bow lake. As we follow its shore, we will almost certainly surprise several kinds of monkeys and many types of birds, including terns, neo-tropic cormorants, egrets, herons, hawks, and our favorite horned screamers. We will also take the skiff into other black water lakes linked to this huge lake in the flooded forest. After Breakfast, we will walk near Hatum Posa and your guides will introduce you to native people doing subsistence farming, and will tell you how they learned to cultivate wild plants and trees to earn farm income. Deep in the primary forest, your guides will also show you the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle. Return to the M/V Aqua for lunch.
In the late afternoon, we will take our skiffs along the Pacaya River, journeying from Ranger Station No. 1 toward Yanayacu Lake, where you can see the abundant life that is hidden in the deep rainforest. We have chosen this time of day to give you the chance to see the late afternoon activity of the rainforest animals, including fluffy monk saki monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and the easy-to-spot howler monkeys. As the sun sets, listen for the loud, ferocious-sounding warning signals made by howler monkeys marking their territories.
When night falls, you will hear the second movement of the Amazon rainforest symphony, as other nocturnal animals send their shrill calls across the tree tops. As we take the skiffs back to the M/V Aqua, we will use our special spotlight torches to locate night creatures, including, perhaps, huge caymans.
Day 10
The day begins with the exploration of the Pacaya Reserve aboard the skiffs. Back on the river as the sun rises, you will see a treasure trove of wildlife, including parrots, macaws, toucans, and many kinds of monkeys—as well as some “surprise” species that you have never seen before. Enjoy a “bag breakfast” of light sandwiches and fresh juice. Since we will stop near a popular dolphin feeding spot, you will see quite a show as you enjoy your meal. Then, we return to the M/V Aqua.
In the late afternoon, we will travel to this splendid “hot spot” lake, where you will be certain to catch some of the more than 3,000 species of tropical fish that live in the Amazon basin. Our key focus will be on piranhas, those small, carnivorous fish with a big reputation for being scary. At night, we are having a farewell dinner. Leaving the peace and beauty of the jungle behind, we will enjoy our final dinner together, swapping stories about the wonderful experiences shared on the river.
Day 11
After breakfast and if weather and time allows it, this will be the last opportunity to see how people live along the Amazon—by visiting the lively riverside community of Belen, in Iquitos, by skiff. Here, where the houses and shops actually float on the river during some months, you will see the bustling food market for the entire Peruvian Amazon. All local inhabitants throughout the region sell and purchase goods here. After that, we will have some time for packing and to take a light lunch before we disembark in Iquitos.
Our afternoon in the remote city of Iquitos, accessible only by river or air, will not disappoint. This bustling town, complete with a house built by Gustave Eiffel, was once a rich center of the rubber industry. After lunch and a visit to a butterfly farm, you will tour Iquitos before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima. Upon arrival into Lima, transfer to your hotel.
Day 12
This morning you will enjoy a morning free to relax or explore on your own. You will have lunch in your hotel before departing on your afternoon shopping tour of Lima. Your guide will take you to the famous handicraft markets where you can purchase any last minute gifts before your flight home tomorrow. You may also visit some of the fascinating art galleries in Barranco or Miraflores. Evening, farewell dinner at La Rosa Nautica. This restaurant is located on a pier on the shores of the Pacific Ocean with amazing views.
Day 13
Transfer to airport for international flight back home or overlap with another Yampu program.
Aqua
Sanctuary Lodge
Aqua Suite
