Peru Family Tour: Peru Highlights Tour

Arrival in Lima, reception and transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to Cuzco.
Reception and transfer to your hotel. Free day at leisure to relax and acclimatise to the high altitude.

Meals: B

After breakfast, a guided visit of the four ruins nearby; the Sacsayhuaman Fortress overlooking the city of Cuzco, a pre Inca architectural masterpiece; Kenko, a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is the monolithic altar representing a puma, the red Fortress of Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay, a beautiful fountain fed by a spring forming a series of basins continue to the city of Cuzco; the Main Square, the Cathedral and the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun. Return to your hotel. Dinner & folkloric show.

Meals: B & D

Full-day excursion to the Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visit the village of Pisac, founded during Colonial times. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays the Indians barter their products, and artisans from all over the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions and jewellery. On Sundays, it is also the meeting place for the local Mayors of the region, who come dressed in their traditional costumes, to attend morning mass. After a buffet lunch, a visit to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca town which is still inhabited. Explore the ruins above Ollantaytambo before returning to Cuzco via the traditional market town of Chinchero. Return to your hotel.

Meals: B & L

An early transfer to the railway station in Poroy for the 6.30 am train to Aguas Calientes. Arrival to Aguas Calientes and transfer to the bus terminal for the short ride (25 minutes) up to Machu Picchu. You will arrive in time for a guided group visit of the most spectacular ancient city in the world. This fabulous city contains houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square; and all connected by narrow roads and steps that are surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side. After the tour, free time to enjoy this spiritual wonder. Opportunity for a guided trek (approx 1 hour) up to the sungate (Intipunku), which is a part of the Inca Trail, for a magical view of the sanctuary or alternatively an unguided climb to the top of Wayna Picchu, with a magnificent view of the whole Sanctuary (recommended for fit individuals only). Lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. Return to the site before transfer down to your hotel in Aguas Calientes. Dinner and accommodation.

Meals: B, L & D

Opportunity to return to the sanctuary for a more personal appreciation of the Eighth wonder of the world. Return in the afternoon to Aguas Calientes before returning by train to Cuzco and transfer to your hotel.

Meals: B

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Reception and transfer to the Tambopata river port in Puerto Maldonado. Puerto Maldonado is situated at the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata Rivers. Its principal activities are gold mining, Brazil nut collecting, timber extraction, agriculture and ecotourism. After a brief survey of the town you will depart on a 1 hour ride via Infierno road, followed by a 30 minute boat journey by motorized canoe to your lodge. Depending upon your arrival time, you will have a boxed lunch aboard the boats or have lunch upon arrival at the lodge. During your voyage you may see bird such as: Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers. After arrival, you will unpack and unwind. A short orientation and a complete briefing on the lodge before your afternoon activity, a short trek into the Amazon Rainforest. Return for dinner.

Meals: B, L & D

Early wake at dawn for a visit to an oxbow lake. After an early breakfast, departure fifteen minutes from the lodge by boat followed by a 30 minute walk to the lake shore. From here you will take a long, easy canoe ride around the lake looking for giant river otters, turtles, hoatzin, and wading birds. The giant river otters that are seen here belong to a resident family of nine. Return to the lodge for lunch before embarking on your afternoon outing inot the rainforest. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Optional night walk to look for amphibians and insects

Meals: B, L & D

After an early breakfast a visit to the nearby clay licks. Only a ten minute walk from the lodge, but next to the river. The variety of parrots that visit this clay lick is considerably different than the one inside the forest that you will visit later in the day. Some of the large macaws, like the red and green macaw, and larger parrots, like mealy and yellow crowned Amazons visit this lick, as well as the smaller parrots and parakeets. From the blind that is constructed next to this lick, great pictures can be taken of these wonderful birds. You will also have a good opportunity to spot other wildlife, as active at this time of the day is the highest in the jungle. When the activity dies down, you will visit a small parakeet clay lick that is a 45 minute walk away. Dozens and sometimes hundreds of Blue Headed Parrots, Orange-Cheeked Parrots, Cobalt-winged parakeets, and sometimes even the rare Rock Parakeet congregate here on clear days to ingest the clay. This congregation creates a riotous and colourful wildlife spectacle where the greens, oranges, reds and blues of the parrots dance around the bank. At times, this spectacle can last for hours. After lunch, you will have a walk through a trail in primary forest with a community member and your naturalist guide who will explain general aspects of rain forest ecology and natural history, each with their own contrasting viewpoint. Return to the lodge.

Meals: B, L & D

After an early breakfast, depart by boat back to the city of Puerto Maldonado, directly to the airport, for your return flight back to Lima. Reception and transfer to your hotel.

Meals: B

After breakfast, option of a city tour before transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

Meals: B