AMAZON CRUISE AND INCA TRAIL ADVENTURE
(12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS)

DAY 1: LIMA | INC: - Arrival to Lima, welcoming reception and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon we will have a tour through Lima's streets and plazas. Starting at the Love Park in Miraflores, with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean, and then heading to the Huaca Pucllana, ceremonial center of the Lima culture. Later we will go to San Isidro, financial center of the city to visit de Huaca Huallamarca, ancient pre-Incan shrine. After this, we go on to the Main Square where the Government Palace and the Town Hall are located. We will visit the Cathedral and explore the San Francisco convent, built in the seventeenth century, to discover the mystery of its catacombs.
Accommodation in Lima DAY 2: LIMA/CUSCO | INC: Breakfast included Transfer to the airport and flight to Cusco. On arrival, welcome reception and transfer to hotel. In the afternoon the Imperial Cusco city tour starts at the Main Square to visit the Cathedral and its valuable and beautiful colonial masterpieces such as The Cross which arrived along with the first conquistadores. Then it is time to visit the Korikancha temple, Inti God shrine, on which the Santo Domingo church was built. According to the chronicles, this temple was completely covered in gold in Inca times. After this we will visit the Sacsayhuaman Archaeological Park to explore Q'enqo, the Puma shrine, and see the sacrificial altar embedded inside a rock cave; Tambomachay and its sacred fountains of life; Puca Pucará viewpoint and watchtower which guarded the city entrance and Sacsayhuaman, an impressive fortress of colossal dimensions with rocks that are up to 4 meters tall and surrounded by beautiful views blending together perfectly.
Accommodation in Cusco DAY 3: CUSCO/SACRED VALLEY/CUSCO| INC: Breakfast & Lunch included The Sacred Valley of the Incas is waiting for you. On the way we will stop at Awanacancha, small complex to admire Andean camelids such as alpacas and llamas and learn from local inhabitants about traditional dyeing and knitting techniques. Later we will explore the Pisac Market with enough free time to go around and buy handcrafts and if you feel like tasting something traditional, stop by the wood ovens for a delicious empanada or a piece of bread.

Lunch at a local restaurant

In the afternoon, our tour continues to Ollantaytambo, a small town full of local color and inhabited since Inca times in which we will visit the main temple used as a fortress during the Inca resistance. Breathtaking views for amazing pictures. Stay in Cusco DAY 4: CUSCO/INCA TRAIL - WAYLLABAMBA | INC: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included Transfer from the hotel to the train station. The train leaves on course to the area called kilometer 82, where we will meet up with our porters and gear. We begin our trek, escorted by the porters, through a semi-arid region of crop fields and terraced hillsides, where archeological sites are scattered along the course of the Urubamba River. We will arrive at Llactapata, an Incan archeological site that always provides magnificent views of the mountains. After a rapid visit, we will say good-bye to the Urubamba Valley and continue onwards through the Kusichaca River Valley until reaching our first campsite: Huayllabamba (at roughly 3000 m).

Km 82 - Llactapata: 5 km / roughly 3 hours
Km 82 - Huayllabamba: 11 km / roughly 6 hours DAY 5: WAYLLABAMBA - PACAYMAYO | INC: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included After a delicious breakfast, we will begin our ascent to the Warmiwayñusca Pass (4200 m). A small flight of stone stairs will take us to the top of the pass that is dominated by the cold winds of the puna and the majestic vista of the surrounding mountains. From here, it is possible to see the path that we will descend to the Runkurakay ruins. At the end of a gorge, we will stop at a place called Pacaymayo (3600 m), our second camp. Huayllabamba - Pacaymayo: 7 km / roughly 7 hours DAY 6: PACAYMAYO - WIÑAYWAYNA | INC: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included We will depart from Pacaymayo along a short, zigzagging, ascending path that will take us to the circular ruins of Runkurakay. There is almost no sign of human life in this region where cloud forests and rugged mountains rule. After a break to catch our breath, we will start descending by way of a section of the Inka Trail in an excellent state of preservation. After passing through several segments where the pathway is perfectly paved with flagstones, we will reach the steps leading to the Sayacmarca ruins (3620 m). From here, the trail definitely moves off into the jungle, and so do we, continuing through bamboo and unca tree forests towards the ruins of Phuyupatamarca. The trail passes by Lake Seco and, after some ascents and descents, we will arrive at El Tunel, a natural cavity produced by a landslide but developed by the Incas. The Inca Trail, with its well defined borders, continues through moss covered hills. After crossing a small pass, we will see a steep flight of stairs and, at the bottom, the Phuyupatamarca ceremonial center (3650 m). As we walk down the trail, we will see the Urubamba Valley and River. The trail will take us to the lovely ruins of Wiñay Wayna (2650 m), the most important after Machu Picchu and our last campsite.

Pacaymayo - Phuyupatamarca: 7 km / roughly 6 hours
Phuyupatamarca - Wiñaywayna: 4 Km / roughly 3 hours DAY 7: WIÑAYWAYNA - CUSCO| INC: Breakfast included We will break camp early in the morning and head off towards the Inti Punku or Gateway of the Sun (2740 m), the last pass on the trail. From this point, Machu Picchu (2450 m) is a surreal and marvelous site. The rest of the day is set aside for visiting the city. Afterwards, we will board the train at the Aguas Calientes Station to return to Cusco. Transfer to the hotel.

Winaywayna - Machu Picchu: 5 km / roughly 4 hours
Phuyupatamarca - Machu Picchu: 9 km / roughly 7 hours DAY 8: CUSCO - LIMA - IQUITOS | INC: Breakfast included Departure transfer to the airport to board your flight back to Lima and connect flight with Iquitos

AQUA 4D/3N

3:30 p.m. Flight from Lima LP 382
In just an hour and 45 minutes you will be deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon region.

5:15 p.m. Arrival
Your guides await you, as your flight from Lima glides in for landing at Iquitos International Airport. After you've claimed your luggage, you will board an air-conditioned bus for your journey to the river.

5:40 p.m. Transfer to Iquitos' main wharf
There the luxurious M/V Aqua, your home for the next three nights, awaits you.

6:00 p.m. Embarkation and check-in
From the moment you step on board, you will enjoy the M/V Aqua's atmosphere of low-key luxury. As you settle into your handsomely appointed over-sized suite, you will feel the vessel begin to move; the beginning of one of the great adventures of your life. Stand on the Upper Deck to take in the view, as the M/V Aqua leaves Iquitos behind.

Over the next three days, you will also sail along the largest tributaries of the Amazon, as well as on the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a spectacular adventure, to a place visited by only a few of even the most experienced world travelers.

7:30 p.m. Safety Drill and Briefing on the Top Deck
Before dinner we will perform a routine safety drill. Then it's into the air-conditioned lounge, where you will learn about life onboard, and will have the first of the nightly briefings about your adventure to follow. You will meet the naturalist guides and the cruise director, who will use video, photos, and maps to explain the details of your adventure to follow.

8:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner
Sit down, relax, sample some South fine American wine, and enjoy the truly world-class cuisine, created by Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is one of the best in all of Lima. Schiaffino's recipes, with their imaginative use of local products - fruit, fish, spices - make every meal a delightful adventure. (The menu always offers choices, including a vegetarian option.) Toast the beginning of a beautiful journey.)

Perhaps enjoy a nightcap on the Upper Deck, under the stars, before retiring. Day 9: AMAZON/TAHUAYO RIVERS/CHARO LAKE/YACAPANA ISLANDS INC: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included

6:30 a.m. See the Sun Rise Over the River
Be up early to catch your first glimpse of the majestic Amazon River, as you watch the sun rise over this green world filled with wonderful wildlife. This initial contact with Amazonia is only a brief sampling of what the rest of your journey will hold.

8:00 a.m. Breakfast
Our sumptuous daily breakfast buffet features a wide choice of traditional breakfast egg dishes, Peruvian specialties, and fresh-squeezed juices, made from tropical fruits you've never tasted before.

9:15 a.m. Tahuayo River Exploration and Fishing Trip at Charo Lake
This morning it's back aboard our comfortable excursion skiffs for your first adventure, traveling from the Amazon through the Huaysi short-cut canal to explore the Tahuayo blackwater river. Life jackets, ponchos, rubber boots, and plenty of cold potable water will always be available for you on board the skiffs. As we float down the Tahuayo, occasional fishermen paddling their dug-out canoes will give us a cheerful greeting. Keep your binoculars ready to spot a vast variety of wildlife: terns, orioles, blackbirds, black collared hawks, monkeys, and sloth share this wonderful environment with us. Upon arrival at Charo Lake, you can bait your hooks to try to catch one of Amazonia's fearsome piranhas (and other fish as well). As you fish, trained guides will also tell you the story of the lake and its inhabitants.

11:30 a.m. Return to the M/V Aqua
Icy cold towels await you, as you transfer from your skiffs into the M/V Aqua. As the vessel continues up the Amazon River, you have some time to relax, or perhaps even take a nap, before lunch.

12:30 p.m. Lunch
Enjoy lighter mid-day fare in our air-conditioned dining room.

4:00 p.m. Yacapana Islands Exploration and Dolphin Sighting
Locals call the Yacapana Islands the "Iguana Islands," because of the huge population of these reptiles-like tiny dinosaurs-crawling over the ground and resting in the tree tops. We will pass by in the skiff, giving you a chance to snap good photos. As the sun sets, you will have the once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to see and photograph both gray and pink freshwater dolphins. The people of the believe that these dolphins turn into humans to steal handsome men or pretty women from their villages during celebrations.

6:30 p.m. To the Headwaters
We will return to the M/V Aqua vessel and continue our journey upstream, toward the headwaters of the Amazon River, where the Ucayali, Marañon, and the Amazon Rivers merge.

Perhaps sip a pre-dinner Camu-Camu Sour on the Upper Deck, while you watch the sun set.

8:00 p.m. Dinner Day 10: MARAÑON RIVER/PACAYA-SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE (YANAYACU-PUCATE) INC: Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner included 6:30 a.m. Breakfast

7:30 a.m. Guided Jungle Walk in the primary forest
This morning your Naturalist Guide will tell you all about sustainable resource management projects in Amazonia, and will take you to one of these projects, where villagers are planting palms to obtain oil. Your Guide may also show you the artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs. Then we will take you deep into the jungle, where you will encounter wildlife and learn first-hand about the important medicinal value of many jungle plants. We will also show you famous Kapok Trees (ceiba pentandra), the tallest trees in the Amazon Basin.

12:00 p.m. Return to the M/V Aqua

12:30 p.m. Lunch, followed by a Siesta

3:30 p.m. Monkey,Dolphin and Caiman Expedition
In this late afternoon skiff excursion, you are likely to see howler and capuchin monkeys, the squirrel-sized monkeys called tamarins, and a vast variety of birds. You are also apt to see the two different kinds of freshwater dolphins-including the unusual pink ones-found in the Amazon. Later, keep your eyes directed toward the jungle canopy, where you can spot at least several kinds of primates-some of the 13 species of monkeys resident in the National Park. Perhaps you will catch a glimpse of tamarins and dusky titi monkeys, as well as pigmy marmoset monkeys. Watch for alligators, and keep your binoculars at the ready, as you are likely to see more than 200 species of birds. As the sun sets and our searchlight comes on, keep your eyes out for caimans, tree boas, tarantulas, and frogs.

7:30 p.m. Arrive at the M/V Aqua. Enjoy a hot shower and a cool drink, before heading to the dining room. The M/V Aqua will start to sail downstream on the Marañon River, back toward the headwaters of the Amazon.

8:30 p.m. Dinner Day 11: YUCURUCHE LAKE / BIRTHPLACE OF THE AMAZON / PUERTO PRADO VILLAGE VISIT / IQUITOS INC: Breakfast & Lunch included 6:30 a.m. Ucayali River and Yucuruche Lake
Rise early and be on your skiff at 6:30 AM. This morning your skiffs we take you along the Ucayali River to Yucuruche Lake, where we will walk a little way into the jungle to see the world's largest aquatic plant-the giant water lilies or "Victoria Regias."

Bring your cameras. You will be one of a very small number of people who have ever seen these luxuriant plants bloom.

8:30 a.m. Breakfast

9:15 a.m. Birthplace of the Amazon/Puerto Prado Village
This morning, the M/V Aqua skirts the edges of the vast Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, a flooded forest covering five million acres at the headwaters of the Amazon basin. We board the skiffs to view one of the great spectacles of the Southern Hemisphere: the birthplace of the Amazon River. Here two major tributaries-the Ucayali and the Marañon-unite to form the world's greatest waterway. Here, you will experience nature at its most dramatic. Your morning excursion will be accompanied by abundant bird song, as you glide in small boats past river banks populated by large-billed terns, laughing falcons, gray tanagers, sandpipers, five kinds of parakeets, the exotic short-tailed parrot, and dozens of other birds.

We will then travel by skiff to Puerto Prado native village, where you will get to know the hospitable Cocama Indians. They will share their culture, traditions, and folklore with you and you will have the opportunity to purchase some of their delightful folk art and crafts.

11:00 a.m. Return to the M/V Aqua

11:40 a.m. Lunch
Share a last lunch with your fellow passengers, before preparing for your onward journey.

1:15 p.m. Disembarkation/Manatee Rescue Center/Transfer to the Airport
Before we head for the airport, we will take you to visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people. 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.

4:30 p.m. Check-in at Iquitos International Airport
Your guides will help you with check-in, and will stay with you until you have boarded your flight back to Lima.

5:50 p.m. Your Flight Departs for Lima LP 383

Upon arrival, meet and transfer to your hotel
Accommodation in Lima Day 12: LIMA INC: Breakfast included At arranged time, transfer to the airport to board your international flight
End of our services.

Highlights: LIMA, CUSCO, CAMINO INCA, IQUITOS (AQUA)

*Based on two people sharing double room.