DAY 1 Friday: LIMA
Reception in the Lima airport and transfer to Carmel Hotel
or similar located in Miraflores, Lima. Depending on the
arrival time of your international flight, we may have time
to visit the Peruvian Gold Museum (not included in the rate).
DAY 2 Saturday: CUSCO
After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport where
we'll take the flight to Cusco (airfare included). Upon
arrival reception and transfer to our Orquidea Real
Hostal, followed by a few cups of mate de coca, while
you ask us any questions that you may have about the tour.
At 13:45 you will leave on the Cuzco City Tour.
This tour includes the major sites of historical interest in
Cuzco, such as the famous Inca fort at Sacsahuaman, and the
temple of the Sun. Also included in this is a tourist card,
giving you access to all the sites in the Cuzco area as a
whole (i.e., including outside of the City itself) This tour
finishes at 18:00.Overnight ( B )
DAY 3 Sunday: MACHU PICCHU
At 5:45 a.m. you will be picked up from the hotel to the
train station which leaves at 06:00 a.m. Travel will be in a
"Vistadome" Class (formerly "Autowagon"). At 09:40 a.m. you
will arrive at the Aguas Calientes Station, from where you
will take a 25 minute bus ride to the ruins of
Machu Picchu.
Once there, you will take a guided tour, with an English
speaking guide. Overnight at the Presidente Hostal or
similar in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu). (B, Box lunch)
*Optional: For lunch at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge instead
of box-lunch, add $35.00 to the tour price.
DAY 4 Monday: MACHU PICCHU
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes to continue visiting
the area and Machu Picchu (bus ticket and entrance fees not
included). At 3:05 pm we will take the Vistadome train back
to Cusco, arriving at 7:05 pm. We will stay overnight at
Orquidea Real Hostal or similar. (B)
DAY 5 Tuesday: SACRED VALLEY TOUR
At 8:45 a.m. we will depart for the Sacred Valley
tour, that includes: Bus service to the market of Pisaq,
visits the ruins of Ollantaytambo, and
the market at Chinchero. There is an English speaking guide,
and lunch in a typical restaurant in Urubamba. Of course,
throughout this trip you will have magnificent views of the
high Peruvian Andes. At 18:00 hrs you arrive back at the
Orquidea Real Hostal or similar. ( B,L )
DAY 6 Wednesday: MANU AND COCK-OF-THE-ROCK LODGE:
We pick you up by bus from your hotel, after your breakfast,
and set off for the cloud forest. We pass over two Andean
chains of almost 13,100 feet elevation through a steppe-like
landscape, or Puna. On the way we pass stone Chullpas, or
burial chambers, of the Pre-Inca Lupaca people and will hope
to catch sight of some of the bird species of the high
Andes, including the Giant Hummingbird and Mountain Caracara.
We plan on a delicious boxed lunch at the edge of the cloud
forest, Ajanaco, which if clear affords views over the cloud
forest and the vast sprawling expanse of the lowland rain
fores. From here the road suddenly descends the eastern
slope of the Andes. We plunge downwards, past remnant
patches of elfin forest, through swirling mist and cloud, to
emerge in a forest of stunted, evergreen trees, festooned
with mosses, lichens, bromeliads and other epiphytes.
Nestled in this forest within a 2-minute walk of the road,
and within earshot of a rushing mountain stream, lies the
Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, If there is time available, we will
have a chance to briefly began our exploration of the
surrounding forest before dinner. (B,Box Lunch, D)
DAY 7 Thursday: COCK OF THE ROCK LODGE - AMAZONIA
LODGE
We need to get up before sunrise to visit the lek of the
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Next, we spend some hours of the
morning searching from the road looking for cloud forest
birds, and with luck, Common Woolly Monkeys. Then continue
by bus for Atalaya. After a 3-4 hour bus ride we reach the
Alto Madre de Dios River, where we may have box lunch in
Atalaya. From here we switch over to a cargo canoe with a 55
hp or 65 HP outboard motor and continue for 10 minutes on
the Alto Madre de Dios River to Amazonia Lodge. This famous
birdwatching destination is situated in the premontane zone
at 500 meters or 1640 feet above sea level. Here it is
possible to do birding as well as general tropical wildlife
observation in a diversity of habitats like bamboo forest,
successional flood plain, hill forest and swamp within short
walking distances, without using other transportation.
Amazonia also maintains a veranda with a view of the garden
and wildlife feeders, where it is possible to see several
species of hummingbirds. This afternoon we plan a walk
around the lodge in successional flood plain, the
possibilities include the endemic Fine-barred Piculet,
Johanni’s Tody-Tyrant and Black-capped Tinamou. Finishing
the day in the mini tower in the swamp area it is possible
to see Blackish Rail, Rufous-sided Crake, the prehistoric
Hoatzin and Black-capped Donacobious. As night falls the
various bat populations emerge and the owling possibilities
include Black-banded Owl, Tawny-bellied Screch-Owl, Mottled
Owl, Long-tailed , Great and Common potoos. Dinner and
overnight Amazonia Lodge . (B, Box Lunch, D)
DAY 8 Friday: AMAZONIA LODGE - MANU WILDLIFE CENTER
You may take a small hike on the Lodge trails before leaving
early for Manu Wildlife Center. On the way we have wildlife
viewing possibilities throughout the morning until you stop
for a visit at an Indigenous Piro Indian Village. Later
after passing the entrance to the Manu National Park, we
take a break at Boca Manu. Now on the River Madre de Dios,
after traveling today approximately 6 hours by boat, you
arrive at Manu Wildlife Center. A Wildlife Center Reception
and Orientation are planned before unpacking in your private
bungalow and resting to escape the afternoon heat. Today, at
one of the top ten wildlife lodges in the world, we begin
your exploration through 48 kilometers, almost 30 miles, of
diverse forest trails. (B, Box Lunch, D)
DAY 9 Saturday: MWC - MACAW CLAY LICK / TAPIR CLAY
LICK
Rising before dawn, we take a 25 minute boat journey
downstream to the only large parrot and macaw clay lick in
the Manu area. From a floating catamaran blind we are
afforded excellent views and photo opportunities of hundreds
of medium-sized and large parrots arriving first at the lick,
followed by the large Red-and-Green Macaws arriving to eat
the clay. Please note that the clay lick is not as active in
May, June and July.
After lunch at the Center we continue to explore the forest
trails surrounding the lodge, and plan to spend the late
afternoon up a 34 meter canopy platform. Here, we watch the
last frantic activity in the rainforest canopy, or rush hour,
before night settles.
We can return for dinner back at the Center, or pack our
meal for the leisurely hike about 60-75 minutes through the
night forest to the Amazon’s largest known Tapir clay lick.
We climb up a 17 by 17 foot observation platform perched 17
feet above the lick itself where we wait for the lumbering
Tapirs to arrive, then using powerful flashlights we hope to
observe and photograph them in action. (B/L/D)
DAY 10 Sunday: MWC - EXCURSION TO COCHA BLANCO
After another early morning departure by boat and short hike
from the river, you have what promises to be an exciting
visit to Blanco Oxbow Lake. This lake has populations of a
variety of aquatic life and water birds, including the
prehistoric-looking hoatzin and the possibility to see the
resident family of giant otters.
After returning for lunch at the Center your guide is
available to further explore the forest trails for more
wildlife encounters. Alternatively, time is available to
independently practice your abilities and experience this
expanse of rainforest habitats on your own.
This evening, from the late afternoon until after Dinner, we
offer an opportunity to search for caiman and other
nocturnal life along the riverbank by boat. (B/L/D)
DAY 11 Monday: CUSCO
After early breakfast, we leave near dawn by motor canoe for
the two hour return trip to the Manu landing strip, taking
advantage of valuable early morning wildlife activity along
the river. From here you fly to Cusco, where your jungle
adventure ends . Arrival at Cusco Airport, reception and
transfer to Orquidea Real Hostal or similar. Overnight. (B)
DAY 12 Tuesday: LIMA
Transfer to the airport where you'll take the flight back to
Lima (airfare included) in time to get your international
flight connection. (B)
END OF THE SERVICE |