DAY 1 LIMA
Pick up upon arrival at Lima’s airport and transportation
to the hotel. Overnight (No meals)
DAY 2 PUERTO MALDONADO
Early breakfast and pick up to go to the airport for your flight
to Puerto Maldonado (airfare not included).
Transfer from Puerto Maldonado airport to the river port on the
Madre de Dios River. A 25 minutes journey down the Madre de Dios
River by motor canoe brings you to the riverside trailhead to
Sandoval Lake Lodge. From here the trail takes you on a 2-miles
(3,2-kilometers) walk through secondary forest, until we reach
a small canal where we board canoes and are paddled 220 yards
(201 meters) through a flooded forest of 100-foot (30-meters)
tall Mauritia palms. As the canal opens onto the shimmering surface
of the lake, we transfer to a catamaran and are leisurely paddled
across half the lake to the lodge.
After lunch and a brief rest to avoid the early afternoon heat,
we will learn about the history of the lodge and the philosophy
of its founders. Then we once again board the catamaran and set
off to explore the entire west end of the lake. Here, in the flooded
palm forest we drift to the sounds of hundreds of Red-Bellied
Macaws as they return to the palm forest for the night. This macaw
species is found locally in parts of the Amazon, always living
in flooded palm forests such as the beautiful palm stand at Sandoval
Lake. At 500-800 birds, this flock of macaws at Sandoval Lake
is currently the largest reported in the world for this highly-specialized
macaw.
As night falls we will look for the large and extremely rare
Black Caimans. If it is a clear starlit night, we will also be
able to float in the middle of the lake to marvel at the brilliance
of the sky and listen to the sounds of the forest.
We return to the lodge for a short video or slide presentation
and dinner. At any point, you could step out from the bar to admire
the wide variety of nocturnal moths, beetles and praying mantis
attracted to our black light in the lodge clearing.
For those with lots of energy, our guide will take us on a short
night-walk into the forest behind the lodge. (B, L,D).
DAY 3 SANDOVAL LAKE
A pre-dawn wake-up call will enable us to be on the lake for sunrise
and a hopeful encounter with the family of Giant Otters who frequent
the lake and are most active at this time of day. Sandoval Lake
offers abundant wildlife including over 40 species of birds resident
to its lake margins, most of the fish-eating water birds around
the lake actively fish in the early morning as well, and this
outing should provide excellent views, of the prehistoric- looking
Hoatzins, These are easy to observe and also photograph from the
paddled canoes or catamarans.
After returning for a late breakfast we set off into the cool
under story of the tall virgin forest near the lake to see some
towering wild Brazil Nut trees and a demonstration of how our
hosts collect, open and commercialize this important natural product.
After lunch and an hour or so to relax we once again board the
catamaran to explore the eastern part of the lake, where we might
see one or more of the five species of monkeys who live in the
forest near the lake, such as the Brown Capuchin Monkey and Squirrel
Monkey.
Before dinner we will again enjoy an informative natural history
video or slide presentation. We will leave after dinner to try
and spot some Black Caimans on the lake, or to go on a short night
walk through the primary forest. (B,L,D)
DAY 4 RAINFOREST
After a dawn breakfast, we will cross the lake by catamaran and
take a short walk into the interior of the Mauritia palm forest
to stand beneath and closely view the impressive morning congregations,
this place has a very interesting concentration of parrots, parakeets
and large and small macaws that can be observed using dead Mauritia
palm trees, some of them are resident nesters (Yellow headed Parrot,
Mealy Parrot, Blue headed Parrot, Scarlet Macaw, blue and Yellow
Macaw, Red and Green Macaw, Chestnut fronted Macaw, Dusky headed
Parakeet, Red bellied Macaw, Cobalt winged Parakeet, Tui Parakeet).
Returning from the macaw show we will cross the lake to explore
a primary forest trail and admire the impressive ancient rainforest
trees and lianas with our knowledgeable resident naturalist guide.
As we walk, the forest will be brought to life as your guide explains
the ecology of the rainforest and its diverse flora and fauna.
We return for lunch, and then there is an optional rest for those
who would like to escape the early afternoon heat. For those still
full of energy, there is an option to independently explore some
of the forest trails using our trail map. You might stroll through
our medicinal plant garden or watch hummingbirds visiting the
nectar feeders, or the tanagers visiting our fruit feeders.
In the cooler late afternoon we will once again board the catamaran
to explore the eastern end of the lake, and hopefully experience
a spectacular sunset over the lake before returning to the lodge
for dinner. For some people, an alternative afternoon activity
would be to relax on benches inside the forest perched above a
clear running stream in which a variety of bathing hummingbirds
and forest birds visit.
After dinner, there is a final chance to look for Black Caiman
on the lake, or to go on a short night hike through the forest.
(B,L,D)
DAY 5 PUERTO MALDONADO - CUSCO
After early breakfast we leave near dawn and we take a final,
shorter paddle around the west end of the lake to try and glimpse
the Giant Otters before returning by motor canoe for the 35 minutes
return trip to the Puerto Maldonado Airport, taking advantage
of valuable early morning wildlife activity along the river. From
here you fly to Cusco (airfare not included). Upon arrival to
Cusco Airport. Reception and transportation to the Hotel where
you will receive an aromatic coca tea to stimulating for the height,
will have the day to rest and also we suggest you have a light
lunch in either your hotel or in one of the surrounded; in the
afternoon we will depart on a City tour (entrance to the archaeological
centers and museums including) we will visit the Main square,
Cathedral, the Koricancha (temple of the sun) and in addition
we will make a route bordering archaeological centers like Sacsayhuaman
Fortress, Q'enko, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, tour finishes 6:30pm
approximately at the main square in order you can take dinner
in one of the exquisite restaurants in the area, then overnight.
(B)
*Optional Buffet Dinner with Folkloric Show: Adding $24 per person
DAY 6 FULL DAY SACRED VALLEY TOUR
Breakfast. You will be picked up at 8:15 am. Full day excursion
to the Urubamba Valley visiting: the colorful Indian market in
Pisac where a mixture of color and tradition will be able appreciated
besides will have a good opportunity to try our bargain skills
on the free time to interact with the local craftsmen to purchase
their hand-made souvenirs. The Valley has a distance of 31 km
(19 miles) of Cusco, and an altitude of 2,970 ms (9,700 p), Pisac
is located to the entrance of the Sacred Valley and followed by
Ollantaytambo, the older town continuously occupied of the American
continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their
channels that have not varied from the time Inca, evoke their
ancestral inheritance, lunch in a typical restaurant and then
the last visit will be to Chinchero market.
Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow.
Its major claim to tourism is its colorful Sunday market which
is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac. At the
end, return to Cusco main square at 6:30pm approx.
The night is free for you to eat in a restaurant of your choice;
although we always have plenty of suggestions for you should you
require them. (B, L)
Note: Take this tour on market days: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
Bilingual Guided tour on different days
DAY 7 FULL DAY MACHUPICCHU TOUR
Early breakfast and pickup to go the train station to depart to
Machu Picchu, the trip takes about 4 hours. During the trip we
will have an amazing view of the landscapes of the Sacred Valley
of Urubamba and the Amazon rainforest providing you a small hint
of how much Peru has to offer. Upon arrival to the little town
of Aguas Calientes you will have to approach the bus station towards
the “Ciudadela of Machu Picchu” (Only 20 minutes ride)
to receive a professional guided tour by this Huge Historical
Sanctuary follow by some free time to explore the zone on your
own and then take your buffet lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary
Lodge restaurant (included), an according time, we will go down
to the Aguas Calientes town to return to Cusco City. Reception
at the train station and transfer to your accommodation (B,L).
DAY 8 CUSCO - PUNO
Early breakfast and transfer to the bus station so you can take
the ride to Puno. Depart Cusco on guided bus to Puno, visiting
on the route picturesque towns and archeological sites such as
Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, Sicuani, La Raya and Pukara. Lunch included.
Afternoon arrival in Puno, reception and transfer to your accommodation.
Overnight at the hotel.(B,L)
(*) Additional fare if travelling by train. Ask for availability.
DAY 9 UROS AND TAQUILE ISLANDS
You will be picked up from your hotel at 6:30 a.m., to go to the
port of Puno to take a tourist motor boat and to direct towards
the wonders floating islands of the Uros. After a 2 hour motorboat
ride, you will arrive at the Uros island in the Titikaka lake.
Fishermen and hunters inhabit the floating islands of the Uros.
The residents of the Uros are known as the “water tribe”,
because they must construct its own Islands periodically, adding
new layers of totora reeds, which grows in the lake, to create
the conditions that ensure the islands stay afloat. The dense
roots that the plants develop support the island. The roofs are
waterproof and the houses are extremely humid because of the surrounding
water.
They used it as home and trade centers for the natives, who use
hand-made boats of the same material as their means of transportation.
At present, they speak Quechua and Aymara. Following this exciting
tour, you will be led to the Island of Taquile, , place where
the form of typical and rustic experience was appraised, the place
is colorful and landscaping, where they even maintain its customs,
ritual, religious and folkloric traditions, in the town of Taquile
we will taste a typical lunch with fresh fish (trout). There is
also a craft fair on the plaza that sells exceptional wool goods
which are of very fine quality and somewhat expensive. Taquile
Island is famous for its craft production, particularly for its
beautiful textiles. The island is narrow at about 1 Km. wide and
6 to 7 Km. long. The visit could be exhausting because of the
altitude (13,000 ft above sea level). On Taquile there are numerous
pre-Inca and Inca ruins as well as Inca terracing. We will return
in Puno in the afternoon, overnight (B,L)
DAY 10 SILLUSTANI - LIMA
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima
(airfare NOT included). On the route to the airport, we will visit
at the Sillustani Chullpas (pre-Colombian funeral towers). The
scenery is desert but impressive, in a beautiful setting on a
peninsula on Ayumara lake about 32 Km. from Puno. Most of the
towers date from the period of Inca occupation in the 15th century;
the engineering involved in their construction is more complex
than anything the Incas built. Upon arrival Lima’s airport,
reception and transfer to the hotel and overnight (B)
DAY 11 TRANSFER OUT
Transfer to the airport for your international flight and end
of the services (B)
END OF SERVICES |
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Jungle lodge
Accommodations
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