Amantani 1 (Lima to La Paz)

Day 1 to 1

Arrive Lima

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. The tour begins in Lima, Peru’s capital. Lima was founded by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535, after he eradicated the Incas and made the city his capital. Lima has many fine colonial buildings and some of the best museums in South America including the Gold Museum, Museum of the Inquisition and the slightly creepy Catacombs below the San Francisco Church. Peru’s capital has much to offer and many of the sights, including the city’s two main squares the Plaza de Armas and Plaza San Martin, are within easy walking distance. The Plaza de Armas houses the cathedral, Municipal Palace and Presidential Palace where the changing of the guard can be seen every day at 12 noon. If you want more time to explore Lima properly you may wish to allow a few extra days before the beginning of your tour.

Day 2 to 3

Amazon Jungle -Cuzco

Today our Tucan Travel rep will transfer you to the airport for your short flight to the jungle community of Puerto Maldonado, our starting point to visit the Amazon rainforest. If you choose not to visit the Amazon Jungle you will have free time in Cuzco and a portion of your tour cost will be deducted (see our brochure for prices). In Puerto Maldonado you can pick up any last minute drinks or snacks in the busy markets and shops. The first leg of our journey is by bus followed by motorised canoe, a 30km journey along the river (approx 3 hours total). The canoes are very safe and lifejackets are supplied. Arriving at the lodge you will be allocated a bungalow. They are constructed from local timbers with thatched roofs in the traditional way of the jungle, with mosquito netting over the beds & with basic private bathroom facilities. Due to the remoteness of the lodge there is no hot water and drinking water should be purchased. There is also no electricity so in the evening the lodge is lit by oil lamps and candles. Other facilities include a welcoming reception area with friendly staff  dining room, bar facilities, a library/learning area and football field!  All excursions are led by English speaking local guides who specialise in biology and ecology. After settling in on the first day our jungle program begins. You will have plenty of time to enjoy marvellous jungle landscapes and rich diversity of flora and fauna. It is possible to see a great variety of monkeys such as the ‘maquisapa’, black and white ‘Martins’, ‘Leoncito de la Selva’ (Little lions), ‘Frailes’ (Friars), ‘Achuñis’, ‘Ronsocos’  as well as an array of birdlife. In the evenings it is often possible to enjoy the wonderful sunset, one of the most impressive sights of the forest (weather permitting). This evening we take a canoe ride in search of Caiman and other nocturnal wildlife along the river’s edge. We then return to the lodge for dinner and maybe a relaxing drink. After an early breakfast we will set off on a trek through the rainforest to Oxbow lake. On the way our guide will stop to show you various species of bird and explain the medicinal plants and delicate ecological systems of the Amazon Jungle. Oxbow lake has almost transparent waters surrounded by wide marshes and giant trees. We take a short canoe ride observing caiman and the abundant bird life. We may also catch a glimpse of the rare giant otter. Afterwards we will enjoy the view of the lake from our viewing point, observing the parrots, guacamayos, toucans, camungos, shanshos, herons, turtles and caiman (alligators). Then we will return to the lodge for a well deserved lunch and a short siesta to pass the heat of the day. This evening our guide will take us on a short night walk to listen to the sounds and sights of the jungle in the twilight. (All excursions are weather permitting and itineraries may be changed slightly due to local conditions). On the final day we awake to the sounds of the jungle before departing this jungle haven and returning to Puerto Maldonado for our flight on to Cuzco, where you have the rest of the day free to explore this fascinating ancient capital. The next day you are free to explore. Alternatively you may choose to tour the Sacred Valley of the Incas. There are many optional excursions and activities available in Cuzco such as white water rafting, horse riding, mountain biking, canoeing, and shopping (make sure you bargain!). This evening those who are trekking to Machu Picchu will have a briefing to prepare for the next few days and there will be an early departure the following morning. This evening those who are trekking to Machu Picchu will have a briefing to prepare for the next few days and there will be an early departure the following morning.

Day 4 to 5

Cuzco

The spectacular scenery continues with Inca terracing on the steep hillsides and incredible views in every direction. The landscape gradually becomes greener as we get closer to the former Inca capital of Cuzco, which means ‘’navel of the earth’’ in the Inca Quechua language. This enchanting city has a mostly indigenous population of around 300,000 and is centred around the Plaza de Armas, which is dominated by the cathedral and La Compañia de Jesus Church and its cloistered arcades, which house many fine restaurants, bars and shops. Cuzco has a number of very interesting churches, such as the cathedral, which houses nearly 400 colonial paintings. The collection includes the Last Supper by Marcos Zapata which depicts Christ and the Apostles dining on guinea-pig, and drinking chicha. Cuzco’s many fine colonial buildings and picturesque streets often feature Inca walls, arches and doorways.

Day 6 to 9

Inca Trail (or free time)Cuzco

Please ask your agent or download our ‘Inca Trail Information Sheet’ or ‘Lares Trek Sheet’ for a day to day itinerary of your trek. The Lost City of Machu Picchu was originally completely self-contained, surrounded by agricultural terraces sufficient to feed the population, and watered by natural springs. Located high above the fast flowing Urubamba River, the cloud shrouded ruins have palaces, baths, temples, storage rooms and some 150 houses, all in a remarkable state of preservation that will simply take your breath away. The ruins were only discovered by the outside world in 1911, when American explorer Hiram Bingham found them while looking for another “lost city” called Vilcabamba. Due to their isolation many of the buildings are still quite intact and you can’t help but admire Huayna Picchu (“Young Mountain”), which towers above the ruins. It is a hard climb to the top of the mountain (it takes about 50 minutes) but you are rewarded with spectacular views over the whole site.

Day 10 to 12

Puno -Amantani & Taquile Islands

Leaving Cuzco, we’ll drive along roads abundant with herds of llamas, alpacas and vicuñas before reaching the Altiplano (high plain) where our journey takes us past hot mineral pools, snow capped mountains and through villages where local Indians sell food, fur hats and alpaca sweaters. At the highest point, the La Raya pass at 4,321 metres, you can see a research station for high altitude animals. The beautiful scenery continues all the way to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca located at 3,855 metres above sea level – the highest navigable lake in the world. We visit the floating reed islands in the Bay of Puno to see the Uros Indian’s way of life and you can ride in a traditional reed boat (optional) before continuing our boat journey to the island of Amantaní. Here we enjoy the hospitality of the native Aymara/Quechua Indian families and sleep in their homes for the night. The next morning we visit Taquile, where the men stand around knitting distinctive woollen hats while the women work the fields. You can buy some of these unique handicrafts in the local co-operative shops. After lunch we board our boat for the return journey to Puno.

Day 13 to 14

Puno -Depart La Paz

We take a scenic drive around the lake to the border town of Desaguadero where we will change money before crossing into Bolivia. We’ll visit the celebrated ruins of Tiahuanaco, which date back as far as 1,600 BC and are renowned for the Gate of the Sun, an underground temple, plus the Acapana Pyramid and its six magnetic pillars. On leaving this site we drive through adobe villages before we descend towards Bolivia’s capital, experiencing breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains as the road winds its way down into La Paz the highest capital city in the world at 3,636 metres. Built on a series of hills and considered one of the world’s most beautiful cities, La Paz is built in the basin of a canyon with the snow-capped Mount Illimani in the background. Our hotel is very centrally located and is just around the corner from the city’s colourful Indian street markets including the fascinating and suitably named "witches market’’, where women in bowler-hats and colourful flared skirts sell such items as dead cats and llamas foetuses said to ward off evil spirits. The main square, Plaza Murillo, is also within walking distance. The square still retains its colonial buildings including the Presidential Palace. La Paz is possibly the best place to experience a traditional peña show of Andean music and dance where local bands play time-honoured instruments such as zampoñas (pipes) and charangos (ukulele). There are also many optional excursions available if you are staying on for a few extra days. Check out the Moon Valley with its strange rock formations shaped by the weather or take in the incredible views from Mount Chacaltaya and the world's highest ski resort at 5,221metres. Another fantastic excursion is to Coroico, the gateway to the Bolivian jungle region and a great place to see sub-tropical vegetation and plants. En-route you will cross a 5,000 metre high pass before descending to 1,300 metres on narrow mountain roads bordered by sheer drops. The excursion to Coroico can also be done by mountain bike, as it is downhill nearly all the way and very exhilarating, but not for the fainthearted! Our tour concludes after breakfast on day 14.