PERÚ: COAST, ANDES & AMAZON

DAY 1 – LIMA

¡Welcome to Perú! Free day in the City of Kings. 

Once your plane lands on Peruvian soil, one of our Andina Amazónica hosts will be waiting for you at the airport to assist you and transfer you to your hotel in the famous “City of Kings.” Before dropping you off at your hotel, the Andina Amazónica host will give you all the information you need about the city, as well as tips and suggestions so that if you decide to explore on your own, you can do so with confidence and safety. We will contact you upon your arrival, take care of your transfer in our private van, and make sure you can relax and enjoy your stay in Peru.

 

DAY 2 – LIMA

Historic center of Lima and the Museum Larco Herrera.   

Tour around the historic center of Lima and the best museum in South America: Museo Larco Herrera.  After a well-deserved rest and a delicious breakfast at the hotel, at the agreed time with our professional Andina Amazónica guide, we will first take you to explore the lively Miraflores neighborhood, with its romantic views of our coastline and beautiful boardwalk, to take a break and, if you’re lucky, you may see some surfers and paragliders flying overhead.

Then we will head to one of the most traditional neighborhoods in Lima, the neighborhood of Pueblo Libre, where our famous Larco Herrera Museum is located. It is considered the best museum in all of South America for the archaeological pieces it houses, pieces with the largest collection of pre-Columbian artifacts in the country, all of these objects made from clay, to extensive collections made from gold and silver. It also has an entire gallery dedicated to the famous “Erotic Guacos” collection, an exquisite collection that represents the veneration and worship of male and female fertility. Visiting this museum is the best way to introduce you to the beginnings of the Inca culture, a prelude to everything you will see and visit throughout Peru, to better understand how it originated and became a great empire in South America.

After the visit, we will offer you a delicious lunch on the vine-covered terrace of the museum café, a restaurant where you will have the opportunity to enjoy delicious dishes from our beautiful Lima. After lunch, our host or professional Andean Amazonian guide will take you to the heart of the “City of Kings,” where you will visit the Plaza Mayor with its presidential palace, the Convent of San Francisco—including the underground catacombs—and the Casa Aliaga, considered the oldest mansion in the Western Hemisphere and still owned and inhabited by the 17th generation of the Aliaga family.

Ending the visit on a high note, we will take you to a well-known restaurant awarded Michelin stars in our country, one considered for two consecutive years as the best restaurant in the world and the other as the best restaurant in the world in 2025, the famous Central or Maido.

 

DAY 3 – LIMA – NAZCA LINES – HUACACHINA

Flying over the enigmatic lines + Buggy & Sandboarding. 

On this day, refreshed with lots of energy and eager to learn, our Andina Amazonica host will pick you up from your hotel to begin the journey south of Lima, approximately a 4-hour trip to the airfield in the town of Nazca. Along the way, driving along the Peruvian coastline, you will be able to enjoy the views of our arid coastline and pass through different towns that were originally demographic invasions. Your expert guide will be able to give you all the information about what you will see along the way until you arrive in Nazca to board the plane for your flight over the famous “Nazca Lines.” drawn more than 2,000 years ago. The Nazca Lines were created in the town of the same name, located in the western desert of the Peruvian coast. The real purpose of these lines and the exact date on which they were made are still unknown, remaining a mystery to humanity to this day. One theory suggests that they may have been made for astronomical purposes and to worship all the constellations. After our professional Andina Amazonica guide explains it to you in more detail and takes you on a journey through time with stories and theories about these lines, you will be able to draw your own conclusions about the reason for these unique markings. in this part of the world. The flight takes approximately 90 minutes. Once we land, we will head to our private transport to go to the famous and beautiful Huacachina Oasis, where our next adventure of the day begins on wheels. With our buggy, we will travel through the beautiful dunes for endless fun. But that’s not all! we will be waiting for you for the next activity, sandboarding, where we will slide downhill, taming the waves of sand and dodging the difficulties on it.

After marveling at the aerial view of the famous lines and having so much fun in our sea of sand, we will take you to lunch at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the sea, but first we will have to drive for about 40 more minutes to arrive just in time to enjoy the dishes that await you and rest in your beautiful hotel overlooking the sea. Don’t forget to marvel at the sunset by the sea, an unmissable experience.

 

DAY 4 – PARACAS – BALLESTAS ISLANDS – LIMA

Biodiversity in the Paracas Nature Reserve. 

Another incredible day, this time enjoying what is known as the “Mini Galapagos in Peru,” due to the biodiversity of marine birdlife and incredible coastal landscapes in a completely different location far from the mainland. The Ballestas Islands are considered a jewel of the Peruvian coastline due to their natural formation eroded by the sea and the large number of birds that visit them.

On this day, your Andina Amazonica host will meet you to take you to the port on the Paracas Peninsula, where you will have the opportunity to set off in a speedboat and enjoy the entire seascape with panoramic views of the bay and the area known as the “Mini Galapagos of Peru.” During the tour, you will be able to enjoy the presence of a large amount of wildlife such as pelicans, flamingos, Inca terns, sea lions, penguins, hammerhead sharks, and even whales (the latter two depending on the season), all thanks to the presence of plankton brought by the cold Humboldt currents that mix with the tropical waters of the tropics.

During the excursion, your professional Andina Amazonica guide will show you the different tourist, water, and marine resources, including one of the lines.

 

DAY 5 – LIMA – IQUITOS

 

Time to board your luxury cruise ship on the Amazon River. 

After a refreshing breakfast at the hotel, our Andina Amazonica host will pick you up at the hotel to accompany you back to the airport and take the flight to the large airport city of Iquitos, the gateway to our Amazon rainforest in northeastern Peru, where you will board the luxurious boat “Delfín II.” After your Andina Amazonica host guide makes contact with you, together you will first take ground transportation on a journey of approximately 90 minutes to the small town of Nauta, where the luxurious boat “Delfín II” will be anchored, waiting for travelers to board. Once aboard the cruise ship, you will be shown to your 5-star cabin. Once all travelers are on board, the crew and guests will conduct a safety drill and a brief informational talk about the ship, safety areas, restricted areas, and onboard service. Make yourself comfortable and begin to enjoy this wonderful journey through the heart of the Amazon, the largest and most extensive river on the planet.

 

DAY 6 – LIMA – IQUITOS (day 1)

Day of sailing on the luxurious cruise ship along the Amazon River. 

This first day on the cruise is the prelude to entering the Amazon, as we will be passing through one of the national reserves protected by the Peruvian government, the Pacaya and Samiria Reserve, a beautiful natural place where all the birdlife can be seen in the early hours of the morning. This means that if you want to make the most of everything the jungle has to offer and enjoy all this biodiversity, you will have to get up very early. The diversity of fauna varies according to the seasons. During the dry season (May to October), you can go hiking in an attractive place called “Belluda Caño,” which has two types of ecosystems: 1) cloud forest and 2) dry forest.

On this trail, taking great care not to disturb the inhabitants of the jungle and making as little noise as possible, you are sure to encounter species such as black-tailed anteaters, manatees, giant snails, birds such as tanagers, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, orioles, blackbirds, and more, depending on the season in which you travel.

In the dry season, following the trail, you will arrive at a freshwater lagoon, where you can observe all the ichthyological life that inhabits the lake’s waters, such as fish endemic to the area, among others, while paddling in a canoe around the lagoon. During the rainy season, you can explore the Belluda Caño River by skiff, giving you the opportunity to spot birds such as macaws, parrots, and several varieties of monkeys, as well as insects such as the Morpho butterfly and hawks such as the risueño, which emits a loud falsetto call.

After exploring on foot and by canoe, in the afternoon you can visit a beautiful place, the “Río Dorado,” whose waters are home to the feared piranhas. However, when you see them and enjoy fishing for a few, you will realize that everything that is said about these freshwater fish is just a myth. Another option is to swim with the famous “Pink Dolphins,” considered a unique and endangered species on the planet. Local legends say that these beautiful creatures can turn into beautiful mermaids at night, beautiful damsels who attract strangers passing through the jungle with their hypnotic songs. Don’t forget to always bring your swimsuit, mosquito repellent, sunscreen, sunglasses, binoculars, waterproof camera, and most importantly, a desire to learn and enjoy your wonderful trip to the lungs of the planet, the Amazon.

At night, your host guide will take you on a walk along one of the trails in search of birds and nocturnal animals such as reptiles (the famous and feared caiman), amphibians, arachnids, etc.

 

DAY 7 – IQUITOS (day 2)

Second day on the “Amazon River”. 

On this other wonderful day in the lungs of the planet, we will head to the Zapote River in the rainforest, a perfect place where we can practice kayaking upstream in its calm waters. Your Andina Amazonica guide will give you a description of the endemic species, the conservation of the nature reserves, and everything you see around you.

Today, you will enjoy the company of certain friends, inhabitants of the jungle such as squirrel monkeys, multicolored birds, and iguanas, all of them observing you as if you were strange visitors in a different world, perched in the treetops or simply on the banks of the river.

In the afternoon, you can sail down the Pacaya River, in the middle of the Pacaya Samiria National Protected Reserve, the largest protected reserve in Peru, which is home to swamps, wetlands, lakes, palm trees, and streams. During the rainy season, the entire reserve is flooded by the waters of the great Amazon River. If the weather and your spirits are favorable, you can also dive in and swim for a while in the crystal clear waters of this area.

 

DAY 8 – IQUITOS (day 3)

Third day on the Amazon. 

Today, after an energy-packed breakfast, we will take you aboard a boat to Lake Clavero, exploring more of the rainforest and observing endless native flora in the company of the fauna that also observes you. You will be able to observe and be part of local life, appreciating the inhabitants of the area rowing in their traditional canoes and beginning their day and their daily activities.

After continuing by boat to the Yarapa River, in the afternoon you will take your own kayak to paddle through calm waters, spotting all the local birdlife and photographing the animals you may encounter along the way. Continuing on, we will visit the village of Puerto Miguel to interact with the local residents, who have lived in this wonderful place for generations. Your guide, an expert in nature and bird watching, will accompany you, showing you the daily life of the people and the benefits of native plants, teaching you about natural medicine, the medicinal properties of healing plants, and the interaction of the Amazonian people with their traditions and customs in relation to the wildlife of the jungle.

Enjoy your last night aboard the “Barco Delfín” under the starry canopy of the Amazonian sky, as the next day you will be returning to the city of Iquitos to continue your journey to the south of the country.

 

DAY 9 – IQUITOS – LIMA (day 4)

Fourth and final day in Iquitos before heading south. 

After enjoying our last breakfast aboard the “Barco delfín,” we will return to the port of Nauta, where our transport and our host from Andina Amazonica will welcome us and take us to the airport in the city of Iquitos, but not before stopping at the “Aquatic Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center” ACOBIA, a center where they rescue, care for, and, if possible, reintroduce into their habitat all species that arrive at this space, either due to illegal wildlife trafficking or because they were rescued almost dead from attacks by other predators in the jungle.

Here you will have the opportunity to learn a little more about all the species that are in danger of extinction, such as manatees. We then continue on to the airport for your flight to Lima, where our host will be waiting to take you to your hotel located near the airport for your flight the next day to the south, the capital of the Inca Empire, “Cusco”.

 

DAY 10 – LIMA – CUSCO

Flying over the Andes, to the Capital of the Inca Empire. 

This morning, after a hearty breakfast, you will head back to the airport in Lima to board your flight to the city of Cusco, capital of the Great Empire of the Incas. Flying over the Andes, you will be able to enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Peruvian coastline, the arid desert, the mountains and snow-capped peaks, and the fertile lands of the Cusco Valley, a unique and unforgettable experience. The flight takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes.

Once you land at Cusco airport, our Andina Amazónica host guide will be waiting to take you to the enchanting “Sacred Valley of the Incas.” On the way, we will visit tourist attractions such as “La Granja de Llamas” (a very entertaining and cultural place for children and adults, where you can see and interact with South American camelids).

Continuing with the trip, we will take you to immerse yourself in the fabulous Sacred Valley of the Incas. Along the way, we will observe the Andean landscapes with their typical mountains, green fields of crops, animals grazing along the roads, and local people going about their daily tasks. We will stop at some viewpoints to take pictures and take a break to appreciate the grandeur of creation.

Before lunch, and as a way to exercise and acclimatize to the temperatures, altitudes, and atmosphere, we will take a short walk to visit the Pisac archaeological park. At this point, your professional Andina Amazonica guide will provide you with information about agricultural practices and corn cultivation (an important product of the Sacred Valley), as well as tubers such as potatoes and other inter-Andean crops.

From this point, you will descend the original Inca terraces to a certain point where transportation will be waiting to take you to the town of Pisac to enjoy a delicious lunch. Finally, we will transfer you to the heart of the Sacred Valley, where the hotel is located, and you will have the rest of the afternoon free to rest and get to know the hotel at night.

 

DAY 11 – MACHUPICCHU ¡WONDER OF THE WORLD!

Exploring the Sacred Citadel of the Incas. 

Finally, the long awaited day has arrived! After an energetic breakfast, your guide will pick you up to go to the train station, board the train and travel for an average of 1 hour and 40 minutes to the wonder of the modern world. On the train ride, you will enjoy dreamlike panoramic views, traveling parallel to the sacred river of the Incas (Vilcanota or Urubamba), appreciating the fields, local populations, villages, mountains, snow-capped peaks and of course the domestic flora and fauna of each place.

Once in the town of Machu Picchu, your guide and you will board the buses that will take you to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, a majestic icon of Peru, with a lot of religious and astronomical symbolism, considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Your guide will share with you the history, geography, archaeology and more of the legacy of our ancestors, taking you back to pre-Hispanic times and thus understand the importance and magnitude of what was the most important civilization in South America. After a tour of approximately 3 hours, we return to the town of Aguas Calientes to enjoy a magnificent lunch and settle in the hotel and rest.

 

DÍA 12 – ¡HUAYNAPICCHU!

Climbing the Top of the World. 

After a well-deserved rest and a revitalizing breakfast, your guide will pick you up from the hotel to start the second day excursion in the wonder of the modern world, this day will be a day of adventure and climbing, as we will conquer the skies, ¡we will climb to the top of the mountain Huayna Picchu or young mountain! Representative icon of the Inca citadel of Machupicchu.

After achieving our goal of reaching the top of Huayna Picchu Mountain, where we can enjoy a 360° landscape, observe the majestic mountains, snow-capped peaks, the beauty and grandeur of Machu Picchu, we take the bus back to town for an appetizing lunch before boarding the train that will take us back to Ollantaytambo, where our driver friend will be waiting fo rus and take us in our van to the hearth of the Sacred Valley and rest at the hotel.

 

DÍA 13 – SACRED VALLEY & PACHAMANCA FESTIVAL

Learning about Inca Architecture in Ollantaytambo. 

Today we will take you to the ancient city of Ollantaytambo, considered the last living Inca citadel, due to the architectural layout of its streets, which have maintained their originality over the centuries despite the Spanish invasion, and due to the customs and traditions, as well as the clothing that is still worn in many communities far from the town of Ollantaytambo. Your professional Andina Amazónica guide will take you through the typical streets of this beautiful town, where you can appreciate its original Inca urbanism. You will see the irrigation channels located in the streets, which are still in use, multi-family houses with their interior courtyards, and the emblematic simple and double-jamb trapezoidal Inca doors (a symbol of hierarchy and status in Inca times).

After visiting the village, your host will take you to visit the archaeological park of Ollantaytambo, an excellent place to learn about Inca architecture and engineering, captured by our ancestors in the crafting and working of stone blocks for the construction of the Great Temple of the Sun. Ollantaytambo is a clear example of the skill of the Andean people in building architectural marvels without the need for today’s sophisticated technology.

The excursion will leave you with a hearty appetite, so after the visits, we will take you to enjoy a wonderful outdoor banquet, the “Traditional Pachamanca,” whose name means “earth pot.” Your participation in the cooking is very important, as the chef will explain each Andean ingredient that goes into this exquisite stew, such as marinated lamb, pork, chicken, potatoes, and others, all cooked on stone and under the shelter of our mother earth. The combination of Andean flavors and the ingredients in the stew are a testament to the great diversity and nutritional value of the Inca Empire in its glorious past. We end the day by taking you back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas so you can enjoy your last night in this wonderful place and get some rest.

 

DAY 14 – SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS – CUSCO

Learning a little more about the Super Potatoe. 

After a warm night and an excellent breakfast, your guide will pick you up from the hotel to start the adventure and get to know a part of our fabulous Sacred Valley of the Incas, this day we will visit 3 places considered icons of the Sacred Valley: The “Salt mines of Maras”, where we will observe all the active pools and worked by man since ancient times until today, the guide will give you complete information about why and how the pools are fed with salt water from inside the mountain, the process and salt harvesting. Then we visit the archaeological site of “Moray”, considered as the Inca laboratories, where our ancestors captured all their agricultural knowledge related to atmospheric phenomena, astronomy and the lunar calendar to study, understand, develop and genetically modify the native products of the coast, highlands and jungle, which is why today the Peruvian territory produces more than 5,000 varieties of potatoes, national pride!

After, we will take you to another picturesque village, high above Urubamba, we will introduce you to the ancestral history of the potato, its origins, its genetic diversity, and its uses in Peruvian cuisine. Leaving the hotel in your private van, we will drive for about 30 minutes to the “House of Manuel Choque”, a local farmer from the district of Chinchero (an area that produces more than 600 varieties of potatoes), who has changed the way we see potatoes as just a carbohydrate and revolutionized this tuber to make it an antioxidant, thus creating the famous “Super Potato.” In his space, carefully designed to welcome tourists from all over the world, you will be able to appreciate different varieties of potatoes, shapes, sizes, and colors, learning about this tuber that saved the entire world from famine during World War II and subsequent wars. We will also learn about its ancestral value and how Manuel Choque gave it that extra boost to turn it into a superfood of the future. He will also explain his project with “Oxalis,” another high Andean tuber rich in antioxidants, from which he produces three types of wine. Today, these wines can be found in the best international markets and restaurants recognized as the best in the world, such as Central or Maido (in Lima) or Mills by Central in Cusco.

At the end of a delicious lunch and tasting of potato-based dishes, all grown on the farm and served on the plate, we will return to the city of Cusco, but not before passing through and walking around the beautiful village of Chinchero, another ancient citadel whose Inca and colonial architecture blend so well that they make this place another attraction and a must-see for visitors.

 

DAY 15 – THE RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

Walking on the colorful mountain “Palcoyo”. 

Well rested after a good night’s sleep at the hotel, our Andina Amazonica guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel very early in the morning to travel south of the city, where we will visit one of the most amazing natural and geographical attractions on the planet, a place that perfectly represents the geological formation of our Andes: the colorful mountain “Palcoyo.”

Leaving the hotel, it will take us a couple of hours to reach our first stop, where we will have a tasty breakfast. then continue the journey for a couple more hours to the Mountain of Colors, observing along the way the peculiar colonial-style towns, the different colorful clothing of their inhabitants, the adobe houses with red tile roofs, small squares dominated by colonial temples, etc. Leaving the paved road behind, we will continue along a dirt road for a couple more hours, this time appreciating rural life, scattered farming communities along the way, precarious adobe houses that are crumbling with the passage of time, corn and potato fields, small schools, and some improvised soccer fields.

Once we reach our destination, we will begin the hike at your own pace, without any pressure or demands, since we have the whole day to enjoy our mountain adventure. We will visit the site and take our time to take photos, clearly appreciating the pigments that have formed over the years due to the presence of oxides, minerals, temperatures, glaciation, atmospheric erosion, among other factors. Returning to our van, we will head back to the restaurant for an energizing lunch and then return to the city of Cusco to let you rest at your hotel and enjoy more of Cusco at night.

 

DAY 16 – BY TRAIN TO PUNO

Crossing the highlands in the luxurious Southern Train. 

This morning, at the agreed time, your Andina Amazonica host will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the train station (Wanchaq district), where you will board your train to the beautiful city of Puno. We will help you check your train tickets and deliver your luggage. The train crew will welcome you with a warm show and dances. Once on board and passing through majestic views, you will travel through the mountains of the Andes, crossing beautiful Andean villages and communities, observing the snow-capped peaks, fertile valleys, and endless high plains up close, until you reach the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca. On board, the train hosts will parade in fine alpaca garments for your enjoyment and for sale.

The journey will take approximately 10 and a half hours, during which time you will not want the trip to end because you will also be able to enjoy live music, Pisco Sour classes, a gourmet lunch to delight your palate, and the opportunity to move from your car to the open-air observation car for your enjoyment and photo opportunities. Once you arrive at the train station in the city of Puno, we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel near the legendary Lake Titicaca.

DAY 17 – LAKE TITICACA

Sailing toward Uros and Taquile Island. 

Today, you will sail on the highest lake in the world, located at 3,800 meters above sea level (12,506 ft), in a boat or motorboat, from the city’s bay pier, passing through the reed beds on your way to one of the beautiful floating islands of “Los Uros,” which were created by their inhabitants since time immemorial, survived the Inca invasion and the Spanish conquest, and remain in use to this day. The floating islands of the Uros arose from the ancient people’s need to gain farmland and to inhabit them. Andina Amazónica takes you to learn about the way of life, the customs of its inhabitants, and how they constantly renew these islands to prevent them from sinking into the water.

After visiting the floating islands of the Uros, we continue our excursion with a visit to Taquile Island, whose inhabitants and especially their textile art have been recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, with origins dating back to ancient cultures such as the Pucará, Colla, and Inca.

On this island, as soon as you disembark from the boat, your host family will be waiting for you at the port to assist you and take you to their home to share a feast with you while enjoying the panoramic view of the lake. After enjoying the delicious lunch and the dreamlike landscape, we return to the hotel in Puno to rest.

DAY 18 – PUNO – LIMA – RETURN HOME

Farewell to the Peruvian Andes and return flight home. 

After breakfast, your Andina Amazonica host guide will pick you up at the hotel and take you by private transport (approximately 1 hour) to the city of Juliaca, where the airport is located, to help you board your flight to Lima. You will arrive at Lima airport in time for your connecting flight home.

After enjoying the entire journey through the Peruvian jungle, coast, mountains, and highlands, we hope that your stay has been memorable and that you will cherish the countless experiences you have had in your heart.