Wild Peru Escape: Amazon & Machu Picchu

Description

Combine an Amazon voyage aboard Delfin II with Machu Picchu on this nine-day Wild Peru Escape

Experience the best of Peru, with the Amazon and Machu Picchu, on this new, nine-day Wild Peru Escape. Starting in Lima on a Saturday night, stay two nights at Machu Picchu, spend a full day exploring the fabled sanctuary. Explore Cusco, imperial capital of the Inca. Journey to Iquitos and the Amazon, for a five-day voyage aboard Delfin II in Peru’s Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve.

Trip Name

Wild Peru Escape: Amazon & Machu Picchu

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury River Boat Length: 36 metres Passenger Capacity: 28 (in 14 suites) Built: 2009 A perfect ship for touring along the Amazon river. Public Areas: Outdoor areas include the well-designed, comfortable Top Deck, where sofas and chairs invite you to linger with a good book or a pair of binoculars. Enjoy drinks at the bar and unwind on cool, wooden-slat hammocks. The Top Deck is where the natural history staff will give their presentations with maps, large flat-screen plasma and digital technology. There is a small reference Library and the Bridge, where you are welcome to meet the captain and officers. Meals: The air-conditioned dining room’s large windows provide panoramic views. A different visual presentation greets you at every meal, which are served in a single seating with unassigned tables. Meals on Delfin II are to be savored. Often special dishes will include sustainable products of the rain forest and sauces made with exotic regional fruits. The chef prepares dishes equal to any five-star restaurant. Suites: Elegant, air-conditioned guest suites on the Main and Upper Decks all offer exceptional vistas. Each spacious suite has a minimalist décor with a luxurious overtone. Enjoy complimentary organic sun block, insect repellent, body lotion, shampoo and conditioner. Expedition Equipment: 10-person skiffs — with individual seat cushions and plenty of leg room. Rain ponchos are kept handy in the skiffs and distributed if needed. Rubber boots are provided before an excursion if deemed necessary. Special Features: Guests may swim directly from the skiffs using the convenient swim ladder, weather permitting.

Itinerary

Day 1 - DAY 1: Lima, Peru

Arrive in Lima, Peru’s thriving capital, and transfer to the convenient Wyndham Costa del Sol Airport Hotel. You may also elect to arrive early for a Lima pre-voyage extension. Please call for details.

Day 2 - DAY 2: Lima/Cusco/Sacred Valley

Arriving in Cusco, drive through the Sacred Valley to Chinchero, a typical Andean village where we join National Geographic Grantee Nilda Callañaupa for lunch and a demonstration of Inca weaving traditions. Continue to Ollantaytambo and board our late afternoon scenic train to Machu Picchu and checkin at our hotel. We stay for two nights at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World, with Andean-style casitas set along the in a reserve with 300 species of orchids. (B,L,D)

Day 3 - DAY 3: Machu Picchu

Take the full day to explore Machu Picchu, the Inka royal retreat introduced to the world by Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 National Geographic magazine. With both the morning and afternoon to explore, choose to hike to the Sun Gate or tackle Huayna Picchu, which towers over the sanctuary. Dinner tonight is at the hotel. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - DAY 4: Sacred Valley/Cusco

Return to Ollantaytambo by train and continue to Cusco, where we explore the magnificently ornate 17th-century cathedral and Plaza de Armas, the sacred Inca Temple of the Sun and other treasures. Check-in at Palacio del Inka in the historic center. Dinner on your own to relax or sample local fare. (B,L)

Day 5 - DAY 5: Cusco/Iquitos/Embark

After breakfast, fly to Iquitos via Lima and continue overland to the riverside village of Nauta, where the Delfin II awaits. Gather for a welcome dinner of fine Peruvian cuisine. (B,L,D)

Day 6 - DAY 6-8: Upper Amazon

Explore the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million acres—and harboring some of the Amazon’s most fascinating flora and fauna. Bordered by the Marañón and the Ucayali, these two powerful rivers converge to create the famed Amazon, which floods annually with nutrient-rich waters, known locally as the Mirrored Forest for the reflections created by the glassy water. Set out into this remarkable wilderness on daily excursions by skiff, kayak, and, when the water level permits, hikes on dry land. Spot sloths and monkeys, including variably colored saddleback tamarins, noisy howlers, and shaggy-tailed monk saki monkeys. Watch for an astounding variety of birds, from tanagers and hummingbirds to parrots and endangered scarlet macaws. In the river, look for massive paiche fish, the Amazon’s largest, rare pink dolphins, and the famous piranhas. One of the unexpected joys of traveling in the region is the interaction with the local ribereños, the traditional people who live on the riverbanks. Visit a local community and see the projects that we support through the local non-profit Minga Peru, including a program of handcraft development, radio broadcasts, women's health initiatives and efforts in sustainable farming. (B,L,D)

Day 7 - DAY 9: Disembark/Iquitos/Lima/U.S.

Disembark in Nauta, stopping at the Amazon Rescue Center on the way to Iquitos. Fly to Lima, where we visit Museo Larco and celebrate with a farewell dinner before late night flights home. Ask your expedition specialist about options to extend your stay. (B, L, D)

Day 8 - Please Note:

All day-by-day breakdowns are a sampling of the places we intend to visit, conditions permitting.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

Drive through the Sacred Valley to Chinchero, a typical Andean village where we join National Geographic Grantee Nilda Callañaupa for lunch and a demonstration of Inca weaving traditions.
Take the full day to explore Machu Picchu.
Explore the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a pristine swath of jungle stretching more than five million acres—and harboring some of the Amazon’s most fascinating flora and fauna.