Amazon Jungle, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Adventure

Peru is legend….wait for it…dairy! Legendary among world travelers seeking thrilling, exciting new experiences. Blessed with both natural and man-made beauty and attractions, the country invites much more than most trips can even possibly imagine or hope to take in.

Machu Picchu is one place that lives up to and exceeds its reputation as one of the most incredible sites on earth. The ancient ruins of the “lost city of the Incas” perches magically and majestically among the massive Andes mountains, and is usually engulfed in clouds. It dates back to the mid fourteen hundreds but feels and looks to be even more ancient. Despite the massive crowds and the popularity of the site itself, exploring the site remains an incredible and thrilling experience. Getting there at sunrise when the striking rays of sun lightly creep over the mountain peaks is a sight you’ll never forget and will evoke such an experience within you.

Hiking the famous Inca Trail: This spectacular mythical trail to Machu Picchu, the Camino del Inca, is one of the world’s most marvelous, gratifying and rewarding adventures you’ll ever take. The strenuous four day trek through the incredible, impressive and breathtaking Andean mountains and through some of Peru’s greatest landmarks which include Inca ruins, awe inspiring mountain views, along with incredible cloud forests.

With the Amazon lurking in the the Northeast and East of the country which covers sixty percent of the land you’ll get to the chance to explore and experience this incredible bio-diverse region first hand.

Odyssey Treks will be showcasing South America and it’s main attraction of Peru and Machu Picchu in 2014. You’ll discover a new world of culture, food, attractions, volunteer opportunities and thrilling adventures in our itineraries.

Here’s an introductory video of Peru from National Geographic. See what you’ve been missing.

Itinerary

Day 1: ARRIVING IN LIMA 
Upon your arrival to Lima our host will be waiting for you at the aiport to take you to your hotel located 1 hour from the airport around Miraflores neighborhood.
(Dinner)
** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Lima or similar

Day 2: LIMA – PUERTO MALDONADO
Transfer from your hotel in Lima at the coordinated time to the airport to take your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Welcome in Puerto Maldonado. You may visit Inkaterra Butterfly house near the airport, check – in, and in only 15 minutes you can get to the boarding wharf. Begin to experience the enchantment of the rainforest as you take a 45 minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River, to arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica lodge. After a short briefing, settle into your beautiful cabaña and enjoy your lunch in the dining room. Take a siesta, share a refreshing tea time and get ready for the afternoon excursion.

After gathering with your Inkaterra Explorer Guide, choose from the 14 different excursions available at the Reserva Amazonica. On your first day, we recommend a guided walk along the train system, into the natural area that the lodge offers you, where you will discover the Amazon Basin.

We also recommend on the first night our Twilight River excursion – a guided afternoon boat ride on the Madre de Dios river. Witness the transformation from a diurnal to a nocturnal world: animals and birds of the daytime give way to species specially adapted to the night. As you enjoy their paradise, you will learn about their habits, while you search for nightjars, owls, capybaras and up to three different caiman species.
** Overnight at Reserva Amazónica or Similar

Day 3: SANDOVAL LAKE – CANOPY WALK
Wake up late or rise early – the choice is yours. Full Buffet Breakfast begins at 5:30am, for those who want to avoid the heat and enjoy nature at its fullest. During the morning you may visit the Sandoval Lake into the Tambopata National Reserve. Glide in a wooden canoe, across a beautiful, mirror – like oxbow lake that is home to the endangered giant river otter. As well as red howler monkeys, red – bellied macaws, anacondas, side – neck turtles and black caimans. Return to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.

After Lunch, consider the remarkable Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. Ascending the first tower, 29 meters above the forest ground, you begin your encounter with the treetop realm. For more than a quarter of a mile, you will literally walk through the rainforest canopy on a suspension bridge network linking eight observation platforms.
** Overnight at Reserva Amazónica or Similar

Day 4: PUERTO MALDONADO – CUSCO
Board the flight to Cusco. Arriving in Cusco City our representative will be waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel. You will have the afternoon free to explore the city or relax at your hotel.
** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar

Day 5: CUSCO WHITE WATER RIVER RAFTING UPPER VILCANOTA CLASS III – IV CHUQUICAHUANA SECTION
At 8:30 a.m. the guide will pick you up from your hotel (Cusco) and drive through the mountains towards the southern part of Cusco, until reaching Chuquicahuana (1 ½ hours). Here you will receive a safety talk and the necessary equipment to enjoy this adventure. There are fast class III and IV rapids for about 11 kms. We will then be pampered by an exquisite picnic lunch on the riverside (toilet facilities available). After lunch we go to Urubamba, located in the sacred valley of the Incas, here we will find our hotel.
** Overnight at El Albergue Ollantaytambo or Similar

Day 6: MOUNTAIN BIKE – OLLANTAYTAMBO FORTRESS
We will pick you up from your hotel in the Sacred Valley and transfer you for a half hour to Paucarbamba bridge. Here we will receive a safety briefing and will adjust our bikes for the ride. We will go through a trail following the Urubamba river, the sacred river of the Incas, until we reach the town of Pachar. From here we will take an easy descend through an ancient Inca trail that passes through farming fields and Inca terraces until we will get to the Inca bridge. After our bike experience we will have lunch at Ollantaytambo, we will visit the Fortress of Ollantaybamo and also the beautiful streets of the town.
** Overnight at El Albergue Ollantaytambo or Similar

Day 7: SACRED VALLEY – Km. 82 – HUAYLLABAMBA
Transfer from the hotel to Km. 82, where we will meet our porters and equipment. We start our trek escorted by the porters, going through semi-arid terrain along the Urubamba River with magnificent views of snow-capped mountains. We will leave the Urubamba valley and set off up the Kusichaca River to our first camp site in Huayllabamba (around 3000m – 9842 ft).
• Km 82 to Huayllabamba: 11 km / 6 hours approximately.

Day 8: HUAYLLABAMBA – PACAYMAYO
After a healthy breakfast we will begin to walk to the Warmihuañusca pass (4200m – 13860 ft. approximately). After a short time, we will reach the top of the pass. From this place, it is possible to see the other side of the way leading to Runkurakay ruins. At the end of a gorge, we will stop at a place called Pacaymayo (3600m – 11181 ft.), our second camp.
• Huayllabamba-Pacaymayo: 7km / 7 hours approximately

Day 9: PACAYMAYO- PHUYUPATAMARCA
We will depart from Pacaymayo and a while later a zigzagging but short ascent will take us to the Runkurakay circular ruins. There is no sign of human life, only great forests and abrupt hills.

After a good rest, we will start our way down and then we will clearly notice that the Inca Trail is well preserved from this point on. In a short while, we will get to the steps which go up to Sayacmarca ruins (3620m – 11946 ft approximately). From Sayacmarca the stone road begins to go into the jungle, continuing our trek towards Phuyupatamarca ruins. The trail crosses the “Lago Seco” and for brief moments we will go up and down. We will then cross “The Tunnel”, a natural cavity produced by a landslide but adapted by the Incas. The Inca Trail well-traced borders continue on the hills full of moss and fern. After crossing a small pass, we will see some steep steps and under them the Ceremonial Center of Phuyupatamarca ruins (3650m – 12045 ft approximately), where we will set up our camp.
• Pacaymayo – Phuyupatamarca: 7 km / 6 hours approximately

Day 10: PHUYUPATAMARCA – MACHU PICCHU
We will start early in the morning going down the trail, from where we will see the Urubamba valley and the river. The path goes down to Wiñay Wayna ruins (2650m – 8745 ft approximately), the most important ruins after Machu Picchu, heading then towards Inti Punku (2740m – 9042 ft approximately), the Gate of the Sun, our last pass. From this place, Machu Picchu (2450m – 8085 ft approximately) looks unreal and beautiful. We will visit Machupicchu just for a short time, because on the next day you will have a full day guided tour.
• Phuyupatamarca – Wiñaywayna: 4 Km / 3 hours approximately
• Wiñaywayna – Machupicchu: 5 km /4hours approximately

NOTE: The last camp could be Wiñaywayna.
• Pacaymayo – Wiñaywayna: 11 km / 9 hours approximately
** Ovenight at Machu Picchu Pueblo Inkaterra or Similar

Day 11: MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
We will start our visit to the Sanctuary early in the morning in order to have a full day of exploring. Then we will have a guided tour through the citadel. In the afternoon, the train to Cusco will leave from the Aguas Calientes station. You will be transferred to your hotel after your arrival.
** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar

Day 12: VOLUNTEER DAY
Very early in the morning passengers will be picked up from their hotel and transferred to local market. Helped by their guide, they will purchase ingredients to cook breakfast. After purchasing everything to prepare breakfast, passengers will be transferred to the selected school. There they will be received by the teacher who will lead them to the school kitchen where they will prepare breakfast for kids. After preparing breakfast, the teacher will gather the students for passengers to be able to provide them breakfast. At the end, passengers will be transferred back to their hotel.
** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar

Day 13: CUSCO – LIMA
At the coordinated time your guide will pick you up from your hotel to take you to the airport where you will flight to Lima.