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In the Footsteps of the Incas with Peruvian Amazon
Operated by Trafalgar
Tripcode: LLLPEM20
Overview
Destination:
Peru,
Start:Lima, Peru
Finish:Lima, Peru
Finish:Lima, Peru
Duration:15 days
Type:Group tour (max 45)
Travel Period
June 2025 - December 2025
Travel to the Andes’ cloud forests and the birthplace of the sun at Lake Titicaca, as you gain an understanding of Incan culture, mingling with weavers, corn farmers, and expert photographers. Travel deep into the million-year-old Amazon rainforest on this Peru tour, uncovering its secrets through the eyes of local guides.
Sightseeing highlights
- Explore Lima and Cusco with a Local Specialist, learn about giant white corn, and watch a local Marinera dance performance
- Visit the outdoor market at Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Sacsayhuaman ruins, the Uros Islands, and enjoy a Casona San Marcos Experience
- Scenic Cruise on the Lake Titicaca
- Scenic Drive through the Sacred Valley
- Scenic Train Ride to Machu Picchu aboard the Vistadome train
- Cusco: Enjoy the flavours of chicha, a Peruvian corn beer. Hear about how chicha is brewed by the local indigenous women and its history dating back to the time of the Incas as a favourite drink of the Andes. Learn about the two types of chicha, alcoholic sour chicha de jora made from fermented jora corn and the non-alcoholic, sweet chicha morada.
Iconic Experience
- Lima: Take in the highlights of Lima, the 'City of the Kings,' including a panoramic view of the ancient districts. Join a local specialist for a visit to the UNESCO-listed Historic Center. Learn how before it was destroyed by earthquakes in the mid-18th century, observing how the historic buildings display a collaboration between local craftspeople and others from the Old World. Then drive along the coastline as you learn more about the fascinating history of Peru's capital city.
- Machu Picchu: Learn how to prepare an authentic Ceviche and pour the perfect Pisco sour.
- Cusco: Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo. These famous ruins are a massive Inca fortress made of large stone terraces stretching out across a hillside. Walk among the stone platforms, the sun temple of six monoliths and the Princess Baths fountain ― the Baño de la Nusta at the base of the ruins flowing from carved stone into a pool. Over your exploration, learn how the old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.
- Machu Picchu: Soak in every moment of your Machu Picchu tour in style as you descend to the Lost City in the clouds aboard the Vistadome train. Travelling the Inca Trail, you’ll traverse dramatic landscapes with a panoramic view of the soaring peaks, river, and ruins. Sit back and relax as you enjoy this multi-sensory journey complete with background music, an informative audio commentary highlighting interesting sites, and an included light snack.
- Machu Picchu: Take a shuttle to the top of the mountain where you’ll meet your local specialist for a guided hike of Machu Picchu. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
- Machu Picchu: The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and we enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story. Journey to take in the ruins at sunrise spending some time on your own to explore the hill-top fortress. Soak in every moment at this iconic site, making stops at points of interest while your guide shares their insights on the archaeological sites.
- Cusco: Join your Local Specialist for a guided walk through Cusco's colonial centre, including the nearby 13th century Incan settlement of Koricancha. Here in Cusco’s Golden Temple of the Sun dedicated to the Sun God Inti, view the trapezoidal and irregular shapes and rounded edges. Note how the stones fit together and were built simply by placing them on top of each other without using any mortar. This staggered placement also enables them to withstand earthquakes.
- Cusco: Begin your day at the ruins of the UNESCO-listed Sacsayhuamán fortress overlooking Cusco. With zig zagging walls and ruins of giant stones, see how the shape and harmony of the landscape is similar to Machu Picchu. Stroll through this Incan architecture of sacred buildings such as residential buildings, towers, shrines, warehouses, roads and aqueducts. And while you may not be able to take in the grand scale, the complex design is based on the shape of the head of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca spirituality.
- Sillustani: Enjoy lunch alfresco next to Lake Umayo on your way to Sillustani, a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo. Join a local specialist and explore its towering chullpas (above ground tombs) that cast long shadows across the landscape. Then cruise the deep blue waters of South America's largest lake - Lake Titicaca, the birthplace of the sun - through floating islands made of entirely reeds by the Uros Indians.
- Lake Titicaca: We cruise the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca with a Local Specialist, discovering its floating islands constructed from reeds by the Uros Indians
- Lima: Join a local specialist for a tour of the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum which houses the largest private collection of pre-Columbian Peruvian art in the world. You'll also explore the extensive collection of Peruvian gold and silver from ancient times. Learn the history of the museum founded by Rafael Larco on July 28th, 1926 in Trujillo followed by in 1958 when Larco moved his collection to Lima to a unique colonial residence built on top of a VIII century pyramid.
- Lima: Join a local specialist for a gentle hike to explore jungle trails that snake between the roots of towering trees for an immersive introduction to the rich ecosystems of the rainforest. Here in the Amazon, you’ll find a staggering 540 bird species, 362 ant species (a world record you have to see to believe) and over 100 mammal species that have been registered within Inkaterra’s ecological reserve.
- Lima: Under the cloak of night, cruise the Madre de Dios River at night in search of wildlife that roams the riverbanks under darkness. Keep on the lookout for the likes of nightjars, owls, capybaras and caimans as you learn about the curious behavior and characteristics of this nocturnal world.
- Sacred Valley: Discover the Amazon’s otherworldly realm of aguajales rainforest swampland on a gentle hike along a –200 meter (656 feet) walkway through this diverse ecosystem. Learn how vegetation has adapted to this atmospheric natural habitat and the exotic species of amphibians, reptiles, snakes, birds and mammals that are drawn here.
- Sacred Valley: Boldly venture out at night to discover some of the strange species that come alive under deep darkness in the Amazon. Wildlife activity greatly differs between day and night, as some creatures curl up and sleep while others employ ingenious adaption mechanisms to emerge. Enjoy a gentle, quiet stroll as your senses heighten to the mysterious nocturnal sounds of birds, mammals, insects, and amphibians wandering close by.
- Puerto Maldonado: Take a short boat ride to an uninhabited river island, where you can see the striking contrast of vegetation within the transition rainforest. Walk through jungle trails on this floodplain which provides the island with an ecosystem rich in birdlife, including the Amazonian umbrellabird, one of the most sought-after species by birdwatchers.
- Cusco: Climb the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway for an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from its rooftop. Follow a sophisticated network of seven suspension bridges originally designed for scientific research strung between eight treetop observation platforms over 30 meters (100 feet) above the forest floor. This half-day, medium difficulty exploration is an immersive and colorful way to experience the jungle stretching out beneath you.
- Sandoval Lake: Embark on a half-day hike on a boardwalk jungle trail to Lake Sandoval, a glassy ox-bow lake tucked inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve. Board a dug-out canoe to paddle through eerie mangroves and glide out onto the palm-flanked lake, home to thousands of bird species as well as anacondas, black caimans, yellow spotted side-neck turtles, red howler monkeys and two endangered (and elusive) families of giant river otters.
Dive Into Culture
- Lima: Dive into the rich history of Casona San Marcos, an ancient building in Lima now part of the property of a university. Learn to play the “cajón” (meaning “box” or drawer”) box-shaped percussion instrument played by slapping the faces with the hands, fingers, or sometimes implements. Continue your musical discovery trying the basic steps of “musica negra”, a dance that originated in Chincha (near Paracas) that is popular during over the Christmas season. Over your lesson, try a snack from a “pregonero”, a vendor who specializes in selling a typical snack through boisterous advertising in the city streets.
- Sacred Valley: We'll Dive into Culture and meet a Quechua Shaman who will perform a ceremony welcoming you to Peru.
- Sacred Valley: This evening, meet Local Specialist Peter Frost, a writer, photographer and independent scholar who has explored the Andes and Amazon for 47 years, locating and investigating the previously unknown Inca and pre-Inca site of Qoriwayrachina. He currently resides in Peru and works as an accompanying expert for National Geographic Expeditions.
- Lake Titicaca: Visit the home of Víctor Coila and his wife Mariluz, and their two daughters, Luz Mery and Carla Mercedes. Join the family to try quinoa bread, potatoes with cheese, and chaco - a sauce made with a kind of clay used in cooking and medicine.
Standard inclusions
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 14 Breakfast (B)
- 7 Lunch (L)
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Tickets for a ride aboard the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu
- A Trafalgar bonus all Intra-Air Flights: Lima to Cusco, Cusco to Juliaca and Juliaca to Lima, including porter service at all airports.
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilised.
- Amazon Rainforest: Discover the Amazon’s otherworldly realm of aguajales rainforest swampland during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and learn how vegetation has adapted to the exotic species that are drawn here.
Itinerary
Expand all 
Collapse all
Collapse allArrive Lima
The Capital of the New World extends a warm welcome on your epic voyage through the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. Meet your local host on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the upscale shopping district of Miraflores. This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception at 6 p.m.
Lima Sightseeing
Start your city tour taking in the highlights of Lima. Visit Casona San Marcos, where you'll enjoy a snack from a local vendor and learn more about the fascinating history of this ancient building from Local Specialists. During a short workshop, learn to play the “cajón” percussion instrument and get an introduction to the basic steps of “musica negra”, a dance that originated in Chincha (near Paracas). Continue to the Main Square of Lima for more views and history. Choose to join a walking tour of Miraflores with a local expert highlighting the popular Larcomar shopping centre. End at Kennedy Park for additional exploration on your own or walk back to your hotel.
Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley (2 Nights) Dive Into Culture Stays With Stories
We board a morning flight to Cusco, the gateway to Peru's treasured Sacred Valley, where you'll enjoy a Peruvian lunch with sweeping views of the Sacred Valley. Then we'll Dive Into Culture and meet a Shaman who will perform a special ceremony welcoming you to Peru.
Sacred Valley Dive Into Culture Connect with Locals
Connect With Locals over a Be My Guest experience lunch, learn about the culture surrounding the production of Giant White Corn. Our hosts will demonstrate the differences between traditional farming techniques and the newer technologies used today. Revel in the romance of the local Marinera dance and local musicians. The marinera is the best-known couple dance on the coast of Peru. It is characterized by the use of handkerchiefs, steps of great elegance and rhythmic music similar to the Aragonese jota, the zamacueca and the Chilean cueca, but with its own Peruvian identity that flaunts the Hispano-indigenous-African miscegenation. For the same reason, over the years Andean and highland versions have emerged. This evening, meet Local Specialist, Peter Frost, a writer, photographer and independent scholar who has explored the Andes and Amazon for 47 years, locating and investigating the previously unknown Inca and pre-Inca site of Qoriwayrachina. He currently resides in Peru and works as an accompanying expert for National Geographic Expeditions. Later this evening, learn how to prepare an authentic Ceviche and pour the perfect Pisco sour.
Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu Connect with Locals
Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo, en route to Machu Picchu, a village in the Sacred Valley, set on the Urubamba River amid majestic mountains. It's known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Then, ascend to the Lost City in the Clouds aboard the Vistadome train (light snack included) traveling along the Inca Trail, where you can view hikers and porters along the way. Here you will delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization, joining your Local Specialist for an exploration of the temples, palaces and terraces whose construction defy imagination. Visit the iconic great Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the intricately carved Intihuatana, most likely used as a sundial centuries ago.
Cusco – Juliaca – Lake Titicaca
Fly to Juliaca and meet a Local Specialist to learn about daily life on the Peruvian altiplano. After an included al fresco lunch, visit Sillustani, a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo where striking chullpas (stone tombs) are scattered across the landscape, inviting you to step back in time. Then travel via Puno along the shores to Lake Titicaca, the birthplace of the sun. Here you’ll Dive Into Culture visiting the home of Víctor Coila, his wife Mariluz, and their two daughters for a meal of quinoa bread, potatoes with cheese and authentic chaco sauce.
Traverse the Inkaterra Forest
This morning, we fly to Puerto Maldonado (internal flight included) and embark on a journey on the Madre de Rios River to our jungle lodge where we meet our guides for the Inkaterra Field Station. Join a Local Specialist for insights into the forest, then keep a keen eye out for shy caiman during a pre-dinner boat expedition.
Step Into the Mystical Amazon
Climb the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway for an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from its rooftop. A short boat ride takes us into the Tambopata National Reserve where we’ll hike through the thick jungle, admiring towering green walls of vegetation, the cacophony of birdcalls and the dappled light that filters through the canopy above. Arrive at Sandoval Lake, where you may spot a wide variety of birds, monkeys, giant river otters, black caimans and the elusive anaconda. The perfect end to our day sees us watch the sun set over the lake before heading back to our lodge for dinner.
Encounter the Biodiversity of the Amazon Make Travel Matter
Discover the Amazon’s otherworldly realm of aguajales rainforest swampland during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and learn how vegetation has adapted to the exotic species that are drawn here. Here you will also get a chance to visit our organic bio-orchard to discover many of the rainforest’s tropical plants up-close and learn of their healing capabilities. Boldly venture out at night to discover some of the strange species that come alive under deep darkness in the Amazon with our Local Specialist. Stroll quietly as your senses heighten to the mysterious nocturnal sounds of birds, mammals, insects and amphibians wondering close by.
Back to Lima via Puerto Maldonado
After breakfast, we head back to Puerto Maldonado as your Amazon experience comes to an end. Upon arrival in Lima your meet and greet local guide will walk you to your hotel located right next to the airport. Balance of the day is at leisure.
Depart from Lima
International flight departure at leisure.
Departure dates
Select your preferred date or enquire
Operator
Trafalgar
The best of the world unlocked for you. Imagine unmissable experiences you’ve always dreamed of, getting to know the locals and having everything taken care of every step of the way. Here's what you'll experience: Must-sees to local secrets: Visiting bucket list sites are a highlight of travelling, however, travelling on your own can make them hard work. Don’t queue with other sightseers for hours, with Trafalgar our experts unlock doors – think exclusive access to the Vatican out of hours or a tour of Versailles and its grounds with an expert. This, coupled with the intimate glimpses and hidden gems our local specialists show you, are the life-changing experiences that make you feel like an insider, not a tourist. One-of-a-kind experiences: Thanks to our global network you’ll unlock local access to communities and people around the world. Our 100+ Be My Guest experiences are a signature Trafalgar exclusive, where you will enjoy the hospitality of locals as you are welcomed into their homes to hear their stories and learn about their cultures. In every destination, you’ll also enjoy unique “Stays with stories” accommodation: more than just a place to rest your head, they are part of the heritage and fabric of the communities you visit. Responsible travel at heart: When you choose Trafalgar, you are choosing to make your travels a force for good and support our goal to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®. We recognise our responsibility to ensure we make a positive impact on the planet we call home, the people we visit, and the rich wildlife we find. We ensure that the impacts of our business and your travels are positive in two ways: through our TreadRight Foundation, and our 5-year sustainability strategy How We Tread Right.
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