Discovering Peru: Coast, Sierra, and Jungle Adventure

Breakfast. Today you will visit the town and market of Chinchero, a picturesque Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta, 3,762m above sea level. Local weavers have revived pre-Hispanic techniques featuring natural dyes. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. Next, we will head for Maras, driving through a patchwork of fields. The colonial village of Maras is known for its nearby salt pans, harvested since pre-Columbian times. We’ll also explore Moray, an intriguing Incan site where terraces are arrayed in concentric circles.

Breakfast. We start the day by picking you up early to transfer you to the Ollantaytambo train station, where you will board the train towards km 104. Meet your tour guide and pass the control point of the Inca Trail. We’ll begin with a 3-hour uphill hike towards the archaeological complex of Wiñaywayna. Afterward, you will eat lunch and walk for another two hours to the Intipunku Sun Gate, granting a spectacular view of Machu Picchu. Continue walking toward Machu Picchu to enjoy the magic of the ancient city. Afterward, take a 30-minute bus ride to Aguas Calientes where you will spend the night.

Breakfast. Visit this unique Incan citadel and its surrounding complexes on a private visit. Machu Picchu stands 2,430 meters above sea-level in the middle of a tropical mountain forest. The extraordinarily beautiful setting encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Enjoy a delicious lunch in Machu Picchu Pueblo. At 16:50hs, board the train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy. Upon arrival, you will meet your Swifts Travel representative for a private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.

Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Puerto Maldonado, the Capital of Biodiversity. Transfer by road to the pier and begin your Amazon adventure with a 45-minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River. Settle into your palm-thatched cabaña at your eco-lodge. After lunch, choose from a wide range of à-la-carte guided excursions. In the late afternoon, we highly recommend taking our Twilight River excursion to witness the jungle transform from a diurnal to a nocturnal world. An Amazonian-inspired dinner is served in the main dining room.

Visit Lake Sandoval this morning, a glassy ox-bow lake inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve. Board a dug-out wooden canoe to quietly paddle through a stream and glide onto Lake Sandoval. This serene lake is home to many species of birds, the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, and black caimans. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we recommend climbing the exhilarating Canopy Walkway, a sophisticated network of suspension bridges above the forest floor. À-la-carte dinner is served from 19:00.

Journey 25-minutes by boat to Gamitana Farm and Creek to unearth more wonders of the rainforest. See how a variety of produce is grown by local farmers and sample some seasonal forest fruits. Follow a dense jungle trail to reach Gamitana Creek, home to abundant flora and fauna. Head upriver to Hacienda Concepcion. Under the cover of darkness, venture out for the Rainforest by Night excursion through the Ecological Reserve, heightening your senses to the movements in the undergrowth.

Enjoy your last morning in this natural wonderland. Check-out is at 10:00. Embark on your ready-waiting boat for the 45-minute return trip along the snaking Madre de Dios River until arriving at the airport. Fly to Lima, where one of our representatives will be waiting to escort you to your hotel. Spend your first day exploring this vibrant city at your leisure or relaxing in your hotel.