LIMA to LIMA (19 days) Incas & Amazon (Inc. Amazon

DAY 1: LIMA The capital of Peru, Lima is a city of contrasts. Here you'll encounter both abundant wealth and grinding poverty, modern skyscrapers next to some of the finest museums and historical monuments in Latin America. You will have a free day to explore its many museums, markets and colonial plazas. Visit the Old Town as well as the Miraflores district before watching the sunset over the Pacific Ocean at the end of the day.(No Meals) Overnight: Hotel Buena Vista (or similar) DAY 2: LIMA TO BALLESTAS ISLANDS Our first stop, south of Lima, is the Ballestas Islands in the Paracas National Reserve. Here we take a boat trip to view one of the most important marine reserves in the world with the highest concentration of rare and exotic sea birds and sea mammals. This will provide our first glimpse of the wonderful and varied South American wildlife so cameras at the ready! (Breakfast) Overnight: Brisas de la Bahia (or similar) DAY 3: BALLESTAS ISLANDS TO ICA DESERT An hours drive inland in the heart of the Ica Desert is Peru's main wine centre. Here we visit the Tacama winery, originally a Jesuit run Bodega it now produces export quality wines as well as Peru's national drink, Pisco. After our own tasting session we continue a few kilometres to the nearby Oasis of Huacachina. A palm fringed lake surrounded by impressive sand dunes, you can relax on the beach, go for a swim & then if its an adrenaline rush you're after head out with your Tour Leader on a custom made dune buggy & roar across the desert sands to the top of enormous dunes & then sand board down them - imagine snowboarding but on sand instead! Tonight, after an unforgettable desert sunset, we sit around the campfire while our guides cook up a storm, followed by a night sleeping out under the stars. (Breakfast) Overnight: Desert camp DAY 4: ICA DESERT TO AREQUIPA Travel to Peru is not complete without a trip to one of the world's greatest archaeological mysteries - the Nazca Lines. Only discovered 80 years ago from the air, these huge figures carved into the desert floor are best viewed by light aircraft. Thought to have been made by three different civilisations going back more than 2000 years, there are many contrasting theories about what they signify and why they are there, it is worthwhile asking local opinion - you may well be surprised with the replies! Also memorable is a visit to Chauchilla Cemetery with its well-preserved mummies. Leaving the Atacama Desert we begin to climb into the Andes mountain range on our overnight coach journey towards Arequipa. (Breakfast) Overnight: Sleeper coach DAY 5-8: AREQUIPA - FREE DAYS Arequipa - Four days are dedicated to exploring this beautiful colonial city and the spectacular surrounding area. Continuing as always with our theme of adventure travel, Peru offers many options to go white water rafting, cycling, trekking, horse riding as well as an included visit to the Colca Canyon, which at 900m is not only one of the deepest in the world but also the home of the majestic Condors. Here you can view the condors circling lazily in the thermals rising from the canyon floor. (Breakfast x 4) Overnight Arequipa: Hotel la Casa de mi Abuela (or similar) DAY 9: AREQUIPA TO CUSCO Our overnight coach journey across the Andes takes us to Cusco, the outdoors capital of Peru and our base for the next 7 days. A mecca for adventure travel, Peru's famous Inca Trail begins near this city. Although Cusco is today a colonial city most of its churches and museums are built on top of original Inca stonewalls which are clearly visible. We arrive early morning, giving you the option of doing a day tour of the beautiful Urubamba or Sacred Valley of the Incas where you'll find temples, terraces, local communities and markets before returning to Cusco for a good night's sleep before your Inca Trail! (Breakfast) Overnight: Andean South Hotel (or similar) DAY 10-13: INCA TRAIL We head out early from Cusco to the Urubamba Valley from where we begin our 4 day hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This moderate to strenuous hike is a once in a lifetime experience and anyone with a good level of fitness will enjoy it. A stunning combination of awesome views, Inca ruins, magnificent mountains and exotic adventure. There are several treks which you can take in Machu Picchu. When permits are still available, we will organise the Classic Trail trek, but great alternative Inca Trail treks, like the Lares or Salkantay can be arranged when the Classic is not available or by your choice (must be pre-arranged at time of booking). These alternatives mean that you still get to visit Machu Picchu. Tours to Machu Picchu are absolutely unbelievable; a trip to this City in the Clouds is an ancient and awe-inspiring part of our South America travel tour. Besides seeing Machu Picchu, you are able to enjoy the architectural uniqueness of Cusco and explore some of the colourful surrounding markets. Please note that for all those visiting Machu Picchu there is now the option to buy a ticket to go up the summit next to Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu. Tickets for this must be requested at the time of your booking with us, and payment made in advance in the UK. You will have the option to add the tickets to go up Huayna Picchu when you make your booking online, be sure to add them if you would like them. Our route back to Cusco for all options is by train. (Breakfast x 4, Lunch & Dinner x 3). Overnight: Inca Trail camping (three nights) Overnight Cusco: Andean South Hotel (or similar) DAY 14-15: CUSCO We have 2 free days in Cusco to relax and recover as well as explore more of the city and its museums and churches or look for local crafts from Alpaca woollen jumpers to Andean musical instruments and local jewellery. The adventurous can go white water rafting on the Urubamba or Apurimac River. (Breakfast x 2) Overnight: Andean South Hotel (or similar) DAY 16: CUSCO TO AMAZON JUNGLE Depart Cusco by plane to the town of Puerto Maldonado, on the edge of the Tambopata - Candamo Reserve. We enter the Reserve by boat along the Madre de Dios River and reach our jungle lodge, our base for the next 3 nights. In the afternoon we can take a walk with our local guides who have extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna of this area. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Overnight: Amazon Jungle Lodge DAY 17-18: AMAZON JUNGLE During our time in the reserve our guide will take us on walks and canoe trips to discover the amazing array of plant, bird, animal and insect life in the jungle. We can walk to one of the ox-bow lakes that abounds with exotic bird life. Taking a boat onto the lake we also hope to see giant river otters and caimans. Our guide will tell us about the traditional uses of the plants and trees and point out different types of monkey, macaw and moth! (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner x 2) Overnight: Amazon Jungle Lodge DAY 19: AMAZON JUNGLE TO LIMA Time to leave the jungle, we head back in the boat to Puerto Maldonado for the flight back to Lima. (Breakfast) The Jungle section includes local guides, mosquito nets, bedding, food and purified drinking water. Bottled water is available at extra cost. N.B. FLIGHT TIMES FROM THE JUNGLE CAN BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, SO PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT BOOKINGS ALLOW AT LEAST ONE SPARE DAY AFTER THE JUNGLE EXCURSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED! If you require accommodation in Lima at the end of your trip, please ask your Tour Leader at the beginning of the trip, or arrange direct with the hotel.