Peru with River Amazon add-on

Typical of the hotels you will stay in are the Jose Antonio Lima Hotel in Lima, the La Chincha Hotel in Paracas, the Hotel Casa Andina in Nazca, the Casa Andina Arequipa Hotel in Arequipa, the Casa Andina Colca Hotel at the Colca Canyon, the Eco Inn Hotel in Puno and the Jose Antonio in Cuzco. Hotels will be confirmed in your final documents.

All rooms have private facilities, TV and telephone. Breakfast is included each day and in the evenings you are free to dine in local restaurants.

Day 1: UK/Lima via Madrid or Amsterdam

Depart on your scheduled flight to Lima, the capital of Peru. (Passengers on regional flights will arrive late evening at the hotel for a two night stay)

Day 2: Lima

Morning arrival at your hotel for a two night stay. Peru offers a wealth of landscapes, history and culture. The snow-capped peaks of the Andes, the architecture and culture of the Incas and the vivid colours of the native Indians ensure a memorable visit. This afternoon we include a tour of Lima. The City of Kings was founded in 1535 by the Spanish Conquistador, Francisco Pizarro, and eventually became the capital of the whole Spanish Colony. Much of the city‘s colonial influence can still be seen today. Beautiful squares, fine churches, palaces and mansions remain little changed from the 17th century. Visit the Plaza Major with its splendid arcades and see the Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace and the Presidential Palace.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Paracas

Depart Lima for the drive along the Pan American Highway to Paracas. Travel through barren desert and fertile landscape to the ancient site of the Pachacamac temple, set in the valley of Lurin and overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The ruins date back to before the time of the Incas and consist of adobe walls and pyramids, and the remains of early frescoes. You will overnight at Chincha.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Nazca

Morning included tour by boat to the Ballestas Islands. This protected area provides shelter for a wealth of wildlife including Humboldt penguins, sea lions and cormorants. Dependant on the season you may even see dolphins and whales. Continue to Nazca for an overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Arequipa

Today you continue your holiday along the coastline to Arequipa for a two night stay.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6: Arequipa

Morning included tour of the ‘ White City’ of Arequipa which lies in the shadows of ice capped volcanoes. Narrow cobbled streets, colonial architecture, and one of the most beautiful squares in Peru are all hallmarks of the city. Visit the Museum of Santuarios Andinos and the Santa Catalina Convent, a city within a city, and a peaceful retreat of red and blue walled streets bedecked with geraniums. This afternoon is at leisure to explore at your own pace.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Chivay

Early morning departure for the drive to Colca Canyon. Travel through rugged volcanic landscape into lush countryside dotted with small villages where farming still takes place on the pre-Inca agricultural terraces of the Colca Valley. The steep green walls of the spectacular Colca Canyon are thought to be deeper than the Grand Canyon and this is also home to the famous bird of the Andes, the majestic condor. Lunch is included today. Overnight stay in Chivay.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 8: Puno

Depart Chivay this morning for the drive to Puno, set on the shores of Lake Titicaca, for a two night stay. En route you will visit the remote burial site at Sillustani, the hilltop ruins are set on a peninsula above Lake Umayo. Here we learn about the religious rituals of the pre-Inca Colla people and see the well-preserved stone towers which were used as graves for the high-born.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch

Day 9: Puno

Lake Titicaca covers a huge area of 3,500 miles and lies at an altitude of 12,500ft in the mighty Andes, the lake was also the legendary birthplace of the Incas. As well as the highest,Titicaca must be one of the world’s most enchanting lakes. A type of reed called ‘totora’ sprouts up from the waters and greatly influences those who live here. The indigenous Uros Indians harvest the lake’s reeds to build their island homes, and to make countless other everyday items. Today we include a half day tour to Lake Titicaca and the intriguing floating Islands.The afternoon is free for you to explore ancient Puno. Maybe shop for colourful Peruvian textiles and enjoy a spectacular sunset over the lake.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10: Cuzco

Transfer by road, across the Altiplano, to Cuzco for a four night stay. The journey is a fascinating experience, giving a close-up view of rural life. You may spot alpaca and llama grazing on the highland pampas and condors soaring above the landscape.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch

Day 11: Cuzco

This morning join our included tour of Cuzco, the 'Imperial City', once capital of the Inca Empire and today a fascinating combination of ancient and Colonial architecture. See the elegant Plaza de Armas at the heart of the city, and the impressive cathedral. Visit the Temple of the Sun and Moon, the walls of which were once entirely covered with gold.

Enjoy splendid views of the terracotta roofs and churchs of Cuzco from the Sacsayhuaman Fortress and visit the Inca ruins of Tambonmachay. Afternoon free to explore. Take the opportunity to shop for Andean handicrafts and silver jewellery at the boutiques and markets or visit the Inca Museum.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12: Cuzco/Machu Picchu

Today you will visit Machu Picchu, a highlight of any visit to Peru. The ruined city was discovered by an American, Hiram Bingham, in 1911. Perched inaccessibly above a steep valley swathed in jungle, Machu Picchu is often referred to as the Lost City and the true reason why it was built by the Incas still remains a mystery. You will travel to Machu Picchu by narrow gauge railway and the last part of the journey will be by bus. Drive up to the mist-shrouded mountain tops where there will be time to discover the fascinating citadel. Wander through the temples and terraces and enjoy spectacular views into the lush green Urubamba Valley thousands of feet below.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch

Day 13: Cuzco

Today you can join our optional tour to the Sacred Valley. Experience all the colour and tradition of the vibrant Indian market at Pisac where you will have the opportunity to barter with cheerful bowlerhatted, pigtailed women for rugs, alpaca sweaters and other native handicrafts. Lunch is included today (on excursion). This afternoon you will visit Ollantaytambo, originally a fortress settlement and one of the few places where the mighty Spanish were defeated by the Incas. The present town largely follows the original Inca plan and a number of Inca ruins remain.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 14: The Amazon

Today you’ll meet your guide and transfer to your Amazonian lodge for a 3 night stay. After lunch you’ll have some free time to get comfortable in your lodge. In the afternoon it’s time for your first trek into the jungle. On this trek you will see a large variety of tropical trees, medicinal plants, insects, butterflies and other animals.

Returning to the lodge you can take a refreshing dip in the pool or have an exotic cocktail in the terrace bar. Before dinner enjoy a nocturnal boat excursion to spot the white cayman.

Meals: Dinner

Day 15: The Amazon

After breakfast we will depart for a 20 minute boat ride to Lake Sandoval. The trek will last for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. We then take a small wooden boat to cross the pristine waters of the lake, where we can observe a wide variety of butterflies, birds, turtles and possibly otters. Here we will also have an included lunch consisting of a typical Amazon dish.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 16: The Amazon

We rise early for a short trek to the Parrot Clay-Lick. Here a number of species feed on special clay, vital to their metabolism. It’s a truly marvellous, multicoloured spectacle. We will then return back to the lodge for breakfast.

Later in the morning we visit to an indigenous family, who will perform their hunting skills and dance.

We will take lunch on the boat during our journey to a farm, or 'Chakra'. Occasionally we might be lucky enough to spot some monkeys, river turtles, caymans and various birds in the dense vegetation of the riverbanks.

At the farm we will become familiar with a variety of tropical fruits and other local products, including cocoa, bananas and coffee. The chacarero (farmer) will also let us taste some of the fruits that will later be taken to the city of Puerto Maldonado. We return to the lodge this afternoon for some relaxation and then our included dinner at the lodge.

Meals: Breakfast / lunch / dinner

Day 17: The Amazon/UK

After breakfast, it's time to say goodbye to the Amazon. Your guide will accompany you on your way back to the city, where we will visit the market to show you agricultural products of the region - especially fruits of the Amazon. Afterwards you’ll be taken to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 18: UK

Arrival in the UK.