Extraordinary Active Circuit in 21 Days: Lima to Puerto Maldonado & Machu Picchu

Day 1: LIMA – Free Day. (Optional activities - City tour or Pachacamac)

Welcome by our staff, reception and transfer to the selected hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 2: DINNER SHOW

Breakfast at the hotel - Free day.

At 19:00 hours, our staff will pick you up to take you to a theme restaurant, where you will have the pleasure of enjoying a buffet dinner show of typical Peruvian dances.

The restaurant at night will be La Dama Juana a perfect choice for this night.

You will have as an option a variety of typical Peruvian dishes in a very complete and varied buffet dinner.

At the end of the dinner show, our staff will be waiting for you to return to the hotel.

22:00 Return to the hotel.

Overnight in Lima.

Day 3: LIMA - Free day. (City tour or Pachacamac optional)

Free day.

Overnight at Lima.

Day 4: FULL DAY PARACAS & ICA

Pick up time from hotel - 2:50 am

We will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the bus station to Paracas.

The bus will leave at approximately 4:00 am, after 3 hours we will arrive in Paracas.

Arrival in the city of Paracas, reception and transfer.

Visit to Paracas Reserve

7:30 - 7:50 am Pick up from Paracas bus station and transfer to the sea pier

8:00 am boarding in the sliders, putting on life jackets and start of the guided sea tour of the Ballestas Islands and observation of the Candelabra.
Enriching tour of 2 hours approx, through the whimsical natural rock formations

They are home to important marine fauna, such as large colonies of guano birds, penguins Humboldt, the friendly Sea Lions, Dolphins, Guanayes, Piqueros and more

10:00 am After the tour, you will have free time to walk around the Paracas Bay that you can take pictures, buy crafts and get to know.

11:00 am Tourist mobility trip to Ica - Huacachina

12:00 pm approx. Arrival to Huacachina where you will have free time to walk, have lunch and other activities such as boat trips on the lagoon (we suggest adding another activity)

04:00 pm Start of the adventure circuit in the dunes of Huacachina, where will have a ride of pure adrenaline in sand carts (buggies) and they will also be able to the sandboarding (sliding on boards), circuit lasts about an hour. Then you will have timefree for them to stroll around the Oasis, take boats, take pictures and buy handicrafts.

At about 06:00 pm we will take the bus to Ica where we will spend the night.

Overnight in Ica.

Day 5: NAZCA: FLIGHT OVER THE MAJESTIC NAZCA LINES

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, we will go to the hotel to pick you up and leave for the airfield of Nazca where we will board a light plane for an unforgettable aerial excursion over theNazca.
Our bilingual guide (Spanish / English) will assist you at all times until you board the plane.

From the sky we will observe the majestic lines and figures of the Pampas of San Jose that have 500 hectares and that have been studied for many years by Dr. Maria Reiche (According to Dr.Maria Reiche, who has dedicated a large part of her life to the study of these lines is the Calendar Astronomical world). The Nazca Lines are mysterious traces made.

From the Nazca Airfield, we will board a small plane that will take us to the mysterious Lines Nazca. Where 12 figures will be shown: whale, trapezoid, monkey, dog, condor, spider, hummingbird, alcatras, parrot, hands, tree, and the most mysterious The Astronaut among others in large dimensions that reach from 15 to 300 meters each and with a depth of approximately 30 centimeters.

The overflight lasts 30 - 35 minutes approximately.

At the end of the flight, we will have time to have lunch and take a bus to Arequipa at

02:30 pm arriving at our destination at 11:30 pm approximately.

We will be assisted on our arrival in Arequipa and transferred to the hotel where we will spend the night.

Hotel night in Arequipa.

Day 6: Arequipa - City Tour

Breakfast at the hotel.

We will have the morning free to be able to rest, to walk a little for the center of the cityand lunch.

Arequipeña (optional and additional tour)

Pick up from hotel at 02:00pm.

Our excursion begins with our tourists being picked up at their respective hotels, and then we will drive our mobility to the outskirts of the city of Arequipa where we will visit firstly the beautiful Mirador de Sachaca, which will offer us a beautiful natural panorama of Arequipa and its volcanoes (Volcan Misti). Then we will drive our vehicle to the Mission of the Founder, beautiful colonial-era building where the founder of the city of Arequipa, Garcia lived Manuel de Carvajal in the 15th century.

Finally, we will travel through a spectacular Andean landscape and we will arrive at the Sabandia Mill, an impressive construction based on volcanic rock known as sillar, where you can see an old stone mill that was built in the year 1,785 where we will return to the city of Arequipa to end our tour.

Overnight at hotel choiced in Arequipa.

Day 7: AREQUIPA: COLCA CANYON

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 am. Aprox. We will pick you up at your hotel to take our bus and leave the city of Arequipa with direction to Chivay. On the way, we will be increasing the height, so we will go making stops to acclimatize. One of them is Pampa Cañahuas, a reserve where you can watching alpacas and vicuñas. Afterwards, we will make a short stop in Patahuasi, from where we will continue to a place called Tacra, where we will have the chance to observe the flora and fauna of the region.

The tour continues with a visit to Patapampa, the viewpoint of the volcanoes, which is located at 4800 m from altitude. After this, we will continue to the city of Chivay, where we can have lunch and settle in our respective hotels. During the afternoon, we can visit the thermal baths of La Calera to relax and be free for dinner in the same town of Chivay.
After this, we will go to rest for the next day.

Overnight at designated hotel in Chivay.

Day 8: COLCA CANYON - CRUZ DEL CONDOR

Breakfast at the hotel.

06:00 am. Approx. we will get up early to take advantage of the breakfast at the hotel and then we will take our vehicle to go visit the Cruz del Condor. In this place, we will be able to walk and visit the viewpoint where you can see some condors in flight. In addition, we will make stops at some villages like Yanque and Maca, where we will have access to the local squares and some handicrafts.

After this, we will return to Chivay for lunch and then continue our trip to Puno with a tourist bus, which goes on small excursions along the route to to get to Puno.

Overnight at selected hotel in Puno.

Day 9: PUNO: FULL DAY TO TITICACA LAKE (UROS & TAQUILLE ISLANDS)

Breakfast at the hotel.

In the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to go on a transport to the pier or portmain.

Around 7:00 am, we start the departure towards the floating islands of the Uros, currently considered the Lake Titicaca National Reserve. Also known as the lake the highest navigable area in the world. During the trip, you will be able to observe a beautiful panoramic view, landscape. Our specialized guide will tell you about the existence of the floating islands of the Uros.

Today the people of the Uros still maintain their own culture and tradition, as well as fishing specially the (CARACHI) and the silverside. When fishing is abundant, the fish drying them in the sun. They also hunt wild birds and collect eggs from duck. There are 75 islands living today, and each organized, after a long and nice visit, you will be saying goodbye to the Uros.

Our next visit will be the natural island of Taquile.

Natural island of Taquile - To get to our next visit, we will sail by boat for 2 and a half hours, to the natural island of Taquile, during the navigation you will be able to observe the mountain chain (the Cordillera Real), not only that, the people of Taquile are very collaborative and well organized. This is the reason why the Taquileños have demonstrated their high level of progress in the textile industry, receiving their award for UNESCO.

It should be noted that spinning and weaving are mainly done by men, starting at the age of eight and women make exclusively from yarn and fabric.

The visit will take an average of 2 hours, and 1 hour will have to taste a delicious typical lunch, if you really want to be part of this community, you can volunteer to help
by buying some of his crafts. So that this community has some means of sustainability, so that they can continue to show their existence to future travellers.

Finally, our guide will inform you of the time of return, arriving at 17:00 pm. in the city of Puno.

We will spend the night at selected hotel in Puno.

Day 10: PUNO - CUSCO “Sun Route”

Breakfast at the hotel.

Around 06:15am, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the bus at the Puno terminal.

Our journey to Cusco will last 10 hours approximately, where we will have 4 excursions and guided tours to the most interesting places in the southern highlands visiting the temple of Andahuaylillas or Sistine Chapel of America, the Inka temple of Raqchi, the Raya at 4335 meters above sea level and the Inka Museum Aymara from Pukara.

Each visit lasts between 20 and 40 minutes, where you will be able to questions, take pictures and explore the attractions of the place, making this experience a unforgettable activity.

We will arrive to Cusco at 4:30 pm, we will be picked up from the train station and we will be transfers to the hotel where we will spend the night we will be arriving in Cusco at 4:30 pm being picked up and transferred to the hotel where we will spend the night.

Day 11: CUSCO: CITY TOUR + 4 RUINS NEARBY

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning free to acclimatize or do some shopping.

City tour in Cusco 13:00 - 13:30.

The City Tour in the city of Cusco will allow you to know the archaeological and religious tourist places the most impressive of the cosmopolitan city of Cusco, Peru.
This unmissable tour for all visitors is held daily from 1:00 pm starting with the Cathedral Basilica in the city of Cusco, one of the most notable colonial monuments of America. Qoricancha or Coricancha known as the Temple of the Sun. Visit archaeological sites at outside the city as Sacsayhuaman a megalithic construction. Qenko considered as underground chamber where mummifications were carried out, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, important archaeological sites of religious character of the Inca culture.

After a bit of culture at the end of the tour, why not enjoy the beautiful city, move a little body and enjoy all the bars and discos that our beautiful city offers.

Overnight at hotel choiced in Cusco.

Day 12: CUSCO: SACRED VALLEY

Breakfast at the hotel.

We pick you up at your hotel (8:30 a.m.) and then we start our tour in the Sacred Valley of the Incas which is a beautiful place with beautiful landscapes and views, its people, its handicraft markets, and other tourist attractions. In Pisaq, we will visit the handicraft market where we will find works in textiles, ceramics, silverware and others. After visiting this beautiful town we will go to the high part of the mountain where the archaeological center is located with its imposing constructions of agricultural terraces and other constructions that in spite of having more than 500 years are intact.

After visiting this place we will continue our tour along the banks of the river WILCAMAYU (sacred river) until we arrive to Urubamba where you will have time to have lunch and rest a little for later continue with the tour in OLLANTAYTAMBO a very singular and picturesque town because the inhabitants of the place still use the Inca constructions as houses and their narrow and paved streets make this place a beautiful traditional town the religious center is located by the high part of the mountain where the temple of the sun continues imposing its majesty. In this place, the tour ends approximately at 4:00pm hours to then head to the traditional town of Chinchero, where the remains of the royal hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui are located.

We will appreciate its very well preserved Inca walls in the main square and also appreciate the beautiful colonial temple with interesting frescoes on the porch, built on the foundations of an Inca construction, this town is a beautiful example of the mestizo and colonial style and at the appointed time return to Cusco

Overnight in Cusco.

Day 13: TREKKING KM 82 "PISCACUCHO TO WAYLLABAMBA"

• Meals: Lunch, snacks and dinner.
• Lodging: Camping facilities.
• Distance: 11kms / 6.8 mls (6 hours or so of walking)
• Difficulty: Easy / moderate.
• Walking time: Approximately 6 hours (including picnic lunch on the route)
• Hiking and terrain: Hiking on open and steep trails.

Breakfast at the hotel, at a coordinated time you will be picked up from the hotel to be transferred by ITEP transport from Cusco through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, finally we will arrive at Km 82 "Entrance to the Inca Trail".

Trekking Km 82 "Piscacucho to Wayllabamba”

We will pick you up from your hotels at 6:00 a.m. and go to kilometer 82 (2,800 m./9,200 ft.), the starting point for our hike and the official control of the Inca Trail for tourists, guides and porters.

The hike begins with a gentle climb. During the first 3 hours we will be on relatively flat ground observing a magnificent view of the summit and the snowy Wakay Willka known as the Veronica. Where we can enjoy an extraordinary Andean landscape and an Inca construction known as the patallacta, located at 2,750 m. / 9,030 ft., in this place we will be able to observe some farming terraces that served to feed travelers from different places who took this journey to reach Machu Picchu.

Then we will continue walking through a zone full of vegetation where it is very probable to observe the most popular bird Giant Hummingbird, after having walked for about 2 hours. We will arrive to our first camp located in the zone of Huayllabamba at 3,000 m. / 9,900 ft. Huayllabamba is a small town surrounded by fields of corn, potato crops and other products, here we will have our first campsite.

Day 14: TREKKING "FROM WAYLLABAMBA TO PACAYMAYU / RUNKURAQAY"

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities.
• Distance: 16kms / 10mls (9 hours or so of walking time)
• Difficulty: Moderate.

This day our cook will prepare a hot muña or coca drink, today we will have a great challenge; the one to ascend to the highest point of the opening of Warmi Huañusca, before undertaking our way we will have an exquisite and comfortable breakfast.

In this section, we already begin to appreciate the wide path with cobblestone on the outer edge and in risk areas you can see retaining walls to control the slope of the road, the rise becomes heavier until you reach the sector of Ayapata an area prepared for the camps.

The ascent through the Salkantay river gorge becomes heavier, the road becomes steeper and the legs already take their toll from the effort made in the midst of the fog and constant drizzle that hovers over the landscape. A final effort allows us to reach 4332 meters above sea level where the Warmiwañuska pass is located, a chink that opens between the mountain range that surrounds Machu Picchu. From here there is a wonderful natural landscape that makes the visitor feel as if he were face to face with the Apus tutelares, the Taita Inti, the Mama Killa, the Olympus of the Andean Gods at a step from the Hanaq Pacha.

The natural landscape has changed notoriously, from the leafy vegetation of the inter-Andean valleys we pass to the icy mountains where the wild straw abounds in the midst of the silence that is silently cut by the discreet winds that comb the mountain.

A network of paths for all visitors enables us to take a break for lunch and replenish our energy.

The road down to Pacaymayu Alto is completely integrated and dates back to the time of the Incas. It is wide and slides in the middle of shallow ravines and noisy streams that the mountains give birth to.

Day 15: TREKKING "FROM PACAYMAYU TO WIÑAYHUAYNA"

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Accommodation: Camping facilities and cold showers.
• Distance: 10kms / 6.2mls
• Difficulty: Moderate

After a hearty breakfast, around 7:00 am, the trail climbs very steeply from the Pacaymayo camp on a well-preserved cobblestone road. Here the Inca Trail takes 1 hour to reach the ruins of Runcuracay, a circular structure with rectangular outer buildings located at the end of the valley, an old Inca Tambo, it is here that the chaskis rested and stocked up on food and other materials. Here there is a guard post, a lookout point, and a ritual building, its buildings facing east.

From this site, you have a better view when you continue the stairway to the left bank. The second pass (3,950 m/12,956 ft), also known as the Abra de Runcuracay, is about an hour away, and beyond it, there are a series of false summits, and above them a series of steep stairs. Just before reaching the real pass, the trail winds between two small lagoons where Andean gulls occasionally gather. The second pass is a wide platform, which has exceptional views, and with clear weather, you can look back at Warmiwañusca and have an amazing view of the snowy peaks and the road you have traveled. Forward to the 6,000 meter high mountain - Pumasillo (La Garra de la Puma) massif. From here, most of the road is downhill.

After descending through a small tunnel, the trail begins with a series of tight zigzags, descending rapidly until it reaches a small lookout point above the promontory. Beyond, the descent is more gradual and the path winds and coils across the slopes. To the right of this pass is a long lake covered with seaweed, and in front of you, the imposing Inca town of Sayacmarca is visible.

You are now in time to explore and learn interesting things from the explanations of your guides. After these talks, we will continue to descend and the trail will take us to Chakicocha (3,400 m/11,000 ft), where we have a quiet camp where we can rest and have lunch. There are toilets here.

From here, after lunch the excursion becomes breathtakingly beautiful as we pass the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, and then descend to Wiñaywayna and Intipata, to enjoy spectacular views of the Aobamba Valley. This extension of the trail is made of well-maintained paved granite stone, still in good condition even after many centuries.

Your lungs will appreciate the fact that today's hike is much lower than the one above, and is significantly shorter than yesterday's hike. To reach Phuyupatamarca (El Pueblo de las Nubes), we pass through the first of two short natural tunnels in the mountains. After visiting this site, we descend about 2,000 cobblestone steps to the Wiñaywayna citadel.
If you did not have knee problems until now, you will suddenly have problems after this descent. If you have knee injuries, we recommend that you hire a carrier to carry your things from the beginning. Use trekking poles to help your legs.

Then there is an additional short hike to the Intipata complex, another important Inca site that has agricultural terraces, before arriving at our campsite for the night. At about 5 pm, we will arrive at our campsite in Wiñaywayna (2,700 m/8,856 ft). We will set up our things in the tents, and before it gets dark, we will hike for another 20 minutes to enjoy the wonderful views and take a tour of the site.

This Inca complex is the largest and most preserved of the other Inca sites on the Inca Trail. There are also many hikers at this camp, preparing for the final excursion to Machu Picchu early tomorrow morning. Therefore, we recommend that you take extra care of your personal belongings here. Keep an eye on your backpacks and do not leave anything outside your tent at night. Now it is time for tea and a buffet dinner. Please note that the hostel here that had existed in the past for decades is now closed. Here you will only find cold showers, no drinks and basic toilets.

Day 16: TREKKING "WIÑAYHUAYNA - GUIDED TOUR OF INTI PUNKU AND MACHUPICCHU"

• Meals: Breakfast
• Distance: 8.9kms / 5.5mls "By bus in 25 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy

We will be up very early at about 04: 00 am to enjoy our breakfast and follow our final journey of the Inca Trail. We will advance almost in a straight line north to Inti Punku, the trail is surrounded by abundant vegetation that provides the necessary shade to cover from the solar radiation that increases with the passing of the hours.

On the way there are attractive sections that show stone roads, wooden gates, and some viewpoints that allow you to appreciate the valley floor with the Vilcanota River a few meters before reaching the Intipunku where there are half-built stone buildings probably abandoned by the Incas after the Spanish invasion.

A whim of the road can be appreciated when arriving at Intipunku where a small but steep slope forces us to spend the last energies arriving. The visitor feels glimpsed with the impressive view of the wonderful Inca llaqta of Machu Picchu and part of the Hiram Bingham wagon that communicates with the district capital of Machu Picchu.

Intipunku is a small set of stone forms that evidently served as a checkpoint and administration of people and goods that move along this route here we can enjoy Machu Picchu, from another angle with the broad panorama that opens with the mountains, valleys and ravines that are visualized from this point.

When arriving at Machu Picchu, the marvel of the world, synthesis and summary of the colossal architecture of our ancestors, summit of the Andean civilization, pride of the Peruvians and sign of cultural identity of all the cusqueños, shows us how high degree of development reached the Andean civilization of the hand of the Incas always accompanied by our experienced guide who allows us to cross this religious site par excellence.

"Machu Picchu Maravilla del Mundo" with an altitude of 2,437 masl / 7,995 ft, we understand their superior knowledge reached in the astronomical and astrological that puts in our knowledge the hydrological cycles of rains and droughts by means of the solstices for the development of the agricultural activity, having a free time to take pictures and to stroll by own account.

To the terminal the route, we will board the bus of descent with direction to Aguas Calientes to enjoy a repairing tourist menu considering the schedule of return of the train to the station of Ollantaytambo, where our Transport will wait for you to return to the city of the Cusco and its later transfer to its reference hotel.

Day 17: CUSCO – FREE DAY

Breakfast at the hotel

An ideal day to do personal activities or take optional activities such as visiting the Mountain of Colors, the Humantay Lagoon or Maras Moray.

Overnight in Cusco

Day 18: CUSCO - PUERTO MALDONADO

Breakfast at the hotel

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by our guide and transferred from the airport or bus station to our main office in the city, where you will be able to select and pack only what is necessary for your stay in the jungle. The main luggage can remain in our security deposit. We also offer you rubber boots in the rainy season, and then we go to the river port of Madre de Dios River.

We embark on a motor canoe with our guide downstream approximately 45 minutes and on the way we enjoy our Amazon lunch with a typical dish of the region (JUANE), arrive at the entrance to the Tambopata National Reserve with the destination of Lake Sandoval, the path takes us to 1.6 miles (3 kilometers) on foot.

As we advance the jungle changes from secondary forest to primary forest of natural bamboo, habitat of monkeys, sloths and macaws, until we reach a small channel where we board our paddle canoes, paddle for 100 meters (almost the same in yards) through a swamp of palms, abundance of "aguajes" (mauritia palms) those palms provide the most popular fruit of the Peruvian jungle, highly consumed by the locals in drinks and ice cream.

Once we reach the mirror of the lake, we will cross to the other end to our Lodge, where we will settle into our cabins and rest for a while in hammocks with a beautiful and relaxing view of the lake. Then we leave to explore part of the lake, looking for monkeys or black caiman (black caimans are the largest of the caiman family, and the largest view in the lake is 6 meters long / 20 feet). In the flooded palm forest, we can see hundreds of red-bellied macaws when they are returning to sleep (one of the few species of macaws that live in herds and swamps of water palms, as the one found in Sandoval Lake).

Day 19: PUERTO MALDONADO: COLPA DE PALMERAS

This day we wake up in the middle of a bird singing concert and start our adventure towards the attraction - COLLPA DE GUACAMAYOS EN ARBOLES DE PALMERAS, crossing the lake by canoe for about 30 minutes and then taking the short road along the main trail, 1 km. Where we will arrive at the special place where every morning parrots and macaws congregate to eat tree bark.

Very rich in minerals, dozens of blue, yellow and red macaws take turns eating minerals from dead palms or from the palms, they nest in. Returning from the show, in the middle of the lake we have the chance to see the friendly family of giant otters that are very active at this time, which feed on an average of 8 pounds of fish per day. Lake Sandoval offers abundant wildlife, including 6 species of monkeys, black caimans, over 40 species of birds living on the lake shore, and the most abundant group of hoatzin, all animals here are easy to photograph from the canoe, we return to the Lodge to enjoy a well deserved breakfast.

Then, we will go for a walk in the middle of the jungle observing on the way giant trees more emblematic of the Amazon as the LOPUNA (kapok) CHIHUAHUACO (iron tree) LA CASTAÑA (Brazil nut) The guide will explain about how this product is harvested extremely important for our local economy.

After this experience, we return to the Lodge at noon, to enjoy our delicious lunch and a brief rest. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a beautiful sunset (SUNSET) appreciated from a viewpoint, to close the day we will make a night walk to see insects, tarantulas and snakes, finally dinner and rest.

Day 20: PUERTO MALDONADO - LIMA

05:00 am

The last day we will start very early to make a last tour around the lake in search of the river otter and in search of more diversity of flora and fauna that live in the majestic Lake Sandoval, we will take advantage of the last walk to capture in our cameras the unforgettable moments of our tour. Finally, we will return to the lodge for breakfast and then we will start our return trip to the city of Puerto Maldonado and then to Lima.

To enjoy this tour more we must bear in mind that we must bring

• Rain poncho
• Mosquito repellent
• Sunscreen
• Flashlights
• Long-sleeved polo shirts
• Cap to cover us from the sun on the lake
• Swimwear

We must not carry

• Alcoholic drinks.

Day 21: TRANSFER OUT HOTEL TO THE AIRPORT - LIMA

Breakfast at the hotel.

At the appropriate time, transfer out to the Lima airport.