DEPARTS EVERY MONDAY - THE AMAZON & MACHU PICCHU 2021- 11 DAYS/10 NIIGHTS

Welcome to Peru!

Kick-start your adventure in the vibrant and friendly city of Lima. On arrival in Lima, you will be warmly welcomed by a representative from &Beyond, who will escort you to your hotel.  (walking distance)

Morning transfer to Lima Airport for your flight to Iquitos.

IQUITOS / NAUTA / EMBARKATION

Arriving on a morning flight*, receive a warm welcome at Iquitos International Airport by our crew and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon continues with an introduction to the historic city of Iquitos and the opportunity to visit an indigenous Amazon community.

In the early evening, embark the Aqua Nera and settle into your generously-sized suite as you begin one of life’s greatest adventures. Following an introduction to our naturalist guides and a routine safety drill, gather at the restaurant for the first of many Amazonian cuisine experiences created by Aqua Nera consulting chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, ámaZ, is one of Peru’s most renowned dining establishments.

YANAYACU-PUCATE RIVER / LISBOA TOWN

Rise with the sun for an early morning birdwatching along the Marañon River and enjoy breakfast in the middle of the jungle. Later, swim, canoe or kayak in Yanayacu-Pucate River as we look for the legendary pink river dolphins. In the afternoon, come with us to an Amazonian village, to interact with the native people and visit local schoolchildren.

SAMIRIA RIVER

The rewards for our early start today are plentiful: a full day excursion including a picnic lunch that is accompanied by the jungle symphony, and fishing along the black waters of the Samiria River. On the way back to the Marañon River after lunch, we venture out by skiffs alongside the banana boats transporting jungle products, keeping an eye out for pink river dolphins.

 NAUTA CAÑO RIVER / JUNGLE WALK IN CASUAL

As the day begins, embark on a morning wildlife excursion on the extraordinary black water Nauta Caño River. In the afternoon, we will take a jungle walk on the firm soil forest of Casual while looking for flora and fauna which may include medicinal trees, insects and poison dart frogs. Learn more about the different rainforest strata and ecosystems. At night, focus our hi-tech telescope on the sky to identify the stars, planets and the milky way

 IQUITOS / MANATEE RESCUE CENTER 

In the morning, take a guided visit to the local market and marvel at the regional produce of the Peruvian Amazon, and sample exotic snacks if you wish. Return to the Aqua Nera for breakfast before disembarkation. En route to the airport, visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where orphaned Amazonian manatees rehabilitate before they are released back into the wild.

Transfer to Iquitos Airport for your flight to Cusco, via Lima.

On arrival in Cusco your guide will be waiting for you to transfer to the Sacred Valley of the Inca, enjoy a 1.30hours scenic drive.

This morning you will visit Chinchero, a small Andean Indian village located high up on the windswept plains of Anta. The village mainly comprises mud brick (adobe) houses, and locals still go about their business in traditional dress. There are beautiful views overlooking the Sacred Valley of the Incas, with the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the snow-capped peak of Salkantay dominating the western horizon. Its major atraction is its colourful market

We will then continue to Moray. The main feature that impresses is its system of circular agricultural terraces, which are up to 330 feet deep. They are build using retaining walls connected by an irrigation system. Moray can be considered a crop lab– they used the terraces to create micro-climates and grow various products.

After lunch visit Maras, the salt mines, or the famous "salt pools" The salt mines of Maras are still in use today. These days there are thousands of pools, or pocitos, with each pocito yielding around 150 kilograms of salt per month. You can visit the salt mines and explore them along narrow paths. It’s fascinating to watch locals harvest the salt, a process that hasn’t changed in thousands of years.

This morning please meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel, who will transfer you to Ollantaytambo Train Station. Before boarding the train to Machu Picchu, you will have the opportunity to visit the town of Ollantaytambo, with its Inca streets of stone, traditional square homes and small markets. You will also have time to explore its ruins and hike up to an Incan temple for a majestic view of the town.

Departure from Ollantaytambo train station to Machu Picchu on the Vistadome train.
Reception at the train station by the hotel’s representatives that will take care of your luggage. Your guide will accompany with a short walk to the buses that leads to the citadel and board the 30-minute ride to Machu Picchu Citadel. (8000 ft. – 2432 m.a.s.l.)
Explore the enigmatic citadel of Machu Picchu accompanied with your guide for three hours. Your expert guide will lead you through the site, providing archaeological and historical information on key areas of interest, including Intihuatana (the Sun Dial), the Sacred Plaza and the Temple of the Sun.

This is an opportunity to revel in the energy and atmosphere of one of the most significant and spectacular archaeological sites on the planet, surrounded by the cloud forest, Wayna Picchu and Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), the entrance to the Machu Picchu Inca trail.

This morning rise early and enjoy the prospects of a walk through Machu Picchu at sunrise, something which people of strong spirituality believe to be the highlight of a visit to Machu Picchu.

Today you will have the option to do one or two of these hikes:

• Huayna Picchu, one of the highlights of a visit to Machu Picchu. The views of the Citadel and surrounding landscape are extraordinary from the top and well worth the climbing effort.
• Inti Punku or Sun Gate, it takes about an hour each way and is an uphill strenuous hike on the way out to the Gate.
• Inca Bridge, constructed of a few narrow logs perched above a sheer vertical drop – is believed to have served as a secret entrance to Machu Picchu.
• Machu Picchu Mountain, large granite steps comprise most of its trail and wind all the way to the top. The steep climb is a challenging but rewarding hike and the 360-degree views at the top are a gorgeous reward.

Rest of the morning continue touring Machu Picchu with your guide.
Bus transfer to Aguas Calientes train station to board the deluxe Hiram Bingham train to Cusco.

On arrival at Poroy Train Station, private transfer to your hotel.

This morning, for the Cusco City Tour and visit of the nearby ruins, you will meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel. Your guide will take you to the Main Square to visit the Cathedral of Cusco, the mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cusco; in addition to its official status as a place of worship, it has become a major repository of Cusco's colonial art, it also holds many archeological artifacts and relics.

You will then continue to Koricancha Temple, the most impressive example of how Inca and Hispanic cultures fused together. The remains of the ancient Peruvian Sun Temple were used as foundations on which the Santo Domingo church and convent was built. The temple is a symbol of Western dominance. The site is a living example of the co-existence of Peru's past with European architecture.

You will drive 15 minutes from Cusco to visit Sacsayhuaman, an imposing display of Inca architecture. There are still questions about its real purpose during the Inca period. At first, it was thought to have been a fort, but later it was considered to have been a ceremonial centre.

You will then continue to Qenqo: an immense, rocky promontory, marked by carved steps, wells, and channels. You will see Puca Puccara - or Red Fort - and Tambomachay, where the architecture of the Inca baths consists of a group of structures built with precisely cut stones. Water from nearby streams runs through the site in aquaducts and small cascades.

Afternoon will be at your leisure.

Private transfer to Cusco Airport for your flight to Lima.

On arrival in Lima you will be met and assisted to connect with your international flight.