Amazon & Inca holiday
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Peruvian Amazon |
| trip type: | Strenuous trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 26 Oct, 16 Nov, 7 Dec, 28 Dec 2009: 18 Jan, 8 Feb, 1 Mar, 22 Mar, 12 Apr, 26 Apr, 10 May, 24 May, 7 Jun, 21 Jun, 5 Jul, 19 Jul, 2 Aug, 16 Aug, 30 Aug, 13 Sep, 27 Sep, 11 Oct |
| price: | From £795 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $300 and domestic flights £235. We can arrange flights from the UK |
the amazing things you'll be doing
If your holiday time is limited then this trip is probably for you. Discover the treasures of the great museums of Lima. Relax on beautiful Isla Amantani on Lake Titicaca and then discover the wonders of the Inca Empire in and around Cusco and along the mountain trails to Machu Picchu. To finish your holiday, we visit Puerto Maldonado, deep in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. This trip is designed to get you out and about in Peru, experiencing the many facets of this diverse country.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £8 - this does not include your international flight.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £8 - this does not include your international flight.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | Lima Your trip starts on Sunday with your arrival in Lima. There are no activities planned so you are free to arrive at any time. Lima has much to offer visitors. There are some excellent museums containing priceless artifacts of the Inca and Coastal civilizations and the central area of Lima has some excellent Spanish colonial buildings that are well worth a look |
| Day 3-4: | Puno & Lake Titicaca On Tuesday we take a flight across the mountains to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. On Wednesday morning we board a boat and travel firstly to the floating reed islands of the Uros Indians and then on to the island of Amantani where we split into small groups and enjoy an overnight home stay with a local family. On Thursday we return to our Puno hotel. |
| Day 6: | Puno to Cusco We travel by bus to Cusco, climbing firstly to the Le Raya Pass (4321m) and then on past the hot thermal springs at Aguas Calientes. Further on we visit the beautiful 17th century cathedral in Andahuaylillas and we make a short stop at the Huari (pre-Inca) adobe wall ruins of Piquillacta. We arrive into Cusco in the late afternoon. |
| Day 7: | Cusco We have time here to explore the sites of this ancient Inca capital. Visit the Plaza de Armas and the many cathedrals and museums in the city or head to the great Inca sites of Sacsayhuaman, Quenca and Tambo Machay. Further on is the beautiful “Sacred Valley” and the fortress ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. |
| Day 8-11: | Inca Trail Our four-day camping trek starts with the journey by bus or train to The Sacred Valley. Here we take to the ancient mountain trails that lead us to Machu Picchu. There are plenty of steep climbs so you will need to be reasonably fit. We aim to arrive at Machu Picchu on Wednesday morning in order to spend the day exploring the ancient ruins. In the afternoon we return by train to Cusco. |
| Day 12: | Cusco We have time to relax after our trek and to take in those last few sites in Cusco. And don’t forget the souvenir markets that surround the main plaza. |
| Day 13-14: | Amazon Jungle Today we take a flight to Puerto Maldonado where we transfer by boat to our jungle lodge for a two-night stay. During our stay we hike jungle trails with native guides and discover the remarkable flora and fauna of the Amazon. |
| Day 15: | Lima A short flight brings us to Lima and the end of our trip. |
avoid disappointment - book your Inca Trail holiday in time
In the last few years, the Peruvian government has imposed increasing restrictions on tourism on the Inca Trail in order to protect it from overuse. The aim is to minimise ecological impact and erosion, mainly by having limited access and improving the quality of the operators. There are now only a very limited number of trekking permits available - 500 per day (around 200 for travellers and the rest for staff) - and they are being issued on a first-come-first-served basis. In order to avoid disappointment we recommend booking well in advance (up to a minimum of 3 months in peak season), unless you are extremely flexible over your travel dates.small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
award winner how this holiday makes a difference
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This is a short, action packed tour of Peru. From Lima we fly over the Andes to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Here we spend time on the island of Amantani in the home of a local family. Our groups provide valuable income to the island's community and we are rewarded with a great insight into the life of the Amantani Indians. Next stop is Cusco, followed by a memorable trek along the Inca trail to Machu Picchu. We then fly deep into the Peruvian Amazon to Puerto Maldonado where we have two days of jungle exploration. We stay in the eco-friendly Posadas Amazonas lodge, a joint venture with the local Infierno Indian community. We provide a financial contribution to the Infierno Community Project, which aims to improve the quality of life of the local Indian population. At the end of our jungle stay we return to Lima and the end of our holiday.
We support Peru’s Challenge, a non-government charity that works to improve the lives of some of the poorest children in Peru by providing health services, education and fresh water. More than 60 children living in poor communities on the outskirts of Cusco and Pisac now benefit from education programs set up by this charity. This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people. We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |