Walk the Inca Trail & Amazon Jungle

Explore Lima old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with fascinating historic buildings. Start with a scenic tour in the colonial downtown, which radiates from the Main Square, where you can appreciate the grandiose architecture of the Spanish Empire. Stroll over to the Cathedral, which was begun in the 16th century and took 80 years to build. Then visit the Casa Aliaga, a colonial mansion granted in 1535 by chief conquistador Francisco Pizarro to Jerónimo de Aliaga, one of his captains. This is the only house from that time that still belongs to the same family after all these centuries. Continue to the Larco Museum, located in the traditional Pueblo Libre district, which is housed in a beautifully restored viceregal mansion built on a seventh-century a pre-Columbian pyramid. The museum boasts the most complete pre-Hispanic collection of gold and silver artefacts, as well as pieces of erotic art.

After having breakfast, you will hike for approximately one hour to visit Lake Sachavacayoc, a flooded area that houses particular Amazonian species due to its calm waters. During a canoe trip, you will find turtles, caimans, giant otters and riparian birds, among them the shansho, which has a prehistoric appearance. Next, you will return to the lodge to have lunch, take a short rest, and hike on the ethnobotanical path, where you will learn about the daily use of the natural resources of the jungle as medicines, construction and food. After enjoying dinner, you will take a night trip to see the night fauna.

After having breakfast, a motor boat will transfer you to Puerto Maldonado and then to the airport. On arrival in Cusco you are met and taken by private transfer to your new hotel. Rest of the day at leisure.

You will start your tour at Awanakancha, a farm of South American camelids and showroom of textiles, where local families show the entire traditional process of weaving and making garments. You will then visit the Pisac market, which has scores of stands that exhibit and sell products manufactured by the residents of the area. It is possible to find textiles, carvings and replicas of old Inca pieces. After having lunch at a local restaurant, you will go to the Ollantaytambo town, a typical example of the urban planning of the Incas, whose residents still live in accordance with their old traditions. Pachacútec (1438-1471) conquered the town, destroyed it and built a new one in the Inca style, to absorb it as part of his expanding empire. Ollantaytambo shows a huge archaeological complex that, considered one of the most monumental works of the Inca Empire.

After having breakfast, we begin the most difficult part of the trek, which consists of an abrupt and steep ascent toward the highest pass on the trail known as Warmi wañusca (Dead Womans pass) (4,200m / 13,776ft). Then we begin the descent to our second campsite in Pacaymayo, where we will have lunch and dinner. This day we hike 6 - 7 hours (7.2 miles).

After a particularly early breakfast, we depart from the campsite in order to arrive before sunrise to Inti Punku (The Sun Gate); the entrance gate to Machu Picchu. From here, you will experience your first extraordinary view of Machu Picchu at dawn and then descend to the citadel. Walk on to this iconic ancient city, where your guide will lead a 2 hour tour, and then enjoy some time to explore on your own. After visiting Machu Picchu you will take the bus to Aguas Calientes for lunch, and then take a train ride back to Cusco in the evening.