Your Peru adventure begins with a visit to the colonial city of Arequipa, including the Santa Catalina monastery. This is a large monastery built in Hispanic colonial style, its walls painted vivid colours throughout. Then continue to the Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world and one of the best places in Peru to see huge Andean condors as they rise up on the morning thermals. There are some great lodges in this area where you can enjoy a relaxing stay in comfortable rooms with good food, and numerous trails and tracks to hike.
From Arequipa fly to Cusco and transfer to the Sacred Valley of the Incas for some horseriding or mountain biking, before catching the train to KM104 and the start of the short Inca Trail. After a four-hour ascent to the large Inca site of Winañy Wayna (Forever Young) we follow the trail across a steep mountainside and up narrow stairways through lush, humid cloud-forest to Intipunku (Sun Gate) and a magnificent view of the magical city of Machu Picchu. We overnight in the town of Aguas Calientes before returning to Machu Picchu early the following morning to spend the day in both guided and individual exploration then catch the train back to Cusco in the mid-afternoon.
We explore Cusco on foot accompanied by our guide and spend an exciting half day rafting on a stretch of the Urubamba River south east of Cusco. Kayaking is also available for those who prefer their adventure a little more leisurely!
After the excitement and adventure of the Andes it is time to explore the Amazon with a stay at a rainforest lodge! The Bahuaje-Sonene National Park and the adjacent Tambopata National Reserve protect habitats ranging from the Andean highlands around the rivers' headwaters through some of the last remaining intact cloud forests to the lowland rainforests of the Amazon basin. Over 1,300 bird species (including 32 parrot species - 10% of the world's total), 200 mammal species, 90 frog species, 1,200 butterfly species and 10,000 species of higher plants are protected within these reserved areas.
Your Peru adventure ends in Lima with a visit to the city's colonial centre, and a tour of the Gold Museum.
