Vacation Overview
Tour Details
Land Of The Incas With Peruvian Amazon
Travel deep into Peru's Amazon jungle and discover life in a million-year-old rainforest. This epic Peru tour visits Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, and Sacsayhuaman, uncovering the rich heritage of the Incas. You’ll leave charmed by UNESCO-listed Taquile Island, the mysterious Geoglyphs of Nazca, and the Ballestas Islands’ waddling penguins, blue-footed boobies, whales, and sea lions.
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 14 Breakfast (B)
- 8 Lunch (L)
Iconic Experience
- Nazca: Take to the skies on your Peru tour to see the iconic Nazca Lines, archaeological enigmas scratched in the ground 500 B.C. and A.D. 500. Gaze down in awe of these massive designs and patterns you can only view from above. Your private flight will show you many of the lines, complete with their names and a bit of history. From above, you’ll observe the different types: straight, geometric (such as triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, spirals, arrows, zigzags, and wavy lines), and pictorial (including a spider, hummingbird, cactus plant, monkey, whale, llama, duck, flower, tree, lizard, dog, and even a mysterious humanoid figure). Some of the animal geoglyphs are up to 1,200 feet long! You’ll also learn why the Nazca culture created these lines in the desert plains of the Rio Grande de Nazca River basin and how the Nazca people were able to carve out such massive designs.
- Machu Picchu: Discover how Peru’s most famous cocktail, the Pisco Sour, is prepared with a Local Specialist. You’ll explore the ingredients, techniques and secrets behind the drink, as well as its cultural importance in Peru.
- Cusco: Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo. These famous ruins are a massive Inca fortress made of large stone terraces stretching out across a hillside. Walk among the stone platforms, the sun temple of six monoliths and the Princess Baths fountain the Baño de la Nusta at the base of the ruins flowing from carved stone into a pool. Over your exploration, learn how the old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.
- Machu Picchu: Soak in every moment of your Machu Picchu tour in style as you descend to the Lost City in the clouds aboard the Vistadome train. Traveling the Inca Trail, you’ll traverse dramatic landscapes with a panoramic view of the soaring peaks, river, and ruins. Sit back and relax as you enjoy this multi-sensory journey complete with background music, an informative audio commentary highlighting interesting sites, and an included light snack.
- Machu Picchu: Take a shuttle to the top of the mountain where you’ll meet your local specialist for a guided hike of Machu Picchu. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
- Machu Picchu: The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and we enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story. Journey to take in the ruins at sunrise spending some time on your own to explore the hill-top fortress. Soak in every moment at this iconic site, making stops at points of interest while your guide shares their insights on the archaeological sites.
- Cusco: Begin your day at the ruins of the UNESCO-listed Sacsayhuamán fortress overlooking Cusco. With zig zagging walls and ruins of giant stones, see how the shape and harmony of the landscape is similar to Machu Picchu. Stroll through this Incan architecture of sacred buildings such as residential buildings, towers, shrines, warehouses, roads and aqueducts. And while you may not be able to take in the grand scale, the complex design is based on the shape of the head of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca spirituality.
- Cusco: Join your Local Specialist for a guided walk through Cusco's colonial center, including the nearby 13th-century Incan settlement of Koricancha. Here in Cusco’s Golden Temple of the Sun dedicated to the Sun God Inti, view the trapezoidal and irregular shapes and rounded edges. Note how the stones fit together and were built simply by placing them on top of each other without using any mortar. This staggered placement also enables them to withstand earthquakes.
- Puno: Bring Peru’s culture to life as you decorate your own torito de Pucará – a colorful ceramic bull steeped in Andean tradition. Found on rooftops across the region, these painted icons symbolize protection and prosperity, offering a hands-on way to connect with local heritage through creativity.
- Lake Titicaca: Cruise the deep blue waters of Lake Titicaca with a Local Specialist, discovering its floating islands constructed from reeds by the Uros Indians.
- Paracas: Explore Paracas, a town on Peru’s west coast known for its beautiful beaches. Named after the Paracas people who were fishermen and farmers of beans, maize and red peppers, Paracas is now the gateway to the Paracas National Reserve. In this pristine desert you’ll find colonies of sea lions and sea birds. With an afternoon at leisure, explore Paracas Bay where restaurants and shops line the boardwalk and fishermen’s boats gather at the docks.
- Paracas: The Museum of Ica traces the stories of Peru’s earliest civilisations. Through ancient pottery, textiles, skulls and mummies, you’ll discover how the Paracas, Nazca, Wari and Inca peoples lived, created and connected with the land. Exhibits highlight the cultural identity and traditions that defined these Indigenous communities long before Spanish colonisation.
- Paracas: Visit Cultur Pisco, a winery dedicated to preserving Peru’s national spirit. Tour the property with a Local Specialist to learn how Pisco has been produced through generations, exploring the history, grape varieties and distillation process. Then sample a curated selection of Pi
Daily Itinerary
Trafalgar Tours: Land of the Incas with Peruvian Amazon
Day 1 - Arrive Lima
The Capital of the New World extends a warm welcome on your epic voyage through the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. Meet your local host on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the upscale shopping district of Miraflores. This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.
Accommodations: SOUMA Lima, Vignette Collection
Meals: Dinner
Day 4 - Sacred Valley
Enjoy a Be My Guest experience as you meet farmers who grow Peru’s iconic Giant White Corn. You’ll learn how their cultivation methods blend ancestral knowledge with modern innovation. Then watch a performance of the Marinera, a graceful couple’s dance that celebrates Peru’s Spanish, Indigenous and African heritage. With swirling handkerchiefs and elegant footwork, this is coastal culture in motion. Round out the day by rolling up your sleeves in a hands-on cooking class. You’ll prepare classic ceviche, then shake up the perfect Pisco sour to sip and savor.
Accommodations: Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 5 - Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu
Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo, en route to Machu Picchu, a village in the Sacred Valley, set on the Urubamba River amid majestic mountains. It's known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Then, ascend to the Lost City in the Clouds aboard the Vistadome train (light snack included) traveling along the Inca Trail, where you can view hikers and porters along the way. Here you will delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization, joining your Local Specialist for an exploration of the temples, palaces and terraces whose construction defy imagination.
Accommodations: El MaPi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Machu Picchu – Cusco
The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and you'll enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story, spending some time on your own to explore the hill-top fortress. Next, journey back to the Sacred Valley by train, stopping en route to Cusco to learn about the natural dyeing techniques used by native weavers.
Accommodations: Sonqori Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 - Cusco Sightseeing
Begin your day in Cusco with your Local Specialist at the remarkable UNESCO-listed Incan fortress of Sacsayhuamán, then continue on a guided city tour. Visit Korikancha, once the most important temple in the Incan Empire. The afternoon is free to explore as you wish or to join one of several Optional Experiences — visit the Choco Museum, explore the Maras Salt Mines and Moray terraces, take a walking tour of Cusco after dark or enjoy a Peruvian cooking class to master classic local recipes.
Accommodations: Sonqori Boutique Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 - Cusco - Puno
Leave Cusco behind as you journey towards Puno, crossing the La Raya Pass where the Andes divide the Cusco and Puno regions. Along the way, explore the archaeological site of Raqchi, once a key settlement along the Inca road network. Enjoy a warm welcome into a local family home, where you’ll share lunch and stories. Then Dive into Culture with a traditional art form as you paint your own torito de Pucará: a colorful ceramic bull said to bring good fortune and protection. These iconic bulls are a symbol of strength in this part of Peru, often seen perched on rooftops in pairs, watching over homes and families.
Accommodations: Sonesta Posadas del Inca Puno
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9 - Lake Titicaca Excursion
Take to the water for a scenic cruise across Lake Titicaca to the Uros Floating Islands, where you’ll meet a local family and hear how their extraordinary homes are carefully crafted from totora reeds. Cruise to Taquile Island where you’ll enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet the island’s Indigenous community and learn about their UNESCO-listed knitting and weaving traditions, kept alive by generations of local artisans over a home-cooked lunch.
Accommodations: Sonesta Posadas del Inca Puno
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 - Lake Titicaca – Juliaca – Lima – Paracas
Return to Lima this morning, then continue your journey to the coastal playground of Paracas. Discover what life is like in Peru’s rural countryside before arriving to Paracas for an evening at leisure. Perhaps there’s even time for a stroll along the Malecon.
Accommodations: Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11 - Paracas – Nazca Lines Flight
Fly high above the desert to view the Nazca Lines, a network of ancient geoglyphs best seen from the air. Spot the hummingbird, spider, monkey and condor, and marvel at the precision of these vast, centuries-old designs. Back on the ground, explore the Regional Museum of Ica, home to a collection of artifacts from the Paracas, Nazca and Inca cultures. At a nearby winery, learn how Peru’s iconic Pisco is made during a tour of the production site. Sample a variety of styles, then settle in for a relaxed lunch of regional dishes. Later, take some time for yourself to explore or unwind at your own pace.
Accommodations: Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 12 - Paracas – Ballestas Islands – Lima
This morning, connect with nature with a Local Specialist, cruising around the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, a 'mini-Galapagos' teeming with wildlife. See the mysterious Candelabro in Pisco Bay, then return to Lima where this evening you’ll indulge in a festive farewell dinner in a local restaurant.
Accommodations: SOUMA Lima, Vignette Collection
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13 - Traverse the Inkaterra Forest
This morning, we fly to Puerto Maldonado (internal flight included) and embark on a journey on the Madre de Rios River to our jungle lodge where we meet our guides for the Inkaterra Field Station. Join a Local Specialist for insights into the forest, then keep a keen eye out for shy caiman during a pre-dinner boat expedition.
Accommodations: Amazon Field Station by Inkaterra, Puerto Maldonado
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 14 - Step Into the Mystical Amazon
Climb the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway for an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from its rooftop. A short boat ride takes us into the Tambopata National Reserve where we’ll hike through the thick jungle, admiring towering green walls of vegetation, the cacophony of birdcalls and the dappled light that filters through the canopy above. Arrive at Sandoval Lake, where you may spot a wide variety of birds, monkeys, giant river otters, black caimans and the elusive anaconda. The perfect end to our day sees us watch the sun set over the lake before heading back to our lodge for dinner.
Accommodations: Amazon Field Station by Inkaterra, Puerto Maldonado
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15 - Encounter the Biodiversity of the Amazon
Discover the Amazon’s otherworldly realm of aguajales rainforest swampland during your MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience and learn how vegetation has adapted to the exotic species that are drawn here. Here you will also get a chance to visit our organic bio-orchard to discover many of the rainforest’s tropical plants up-close and learn of their healing capabilities. Boldly venture out at night to discover some of the strange species that come alive under deep darkness in the Amazon with our Local Specialist. Stroll quietly as your senses heighten to the mysterious nocturnal sounds of birds, mammals, insects and amphibians wondering close by.
Accommodations: Amazon Field Station by Inkaterra, Puerto Maldonado
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16 - Back to Lima via Puerto Maldonado
After breakfast, we head back to Puerto Maldonado as your Amazon experience comes to an end. Upon arrival in Lima your meet and greet local guide will walk you to your hotel located right next to the airport. Balance of the day is at leisure.
Accommodations: Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol
Meals: Breakfast
Day 17 - Depart from Lima
International flight departure at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast