Lima to La Paz

Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival at Lima airport you'll be met and transferred to our hotel in the popular Miraflores district of the city. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the city before our welcome meeting at 6pm this evening where you will meet your tour leader.

Today we explore the beautiful city of Lima, also known as the 'city of kings', we'll visit the well preserved historical centre. Making our way through Plaza San Martin, we'll also take in Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace and the City Hall. Our tour of the city continues with a visit to the San Francisco Monastery and it's famous underground crypts which are home to an estimated 70,000 remains. This bright yellow architectural wonder is also home to an incredible library, holding thousands of antique texts, some of which pre-date the conquest in the 16th century.

Later we'll head through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, passing by Huaca Pucllana, a clay pyramid that was the ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima culture and later considered a sacred town by the Inca's.

Next up we'll stop at El Olivar park, a peaceful space where we'll find olive trees that were brought to Peru in the 15th century. Our final stop on today's tour of Lima is El Parque del Amor, this romantic spot is situated on the cliffs of Miraflores overlooking the Pacific ocean.

Lima is fast becoming one of the gastronomic capitals of the world and later this afternoon there is the opportunity to join an exciting optional Lima Gourmet Food Tour, combining gastronomic delights with walks around the capital, experiencing the local culture. Book before you travel. (B)

Transfer to Lima airport this morning and fly to Puerto Maldonado for our two night Amazon adventure! From Puerto Maldonado we take a scenic 40 minute boat ride along the meandering Madre de Dios River to our lodge, nestled in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. As we glide down the river look out for capybaras and other wildlife along the riverbank.

Arriving at the lodge, there's a short briefing by our jungle guide before we settle into our accommodation. After lunch and some time to relax we set out on our first Amazon excursion Taking a trek through the jungle our guide will point out tropical trees, medicinal plants and wildlife in the Brazil net concession. We also visit a shiringuero encampment to see the process of collecting rubber, and how it is used for many products.

Heading back to the lodge there's time to relax by the pool or in the hammocks on the terrace of your bungalow, savour an exotic cocktail at the bar or go down to the riverside to enjoy the breathtaking sunset. Before dinner we take a boat trip to observe caiman and other nocturnal creatures as they appear before experiencing our first night in the jungle!

Please note: Jungle activities and excursions may vary or be modified by your guide and the lodge. (B/L/D)

We rise early this morning to visit Lake Sandoval, a glassy, ox-bow lake, located inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve. A packed breakfast is provided for the excursion. We set off on a 20-minute boat ride on the Madre de Dios River to the Lake Sandoval landing stage. A 3km walk through the sun-dappled rainforest leads us into the Tambopata National Reserve, which is home to many species of birds, the endangered giant river otter, red howler monkeys, red-bellied macaws, anacondas, side-neck turtles, black caimans and more!

At Lake Sandoval we board small rowboats and paddle serenely around the lake, in search for giant river otters and other wildlife. When our guide finds an opportune spot, we stop to enjoy breakfast in the wild.

Returning to the lodge for lunch, there's free time to relax before we head up one of the lodge's lookout towers with our guide, for incredible panoramic views of the Amazon from its rooftop and a beautiful sunset. The canopy towers are ideal for birdwatching and spotting animals living at this altitude in the canopy. Keep an eye out for bright toucans, macaws and monkeys! We also a visit to a Brazil nut harvesting camp, a vital economic activity in the region. Back at the lodge you can enjoy a refreshing swim before dinner. (B/L/D)

We wake up early to visit a nearby clay lick, where we can observe up to five species of parrots feeding on a unique type of clay essential for their metabolism, creating a colourful and lively spectacle. Heading back to the lodge for breakfast, there's some time to relax before we take the boat back to Puerto Maldonado. Here we stop to visit a local market and see various local products, before being transferred to the airport for our flight to Cusco.

After hotel check-in the rest of the day is free to spend at leisure adjusting to the altitude in Cusco. This beautiful city full of history and intrigue, is located 3,399m above sea level. (B)

Today we enjoy a tour of Cusco and its nearby ruins taking in some of the city's most important landmarks. We'll start at the Plaza de Armas, built on the remains of one of the most important Incan gathering spots, it's one of the most beautiful squares in the country. We'll also visit the Cathedral, the Kenko Amphitheatre and the impressive Sacsayhuaman Fortress. Built between 1438 and 1474, Sacsayhuaman Fortress took over 20,000 labourers to build and some of the magnificent stone work measures over 4 metres in height and over 100 tons in weight.

The rest of the day is free for you to independently explore this charming city. (B)

Bidding farewell to Cusco we travel on to the Sacred Valley today. Our first stop is the popular Pisac markets where we will have the chance to see the variety of colourful handicrafts on offer. Originally only held on Sundays, Pisac Market was a place for artisans from across the region to trade in their products. Today the market is a daily occurrence where locals and visitors alike can find some of the finest textiles, jewellery and clothing typical of this area of Peru.

Then we travel on to the remarkable Ollantaytambo fortress which was constructed to guard the entrance to this part of the valley and protect it from possible invasions of tribes from the jungle lowlands. One of the best examples of Incan architecture, many of the inhabitants of Ollantaytambo still live according to the customs and traditions they have inherited from generations of ancestors, leading to it being known as a living Inca town. (B)

We have an exciting day ahead, starting with a short drive to the Ollantaytambo train station where we board the train for a scenic journey to Aguas Calientes. Remember to look out the windows as the scenery along the way is utterly breath-taking. In Aguas Calientes we board a bus which takes us along a winding path up the slopes of the great Machu Picchu mountain to the famous Inca citadel.

The incredible lost city of the Incas is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba River, surrounded by tropical forest. Completed in the latter half of 15th Century, archaeologists believe Machu Picchu was built as an estate for the Pachacuti, an Incan leader who reigned from 1438 to 1471. Built in the classical Inca style with polished dry-stone walls and terraces that seem to have been crafted naturally from the rock escarpments, Machu Picchu is a spectacular testament to the greatness of the Inca civilisation.

Only a century after its completion however, the citadel was abandoned during the Spanish conquest and only thrust into the spotlight in 1911 when it was discovered by the American historian and explorer Hiram Bingham, who brought it to the world's attention.

We explore Machu Picchu on a guided tour and then return to the spa town of Aguas Calientes where there's time to stroll around before travelling by train back to Cusco. (B)

Enjoy a free day in Cusco to explore the city at your own pace. Alternatively you may wish to join one of the optional excursions on offer. Visit the local Andean market town of Chinchero on a half day tour. Chinchero has one of the most traditional markets in South America, and here you will find locals in colourful traditional dress, buying and selling their produce.

Alternatively, for the fit and active, there's an optional full day excursion to Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain (offered from March to November), with lunch included.

After a scenic 2.5 hr drive through rugged mountain scenery, trek with a guide to the summit of Rainbow Mountain, with its striking bright stripes of mineral deposits. Note: Optional excursions need to be booked prior to departure. (B)

After an early breakfast, we'll travel by bus to Puno, passing by the lovely Wacarpay Lake, with spectacular views of the mountains reflected in its calm waters. Along the way we'll make a couple of stops, the first one being in Andahuaylillas to see the Church of San Pedro, which has been given the nickname the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Moving along, we pass through herds of llamas and spectacular landscapes until we get to Ayaviri, an important livestock and textile centre. Here, we'll be able to lay eyes on the Temple of Kalasaya, remnants of a Pucara structure.

After a stop for lunch at a countryside restaurant, we continue on to Puno, our base for the next two nights.

The following day we take a boat trip on Lake Titicaca to see the remarkable floating islands of Uros. These unique islands are made of a certain type of reed called totora, which enables it to float, despite the weight of a civilisation upon it. We'll then move on to Taquile Island, where we can mingle with the Quechua-speaking locals and learn about their efficient and unique social system as well as their fine hand weaving techniques, passed down from generation to generation.

Next we'll be invited into a local home for lunch to enjoy a delicious home cooked meal. After lunch we'll discover more of this remarkable island including some of the islands archaeological sites.

Later this afternoon we return to Puno. (Bx2/Lx2)

This morning wake up early for our journey to La Paz. Bidding farewell to our Peruvian tour leader, we travel (unescorted) by tourist bus from Puno to the stunning city of La Paz in Bolivia. On this scenic bus journey we stop to spend the afternoon at leisure in the pretty town of Copacabana, on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. Here there's the opportunity to independently explore the town, with its iconic whitewashed Basilica and wonderful lake views. Late afternoon it's time to rejoin the bus and continue to our final destination in La Paz, arriving late evening. (B)

At an altitude of 3660 metres, La Paz is one of the world's highest cities. The imposing Mount Illimani looms in the background whilst below lies a valley full of sensational surprises. Buildings cling to the sides of the canyon that the city was built in and spill spectacularly downwards. Sprawling shanty towns give way to affluent high-rise apartments as the city's central tree-lined thoroughfare runs through the downtown core.

Today we head out to explore this captivating city, starting with a tremendous perspective of the city at the Killi Killi viewpoint, we'll make our way to Murillo Square, the main square in La Paz and home to the Presidential Palace, the National Congress of Bolivia and the Cathedral of La Paz. Be sure to look out for the clock on the Bolivian congress building, which in 2014 was changed by the Bolivian government to turn anti-clockwise. The government at the time said it was to help Bolivians to treasure their heritage, question established norms and think creatively!

Our exploration continues as we descend into the mesmerising Moon Valley, this rocky landscape which has been created by centuries of weathering is quite an incredible sight.

Next we'll take a ride in a cable car across the city, giving an impressive panorama of the city on one of the most innovative and ecological uses of mass public transport. We'll find ourselves at the witches market next, where many mystical objects of Andean rituals and sorcery are on sale, from dried frogs to llama foetuses for Aymara rituals. We then continue to the beautiful San Francisco church with it's exquisite carvings on the facade, it is one of the largest colonial architectural complexes found in Latin America.

The rest of the day is free for you to wander down the cobbled streets and past colourful houses. (B)

Today our tour comes to an end with a transfer to the airport. (B)