Itinerary for independent travelers

In the morning we go to the nearby Nasca airport for your flight. There are flights over the Nazca Lines onboard a 5-passenger planes every day . Upon approaching each hieroglyph the pilot will warn you what figure you are going to see and then will tilt the plane right and left so that you can see and take pictures of the Lines. After the flight lasting 30-35 minutes you can have a lunch and walk in the city and at 10 o'clock in the evening you can take a Cruz del Sur bus to Arequipa.

We have planned this route for a reason: location of Arequipa and Canyon helps you to adjust to the altitude of Puno and Cusco without suffering from altitude sickness.

Buses in Peru are very comfortable, they recline back almost to horizontal position, each passenger receives a pillow and blanket, so that you can sleep all the way to Arequipa, which will take 10 hours.

Cost:

Flight over the Nazca Lines: $140

Transfer to Arequipa onboard Cruz del Sur buses: $30

We will arrive in Arequipa at 8 in the morning. You can leave your baggage in the hotel and go for a walk. Don't forget to visit the Monastery of Saint Catherine (Santa Catalina) and Museum of Andean Sanctuaries that features Juanita - a young girl offered in sacrifice and preserved through the ice. You will stay overnight in Arequipa.

Cost:

3* hotel in Arequipa, e.g. Posada Nueva Espana: $27 per person in DBL 

In the morning we will go to Colca Canyon. The road to canyon is fabulously picturesque! It passes through the volcano valley, climbs to a great height - almost 5000 meters above sea level, crosses Aguada Blanca National Vicuna Reserve and fields with grazing alpaca and lamas. You will have a chance to rest in the hotel in canyon and then go for a walk with your guide, visit terraces, colcas (storage pits in the rocks) and ruins of ancient civilizations and enjoy the beautiful view of the canyon. At the end of tour you will be able to swim in hot spring - it is a wonderful pleasure!

Cost:

2-day tour in Colca Canyon followed by the transfer to Puno: $185 per person in DBL

The cost includes one night in Canyon hotel, breakfast and transfer to Puno.

Early in the morning we will drive through canyon to Cruz del Condor, the pass where condors soar in the air. It is a wonderful view! However, it is difficult to say what is the most amazing: huge soaring condors or stunning view of the canyon! After lunch in Chivay village we will leave for Puno. I will not repeat myself by describing the beautiful scenery you will see on the way to Puno. :) Andes are always pre-eminently fascinating!

We will stay overnight near Titicaca lake, so that to visit the lake early in the morning.

Cost:

Hotel in Puno, e.g. San Antonio Suites: $21 per person in DBL 

Early in the morning we will visit floating reed islands Uros and Taquile Island. Taquile island is famous for its male weavers who work and sell their colorful hats and tapestries - they are so skilled :) The island itself is very beautiful and overlooks the magnificent view of Titicaca lake.

We will have lunch in Taquile Island, walk and in the evening we will return to Puno and will spend a night in the hotel. In the morning we will leave for Cusco.

Cost:

Titicaca tour including visit to Uros and Taquile islands (lunch is included): $55

Hotel in Puno, e.g. San Antonios Suites: 21$ per person in DBL 

There are night buses to Cusco, but it's better to travel in the daytime as the road from Puno to Cusco is very beautiful and eyeful. It is even called "The Route of the Sun" - and it is for a reason! Tourist buses stop by the most interesting places and observation points with wonderful views. In the evening we will arrive in Cusco and stay overnight in the hotel.

Cost:

Transfer in a bus from Puno to Cusco via the Route of the Sun: $60 

Hotel in Cusco, e.g. Inti Wasi Plaza de Armas: $35 per person in DBL 

Early morning we will go to see the Sacred Valley of the Incas: Pisco and Ollantaytambo and in the evening we will take a train to Aguas Calientes. There we will stay overnight and leave very early for Machu Picchu.

Cost:

2-day tour in the Sacred Valley and Machu-Picchu, including all transfers, entrance tickets, guided tours and one night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes: $370

You can see the sunrise in Machu-Picchu! Many people don't like popular tourist sites. But it is not Machu-Picchu's fault that it is so beautiful and lots of people come to see this wonder! You can climb higher, find quiet place and enjoy the beauty alone. You also can climb Huayna Picchu - the mountain that is usually depicted in the photos of Machu-Picchu, behind the ruins. Climbing Huayna Picchu is steep and difficult, but the view from there is stunning!

In the evening we will return Cusco.

Cost:

Hotel in Cusco, e.g. Inti Wasi Plaza de Armas: $35 per person in DBL 

You can rest, walk in Cusco, visit museum, climb the hill to see the Statue of Christ, visit Sacsayhuamán ruins and even have a horse ride in the mountains - they offer such rides near Sacsayhuamán ruins. In the evening you need to pack - Amazon jungles and Manu National Park are awaiting us!

You can also join us for a tour to the world-famous Rainbow Mountains! This full-day tour costs 90$ per person and starts at 3:00 am. 

Cost:

Hotel in Cusco, e.g. Inti Wasi Plaza de Armas: $35 per person in DBL 

We will leave before dawn, as we have long trip ahead. It is a very interesting and unusual experience - travel from Sierra (mountains) to Selva (jungles). Nature, vegetation, landscape changes before your eyes. In the morning your were among rocks, eucalypts and scarce vegetation, while in the evening you are in humid, hot tropical zone listening to the call of bright red rooster, where mountain river flows under the windows of the lodge, and giant butterflies and tiny hummingbirds hover over the flowers!

Approximately mid-morning we visit the interesting tombs of Ninamarca, commonly known as “Chullpas”. We continue to Paucartambo, a picturesque Spanish colonial town, and then to the Acjanacu pass, which marks the beginning of the Cultural Zone of Manu Biosphere Reserve. Here, a thick cloak of clouds provides perpetual humidity and makes an ideal habitat for epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. This varied and fascinating world is home of the Cock of the Rock, Spectacled Bear, Orchids, Tree Ferns (one of the oldest living plants), mosses and lichens. This cloud forest exists between 2,000 and 3,500 m.a.s.l. and at least 50% of the plant species found here are endemic to this region. We have lunch on the way with a spectacular view, then we continue overnight in our “Orquídeas de San Pedro Lodge”.

Cost:

4-day tour in Amazon jungles - National Park Manu: $470

Cost includes all transfers, lodging, meals, rafting, ride on a rope-way, etc.

Today we wake up very early to observe the Cock of the Rock (Rupicola peruviana), Peru’s national bird from a platform. The male birds are a vibrant reddish orange, and as many as several dozen come together for an exhibition of a mating ritual dance in a place called Lek. The males display their crest, showing off and posturing for the females. The females, fewer in number, watch to select the most suitable males. After breakfast we continue in our vehicle down the narrow road between waterfalls and canyons toward the town of Pilcopata (*1) and then to Atalaya Port where we have lunch. 

Here we board our covered, outboard motor boat and head down the Alto Madre de Dios River for approximately 40 minutes toward our private reserve of “Erika” – a comfortable / rustic lodge owned also by Manu Adventures where we will hike through the interesting trail system that this transitional area between high and low jungle offers. Overnight at the lodge.

*1 Free Option: Here in Pilcopata town we will make the final settings for a 1½ hour river rafting (class I and II) trip down the Koshñipata River where we will have the opportunity for a dip and of course enjoy the spectacular view of the Koñeq Canyon.

*2 New!!! Option: We walk through the trail that leads us to the observation platform located 15 feet above the mammal clay lick itself where we wait for the lumbering peccaries to arrive, we observe and photograph them in action. Important: The observation depends on luck on availability and weather conditions.

Erika Lodge is located in a transition zone between high and low jungle (500 m.a.s.l. to 1,150 m.a.s.l), After the breakfast you guide explains the different habitats, altitude range and the high diversity of wildlife found around this lodge, so immediately after breakfast, we will start walking near the riverbanks, during the hike our guide will talk about insects, medicinal plants, trees, reptiles, mammals, etc. WE have lunch then we board our boat, and after five minutes, we will walk for another 30 minutes approximately though a very nice trail to observe and talk about the interesting flora fond such as sensitive plants, heliconias, fruit plantations, etc. until we arrive to Machuwasi Lake where with the help of a telescope we can observe great egrets, tucanets, carpenters, Keskadees, cardinals, etc. Short night walk to observe American bullfrogs, horned frogs, tree frogs and an incredible variety of insects. 

*3 Free Option: Canopy Zip Down: At Erika Lodge, our guests traverse from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal traverse cables zip lines), as they sail through the treetops of the tropical rainforest canopy, and over the trails far below. Expert guides assist you in this exciting journey through the different layers of the rain forests and explain what’s going on around you from the time you leave the ground, until you rappel back down to the forest floor.

This day we will get up very early to board our boat again for only five minutes down river to our Parrot clay Lick called “Collpa” on the riverbanks, where many species of parrots such as the blue headed parrot, white-eyed parakeet, feed for mineral and salt supplements to their diet of seeds and fruits. We return to Erika lodge have breakfast immediately we board our boat  to Atalaya Port where the bus will drive us back to Cusco city. We have lunch on the way and will arrive in Cusco late in the evening.

NB

• In order to meet with group and guide, receive last recommendations and answer questions; briefing one day prior to departure at 7:00pm. At the agency.
• Manu National Park is not endemic area about Malaria neither Yellow fever you can bring a good insect repellent but if you decide to put the yellow fever vaccination for prevention you can do it 10 days before start your trip to the jungle.

Cost:

Overnight in Cusco hotel after return from Manu, e.g. Inti Wasi Plaza de Armas: $35 per person in DBL 

Time to fly to Lima and home.

If you still have time, you could do a quick trip to the north coast: Trujillo and Chiclayo - to see Moche route, visit the Cordillera Blanca and lagoons among the glaciers and giant flowers Puya raimondii, climb to the ancient city of Chachapoyas civilization - Kuelap. 

Cost:

Flight Cusco-Lima (LCPeru airlines): approximately 110$