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PERU DISCOVERY:
ANDES, AMAZON & INCAS
 

Departures Year Round
(depart virtually any day of the week)

T R I P  B A C K G R O U N D

South America is one of the most scenic, naturally diverse and culturally interesting regions of the world. Nowhere is this richness portrayed more vividly than in Peru, land of the ancient Incas. Within its borders lie coastal desert and parts of the world’s most extensive rainforest. Between these two zones stand the Andes, the longest continuous mountain range in the world. Here amid rugged, spectacular landscapes lie the ruins of highly developed ancient civilizations.

After a brief introduction to Lima, you will visit the beautiful colonial city of Arequipa, meticulously carved from white volcanic rock. In Cuzco, archaeological capital of South America, you’ll stroll along narrow cobble-stoned streets lined with Spanish colonial buildings built on Inca foundations. You may also enjoy a listening or participatory seminar on Andean Music and/or meet with an Andean Mystical Healer, a “curandero”, who will demonstrate several fascinating methods of curing ill patients!

You will explore the incomparable Lost City of Machu Picchu, perched atop a mountain ridge in the Vilcabamba range, above the Urubamba River gorge. (This wonder was “lost” until American explorer Hiram Bingham discovered it in 1911.) Your Peru trip will be enhanced by two very scenic, low-intensity adventures (elective): whitewater rafting down the Urubamba River (class 2-3 rapids); and bicycling or horseback riding near picturesque Andean villages and Inca ruins. (Note: Cultural excursions may be substituted for soft adventures.)

Finally, you fly to the heart of Peru’s Amazon region to spend three days investigating the incredibly diverse and colorful wildlife and flora of the Tambopata Reserve. Near Lake Sandoval, one of South America’s most beautiful lakes, you'll enjoy daily canoeing, hiking and wildlife viewing excursions.

Ask about an extension to the Galapagos Islands, Lake Titicaca, Trujillo/Chiclayo (Lord of Sipan) and/or Nazca!

You may also enjoy an optional lecture (surcharge). Sample topics are listed below. Delivered by a regional specialist, this lecture(s) would supplement the information you receive from your top-notch guide. Some lectures may not be available on certain departures.

– Overview of Peruvian History
– Inca architecture and archaeology
– Amazonian flora and fauna
– Paso horses
– Gemology and the Lord of Sipan
– Natural healing in the Amazon
– The Nazca culture
– Mummies of the Andes
– Peruvian cuisine/cooking workshop

Depart for Lima, arriving in the evening.  You will be met and privately transferred to your hotel. 

Hotel Melia (5 stars) or Country Club Lima (surcharge)

Lima, named the “City of Kings” by the Spanish Conquistadores, was founded in 1535 as Spain’s South American capital. The city was recently named by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Your private morning tour will visit Lima’s principal attractions, including the Plaza de Armas, Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the famed Museum of Archaeology, which houses a priceless collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. Hotel Melia (B)

Note: If you would like to shorten your tour by one day, we may be able to move your Lima sightseeing to the final day (i.e. after your return from the Amazon and before your flight home.) In this scenario, you would proceed to Arequipa on day 2 rather than on day 3.

Fly to Arequipa, the most beautiful colonial city in Peru, known for its Spanish baroque architecture carved from white volcanic rock. The city sits in a valley at 8,000 feet and views are dominated by a 19,200-foot dormant volcano El Misti. Highlights of your private city tour will include the Plaza de Armas, Iglesia de la Compania, and the Convent of Santa Catalina, virtually a city unto itself following 400 years of seclusion. Hotel Libertador Arequipa (B)

Note: You may also make a 2-day side trip to the Colca Canyon.

Short morning flight to Cuzco, the fascinating center of the Inca Empire, rich in archaeology and Spanish colonial heritage. According to legend, Cuzco was founded in 1200 B.C. by Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, who emerged from Lake Titicaca at the command of their father, the sun. You’ll enjoy a private historical tour of Cuzco, passing through narrow cobblestone streets and visiting the nearby Inca ruins of Tambomachay, situated in the rolling hills above Cuzco. You’ll also visit the mysterious carved rock Kenko shrine and the massive fortress of Sacsayhuaman, with its zigzagging walls of precise stonework. Hotel Libertador or Monasterio (B)

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OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY IN CUZCO:

Today you may choose one of three activities. Your first option is to enjoy an educational meeting with an Andean Mystical Healer, a “curandero”, who will discuss and demonstrate several fascinating methods of curing ill patients. Second, you may take a listening or participatory seminar on Andean music at the local musical institute (novices welcome!). Your third option is to enjoy a tour of the excellent Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Free afternoon to explore Cuzco’s art district of San Blas.  Libertador or Hotel Monasterio (B)
Note: We can also arrange hands-on educational seminars on traditional mask making, ceramics, Mendivil sculptures and/or painting. 
Surcharge for additional day: $240 per person (Hotel Libertador)/$375 per person (Hotel Monasterio) 

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Your day begins with a drive to Awanacancha to observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel-related Andean animals – llamas, guancos, alpacas and vicunas.  You will then visit the colorful market at Pisac, an Indian village in the Urubamba Valley, or Sacred Valley of the Incas. Many of the wealthiest Inca families had their country estates in this area — their first experimentation with private property.

You’ll then be driven to the town of Maras, where you will mount gentle horses or mountain bikes and begin your very easy ride to the photogenic salt ponds of Salinas, enjoying lovely views of impressive Andean peaks. (You may be driven instead if you prefer.) You’ll also observe many cactus plants and the occasional eagle. The approximately 3,000 mountainside salt ponds at Salinas date back to the early Incas, and current residents of Maras still trade the salt at nearby markets. After exploring the salt ponds, you may continue another 30 minutes on foot (downhill) to the town of Pichingoto or be picked up by car.  

Your day concludes with a visit to a special ceramics workshop that uses pre-Columbian methods to produce beautiful clay artifacts.   Hotel Sol y Luna 4 stars (B,L,D)

Note: If you prefer not to do either horseback riding or biking, then you can instead enjoy a driving tour of Maras and/or the ruins of Moray, where the Incas built an outdoor agricultural laboratory to study how crops fared under different microclimates

In the morning, you’ll enjoy an exciting, scenic, and low-intensity whitewater rafting trip down the Urubamba River (class 2-3 rapids). You'll pass by picturesque Andean villages and Inca ruins, enjoying the backdrop of the snow-capped Andes. Note: We can arrange a cultural excursion if you would prefer not to do the rafting.

After lunch at a good restaurant, you will visit Ollantaytambo, a very impressive mountainside fortress and supply station that was successfully defended by Manco Inca against Hernando Pizarro in 1536.  Inca terraces around the fortified city are still used by today’s inhabitants to grow crops. Hotel Sol y Luna (B, L, D) 

Morning train ride to Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas and one of the most intriguing remnants of civili zation in the world. This well preserved city of stone homes, temples and an elaborate system of agricultural terraces, discovered by Prof. Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911, was unknown to the Spanish during the Conquest four centuries earlier. You’ll have ample time for on-site lectures and personal exploration during your two-day stay, including an optional hike up Huayna Picchu. Overnight on day 7 at Inkaterra Machu Picchu or Sanctuary Lodge (B,L,D) We have included the second park entrance ticket for day 8. Return by train to the Cuzco on the afternoon of Day 8.

Hotel Libertador or Monasterio (B-2,L-2,D-1)

Private airport transfer for your morning flight to Puerto Maldonado, gateway to the Amazon region of Southeastern Peru and the Tambopata Reserve.  The Amazon rainforest hosts over 2,000 species of fish, 4,000 species of birds, 60 species of reptiles, 700 butterfly species and an incredible diversity of trees and other plants. Upon arrival, you’ll be met and taken on a one hour trip by motorized canoe to Reserva Amazonica. During your transfer, you may see bird species typical of the river or forest edge, including Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers, swallows and flycatchers.

Reserva Amazonica sits on the riverbank amid a 40-square-mile private ecological reserve.  It is located in the heart of the Amazon Rain Forest, adjacent to the Tambopata National Park.  The wildlife is remarkable, from giant and colorful macaws, to toucans, parrots, tapirs, tamarin monkeys, owls, the gorgeous Southern Amazon Red Squirrels, as well as a large variety of monkeys. Reserva Amazonica is also said to have the world record of ant species in a single place (362 species).
     
The lodge has 30 private cabanas and 3 suites built with local materials in native style. Rooms have palm thatched-roofs and are wooden and rustic, built in the Amazon's traditional Ese-Eja and Machiguenga style. Each room is furnished with log chairs, comfortable beds shrouded by mosquito netting and a small porch with two hammocks. The cabanas have no electricity, which seems to add to the charm and authenticity. Also following indigenous architectural traditions, the three suites are more spacious and feature two double beds, bathroom showers with solar heated filtered water, a walk-in closet, large windows and a spacious terrace with two hammocks.

Your two (or three) night program will include opportunities to learn about animal and ant tracking, jungle survival skills, the Amazon ecosystem, native style fishing, medicinal plants, Amazonian cuisine and star gazing.  There will be guided day and night time hikes, which offer plenty of opportunities to discover the local flora, do some bird watching, walk the canopy bridge or to take a swim.  An evening nature presentation is a nice way to wrap up the day. After dinner, you will return to your cabana to find candles and kerosene lamps lighting the entry and bathroom.     Reserva Amazonica, Sandoval Lake Lodge or Posada Amazonas  (B,L,D throughout). 

Note:   Travelers may substitute three (3) nights in Manu Biosphere Reserve for two (2) nights in Tambopata for a surcharge of approximately $950 per person.  Please call for details on Manu.

Transfer to Puerto Maldonado for your flight back to Lima. Optional dayroom. Connect with your evening flight to the U.S. You will arrive in the U.S. on day 12. (B)
Note: We can shorten your tour by one day if your Lima sightseeing is done on day 11 instead of day 2.

Call 1-800-869-0639 Request Information

Trip Cost Includes:
o Accommodations (10 nights) in mostly first class hotels and lodges based on double occupancy
o All elective "soft" adventures (horseback riding, bicycling, rafting)
o Private touring with bilingual guides
o Choice of one supplemental lecture
o 21 meals
o All transfers and land transportation
o Entrance/park fees

Trip Grade: Easy: All included adventures are elective and low-intensity. Physical activities include easy hiking and nature walks, rafting, canoeing, horseback riding and bicycling. Travelers may substitute cultural excursions for soft adventures. Some discomfort may arise from the elements, cultural differences, travel over rough roads, early morning departures, high altitudes or time schedule changes.

Land Cost Includes: All vehicle transportation and transfers as stated in the itinerary; accommodations in first class and deluxe hotels and comfortable lodges based on double occupancy; 22 meals; supplemental lecture; entrance/park fees; service and handling charges; instruction and leadership.

Land Cost Does Not Include: Airfares (quoted separately); excess baggage charges; additional meals; alcoholic beverages; laundry, passports or visas, personal insurance, other personal items; airport departure taxes; hotel nights en route or return from Peru.

Accommodations: Accommodations are based on double occupancy in mostly first class and hotels and a more rustic Amazon lodge. Singles who sign up will incur a single supplement charge.

Climate: The seasons in Peru are the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere. The weather in Peru, however, is affected by a variety of climatic factors including altitude, ocean currents, wind patterns and seasonal variations. In general, Cuzco and Machu Picchu are usually clear and sunny from April through October, while Lima may be covered by fog. Highland temperatures generally range from 30 to 80 degrees, depending upon sunshine and the season. The Amazon Basin with its high humidity and average temperature of 78 degrees, receives the least amount of rainfall from May through November. Because this trip travels to a variety of physical environments, be prepared for changing weather patterns and a wide variation in temperature.

Reservations and Payments: A deposit of $400 with the completed reservation form will ensure you a place on this trip provided the maximum enrollment has not already been reached. Departures are guaranteed with a minimum of two (2) travelers. Final payment of the land cost is due 60 days prior to departure.

Cancellations and Refunds: The initial deposit for the trip is refundable up to 90 days before departure, less a $200 handling fee. Any cancellation occurring between 60 and 89 days will result in a cancellation penalty of $400 (the full deposit) based on nonrecoverable deposits and expenses. Any cancellation occurring between 30 and 59 days will result in a cancellation penalty of 50% of the trip cost. Unless a suitable replacement can be found, there will be no refunds for any cancellation within 29 days of departure. There are no refunds for any unused meals, accommodations or other trip activities. In certain cases, the cancellation policies of NEI's subcontractors will supersede NEI's policy.

Insurance: Trip cancellation, accident and baggage insurance are recommended and will be offered to all participants. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly advised; this will protect you in the case of cancellation due to personal or family illness.

Responsibility: Nature Expeditions International is responsible for conducting this trip as outlined in the published itinerary. It reserves the right, however, to cancel the trip should it become affected by conditions beyond the company’s control. In such an event, NEI will return all monies paid to it by the affected participants as full and final settlement.

NEI also reserves the right to substitute other lodging during the trip or to change the tour leader(s), itinerary, or travel arrangements if the staff believes it is in the best interest of all participants. In addition, NEI may decline to accept or retain any member or prospective member of an announced trip. Full refund for the unused portion of the trip will be paid to the affected participant in such an event.

Airline Clause: All arrangements for airline transportation are made by the respective airlines, which companies shall not have or incur any responsibility or liability to any person taking an trip except their liability as common carriers. Nor shall such carriers be or be held responsible for any act, omission, or event occurring after the passenger has disembarked from the conveyance. The usual passage contract in use by the carrier, when issued, shall constitute the sole contract between said carrier and the passenger. All rates are based on tariffs currently or those tariffs to be placed in effect and are subject to adjustment in the event of changes therein. The air transportation services of any IATA/ARC member may be used.