Parting Shots: Custom Sacred Valley + Peruvian Amazon Travel Experience

Custom Peru Travel - Knowmad

The Amazon rainforest and the Sacred Valley in Peru are two of the must-sees in South America. With the desire to visit these sites, John and Cara crafted their own personal itinerary focusing on these two contrasting destinations. Highlighting the best of both regions, this itinerary is rich in culture and natural wonders.

John and Cara greatly enjoyed their trip to the Sacred Valley and Amazon rainforest. John raved, saying “What an amazing experience….and this was even my second time to Peru!” Their custom Peru trip included the culture and traditions of the Inca as well as a glimpse into the depths of the natural beauty of the Amazon rainforest.

Their first stop was the Sacred Valley, where history can be found around every corner, and they visited ancient ruins with views of the Andes. They also visited an Amaru village to experience the welcoming warmth and learn about the traditions of this remote community. After a stop in the incredible towns Maras and Moray, it was on to one of South America’s crown jewels: Machu Picchu.

After exploring the rich history of Cusco, they were then off to Puerto Maldonado, one of the gateways to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest. With an incredible wealth of bird species, this part of the Amazon rainforest is also home to caimans, sloths, monkeys, and even endangered giant river otters. The opportunity to search for wildlife was, for this couple, unforgettable. The triumph of spotting and capturing the elusive animals on film is a memory that will last a lifetime.

Below you will find photos and their full Sacred Valley and Peruvian Amazon travel experience.

 

Custom Sacred Valley + Peruvian Amazon Travel Experience

Day 1 USA – Lima
You will fly from the USA to Lima arriving most likely in the evening. Upon your evening arrival to Lima you will be met at the airport and assisted in crossing the street and checking in to the hotel adjacent the terminal.

  • No meals – Costa del Sol Ramada airport hotel

Day 2 Lima –Cusco – Sacred Valley

Custom Peru Trip Posadas del Inca
After your short morning flight to the former Incan capital of Cusco where Andean cultures come alive (don’t be surprised when the language doesn’t sound like Spanish – it is most likely the native Andean tongue Quechua), you’ll be met at the airport and taken for lunch. Departing for the Incan sights outside Cusco, you’ll visit the fortress Sacsayhuaman and its megalithic stone terraces; Kenko, with its carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars; the Puka Pukara fortress that protected the royal capital from attacks; and the water temple, Tambo Machay.
Continuing through the mountains with inspired views to the snow-capped Andean peaks descend into the Valley of the Incas and check in to your accommodations. Take the afternoon to unwind, explore and acclimatize.

  • B, L – Posadas del Inca

Day 3 Sacred Valley Villages and the Weavers of Amaru
After breakfast you’ll head by van along the Sacred Valley past the communities of Calca, Coya, Lamay and Pisac. From here you go completely off the map winding up a small dirt road, which takes you through remote Andean villages until we arrive to the Amaru community. This isolated community holds strongly to their ancient customs and practices a largely subsistence lifestyle on the slopes of the Andes. The Amaru will proudly open their village to you where you will learn of their lifestyle and traditions. Among other things you take part in gathering plants used as natural dyes, learn of their medicinal and culinary properties, and see how the Amaru’s world-renowned textiles are woven and brought to life.

Stay for lunch with community leaders. If still energized, you can enjoy a gentle hike through the extensive Inca terracing down the mountainside, or hop in the van, and arrive to Pisac – one of Peru’s largest and most vibrant markets – where you can bargain with Andean campesinos for hand-crafted wares. Return to your hotel for a relaxing evening.

  • B, L – Posadas del Inca

Day 4 Sacred Valley – Maras y Moray
We leave by car from your Hotel in Cusco to the Urubamba river. From there we choose our Horses and ride to the altiplano of the Andes and to the saltpans of Salinas, a fascinating system of platforms used since the Inca times to extract salt from a natural mountain spring. This ascent takes about two hours. Take it easy because the change of altitude does not only affect the horses. Once we are at 3700 m you will be impressed by the sight of the snow-capped mountains of Chicon, Veronica and Salcantay and the beautiful Andes that surround us. After a picnic lunch in Maras, a colonial village, we continue our ride to Moray. Four enormous natural depressions in the landscape were sculpted into several levels of agricultural terraces that served as an experimental agricultural site for the development of different strains of crops. After your day you will catch your train to Aguas Calientes below Machu Picchu.

  • B, L, D – Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel or similar

Day 5 Full Day Machu Picchu
Early risers can watch the sunrise from the Machu Picchu citadel or make the early morning climb of Huayna Picchu mountain. This incredibly vast archeological site – lost to the world until well into the twentieth century – is perched amongst Andean peaks and lush cloud forest making it one of the most breathtaking sights in the world. You’ll have the opportunity to get a complete guided tour of the site as you begin to unlock the mystery of the Inca, and will also have plenty of time to explore the ruins on your own. Lunch at the adjacent Sanctuary Lodge means you’ll be able to enjoy the whole day without leaving awe-inspiring Machu Picchu. Return to Machu Picchu Pueblo for the evening.

  • B, L, D – Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel or similar

Custom Sacred Valley Amazon TravelDay 6 Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
Taking the train after breakfast, you’ll have time to roam through Ollantaytambo town taking in the ancient ruins towering above. Heading into the Sacred Valley you’ll stop to enjoy lunch at an authentic colonial-era hacienda before continuing on and arriving in the early evening to Cusco.

  • B, L – Aranwa or similar

Day 7 Cusco & half-day guided walking tour
Enjoy a half-day guided walking tour of the city where traditional Andean cultures, the colonial Spanish, and modern Peru come together in one of South America’s most culturally and visually dynamic cities. Visit Incan architectural jewels such as Korikancha – the temple of the sun, shop at Andean markets, enjoy savory, wide-ranging Peruvian cuisine, and see the colonial cathedrals built atop Incan foundations around the Plaza Central.

  • B – Aranwa or similar

 

 

 

Day 8 Cusco – Amazonia

Caiman Peruvian Amazon Travel
You will be picked up at your hotel lobby in accordance with your onward flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival you will be met by an Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica representative and assisted to the Butterfly House where you will go through check- in procedures as well as reshuffling some of your baggage to bring a smaller amount of your luggage to the lodge (remaining luggage will be locked up and remain here until you return from the lodge). From here you will be taken to the pier and head upriver to for approximately an hour to the lodge.

At Reserva Amazonica you will stay on an inclusive basis and will have many included excursions to choose from. Food is included but not alcoholic beverages.

  • B, L, D – Reserva Amazonica

Day 9 Amazonia
Continue enjoying your stay at Reserva Amazonica.

  • B, L, D – Reserva Amazonica

Day 10 Amazon – Lima – USA
You will be transferred by Reserva Amazonica in accordance with your onward afternoon flight to Lima. After arriving in the Lima airport you will be responsible for checking in and catching your international flight. This is often a long & unavoidable layover, so save a few pages in your book or enjoy dinner across the street at Ramada’s restaurant and then fly out.

  • B

 

Hasta Pronto, Knowmad Adventurers!

Knowmad AdventuresKnowmad Adventures works closely with independent-minded travelers creating innovative trips to South America. Our specialists in Patagonia, ChileMachu Picchu, PeruArgentina, the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Antarctica are eager to collaborate and create a trip as unique and authentic as you are, and our experienced South American operations team guarantees you get an insider’s perspective, superior values, and a flawlessly operated trip.