This holiday offers three distinct Peru experiences that will give travelers a taste of what this rich and varied country offers – from the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu and the city of Cuzco to the vast Lake Titicaca and into the Peruvian Amazon.

The Journey

You’ll arrive at Lima airport to fly directly to Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Inca Empire and a city rich in pre-Hispanic as well as Spanish colonial history. Here you’ll enjoy a couple of days exploring the city and acclimatizing to the altitude as you prepare for your hike along the famed Inca Trail for four days and three nights. After completing the trail at the ruins of Machu Picchu, you’ll head back to Cuzco for another night.

From here, you’ll take a wonderfully scenic train ride to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, before heading to your Suasi Island eco-hotel, where you’ll relax and explore the lake for a couple of days before heading by road to Juliaca, where you’ll take a flight to Puerto Maldonado for your adventure in the Peruvian Amazon.

At the end of the trip, you’ll fly back to Lima before heading home

Trip Length

We recommend at least two weeks for this holiday. If you’re short of time, you can tailor the holiday to include only two of the three legs. Contact us for help.

Price

This trip starts from $2,475 per person, based on two people sharing.

Breakfast is US$10 at Casa Andina Private Collection in Cusco, and is included at the Casa Andina hotel in Puno. Full board and transfers are included at both Suasi Island and Posada Amazonas. Full board is also included on the Inca Trail.

You have the option on the Inca Trail to trek with a group of up to 16 people or to travel as a couple, or a smaller group if you are traveling with friends. Contact us with questions or preferences.

This trip’s price is variable depending on travel dates and includes three internal flights – one from Lima to Cuzco, one from Juliaca to Puerto Maldonado, and one form Puerto Maldonado to Lima. The price does not include international flights in and out of Lima.

What to Do

...in Cuzco

This is where most travellers stop to acclimatize to the altitude and bone up on Incan history before hiking the Inca Trail to the lost city of Machu Picchu, but it’s an amazing destination in and of itself.

The ancient Incan capital of Cuzco, once capital of Spain’s empire in South America, defies description. The intricately carved copper-coloured stone facades of its cathedrals are built right on top of the ingenious Incan walls that preceded them, rendering the layers of the city’s history starkly visible.

Cuzco is full of things to see and do, from its museums of Incan history to its colonial cathedrals. And while Machu Picchu is the most famous of all the Sacred Valley’s Incan ruins, it’s by no means the only one worth seeing - a day spent in the village of Pisaq and exploring the nearby ruins is well worthwhile, and the ruins of Saqsayuaman are a must.

The city is also home to plenty of great restaurants and bars for you to enjoy, many of them serving excellent nouveau Andean cuisine (Blue Angel deserves a mention) and of course the ubiquitous national cocktail, the Pisco Sour.

...on the Inka Trail

You’ll be led by expert guides that will make sure you have a safe and exhilarating trek through the magnificent Andes, past many fascinating archaeological sites and places of breathtaking natural beauty, until you reach your final destination at Machu Picchu, where you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the ruins independently and get to know them with a guided tour.

...at Lake Titicaca

The world’s highest lake, Titicaca is home to unique and fascinating indigenous communities like the Uros people, who build their floating islands from straw, and the people of Taquile and Amantaní. Suasi itself is unpopulated – except for yourself and your fellow guests at the amazing eco-hotel. There’s plenty to do on Suasi, including canoe rides around the shore and hikes across the island. There is also plenty of opportunity to do not much, lazing in your hammock and enjoying the crisp Andean air while taking in the bright sun. There’s also the hotel spa where you can enjoy an Andean-style massage.

...in the Peruvian Amazon

Here, you’ll be a guest at either Posada Amazonas, remarkable for its sustainability credentials, with excellent use of alternative energy, a profound commitment to preserving the Peruvian Amazon, and the very active involvement of local indigenous communities. The lodge has its own team of knowledgeable guides who will help you plan your days and get the most out of the incredible jungle ecosystem. For more details, check the lodge’s page.

How to Travel

This trip will see you travel by foot, ferry, plane and train.

The Route

Day 1: Fly to Cuzco

Spend three nights acclimatizing to the altitude and exploring the magnificent city, as well as nearby archeological sites like Saqsayuaman and Pisaq, which should give you a taste for what’s in store along the Inca Trail.

Day 4: Hiking the Inka Trail

You’ll begin the Inca Trail – a four-day, three-night trek to the fabled ruins of Machu Picchu.

Day 8: Train to Puno

This beautiful train ride in a very comfortable train, complete with a glass-walled observation car, will take you through the magnificent Andean mountains and through deep valleys where the Huatanay River runs, across the Andean planes where alpaca graze among carefully tended fields, stopping at the highest point to enjoy the view. By afternoon, you’ll have arrives at Puno, on Lake Titicaca’s vast shores. Here you’ll spend the night.

Day 9: Boat Puno to Suasi Island

You’ll rise early and take your boat transfer to Suasi Island, stopping on the way to visit the Uros Islands and meet the extraordinary Uros people who build their homes from straw, and on to Taquile, where you’ll see the beautiful textile work for which this island’s distinct community is famous. By lunch you’ll be at your luxury eco-hotel on the private ecological reserve of Suasi Island, where you’ll spend two nights.

Day 11: Fly to Puerto Maldonado

You’ll head to Juliaca by road, where you’ll fly to Puerto Maldonado, where a boat transfer will take you along the river, to your lodge. Here you will enjoy a 2-night stay at Posada Amazonas.

Day 13: Fly back to Lima