Machu Picchu & Amazon Cruise Exclusive

Explore Lima on a sightseeing tour of Colonial and Modern Lima with a private guide and driver. Visit Government Palace, City Hall and the Cathedral at the Plaza Mayor (closed on Sundays), and the 17th century San Francisco Convent. Take a short tour of the modern districts of San Isidro and Miraflores for a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean.

Enjoy dinner at the restaurant "Huaca Pucllana"

In the Fifth century, the Lima valley inhabitants started the construction of the Huaca Pucllana. Two important reasons inspired the group of sacred priests, who were the governing rulers at that time. The first reason was their need to express their religious authority. The second reason was directly linked with the control of the hydrological resources stemmed from the water canal system, on the left bank of the Rimac river. Therefore, Pucllana was an important ceremonial and administrative location. Its magnificence was reflected by the configuration of a monumental architecture. It was built with small adobe bricks wrought on a continuous base of blocks and remodeled during the three centuries of the Huaca existence. Currently the Pucllana Archeological Zone spreads over 15 hectares. Today, fifteen centuries after those men gave life to Pucllana, Huaca Pucllana Restaurant, offers you a sample of the best Peruvian and International cuisine. Welcome to the La Huaca Pucllana. 

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.

Fly from Lima to Cusco. Flight duration is approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

Our local representative will meet you for a transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. Transfer time is approximately 2 hours

Enjoy a full day excursion to the Pisac ruins located on the top of a hill overlooking the Vilcanota (Urubamba) river, a series of terraces, canals, houses, food storage and temples can be seen in very good shape. The most notable is the “Intihuatana” or solar calendar made out of a big piece of red stone. Continue to visit the Pisac Market where artisans from all over the area congregate to sell their crafts. Buffet lunch in a countryside restaurant and visit to Ollantaytambo, a fortress built during the Inca Empire, excellent sample of military architecture. 8 hours in duration

Includes tourist ticket and entrance fees.

You will be met at the hotel lobby by our local representative, and transferred by private vehicle and professional driver from your hotel in the Sacred Valley to the Ollantaytambo Train Station.

Upon arrival at the train station, board the Vistadome train for a 2 hour journey to the ancient ruins at Machu Picchu. En route to Machu Picchu the train travels along the Urubamba River with awe-inspiring views of the dramatic canyon.

Please note that your guide will travel with you onboard the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. This guide will also provide the private tour of Machu Picchu. After the tour the guide will explain all the necessary information and provide you with any entrances or tickets required for the rest of your time at Machu Picchu (evening and following day).  The guide will return to Cuzco that evening.

Note: When staying overnight at Machu Picchu or Aguas Calientes the following day will be at leisure, with no guide (unless otherwise specified). If you would like to have a guide please speak with your sales consultant about adding this service.

Note: Due to limited storage space on the train, passengers are asked to bring only one small piece of luggage. The rest of your luggage will be stored safely at your hotel and returned to you, either in Cuzco or Sacred Valley. Hand luggage on the train is limited to 11 pounds or 5 kgs.

Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you will board the bus (shared service) up to Machu Picchu. The bus ride takes 30 minutes and once you get there you will enjoy a private guided tour of Machu Picchu. The Inca Citadel lies between Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu (“Young Peak” and “Old Peak”). The Inca Pachacutec built the Citadel using sharp stone blocks, fitted together perfectly. Houses, temples, a public square are all connected by narrow roads and steps cut into the mountainside. There are many theories as to the purpose of Machu Picchu; a temple to the sun? A fortress against jungle inhabitants? A sanctuary for the Incas? The mysterious lost city awaits you!

After the tour, enjoy a leisurely lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. Afterwards, take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes.

Please note: For itineraries including an overnight stay at the Sanctuary Lodge (instead of Aguas Calientes) you will simply return to the lodge after your tour.

For your convenience the bus ticket between Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu is provided. Buses depart about every 30 minutes, once the bus is full.

The entrance ticket to Machu Picchu is provided for your convenience.

For your convenience, the entrance fee for the hike to Wayna Picchu is included.We will confirm the 7:00am hike,there is the option of doing the later hike, so if you would like the later hike (10:00am) please let us know.

The eternal guardian of the Sanctuary, Wayna Picchu (meaning “Young Mountain’ in Quechua) towers over the Incan city, and an amazing view can be appreciated from the top. The route to the top of the mountain is treacherous, with very narrow pathways, and to conquer the summit is truly a rewarding experience! Along the route and at the top of the mountain are sacred structures and eye-catching terraces, built right against the slope’s edge. Depending on each person's hiking pace, this activity may take up to 3 hours. This activity is on your own; please speak to your sales agent about organizing a guide to accompany you.

For your convenience the bus tickets between Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes is provided. Buses depart about every 30 minutes, once the bus is full.

Return to Cusco on the Vistadome train on your own (no guide). The train departs from Aguas Calientes at 3:25pm* and takes 4 hours to return to Cusco. Snacks are served on board. *Note train times and schedules may vary based on availability.

Our local representative will meet you with a private vehicle and professional driver for a train station transfer.

High in the Andes, 3000m above sea level, lies the historic city of Cusco, with its unique blend of Spanish and Inca cultures. Take a half day private tour of the city including the best of Cusco: the Koricancha Temple (Temple of the Sun) and the Cathedral with its magnificent chapels and baroque altars and paintings from the Cusquenian School. The tour also includes the surrounding ruins: the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Inca bath of Tambomachay, the labyrinth of Puca Pucara and the amphitheatre of Kenko.

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.

Direct flight from Cusco to Lima. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Please note: Flights' rates and availability are subject to change until booking.

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.

Dinner will be at La Rosa Nautica tonight.

Located in Pier 4 of the Lima Beach Circuit, La Rosa Náutica offers a public eager for new experiences the most complete selection of Peruvian and International cuisine, as well as the most sophisticated bar to be found on the Pacific shores.

All of this combined with an incomparable view and the peace which can only be found in the Ocean, where infinity begins. If you are looking to please your palate and soothe your soul, then allow yourself to be drawn to La Rosa Náutica; a corner of Latin America created especially for connoiseurs in search of true pleasure.

Sleep in this morning and relax at your hotel.

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.

Fly from Lima to Iquitos. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.

ARRIVAL/NAUTA/EMBARKATION/MARAÑON RIVER

3:30 p.m. Flight from Lima LA 2382
In just an hour and 45 minutes you will be in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon region. 

5:15 p.m. Arrival
Your guides await you, as your flight from Lima glides in for landing at Iquitos International Airport. After you’ve claimed your luggage, you will board an air-conditioned bus for your journey to the river.

5:40 p.m. Transfer to Nauta’s main wharf.
Enjoy a scenic one-and-a-half hour drive through the Peruvian countryside to the small village of Nauta. You will be traveling along the only road out of town . . . and it only goes as far as Nauta.

7:10 p.m. Check-In
From the moment you step on board, you will enjoy the M/V Aria’s atmosphere of low-key luxury. As you settle into your handsomely appointed, over-sized suite, you will feel the vessel begin to move; the beginning of one of the great adventures of your life. Stand on the Upper Deck to take in the view, as the M/V Aria leaves Iquitos behind.

Over the next four days, you will also sail along the largest tributaries of the Amazon, as well as the mighty Amazon itself. You are embarking on a spectacular adventure, to a place visited by only a few of the most experienced world travelers.

7:30 p.m. Safety Drill and Briefing on the Upper Deck
Before dinner we will perform a routine safety drill. Then it’s into the air-conditioned lounge, where you will learn about life onboard, and will have the first of the nightly briefings about your adventure to follow. You will meet the naturalist guides and the cruise director, who will use video, photos, and maps to explain the details of your journey into the Amazon.

8:00 p.m. Welcome Dinner
Sit down, relax, sample some fine South American wine, and enjoy the truly world-class cuisine, created by Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, whose restaurant, Malabar, is one of the best in all of Lima. Schiaffino’s recipes, with the imaginative use of local products – fruit, fish, spices – make every meal a delightful adventure. (The menu always offers choices, including a vegetarian option.) Toast the beginning of a beautiful journey.

Perhaps enjoy a nightcap on the Upper Deck, under the stars, before retiring. 

MARAÑON RIVER/CHOROYACU/PACAYA SAMIRIA NATIONAL RESERVE

7:00 a.m. Breakfast

8:00 a.m. Boat Ride Expedition
This morning we will board the skiffs to explore part of the vast Amazon flooded forest. Your guides will tell you about the rainforest and its dynamic life, as we explore what scientists call a “gallery forest,” because of its narrow vegetation, creating a tunnel of leaves. As we float through this tunnel, it is easy to spot parrots, macaws, and fluffy monk saki monkeys, very close to the skiff.

11:30 a.m. Return to the M/V Aria

12:30 p.m. Lunch

4:00 p.m. Jungle Walk and Village Visit
On this walk, your guides will introduce you to native people doing subsistence farming, and will tell you how they learned to cultivate wild plants and trees to earn farm income. As your adventure takes you deep into the primary forest, your guides will also show you the wealth of fruit trees and medicinal plants hidden in the jungle – and will reveal some of the plants’ secrets.

7:30 p.m. Return to the M/V Aria

8:00 p.m. Dinner 

TACSHA RIVER/PACAYA SAMIRIA/SAN MARTIN DE TIPISHCA

6:30 a.m. Breakfast

Today you can choose between two options:

Option 1: Full-day excursion to Primary forest with a Picnic Lunch

7:30 a.m. This morning you will board your skiff to go deep into the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, along the Samiria River. Along the route, we will have the opportunity to see various species of monkeys, such as howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, saddleback tamarin monkeys and many bird species such as blue, yellow and scarlet macaws as well as toucans and some species of river hawks. We will arrive at the PV2 Tacsha watchpost, where we will follow a path deep into the rainforest. Enjoy a generous picnic lunch, before we begin our journey back to our vessel.

5:30 p.m. Arrive at the M/V Aria.

Option 2: Guided Jungle Walk/Siesta/Monkey and Dolphin Expedition

7:30 a.m. Guided Jungle Walk in the Primary Forest
This morning your Naturalist Guide will tell you all about sustainable resource management projects in Amazonia, and will take you to one of these projects, where villagers are planting palms to obtain oil. Your Guide may also show you the artificial nests created on the sand to protect turtle eggs. Then we will take you deep into the jungle, where you will encounter wildlife and learn first-hand about the important medicinal value of many jungle plants. We will also show you famous Kapok Trees (ceiba pentandra), the tallest trees in the Amazon Basin.

12:00 p.m. Return to the M/V Aria

1:00 p.m. Lunch, followed by a Siesta

4:00 p.m. Caiman Expedition
In this late afternoon skiff excursion, keep your eyes directed toward the jungle canopy, where you can spot several kinds of primates—some of the 13 species of monkeys reside in the National Reserve. Perhaps you will catch a glimpse of tamarins and dusky titi monkeys, as well as pigmy marmoset monkeys. Watch for alligators, and keep your binoculars ready, as you are likely to see more than 200 species of birds. As the sun sets and our searchlight comes on, keep your eyes out for caimans, tree boas, tarantulas, and frogs.

7:30 p.m. Return to the M/V Aria

8:30 p.m. Dinner

YANAYACU PUCATE/TAHUAYO/CHARO LAKE

6:30 a.m. Yanayacu Pucate Exploration and Breakfast Aboard the Skiffs
Back on the river as the sun rises, you will see a treasure trove of wildlife, including parrots, macaws, toucans, and many kinds of monkeys—as well as some “surprise” species that you have never seen before. Enjoy a “bag breakfast” of light sandwiches and fresh juice. Since we will stop near a popular dolphin feeding spot, you will see quite a show as you enjoy your meal. 

11:30 a.m. Return to the M/V Aria
As our journey nears its end, your luxurious home away from home starts to sail back down the river toward Iquitos. It isn’t over yet however. A new adventure awaits you this afternoon.

12:30 p.m. Lunch

3:30 p.m. Excursion along the Tahuayo River and Fishing on Lake Charo
This evening you will board our comfortable launch and navigate from the Amazon River through the Huaysi Canal to explore the dark waters of the Tahuayo River. Lifejackets, ponchos, rubber boots and freshwater will be available on our launches. As we navigate along the Tahuayo River, we will observe fishermen paddling in their canoes. Keep your binoculars handy to see the abundant wildlife: sparrows, hawks, monkeys and sloths will be sharing this marvellous location with us. After our arrival at Lake Charo, you will be using the fishing gear to fish for piranhas and other specious. While you fish, our nature guides will tell you the history of the lake and its residents.

6:30 p.m. Return to the M/V Aria
Once we are back onboard, the ship will continue its journey down stream, sailing toward Iquitos through the night.

7:00 p.m. Briefing in the Top Lounge - Recap of Itinerary and Sightings.

8:00 p.m. Farewell Dinner
Leaving the peace and beauty of the jungle behind, we will enjoy our final dinner together, swapping stories about the wonderful experiences shared on the river.

9:00 p.m. Crew Presentation
After dinner, your guides will introduce some of the crew members that you have not yet met, but who have been busy with the “behind the scenes” work that has helped to create a seamless experience.

ARRIVAL IN IQUITOS/CHECK OUT AND DISEMBARK AT THE MAIN WHARF/CITY TOUR/TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT

7:30 a.m. Breakfast

9:30 a.m. Morning Excursion
The excursions today depend on the level of the river. Weather and time permitting, this will be the last opportunity to see how people live along the Amazon—by floating in skiffs through the lively riverside community of Belen, in Iquitos. Here, where the houses and shops actually float on the river during some months, you will see the bustling food market for the entire Peruvian Amazon. All local inhabitants throughout the region sell and purchase goods here.

11:00 a.m. Return to the M/V Aria
Sadly, it’s time to finish packing. Please leave your packed suitcases in your suite for pickup before going to lunch.

12.00 p.m. Light Lunch

1:15 p.m. Disembarkation/City Tour/Manatee Rescue Center/Transfer to the Airport
Your afternoon in the remote city of Iquitos, accessible only by river or air, will not disappoint. This bustling town, complete with a house built by Gustave Eiffel, was once a rich center of the rubber industry. Before we head for the airport, we will take you to visit the Manatee Rescue Center, where biologists and volunteers care for endangered Amazon manatees that conservation authorities have seized from local people, including fishermen. Biologists will give a presentation about the project and its efforts to help these helpless mammals. You will also see how the manatees are cared for and are prepared for re-introduction into their natural habitat. Finally, we will stop at the San Juan Amazonian Indian Market, for a last chance to shop for local crafts.

4:30 p.m. Check in at Iquitos International Airport
Your guides will help you with check-in, and will stay with you until you have boarded your flight back to Lima.

5:50 p.m. Your Flight Departs for Lima LA 2383

Note: All itineraries are subject to change, due to weather and other conditions. All times indicated are approximate, and are also subject to change.

Direct flight from Iquitos to Lima. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.

Our local representative will meet you for an airport transfer, with private vehicle and professional driver.