Machu Picchu and the Amazon

After breakfast you are picked up for a guided tour of the colonial and modern Lima which includes the cathedral built in 1654 where the remains of the Spanish conqueror of the Inca Empire, Francisco Pizarro, rest, the Main Square with a bronze fountain from 1650 and some unique wooden colonial balconies around the main square (Plaza de Armas), the San Francisco monastery with the famous catacombs and the modern areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. Lima is also known as “The city of the kings”, and was founded 1535 by Francisco Pizarro and 1991 it was declared a world heritage by UNESCO.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Free morning to get used to the altitude. After lunch you will be picked up for a guided tour in Cusco and its surroundings, with visits to the four famous Inca ruins which lies in the outskirts of Cusco; the water temple of Tambo Machay, the Puca Pucara fortress, the oracle place Quengo and the impressive fortress and temple of Sacsayhuamán. Three enormous boulders, each one weighs 120 tons, are making three perfect zig-zag walls and the view over Cusco from this place is wonderful. You will finish the day with a walking tour in the centre of Cusco with visits to the Cathedral, the Main Square and the Sun Temple of Korikancha.

Full day excursion to Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas. You will visit the village of Pisac, which was established during the colonial era and is located at the foot of a terraced mountain, crowned with impressive Inca ruins, and also the market in Pisac on the main square, where Indians sell their products and crafts. After lunch in the valley you will visit Ollantaytambo, the only Inca village the Spaniards never managed to conquer, where you will explore the ruins above the town on a hill. Late in the afternoon, you will take a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu. You are met by a guide at the station and escorted to your hotel.

This morning you will wake up by the highlight of your tour, the forgotten city of the Incas and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World – Machu Picchu. Your guide will pick you up at the hotel and you will catch an early bus up to Machu Picchu, to be able to enjoy the famous sunrise over the ruins. Then it’s time for your guided tour which takes about two hours. After the tour, you will have plenty of time to explore sight and take photos. A popular option for the adventurous is to climb the mountain Huayna Picchu (about 2 hours), from where you will have a spectacular view over Machu Picchu and the surroundings. In the afternoon you take the bus down from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, and then the train back to Cusco. On arrival we will meet you for transfer to your hotel.

Free day to discover Cusco on your own according to your wishes and interests. Perhaps a horseback ride in the Sacred Valley, a course in chocolate factory or just rest and relax around Cusco main square with cafes, restaurants and a colorful street life.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Reception at Padre Almirez International airport. Here your professional guide will await you. He will accompany you during your whole stay. From there we will go to the lodge´s office to obtain the official waterway permits (you can also guard luggage you won’t need during your stay). Meanwhile you can visit the town’s main square and also take some photos of the beautiful scenery overlooking the confluence of the rivers Madre de Dios and Tambopata from Grau square. Embarkation will be at Capitania port, the destination being the lodge. We will navigate approximately 40 minutes on the Madre de Dios River in a typical Amazonian boat.
Arrival at the Corto Maltes Amazonia Lodge. Here we will have a welcome cocktail. Afterwards you will be handed over the keys to your bungalow and we will have lunch. The kitchen of the lodge stands out for the beautiful presentation and the exquisite tastes of the dishes prepared by the French chef.
After that you will have some free time to get comfortable in your bungalow, or take a refreshing dip in our pool.
3:30pm: It gets time to have some first contact with the jungle. On this trek you will see a large variety of tropical trees, medicinal plants, insects, butterflies and other animals. Upon return we will make a small stop at a lookout. Here you can observe toucans, macaws and other species of birds upon your return for sunset. (duration: between 2,5 and 3 hours) Returning to the lodge you can take a refreshing dip in the pool or have an exotic cocktail in the terrace-bar. You could also watch the sunset in the relaxing, tranquility of palm and mango trees at the port.
7pm: Before dinner we will go on a nightly boat trip, a little safari trying to spot the white caiman (caiman crocodilus) that lives in the river banks.
8pm: After the delicious dinner, those who wish can have some smalltalk in the reclining seats or have some fun and make friends with other travelers in the bar. Another option is to take a bath in the pool (with bar) under the shining Amazon sky and marvel at the Cross of the South.

At 5:30am we will go on a trek of about 20 min until we arrive at the parrot clay- lick. Here a minimum of five different species feeds on special clay, vital to their metabolism. It’s a truly marvelous, multicolored spectacle.
8am: Breakfast and free time to explore the splendid gardens of Corto Maltes Amazonia. We have dozens of varieties of exotic plants and flowering trees.
10:30am: Again we will navigate the Madre de Dios River. This time on an expedition destined to “Monkey Island” where some species of these interesting and entertaining animals live in freedom. Following that, another boat ride of 30 min and we will enter the territory of the Tambopata- Candamo National Reserve. We will trek 5km through the dense vegetation of the tropical rainforest. Giant trees, snakes, monkeys, birds and sometimes even the illusive jaguar can be observed here. Our next destination is heavenly Sandoval Lake. Its privileged settings are shared by numerous species of animals: Birds (in particular Hoatzins, Kingfisher, and Cormorants), different species of monkeys (Squirrel monkeys, Howler monkeys, Capuchin monkeys). At the lake itself we can enjoy the spectacle of Giant River Otters. Black Caimans and Piranhas (sometimes we can even observe anacondas in the areas covered by reed). This is also the habitat of the giant Arapaima, a fish of more than 2,5m, weighing in at +200kg. Traveling by canoe, the sunset in the lake is a spectacular unforgettable sight. On our return to the river we might be able to spot some nocturnal animals.
8pm: The body demands rest and food after an active day in the jungle. You will enjoy the exotic tastes of our meals, especially our desserts. If you still have energy left you can share moments of music and conversation in the bar whilst having a cocktail or enjoy the sounds of the rainforest surrounding you from your hammock. After a long day full of activity you will enjoy the comfort of you bungalows hammocks. You can also recover with a massage by a qualified masseur at the lodge.

After breakfast its time to say goodbye to the setting and staff of Corto Maltes Amazonia. Your guide will accompany you on your way back to the city. We will pass by our office again to recollect the baggage left. After that we will visit the local market to show you agricultural products of the region, especially fruits of the Amazon. Afterwards our personnel will accompany you to the airport for your flight to Lima, wishing that your stay was as pleasant for you as it was for us to show you this beautiful corner of Peru.