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It's our top three Peru destinations
in ten exciting days. From the Amazon basin to the
top of the world at Lake Titicaca, with Cuzco
and Machu Picchu in between, it's a great survey
of this incredible country!
10 days:
US$2985 / UKŁ1495
including guides, transfers and internal flights!
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Day |
Location |
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1 |
Arrive
Lima |
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2-3 |
Jungle
Tour |
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4 |
Cusco City Tour |
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5 |
Sacred Valley |
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6 |
Machu Picchu |
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7 |
Journey to Titicaca |
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8-9 |
Titicaca excursion |
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10 |
Lima
- intl. flight may depart any time after 12pm. |
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PERU PANORAMA
TRIP
ITINERARY
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Day |
Activity/Location |
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1 |
Arrive in Lima and transfer to our hotel. If
arriving during the day, you'll have a guided tour of the city
before being transferred to the airport next morning for your flight
to Puerto Maldonado. Otherwise you'll have a tour in Lima upon
your return.
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2-3
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We're off
to the Amazon basin this morning! After a short flight, we arrive in
the city of Puerto Maldonado and transfer to a motorized dugout
canoe for the trip upriver to our jungle lodge. Our cabins at
the lodge have modern bathrooms and
comfortable beds with mosquito nets, and the food here is great.
Take an afternoon walk through the rainforest with an experienced
naturalist guide, come back for dinner, then set off again for a
nocturnal jungle canoe ride to spot caiman!
The next day's
activities will include a visit to an oxbow lake to look for giant
river otters, monkeys, macaws and other wildlife as well as jungle
walks led by an experienced, English speaking guide. You'll
witness an array of medicinal and otherwise interesting flora and
fauna, as well as gain some insight into native Amazonian peoples
and traditions.
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4
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Morning flight over the Andes to Cuzco.
After checking into our hotel, we'll head to the Plaza de Armas, the center of old Cuzco, then climb up to the
ruins of Sacsayhuaman above town for great afternoon views over the
city. Depending on your arrival time, there may be time for
shopping or more sightseeing in the afternoon.
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5
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This morning we take a short
and scenic ride in our private transport to Pisac and Ollantaytambo,
two important Inca ruins in
the Sacred Valley. After visiting the site of Pisac, we'll head down
to the colonial town below and visit its famous crafts market.
We then continue on to Ollantaytambo. Besides the huge and fascinating ruins above the
town, Ollantaytambo is the only Inca village still inhabited today.
Walk its narrow streets and peer through huge Inca doorways into
courtyards where life has changed little in over 500 years.
Afternoon train to Aguas Calientes, below Machu Picchu where we'll
spend the night.
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6
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Sunrise at Machu Picchu! After a guided tour, take your time and
enjoy this magnificent place. During peak visiting hours (10-2),
try a hike on one of the surrounding Inca trails. We return to
Cuzco in the afternoon.
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7
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This morning we
head to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the
world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet above sea level. The
trip there is beautiful, as we pass by Andean villages, herds of
llama and alpaca, and high snowcaps. And our journey today is
also a guided tour, stopping at the Inca site of Raqchi, the old
colonial church at Andahuaylillas and the Pukara Culture
Archaeological Museum. A buffet lunch is also included.
Late afternoon arrival in Puno.
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8
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Boats are the
transport theme today as we head out across the waters of Lake
Titicaca. Our first stop is the islands of Uros, completely constructed out of totora reeds and
floating on the surface of the lake. We'll take a walk across the
spongy surface of these unique islands and go for a ride in a reed
boat before continuing on to the island of Amantani, where we'll
spend the night with a local native family. A soccer
game with the locals, an amazing sunset, and a music and dance fiesta in
native garb are all on the agenda on Amantani today.
Please note: our
Lake Titicaca family stay is a truly authentic experience which includes
being cooked for by and dining with the local family and staying in a
room at their house. There is often just candlelight, no
electricity, and the bathroom is an outhouse. This is a great
experience which is the highlight of many people's trip, but which can
certainly be described as "basic" or "roughing it".
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9
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This morning we head to the
island of Taquile. The native culture of Taquile is the most
intact in probably all of the Andes, with its inhabitants
maintaining the same customs and dress as they have for over 1000
years. You will truly feel as though you have gone back in time as
you walk the ancient stone paths of the island and observe it's
people. Afternoon boat ride back to Puno.
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10
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All good things must come to an end, and
today we fly back to Lima and the end of our journey. Day free in Lima to visit any of the sites missed the first time
around depending on international departure time.
International flight may depart any time after 12pm. |
TRIP
DETAILS
10 days:
US$2985 / UKŁ1495
Departs any day
Trip briefing
Upon purchase of this trip, we will send you via email, fax, or regular
mail (your choice) a trip briefing, which includes joining instructions
with a map to the hotel in Lima, a list of things to bring, and a
climate/currency/visa guide.
What's included in the trip:
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Airport pickup at
the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip
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Southern Crossings bilingual
guide
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All other
internal transport (excluding transport to optional
restaurants, bars, sights and excursions)
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Internal
flights, Lima-Puerto
Maldonado, Puerto Maldonado-Cuzco, Lake Titicaca Lima
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Six
nights of hotel accommodation,
one night family stay on Lake Titicaca, two nights rainforest lodge
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Breakfast
included with all hotel stays
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Machu Picchu
excursion, including bilingual guide, return train fare,
transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and entrance to
the Machu Picchu sanctuary
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Lake Titicaca
excursion, including three meals with local family
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Three day/two night
jungle lodge excursion, including all meals
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Guided tour between
Puno and Cuzco, including buffet lunch
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Cuzco city tour
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Lima city tour
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Southern Crossings T-Shirt or Cap
What's not included
International flight to/from Lima,
international airport departure taxes (US$25 from the Lima airport), pre-
& post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance,
meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while
on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature.
Travel insurance is not included
through Southern Crossings though we do require that you have a policy.
Check www.travelguard.com to
purchase a policy for your trip.
Extra Accommodation
We
will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you
before or after your trip:
In Lima: $110 double/$90 single
In Cuzco: $95 double/$70 single
Single Person Supplement
$560
Please add this to
your total payment if you will be travelling alone or wish to have
private accomodation
Pre-Trip Planner
Required documents
All travelers
to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at least six months
from date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S.,
Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport holders. For other
nationalities, please consult the nearest Peruvian embassy or
consulate. An onward ticket and proof of funds may also be required at
entry and should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks,
currency, or a bank statement, from the bank or printed off the
internet, are sufficient for proof of funds.
Required immunizations
No
immunizations are required of travelers to Peru. Travelers may
wish to receive hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all
other standard vaccinations. The rainforest area of Peru (approx. 3500
ft. and below, east of the Andes) is a malarial and yellow fever zone,
and travelers may wish to receive a yellow fever vaccination and take
malarial prophylaxis. Please consult your physician or local health
department for more information.
Things to bring
Our trip will
be a backpacker-style adventure. One
should come well prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging
from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and for extremes of sun and the
possibility of rain. A list of things to bring would include:
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Passport and, if necessary, visa
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Traveler’s checks and/or cash card
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Airline ticket
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Photocopies of airline ticket and documents
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Wearable pouch for documents and money
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Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase
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Smaller, comfortable day pack
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Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in
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Sandals or flip-flops
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Rain poncho or jacket
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Waterproof pants
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Sun hat
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Hat for cold weather
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Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)
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Scarf and gloves
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T-shirts
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Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments
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Towel and swimsuit for hot springs
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Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)
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Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)
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Sunscreen
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Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)
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Lip balm
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Earplugs
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Alarm clock or watch
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Sanitizing hand wipes or gel
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Camera and film/digital memory cards
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Camera batteries
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Playing cards, games, reading material
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Prescription medications
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Toiletries
Note that
common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such toiletries as
toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine hygiene
items are available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear
and care, extra large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera
batteries. Also note that most digital camera memory cards can be
downloaded and burned onto a CD in internet cafes in any large city.
Climate
Rain is
possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud
forest, and one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will
visit is as follows:
Cuzco and
Machu Picchu:
days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy. Nights are
chilly in
Cuzco.
Lake
Titicaca: similar to Cuzco but colder.
Lima:
warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain. Often overcast.
Amazon
basin: hot and humid year-round. We recommend light clothing
(in weight and in color) that fully cover arms and legs to avoid
mosquito bites.
Money guide
The unit of
currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current currency conversion
1 U.S. dollar = 2.8 nuevos soles
1 GB pound =
6.16 nuevos soles
Automatic cash
points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa, MasterCard, Plus, and
Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler's checks
(American Express is best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances
are also options. Do not bring MoneyGrams or International Money
Orders, as they are extremely difficult to exchange. Banks and exchange
houses are available in Lima and Cuzco. For currency, U.S. dollars are
recommended and most easily exchanged. Please
note that cash must be untorn. It can be older-looking, but even the
slightest tear on an edge will make it un-changeable. Acceptable bills
come out of the ATMs in country.
Expect to spend
about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water or soft drink in Peru.
Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect. Alpaca sweaters,
for example, run between $5 and $30.
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