Day 1

On arrival in Lima you will be met and transferred to the Boulevard Lima Hotel for three nights.

Day 2

In the morning tour the ‘City of the Kings’. Visit the historic Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the Casa Aliaga, the Americas’ best preserved colonial mansion, and the San Francisco Monastery. Drive through the residential districts of Mira Flores and San Isidro, where you will enjoy magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and its beaches. Finish the tour with a visit to the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th century colonial mansion that holds the most extensive collection of pre-Columbian art in Peru.

Day 3

Half day visit to the Pachacamac Pilgrimage Centre. Built as a temple for worshiping the sun god Pachacamac, it housed an oracle that is believed to be one of the main pilgrimage centres in pre-Columbian Peru, on a par with Cusco. This visit is followed by a tour of the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology.

Day 4

Morning departure from Lima for the 4-hour drive south to Ica, the wine capital of Peru. Visit the regional museum where you will be able to see its great collection of archaeological remains, including ceramics, mummies and textiles. Two nights at Las Dunas Hotel.

Day 5

Morning boat ride to the Ballestas Islands inhabited by boobies, pelicans, sea lions and Humboldt penguins. In the afternoon enjoy a 45-minute flight by high-wing light aircraft over the desert and the mysterious Nasca Lines.

Day 6

Transfer to Arequipa, which is 9 hours away. Two nights at Posada del Inca Arequipa.

Day 7

City tour of Arequipa, also known as ‘the White City’. Visit the Santa Catalina convent founded in 1580 and later continue to the residential districts of Yanahuara and Chilina, where you will have magnificent views of Arequipa’s countryside and the Misti volcano.

Day 8

Early morning departure for a two day overland trip to the Colca Valley. Drive across Pampa Canahuas within the Aguada Blanca National Reserve, the habitat of herds of vicunas. Overnight at Casa Andina Colca Hotel.

Day 9

Early departure to ‘Condors’ Cross’ observation point from where you can view these great Andean birds. There is also an impressive panorama of the Colca Canyon, one of the deepest in the world at 3,000 mts. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 10

Transfer to Puno (7 hours). 3 nights at the Posada del Inca hotel.

Day 11

Day at leisure.

Day 12

Enjoy a complete day of sailing on Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. In the morning depart for the floating islands of Uros, where the inhabitants still live as they did centuries ago on floating islands made from totora reeds that grow on the lake. Continue sailing towards Taquile Island and on arrival walk to the small town. After lunch, explore the island and enjoy beautiful views of Lake Titicaca.

Day 13

Transfer to Puno railway station. Enjoy a ten-hour train ride to Cusco through the dramatic landscapes of the highland plateau. On arrival in Cusco you will be met and transferred to the Casa San Blas Hotel for three nights.

Day 14

Drive to the Sacred Valley of the Incas to visit Ollantaytambo, the Inca fortress, and walk through the quaint streets of the nearby town. In the afternoon, drive through the valley and bargain with vendors at Pisac market. Visit the Inca astronomic observatory and see the cultivation terraces renowned for their irrigation system.

Day 15

Day at leisure.

Day 16 Inca Trail.

You will be picked up and driven to Piskacuchu (2700 m), your starting point for walking the Inca Trail.

Days 17 – 18 Inca Trail

Day 19

On this fourth and last day you will get up at 4:00 am to climb to Intipunku, or the Sun Gate. From here you will see the sunrise over the sacred citadel of Machu Picchu. Take a complete guided tour of the Inca citadel. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.

Day 20

There is a second opportunity to walk around the Machu Picchu citadel and ruins on your own. In the afternoon you will take the train back to Cusco. Overnight San Blas Hotel.

Day 21

Day at leisure.

Day 22

Transfer to the airport for your flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. On arrival and transferred enjoy a short boat ride down the Madre de Dios river to the starting point of a 30 minute trek, and then board a dugout canoe for the short trip to Lake Sandoval. Continue the journey by catamaran. Two nights at Reserva Amazonica.

Day 23

Early morning start to be at the lake at sunrise to hopefully see a family of giant otters. After breakfast, walk through the jungle to see wild brazil nut trees and watch a demonstration of natives techniques for collecting and packing this important commercial product. After lunch visit the east area of the lake to see some of the five indigenous species of monkey. After dinner, night walk to observe the nocturnal wildlife.

Day 24

Return to Puerto Maldonado for your flight to Lima. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Boulevard Lima Hotel for overnight.

Day 25

Transfer to the airport in time to check in for your return flight to the UK.