Andes & Amazon Combo 10 days 9 nights

This is a bare minimum 10 day itinerary
We can also comfortably extend for 2-3 weeks to allow more than just a minimal visit

$2,395 per person (based on double occupancy)

Day 1

Fly to Cusco, Peru

Book your flight for arrival to Cusco between 11am and 12:30pm. After clearing baggage security in Cusco Airport look for your guide in the parking lot waiting area, holding up a sign with your name on it.Afternoon guided excursion with small group to Sacsahuaman National Park and other sites near Cusco.

Cusco Hotel Casa Andina www.casa-andina.com

Day 2

Sacred Valley of the Incas

Full day guided excursion with small group in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, including Ollantaytambo Inca Citadel and the native bazaar at Pisaq.

Hotel Casa Andina(Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 3

Machu Picchu

Transfer to train station; train to Machu Picchu. Meet your private guide at Aguas Calientes train station. Private guided excursion of Machu Picchu ruins.

Evening train return to Cusco

Transfer to hotel Casa Andina.

Day 4

Cusco to Iquitos

Transfer to Cusco Airport (Book your flights as connecting flights, Cusco to Iquitos). With connecting flights you will get both boarding passes in Cusco Airport and your luggage will be checked all the way to Iquitos. You won’t have to get luggage or check in again in Lima Airport; just go through the “passenger in transit” door. 

 

Airport pickup: After clearing baggage security in Iquitos Airport exit the nearest door, look for our staff in the parking lot waiting area, wearing uniforms and tee shirts with our logo (head of a hoatzin bird in a diamond shape).

 

Transfer to Iquitos B&B Vista Amazonica https://perujungle.com/vista-amazonica-iquitos/

Day 5

Tahuayo Lodge

Transfer to Tahuayo Lodge – speedboat transfer (note–is 4 hours) up the Amazon River, then the Tahuayo tributary to our lodge. Arrival to Tahuayo Lodge – Arrive to the Tahauyo Lodge. Lodge orientation & meet with guides. Afternoon & evening excursions of your choice.

Days 6-7

From the main Tahuayo Lodge

Our main lodge on the Tahuayo River is not a resort, nor a hotel, but a rustic lodge, comfortable for adventurous travelers. Cabins are all private, and all have private bathrooms. Explore daily on guided excursions in and around the mega-diverse Area de Conservacion Regional Tamshiyacu-Tahauyo. Rainforest excursions are included in the price of your trip and available from before breakfast into the early evening hours. Excursions are planned upon your arrival to the lodge taking into consideration things like current weather conditions, water levels, and animal activity patterns. To get you started, here is a list of some of our more popular activities:

 

  • The Canopy Experience – Experience the Tree Giants & Canopy of the Amazon Rainforest. Completely rebuilt in 2019, our NEW Canopy Experience allows you to explore 6 canopy platforms and zoom through the rainforest on 4 ziplines more than 100 ft above the rainforest floor.
  • Igapo/varzea Forest Exploration – Explore a unique forest with alternating acidic water flooding (from the upper Tahuayo River) with alkaline water flooding (from the nearby Ucayali). Search for beautiful birds, primates such as pygmy marmosets, night monkeys, howler monkeys, and other wildlife.
  • Tahuayo River Exploration – Go by boat with your private guide to explore the Tahuayo River. Here you can spot colorful birds (macaws, tanagers, hawks) sloths, neotropical river otters and monkeys along the riverbank.
  • Cultural Visit –Learn about life in the local communities and about the work of our nonprofit organization Angels of the Amazon. You can visit the Hospital we built and support or the schools we built (and are continuing to build).
  • Tahuampa (flooded forest) Excursion – Canoe in and around permanently flooded forest with a vast diversity of wildlife. Search for the spectacular hoatzin (one of the world’s most interesting and unique birds), black caiman, horned screamers, wattled jacana, giant fishing spiders, giant ficus fig trees and much more.
  • Frog Valley (Terra Firme) – For this full-day excursion, you will ride a motorboat up the Rio Blanco to visit terra firme (never flooding) ecosystem. Hike through the dense forest searching for beautiful little poison dart frogs, harlequin toads, marmosets, leaf cutter ants and more.
  • Dolphin Search – Explore nearby oxbow lakes searching for the incredible Pink Dolphins of the Amazon Rainforest. Swimming is possible in some lakes. Note: we do NOT feed or disturb the dolphins in anyway.
  • Cocha Ecosystems – Explore oxbow lakes in search of pink dolphins, wading birds, ospreys, squirrel monkeys and more.
  • Birding – early morning birding along the Tahuayo River. With over 600 species, our region has a higher count of bird species of any site in lowland Amazon Forest.
  • Fishing – Head by boat early in the morning or late afternoon to fish for the Piranha, Pacu, Vampire Fish, and other species.
  • Night Excursions – Go for a night hike to search for scorpions, tarantulas, snakes, and other nocturnal wildlife. Explore by boat on the Tahuayo or Blanco River; here you can search for caimans, snakes, and frogs. If you are in the mood to relax….enjoy the constellations while you listen to the jungle symphony all around you.
  • Explore the Trail Grid – We have over 75 km of hiking trails from the research center, most of the trails are laid out in a grid to facilitate the scientific collection of population data (In the rainy season these may become canoe trails). The trails go through several varieties of igapo ecosystems, including bajial, high and low restinga as well as palm swamp ecosystem. We can see many different species of monkeys, including brown and white capuchins, saki monkeys, titi monkeys, woolly monkeys, sometimes uakaris, as well as giant tayra weasels and tamandua anteaters. Data collected from camera traps also reveal a high density of jaguar and other predators live here, but these are rarely seen.

    Days 8-9

    To the Amazon Research Center lodge, ARC

    Depart the main lodge in the morning en route to the Amazon Research Center (ARC). The Research Center is more remote and about 2 hours up-river from our main lodge. It is formally recognized as a research institution by Peru’s national science council, CONCYTEC (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion Tecnologia). Cabins are private, simple, and comfortable, all have shared bathrooms. Activities from the Research Center:

     

    • Explore the Trail Grid – We have over 75 km of hiking trails from the research center, most of the trails are laid out in a grid to facilitate the scientific collection of population data (In the rainy season these may become canoe trails). The trails go through several varieties of igapo ecosystems, including bajial, high and low restinga as well as palm swamp ecosystem. We can see many different species of monkeys, including brown and white capuchins, saki monkeys, titi monkeys, woolly monkeys, sometimes uakaris, as well as giant tayra weasels and tamandua anteaters. Data collected from camera traps also reveal a high density of jaguar and other predators live here, but these are rarely seen.
    • Cochas – Boating the various lakes and rivers from the research center we often see caiman, anaconda as well as the highly endangered Giant River Otter.
    • Hiking to Lake Yarina – Full day hike where we can see hoatzins on their nests, blue and yellow macaws and caiman.
    • Field work – Spend a day doing field work with the staff biologist (Must be booked in advance; subject to availability).
    • Night excursions – Trail Grid night hike, explore Tahuayo River by canoe or boat.

     

    Day 10 

    Return to Tahuayo Lodge & Return to Iquitos

     Depart the Amazon Research Center in the morning en route to the Tahuayo Lodge. Search for wildlife along the way.

     Speedboat transfer (note–is 4 hours) back to Iquitos.

     Arrival back to Iquitos – transfer to airport or hotel

     (Note: Your flight must depart Iquitos appx. 5:00 pm or later this day).

     

    End of the Trip.

    Land Cost

    Total Cost for the above itinerary 10 days 9 nights: $2,395 per person (based on double occupancy)

     

    Andes (Cusco) portion includes all meet& greets, all land transfers by car, bus and train, guided excursions, all taxes and fees, accommodations with meals as above. Iquitos portion includes airport meet & greet, transfers, accommodation at B&B.

    All costs included at the Amazon Lodges:

    • All land and water transfers
    • Lodging
    • Buffet meals
    • Private guide
    • Guided Excursions customized to your needs and interests
    • Gear such as jungle boots
    • Unlimited pure water
    • Free Wi-Fi
    • All fees and taxes, such as: entrance fees, conservation fees, port taxes, etc.

     

    Optional expenses only: soda, beer and alcoholic drinks, souvenirs, tips, laundry, camping not included unless otherwise noted.

     

    How To Reserve?

    Reservation is confirmed with a deposit of $100 USD per person

    Payment can be made by credit card (3% service charge waived for deposit)

    1. Make sure to review our: Terms & Conditions
    2. Click here: Book your trip now
    3. Enter your name into the description
    4. Enter total payment amount (ignore quantity)
    5. You will receive a confirmation email, and more information.

     

    Special concerns for the Andes: Arriving at Cusco, over 11,000 feet in altitude can result in altitude sickness. Altitude sickness, which may appear in the form of one of many symptoms, pounding headache, nausea, muscular aches or cramps, fever, etc., is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. I do not recommend pills or any other treatment other than directly treating the cause. Your guide will have access to a tank of oxygen and the front desk of the hotels that I booked for you will be able to offer a tank of oxygen and instruct you how to use it (five minutes on, five minutes off for 30 minutes). You may need repeat treatments during a course of a few hours before your body finally adjusts to the low oxygen level of the air. The important thing is to begin treatment as soon as possible to the onset of symptoms.

    > 

    You must be careful to drink only bottled water (rinse toothbrush with bottled water, no ice in drinks, don’t face shower, etc.) and eat on well cooked food (no food from street vendors).

    > 

    It will be cold in the Andes, especially early morning, late afternoon and evening. Be prepared to dress accordingly. Being at high altitude close to the equator means there is less atmosphere to screen out ultraviolet radiation. Be sure to wear sunglasses and use sun block

     

    GUEST CODE OF CONDUCT: Guests are expected to abide by a code of conduct that shows respect to indigenous people, the environment, wildlife, staff, and fellow guests. Please note the five bullet points below.

    • The staff of Amazonia Expeditions treats all guests with respect and kindness and management expects that guests will also treat all staff, native people and fellow guests with appropriate respect and will not tolerate abusive behavior on the part of its guests.
    • Although raising one’s voice, or yelling, may be considered the norm in some cultures, it can be perceived to be very rude by local standards. Raising one’s voice in anger may result in your guide or other staff members feeling uncomfortable in your presence and may affect the overall quality of your trip. In Peru using vulgar, abusive language is a criminal misdemeanor. We reserve the right to remove you without refund if you engage in abusive behavior.
    • It is part of our ethical mission to not handle or disturb wildlife in their natural setting. If you are looking for a selfie holding wildlife, then this is not the trip for you!
    • Soliciting drugs or sex or any other unethical demands from the staff or indigenous people will result in arrest and criminal charges.
    • Inappropriate behavior may result in the guest being directed to leave without refund or if deemed excessive, with forced removal by local police and a criminal complaint.

     

    Traveler understands that wilderness travel has inherent risks and agrees to hold Amazonia Expeditions and all its employees harmless and free of liability for any harm, injury, illness, or death. Traveler further agrees that any disputes arising from the trip must be resolved through binding arbitration handled by the Better Business Bureau of West Florida.