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Overview

Private travel in the Andes

Nicknamed “The magic mountain”, Salkantay surges from the Vilcanota range to an altitude of 6264 meters. From this extraordinary site, travelers enjoy bird’s eye views of world-famous Machu Picchu. This is literally the high point of a trekking circuit that perfectly combines unparalleled natural beauty with Peru’s most interesting pre-Hispanic landmarks: Machu Picchu and Inca trails.

This private trip to Peru will take you traveling off the beaten path and allow you to avoid the tourist hordes of the popular “Inca Trail”, for a unique blend of culture, adventure, and history. You will travel to the world’s highest navigable lake, discover Cusco and the famous Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu, and end your trip in the exotic Amazon rainforest. This is your chance to finally discover the fabulous and rich universe that is the Amazon rainforest. Our expert guide will allow you to get familiar with this mythical forest’s plants and animals in complete safety.

Contact Uniktour’s travel specialist today for more information on this magnificent private trip to the Peruvian Andes!

Itinerary

Day 1| Departure from Montreal / Lima
Late evening arrival in Lima (It is possible to take a night flight in order to arrive very early the next day)

Day 2| Lima – Cusco Flight
Breakfast at your hotel. A representative will meet you at the airport to facilitate your 1-hour flight to Cusco. Arrive in Cusco around noon. A private transfer will take you from the airport to your hotel in the centre of the colonial town, where you meet your guide. Enjoy a little free time. In the afternoon, you go on a private tour of the city with your English-speaking guide and discover this city’s splendid Inca influences and its Baroque features dating back to Spanish rule. Evening of leisure. Overnight in Cusco. Lunch included.

Day 3| Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. Free time in the morning to let you (And your body) get used to the altitude. Late in the morning, dive right into the Inca universe with a visit to Sacsayhuaman archeological site, including its impressive fortress, Water Temple, Moon Temple, and the Pucapucara. In the evening, enjoy dinner and entertainment at the Plaza Centrale and sample Andean cuisine while being introduced to the area’s traditional music and dance. Overnight in a 3-Star hotel in Cusco. Lunch and Dinner included.

Day 4| Cusco - Sacred Valley - Cusco
Breakfast at your hotel. You have to whole day to explore the wonders of the Sacred Valley: the textiles of Awanacancha’s Weaving Centre and the ruins of Pisaq, a beautiful site perched high in the mountains, offering a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the valley. You can then descend into the ruins aboard your private vehicle, or walk down the 1050 stone steps that were once used by Inca priests on their way to the sacred river. Once at the bottom, visit Pisaq village and its ancestral market. Enjoy some free time and maybe do a little shopping in the market. You and your private guide return to Cusco late in the day aboard your private vehicle. Overnight in a Cusco hotel. Lunch and dinner included. Technical sheets outlining details concerning your chosen trek will be distributed to help you prepare yourself.

Day 5| Cuzco - Salkantay Trek
Very early departure from Cusco. A 3-hour private transfer will take you to the village of
Mollepata where you grab lunch. Then begins your private trek in the company of an English-speaking guide and private cook. A saddle horse will be available throughout the trek in case of emergency. You will progress through a splendid 4600-meter-high pass close to spectacular Mount Salkantay – at your own pace, so you don’t have to worry about having to catch up or wait around for others. Overnight in a tent. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Day 6| Salkantay Trek
The second day of your trek is mainly downhill. Overnight in a tent. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Day 7| Salkantay Trek
On your third day of trekking, you walk to the village of Aguas Calientes. You will have to choose between two options:
1) A 7-hour hike on an authentic Inca trail to reach the small train station at Hydro. Please note that this option involves a 4-hour ascent.
2) Climb aboard a small private vehicle that will take you to the thermal pools of Santa Theresa (a truly beautiful destination), followed by another 30-minute transfer to the small train station in Hydro.
As you can tell, the first option is considerably more demanding than the second. Please let your travel agent know which option you prefer. Late in the afternoon, a 45-minute train ride will take you to Aguas Calientes. Overnight in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, the village at the foot of the mountain on which rests magnificent Machu Picchu. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Day 8| Salkantay Trek - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Early morning rise. You and your guide take a 20-minute bus journey to the entrance of Machu Picchu to catch the sun’s first rays at this unique site. You also have the option of climbing up a series of stone steps all the way to the site. This ascent should take you about 90 minutes. Please notify your guide one day in advance if this interests you. Visit the site along with your private English-speaking guide. A bus will take you back to Aguas Calientes (alternatively you can climb down the steps). A train will take you back to Cusco late in the afternoon. Overnight in Cusco. Lunch included. Dinner at own expense.

Day 9| Cusco - Flight to Puerto Maldonado
Breakfast at your hotel. Mid-morning transfer to the airport. A one-hour domestic flight will take you to the small town of Puerto Maldonaldo, in the heart of the jungle. Representatives from the Lodge where you will be staying will meet you at the airport. Travel through the city and hop on a pirogue to get to the Lodge, located in the heart of the jungle. Each lodge has its own specific program. Your program will be explained to you upon your arrival and the staff at the Lodge will take care of everything. Keep in mind that it gets extremely hot in the jungle, which means that activities and visits begin very early. The jungle is therefore not just about rest and relaxation. Don’t worry: the experience is more than rewarding. Overnight in a bungalow. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

This is what a typical itinerary might look like during your stay in the Amazon rainforest (depending on the Lodge and the weather):
1) Breakfast. You will be taken to the port for a boat ride on theTambopata River (approx. 3 h). Weather permitting, take a bus to a native community and board a canoe there, which would reduce travel time to around 90 minutes. On the way you can spot caimans, turtles, aquatic birds, etc. Enjoy a light snack. Take a short walk to a small lagoon where we find a nice place to watch the sun setting over the forest. Once night has fallen, we hop back on the canoe and use flashlights to observe the caimans in the river. Back at the lodge, we enjoy a pleasant meal in the company of the resident nature experts, who can answer any questions we have about the Amazon rainforest and Tambopata Reserve. Overnight at the lodge.

2) We have breakfast very early and then head out into the forest along with a resident naturalist guide, walking 5 km to Cocococha lagoon. On the way we have the opportunity to spot exotic plants and insects, butterflies, colorful birds, monkeys, and, with a bit of luck, we might even get to see some of the forest’s larger mammals. Canoes will be available at the lagoon. A short ride on the water will allow us to observe the varied fauna and flora on the lake’s shores. Once back at the lodge, we grab some lunch and enjoy some leisure time, resting a little before enjoying another activity in the afternoon. Overnight at the lodge.

Days 10 and 11| Amazon rainforest
Days spent enjoying activities in the jungle along with your guide. Overnight in a bungalow. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Day 12| Amazon rainforest – Flight to Cusco
You will leave the lodge and be taken to Puerto Maldonaldo around midday for your return flight to Cusco. A transfer will take you from Cusco airport to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco. Lunch included.




Day 13| Cusco - Puno
Breakfast at your hotel. A first-class tourist bus will take you from the verdant Cusco valley to the arid plains of the altiplano. Visits and meals on the way. You reach Puno and the shores of Lake Titicaca at the end of the day. Overnight in a Puno hotel. Lunch and dinner included.

Day 14| Puno - Lake Titicaca Excursion
Breakfast at your hotel. Head to the port of Puno where you embark on a guided boat cruise (in English). Visit the strange islands of the Uros community, followed by Amantani Island, where you spend the night. Once evening falls, look up to the skies: the night sky around this lake is one of the world’s most beautiful. Overnight at a villager’s home. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

Day 15| Amantani - Lake Titicaca Excursion
Breakfast on the island. A boat will take you to Taquile island. Visit this island where the women work in the fields while the men knit. Return to Puno early in the afternoon. Transfer from the port to your hotel. Overnight in a Puno hotel. Lunch included.

Day 16| Puno - Flight to Lima
This morning, you will be taken to Juliaca airport, 45 minutes away from Puno, for your morning flight to Lima. Once in Lima airport, you can catch your connecting international flight. If your flight is at night, you have the option of taking a city tour of Lima and enjoying dinner in a quality seaside restaurant before heading back to the airport for your return flight, depending on your flight schedule. Lunch included.

Budget

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Other fees

Overview

When we think of Peru, our thoughts immediately go to Machu Picchu, an incredible fortified town that was just recently declared one of the new wonders of the world. But when we take a closer look, this 10000-year-old country’s impressive heritage reveals itself: more than the land of the mighty Inca Empire, it is also the birthplace of ancient civilizations. These civilizations left important cultural landmarks, including the city of Caral, the royal tombs of Sipan, the enigmatic Nasca lines, the prodigious fortress of Kuélap – and let’s not forget the capital, Lima, whose historical city center is filled with beautiful architectural wonders.

Peru is one of the most varied countries on earth. In a matter of moments, the mineral deserts of the coast give way to luxuriant tropical forests and the sharp peaks of the Andes. Thanks to this incredible diversity, Peru is truly paradise on earth for hiking enthusiasts!

This country’s sophisticated culture will cast a spell over you. Its refined cuisine is among the world’s best. Visitors cannot resist this rainbow of exotic sounds, colors, and flavors, manifested in more than 50 indigenous languages, thousands of dances, and countless musical instruments that come out during the many religious processions.

Dizzying landscapes, friendly people, explosions of flavors, ancient traditions, and mythical destinations…Peru is a world on its own. Adventure in its purest state!

Tourism

First and foremost, Peru is a country blessed with extraordinary natural attributes that attract tourists from across the world! Whether the adventure is on foot or on wheels, in the mountains or in the rapids, Peru offers a world of exciting possibilities. It’s tough to beat the Peruvian Andes when it comes to trekking, offering a vast network of pre-Columbian trails, more than 12000 lakes, the world’s deepest canyons, pristine glaciers and snowy peaks, beautiful forests and cascades, picturesque villages, and, most of all, the friendliest people you can imagine!

Located in Eastern Peru, the Huayhuash range is often referred to as the world’s best trekking destination. For the less adventurous, the white range offers splendid views on superb Andeans landscapes, including the area’s lakes, snowy peaks, and more than 200 km of glaciers. As for the Peruvian altiplano, its magnificent panoramas filled with snowy peaks and vast plains are also home to world-famous Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, at an altitude of 3812 meters. Going for a cruise on this lake is a great way to discover its famous floating villages. The capital of the Altiplano, Puno, will charm you with its rich folklore and traditions, which are among the country’s most colorful!

For history buffs, the Inca trail is a must. This is the most popular hike in the country. It passes through many different ecosystems, colossal archeological sites, and areas blessed with a rich and varied fauna and flora, culminating with the incredible fortress of Machu Picchu. A virtual window on the great Inca civilization!

In the South of the country, the Arequipa region dazzles visitors with its superb volcanic landscape. Highlights include Misti volcano and the Colca Valley, scarred with an elaborate network of mule trails that zigzag across deep canyons and connects small villages with fertile terraced fields and mountains, all under the watchful eyes of majestic condors.

Elsewhere, the mythical Amazon rainforest offers a whole other Peruvian experience. Hop on a pirogue and let this timeless forest cast its spell on you with dense, luxuriant vegetation and exotic animals.

Geography

South America’s third-largest country after Brazil and Argentina, Peru is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil and Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The Peruvian population is estimated at 27 million inhabitants. The capital is Lima and the official language is Spanish. The country’s total surface area covers 1 285 216 km2, with a very varied geography. It is usually divided into three main regions: the coast, which mainly consists of an immense desert flanked by mountains; the Sierra, an area covered by the Andes mountain range; and the Selva, land of the Amazon River and home to the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

Stretching for more than 2000 km, the coast takes the shape of an immense desert trapped between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, with a few pockets of fertile valleys fed by rivers flowing from the Andes that are usually covered in clouds. Though the coast only makes up for 10% of the country’s total surface area, more than half of the population lives here.

Known as the Sierra, the mountainous region covered by the Andes range takes up close to a third of the country’s total area. With an altitude of 6768 meters, the Huascarán is the country’s highest peak and the third highest in South America.

The Selva is a region covered with the luxuriant tropical vegetation of the Amazon River basin, home to the country’s largest natural reserves. It is the country’s largest area (60% of the total area) but is paradoxically the least populated, mainly due to the soils’ poor quality.

Culture

On top being the land of the great Incas, Peru was also home to many other civilizations that people tend to forget. In fact, this country is more than 10000 years old!

Pre-Incan civilizations developed on the coast for more than 1400 years and dominated vast regions of the Peruvian territory. One of these was the Nasca civilization, whose heritage includes aqueducts and the famous enigmatic drawings left on the ground. Before their decline, these civilizations developed small regional centers and demonstrated a surprising ability to adapt to their environment and make excellent use of the area’s natural resources. The Incas then built upon this knowledge to build their empire.

Born in the fertile Cuzco valley, the Inca civilization (1200-1500 AD) was the largest in South America. The Inca, sovereign of the empire, was considered a sacred man, and the son of the sun. Inca legends tell the story of the sun sending his sons down to earth to lay the foundations for the sacred city, Cuzco, whose name translates as “the belly of the world” in Quechua language. At the height of its power, the Inca Empire stretched from Colombia to Argentina and Chile and included modern day Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. This incredible expansion is due to their ability to assimilate previous civilizations, among others by imposing a unique language (Quechua) and integrating the knowledge gained from these assimilated cultures.

Today there are traces of this civilization everywhere you look, even in the smallest aspects the inhabitants’ daily life. More than 10 million indigenous people still speak Quechua. Though relics from the Inca Empire are now scattered throughout their territory, all their glorious beauty is on display in Cuzco: the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), the fortresses of Ollantaytambo and Sacsayhuamán, and, of course, the famous citadel of Machu Picchu.

The Incas first clashed with Spanish culture during the Spanish conquests of the 16th century. In 1532, Spanish troops captured the Inca site of Atahualpa, but it took another 40 years to crush the last remnants of the resistance: the last Inca was captured and executed in 1572. Little by little, Inca cities were given catholic names and were rebuilt based on the Spanish model. There are fabulous examples of colonial architecture throughout the country, particularly in Arequipa and Lima, both of which are classified as UNESCO world heritage sites.

Today, Peru is a colorful mosaic of identities and cultures that take their strength from the country’s rich history and diverse influences. The country’s countless museums and ruins are but a small part of this heritage. Every village and every city is an opportunity to discover a new side of Peru and its ancient traditions. There’s colonial Peru and its reminders of the Spanish conquest, but there’s also the Peru seen as a place where two different world visions meet, two conceptions of time, of the sacred and the profane; the Peru that fights for its independence…

One of the best ways to discover Peru is to walk around one of the many markets or to go to one of the 3000 popular celebrations that take place every year, most of which celebrate a patron saint. To these religious festivities are added other celebrations of a much more pagan nature, such as those related to the ancestral myths of the indigenous communities of the Selva (Amazon Rainforest). A great opportunity to discover authentic Peru – and to sample some delicious local dishes!

Climate

On the coast:
The northern part of the Peruvian coast does not suffer from the cold effects of the Humboldt current, which means the area benefits from warm temperatures throughout the year (up to 35°C in the summertime) and almost 300 days of sunshine per year. The rainy season takes place between November and March. The central and southern regions have two very distinct seasons: winter, from April to October, and summer, from November to March. Since these are very humid areas, winters often feel cold here, even though the temperature rarely drops below 12°C. In the summertime, the sunshine is intense, with temperatures often reaching 30°C.

In the Sierra:
There are two well-defined seasons in the mountains. Summer (from April to October) is characterized by very sunny days, very cold nights, and lack of rain. This is the best time to come visit. The rainy season (from November to March) brings abundant precipitation: generally, more than 1000mm of rain falls during this period. This region is characterized by strong temperature variations within the same day. It often happens that temperatures rise to 24°C at noon and then drop to 3°C when night falls.
In the Selva:
The Selva is divided into two distinct zones: the High Selva (altitude: more than 700 meters), and the Low Selva (altitude: under 700 meters). The High Selva has a subtropical temperate climate, receives abundant rain between November and March, and many sunny days between April and October. In the Low Selva, summer is characterized by sunny weather and high temperatures than can rise to more than 35°C, making it the ideal time for tourism. Between November and March, daily rainfall can make it difficult to travel between destinations.
Humidity levels are very high in the Selva throughout the year.