Peru Tour Wild Peru: From the Amazon Jungle to Machu Picchu Tour

Welcome to Peru and Lima. Upon arrival, our team will be expecting you at Lima Airport holding a sign with your name on it. Once acquainted, we’ll drive you to your hotel in Miraflores or Barranco and, on arrival, we’ll assist you while checking in. During the drive, we can address any last-minute questions you may have. 

Depending on your arrival time, we'll offer suggestions for how to make the most of your first day in the city.

Overnight: Lima - Antigua Miraflores or similar
Meal Plan: None

This authentic culinary adventure takes you deep into Lima's real food culture, visiting genuine working markets where locals shop daily. The experience begins with an early morning pickup at approximately 6 a.m., giving you access to Lima's markets when they're most active. If 6 a.m. is too early to have had breakfast, remember to request a boxed breakfast from your hotel the evening before.
Your first destination is Lima's largest seafood market, where you'll join Mabel and her family for this authentic working space experience. Here, vendors have been operating since the early morning hours. This isn't a polished tourist market but rather the real place where Lima's restaurants source their ingredients daily. The seafood market represents one of Peru's most important food traditions, where the abundance of the Humboldt Current provides the city with fresh marine products and you'll witness the wholesale purchasing process that supplies restaurants worldwide.
Next, you'll visit one of Lima's largest fruit and vegetable markets, another authentic working environment that showcases the true diversity of Peruvian produce. Here you'll experience the raw energy of daily commerce while learning about the ingredients that form the foundation of modern Peruvian cuisine. These markets are genuine, bustling, and full of character - expect an authentic slice of Lima's daily life rather than a sanitized tourist experience.
The culinary adventure continues at the home of Mabel and her family in the Surco district, where you'll participate in a hands-on cooking class. Together you'll prepare traditional Peruvian dishes including fish ceviche, causa limeña, and local potato with huancaína sauce, followed by lomo saltado and merengado de chirimoya for dessert. The experience includes a pisco cocktail demonstration where you'll learn traditional preparation techniques.
Please note that depending on market availability and seasonal ingredients, some dishes and preparations may vary from those listed. The cooking class concludes with everyone sitting down together to enjoy the meal you've helped create. After lunch, you'll be transported back to your accommodation.
 

Overnight: Lima - Antigua Miraflores or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

At the coordinated time, meet your driver for the transfer to the airport to board your flight to Iquitos in the Northern Amazon of Peru. Upon arrival at Iquitos Airport, the lodge staff welcomes you and accompanies you to their city office, where you can repack and store any excess luggage safely before heading into the rainforest.
Your journey continues with a drive through the Amazon landscape to the port village of Nauta, the gateway to the remote river systems of the region. From Nauta, board your motorized canoe for a journey deeper into the rainforest. During this scenic river transfer, your guide introduces you to the waterways formed by the Yarapa and Cumaceba Rivers, which provide access to some of the most biodiverse areas of the Peruvian Amazon. Watch for birds along the riverbanks and learn about the ecosystem that surrounds you.
Upon arrival at Treehouse Lodge, you'll discover what makes this Amazon experience truly extraordinary - you'll be staying in actual treehouses suspended 35 to 80 feet above the jungle floor, offering a perspective of the rainforest that most visitors never experience. Your elevated accommodation places you directly within the forest canopy, where you may have the chance to observe wildlife from your window if you're fortunate.
Meet with your guide for an orientation session where you'll learn about the lodge's various Amazon experiences available à la carte style. Your guide helps you select from the wide range of activities based on your interests and the best times for different experiences, allowing you to customize your Amazon adventure.
The lodge offers numerous excursion options to choose from, including sunset river trips to look for pink and gray river dolphins, guided walks to learn about medicinal plants, piranha fishing, caiman spotting, night walks to discover nocturnal creatures, and canopy walks along the lodge's suspension bridges. Each activity can be selected based on your preferences and energy levels.
Your unique treehouse accommodation means that even when you're resting, you'll be surrounded by the sounds and atmosphere of the rainforest, creating a distinctive connection to the Amazon environment that sets this experience apart from ground-level lodging.
 

Overnight: Iquitos - Tree House Lodge or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Begin your full day in the Amazon with the activities you've selected. This protected area near the Pacaya Samiria Reserve offers various ways to explore its rich biodiversity. Early mornings provide opportunities for bird watching from the lodge's elevated walkways, where you might spot different species of toucans, macaws, and parrots feeding in the canopy.
River-based activities allow you to explore the waterways that surround the lodge. Choose between gentle canoe rides to spot river dolphins, or try fishing for piranhas in the calm waters. For those interested in forest exploration, guided walks reveal the practical uses of medicinal plants that indigenous communities have utilized for generations. The canopy walkways around the lodge offer another perspective, allowing you to observe the forest from different heights.
As daylight fades, the forest transforms, offering new experiences. Join a night excursion to spot caimans along the riverbanks, or take a guided walk to discover the nocturnal insects and amphibians that emerge after dark. Alternatively, clear nights present opportunities for stargazing from the river, away from artificial light, where you can observe the southern constellations.
 

Overnight: Iquitos - Tree House Lodge or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Wake to your last morning in the rainforest as the canopy comes alive with activity. Take advantage of the early hours to choose from final excursion options - perhaps a dawn river trip to look for birds and monkeys at their most active time, or a morning walk along the canopy walkways to observe the forest from your unique elevated perspective.
Upon returning to the lodge, prepare for your departure. The journey back provides opportunities to observe life along the rivers as you navigate toward Nauta. After the road transfer to Iquitos, collect your stored luggage at the lodge's city office before continuing to the airport for your return flight to Lima.
On arrival in Lima, you'll receive assistance at the airport and check into the Lima Airport hotel, allowing you to rest before your morning flight to your next destination the following day.
 

Overnight: Lima - Grand Lima Airport Hotel or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Welcome to Peru! Your trip starts with a flight to Cusco, where your guide will meet you at the airport. You'll then take a private car to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley is at a lower elevation than Cusco, about 9,415 feet above sea level, which will help you adjust to the high altitude.
On the way, you'll stop at Piuray Lake for lunch. The lake is in a beautiful setting, surrounded by traditional Andean communities. During lunch, you'll take part in a short Andean ceremony called an ofrenda with a local shaman. In this ceremony, you'll give thanks to Pachamama (Mother Earth) and ask for her blessing.
After lunch, if there's time and you feel up to it, you may visit two interesting Inca sites: Moray and Maras. Moray has circular terraces that were likely used by the Incas for agricultural experiments. Maras is an impressive complex of small white salt ponds on the side of a mountain, where people have been gathering and selling salt for hundreds of years.
You'll then go to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. The first day is designed to be a mix of activities and rest to help you get used to the altitude. It's a great introduction to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
 

Overnight: Sacred Valley - Sonesta Yucay or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Start your day by visiting the village of Ollantaytambo, which has retained much of its original Inca charm. The highlight of the town is the Ollantaytambo archaeological site, an impressive fortress with stunning Inca stonework that rivals even Machu Picchu. Arriving in the morning allows you to explore the village before the crowds arrive in the afternoon, giving you a more intimate experience.
After lunch, the next stop is Urubamba, where you will have the opportunity to join the Llamapack Project. Here, you will embark on a walk through the surroundings of Urubamba alongside llamas. This initiative aims to showcase the traditional role of llamas in herding communities, giving you the chance to learn about these native animals while taking them out to graze.
The walk will lead you uphill at a relaxed pace for about 40 minutes, culminating in a spot to indulge in some snacks while taking in the panoramic views and fresh mountain air. You'll then make your way back to the starting point before being driven back to your hotel, capping off a day filled with unique experiences and cultural immersion.
 

Overnight: Sacred Valley - Sonesta Yucay or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Are you ready for the challenge? The Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a beautiful, moderately challenging 7-mile (11 km) hike through cloud forest leading to the Sun Gate the original gateway into Machu Picchu. You’ll start early, catching one of the first morning trains from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, where the trail begins. The exact start time depends on train availability.
Upon disembarking, you and your guide will check in at the national park office, cross the Urubamba River, and begin the adventure. Along the trail, you may stop at two Inca sites: Chachabamba and Wiñaywayna, though the main highlight today is the trail itself and its spectacular views.
The first segment is mostly uphill and may take up to 4 hours. At Wiñaywayna, you can rest and explore this beautiful site, complete with an impressive cascade. From here, it’s another 2.5 miles (4 km) through forested paths to the Sun Gate, with some ups and downs. The final 300 feet (100 m) feature a steep stone stairway, rewarding you with breathtaking views of Machu Picchu from “Inti Punku.”
After pausing to enjoy the sights, you’ll descend the final 1.2-mile (2 km) stretch, a gentle downhill walk to Machu Picchu, where you’ll take in classic views from “The Guardian's Hut.” Tomorrow, you’ll explore the main site in depth.

Overnight: Aguas Calientes - El Mapi by Inkaterra or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Box Lunch & Dinner

Machu Picchu, here we come! This morning, a short 5-minute walk takes you to the shuttle buses for a 25-minute ascent up a steep mountain will lead you to Machu Picchu. After ticket control, the exploration begins. Accompanied by your guide, delve into the ancient Inca citadel, discovering its history and hidden gems. Depending on interest, a visit to Machu Picchu can take between 2 and 3 hours. 
After the visit, return on the shuttle buses to Aguas Calientes where you will have time for lunch (not included) and to relax. At the coordinated time, take the train back to Ollantaytambo. Here, your private driver will be waiting to transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco. This day promises to provide a comprehensive and insightful experience of Machu Picchu, offering a unique and enriching insight into this historically significant site.
 

Overnight: Cusco - Casa Andina Premium Cusco or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Discover Cusco through its food and history during this walking tour that takes around 4 to 5 hours. This experience combines food tastings with visits to the city's main historical sites.
Start at San Pedro Market, where you'll taste traditional cusqueño tamales and chicharrón with mote, along with other local foods. The market gives you a look at daily life in Cusco and the ingredients that are central to Andean cooking. You'll learn about the different products from the region and how they're used in traditional dishes.
Continue to the Plaza de Armas to try chiriuchu, a traditional dish that's prepared for festivities and shows the blend of indigenous and colonial cooking in Cusco. This dish combines different ingredients that tell the story of how local food culture developed over time.
Walk through the historic center to visit the Qorikancha temple complex, where Spanish construction was built directly on top of original Inca foundations. From there, continue tasting your way through the city as you try traditional Andean piqueo with mate de muña, a local herbal tea that aids digestion.
The food journey continues with ceviche de trucha, showing how traditional coastal techniques are adapted using fresh trout from the highland lakes. You'll also sample adobo cusqueño, a marinated pork dish that's typically enjoyed for breakfast, along with chicha de jora, a traditional corn-based beverage.
As you walk through the historic streets, try local desserts including traditional sweets that have been made in Cusco for generations. The tour ends in the San Blas neighborhood, the bohemian quarter of Cusco, at a viewpoint that offers panoramic views of the city's red-tiled roofs and surrounding mountains. San Blas is known for its artisan workshops, narrow cobblestone streets, and local atmosphere that feels different from the busier tourist areas.
Please note that some of the dishes may vary depending on seasonality, availability, or the opening hours of certain establishments.
 

Overnight: Cusco - Casa Andina Premium Cusco or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch

Begin your adventure with an early morning departure at 4:00 a.m. for the drive to Quiquijana, where you'll enjoy breakfast before continuing to the trailhead. This full-day trek takes you to Waqrapukara, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Peru that remains relatively undiscovered compared to other Inca ruins.
The journey includes a scenic drive along the Pomacanchi lagoon, one of the largest in the region, followed by travel through agricultural fields and pastoral landscapes. After reaching the town of Santa Lucia, a final drive brings you to the hiking starting point at 3,700 meters elevation.
Your trek begins with approximately 1.5 hours of hiking through the Apurimac Canyon, one of Peru's deepest canyons. The trail offers views of dramatic landscapes and clifftop terrain as you make your way to the Waqrapukara viewpoint, where you'll get your first glimpse of the fortress perched on the edge of the canyon.
The archaeological site itself sits at 4,140 meters above sea level and could rival Machu Picchu in its own way. While Machu Picchu sits in cloud forest, Waqrapukara commands the high Andes from its canyon setting. Waqra means horn in Quechua, while Pukara means fortress, referring to the horn-shaped rock formations that rise from the canyon. The stonework here demonstrates the same level of skill found at Peru's most famous sites, with impressive stone platforms, plazas, and structures from both pre-Inca and Inca periods.
You'll spend about 1.5 hours exploring the archaeological remains and taking in views that are as impressive as any in Peru. The canyon setting creates a backdrop that's completely different from other major Inca sites but equally powerful. During your time at the site, you'll enjoy a packed lunch while surrounded by the dramatic landscape of the surrounding canyon and crystalline lagoons.
After completing your exploration, you'll hike back to the starting point and return to Cusco, arriving in the early evening.

Overnight: Cusco - Casa Andina Premium Cusco or similar
Meal Plan: Breakfast & Box Lunch

Make the most of your last day walking around Cusco's plazas and markets and soaking in the city's unique style. After, at the designated time, your private transfer will take you to Cusco's airport, where you will board your flight to Lima and then connect to your journey home. 
We hope you have enjoyed your time with us, and hope to see you again some time!
 

Overnight: None
Meal Plan: Breakfast