Riviera Travel Grand Tour of Peru & the Amazon

• Immerse yourself in the Inca civilization, Spanish Conquistador heritage, and vibrant modern Peruvian culture.
• Embark on a guided journey to the legendary ‘Lost City of the Incas,’ Machu Picchu.
• Explore the picturesque Sacred Valley of the Incas.
• Discover the enchanting city of Cusco, once the Inca empire’s capital and now one of South America’s most captivating cities.
• Visit the renowned floating islands of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake.
• Witness the awe-inspiring South American condor in flight at the stunning Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest canyons.
• Take a guided tour of Arequipa, a charming Spanish colonial city in South America.
• Embark on an unforgettable adventure in the Peruvian Amazon basin with a two-night stay at a jungle eco-lodge

• 11 nights in three to four-star accommodation
• 2 nights in Amazon Jungle Eco-Lodge
• Return flights & transfers
• Programme of daily tours & visits
• Selected Meals: Daily breakfast & 9 meals
• Expert Tour Manager
• Checked luggage

Day 1 – Departure

Arrive at the airport for your overnight flight to Lima

Day 2 – Lima

After checking in, embark on a city tour, exploring Lima’s significant colonial landmarks. Your itinerary includes visits to the Presidential Palace, the Plaza del Armas, which is the central square of Lima surrounded by colonial-era structures within the UNESCO-listed central area of the city. Additionally, you will explore Casa Aliaga, a renowned colonial mansion constructed by Pizarro for one of his lieutenants in the 16th century.

Day 3 – Arrival in Arequipa

Transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to the city of Arequipa. Upon arrival, the rest of the day is at leisure

Day 4 – Arequipa

After breakfast, tour Arequipa, beginning at Carmen Alto viewpoint with breathtaking city views. Explore Yanahuara’s cobbled streets, home to a beautiful mestizo baroque church from 1750. Next, visit Arequipa’s UNESCO-listed historic center, Plaza des Armas, featuring the 17th-century baroque Jesuit church of La Compáñia. Adjacent is the impressive colonial cathedral with 12 marble columns and a vaulted ceiling, accentuated by the backdrop of three snow-capped volcanoes. Your tour continues to the Monastery of Santa Catalina, founded by the Spanish in 1580 for the nuns of the Order of Saint Catherine of Siena.

The afternoon offers leisure time for exploring the craft market or charming colonial streets.

Day 5 – Colca

After breakfast, head north to Colca, home to one of the world’s deepest canyons. Passing through Pampa Cañahuas Reserve, encounter desert landscapes, exotic rock formations, and grasslands inhabited by vicuñas, llamas, and Andean deer. Climbing to over 12,000ft, reach Pampa de Toccra, a plain with a seasonal pink flamingo-inhabited lake.

The journey offers breathtaking viewpoints, including the Mirador de los Andes at Patapampa, perched at over 16,000ft above sea level, where you’ll witness stunning views of Arequipa’s surrounding volcanoes. In the afternoon, arrive at Chivay, a small town near Colca Canyon, situated at an altitude of 11,900ft.

Day 6 – Colca Canyon

Today, journey to Condor Cross for awe-inspiring views of Colca Canyon, which is over twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and ranks among Peru’s top attractions. Here, you’ll witness the breathtaking flight of the Andean Condor, one of the world’s most spectacular birds, with a wingspan of up to 10ft.

Around midday, head east to Puno on Lake Titicaca, where you enjoy a two-night stay with a lakeside view. A packed lunch is included for the day’s journey.

Day 7 – Lake Titicaca

After breakfast, embark on a private motor launch journey to the renowned floating Uros Islands. Here, indigenous communities construct these islands using layered totora reeds, preserving their traditional way of life.

Next, visit Taquile Island, deeper into the lake, known for Peru’s finest knitwear. This typical village, devoid of roads and electricity, is a testament to the Uros people’s dedication to their traditional culture and attire. Lunch is included on Taquile Island.

Day 8 – Cusco

This morning, bid farewell to Lake Titicaca and head north to Cusco. Your journey begins with a drive through the high-altitude Andean plateau, where you can spot llama and alpaca herds alongside traditional mud-brick, thatch-roofed farmer houses. Gradually ascend to La Raya, reaching its peak at 14,170ft, the highest point on our remarkable journey.

After your included lunch, visit the captivating Andahuayillas church, renowned for its high-quality artwork and often referred  to as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. In the late afternoon, we arrive in Cusco.

Day 9 – Cusco

After breakfast, embark on a tour of Cusco, a stunning city in South America blending traditional colonial architecture with captivating Inca remnants. Notable landmarks include the 16th-century cathedral, a monumental structure that took a century to complete.

Next, visit Qorichancha, the principal Inca temple dedicated to the sun, once adorned with pure gold sheets and housing the sacred golden disc of the sun.

The final Inca site you’ll visit today is the remarkable Sachsayhuaman, featuring three immense megalithic walls spanning a staggering thousand feet. This site also witnessed the epic four-day last stand of the Inca rebellion, shaping the course of South American history.

Day 10 – Pisac & Sacred Valley

The first stop is Pisac, renowned for its formidable fortress and vibrant indigenous market offering a range of local handicrafts, from colourful rugs and ponchos to ceramics and high-quality llama and alpaca knitwear.

Following an included lunch, explore the vast fortress and temple of Ollantaytambo, built along a commanding rocky bluff and the site of a rare Conquistador defeat. Here, you can marvel at the intricately crafted Inca stonework, a testament to their unique skill, all achieved using stone tools.

Later, return to the Urumbamba Valley, known as the ‘Sacred Valley of the Incas,’ by train.

Day 11 – Machu Picchu

Today, board the Explorer train at Ollaytambo station for one of the world’s most stunning rail journeys through the narrow Urubamba river gorge to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu, the ‘Lost City of the Incas,’ suddenly emerges, its wonder and mystique captivating. As you explore its gates, temples, and houses, your guide will explain its significance, particularly in relation to the equinoxes, and the central role of mountain-worship in Inca culture.

Day 12 – Amazon

This morning, your Amazon rainforest journey begins with a short flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. From there, you’ll travel to the Madre de Dios River, commencing your adventure with a 25-minute motorized canoe ride to the lodge. After lunch, a guided walk on local nature trails reveals the distinctions between primary and secondary rainforest, its intricate ecosystem, and the diverse uses of its plant life.

At dusk, explore the river by motorized canoe, observing the behaviour of nocturnal animals and the southern constellations above.

Day 13 – Amazon

Using motorized canoes, explore mirror-like oxbow lakes and visit Tambopata National Reserve, where you can encounter endangered giant river otters, black caimans, the colossal paiche fish, blue and yellow macaws, and red howler monkeys.

After a buffet lunch at the lodge, experience a unique rainforest perspective from a canopy walkway. Ascend one of two 98-foot towers and traverse seven hanging bridges among the treetops, offering opportunities to spot white-throated toucans, woodpeckers, squirrel monkeys, and three-toed sloths.

Day 14 – Fly to Lima

After breakfast, transfer back to Puerto Maldonado for a flight to Lima, where you stay for one final night

Day 15 – Lima & Return home

Enjoy a late breakfast before flying home via Bogota

This Signature Tour includes everything from the Classic Tour as well as the following:

Day 7:
Conclude your day by the tranquil shores of Lake Titicaca. As the sun gracefully descends below the horizon, the shifting hues of pink, orange, and crimson envelop the lake in a comforting radiance. Take a moment to recline by the crackling campfire, treating yourself to a decadent cup of hot chocolate and a delectable petit four

Day 10:
Explore the vibrant cultural heritage of Chinchero in the Sacred Valley, an Andean village where skilled artisans employ ancient methods for crafting colorful textiles from llama and alpaca wool. Conclude your day at an authentic chicheria, a traditional Peruvian tavern, to savor the unique flavors of chicha, a local corn-based beverage.

Day 11: 
Enjoy a comfortable journey to Machu Picchu aboard the elegant Vistadome. Relax in your roomy seat, surrounded by panoramic windows that provide an immersive view of the stunning landscape. Savor a soft drink and indulge in typical Andean snacks served at your seat, while traditional Andean music and dance entertain you on the return trip to the Sacred Valley.

For dates and prices, please enquire or call 0800 707 6229

Casa Andina Select Miraflores, Lima

The Casa Andina in Lima features a 24-hour front desk, swimming pool, spa & wellness facilities, a lounge & bar, fitness center, and a lift between floors. The hotel’s 155 modern rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with amenities such as bath/shower, hairdryer, mini-fridge, iron/board, safe, TV, and coffee-maker.

Casa Andina Select Arequipa

The Casa Andina, a newly converted three-star superior hotel from an old mansion, offers a 24-hour front desk, lounge & bar, restaurant, fitness center, sauna, air conditioning, and laundry service. Its 58 air-conditioned rooms are equipped with a shower, hairdryer, mini-fridge, iron/board, safe, TV, and coffee-maker, with Wi-Fi available for an extra charge (free in the lobby).

GHL Lago Titicaca Hotel, Puno

The exceptional hotel features a swimming pool, spa & wellness facilities, a lounge & bar, restaurant, fitness center, 24-hour front desk, and a terrace. The 123 rooms offer lake views and come with amenities such as an en-suite bathroom with shower, TV, air conditioning, and a minibar (additional charge).

Casa Andina Standard Colca

The hotel offers a rustic ambiance with 52 thatched cottages, each furnished to match the surroundings and equipped with a shower and safe. It features a 24-hour front desk, a breakfast restaurant, a bar, a garden, and a terrace. Additionally, the hotel has a planetarium that provides daily classes on stars and constellations.

Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion Lodge, Puerto Maldonado

The Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion is  lodge in the Amazon rainforest with 25 rooms and cabanas. It features a spacious lounge, bar, and dining areas that provide a jungle-immersed socializing experience. All meals are included, showcasing locally sourced ingredients. The lodge offers various nature walks and canoe trips, led by experts, where you can encounter wildlife such as giant otters, black caimans, howler monkeys, and macaws

Fact File

• Currencies: Peruvian, Nuevo, Sol
• Flight time: Approx. 15 hrs total
• Languages: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
• Time zone: GMT-5
• Country: Peru

*All transfer times listed here are approximate and dependent on traffic