Compare Essential Peru by Exodus Travels vs Apurimac Canyon and Machu Picchu Explorer by Adventure Unbound

Day 1 Start Lima

Welcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. There’s plenty of adventure on your trip, but today’s all about settling into the hotel.  You will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. There will be a notice board in the hotel reception with details of where and when the group welcome briefing will be held. Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)

Day 2 Drive south to Paracas and tour the Ballestas Islands; to Ica

Day 3 On to Nazca; see the Nazca Lines; optional scenic flight

We drive towards Nazca, stopping to visit the viewing platforms overlooking the Nazca Lines. These are one of the great archaeological mysteries, consisting of enormous drawings and patterns etched in the desert sand. In the afternoon, there is usually time to take a scenic flight over the Nazca Lines (additional cost), weather permitting. Due to the small planes used, this is not suitable for those with a fear of flying or who suffer from travel sickness. As an alternative, your leader can help arrange optional visits to the nearby burial grounds, Antonini Museum or the planetarium. Accommodation: Casa Andina Hotel/Alegria (or similar)

Day 4 Turn inland from coastal desert, climbing high into the Andes

We turn inland from the coastal desert today, climbing high into the Andes on a long (around 12 to 13 hours) but spectacular drive. We’ll pass through the largest vicuña reserve in the country, so look out for these smaller wild relatives of the llama. This region has only recently become easily accessible to tourists due to an upgrade of the Abancay/Chalhuanca road. The altitude here can make physical exertion difficult; the highest point we reach today is Negro Mayu, a pass at 15,092ft (4,600m) above sea level. We recommended that you rest in the evening. Tonight, we stay in Abancay on the road to Cuzco. Accommodation: Hotel de Turistas Abancay (or similar)

Day 5 Drive to Cuzco, visiting Inca sites on the way

We set off towards Cuzco this morning, stopping to visit the Inca Saywite stone and Tarawasi ruins. The glaciated summits of the Vilcabamba mountain range and the descent into the Apurimac River valley demonstrate the dramatic contrasts of the Andes; expect stunning scenery throughout today's roughly seven to eight-hour drive. It is recommended to take it easy upon arrival into Cuzco and to drink plenty of water to allow your body time to acclimatise to the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m). Accommodation: Hotel Casa Andina Koricancha (or similar)

Day 6 Free day to explore Cuzco

To help you acclimatise, we embark on a relaxed walking tour this morning, which takes in the historic buildings and winding streets of Cuzco. The rest of the day has been left free for exploring on your own. The Plaza de Armas is a fantastic spot for people watching, and the Koricancha Sun Temple in the Santo Domingo Church and monastery is worth a visit. The Mercado San Pedro is the place to try local produce and there are many handicraft markets to shop for souvenirs, such as alpaca jumpers and scarves. Outside the town are more Inca ruins, notably the fortress of Sacsayhuaman where the Inca armies made their last stand against the conquistadors. A combined entrance fee (tourist ticket) for these sites and many others is recommended – please see the Optional Excursions section below for prices. Sightseeing excursions to places outside Cuzco, including the Sacred Valley of the Incas, are also available. Please ask your tour leader. Accommodation: Hotel Casa Andina Koricancha (or similar)

Day 7 Train to Aguas Calientes; tour of Machu Picchu

For most people, the highlight of the trip is the visit by train to one of the greatest ruins in the world, the lost city of Machu Picchu. This is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world, in a mountain setting of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it; the Incas left no records of it, so Machu Picchu remains a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. We transfer (approximately two hours) to Ollantaytambo railway station to catch a train to Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu). The railway line follows a beautiful route through the Urubamba River valley. In the afternoon, we take a short bus ride up the winding road to Machu Picchu for a guided tour of the ruins.  Visiting in the afternoon tends to be quieter than the mornings and the mist that shrouds the ruins at dawn has usually dispersed. Please note that exploring the ruins involves a reasonable amount of walking, including up and down steep and uneven stone steps. Accommodation: Terraza de Luna (or similar)

Day 8 Free morning or optional second visit to Machu Picchu; afternoon return to Cuzco by train and by road.

We have a free morning to sleep in, relax and enjoy the buzz of this little town in the jungle below the ruins. Should you wish to visit Machu Picchu again this morning, you need to purchase a second entrance ticket in advance.  This will allow you further time to explore the Lost City on your own – for the second visit it is not mandatory to have a guide. Please contact your sales representative for details. In the afternoon, we board the train back to Ollantaytambo and then continue by minibus to Cuzco, arriving in the late evening. Accommodation: Hotel Casa Andina Koricancha (or similar)

Day 9 Free day for optional excursions

Day 10 Drive to Lake Titicaca, with stops en route; boat to Amantani Island for homestay

Today we travel for eight to 10 hours along the Vilcanota River and onto the altiplano, the high plains separating the Andes from the jungle. Although it is quite a long drive, the views are often spectacular. There are scheduled stops at interesting sites to help break up the day and we will get to appreciate the immensity of the Andean landscapes. This afternoon, we arrive at the shores of Lake Titicaca (12,467ft/3,800m above sea level) and board a boat for our trip to Amantani Island. A hike around the island offers great views across the lake, while the night spent with a local family is a fantastic cultural insight into lives very different to our own. A packed lunch is included today. Accommodation: Amantani Island homestay (basic)

Day 11 Explore the island; afternoon boat to Puno visiting the floating reed islands

We explore the island in the morning before boarding our boat for the three-hour journey to Puno on the lakeshore. On the way, we visit Uros Island. The Uros have been living on reed rafts for centuries, and although many have now moved to the mainland there are still a couple of thousand who remain on the islands. A reasonable amount of their income is now provided by strictly regulated tourism, but they also still fish the lake and barter with mainland communities for daily essentials. Accommodation: Casona Plaza Hotel (or similar)

Day 12 Drive across the altiplano to Colca Canyon

Today we head across the altiplano again. This time we cross to the southwest, heading back towards the coast to the high Colca Canyon (a five to six-hour drive). En route, we see vicuñas and possibly flamingos, crossing the Patapampa Pass (15,781ft/4,810m) before descending into what is considered the second-deepest canyon in the Americas (the deepest, the Cotahuasi Canyon, is also in Peru). There is time in the evening for an optional visit to the hot springs near the main town of Chivay (11,926ft/3,635m) – a warming pleasure after the chill of Lake Titicaca. Accommodation: Hotel Pozo del Cielo (or similar)

Day 13 Morning condor viewing; afternoon drive past huge volcanoes to the White City of Arequipa

Rise early to view condors soaring on the morning drafts rising out of the canyon. We then ascend out of the canyon and cross Patapampa Pass on our way to Arequipa, which is known as the White City due to the pale volcanic stone used to construct many of its colonial buildings. The picturesque city has a year-round pleasant climate and is surrounded by towering volcanoes, including the near-perfect cone of El Misti. Accommodation: Su Majestad Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 Morning visit Santa Catalina Convent; afternoon fly to Lima

In the morning we visit the huge, serene convent of Santa Catalina. Built in 1580 and only opened to the outside world in the 1970s, it offers a rare insight into the lives led by the nuns and has changed little through the centuries. There are still around 20 nuns living in the northern corner of the complex. In the afternoon or evening we fly to Lima where we will transfer to our hotel in Miraflores. Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)

Day 15 End Lima

Today we start our return journey home, although there may be time for optional tours of Lima, including visits to the Gold Museum and tours of the historic downtown. You could also join our optional trip extension to the Amazon rainforest, where you explore lakes, rivers and jungle trails in search of incredible wildlife.

Day 1: Arrive in Cusco

Accommodation: Cusco Hotel

Fly into Cusco and begin your adventure through quintessential Peru. Upon arrival, a Peru Unbound guide greets you and takes you to your hotel where you have some time to freshen up and relax.

This evening, enjoy your first taste of Peru with a guided walking tour of Cusco, visiting the Temple of the Sun, or Korikancha, as well as the San Blas neighborhood. Then, enjoy an authentic Peruvian dinner as well as an orientation before bed.

Day 2: Cusco, Maukallacta, Hauanoquite and Loretuyoc Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Wake early and depart Cusco for Maukallacta, an Incan archeological site that retains its sense of mysticism. Enjoy the surrounding views as we hike to Maukallacta, and take a break with a snack while you learn stories about the Ayar brothers and wives, the founders of the Inca civilization, once there.

Our day’s journey then takes you to Molle Molle and then on to Huanoquite and the heights of the Willkacunca Pass. Travel along the Apurimac River canyon with its impressive views of the river gorge, the headwater of the Amazon River, and surrounding mountain ranges. As we drive, you travel father into the majestic reaches of a native forest over 3 centuries old. Our journey eventually takes us to the Loretuyoc Bridge, where we make camp beside a crashing waterfall. If you wish to immerse yourself in the Peruvian landscape, you have the option to hike from the pass to the campsite. Relax with happy hour before dinner.

Day 3: Hike to Rocoto Community, Huajachaca Bridge at the Apurimac River

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Wake to the sound of the nearby waterfall and a freshly prepared breakfast before setting off on a short hike to the Loretuyoc forest where you can wander amongst groves of 200 year old endangered trees. We then follow part of the royal highway stretching from Cusco toward the Apurimac River and then to the Pacific Ocean. Our hike takes us down through the Kusichaca ruins to the Rocoto village, where you have the special opportunity to meet with the local people and bring some help to the local school.

From Rocoto, you have the opportunity to continue walking or board a van to transfer you to the end of the road. Once there, rejoin with the group and hike down a descent leading to the river near the base of the Inca bridge of Huajachaca, used by ancient Peruvians to exchange goods between the Pacific Ocean and the capital of Cusco. Relax from the morning’s ventures with a picnic lunch near the river.

Our river rafting guides join us here to prepare us for our expedition down the river. As you paddle through Class II-III rapids, look out for stunning views and glimpses of ancient bridges that have been in use since the Incas. Our paddle takes us to tonight’s campsite, where you can enjoy a refreshing happy hour as well as a fresh dinner served around the campfire.

Day 4: Santos Tomas River & 3 Condores Rapids at the Black Canyon

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Camping

Rise to the soothing sounds of the river and enjoy a hearty breakfast before walking amongst the surrounding landscape carpeted in orchids and bromeliads. After, we continue our rafting excursion—taking on some easy rapids, passing through a stunning canyon striped with waterfalls and exploring a nearby creek. The calm waters ultimately take us to the Santo Tomas River tributary and pass through a stunning limestone canyon.

Take a break with some lunch on a sandy beach before hopping back into the raft. Take on some Class III rapids and make sure to keep an eye out for river otters, deer, cormorants torrent ducks and other tropical Andean birds that frequent the region. Set up camp on the shore by late afternoon and enjoy another evening immersed in Peru’s enticing wilderness.

Day 5: "The Other Right" Rapids, Hualpachaca Bridge and The Sacred Valley

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Sacred Valley Hotel

We continue our way down the river this morning. Get a shot of adrenaline as you take on the river’s intense set of Class III and IV pool-drop rapids including “The Other Right” rapids. Our path also takes you to several waterfall creeks, which you can explore. Conclude our morning of rafting with lunch before traveling by car to the Sacred Valley. After check-in at the hotel, rejoin for an authentic Peruvian dinner.

Day 6: Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Aguas Calientes Hotel

Enjoy a leisurely morning in the Sacred Valley before lunch. This afternoon, travel to the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive citadel that served as both a temple and a fortress in pre-Inca times and which still remains well-preserved to this day. Walk up to the hill overlooking the village and view the distant quarry from which he citadel was constructed. You may also see Incan canchas—enclosures of multi-family living quarters that share just one exit to the street—cobbled streets, ingenious stonework and an extensive communal water system that survives to this day.

This afternoon, take the train to Aguas Calientes and enjoy an evening of independent exploration.

Day 7: Machu Picchu and Cusco

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Cusco Hotel

After an early breakfast, set out to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu—one of Peru’s most iconic archeological sites and a highlight of the tour. Explore the main areas as well as the more obscure as you find yourself immersed in the Inca’s legacy. If you wish, you may also hike up to the looming heights of Huayna Picchu, from which you may not only explore other archeological ruins but enjoy new views of Machu Picchu nestled into the hills below.

After lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge, catch a train to Ollantaytambo. From here, continue the day’s travels back to Cusco where you may discover new delicious dining spots and historic sites before bed.

Day 8: Cusco - Lima - Home

Meals: Breakfast

After a final Peruvian breakfast, make your way to the Cusco airport to meet your flight back home.