Peru Tour: Active & Jungle 20 days

Welcome to the Peruvian capital Lima.

The former City of Kings maintains its colonial past and beauty. Today, Lima is one of the leading culinary destinations in the entire world. You will delight in unforgettable Peruvian meals that combine the unique flavours from various Peruvian regions and cultures. Lima offers something for everyone.

Fun: biking in Lima

What about an alternative way to see Lima? By bike, you can go along the beautiful Costa Verde from Miraflores to Barranco. Start in the young and modern district of Miraflores, visit the highlights of the famous promenade, known as Lima's Malécon or the Parque del Amor (Love Park). Enjoy beautiful views of the blue ocean as you cycle south to the hip and alternative district of Barranco. This part of Lima has a unique atmosphere because of the clear colonial architecture and the art subculture. End the bike tour on the beach in Chorrillos, and enjoy Peruvian Ceviche.

Ica is located on the Southern coast of Lima, about 300km from the center of the Peruvian desert, along the Pan American highway. Ica has become increasingly popular due to the possibility of sandboarding around the Oasis of Huacachina. Ica's unique location in the desert offers excellent opportunities for sandboarding and sand buggy tours. Ica attracts both international and Peruvian national tourists for sandboarding and buggy tours.

Arequipa also called the "white city", is Peru's second-largest city. The city is surrounded by spectacular mountains, including the El Misti volcano. A fascinating aspect of the city includes the many beautiful buildings made of a light colored volcanic rock called sillar.

Visit the beautiful Plaza de Armas and the centrally located Santa Catalina Monastery, one of the most important tourist attractions of Arequipa. This monastery, perhaps the most fascinating colonial religious building in the country, was, until recently, home to nearly 450 nuns.

Travelling to the Colca Canyon, see the incredible landscapes, beautiful terraces, and volcanoes covered with snow, including the Misti Volcano of Arequipa at 5,825 meters above sea level. You will pass through the reserves where rare vicunas live (Peru's national animal - similar to the alpaca). The highest point of our trip will be at 4,910 meters in Patapampa.

If you wake up early the next day, you have the best chances of seeing condors at the Choquetico viewpoint. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Colca Canyon and hopefully see the impressive Andean condors rising above the void.

On the way back to Chivay, explore the Pre-Inca tombs hidden in the mountainside and visit the "Litomaquetas," the terraces' clock tower. There are three unique traditional villages along the road to take a close look at local handicrafts and customs.

Your Peru itinerary “Peru Active & Jungle in 20 days” continues in the stunning city of Cusco. Cuzco is located in the Andes Mountains, about 3,400 meters above sea level.

Set in a mountain range, Cusco is the perfect starting point for tours and offers endless options to discover the area. >Many travellers visit Cusco, admire the ancient Inca ruins and the charming cobble stone streets, and start hiking trips in the Andes mountains to see famous Inca ruins and, of course, to discover the World Heritage site of Machu Picchu. Cusco is the gateway to the Sacred Valley, the Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek, and the Madre de Dios rainforest reserves.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is excellent for mountain biking. You will get to combine Andean landscapes, archaeological sites, local culture and traditional villages. All downhill!

Moray was once an Inca site for experimental agriculture. Today, you can see the mysterious circular terracing that was said to have been used to grow new varieties of edible plants, especially corn and potato by playing with altitude and temperature. Because of the different conditions at each level of the terraces, the temperature is different at each level (15 degrees Celsius or 27 degrees Fahrenheit from top to bottom). Maras, a still-functioning salt mine, has over 3,000 pools of stunning hues of whites, pinks and browns.

Until recently, the trek to Rainbow Mountain was an unknown trek, but not anymore. "Vinicunca" - rainbow in Quechua, the ancient Inca language - should not be missed on any Peru trip.

This extraordinary mountain range gets its name from the many different colours in the mountain peaks. The colours are created by the various minerals present in the mountains. The highest point you will reach during this tour is 5100 meters above sea level. Due to the altitude and a lack of oxygen, this hike is a challenge, especially if you are not used to hiking at such heights.

Some of the best rivers for white water rafting in South America are in the mountains surrounding Cusco. So if you want to give it a try, this is the place! Not only will you get an adrenaline rush, you will also take in the beautiful views of the Andes from places that are difficult to reach by road.

The Salkantay Trek is a remote and ancient hiking trail in the same region as the Inca trail, to Machu Picchu. It offers spectacular views of the snowy "Apu" Salkantay. This hike is a wonderful alternative in the wilderness of Peru for those who want to avoid the more touristy hikes. It's also a good option when the traditional Inca Trail has run out of space.

The Salkantay Trek crosses the Andes and then descends to the higher jungle area.

You will leave early for Mollepata, around 4.30 am- 5.30 am. You will start hiking at around 8.30 am. After about 3 hours of walking, there is lunch; after lunch, you will walk for about 4 hours before the valley widens and flattens out, and you see the cone-shaped, snow-capped peak of Nevado Humantay (5,917 meters). Here, in Soraypampa (3,500 meters), get ready for the first night.

Today is the most challenging day, as you will climb from 3,800 meters to the pass at 4,600 meters, close to Nevado Salkantay, the highest point of your trip. A spectacular day! From here, you descend into the upper cloud forest—the climate changes to a semi-tropical climate. After walking for a total of seven hours, you will arrive at your second camp in Collpabamba (3,200 meters).

You will walk for about 2 hours and after a lunch break in Wiñaypoco, you will descend for 3 hours. This is a total descent of 2,000 meters, through the changing landscape to a warmer camp in La Playa's village. Here you will take a local van to the beautiful town of Santa Teresa, where you will spend the afternoon and possibly visit the hot springs.

From here, you can walk to Hidroeléctirca via a remote road through a valley between two high mountain ranges, past the impressive hydroelectric power station in the Urubamba River. Or, spend more time in the soothing hot springs of Santa Teresa and take a bus to Hydroeléctrica. After arriving in Hidroeléctrica, you can continue to Aguas Calientes by train or doing a hike of about 2 hours along the railway tracks.

Explore Machu Picchu! The Lost City of the Incas is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and enigmatic places in the world. The extraordinary Inca Citadel is located on top of a mountain at 2,430m; you cannot see it from below and it is fully self-maintained.

On the last day in Cusco, don't miss the impressive Colonial Cathedral of Cusco in the Plaza de Armas and the Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun, the main religious center of the Incas dedicated to the cult of the Sun God.

Or, walk up to the artistic neighbourhood of San Blas, take in the fantastic view of Cusco below, stop in one of the many galleries, boutiques, coffee shops or natural stores to see what you can find!

Your Peru Tour continues in the Tambopata National Reserve, a nature reserve in the Amazon of Peru with an extremely high density of biodiversity. A trip to this fantastic area in Peru includes a stay in traditional jungle bungalows or a jungle lodge.

Jungle tours into this beautiful nature reserve allow you to experience the magic and diversity of a unique location on earth.

Travel by boat (about 2 hours) to the lodge and embark on your first adventure: the covered bridge and ziplining. Climb to a treetop tower for the start of a 200m zipline adventure. The breathtaking views are matched only by the thrill and adrenaline running through your body. The high covered bridge takes you to a platform for the second zipline, back to the tower that descends to the ground.

Tour to Monkey Island, where you will see an enormous diversity of monkeys, such as the capuchin, tamarins and squirrel monkeys. In the evening, you will head out to look for caimans along the riverbanks.

Take a boat trip to the entrance of the Tambopata National Reserve Zone. From here, will walk through the rainforest for about 90 minutes to the famous Sandoval lake. Enjoy the extraordinary flora and fauna, including giant otters, birds, colourful butterflies, turtles and a great fish diversity. You can even canoe for a few hours on this beautiful lake.

Take a boat trip on the Madre De Dios River to reach the indigenous community of Ese Eja. This community consists of approximately 200 families. The 'Rescuing Cultural Values' project is located on Gamitana Island and collaborates with the community. The inhabitants will show you the culture of their ancestors, their language and their customs. After lunch, you will go fishing. If you are lucky, you may catch a catfish or the black (red-eyed) or a piranha.

Visiting the clay lick early in the morning is an unparalleled spectacle! The parrots and parakeets eat clay in the rainforest because it is full of salt and minerals. They need this to neutralize the toxins and acids in their daily food - flowers, fruit and seeds. Therefore, early in the morning, they come to the clay walls located next to the rivers and streams in the rainforest.

Take a boat back to the airport of Puerto Maldonado airport for your flight to Lima (or elsewhere) where your Peru itinerary “Peru Active & Jungle in 20 days’ ends.