cusco, machu picchu & 3 nights delfin i amazon cruise
9 days /8 nights
From $356 per person, double occupancy for 2011
The romance of a river cruise paired with a tour of the glorious ruins of Machu Picchu. Travel up one of the primary tributaries of the Amazon River - the Ucayali - in the comfort and style of the Delfin I which has only 4 oversized luxury cabins. Birds will soar overhead and monkeys play in the trees around you, so bring your binoculars and zoom lens. On the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu, view the terraced farms and the villagers along the way. You'll have enough time to explore the ruins and take stunning photos of this archaeological wonder. For those with limited time and expanded interests, this is a tour that truly maximizes your time in Peru.
Day 1: us - LIMA
Airport reception and transfer to your hotel .
Overnight accommodations at the brand new
(opened June 2007) Hotel Costa del Sol Ramada Lima, with
daily buffet breakfast included. Conveniently close to
the airport, this four star hotel features 130 rooms,
restaurant, bar, business center, wireless internet, spa,
and beauty salon.
Day 2: LIMA
- CUZCO
Proceed on your own to the National Terminal (located across the street from your hotel). Fly to Cusco (11,200ft). Airport reception and transfer to the Hotel Monasterio (Orient-Express), which is located close to the city’s central square, the Plaza de Armas. This Orient-Express 5-star hotel is a Cusco landmark in and of itself. It was converted from a 16th-century monastery which was originally built over an Incan foundation.
After settling in, depart on a tour of Cusco and the nearby Inca ruins. Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city on the continent, was the capital of the Inca Empire and is considered by many Quechua peoples to be the spiritual center of the world. Much of colonial Cusco was built on Inca foundations, and your guide will point out Inca stonework along the many streets. Visit the main square, the Cathedral, Santo Domingo Church, and receive your first introduction to Inca stonework at the ruins of Puka-Pukara, Qenqo, Tambo Machay, and the renowned fortress of Sacsayhuaman which overlooks Cusco and the surrounding valley. (B)
Day 3: PISAC
& OLLANTAYTAMBO
In the morning, depart with your guide for a full-day excursion to the village and ruins of Pisac, located 20 miles from Cusco. After exploring the ruins you will visit a colorful Indian market where you'll be able to deal with locals for a variety of handicrafts, including woolen sweaters and ponchos. Lunch will be served in Urubamba, followed by a tour of the town and fortress of Ollantaytambo located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. (B, L)
Day 4: CUsCO
- MACHU PICCHU
Transfer to train station. Set off on a scenic trip through the Urubamba Valley, followed by a 30-minute bus ride up to the breathtaking "Lost City of the Incas"--Machu Picchu. Set in the saddle of a mountain 1,000 feet above the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu escaped ransacking by the Spaniards. Explore the walls, stairways, temples and terraces with your guide. For the more energetic, a moderate 2-mile hike up to the Sun Gate offers fabulous views overlooking this ancient wonder.
Lunch, dinner and overnight at the exclusive Machu
Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (Orient-Express) located adjacent to
the ruins. (B,L)
Day 5: MACHU
PICCHU - CUsCO
Early morning to explore the citadel on your own. Lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge before returning to Cusco by train in the afternoon. Overnight accommodations at the Hotel Monasterio. (B,L)
Day 6:
CUsCO - LIMA - IQUITOS -nauta - ucayali river
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Lima. Proceed to your connecting flight to Iquitos. Airport reception by your guide who will greet you and transfer you an hour and a half away to Nauta, where the Delfin I is docked. Upon your arrival around 7:30 p.m., guests will be treated to a welcome drink, and will be assigned to their cabins. After a gourmet dinner, you will receive a safety briefing and discussion of things to come during the expedition. (B,D)
Day 7: san isidro flooded forest hike & yanayacu - pucate river
At 5:30 a.m. you will be given the option of a dawn bird watching excursion. Dawn and dusk are some of the best times to see the wildlife and so an early rise is highly recommended. Afterwards, the breakfast buffet will be served on board. Today we will hike through this pristine and unique flooded ecosystem, passing through a classic tropical rainforest with emergent trees and canopy trees reaching up to 55 meters in height. Our target is the giant Ceiba tree with its large diameter. We will encounter local medicinal plants and identify them while hiking. This forest is also very good for spotting birds such as the bluish-fronted jacamar, collared trogons, red capped cardinals, etc. Lunch will be served onboard at about 12:30 p.m.
Never does nature seem more beautiful than in Yanayacu. You will have the chance to explore one of our main cores of the National Reserve. On board one of our aluminum skiff we will go deep into the rainforest and its fantastic diversity of flora and fauna. Enjoy some of the myriad bird species, colorful butterflies and other diverse insects, noisy monkey troops and active pink and gray river dolphins. Enjoy the black river waters and discover this mysterious and bountiful destination. (B,L,D)
Day 8: canopy walk - primary forest hike - nauta cano
Excursion on the skiff for bird watching. After another delicious breakfast onboard, you will have a unique opportunity to go to one of the largest Canopy Walkways in the world, an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 25 meters (85 feet) and extending for 500 meters (one-third of a mile), the Canopy Walkway is spread between 14 of the area's largest trees. You will be able to note the difference between this “Terra Firma” forest hike and the previous hike.
We will be canoeing back through the Tawampa Lake where you will possibly be able to observe giant Arapaima, the largest fresh water fish in the world.
After lunch, we will have the chance to explore the Nauta Caño with its’ dynamic and stunning panoramas. Cruising is the best way to experience the diversity of the wildlife that populates the rivers and their neighboring habitats. We will sail quietly near shore, exploring marshes, streams and oxbows.
On board our excursion skiffs, we will head to a spectacular spot on a beautiful lake, where we expect to catch some fish. During the rainy season, there can be more than 3 ft. of water standing at the base of the trees. Flowering and fruiting time coincide with this flooding which attracts fish, including piranhas which swim in among the base of the trees to devour the fruit. There are 25 different species of piranha in the Amazon basin: black, white and red bellied.
Once it is dark, you will hear the second installment of the jungle symphony. Armed with powerful spot lights, we will start our night safari in search of night herons, spectacled owls, and up to a dozen other species, croaking from the river’s edge. Our guides will point out the spectacled and black caimans that can be found in these pristine waters. Stargazing is unique here with fireflies lighting up the jungle around us. (B, L, D)
Day 9: amazon headwaters - san francisco - iquitos - lima - us
After breakfast, we will visit the place where the Ucayali & Marañon Rivers merge and give birth to the mighty Amazon River. That is where we will search for the elusive and exotic fresh-water pink river dolphin. We will also visit the San Francisco Village. You will stroll around their community, seeing their houses and having the chance to learn about the simplicity of their lives. We will almost certainly be greeted by lots of the local children.
At about 10:30 a.m., we will make our way back to the ship so that you can prepare your things to depart. Enjoy one last lunch before disembarking back in Nauta. On the way to the Iquitos Airport, we will visit the Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals were you will have the chance to meet baby manatees and learn about these pacific and wonderful creatures and why they are on the endangered species list. Arriving to the airport, a member of the cruise staff will wait with you until you board your plane. Upon arrival to Lima, proceed on your own to the international terminal. Check in for flight. (B,L)
Departure dates for this itinerary are dependent on the cruise schedule. Please call for details
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