4 nights on the Inca Trail, 4 nights in the Amazon
12 days / 11 nights
From $2,382 per person, double occupancy for 2010

Day 1: US – Lima – Cuzco
Arrival at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima. Board flight to Cuzco (flight to be advised). Airport reception in Cuzco and transfer to your hotel. Overnight accommodations at the centrally-located Posada del Inca Hotel.

Day 2: Cuzco - Sacred Valley
After breakfast, you’ll set off by bus into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Upon arrival at Chilca, the head of the Inca Trail, you’ll meet your native “Quechua” porters and set off along the Inca Trail. You’ll reach your first camp at the ruins of Llactapata (7,550 feet) in the early afternoon, in time for lunch and a relaxing afternoon of exploration. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Llulluchapampa
After a hearty breakfast, start the slow uphill climb to the Inca hamlet of Huayallabamba, a small agricultural community. From here the trail climbs steeply towards the first pass, cutting through dense vegetation until reaching an open meadow, and your second night’s camp at Llullucchapampa (11,000’). From here you’ll enjoy breath-taking views of Mount Hayanay. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Chakicocha
Today your uphill trek continues to the highest pass on the trail, Warmiwañusqa pass (13,276 feet). Pause here for a while and savor the landscape, before heading down to the Pacamayo river. From here the trail climbs once again past the ruins of Sayacmarca up to a small lake, where you’ll camp. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Machu Picchu
The trail continues along a buttress past the Phuyupatamarca ruins before joining a remarkably well-preserved flagstone path built by the Incas. At the end of the day arrive at Inti Punku, the Gates of the Sun, which overlooks the magnificent ruins of the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu. We’ll camp at Inti Punku. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Machu Picchu
This morning savor the panorama of Machu Picchu from Inti Punku, before hiking the final stretch to the citadel itself. You’ll set off with your guide to explore the walls, stairways, temples and terraces of Machu Picchu. In the afternoon, you’ll transfer to the train station, and set off on a four hour scenic ride back up the Urubamba Valley to Cuzco. (B)

Day 7: Cuzco – Puerto Maldonado – Posada Amazonas
Hotel pick-up and transfer to the Cuzco airport. Check in to depart for Puerto Maldonado (flight to be advised). Upon arrival in Puerto Maldonado you will be met and transferred to the Posada Amazonas administrative office in town. After a brief survey of the town depart on the 2-hour boat trip by motorized canoe to a lodge on the Bajo Tambopata River. Upon arrival, unpack, unwind and explore the lodge's surroundings while waiting for dinner. (L,D)

Day 8: Posada Amazonas -Tambopata Research Center
After an optional pre-breakfast outing to observe wildlife at peak time, you will travel up the Tambopata River for 3-4 hours into the pristine heart of the reserve. You will arrive at Tambopata Research Center in the late morning, where you'll been assigned to your accommodations. There will be an orientation session over lunch. After lunch you will hike the 1.5-mile Bamboo Trail concentrating on birds of southwestern Amazonia. To cap off a fulfilling day take a short nightwalk on the beach looking for caiman and gazing at the stars. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Tambopata Research Center
At dawn cross the river and enjoy the world's largest macaw clay lick where hundreds of parrots and macaws of up to 15 species congregate daily. Around mid-morning, when the most intense clay lick activity is over for the day, return to Tambopata Research Center for breakfast. After breakfast set off on a hike along the 1.5-mile Ocelot Trail to become acquainted with the low, middle and upper floodplain forest. After a late lunch set off on a five-minute boat ride to a small creek where you will paddle small canoes following the creek into the forest. After dinner, you may embark on a fascinating "frog walk". (B,L,D)

Day 10: Tambopata Research Center - Posadas Amazonas
You will rise at dawn once again to visit the clay lick before returning for breakfast. Afterward, you will take a five-minute boat ride to a small, drying oxbow lake where you will spend the morning on a platform in the middle of the pond observing the wildlife around the lake. Directly after lunch, you will return to Posada Amazonas, arriving in the late afternoon. You will spend your last night in the rainforest relaxing in this wonderfully designed lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Posadas Amazonas - Puerto Maldonado
After an early breakfast, you will depart for the return trip to Puerto Maldonado. (B)

Day 12: Puerto Maldonado - Lima - US
From Puerto Maldonado you will depart for Lima. From here you will transfer to your flight back to the US.