This adventure takes you into a rarely visited part of southern Peru, starting gently with time to recover from your International flight, begin to acclimatise to the high altitude of the Andes and explore the beautiful "White City" of Arequipa. From here we travel by private transport to the world's deepest canyon, the Colca Canyon, where it is possible to see condors, the world's largest bird, spiralling on the thermals created by this vast chasm.
We then cross the continental divide to Puno on the shores of Lake Titcaca. This busy lakeside town is the base for our day trip on Lake Titicaca. We take a private boat to visit the floating reed islands of Uros and Taquile island famous for magnificent views and handicrafts.
We continue our journey across the llama rich high plains and to the upper Urubamba river. Here we enjoy three days of good fun water sports in inflatable canoes and rafts on the grade 1-4 sections of the Sacred river of the Incas. We then head to Ollantaytambo an old Inca fortress for the night in a charming hostal.
For our next adventure we embark on the famous Inca Trail to the lost city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. This relaxed five day / four night trek involves spectacular Andean scenery along an ancient paved Inca trail visiting many ruins en-route. Our last night is spent in the colourful town of Aguas Calientes before spending a whole day exploring the awe-inspiring citadel of Machu Picchu. The return to Cusco is by luxury train and bus in plenty of time for a celebration meal. We then have a final day relaxing, shopping and exploring Cusco, before returning to Lima for our international flights home.

DETAILED ITINERARY

DAY 1: Arrive Lima . Transfer to hotel and rest up

DAY 2: A spectacular flight to Arequipa - Peru's fabled "White City". This is a beautiful place for you to begin to acclimatise to the rarefied air of the Andean Altipano. Today we can visit the Santa Catalina Monastery, Juanita - the Inca ice maiden and the impressive Plaza de Armas with its breathtaking view of Volcan Misti. For lunch we can sample the delights of local cuisine in a typical 'Picantaria'. (B)

DAY 3: Departing Arequipa in the early morning we head inland to the Colca Canyon and stay the night in a charming lodge that has its own private hot springs nearby. Depending on time we can visit pre-Inca ruins, an ancient cemetery and explore the surrounding hills. (B / L / D)

DAY 4: Early this morning we head to the very rim of the Colca Canyon, where, if we are lucky, we can see Condors soaring in the thermals created by the deep gorge. From here we head further inland, crossing the continental divide and on to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Here we have some time to explore the busy markets and restaurants of this interesting town. Overnight in comfortable Hotel. (B / L)

DAY 5: Lake Titicaca is a photographer's dream, its clear sapphire water and the astounding blue skies are mesmerizing. A full days boat trip with your own private guide and boat ensure you see all the sights in safety and style. The famous floating reed islands of Uros and the ancient traditions and weavings of Taquile island are explained and viewed at your leisure. Returning to Puno and our hotel for the night. (B / L)

DAY 6: Today we begin our water sports adventure. We drive across the high plains and then down towards Cusco until the highest navigable point of the River Urubamaba where we meet our river guides and river equipment. After a full safety briefing and instruction we don our wetsuits and enjoy some fun easy inflatable canoeing.

Canoeing experience is recommended on this trip but is not essential, more important is a fair amount of co-ordination and a sense of adventure. The weather is changeable here so good warm gear on and off the river is essential - please see kit list. The Urubamba is the sacred river of the Incas, eventually flowing past Machu Picchu itself. Any excess personal gear can be stored in our jeep, which will meet us further downstream where we camp for the night. (B / L / D)

DAY 7: As the difficulty of water increases we change our canoes for rafts and tackle the exciting Class 3-4 Chuquicahuana section further down river. Again a full safety talk and instruction is essential before attempting this interesting section. The rare Torrent duck inhabits this stretch of river and can often be seen running the grade 4 rapids alongside the rafts. At night we camp on the banks of the river. (B / L / D)

DAY 8: Water level and client preference dependant we have a final days canoeing or rafting enjoying the ever changing scenery of the outstanding Urubamba valley. We then enter the stronghold of the Incas as we drive down river into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Time permitting we can call in at Pisac Inca ruins and local artisan market and the town of Urubamba before finally arriving at our hostal for the night in the ancient Inca town of Ollantaytambo. This lovely town still possesses the original Inca lay-out and water channels. (B / L / D)

DAY 9: We dedicate the morning to exploring the impressive Ollantaytambo ruins which overlook the town. We then drive down-river to the end of the road (Km 88) where we meet the support team of porters for lunch then begin the Inca Trail. The first section is flat along the banks of the sacred Urubamba river. We camp the night at Llactapata (2,288m) beside some spectacular ruins. We believe in trekking and camping in style, whilst walking all you need to carry is your daypack. Our support team of traditional porters carries all camping gear and perform all camp chores. Delicious food is prepared for us by the cook and his helpers. (B / L / D)

DAY 10: We trek up the Cusichaca valley to the small hamlet of Huallyabamba, the last inhabited place on the trail. The path continues on up past humming birds and stunted cloud forest. Our camp is at Llulluchupampa (3,680m) - a beautiful grassy area with outstanding views down the valley. (B / L / D)

DAY 11: Possibly the hardest day of the trek, we rise early and head to the top of Warmiwanusca (Dead woman's pass 4,200m). This is the highest point of the trail before we descend into the Pacasmayo valley and then climb again passing the first of many Inca ruins Rucuracay. Our second pass of the day (3,998m) gives us spectacular views of the Vilcabamba range. Walking on well preserved Inca pathway we pass Sayacmarca ruins with plenty of time for an in depth tour and explanation before passing through a tunnel and a gentle climb which brings us to Phuyupatamarca ruins (3,650m) where we camp. (B / L / D)

DAY 12: Our final days hiking brings us down into the cloud forest on a Inca stairway to Winay Wayna (2,600m), another interesting ruin full of orchids and swallows. And so to Inti Punku, the gateway of the Sun for our first glimpse of Machu Picchu (2,400m). After treasuring the moment we pass through the ruins and catch a bus down to our hostal in the colourful town of Aguas Calientes and celebrate our return to civilisation.(B / L)

DAY 13: Returning first thing in the morning we have Machu Picchu virtually to ourselves for a full guided tour, with time afterwards to climb Huayna Picchu or else just wander through the ruins, soaking up the amazing atmosphere. We have a late lunch then board the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, here our waiting bus whisks us back to Cusco and our hotel. Then if you have the energy we can explore Cusco's excellent nightlife. (B / L)

DAY 14: There is so much to see and do in Cusco that we dedicate a whole day to doing just that. Whether your interest is exploring Inca ruins, visiting Colonial churches, bargain hunting in Indian markets or just relaxing over a cappuccino on a terrace overlooking the Plaza de Armas, Cusco has it all. (B).

DAY 15: An early morning flight from Cusco to Lima, in time to connect with your international flight home.(B) Or if you have any time left you could join an excellent extension to visit the rainforest of Peru. This tour includes two night in the well appointed Sandoval Lake Lodge with an expert resident guide to explain fully explain the intricate workings of the rainforest and help spot the numerous types of birds, monkeys, butterflies, ants, caimen and giant otters around the lodge.

WE PROVIDE: All airport transfers; private vehicle transport, camping and cooking equipment including dining tent, toilet tent Therm-a-rests and spacious two person tents. Extensive First-aid kit & oxygen. Colca Canyon entrance fee ($4), Suitable accommodation as indicated in Lima, Arequipa, Colca, Puno, Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes and Cusco; all meals as indicated in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner).

On the River:
State of the art rafting and canoeing equipment including self-bailing rafts, one & two person inflatable canoes, Hi-flotation life-jackets, helmets, wet suits, wet suit boots, spray jackets, dry bags for personal gear, special containers for cameras. Professional English and Spanish speaking river guides, trained in first-aid, swift-water rescue and C.P.R. Full safety cover at all times.
On the Inca Trail:
A Qualified Inca Trail guide, all porters, cook team, guided tour in Machu Picchu, entrance to Ollantaytambo ruins ($6), entrance to the Inca Trail ($50), bus transfers to and from the ruins.

NOT INCLUDED: International flights, personal belongings, sleeping bag, airport taxes ($4 local, $25 international), personal expenses, and tips. Day rooms in Lima on final day are not included but can be organised if required.

WHAT TO BRING:
On this expedition we will be experiencing all extremes of Peruvian climate, from freezing Altiplano to extremely hot sunshine. As mentioned before that although the canoeing is technically easy, the weather conditions at this high altitude can be harsh and challenging. Sunshine can turn to freezing very quickly so good warm gear on and off the river is essential. On the river wetsuits and splash jackets are provided but thermal underwear and a light fleece jumper are far warmer than cotton T-shirts. At night very warm clothes to change into and a -5'C sleeping bag is essential for your full enjoyment of this section. On the Inca trail hopefully it will be generally sunny enough for shorts and T-shirts though having a fleece and rain gear handy is advisable. It will get cold (as low as zero degrees whilst camping) especially in the evenings so bring a warm fleece jacket, a good waterproof and some warm clothes including thermal underwear, gloves, scarf and woolly hat as well as one set of smarter clothes for towns. Good quality Alpaca jumpers are available in Arequipa, Puno & Cusco.

RECOMMENDED READING
Running the Amazon   by Joe Kane
Exploring Cusco    by Peter Frost

AND LASTLY PLEASE NOTE
The  "Trans - Andean Explorer" travels through a remote and rarely visited part of Peru and we believe our clients should be aware that the remoteness that makes the Apurimac so very special can also cause certain problems. Thus, whilst Amazonas Explorer endeavours to minimise the chances of anything unexpected happening, it has to be noted that no itinerary can or should be rigidly adhered to. This is the very nature of Adventure Travel and we expect our clients to be prepared for delays and slight alterations in our programmed events.

Specific to the Apurimac is the possibilities of delays due to the difficulty in reaching the river. Should Amazonas Explorer deem the canoeing portion of the Rio Apurimac to be unrunnable we reserve the right to offer an alternative section of the river or alternative activities. Should the weather be unsuitable for the helicopter flight  back from Machu Picchu we will return by train In all cases we will advise you of any changes in the itinerary as early as possible. We have taken all these possibilities into account when planning this expedition and have allowed sufficient leeway to enable us to successfully run this exceptional trip.

We look forward to seeing you on the river.