World Wildlife Fund

Amazon & Machu Picchu Adventure

Aboard the Aqua

$5,795 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement: $1,995.

Trip Overview

Few trips offer as rich an experience of Peru’s diverse natural and cultural treasures. An immersion into the primeval rain forest takes us deep within the most biodiverse region of the Amazon Basin. Home to a staggering array of wildlife, the Peruvian Amazon boasts nearly 1,000 species of birds alone. 

West into the high green peaks of the Andes lies another marvel, this one of human origin: Machu Picchu, the mystical stone city built by the Incas in the 15th century, and below, the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River, replete with myth and ruins.

Trip Itinerary

Please note that the dates below do not include travel time to and from the destination. We suggest consulting our tour operator, Natural Habitat Adventures, to discuss the best flight options for your travels.

Monday, June 13: Lima, Peru
Arrive in Lima and transfer to our hotel. Ramada Costa Del Sol

Tuesday, June 14: Lima / Cusco
Fly to Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire until Spanish conquistadors destroyed the civilization in their 16th-century colonial quest. Tour Cusco and visit the ruins at Sacsayhuamán, where you’ll see the most impressive example of Inca walls in the Sacred Valley. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening. Hotel Libertador (B,L)

Wednesday, June 15: Sacred Valley of the Incas
The treasures of the Sacred Valley are unveiled as you follow the Urubamba River past farms, villages and Inca ruins. At Pisac, visit the lively market where Quechua Indians dressed in vivid attire sell handicrafts. Tonight stay at a former 18th-century colonial-style monastery. Sonesta Posada del Inca Yucay  (B,L,D)

Thursday, June 16: Machu Picchu
Travel by train to Aguas Calientes and continue by bus to Machu Picchu. Above the cloud forest, the “Lost City of the Incas” rises like a vision into the sky. Our local guide provides a captivating interpretation of the labyrinth of 15th-century granite walls, temples and cisterns, believed by archaeologists to have once been an important site for religious rituals. Spend the night at a retreat on the river where 300 species of orchid bloom. Inka Terra Machu Picchu Hotel (B,L,D)

Friday, June 17: Machu Picchu / Cusco
The morning is free to return to the ruins, explore the trails around the hotel or soak in hot springs. This afternoon, return to Cusco by train and bus. Enjoy dinner on your own in Cusco. Hotel Libertador (B,L,D)

Saturday, June 18: Cusco / Lima / Iquitos / Embark the Aqua
Fly to Lima, where you’ll enjoy lunch in the city before your flight across the Andes to Iquitos. Transfer to the wharf and board our upper Amazon cruise vessel. Your ship is soon gliding into the river’s broad expanse, turbid with silt and the color of milk chocolate. After a briefing, sit down to an elegant dinner with the mighty Amazon in view outside the picture windows. Onboard the Aqua (B,L,D)

Sunday, June 19: Amazon / Tahuayo River / Charo Lake / Yacapana Islands
The verdant world of Amazonia comes alive during skiff excursions down tributary rivers and creeks. Floating down the Tahuayo River, pass fishermen in dugout canoes while birds and monkeys squawk and swoop overhead. At Charo Lake, fish for piranha. Near the Yacapana Islands, named for their resident iguanas, watch for gray and pink freshwater dolphins in the river. As dusk descends, a percussive nocturnal orchestra of frogs, crickets and night birds serenades you as you return to the ship for cocktails under the stars. Onboard the Aqua (B,L,D)

Monday, June 20: Marañón River / Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve
A choice of two adventures is offered today within the vast flooded forest at the headwaters of the Amazon. The first is a full-day excursion into the jungle, traveling up Yanayacu Creek to look for giant river otters, howler and capuchin monkeys, tamarins and a vast variety of birds. The second option is a ranger-led walk to a sustainable oil-palm plantation, followed by an afternoon expedition in search of river dolphins, caimans and monkeys. Onboard the Aqua (B,L,D)

Tuesday, June 21: Birthplace of the Amazon / Puerto Miguel / Lima / Flights Home
On a dawn skiff ride watch the sun rise over the confluence of two great tributaries that comprise the Amazon headwaters, the Ucayali and the Marañón, where the world’s greatest water artery is born. Later visit Puerto Miguel, a native village where you’ll meet the local people and learn about their culture. After lunch aboard, disembark in Iquitos, visiting the Manatee Rescue Center en route to the airport. Late this afternoon check in for the return flight to Lima, where you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner before transferring to the airport for flights home. (B,L,D)