Call +51 984 103 757 | info@pachatusantrek.com
8 days
Cusco - Rainforest
The Cultural Cusco tour meets the Rainforest Expedition in this fantastic 8 day tour. Experiance everything that Cusco and the Rainforest have to offer – it is one not to be missed!
Fly into Cusco and hit the ground running with this program. Spend the first four days covering the whole of Cusco and then head over to Puerto Maldonado and the Rainforest for a further four days of activities and excitement.
Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire (13th century-1532). Many believe that the city was planned as an effigy in the shape of a puma, a sacred animal. Under the Inca, the city had two sectors: the Urin and Hanan. Each was further divided to encompass two of the four provinces, Chinchasuyu (NW), Antisuyu (NE), Kuntisuyu (SW) and Qullasuyu (SE). A road led from each of these quarters to the corresponding quarter of the empire.
Puerto Maldonado is a city in Southeastern Peru in the Amazon forest 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of the Bolivian border on the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios River, a tributary of the Amazon River. It is the capital of the Madre de Dios Region.
Nearby are the Manu National Park, Tambopata National Reserve, and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. These are some of the most pristine primary rain forests in the world, which include several oxbow lakes and clay licks, where hundreds of birds including macaws feed on clay.
Your adventure step by step
Upon arrival at the airport we will meet and transfer you to the chosen hotel. The rest of the morning will be free for a better acclimatization. We suggest to take the morning flights to arrive in Cusco early and have enough time to rest.
That afternoon we will meet you at the door of the Cathedral, in the main Plaza, to start the guided city tour. Our representatives will explain to you how to get the Main Plaza from your hotel. You can also take advantage and have lunch there before the tour.
This tour includes the visits to the Main Plaza, where the Cathedral is located. This Cathedral is impressive because of its paintings from the Cusco school.
Next you will visit the Temple of the Sun, known as the Qorikancha, this enclosure was one of the most important buildings in the time of the Incas, its walls were covered with gold plates and it was built in honor of the Sun God (Inti).
Lastly you will visit the four ruins surrounding the city of Cusco; Q´enqo, Pukapukara, Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman, the latter being one of the best architectural works of the Tawantinsuyo (Inca empire).
The tour will usually finish at the main plaza, or if you wish you can stop at Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo, where there is a folk show. Ask your guide about this for more information.
That morning, we will pick you up from the hotel to begin the tour for the day.
You will go to the Sacred Valley of the Inkas, visiting the complex of Pisac on the way, located 33 km/ 20 miles from the city of Cusco. Pisac is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley, as it was during Inka times, the city was built in the form of an animal; Pisac means partridge, and it has the same shape.
There are agricultural terraces built by the Inkas which are still used today. You will also see its famous typical artisans market, which includes crafts made by the local people.
Lunch will then be included at a local authentic restaurant in the Sacred Valley.
After enjoying a buffet lunch you set off for Ollantaytambo (2792 meters above sea level / 9160ft.). This archaeological site was used for many things, and the ritual buildings and terraces stand out.
Ollantaytambo was an important fortress, due to its great surrounding walls, it was actually used as a storage city, strategically located in the Sacred Valley. It is a living Inka town with narrow stone streets making it an attractive and relaxing place.
In the afternoon you will take the train to Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night. Upon your arrival at Aguas Calientes train station, you will be met by the hotel staff. They will then escort you to your hotel.
That evening the tour guide for Machu Picchu will go to the hotel and give you a briefing and arrange the time for the tour to Machu Picchu next day. You will arrange all the details with the guide (meeting time, point)
After an early breakfast, you will take the bus to the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu, known as “The Lost City of the Incas”. You will visit its principal plazas and temples. This tour will let you appreciate the high level of development achieved by Andean Civilization through the Incas.
As a supremely religious site, Machu Picchu demonstrates the superior knowledge achieved in both astronomy and astrology. This knowledge was gained by measuring dry and rainy seasons through the solstices, and was indispensable for the development of agriculture.
Your tour will be a detailed tour lasting the duration of the morning. Once the tour has concluded, you will have the opportunity to explore Machu Picchu on your own.
After the tour, you will then take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you will enjoy lunch.
After lunch, you will go to the train station to take the one back to Cusco.
You will be met in Cuzco train station by one of our representatives who will escort you to your hotel for the night
Today, you will have the full day to recover and relax. You can take advantage of your hotels facilities or explore Cusco more.
The tickets that were issued on the first day will still be valid, therefore you can take advantage of the many sites and places available within the Cusco area.
Again, please ask our staff for recommendations on places to eat or drink for this free day.
This morning will be spent getting ready for the trip to the Rainforest. There may also be some more time to enjoy Cusco – depending on what time the flight is booked for.
Two hours before your departure we will pick you up and go to the airport to take the flight to Puerto Maldonado. Flights are to be booked by the customers. You will then fly from Cusco to Puerto Maldonada.
Upon arrival in Puerto Maldonada, you will be welcomed at the airport and driven ten minutes to the Puerto Maldonado headquarters. While enjoying your first taste of the forest in our gardens we will ask you to pack only the necessary gear for your next few days, and leave the rest at our safe deposit. This helps us keep the boats and cargo light.
Next, we will drive 20 kilometers to the Tambopata River Port, entering the Native Community of Infierno. The port is a communal business. Lunch will be served here as a picnic style as we enjoy the views.
After lunch, we will board and take the forty five minute boat ride from the Tambopata Port to Posada Amazonas, taking us into the Community´s Primary Forest Private Reserve.
Upon arrival at the lodge, the manager will welcome you and brief you with important navigation and security tips.
After you have settled in we will take a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas to the 30 meter scaffolding canopy tower. A bannistered staircase running through the middle provides safe access to the platforms above. From atop you obtain spectacular views of the vast expanses of standing forest cut by the Tambopata River winding through the middle. Now and then toucans, parrots or macaws are seen flying against the horizon, or mixed species canopy flocks land in the treetop next to you.
Once this tour has concluded, dinner will be served back at the lodge.
After breakfast we will set off for the ‘Tres Chimbadas Oxbow Lake’. Tres Chimbadas is thirty minutes by boat and forty five minutes hiking from Posada Amazonas. Once there you will paddle around the lake in a catamaran, searching for the resident family of nine giant river otters (seen by 60% of our lake visitors) and other lakeside wildlife such as caiman, hoatzin and horned screamers. Otters are most active from dawn to eight or nine AM.
After this morning tour we will have lunch. Once we have eaten and relaxed the next tour will be the ‘Ethnobotanical Tour’. A twenty minute boat drive downriver leads you to a trail designed by the staff of the Centro Ñape. The Centro Ñape is a communal organization that produces medicines out of forest plants and administers them to patients who choose their little clinic. They have produced a trail which explains the different medicinal (and other) uses of selected plants.
We will then return back to the lodging for dinner.
Once you have eaten dinner, you will have the option of hiking out at night, when most of the mammals are active but rarely seen. Much easier to find are frogs with shapes and sounds as bizarre as their natural histories.
This morning after breakfast, we will embark on the ‘Parrot clay lick’. This clay lick is only a twenty minute walk from Posada Amazonas. From a lookout located about twenty meters away you will see dozens of parrots and parakeets descend on most clear mornings to ingest the clay on a river bank. Species such as Mealy and Yellow- headed Amazon, Blue-headed Parrot and Dusky headed Parakeet descend at this clay lick. The clay lick is most active at dawn and during the late mornings and mid-afternoons.
Later, we leave from the lobby at Posada Amazonas and embark on a two hour hike crowned by the largest tree in the vicinity: a giant ceiba tree. During the hike we will focus on the natural history of the rain forest and its principal taxonomic groups. After the hike we will have lunch.
Once we have enjoyed our lunch, we take a thirty minute boat drive downriver to the most complete farm in the community of Infierno. The owner grows a diverse variety of popular and unknown Amazon crops. In his garden, just about every plant and tree serves a purpose. After, we will return to the lodging for dinner.
On your final day you will wake up with breakfast in the lodging. You will then have options to choose for in terms of activities in the morning. This will take up the time until you will need to be transferred to the airport.
Later you will transfer by boat from Posada Amazonas to Tambopata River Port. Upon arrival in Tambopata River Port you will go to Pto Maldonado Headquarters.
From the Pto. Maldonado Headquarters we make our way to the Airport.
We retrace our river and road journey back to Puerto Maldonado, our office and the airport. Depending on airline schedules, this may require dawn departures.
SERVICES not INCLUDED
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
We recommend that you bring
Please Note
Important Environmental Note
Pachatusantrek is committed to following the principles of ecotourism in our operations, and request the understanding and cooperation of trekkers, especially by not contaminating the waters and in the adequate disposal of non-biodegradable waste. We must also respect the customs and traditions of the local people.
Useful Information
The Inka Trail to Apu Paraccacca takes us on an adventure to the highlands following Andean myth and history in a mythical landscape which is home to a variety of flora and fauna, specific to each ecological level we will cross.
The Inka trail used by Manco Inka II and his army, in their escape from Spanish, passes by these 2 magnificent archaeological sites in the Vilcabamba
Best half day trek for hiking in the southern area of Cusco city, to see the archeological sites of Choqekiraw Puqio and Inkilltambo, following a farmers trail which also connects with other interesting places in the Archeological Park of Sacsayhuaman.
Located between the lagoon of Piuray, in the surroundings of the town of Chinchero, and the town of Lamay in the Sacred Valley, an Inca Trail will lead us to discover the Inca Llacta of Huchuy Qosqo, residence of the Inca King Viracocha. A unique archeol
