Peru Amazon Tours A Journey Through the Amazon, Machu Picchu, and Lake Titicaca

Fly to Puerto Maldonado and embark on your Amazon jungle adventure!

Your Kuoda host will take you to the airport early in the morning for your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Upon arrival, you’ll be escorted by boat to the Refugio Amazonas Lodge in Tambopata for an Amazon luxury travel experience. Lunch will be served en route.

After enjoying a sunset dinner, you will venture out on a guided tour of the nocturnal rainforest. Armed with flashlights and headlamps, you will discover a world inhabited by amphibians, reptiles, and insects that have adapted to life in the darkness. After your exploration, fall asleep to a symphony of jungle sounds.

Embark on the ultimate jungle excursion.

Early this morning, embark on a guided trek through the jungle past the hanging nests of Oropendola birds and fruit bats. Walk until you reach a tranquil jungle of waterways, the Oxbow Lake, with a majestic array of life swimming just under the surface.

Climb aboard a traditional wooden canoe with your guide to see what wildlife you can spot! You will have a chance to see the Hoatzin, a bizarre, dinosaur-looking bird, along with troops of Squirrel Monkeys, rare Giant Otters, huge Caiman, and majestic Macaws flying overhead.

When your river tour is over, wave “goodbye” to the otters and start hiking through the jungle trails toward the Canopy Observation Tower, an impressive 25-meter jungle tower. Once on top, you will have a bird’s-eye view of the magnificent forest stretching in every direction. See if you can spot monkeys, Toucans, macaws, and other exotic jungle animals.

After lunch, set out to visit Don Manuel’s Amazonian farm. Here you will learn about the variety of popular and exotic Amazon produce he grows, giving you a deeper understanding of how every plant and tree you see serves a purpose.

A day enjoying jungle excursions: parrot and mammal clay licks.

At dawn this morning, you will have the opportunity to spot amazing tropical birds, while learning about a strange jungle diet. You will either take a 15-minute boat ride or a 60-minute walk through the jungle to a clay lick used by parrots and parakeets. Watch the wildlife from a well-hidden viewing platform built from clay and thatch. Here, you can get a super close look at the various species of birds as they descend to munch on nutrient-rich clay.

Researchers at the Macaw Project have studied these larger birds as they eat clay around the region and they believe that these animals eat the clay to supplement salt in their diet as they live far away from any ocean. Watch them enjoy their strange breakfast and see for yourself!

In the afternoon, take a short walk to another clay cliff that attracts dozens of species, especially mammals, who come to eat on the salty clay. The most well-known of these mammals are the White-Lipped Peccaries. These are wild rainforest pigs that show up in herds of 5 to 25 individuals to eat clay in the late morning. The chances of spotting them are around 15% but are well worth the short hike. Other wildlife also shows up including deer, guan, and parakeets.

Return to the lodge for one final night in the Amazonian Jungle.

Fly to Cusco, visit a local project that promotes sustainable weaving practices, and relax in the breathtaking Andean countryside.

After breakfast, we will bid goodbye to the Amazon jungle as the Refugio Amazonas team will escort you back to Puerto Maldonado. From the airport, you will embark on a flight to Cusco. Once you land, a guide will accompany you to the stunning Sacred Valley, whose bucolic farming and weaving towns – a few thousand feet lower in elevation than Cusco – are ideal for acclimatizing.

On the way to the valley, stop at Awanakancha Living Museum. At this “living museum,” you’ll come face-to-face with some of South America’s most endearing inhabitants, including alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, and guanacos, and learn about traditional weaving.

Visit Ollantaytambo’s iconic ruins and Pisac market.

Start your tour of the Sacred Valley in the ancient town of Ollantaytambo, where the centuries-old influence of the Incas is still very much visible. Water from the mountains trickles down to the Inca-built street canals, while the original Inca walls and trapezoidal doors are still standing.

With your guide by your side, ascend beyond the slope-side terraces to the ruins of a centuries-old fortress above the town. This is the spot where the Incas secured an important victory over the Spanish conquistadors. Inspect the intricately hewn stone constructions and have your guide show you the distant quarries from which the Incas sourced their materials. This site also affords fabulous views of the valley and the Urubamba River that meanders through it.

Afterward, your exclusive tour of Peru will take you to another valley town – Pisac – where you’ll have the chance to rub shoulders with locals as you survey the artisan offerings of the market. Vegetables, textiles, and silver jewelry are just some of the items sold here.

End the day with one more archaeological site visit, this time to the abandoned mountainside ruins of the original Inca Pisac village. Look out across verdant Inca farmland that has since been transformed into agricultural farms for modern-day Quechua people. Later, return to the hotel of your choice.

Relax with a morning train through the cloud forest on your way to visit Machu Picchu!

This is the moment all Peruvian explorers wait for. Board the train in Ollantaytambo to begin your Machu Picchu journey. Watch the cloud jungle pass by through the large glass windows, and see if you can spot some alpacas grazing in the valley! When you arrive in Aguas Calientes, enjoy an early lunch before ascending to the lost Incan citadel.

After a bus ride to the gates of South America’s most notable wonder, you will finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu. The incredible Inca stone citadel will reveal itself to you as you enter the main gates, a city intertwined with the clouds. Your expert guide will give you a private tour of the ancient city.

Upon conclusion of your tour, return for an evening in Aguas Calientes. Enjoy an excellent dinner on-site at your hotel and fall into bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the cloud forest around you.

Embark on an exclusive trek up the highly coveted Huayna Picchu!

Today you have the option to hike two different trails – Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, so it’s completely up to you! This will be the culmination of your Machu Picchu luxury tour, so enjoy it however you want. Adventurous travelers who desire something off-the-beaten-path should hike the steep slope of Huayna Picchu, offering unrivaled views of Machu Picchu.

Please note that only a limited amount of hikers are allowed to climb Huayna Picchu each day and tickets will need to be purchased in advance along with your Machu Picchu entrance.

In the afternoon, reconvene in Aguas Calientes and board the return train to Ollantaytambo. Your Kuoda host will meet you at the station and bring you to your hotel for a well-earned evening of rest.

Uncover the secrets of Cusco’s cobblestone streets on a private city tour!

Prepare to fall in love with Cusco, a gorgeous city that wins the heart of almost every traveler that passes through it. A private tour is the best way to learn about this historic city, and get the best insider secrets! After breakfast, meet your guide and wander among the archaeological remains of Sacsayhuaman, where the Incas staged a great battle against the conquistadors.

Return to the city and venture through the bohemian neighborhood of San Blas, a hub of artistic inspiration. Explore Qoricancha and the Santo Domingo monastery, a colonial structure built on top of the ancient Inca temple of the sun. Live like a local and grab some groceries in the open-air San Pedro market for a delightful shopping experience!

At the end of the tour, your guide will suggest a few places to enjoy a delicious lunch.

Fly from Cusco to Juliaca and visit the famous Chullpas of Sillustani on your way to Puno.

This morning we will bring you to the Cusco airport for your flight to Juliaca, the jumping-off point for Lake Titicaca.

From Juliaca airport, your guide will set off on a drive to the high plains of Peru. Your first stop will be the Lagoon of Umayo, where you will see ancient family tombs from the Colla Civilization called Chullpas of Sillustani. Finally, as we descend the hills into Puno, Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, will appear before you, filling the landscape to the horizon.

Explore life on Lake Titicaca with your private tour.

Today, you’ll enjoy an expert private tour of Lake Titicaca. Sail to the floating islands of Uros, home to an ancient community whose lineage stretches back to pre-Inca times. Thanks to their self-made reed islands, which require continual renovation, the Uros people have managed to preserve their unique way of life and survive not just the Incas and the Spanish, but also the threat of encroaching modernity. Learn about their daily lifestyle maintaining these unique islands!

Next, sail out to Taquile Island, whose residents are honored by UNESCO for their artisanal weaving skills. Eat a lunch prepared by the hospitable islanders, before returning to Puno for a transfer to your hotel of choice.

Tour the bohemian streets of Barranco and bid farewell to Peru!

Going home is the worst part of any private Peru vacation, but at Kuoda, we’ll do our best to make it as smooth and hassle-free as possible. First, we’ll bring you to Juliaca airport for your return flight to Lima. In Lima, a Kuoda host will meet you and take you to the seaside bohemian district of Barranco. See the streets of Barranco come alive as you visit a number of local art galleries and shops that support local artisans.

Finally, enjoy a first-class gourmet meal featuring world-renowned Peruvian flavors in a restaurant of your choice before returning to the airport for your journey home. Buen Viaje!