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Jaguar (Aug 17 '08 departure): Complete itinerary

Hiking to Sacsayhuamán Fortress · Hike and Cycle the Sacred Valley of the Incas · Multi-day Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu · Free time in Cuzco · Hike and wildlife exploration in Amazon rainforest · Cycle through Andean villages · Cycle La Raya Pass · Sea-kayak Lake Titicaca · Homestay with indigenous people of Lake Titicaca · Hike Amantani and Taquile Island

No matter how long you have, we have a trip tailored to meet your needs! We’ll show you the best bits of Peru in 8, 10 or 14 days – take your pick!

Sunday - Meet in Cuzco, hike to Sacsayhuamán Fortress

Our trip starts in Cuzco, the heart of the Inca Empire. Your trip leader will greet you with a cup of hot coca tea - the local specialty! After lunch we'll set off for a walk around this amazing ancient city, and up to Sacsayhuamán Fortress overlooking the main Plaza and Cuzco Valley. This magnificent archeological site - representing a set of jaguar's teeth formed by massive, perfectly fitted stones weighing up to 130 tons each - is thought to have been built as a sanctuary and temple to the Sun. Later we'll walk through the colorful street markets of this magical ancient city. If you prefer, you can take time to soak in the vibrant atmosphere of Cuzco's lively town square instead and meet up again later for an evening meal.

ACCOMMODATION: Cuzco lodgings, Cuzco (L,D)

Monday - Cycling into Sacred Valley, visit Pisac market, hike Pisac Ruins

We'll head into the fertile Sacred Valley of the Incas this morning, stopping first just above Cuzco where we'll jump on our bikes and ride down though breathtaking scenery, dotted with local villages set below the massive green slopes of the Andes. We'll finish our ride in the small town of Pisac, where we'll have a chance to check out the colorful Mercado Artesanal market. From here we'll begin a spectacular hike up to the Pisac ruins. These Inca terraces rise 2,000 feet up from the river below. It's a heart pumping walk up through the ancient agricultural terraces, but you won't forget the views of Pisac and the Urubamba valley! After exploring the ancient complex, we'll descend the original Inca stairways and head back down to the valley below us at 9,500 feet. This is the largest existing fortress-city complex of the Incas, and it's the perfect warm-up for the Inca Trail tomorrow!

ACCOMMODATION: Cuzco lodgings (B,L,D)

Tuesday - Free day in Cuzco

Cuzco is a fabulous place to spend a day exploring the archaeological capital of the Americas - it's no wonder it's the continent's oldest continuously inhabited city! Walk along Cuzco's central streets, lined with massive Inca-built stone walls that form the foundations of colonial as well as modern buildings. We'll give you a special pass that allows access to Cuzco's most popular temples, churches and fortresses for a self-guided tour of one of the most interesting cities in the world. Alternatively, we'll help you arrange one of the many optional guided activities available including white-water rafting, mountain biking, hiking, horse riding or paragliding. There's also no shortage of great food and entertainment in Cuzco, with restaurants to suit any taste, cafés for coffee in the Plaza de Armas and great bars with local music.

ACCOMMODATION:      Cuzco lodgings (B)

Wednesday - Start your Inca Trail

An early start this morning as we head out to start our trek to Machu Picchu! At the time of booking, you have the choice of one of two 4-day/3-night options – the Classic Inca Trail or the Lares Inca Trail. The next four days will take us on a journey through the Andean wilderness and give us an unbeatable insight into the indigenous cultures that have shaped the Peruvian highlands.

 

CLASSIC INCA TRAIL Wednesday (continued) - Hike through the Sacred Valley of the Incas We'll leave Cuzco and make our way through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the small village of Ollantaytambo before starting our hike at Piscacucho, or Kilometer 82 as it is known by the locals. From here we'll spend the day hiking alongside the Rio Cusichaca, surrounded by massive Andean peaks, Inca ruins and lush forest. We'll visit a couple of small villages along the way, then have lunch and rest awhile on the way to our first camp, Pisonay (altitude 9,500ft). The walking time today is about four to five hours. When you arrive at camp, you'll be greeted with tea by our porters, and find your tent already set up for you. ACCOMMODATION: Luxury camping with the best view in town - the Peruvian Andes! (B,L,D)	LARES INCA TRAIL Wednesday(continued) - Hike the Lares Inca Trail to Huacawasi From Cuzco we’ll drive to the thriving market town of Calca for breakfast, then begin our hike at Pampacorral, walking for a couple of hours to our lunch among raging Andean rivers, towering snow-capped peaks and curious grazing llamas! We'll continue on this afternoon to our first camp in the tiny Andean village of Huacawasi. This remote village is the first stop of many small communities we’ll visit on this trek that are populated by direct descendents of the Incas. There's a real opportunity on this trek to experience the local customs and ways of life of a unique culture that’s barely changed for 500 years. When you arrive at camp, you'll be greeted with tea by our porters and find your tent already set up. ACCOMMODATION: Luxury camping with the best view in town – the Peruvian Andes! (B,L,D )
Thursday - Hike the Inca Trail to Pacaymayo Today is an unforgettable day. You'll be woken with a cup of coca tea brought to your tent door. After a hearty breakfast, we'll begin our four to six hour hike on what will be our most challenging day. Today we climb 3,000 feet up to Warmiwañusqa, or 'Dead Woman's Pass' (altitude 12,600ft). The trail winds its way up through a beautiful mountain pass with stunning panoramic views of the alpine wonderland. It's a challenging hike up the pass, but the 360º views make every step worthwhile. After celebrating our ascent, we’ll walk down cobbled steps paved by the Incas over 500 years ago to Pacaymayo valley, our camp for the evening. Again, we'll already have tents set up so all you need to do is relax and enjoy a hot drink. ACCOMMODATION: Luxury camping. (B,L,D)	Thursday - Hike the Lares Inca Trail to Patacancha Today is an unforgettable day. You’ll be woken with a cup of coca tea, brought to your tent door. After a hearty breakfast we'll begin our four to six hour hike on what will be our most challenging day. Today we climb 2500 feet up to Ibsacocha Pass (14,500ft). The trail winds its way up to this beautiful mountain pass with stunning panoramic views of the alpine wonderland. It's a challenging hike up the pass, but the incredible views of the Cordillera Vilcanota make every step worthwhile. We'll have lunch next to an alpine lake on the other side of the pass and hike on to our lakeside camp for the evening near the village of Patacancha. If you catch a trout here, it's on the menu for dinner! ACCOMMODATION: Luxury camping. (B,L,D)
Friday - Hike the Inca Trail to Wiñay Wayna The scenery gets even better today! We'll explore several fascinating Inca fortresses as we descend in altitude, with the cloud forest becoming lusher as the air becomes warmer and denser. The ancient ruins and increasingly verdant surroundings lend an eerie mood to the day as we make our way down to our next camp - Wiñay Wayna. It's a five to seven hour hike today and this is our final night on the trail, with breathtaking views and another hearty dinner! ACCOMMODATION: Luxury camping with a backdrop of cloud forest and green Andean peaks. (B,L,D)	Friday - Hike the Lares Inca Trail to Ollantaytambo Today we’ll descend the beautiful Lares valley on our way to the village of Ollantaytambo, passing local farmers tending llamas, alpacas and their famous terraced crops, perched on terraces on the steep mountain walls above us. We'll visit the tiny mountain village of Pumamarca, famous for its red ponchos and its people being the closest descendents of the Inca people, before making our way to the ancient Inca town of Ollantaytambo with its cobbled streets and thatched houses – you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time! Later we'll take the unforgettable afternoon train ride down to the sub-tropical village of Aguas Calientes, where we'll have a chance to explore this colorful little town or soak in a hot spring before dinner! ACCOMMODATION: Hostal Viajeros, Aguas Calientes (B,L,D)
Saturday - Hike to Machu Picchu After a very early breakfast, we hike about an hour in the dawn light to Inti Punku, the Sun Gate. We'll wait here for the cloud to lift and the sun to rise over the ancient city of Machu Picchu, then make our way down to rejoin the rest of our group at Machu Picchu.	Saturday - Machu Picchu After a very early breakfast, we head up to enjoy sunrise at the ancient city of Machu Picchu, where we’ll rejoin the rest of our group.

Saturday (continued) - Explore Machu Picchu, climb Huayna Picchu Mountain

Today you can walk for about two hours, or much longer if you like. We have all day to explore the many passageways and stone structures of this mysterious place. If you're keen to climb Huayna Picchu, the mountain overlooking Machu Picchu, we'll hike up for spectacular views of the site and the valley below. It's a steep 90-minute climb, but the views are worth the effort. After plenty of time to explore Machu Picchu, we'll head down to Aguas Calientes for a soak in the hot springs before taking a scenic train ride back to Cuzco.

ACCOMMODATION:   Cuzco lodgings, Cuzco (B,L,D)

Phil says “Lots of people ask me which is the best trail to Machu Picchu - the Lares Inca Trail or the Classic Inca Trail. Well, that’s a tough one!! In terms of scenery both these trails are outstanding and the walking is brilliant…in a nutshell, it doesn’t matter which way you go! You’ll meet great people, see amazing scenery, hike hard, and learn about Peru and its people either way!”

Sunday - Journey to the Amazon rainforest, wildlife hike

Today we'll take a short flight from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, a frontier town in the Amazon basin. We'll take to dugout canoes and head down the Madre de Dios River, deep into the jungle. Listen for howler monkeys in the tropical forest canopy above and spot macaws perched high on the river banks. A small portage is the gateway to our own Amazon jungle lodge. This area is teeming with life – we'll look for giant otters, capuchin monkeys, caiman and many other jungle animals on our boat trip to the lodge. After lunch we'll head out in search of the plethora of monkey species’ this area is famous for. Keep an eye out for the macaw and other rainforest dwellers that come out in search of food in the late afternoon!

ACCOMMODATION: Lodge in the Amazon Jungle (B,L,D)

If you’ve joined us for the first eight days of the Jaguar this is the last day of your multi-activity trip in Peru. You'll spend a free morning in Cuzco and in the afternoon we’ll fly you from Cuzco to Lima, where your trip ends.

Monday - Wildlife hike, virgin jungle exploration

This morning we'll explore some of the 15 miles of jungle trails that criss-cross the dense rainforest surrounding Lake Sandoval – an Amazonian oxbow lake that hosts incredible biodiversity. We'll be hiking through virgin forest and paddling dugout canoes to experience the wealth of native flora and fauna under the Amazon rainforest canopy, and learning how the indigenous people thrive in this challenging environment. After lunch, you have the rest of the afternoon free to hang out at the lodge with a book or continue exploring the surrounding area on your own. If you'd prefer to hike a little more this afternoon, head out with our naturalist guide on little-known trails that pass by the homes of some of the rarest animals in the rainforest. This evening we'll brave the jungle again in search of the nocturnal South American crocodile - the caiman.

ACCOMMODATION: Lodge in the Amazon Jungle (B,L,D)

Tuesday - Cycle through Andean villages and beyond

This morning we leave the rainforest and take a boat back to Puerto Maldonado where we'll catch a short flight back to Cuzco. After lunch, we'll be fitted with a bike and head off for some spectacular cycling in the Cuzco valley and the green hills above. We'll spend the afternoon riding through Andean villages, where we'll have the chance to meet the locals tending their crops and herds of llamas. If cycling is not your thing, you can skip it altogether and relax in Cuzco, or hike up to the many Inca fortresses overlooking the ancient city.

ACCOMMODATION: Cuzco lodgings, Cuzco (B,L,D)

If you’ve joined us for the first ten days of the Jaguar this is the last day of your multi-activity trip in Peru. We’ll fly you from Puerto Maldonado to Lima, where your trip ends.

Wednesday - Cycle La Raya Pass

Today we'll cycle across spectacular La Raya Pass (14,400ft) to Puno, the capital of the Altiplano area and the gateway to Lake Titicaca - one of the most amazing rides you're ever likely to do! This is one of Peru's great highland areas where herds of alpaca and llama graze, and snow-capped mountains rise steeply from the valley. If you'd prefer not to cycle you can sit back and enjoy the ride on this incredible scenic journey. Puno is known as the folklore capital of Peru. Its narrow streets are filled with the sounds of the typical Andean music called saylla, the hustle and bustle of the local market, and the bell-ring of the Triciclos, the local bicycle taxis!

ACCOMMODATION: Puno Hotel, Puno (B,L,D)

Thursday - Sea kayak Lake Titicaca, stay with local Quechua people on Amantani Island.

At 12,500 feet, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable body of water. The Incas believed it was the cradle of civilization, the place where all life began. It's a very special place and this morning we'll paddle across it in sea kayaks. The kayaking is spectacular whether you're a beginner or a seasoned paddler, although if you prefer, you can take our boat across instead.

Our hosts, members of the indigenous Quechua community, will meet us at the lake's edge and take us home for lunch. Afterwards they're always up for a game of high-altitude soccer, if you’re keen! Aside from being a great workout it's good fun and a unique way to get to know our hosts. When the game is over, we'll hike to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) temple at the summit of Amantani Island for views of the breathtaking sunset as it sinks below the horizon of Lake Titicaca. Later we'll return to the homes of our hosts where we'll have a home-cooked meal. These hard working folk have maintained their traditional way of life for centuries, weaving wool, keeping cuy (guinea pigs), and farming their smallholdings. After dinner, we head down to the community hall to learn a few traditional dances with the locals. It's very quiet here - no streetlights, no cars - and you'll enjoy the tranquility.

ACCOMMODATION: Family home, Amantani Island (B,L,D)

Friday - Hike Taquile Island summit

After breakfast we'll take a short boat ride across to Taquile. It's a steep hike up to the isolated village on this beautiful island. The customs of this tiny community are totally unique to Lake Titicaca. We'll have the chance to meet the local people and learn about their famous textiles and fascinating traditions, before we hike to the summit of the island for outstanding 360 degree views of Lake Titicaca, The Capachica Peninsula, Amantani Island and the Bolivian Andes. After lunch we'll return to Puno by boat for our final dinner together.

ACCOMMODATION: Puno Hotel, Puno (B,L,D)

Saturday - Return to Lima, depart for home

This the last day of your two-week trip in Peru. We have a short drive to the nearby town of Juliaca before jumping on a plane back to Lima. If you have time to spare after the trip, we're happy to make suggestions on how to make the most of it. On the other hand, if you're on your way home today, we'll send you back refreshed and invigorated from the great food, exercise, rest and good times you'll have had with us in Peru! (B)

Important Information

ACCOMMODATIONS:  The Jaguar is an active adventure-oriented trip around Peru. We've chosen interesting, clean and comfortable accommodation throughout. Most of the places we stay are off-the-beaten- track and truly spectacular. We've chosen accommodations for their comfort, cleanliness and charm - not the number of channels available on the television!  For our Inca Trail treks, we're under canvas, but it's pretty fancy camping all the way. Our porters carry tents and supplies, cook meals, boil drinking water for us and take care of everything around camp. On Amantani Island, we’ll be staying in the homes of local families.

RECOMMENDED FLIGHTS: You need to arrive in Cuzco by 10am on day one at the latest. If you have extra time before the trip, we recommend heading to Cuzco early for more acclimatization time, and to spend as long as possible in this incredible town! Depending what time your international flight arrives to Lima, you are likely to spend a night there too. Most international flights get to Lima in the evening, so you’ll probably fly in to Lima at night and then on to Cuzco the following morning. On the last day of the trip, we recommend booking your flight to depart out of Lima any time after 8pm.

PICK-UP INFORMATION: On the first day of the trip we can either pick you up from Cuzco Airport at 11am, or if you’ve already flown into Cuzco, we’ll meet you in the lobby of your trip start hotel at 12 noon, where you’ll meet your trip leader and the rest of your group!

DROP OFF INFORMATION:  On the last day of your trip we’ll fly you to Lima airport. The trip ends here in Lima airport. We recommend booking your flight to depart out of Lima after 8pm.

FITNESS:  You must have a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy yourself. You don't have to be young or extremely fit (although if you are, you won't be bored), but you should be in the habit of doing at least some regular exercise. Age and experience is not important. We would rather have an older person with a good attitude than a 22-year-old couch potato!

EXPERIENCE:  You don't have to have any outdoor experience to do one of our trips. We offer trips that enable you to make the most of South America's awesome outdoor environment, culture and history. Our staff are highly trained and very experienced outdoor leaders, and we'll look after you! You don't have to carry a pack on the multi-day trek (if you like you can hire a porter to carry your overnight gear for a small extra cost), have ever paddled a kayak before or be used to hiking at altitude. You don't need to be a serious cyclist to enjoy our rides either. You don't have to ride at all, if you'd rather hike, shop or laze around! All you need is to be energetic and in reasonable shape - and we guarantee you'll have a wonderful time. But if you like a challenge we will certainly give you one! For example, at Machu Picchu, if you're keen we'll climb up to Huayna Picchu Mountain. We manage the level of commitment to suit your experience, and we have an impeccable safety record.

FLEXIBILITY:  Peru is a developing nation and we won't tell you that everything in South America runs like clockwork. What we can tell you is that we are experienced adventure travel leaders, and we know how to keep things operating as smoothly as possible, even when conditions are challenging. That's why we’re here! But you'll find your trip even more enjoyable if you remember to bring flexibility and a sense of humor with you.

INCLUDED:  The trip fare is US$2699. The trip fare includes just about everything, specifically:

• All guiding services. We always have an experienced trip leader with every trip and will usually have a local guide on most of our excursions for extra local knowledge.
• Comfortable accommodation for the entire two weeks. We can also book pre and post trip accommodation for you if you let us know in advance.
• All your meals, except for lunch and dinner on your free day in Cuzco where we've found most people like to check out the local restaurants on their own.
• All drinking water. Alcohol and other drinks are not included.
• All hiking, canoeing, kayaking, biking, and jungle activities as described in the itinerary, excluding optional activities as noted. No activities are compulsory, and nor will your trip be less awesome if you stick to the free options.
• Ground transportation including boat transfers and domestic flights Cuzco-Puerto Maldonado return, and your final flight to Lima at the end of the trip. The only flight not included is the Lima-Cuzco flight to the beginning of your trip.
• Porters to carry shared group equipment on your Inca Trail such as tents, cooking equipment and group food.
• Tips for local activity guides and drivers, except for Inca Trail guides and porters, are taken care of by ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA.

NOT INCLUDED: 

• Tips for your Inca Trail guides and porters – you’ll be amazed how hard they work so we like to have a little presentation on the last night of the trail.
• If you choose to, you can hire an extra porter to carry your overnight gear and personal effects (clothes, toiletries, sleeping mat and sleeping bag) on your Inca Trail.

This is your holiday, and we are serious about not nickel-and-diming you!  You’ll have to pay for the items mentioned here, extra activities if you choose them, and you’ll probably feel like tipping your guide at the end of a fabulous time, but you won’t be pulling out your wallet every few minutes on your ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA trip!

We’ll see you soon!

Itinerary valid though April 2008

If you have questions about getting down to South America, basic questions about our trips, how to pack, what to do with extra time before or after your trip, or have general questions about South America, click here to read answers to frequently asked questions.