Luxury Amazon River Cruise & Machu Picchu

Buen Provecho! Bon Appetit

This Gourmet Tour in Lima will allow you to travel around Peru through its incredible culinary biodiversity while learning more about its numerous ecosystems. You will live a true gastronomic journey through three natural regions of Peru, selva (jungle), sierra (highlands), and costa (coast).

You will begin with biodiversity work where you will get the chance to discover numerous ingredients from different parts of Peru that you have probably never heard of. Some fruit tasting will be on the menu, which will be followed by a chocolate tasting session and a fun quiz! Next, accompanied by your private foodie guide, you will be heading to the first restaurant where you will taste the delicacies from the Amazon. You will have the opportunity to taste delicious bites from the jungle. All this from Lima – how cool? To punctuate the journey on a high note, the Pacific Coast will be the vedette. You will indulge yourself in a mostly fish and shellfish round of bites before getting some dessert. After this food experience, we will return to our hotel. Breakfast and lunch included.

• Hotel: Hotel B Lima, JW Marriott Hotel Lima, or a similar hotel.

Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest of Peru

3 hours prior to the flight departure time, you will be transferred from your hotel to the airport for the flight to Iquitos city. Our crew will be expecting your arrival at the airport, then transfer all together in our comfortable private vehicle. We will start you off with a lunchbox as we begin the journey to Nauta.

Arrive to Nauta port: Nauta is a small riverside town on the banks of the Marañon River and was the first city founded in the department of Loreto. Once we reach Nauta, you will enjoy a VIP greeting at our private port along the shores of the Marañon River where the vessel awaits you.

Embarkation: Aboard Delfin, you will be served by our qualified staff who will introduce you to your exquisite and cozy suite, specially equipped with all the amenities for the experienced traveler as yourself. Orthopedic beds, pure cotton sheets, pillows of 100% pure natural latex, cotton bathrobes, air conditioning, and private bathroom with Spanish style hot water showers are all framed with a spacious private terrace we are sure you will enjoy to the fullest.

Orientation: While the Delfin begins its initial navigation, you will enjoy the most fantastic panoramic views from the elegantly outfitted observation area located on our third deck. Your naturalist guide will give you an overview of your journey’s schedule, activities, route, highlights, wildlife and vegetation to keep your eye out for, geographical and historical background, and other useful details.

Marañón River: We head down into the Marañon River to a location known as Pahuachiro. This lovely spot is an ideal place to spend some time in search of birds and playful monkeys. As your naturalist guide spots various creatures for you, the landscape adorned by the usual colors of the sun´s reflections is a great photo opportunity as you witness your first Amazon Rainforest Sunset. Breakfast and dinner included and some snacks.

• Night at Delfin III

Wildlife encounters

Iquitos Caño: On your first morning with us, we recommend getting up early to appreciate one of the most important zones of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Never does nature seem more bountiful than in the tropics, and early rising is always rewarding since wildlife is most abundant and active with the rising of the sun. The early morning hours are the best time of day to watch birds, observe their special displays and listen to their songs. We will jump on the skiffs and head to this area with large trees and old palm trees as well, these components favor the presence of several parrot species. This particular spot also has a great number of other birds of different species. We will look for the famous hoatzins nesting a few feet above water, and perhaps a sloth or two of the three toed kind.

Amazon Natural Park: This very unique opportunity, you will get to the only Canopy Walkway in this area, an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 25 meters (85 feet) and extending for 500 meters (one-third of a mile), the Canopy Walkway provides a view of the rainforest from the treetops, the best vantage point for observing Amazon wildlife and vegetation. The Canopy Walkway is accessible to all and requires no special skills or equipment. The suspended walkway is spread between 14 of the area’s largest rainforest trees and is one of the longest canopy walkways in the world. You will enjoy “Terra Firma” forest.

Yanayacu Pucate: You will start cruising through the Yanayacu and Pucate Rivers, peeking into different creeks and lagoons. This is one of the best preserved and protected zones of the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Your guide will use his expert eye to pinpoint all the biodiversity of this region. If you want to interact directly with the waters of the Amazon, go out on one of our kayaks or paddle boards. You will even have the opportunity to spot the famous pink dolphins! After dinner, you will enjoy a night safari on Nauta Caño. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• Night at Delfin III

Pink Dolphins, Sloths, Birds, and More Adventure

Nauta caño: Nauta Caño Creek is known for squirrel and silver back tamarillo monkeys, birds, dolphins, and even sloths! We will skim the riverbanks for small caimans and spiders, as well as insects of all colors, shapes and sizes.

Fundo Casual: The walk at Fundo Casual jungle trail will take you deep into the rainforest on terra firme (non-flooded forest) where your guide will point out the dynamic creatures and vegetation of the Amazon. Be sure to keep an attentive eye open for spotting surprises! It’s almost unbelieveable how with every step you find something along the way. Almost definitely Anaconda, Rainbow Boas, Tarantulas, Poison Frogs, and most recently porquepines have been spotted. This is one of the very few places in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve Amazon Rainforest where you will spot the ever so elusive 2-toed sloth. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included.

• Night at Delfin III

Welcome to the realm of Llamas and Alpacas

Disembarkation: With heavy hearts, the staff will wish you farewell as you begin your departure. At the port of Nauta, our ground crew will be waiting to take you by our private vehicle back to the city of Iquitos, about 95 kilometers journey by paved road.

Amazon Forever: On our way from Nauta back to Iquitos airport, you will visit the Rescue & Rehabilitation Center of River Mammals (Amazon Forever) where you will have the chance to meet baby manatees and learn about these wonderful and docile creatures and why they are on the endangered species list. As well, there are also some other animals cared for by the center that have been rescued from capture for the intention of being turned into pets and other threatening conditions. We welcome you to donate to this ambitious organization and education center as you wish. Our land personnel will wait for you at the airport and give your boarding passes and help you check in.

Airport departure and arrival: Our staff will be on hand to help you with your luggage and check-in at Crnl. FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International Airport in Iquitos. The flight to Cusco will take you through Lima airport. Upon your arrival at Cusco airport, our private crew will be waiting for you to transfer to your hotel in the Sacred Valley Urubamba, en route you will have a couple of stop-offs to enjoy the Andean scenery. Only breakfast and some snacks included.

• Hotel: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado or a similar hotel.

Ancient Incan Temples, Quaint Andean Villages

Today, a great nutritious breakfast makes us ready for a full-day exploration of the highlights of the Sacred Valley. The first place to visit will be Ollantaytambo, an impressive Incan site, with amazing farming terraces and a temple of the sun, for the sun temple the construction boulders of over 100 tons were brought from 5 miles away. Our next place to visit is Moray, a unique Incan farming testing center, where the Incas built terraces in a rounded shape in order to generate sort of microclimates, which were used to acclimate different types of plants, here you will explore and learn about this place since the hands of your private guide. After Moray, we will drive to Maras’s salt pans, which was the main salt source to provide to Cusco and other settlements in Urubamba Valley like Machu Picchu during the Incan times, today the locals still process the salt using the ancient techniques as the Incas would do.

To have a perfect day, you will enjoy a picnic by midday at a scenic spot with llamas roaming around you and great vistas in further directions, for sure, this will be unique and unforgettable. In the afternoon we will drive back to your hotel in the Sacred Valley Urubamba. Breakfast and lunch included.

• Hotel: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Valle Sagrado or a similar hotel.

Rediscovering Machu Picchu

In the early morning, you will be transferred to the train station to take the glass roof panoramic train to Aguas Calientes town (Machu Picchu Pueblo).  Our train departs at 7:45 am, we need to be at this station 30 minutes before than the departure time. The train journey is for 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the Machu Picchu Pueblo (town). Once we arrive in the town, we will take the bus to Machu Picchu citadel. Once there,

“What a moment” you will be mesmerized at having the Sacred city of the Incas right in front of you so you will seal your feat with an epic picture with Machu Picchu at the background, you will then have a private guided tour where you will learn about the construction methods, history, and new discoveries from this great iconic site.

After a great time, you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes town (Machu Picchu Pueblo), where you will have lunch, next, you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo train station and/or Poroy train station, where our private crew will be waiting for you to take you back to your hotel in Cusco. Only breakfast included.

• Hotel:  Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel Cusco or a similar hotel.

Welcome to the Ancient Capital of the Incan Empire

A day of leisure in the ancient capital of the Incan Empire entitled a World´s Heritage site by UNESCO. In the morning you will explore the stunning fortress-temple Sacsayhuaman whose construction rocks weigh over 200 tons, where you will be very amazed about this type of Inca architecture. The next place to explore is the Cathedral of Cusco, a gem from the colonial/ Spanish occupation time, this great building took about 130 years to be completed the whole construction by local indigenous people under the management of the Spaniards.

You will then keep exploring the typical Cusco’s alleys, it’s how you will arrive walking to the extraordinary Temple of the Sun Coricancha, the most important religious site of the Incas in the lower Cusco. This sumptuous temple’s walls and floors were allegedly once covered by sheets of solid gold and silver, any recreation of animals, plants, people were made of gold and silver. This temple was once one of the most important religious sites of the Incan people in the city of Cusco. On this tour, you will also visit San Pedro a local market where you will taste fresh-baked Chuta bread, local fruits, and you will see some local bizarre stuff for different purposes, like offerings for Pachamama (mother earth). After a great day of exploring the historical city center of Cusco, we will return to our hotel. Only breakfast included.

• Hotel:  Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel Cusco or a similar hotel.

The End of the Great Adventure. Chau!

Two hours before than your flight departure time, you will be transferred to the airport of Cusco to catch the flight to Lima, from where you will connect your flight to home. End of the adventure. Only breakfast included.