CUSCO, MACHU PICCHU AND APURIMAC

10 DAYS: LIMA, CUSCO, MACHU PICCHU AND 4 DAYS APURIMAC RIVER RAFTING

Day 01 LIMA

Arrival in Lima. Reception and transfer to the hotel. Afternoon visit to Colonial and Modern Lima. Guided tour through the historic center of the city. Admire the beauty of San Martin and Major squares, the Cathedral, the Government Palace and visit the Convent of San Francisco and its catacombs, religious building from the end of the XVI century. Drive through the residential districts of San Isidro and Miraflores.

Day 02 LIMA – CUSCO

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Reception and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure to adjust to the high altitude (11,000 feet). Afternoon city tour and nearby ruins. Visit Main Square, the Cathedral and its religious Art Museum, the Church of Santo Domingo or Koricancha. Includes visits to the Sacsayhuaman and Puca Pucara fortresses, the temple and amphitheater of Kenko and the water shrine of Tambomachay. (Breakfast).

Day 03 CUSCO – MACHU PICCHU

Morning transfer to the train station. Train takes us through the Sacred Valley of the Incas down to the town of Aguas Calientes. Arrival and board a bus to the mountain-top citadel of Machu Picchu. We will then have a guided tour of the ruins. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, was a flourishing ceremonial and agricultural site, probably the gateway to the jungle marshes of the Inca empire. The central buildings were erected with the polished stone works of the Cuzco Imperial style, though the site was probably occupied well before the Incas started their expansion. It was associated with the earth cult revolving around the coca leaf, which was a privilege of the Inca royal family and priests. After the guided tour you will have the possibility to remain longer on your own at the Inca citadel in order to visit the places you enjoyed most. Dinner at your hotel or at Machu Picchu Pueblo (Breakfast – Dinner).

Day 04 MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO

Morning at leisure. You may choose to return to Machu Picchu, hike Huayna Picchu or relax in the village of Aguas Calientes and its hot springs. Mid afternoon departure by train to Cusco. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. (Breakfast).

Note: Entrance tickets to Huayna Picchu are not included. Please advise at time of booking (subject to availability)

Day 05 CUSCO-APURIMAC RIVER RAFTING

This exciting whitewater rafting expedition is rated among the bestworld-classlass rivers. We start our trip from Cusco 3,300 mts. driving for 4 hours across the Andes down to the Apurimac River, ( in the native quechua language meaning Speaker of the Gods ). This river is also the most direct source of the Amazon making it the longest river in the world .We put-in at 2,000 mts. It will take us about two hours to prepare all the equipment using only state of the art self bailing rafts and catarafts. We´ll have lunch and raft down to our first camp. All the meals are prepared by our staff on a campfire under the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere . At one point we arrive at a narrow canyon with an impossible rapid where we have to do a portage for about 300 mts. Most of the time we will be rafting class III+ and IV rapids, but we also have a few class IV + and V rapids, among the wildlife; in this remote and isolated canyon we could find river otters, bob cats, foxes, torrent ducks, cormorants etc.

We meet at 8:30 am. From Cusco, we drive 4 hours through the Andes to the put-in at Huallpachaca bridge 2,000 mts.altitude. It will take us about two hours to prepare all the equipment, self-bailing rafts, oars, paddles, coolers, helmets, lifejackets, wetsuits, etc. you will be given a safety talk and drills into rafting technics. We will put emphasis in training all the participants, in how to get back into the raft, fliping the raft, swimming a rapid etc. We will be floating for 2 or 3 hours, doing class II and III rapids. Camp in a narrow gorge with impressive walls . Here the guides will prepare dinner (Lunch, dinner)

Day 06: APURIMAC RIVER RAFTING

After a healthy breakfast, we start rafting around 9:00am. Today we will be in the water for about 6 hours, doing mostly class III and IV rapids , stoping for lunch and arriving to camp around 4:00pm , today we´ll have té time and dinner and sleep on a sandy beach under the night sky of the southern hemisphere (Breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 07: APURIMAC RIVER RAFTING-CUSCO

After a good breakfast we are going to be rafting through a couple of class V rapids with names such as tooth ache, you first, the last laugh. After 3 or 4 hours of rafting, wewill arrive to the take out where we pack all the equipment and drive back to Cusco., arriving around 6:00 pm (Breakfast, lunch).

DAY 08 APURIMAC RIVER – CUSCO

Finally we reach a break in the canyon walls and from here it is a short bus journey back to Cusco, passing on route the towering snow capped Salcantay Mountain. On arrival in Cusco we drop you off at your hotel for a well earned hotel bed, hot shower and perhaps you will join us later to explore the delights of Cusco’s nightlife and celebrate your successful descent of through the mighty Apurimac canyon. (Breakfast – Lunch).

Day 09 CUSCO – LIMA

Breakfast and transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima. Transfer to your hotel. Guided shopping tour taking you to the famous handicraft markets. (Breakfast).

Day 10 LIMA – HOME

Transfer to the airport for the flight back home or continue on the extension of your choice. (Breakfast).

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