Inca Trail to Amazon Rainforest Tour

Today is the first day of the Inca Trail to the Amazon tour and no activities are scheduled. You can arrive in Lima at any time.

When you arrive, our transfer staff will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign bearing your name. Please look out for your name on the list. Once you have met them, you will be taken to your hotel in Miraflores. The drive from the airport to the hotel takes approximately two hours. After you have checked in, you are free to spend the rest of the day as you wish.

Miraflores is a safe area where you can walk around or explore Kennedy Park (also known as the Park of the Cats), and there are many Peruvian restaurants as well as places serving international food.

We will begin early in the morning today. We will be picked up from the hotel and taken to the international airport, where we will board our flight from Lima to Cusco. The flight takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Upon arrival in Cusco, the former capital of the Incas, our driver will be waiting outside the airport with a sign bearing your name. Please pay close attention to ensure you see it. Once we meet you, we will take you to your hotel in Cusco. We recommend staying in your hotel room and resting for about two hours to help your body acclimatise. Afterwards, you may wish to try drinking coca tea to help with the altitude.

Your hotel is located near the main square, so you can easily explore Cusco on foot. You can visit the Cathedral of Cusco and the Church of La Compañía de Jesús, or explore the Coricancha (Temple of the Sun). Cusco has many attractions, including Inca ruins, colonial houses, temples and local markets. The most popular local market among travellers is the San Pedro Market, where you will find a variety of natural products and food.

Extra activity: City Tour Cusco

If you would like to take the city tour, please contact our sales department. The tour includes visits to the Cathedral, the Temple of the Sun (Coricancha) and four important Inca ruins: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. The tour concludes in the evening near the main square, where you can enjoy dinner independently.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and mysterious places in the world. On the Inca Trail to Amazon tour today, you will explore the wonderful Inca sites.

Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive you from Cusco to Pisac, a journey of approximately 45 minutes, to begin the Sacred Valley tour. Upon arrival, you will enjoy a guided tour of the Pisac Inca site, followed by a visit to the traditional Pisac market. Here, you can admire the colourful displays and purchase souvenirs to commemorate your trip. After exploring the market, we will travel by bus to Urubamba, where you will enjoy a buffet lunch at one of the Sacred Valley's finest restaurants.

After lunch, we will continue to the town of Ollantaytambo. En route, you will enjoy beautiful landscapes dotted with colonial and Inca remains. In Ollantaytambo, you will visit the impressive archaeological site and climb 125 steps to reach the Temple of the Sun. From the top, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the valley on your guided tour. Afterwards, you will walk to your hotel to check in. You then have the rest of the afternoon free to explore the charming town at your leisure and enjoy dinner at a restaurant of your choice.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is physically demanding but absolutely worth it! This ancient network of roads once connected Cusco with its colonies and territories, and the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was part of that system. The route runs from high mountains down to cloud forests, crossing ecological zones filled with diverse flora, birdlife, and impressive archaeological sites.

During the trek, trekking cooks and super porters will carry most of the equipment, so you only need a backpack with your essentials. The trek is suitable for anyone reasonably fit. Covering 44 km (27 miles), the trail is often steep and includes two high passes. Nighttime temperatures can fall below freezing, and occasional rain is possible even in the dry season, so preparation is key.

Inca Trail Itinerary

Day 04: From the trailhead at Km 82, the route follows the left bank of the Urubamba River. Along the way, we visit the Inca archaeological sites of Willca Raccay and the ruins of Llactapata. We then continue up the Cusichaca River Canyon, with magnificent views of the Cordillera Oriental, including the beautiful Veronica Mountain (5,850 m). After lunch in Chamana, we follow the Cusichaca River until reaching the village of Huayllabamba. From there, we ascend through high Andean terrain covered with native trees and bushes before arriving at Llulluchapampa, a broad treeless plateau and the location of our first campsite.

Day 05: On the second day, we cross the highest point of the trail at Warmiwañusca, or “Dead Woman’s Pass” (4,050 m / 13,280 ft). After descending to Pacaymayo for lunch, we continue downhill along a paved Inca road to visit the ruins of Runkuracay and Sayacmarca. We then cross the second pass, Abra Runkuracay, and follow the “Royal Inca Highway” down to Sayacmarca, eventually reaching our campsite at Chaquicocha.

Day 06: Today the trail enters the cloud forest as we descend to the ruins of Phuyupatamarca, “Town Above the Clouds,” reached by a stone stairway. This is one of the best-preserved sites on the trail. After a guided tour and lunch, we continue along steep Inca stone steps for about three hours to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, a beautiful Inca site surrounded by thick forest. After a guided tour, we have dinner and camp overnight at Wiñay Wayna.

Day 07: Early in the morning, we climb the ancient steps to Intipunku, the Sun Gate. After about two hours, we will enjoy our first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. Together with our guide, we’ll explore the temples, houses, farming terraces, and palaces of the Inca city, depending on the circuit chosen for your visit. The guided tour lasts about two hours, with plenty of opportunities for photos. You may also choose to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, though both require prior reservation and an additional fee. In the afternoon, we return to Cusco by train.

Today is a free day, giving you the chance to rest and sleep in after your arduous hike to Machu Picchu. You could also take this opportunity to explore Cusco once more, as today is your last day in this beautiful city.

If you would like to add more experiences to your trip, your tour operator, Inca Trail Machu, offers optional day tours with unique adventures. There are many incredible destinations in Cusco that are not included in the Inca Trail to Amazon tour. Please contact our sales department, where our staff will be happy to provide more information.

Extend your tour with a Day Adventure:

• Rainbow Mountain Day Tour
• Humantay Lake Trek
• Rafting on the Urubamba River.
• Moray and Maras Salt Mines Day Tour.

We will transfer you to the airport for your flight from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. When you arrive, our staff will be waiting at the airport with a sign displaying your name. They will then take you to the river port. From there, you will board a motorised canoe and begin your journey deep into the Peruvian jungle. Enjoy a one-hour boat ride along the Madre de Dios River to reach our jungle lodge. After receiving a warm welcome from your guide and enjoying a refreshing drink made from local fruits, you will be given a brief orientation before settling into your room. As you travel, you may spot bird species that are typical of the riverbanks and forest edges of the Amazon.

Built using native architecture and sustainable materials, the jungle lodge is designed to minimise environmental impact while preserving the surrounding ecosystem. The rooms are simple yet comfortable and equipped with mosquito nets for each bed, flush toilets and showers. Most of the lodge staff are local community members, including multilingual naturalist guides who will accompany you throughout your stay.

Day 9: Monkey Island and night safari.

In the afternoon, we will cross the river to visit Monkey Island, home to capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys and other species that roam freely in their natural habitat. After returning to the lodge, dinner will be served. After nightfall, we will go on a nocturnal boat safari in search of white caimans on the riverbanks, and we may also spot capybaras, the world’s largest rodent. Overnight at the lodge.

Day 10: Lake Sandoval – Canopy Walkway – Nocturnal Jungle Walk

After breakfast, we will hike 3 km into the Tambopata National Reserve to reach Lake Sandoval, which is one of the most beautiful and biodiverse lakes in the Peruvian Amazon. A rowboat tour will allow us to observe the area's rich wildlife, including herons, hoatzins, cormorants, macaws and monkeys. With some luck, we may even catch a glimpse of the endangered giant river otters.

We then return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, we climb the Canopy Walkway, a suspension bridge 30 metres above the jungle floor offering sweeping views of the rainforest and the Madre de Dios River. From the walkway's various platforms, you can spot toucans, tanagers, macaws and other colourful birds.

In the evening, we go on a guided walk through the jungle to discover nocturnal wildlife such as frogs, insects and reptiles. Dinner and overnight stay at the lodge.

Day 11: Parrot Clay Lick - Lima

We wake up early and continue our expedition into the Peruvian Amazon. We will board a boat to visit the Parrot Clay Lick, where hundreds of parrots and parakeets gather daily to feed on mineral-rich clay, which is an essential part of their diet. After witnessing this unforgettable spectacle, we will return to the lodge for breakfast.

Today is our last day in the Amazon rainforest. After breakfast, we will take a motorised canoe from the lodge to the port of Puerto Maldonado. From there, we will be transferred to the airport for our flight to Lima.

Upon arrival, we will be transferred to a hotel in Miraflores. You are free to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the capital city of Lima at your own pace, or you may choose to participate in an optional activity such as a Lima City Tour or a visit to the Magic Water Circuit.

Today marks the final day of the 12-day Inca Trail to the Amazon Rainforest tour. You will return home with unforgettable memories and new friends to cherish for years to come.

If you would like to extend your stay in Peru, you could explore the north of the country; our sales department would be happy to prepare a personalised itinerary for you.

Otherwise, we bid you farewell — or, as the Incas would say in Quechua: Tupananchiskama ("Until we meet again").