Grand Tour of Peru with the Amazon River

Departure from Sofia airport on a Bulgaria Air flight to Madrid at 07:10. Landing in Madrid at 09:40 and continuing to Lima on an Iberia/Spanish Airlines flight at 13:00. (Air tickets Sofia - Madrid - Lima are not included in the package price). Landing in Lima at 18:00 local time. Meet and transfer to hotel Radisson Decapolis Miraflores 4* , located in the trendy Miraflores district. Overnight.

After breakfast, a full day panoramic tour of the „City of Kings”. We start with a visit to the private museum „Larco Herrera” and its unique collection of artworks from the Inca civilizations and their predecessor civilizations in the lands of present-day Peru. Mummies, Peruvian textiles, metal ornaments, weapons, erotic ceramics and much more are part of the museum's riches. Next stop is the main Plaza Mayor/UNESCO Square, originally preserved since its creation in 1535, and an outside tour of the Government Palace, City Hall, Cathedral, the House of the Oidor and the Torre Tagle Palace. Free time for lunch. Visit to the Convent of Saint Francis and its world-famous library, containing the first dictionary in Spanish published by the Royal Spanish Academy and a copy of the 16th century Bible. The special highlight during the tour is the entrance to Casa Aliaga - the oldest and best-preserved colonial residence in all of America, owned by the same family from 1535 to the present. The tour concludes with a panoramic tour of Lima's Pacific Coast with a stop at the beautiful Parque del Amorand at Larcomar, the largest shopping complex on the coast, where you can enjoy spectacular panoramic ocean views. Free time for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast and transfer to Ica by bus (305 km), a city in the desert of southern Peru, conveniently located on the Pan-American Highway. Hotel accommodation ViñasQueirolo 4* - the only wine estate in Peru with first-class hotel infrastructure. The famous Intipalka wine, which means „Valley of the Sun“ in Quechua, is produced here. Free time to relax and unwind in the hotel's beautiful surroundings. Tour of the vineyards with included tasting of pisco and local wines. Dinner at the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast. For all those who wish to fly over the Nazca plateau - transfer to the airport of Nazca. Flying over the Nazca Plateau is the only way to see the mysterious lines formed more than 2000 years ago but preserved to this day. Those who wish will have the unique opportunity to see the most interesting figures, of enormous size, resembling monkey, spider, pelican, condor, fish, reptiles, etc., about the origin of which modern science has not yet given a definitive answer. In the afternoon visit the beautiful oasis of Wacachina and the sand dunes of the Paracas desert, free time for lunch. Optional desert tour by buggy or sandboard on the dunes. Return to the hotel Viñas Queirolo in Ica, dinner and overnight.

a shark. Transfer to the Ballestas Islands for an exciting speedboat trip to the Paracas National Reserve, home to sea lions, seals, dolphins and many species of birds - a truly unique conglomeration of exotic marine life protected by UNESCO. Depart for Lima and fly to Cusco, the „Golden City” of the Incas, located at about 3,250 m above sea level. Hotel accommodation Hacienda Cusco Centro Historico 4*. Free time for acclimatization, rest and dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast. Organised half-day tour of Cusco, including a visit to the most imposing structure of the Inca era - the impressive Saxayuaman Fortress, built of precisely cut and stacked huge stone blocks, the Temple of Kenzo with its sacrificial altar, the central cult complex of Coricancha, known as the „Temple of the Sun”, the Cathedral and the main Plaza de Armas. Return to the hotel and free time for dinner in one of the many restaurants surrounding the impressive Central Plaza with the opportunity to watch traditional local dances. Overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and departure to the Sacred Valley. Passing through the pass at 3,500 m we will stop to explore the salt pans of Maras and the green terraces of Moray. This is believed to have been the testing ground of the Incas, where they experimented with different agricultural crops. Following the picturesque curves of the sacred Urubamba River, we arrive in the small town of Yucai located 60 km from Cusco (2800 m). Visit the „Living Museum of Yucai“ where we will learn about the traditions of local crafts and have an encounter with different types of llamas. Here we will also perform a special ceremony for fertility and good harvest, dedicated to Pacha Mama - Mother Earth.

Hotel accommodation follows Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay 4* . Free time for rest. Dinner at the hotel and overnight stay included. 

Breakfast. Full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley and its main city, Ollantaytambo, built during the reign of Pachacutec, the most successful Inca ruler. Explore the preserved ruins of an entire complex of buildings that include the Citadel, the Temple of the Sun and the dwellings of the ancient Incas, picturesquely situated in the valley of the Urubamba River. Depart by Vistadome scenic train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu to encounter one of the world's greatest mysteries.
The special tourist train travels up the steep slopes of the Andes and through its glass ceiling allows an impeccable view of the
the canyon that leads through the Sacred Valley to the jungle and Machu Picchu.
Afternoon check-in at hotel Еl Folders 4* in Aguas Calientes. Overnight.

Transfer by bus from Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu temple complex, located at 2,430 meters above sea level and consisting of 200 buildings set amidst an incredible natural scenery. Guided tour of the complex. The grandeur of nature here seems to have given rise to the genius of the ancient Incas to create this unique city with extreme precision! Afternoon departure by train from Aguas Calientes to the small town of Poroy (located 15 km from Cusco), from where we continue by bus to Cusco, check in at the hotel. Hacienda Cusco Centro Historico 4*. Free time for rest and dinner. Overnight.

Breakfast and departure along the „Way of the Sun” to Puno, port of Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world, located at 3 800 m above sea level. On the way, visit the 17th century Baroque church at Andúuillas, often called the „American Sistine Chapel” for its impressive frescoes. Lunch at a local restaurant en route. Continue and explore the ruins of the Temple of Viracocha, located near the small Indian town of Racchi. Arrive in Puno in the late afternoon. Check in at hotel Sónesta Posadas del Inca Puno 4*, located on the shores of Lake Titakaka. Here, from the hotel's panoramic terrace, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset in good weather. The lake is surrounded by the snow-capped peaks of the Andes, and the highest point is Chaikorpata Hill, 4006 metres above sea level. Overnight. 

Breakfast. In the morning boat trip to the Uros Islands, where the so-called „straw people” live. They have built their dwellings on reed platforms and spend their entire lives in the lake. Learning about their way of life and customs, preserving in the truest form the traditions of their ancestors. Continue to Taquile Island, inhabited by the „Taquilenos”, another Indian people, descendants of the Incas, who speak the Quechua language and have preserved their ancient customs and attractive traditional dress. Lunch included at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel. Overnight.

Breakfast and transfer to the airport in the nearby town of Juliaca. Transfer flight to Iquitos.  

Iquitos is located in northern Peru, deep in the Amazon jungle. With a population of around half a million, it is the largest city in the world, entirely inaccessible by land. It can only be reached by plane or boat, which is why the locals call it „La Isla Bonita“ - the beautiful island. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years by Indian tribes who lived in small seasonal settlements near the Nanay and Amazon rivers. During the period of the so-called „rubber barons“, the town flourished and chic Spanish colonial style buildings appeared.

Transfer from the airport to the city centre to the office of the local partner company, where a short briefing will be given on the jungle stay. Then from the Port Nanay harbour we sail by speedboat down the Amazon River to a place called the „Love Dance of the Rivers“, where the great tributary Nanay flows into the Amazon and waters of different colours flow down together. Along the banks of the Amazon we can catch a glimpse of caimans, giant river otters, coatis, anacondas, turtles and capybaras, as well as several species of monkeys and sloths. Not far from Monkey Island is our lodge. Heliconia Lodge Iquitos 4* , where we will be welcomed with an exotic fruit drink and a delicious lunch. In the afternoon we will take a first walk in the pristine jungle forest of the Yanamono Nature Reserve, learning about unique medicinal plants and the diverse birdlife. Before dinner, you can relax in a hammock in the lodge's relaxation area or around the pool. And after a hearty dinner, you can participate in a night boat ride on the quiet waters of the Amazon if you wish (at no extra charge). The moonlit reflections on the water and the sky studded with large stars create a unique romantic atmosphere that you will remember for a lifetime.

The Peruvian Amazon is one of the most biologically rich and culturally significant ecosystems on Earth. Today the entire day will be dedicated to exploring the Amazon jungle by water and land.

Early in the morning, if you wish, we will go on an expedition where we will observe the awakening of the jungle and all its inhabitants, inhaling the tart aroma and listening to the bizarre sounds of Toucans, Blue Tern, Amazon Hawk, Long-legged Yakana and other endemic birds. A delicious breakfast at the lodge follows. After breakfast, we will visit the settlement of one of the indigenous Amazonian tribes of Kukama, Yaguas, Bora and Hito Morui. For thousands of years they have been the guardians of the region's biodiversity, using ancient knowledge of plants and natural medicine. We'll delve into the rich world of mystery and legend of the Amazon jungle and learn about traditional healing drinks such as camu-camu and the „7 roots“ that local shamans use to strengthen the immune system and improve vitality. The tribe will show us their Pukuna hunting weapon and how to use it. We return to the lodge for lunch and a short rest. In the afternoon the program continues with a photo boat safari on one of the smaller tributaries of the Amazon. Encounters with exotic jungle inhabitants such as pink river dolphins, sloths, an abundance of colourful birds such as Ara parrots (locals call them guacamayo), toucans, hoatzins and Amazon woodpeckers await us. Here you will have a great opportunity to test your fishing skills for piranha, the giant (and very tasty!) Arapaima or Pacu fish. Return to the lodge to relax.

Optional short evening walk in the area, listening to the magical night sounds of the jungle. After sunset, you can observe a fascinating transformation from day to night, where the rainforest takes on a completely different character, with the activation of its many nocturnal inhabitants. Dinner at the lodge and overnight.

Today after breakfast we will take a boat to the beautiful Lake Yanamono where the giant water lily Victoria Regia, the „Queen of Water Lilies“, now renamed Victoria Amazon, grows. The leaves of these plants are huge and can reach up to 3 m in diameter. They are often depicted with a small child sitting in the centre of a leaf to show their size and resilience. Return to the lodge for lunch and vacate the room. Transfer by speedboat to the port of Iquitos and from there by bus to the airport for the return flight to Lima. Landing in Lima and check-in at hotel Radisson Decapolis Miraflores 4* . Free time for dinner and overnight.

Breakfast, check-out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for departure to Madrid on the 11:25 Iberia flight.

Landing in the Spanish capital at 6:00 and continuing to Sofia with a flight of Bulgaria Air at 10:45. Arrival at Sofia Airport Terminal 2 at 15:10. End of programme.