Oct 25, 2008

BUS CUSCO - PUNO



BUS CUSCO-PUNO-CUSCO
*FROM PUNO
Daily Departure from Terminal Terrestre de Buses (Puno) at 07:30hrs. Daily Arrival Av. La Paz C-32 Urb. El Ovalo-Huanchaq (Cuzco) at 17:00hrs. A Professional Bi-lingual Staff. Guided Tours to Andahuaylillas, Raqchi, La Raya and Pukara Museum (Arqueological Centers) and a Buffet Lunch in Sicuani Village. The journey is about 9 hours. (you will live a different experience very close to INKA's customs because people who live in these places still have the same way Inkas used to live.) You can also buy some Souveniers, take all the pics you want there are beautiful landscapes... and of course ask our Guide any question. On board Service: mineral water, coca tea, coffee, soda, oxygen, heating, hygienic bathroom, music and TV video. Professional Drivers and kind Hostess at your service.



GUIDED TOURS
 Andahuaylillas: Referred to as the Andean Sistine Chapel because of its magnificent frescoes, the church is but one example of the mestizo baroque architecture typical of the Cusco School which was prominent in the 17th century. You will marvel at the ceiling of carved panels covered with gold leaf.
 Raqchi: (or the temple of the God Wiracocha) 121 kilometers from Cusco, this Inca temple is monumental:100 meters in lenght, 26 meters in width and 14 meters in height. Divided in two naves, each of these still retains the base of eleven giant columns. The base of the walls consists of Imperial Inca stonework with a top section of adobe. Adjacent to the temple, we can see many storehouses, used for various purposes: military and religious
 La Raya: The highest pass on the route between Cusco and Puno, La Raya is 4335 meters above sea level. Beautiful landscapes await you, as well as the animals that are symbolic of the Andes: llamas, alpacas and vicunas. This is a region situated between two cultures, Quechua and Aymara, as well as a composite of two terrains: the dry and arid altiplano and the more verdant Quechua valleys and rivers.
 Pukara: This is the most important and oldest ceremonial site this side of Tiahuanaco.Characterized by a serie of staired plateforms, the ruins also reveal some litosculptures and tombstones, all witnesses of a pre-Inca civilization, possibly one at the origin of the Andean culture of the Altiplano.

ALTERNATIVE INCA TRAIL: CHOQUEQUIRAO



CHOQUE 4d/3n
DEPARTURES : Every day DURATION : 4D/3N TYPE : Trekking PERIOD : All year
This ‘lost city’ Choquekirao (meaning ‘cradle of gold’) was discovered in the 18th century by a French explorer, it fascinated 19th century explorers and was also visited by Hiram Bingham prior to his discovery of Machu Picchu. Grandiose and mysterious, this abandoned city has lots of parallels with Machu Picchu and there are a variety of theories about its function. It is only relatively recently, however, that COPESCO (the official body responsible for tourism in Peru) has partially cleared the site and there remains a lot more to be discovered.

FIRST DAY : CUSCO - SAN PEDRO OF CACHORA - CHIQUISCA
Early, after breakfast, we’ll leave the city of Cusco, direct to the town of Cachora. Around 9:00 a.m., we’ll be loading our equipment onto the mules or horses. From the small village, we’ll be able to watch the snow capped Padrayoc Mountain, at an altitude of 5,400 meters msl. In this day we’ll also be able to watch the snow capped mountain Wayna Cachora. We’ll have lunch in the viewpoint of Capuliyoc. Cusco Travel
After lunch, we’ll continue to go down to CHIQUISCA, place where we’ll install our base camp. On the road we’ll be able to watch the ApurimacCanyon with its amazing abysses. Dinner and overnight. Cusco Travel



SECOND DAY : CHIQUISCA - CHOQUEQUIRAO
After a delicious breakfast, we’ll start our trek going down to ROSALINA BEACH, at 1,500 meters msl.After crossing a wooden bridge, we’ll be trekking up to our next stop in the village of SANTA ROSA. After a short rest, we’ll continue to MARAMPATA, place where we’ll have lunch. From this location we’ll be able to watch how the ruins look like and the Apurimac Canyon, with its beautiful waterfalls, considered one of the deepest in the world. After we’ll continue our route to the complex of CHOQUEQUIRAO, were we‘ll have Short visit that includes dinner and overnight. Cusco Travel



THIRD DAY : CHOQUEQUIRAO - CHIQUISCA
At 6:00 a.m., after breakfast we’ll visit the complex one more time, in order to know with details the importance with no rush. We’ll also be able to admire the flight of the sacred bird of the Incas, the Condor, at a very close distance. We’ll be able to watch magical landscapes at sunrise time. After the visit, we’ll return to the base camp to have breakfast. Then we’ll pack our luggage, in order to return. We’ll be using the same path, until the town of SANTA ROSA, place where we’ll have lunch. Finally after a short trek we’ll arrive to CHIQUISCA, place where we’ll install the base camp. Dinner and overnight. Cusco Travel



FOURTH DAY : CHIQUISCA - CACHORA - CUSCO
Early, after breakfast, we’ll leave the base camp and continue our trek to the town of Cachora, We’ll have lunch at the CAPULIYOC viewpoint. At Cachora we’ll take the bus back to Cusco, 8:00 p.m. Machu Picchu Trek



Include
• Transfer hotel - Cachora - hotel
• Professional bilingual tour guide
• Camping equipment
• First aid kit with an oxygen bag
• Horses
• Porters
• Meals
• Entrance fee to Cachora
• Safety security box
Not Include
• Sleeping bag
• The first day breakfast and the last day dinner
Notes
• Bring your passport or your ISIC, if you’re under 25 years old
• Camera and films
• Batteries for flashlights,camera
• Sunblock and deet against mosquitos
• Treking boots
• Sleeping bag
• A flashlight
• Changeable light clothes
• Antiallergy pills
• Personal care objects
• Sunglasses
• Raincoat
• Tablets to purify the water
• Extra money
• The first day, a bottle of water

ALTERNATIVE INCA TRAIL: LARES


TREK TO LARES 4D/3N

Lares is the name of a small town on the highlands north of Cusco. We also call the nice trek there the Lares trek. We begin in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Huarn and ascend down a narrow valley, where you will have the opportunity to see thatched stone houses surrounded by herds of llamas and alpacas. Inside the houses you will see guinea pigs running loose.

The trek is moderate, we can compare it with the Inca Trail, in the fact that we have two high passes of 4.000 masl or 13,200 ft to conquer. We recommend that our guests plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Cusco (3,300 masl or 10,890 ft) before the tour.




Day 1 Cusco - Cancha Cancha
Early in the morning we pick our passengers up from their hotels and travel in our private bus to Huarn (2,760 masl or 9108 ft), a small village located in the Urubamba Valley(The Sacred Valley of the Incas), east of Pisac. Once there, we will start our trek, heading up a narrow valley, looking at the scenery and enjoying the nature in this area. After 5 hours of walking, we will arrive at Cancha Cancha (3,700 masl or 12,210 ft.), our campsite for the night.



Day 2 Cancha Cancha - Quisuarani
After breakfast, we will continue up the valley, crossing the Pachacutec Pass (4,400 masl or 14,000ft), where we can see Lake Pachacutec and Mount Pitusiray. In the afternoon we will arrive at Quisuarani (3,700 masl or 12,000 ft.), the next campsite.



Day 3 Quisuarani - Lares Hot Springs
In the morning after cleaning up the campsite, we will continue our trek, passing through the 2nd high pass of Huillquijasa (4,200 masl or 13,440 ft). At this point we will be only 3 hours from the village of Quisuarani. In the afternoon we will continue walking on this beautiful narrow trail, looking at the great landscape with turquoise lagoons, until we reach the village of Cuncani (3,750 masl. or 12,000 ft.). After this we continue descending close to the Lares River, until the Hot Springs of Lares, and our campsite near the thermal pools.



Day 4 Lares - Cusco
We have until the late morning to enjoy the thermal pools, after which we will take our private bus back to Cusco, and arriving there in the afternoon.

Included :
 Private service
 Professional English/Spanish Speaking guide
 Private Bus in and out to the beginning of the trail
 Round-trip Transfers
 Doubles Occupancy Tents
 Camping Equipment: Bathroom tent, kitchen tent, dining tent, stools, tables and comfortable mattresses
 Cook/Muleteer
 Horses and Mules to carry our equipment
 Coffee breaks in the afternoons
 All meals during the trek
 First Aid kit/Oxygen

We recommended to bring:
 Personal Sleeping Bag (If you dont have, please, see our camping equipment Web)
 Backpack and Daypack
 Hiking shoes or boots
 Raincoat/poncho
 Water bottle, flashlight, hat, sun block, sunglasses
 Warm/Thermal clothes
 Chocolates, candies or other snacks
 Camera + Film, Binoculars

Oct 24, 2008

USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT CUSCO

ALTITUDE
Capital: Cusco (3399 masl / 11.156 fasl)
Altitude: Lowest point: 532 masl / 1745 fasl (Pilcopata)
Highest point: 4801 masl / 15.751 fasl (Suyckutambo)


CLIMATE
The city has a semi-dry and cold climate. The annual average maximum temperature is 19.6ºC (67.3ºF) and the minimum is 4.2ºC (39.6ºF). The rainy season starts in November and ends in March, and it is the time when the mountains are covered in green. Between June and July is the time of the intense cold (heladas) even with occasional snowfalls.


ACCESS ROUTES
By land: Lima – Arequipa – Cusco: 1650 km / 1025 miles (26 hours by car)
Lima – Nasca – Puquio – Abancay – Cusco: 1131 km / 703 miles (20 hours by car)
Puno – Cusco: 389 km / 242 miles (7 hours by car)
By air: Daily flights to Cusco from Lima (1 hour) and Arequipa (30 minutes)
By train: Regular service from Puno: 384 km / 239 miles (10 hours)


DISTANCES FROM DE CITY OF CUSCO
 Acomayo (Province of Acomayo) 104,5 km (65 miles) / 3 hours
 Anta (Province of Anta) 26 km (16 miles) / 30 minutes
 Calca (Province of Calca) 50 km (31 miles) / 1 hour and 15 minutes
 Yanaoca (Province of Canas) 165 km (103 miles) / 3 hours
 Sicuani (Province of Canchis) 138 km (86 miles) / 2 hours
 Santo Tomás (Province of Chumbivilcas) 240 km (149 miles) / 10 hours
 Yauri (Province of Espinar) 241 km (150 miles) / 7 hours
 Quillabamba (Province of La Convención) 210 km (130 miles) / 6 hours
 Paruro (Province of Paruro) 64 km (40 miles) / 2 hours
 Paucartambo (Province of Paucartambo) 109 km (68 miles) / 3 hours
 Urcos (Province of Quispicanchi) 46 km (29 miles) / 40 minutes
 Urubamba (Province of Urubamba) 78 km (48 miles) / 1 hour and 25 minutes



 DIRECTORY:




AIRPORT
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
Avenida Velasco Astete, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 22-2611


OVERLAND TRANSPORT
Main bus Station: Avenida Vallejos Santoni, block 2, Santiago, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 22-4471
Urubamba bus stop via Pisaq: Calle Puputi, block 2, Cusco
Urubamba bus stop via Chinchero: Avenida Grau, block 1, Cusco


RAILWAY SERVICE
Wanchaq Station - Service to Puno: Avenida Pachacutec, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 23-8722 / 22-1992. Email: Reservas@perurail.com Web site: http://www.perurail.com
San Pedro Station - Service to Machu Picchu: Calle Ccascaparo, Cusco


HEALTH CENTERS
Regional Hospital: Avenida De la Cultura, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 22-3691
Hospital Antonio: Lorena. Plazoleta Belén 1358, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 22-6511


LOCAL POLICE
Tourism Police: Calle Shapy 510, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 24-9654


CRAFT MARKETS
Craft Market: Corner of Avenida Tullumayo and Avenida Pachacuteq, Cusco
San Blas Art Market: San Blas neighborhood. Opening hours: Sat. 9:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Pisaq People’s Market: District of Pisaq. Opening hours: Sun., Tues., and Thurs. 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.
Chincheros Market: District of Chincheros. Opening hours: Sun., Tues., and Thurs. 8:00 A.M. – 6:00 P.M.


POSTAL SERVICES
Av. El Sol 800, Cusco. Telephone: (084) 22-4212 / 24-8352. Attention: Mon. – Sat. 7:30 A.M. – 7:30 P.M. and Sun. 7:30 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.


LINKS
 Regional Government of Cusco www.regioncusco.gob.pe
 Cusco: Velasco Astete International Airport – Main HallTelephone / fax: (084) 23-7364. Attention: Mon. – Sun. 6:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. Email: iperucuscoapto@promperu.gob.pe
 Cusco Main Square: Avenida Sol 103, Office 102 (Galerías Turísticas). Telephone: (084) 23-4498. Telephone / fax: (084) 25-2974. Attention: Mon. – Sun. 8:30 A.M. – 7:30 P.M. Email: iperucusco@promperu.gob.pe
 Machu Picchu: Avenida Pachacutec, block 1, office 4 (National Cultural Institute Building). Telephone / fax: (084) 21-1104. Attention: Mon. – Sun. 9:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. / 2:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.Email: iperumachupicchu@promperu.gob.pe

Oct 23, 2008

ABOUT QHAPAQNAN EXPEDITION


We are a group of young peruvian people, in love with our country and culture, that are eager to show you the best of us. We want to show you the magic destinations that our country has to offer, in a tailor made way, that is, planning your trip according to your wishes and budget, always providing an outstanding level of service.

It doesn’t matter where you want to go, or how you want to go, just let us know and we will design your trip, take care of you and guarantee a wonderful experience, getting to see even more that you ever dreamed, colors and culture, amazing flavors and great people, assuring an experience that goes higher than your expectations.

You will get the best value for you, because we want you to see and enjoy our country the way we do, taking out for you, the best of it. Whether you want to relax or get an excited adventure, we will make your dreams come tours.

THE INCA TRAIL EXPERIENCE


DAY 1 - CUSCO - PISKACUCHO - WAYLLABAMBA
At 6:00 a.m., we pick you up at your hotel, we will depart from Cusco and travel to Urubamba, stopping briefly at Ollaytaytambo, where you can buy last minute gear and personal items. Then we move on to Piskacuchu (Km 82) and the start of the Inca Trail. We will have lunch in Miskay and relax a bit before hiking to our first campsite. Along the way, we will visit the Llactapata archeological site.
L/D

DAY 2 - WAYLLABAMBA - WARMIWAÑUSCA - PAQAYMAYU
We'll start the day early in the morning with a hearty breakfast, and then hike up to the highest point of the Inca Trail. Here, we can see the various ecological zones and microclimates, which make up the area, literally mapped out in front of us. We will cross the Warmiwañusca pass at 4,200 meters/13,780 feet above sea level. After lunch we will continue on to the Pacaymayo campsite, where we will enjoy dinner and a well-deserved rest.
B/L/D




DAY 3 - PAQAYMAYU - CHAQ´ICOCHA - WIÑAYWAYNA
Our day begins with a nutritious breakfast and then a 45-minute hike up to the second highest pass on the Trail (3,850 meters/12,631 feet above sea level). Along the way we will visit the Runcuracay archeological site. During the day's hike, we will also visit the Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca archeological complexes. After lunch we will head to the Wiñaywayna ruins, where we will spend our last night on the Trail.
B/L/D




DAY 4 - WIÑAYWAYNA - MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO
After an early breakfast, we begin the final leg of the trek to the lost city of Machu Picchu. First, we will hike to Inti Punku ("Sun Gate"), where we will take in an inspiring and panoramic view of the Machu Picchu citadel. After a short hike down to Machu Picchu, we will register and then enjoy a 3-hour guided tour of the sanctuary-city. After the tour of Machu Picchu, we will take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, where we will enjoy before returning to Cusco by train.
B

Note:
* The Government office assigns us the campsites to the enterprise tour operator
* People who want to visit Huayna Picchu must let us know as soon as they can, because according to new rules, there is a limit of people (400) per day that can climb it.

STANDARD SERVICE
Group Size: 2 - 16 people
Fixed departures : Monday, Wednesday and friday

INCLUDES:
**Transportation to and from: Hotel - Km. 82 (Piscaycucho) / Train station- Hotel
**Bus Ticket: Machu Picchu - Aguas Calientes
**Guide: Professional English and Spanish speaking guide; 2 guides for groups over 9 people
**Cook: In charge of meal preparation
**Porters: Carry tents and cooking equipment
**Meals: 3 Breakfasts/3 Lunches/3 Dinners/3 Snacks and afternoon tea
**Ticket: Inca Trail & Machu Picchu
**Equipment: tents (2 people in each, 3-person-capacity), sleeping pad, dinner tent, kitchen tent, tables and chairs, table settings, first aid kit, including emergency oxygen bottle
**Backpacker Train Service: Aguas Calientes -CuscoTrain Station

DOESN'T INCLUDE:
**Breakfast (day 1), usually hotels offer this service
**Lunch (day 4)
**Sleeping bag

THE AMAZING INCA TRAIL

HIKING THE INCA TRAIL
The Lost City of Machu Picchu is without doubt the most recognizable symbol of Inca Civilization for us as well as for the international visitor. "The Inca Trail", as it is known now, was the Royal Highway that led pilgrims and officials of the Empire to the Sacred City of the Incas.

Hiking the Inca Trail is a highly rewarding holiday choice! It is the best of its kind in the world, due to its exquisite natural beauty and unforgettable views offering a wide variety of ecological areas, from deserts to tropical Andean cloud forest; home to exotic plants and animal life. On the Inca Trail, there are over 250 known species of orchids , and in the different ecosystems, numerous rare birds, animals, and reptiles including several species considered to be in danger of extinction.

Walking the ancient Inca Trail gives you the opportunity to visit overgrown Inca buildings undiscovered by the Spanish Empire, giving you the feeling that you are the first to come across them.

Walking this Andean highway is a truly fascinating and unforgettable experience. The Trail is paved with blocks of stone, It has stone stairways, tunnels and wooden bridges. It crosses rivers, streams, temperate valleys, warm cloud forests and cold highlands.

Witnessing and experiencing all this wonder make the traveler to marvel at the intellectual and spiritual grandeur of Andean man, whose highest achievement was Inca civilization.

The Inca Trail is part of a 30,000 kilometer highway system, that integrated the vast Inca Empire of Tawantinsuyo (The Four Ways), running from southern Colombia to central Chile passing through the cities of Quito in Ecuador; Cajamarca, Huanuco, Jauja, Huamanga and Cusco in Peru; La Paz and Cochabamba in Bolivia; and finishing in Salta and Tucuman in Argentina. These highways run mainly by the coast, through the Highlands and in some cases reached the tropical mountains near the Amazon forest. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a fine example of this last type of highway.

Following the footsteps of the original Incas, on one of the most accessible treks in the region, the Inca Trail to the enigmatic Machu Picchu, The Lost City of the Incas, is one of the greatest adventures you are ever likely to have nowadays. Years of experience with adventurers on this trail have helped us to design three unforgettable Inca Trailtreks that we are now proud to offer you.

Oct 22, 2008

BE YOUR OWN GROUP TRIP PLANNER Y TRAVEL FOR LESS…..

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COLCA CANYON


Four hours north of Arequipa lies the impressive Colca Valley. The road to the valley crosses the lower slopes of Mount Chachani and runs along plains studded with ichu and yareta (plants used for fuel) and which are home to alpacas and vizcacha rodents. The road crosses a high point of 4,350 meters before dropping down to the valley, an area of breath-taking landscapes surrounded by terracing and snow-capped peaks. Far below, at a depth of 3,400 meters, the Colca River winds along the bottom of the canyon, one of the world's deepest.



The valley features archaeological remains left behind by the Collagua, the ancient inhabitants of the area. These include cave paintings and grain storerooms known as colcas. There are 14 towns based on both riverbanks, towns which were founded in the sixteenth century to settle the Collagua natives who were scattered around the area. Despite the ravages of time, the towns have preserved their original characteristics, such as the outline of their streets, their richly-decorated colonial churches and traditional festivals.
The area stands out for the superb regional arts and crafts such as carpets and embroidered clothing (like the skirts and blouses worn by the local women), which feature colorful designs, as well as items that have been sculpted and embossed in tin. Other folk art includes statuettes such as San Isidro el Labrador, plus candles and wooden sculptures.

ASome 40 km from Chivay, the first of the towns along the way, stands a superb natural lookout point from where one can watch the condors wheeling over the valley, while in the distance one can spot the Coropuna and Ampato volcanoes. Several towns in the valley provide lodging, but one can also camp out and go trekking. The area is ideal for adventure sports.

MACHU PICCHU BASIC TOUR

MAPI BASIC (START AT $800 DOLARS)

DAY 1. ARRIVE LIMA
Arrive to lima; transfer airport – hotel . City tour around "city of the kings"

DAY 2 CUZCO
Transfer to the airport to take an early fly to Cuzco; In Cuzco transfer to the hotel. Relax and explore the ancient Inca spiritual sites, like sacsayhuaman, kenko, and tambomachay and puca pucara.

DAY 3 SACRED VALLEY - OLLANTAYTAMBO
Travel with our local guide through the sacred valley, including the picturesque town and Inca ruins of ollantaytambo. We stay at the valley for overnight

DAY 4 MACHU PICCHU
A morning train takes us trough the valley to the village of Aguas Calientes. We continue on to the spiritual center of the Incas, the "lost city" of Macchu Picchu. On our guide tour we learn about the history and importance of the ruins. After walking the sites terraced landscape, you may choose to soak weary bones in the nearby thermal bath. Overnight in Aguas Caliente

DAY 5 MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO
Enjoy your free day at Machu Picchu. Return to Cusco bye train in the evening.

DAY 06 CUZCO
Name a World heritage site in 1983 for its unique cultural importance. Cuzco has a friendly, colonial atmosphere. Among its many offerings, the town has nearby Inca ruins, cobblestone streets, numerous museums, colorful markets and many churches Still is not all history. Adrenaline junkies can choose from rafting, horseback riding, paragliding and mountain biking and many more.

DAY 07 DEPART CUZCO
Midday flight to return lima. Enjoy your last day at the "City of Kings”

DAY 08 DEPARTURE DAY
Arrange your transfer for free at the front desk from your hotel





INFORMATION

INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS
all transfers apto - htl
city tours lima, Cuzco
Domestic flight lima - Cuzco - lima
10 days touristic ticket in Cuzco (museums, koricancha, the cathedral)
guide tour to sacred valley: lunch buffet included
train ticket ollantaytambo - aguas calientes - Cuzco
transfer train station - htl
guided tour to macchu picchu
ticket to machu picchu
Bus ticket aguas calientes - machu picchu - aguas calientes

ACCOMMODATION
hotel 7 nts

TRANSPORTATION
local flight, public bus, train.

MEALS INCLUDED
lunch buffet at the sacred valley

NOTES
Local flight airport taxes are not included (lima us$6.05 , province us$ 3.45)
this trip is available with Inca trail. Cod DITB (link hacia INCA TRAIL BASIC)

RAIN FOREST - PUERTO MALDONADO





Colpa de Guacamayos de Colorado
Inside the Tambopata National Reserve and 150 km / 93 miles from Puerto Maldonado (12 hours by boat)
The “colpa” (macaw clay lick) is a place where macaws congregate, formed along the shores of the river due to certain erosion processes that allowed the formation of soil rich in mineral salts. It is approximately 50 meters / 164 feet high, 500 meters / 1640 feet long, and is considered the largest in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Every morning, six different species of macaws, parrots, and parakeets gather there.
These colorful birds fly around the colpa before starting the “colpeo”, which consists in eating the clay found on the cliff and serves as a nutritional supplement. After staying there from twenty-five to thirty minutes, they fly away to come back the next day. Occasionally, Brazilian tapirs, capybaras, and squirrels go there. At the top of the trees, different species of monkeys like the red howler, the caupuchin, the titi, and sometimes even spider monkeys can be seen.

Sandoval Lake
10 km / 6 miles from Puerto Maldonado (25 minutes by a 55 HP boat). To reach the lake, you must walk 5 km / 3 miles from the shore of the river to the interior (1 hour and 30 minutes)
It is approximately 3 km / 2 miles long, 1 km / 0,6 miles wide, and 0.5 centimeters / 0,1 inches to 3 meters / 10 feet deep. The water remains at an average temperature of 26ºC (79.8ºF), and a huge amount of fish live there. It is surrounded by aguajales, swampy areas where, among other exotic species, a native palm tree called aguaje grows.
Along with the local vegetation, you can see orchids, wild plantains, and milpesos palms, giant kapoks, mahoganys, and 30 meter / 98 feet aguaje palm trees.
In this habitat lives a great variety of birds, like cormorants, toucans, macaws, parrots, horned screamers, and herons. In addition, there is a colorful variety of wild hens called hoatzin or shansho whish heads are topped with feathers. With some luck, tapirs, turtles, and giant otters or “river wolves” can be seen as well as different species of crocodiles, like the black caiman.

Valencia Lake
60 km / 37 miles from Puerto Maldonado (4 hours by 55 HP boat)
The lake is 15 km / 9 miles long, 800 meters in Peru. The park is located between the Madre de Dios and Puno departments in the provinces of Tambopata, Carabaya, and Sandia. It has an area of 1’091.416 hectares, and part of it is in Bolivia. The most important animals that can be found there are the maned wolf, the marsh deer, the giant anteater, the river wolf or giant otter, the bush dog, the black caiman and the harpy eagle. Tambopata National Reserve 45 km / 28 miles south of Puerto Maldonado (2 hours by motorboat). There is also an alternative route: 25 km / 16 miles by land (by 4x4 vehicle) to the community of Infierno and then a river crossing to the reserve (2 hours by 55 HP motor boat) Located between the basins of the Tambopata and Heath Rivers, the reserve covers an area of 274.690 hectares and is found in both the Madre de Dios and Puno departments. The wealth of its biodiversity is immeasurable, and scientist have already registered 632 bird species, 1200 butterfly species, 169 mammal species, 205 fish species, 103 amphibian species, and 67 reptile species. The vegetation is typical of tropical regions. To enter the reserve, prior authorization from INRENA is required.

LAKE TITICACA - PUNO





Puno was the territory of the Tiahuanacos (800 A.D. – 1200 A.D.) who were the highest cultural expression of the Aymara people that established themselves in what is today Peru and Bolivia. The Incas took over these lands in the fifteenth century, and the Spanish, attracted by the mining industry developed there, left an important Colonial legacy throughout the entire area.
Today, the city of Puno (3,287 masl), which lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, is the folklore capital of Peru and the site of the Feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria. In the outskirts, you can visit the spectacular Chullpas de Sillustani, a complex of impressive burial towers built by the Kollas, Juli, famous for its beautiful Colonial churches, Lampa with its vice royal church built between 1675 and 1685, Llachón, a community that still maintains its centuries old customs and cultural expressions, and Pucará, known for its pre-Inca pottery and for the “toritos de Pucará” that the artisans of today create from clay.

The lake contains numerous islands whose inhabitants continue to live as their ancestors have in custom and tradition. The Uros an example of this; this people group lives on “floating islands” that they have artificially made entirely of totora reeds, and they navigate in their traditional boats also made out of totora reeds. Taquile, Suasi, and Amantaní are knows for their kindness of their residents, their ancestral skill in weaving, their pre-Columbian constructions, and lovely countryside. The Titicaca National Reserve (36,180 hectares) protects extensive stretches of totora reeds and various species of plants and animals.


MACHU PICCHU


“In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle."
Hiram Bingham on Machu Picchu


The city of Machu Picchu is the department of Cusco’s most important tourist attraction. Discovered in 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham, this city is considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples of scenic architecture in the world.
The city of Machu Picchu itself was built at the top of a granite mountain. The Incas, using ingenious engineering techniques, were able to transport heavy stone blocks up the mountain side, and once there, they used their excellent masonry skills to produce amazingly polished stones that fit together perfectly.

The city is divided into two architectural sectors or districts:

Agricultural sector
This district is surrounded by a series of agricultural terraces that differ in type and size and might have performed two chief functions, one being crop growing and the other protection from water erosion caused by intense rains. Within the agricultural sector are five storehouse-like structures, called collpas or granaries.



Checkpoint
It is a three-walled building with several windows, which you come to before reaching the main gate. The view from here offers a panorama of the two large sectors, the agricultural and the urban, as well as the surrounding scenery.


Upper cemetery and burial stones
In Machu Picchu, as in all Incan cities, the Incas buried their dead in outlying areas. Researchers have uncovered skeletal remains in this place, and in the upper part, they found smallstones that are part of the site, an indication that they were used as some sort of offering by the Incas.

Urban sector
The physical separation between this sector and the agricultural is a dry moat, and from this site you can also see a rather long stairway leading to the main gate. One of the features of an Incan city (llaqta) is that the main architectural elements are found within this sector. And in the case of Machu Picchu, the city is shaped as a letterU.


To the north is a large sub-sector, religious due to the number of temples there, and to the south is a group of homes and workshops built on terraced platforms that Hiram Bingham christened the military group.

Temple of the Sun
The building is designed as a semi-circle and constructed on a foundation of rock, an existing granite block fashioned to follow the natural curve and whose perimeter measures 10.5 meters. There are two trapezoidal windows in which the builders added moldings at each of the corners. On the north side is a wonderfully stone worked gate, and in its jambs, the Incas drilled holes, much like what is found in the QoricanchaTemple in the city of Cusco.

Ceremonial rock
This menhir stands 3 meters high, measures 7 meters around at its base, and has been fashioned to look like a cat. From a different angle though, it recalls the profile of one of the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu. Because of the characteristics of the group this rock belongs to, which also features two “huayranas” or three-walled rooms, it probably fulfilled ceremonial purposes.


Temple of the Three Windows
This building, located on the eastern side of the main square, exhibits a large rectangular floor plan and owes its name to the main section, where there are three beautiful windows plus two open spaces. The architectural style exhibited in this structure, together with the main temple, is by far the most striking of all Machu Picchu; we are talking about enormous, meticulously fashioned stones, fitted to such a degree that mere millimeters separate them.

MainTemple
It is north of the sacred plaza, hard by the Temple of the Three Windows. The Incas built it as a wayrana, i.e. an 11 meter by 8 meter rectangular structure but with only three walls, which measure .90 meters in thickness. At the foot of the main wall is a sculpted stone that might have served as an altar.


Intiwatana
This intrusive rock is the ceremonial center of Machu Picchu. The word can be translated as sun (inti) year (wata) and was a place where the Incan astronomers studied the solar year to possibly determine the solstices and equinoxes. Many researchers believe the Incas might have used the angles of the Intiwatana as a directional landmark in order for them to find magnetic north. Whatever the case may be, it certainly was the ceremonial axis of great religious significance.

The plazas
There are four plazas in Machu Picchu located at different levels, yet they all feature classic Incan architecture in the form of their rectangular shape. The architects linked them together by staircases that were built into the construction of the terraces. The largest of these is the main square, which fulfilled religious and social functions.


Mausoleum or tomb
The enormous, leaning stone block supporting the lower part of the Temple of the Sun forms a grotto that had been decorated and prepared with exceptional skill and later used as a mausoleum. It was also a place where the people worshipped and made offerings to the mummies of the chief rulers. At its entrance you see a depiction of the earth goddess’s stair step symbol.

Doors
Although the doors found throughout Machu Picchu feature a variety of textures, sizes, and architectural styles, differing one from another, they all possess the traditional form of a trapezoid.



WAYNA PICCHU
The eternal guardian of the Sanctuary, Wayna Picchu (meaning “young mountain” in Quechua) towers over the Incan city. To conquer its summit is truly an unforgettable experience. Along the route and at the top are sacred structures and eye catching terraces, built right against the slope’s edge.


It is possible to begin the ascent from Machu Picchu’s main square by way of a path the Incas themselves made. Today, it is well marked and in good condition. The view from Wayna Picchu is remarkable: Machu Picchu spread out in all its glory, the VilcanotaRiverCanyon, and the surrounding mountains. Be prepared for a tough two to three hour climb.




WIÑAYWAYNA
Wiñaywayna means “forever young” in Quechua, and is perhaps the most beautiful building along the Inca Trail. On the third day of trekking is when you reach this spot, located at an altitude of 2,700 meters, with its small urban sector and must see ceremonial fountains, ten to be exact, and a tower of typical Incan stonework. Other noteworthy sights include the stairway connecting the complex’s different levels and the agricultural sector with hanging terraces that defy the sheer precipice falling towards the VilcanotaRiverCanyon below.

You do not need to complete the four or eight day trek of the Inca Trail to visit Wiñaywayna. You can reach it from the village of Machu Picchu following the section of train tracks and then beginning your climb at the 104th kilometer. Expect the journey to take three and a half hours.


INTIPUNKU
The “Doorway of the Sun”, translation from Quechua, is the entrance to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail. Arriving there before sunrise in order to watch as the Incan city shows itself through the clearing mist shroud at dawn is truly an exciting, unforgettable, and sublime experience.

The Intipunku provides the viewer a majestic and complete view of Machu Picchu as well as the sacred mountain of Wayna Picchu. The site, featuring stone buildings and steep stone stairways, seems to be some type of customs checkpoint for people arriving and departing the city.

TEMPLE OF THE MOON
If you set off from the Machu Picchu main square and trek for three hours along this path, you will come to this fascinating temple, where the three planes of Incan religion are depicted: the Hanan Pacha (the heavens, or world of above), the Kay Pacha (the earth, or physical life), and the Ukju Pacha (the underworld, or world of below), represented respectively by the condor, the puma, and the snake.
“In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it. Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead, gigantic precipices of many-colored granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids; it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle."
Hiram Bingham on Machu Picchu


The city of Machu Picchu is the department of Cusco’s most important tourist attraction. Discovered in 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham, this city is considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples of scenic architecture in the world.
The city of Machu Picchu itself was built at the top of a granite mountain. The Incas, using ingenious engineering techniques, were able to transport heavy stone blocks up the mountain side, and once there, they used their excellent masonry skills to produce amazingly polished stones that fit together perfectly.

The city is divided into two architectural sectors or districts:

Agricultural sector
This district is surrounded by a series of agricultural terraces that differ in type and size and might have performed two chief functions, one being crop growing and the other protection from water erosion caused by intense rains. Within the agricultural sector are five storehouse-like structures, called collpas or granaries.



Checkpoint
It is a three-walled building with several windows, which you come to before reaching the main gate. The view from here offers a panorama of the two large sectors, the agricultural and the urban, as well as the surrounding scenery.


Upper cemetery and burial stones
In Machu Picchu, as in all Incan cities, the Incas buried their dead in outlying areas. Researchers have uncovered skeletal remains in this place, and in the upper part, they found smallstones that are part of the site, an indication that they were used as some sort of offering by the Incas.

Urban sector
The physical separation between this sector and the agricultural is a dry moat, and from this site you can also see a rather long stairway leading to the main gate. One of the features of an Incan city (llaqta) is that the main architectural elements are found within this sector. And in the case of Machu Picchu, the city is shaped as a letterU.


To the north is a large sub-sector, religious due to the number of temples there, and to the south is a group of homes and workshops built on terraced platforms that Hiram Bingham christened the military group.

Temple of the Sun
The building is designed as a semi-circle and constructed on a foundation of rock, an existing granite block fashioned to follow the natural curve and whose perimeter measures 10.5 meters. There are two trapezoidal windows in which the builders added moldings at each of the corners. On the north side is a wonderfully stone worked gate, and in its jambs, the Incas drilled holes, much like what is found in the QoricanchaTemple in the city of Cusco.

Ceremonial rock
This menhir stands 3 meters high, measures 7 meters around at its base, and has been fashioned to look like a cat. From a different angle though, it recalls the profile of one of the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu. Because of the characteristics of the group this rock belongs to, which also features two “huayranas” or three-walled rooms, it probably fulfilled ceremonial purposes.


Temple of the Three Windows
This building, located on the eastern side of the main square, exhibits a large rectangular floor plan and owes its name to the main section, where there are three beautiful windows plus two open spaces. The architectural style exhibited in this structure, together with the main temple, is by far the most striking of all Machu Picchu; we are talking about enormous, meticulously fashioned stones, fitted to such a degree that mere millimeters separate them.

MainTemple
It is north of the sacred plaza, hard by the Temple of the Three Windows. The Incas built it as a wayrana, i.e. an 11 meter by 8 meter rectangular structure but with only three walls, which measure .90 meters in thickness. At the foot of the main wall is a sculpted stone that might have served as an altar.


Intiwatana
This intrusive rock is the ceremonial center of Machu Picchu. The word can be translated as sun (inti) year (wata) and was a place where the Incan astronomers studied the solar year to possibly determine the solstices and equinoxes. Many researchers believe the Incas might have used the angles of the Intiwatana as a directional landmark in order for them to find magnetic north. Whatever the case may be, it certainly was the ceremonial axis of great religious significance.

The plazas
There are four plazas in Machu Picchu located at different levels, yet they all feature classic Incan architecture in the form of their rectangular shape. The architects linked them together by staircases that were built into the construction of the terraces. The largest of these is the main square, which fulfilled religious and social functions.


Mausoleum or tomb
The enormous, leaning stone block supporting the lower part of the Temple of the Sun forms a grotto that had been decorated and prepared with exceptional skill and later used as a mausoleum. It was also a place where the people worshipped and made offerings to the mummies of the chief rulers. At its entrance you see a depiction of the earth goddess’s stair step symbol.

Doors
Although the doors found throughout Machu Picchu feature a variety of textures, sizes, and architectural styles, differing one from another, they all possess the traditional form of a trapezoid.



WAYNA PICCHU
The eternal guardian of the Sanctuary, Wayna Picchu (meaning “young mountain” in Quechua) towers over the Incan city. To conquer its summit is truly an unforgettable experience. Along the route and at the top are sacred structures and eye catching terraces, built right against the slope’s edge.


It is possible to begin the ascent from Machu Picchu’s main square by way of a path the Incas themselves made. Today, it is well marked and in good condition. The view from Wayna Picchu is remarkable: Machu Picchu spread out in all its glory, the VilcanotaRiverCanyon, and the surrounding mountains. Be prepared for a tough two to three hour climb.




WIÑAYWAYNA
Wiñaywayna means “forever young” in Quechua, and is perhaps the most beautiful building along the Inca Trail. On the third day of trekking is when you reach this spot, located at an altitude of 2,700 meters, with its small urban sector and must see ceremonial fountains, ten to be exact, and a tower of typical Incan stonework. Other noteworthy sights include the stairway connecting the complex’s different levels and the agricultural sector with hanging terraces that defy the sheer precipice falling towards the VilcanotaRiverCanyon below.

You do not need to complete the four or eight day trek of the Inca Trail to visit Wiñaywayna. You can reach it from the village of Machu Picchu following the section of train tracks and then beginning your climb at the 104th kilometer. Expect the journey to take three and a half hours.


INTIPUNKU
The “Doorway of the Sun”, translation from Quechua, is the entrance to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail. Arriving there before sunrise in order to watch as the Incan city shows itself through the clearing mist shroud at dawn is truly an exciting, unforgettable, and sublime experience.

The Intipunku provides the viewer a majestic and complete view of Machu Picchu as well as the sacred mountain of Wayna Picchu. The site, featuring stone buildings and steep stone stairways, seems to be some type of customs checkpoint for people arriving and departing the city.

TEMPLE OF THE MOON
If you set off from the Machu Picchu main square and trek for three hours along this path, you will come to this fascinating temple, where the three planes of Incan religion are depicted: the Hanan Pacha (the heavens, or world of above), the Kay Pacha (the earth, or physical life), and the Ukju Pacha (the underworld, or world of below), represented respectively by the condor, the puma, and the snake.

TRAVEL TO PERU


TRAVEL TO PERU WITH US…
COME AND VISIT MACHU PICCHU, SACRED VALLEY, TITICACA LAKE, NAZCA LINES, COLCA CANYON AND MANY MORE SPECTACULAR PLACES.


BE YOUR OWN VACATION PLANNER, YOU DECIDED WERE TO GO, WHEN TO GO AND YOUR BUDGET.


ALSO YOU CAN DECIDE THE KING OF TRIP YOU WANT….. WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR GASTRONOMIC CULTURE, JOIN OUR GASTRONOMIC TRIPS…. DO YOU WANT JUST TO RELAX AND ENJOY A GOOD TIME, SPEND WITH US SOME TIME IN A LODGE AT THE SACRED VALLEY…. DO YOU LOVE ADVENTURE, WALK ACROSS THE AMAZING INCA TRAIL OR EXPLORE AOUR AMAZON RAIN FOREST.