CUSCO AND MANU NATIONAL PARK (RESERVED ZONE) - 10 DAYS

Peru Mysteries offers you the assortment of visiting Cusco and its surroundings areas such as the thaditional Machu Picchu and the Mysterious Jungle of Manu National Park, which means that you will not lose anything of this magical place in your visit. come and enjoy this magical place with us.

The tour package visits are: Cusco city tour, Cusco Sacred Valley, Tour in Machu Picchu and 07 days in Manu National Park.

CUSCO AND JUNGLE MANU NATIONAL PARK (RESERVED ZONE) 10 DAYS	CUSCO (TRADITIONAL AND MACHU PICCHU) 3 DAYS	CITY TOUR IN CUSCO	DAY 01
		SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS	DAY 02
		MACHU PICCHU TOUR	DAY 03
	MANU NATIONAL PARK RESERVED ZONE 07 DAYS	CUSCO - CLOUD FOREST – PILCOPATA	DAY 04
		PILCOPATA - ATALAYA – BOCA MANU	DAY 05
		BOCA MANU – MANU RIVER - OTORONGO	DAY 06
		OTORONGO – SALVADOR - OTORONGO	DAY 07
		OTORONGO – BOCA MANU	DAY 08
		BOCA MANU - ERIKA	DAY 09
		ERIKA - CUSCO	DAY 10
END OF OUR SERVICES...

CUSCO TRADITIONAL (03 DAYS)

ITINERARY DESCRIPTION:

DAY 01 - CITY TOUR IN CUSCO:

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION - From 13:30 to 18:30 hours - Cusco tour and surrounding areas

The City Tour circuit begins in the majestic Plaza de Armas of Cusco, where the ancient grandeur of the Andean culture still survives. We will visit the Basilica Cathedral of Cusco (in honor of the Virgin of the Assumption). Then, we will walk through a narrow stone street towards the largest Inca shrine, the Qoricancha temple.

After having delighted us with these extraordinary and impressive ensembles of Inca and colonial architecture. We will board our tourist bus and go to the surroundings of the imperial city of Cusco, where we will visit 04 imposing archaeological sites: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

The Cathedral of Cusco, majestic symbol of Andean religious syncretism (Inca - European).
The Qoricancha, the lavish Inca Temple; also known as the Temple of the Sun.
The Great Ceremonial Fortress of Sacsayhuamán, with its impressive cyclopean rock platforms.
The Amphitheater of Qenqo, enigmatic rock headlands and labyrinthine paths.
The Military Fortress of Puca Pucara, large terraces, stone walls and stairways.
The Water Temple of Tambomachay, mysterious platforms and ceremonial fountains.

THE SERVICE INCLUDES:

Private transport
Specialized and bilingual tour guide
First aid kit

THE SERVICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

Tourist Ticket of Cusco (Peruvian: 40 soles; Foreigner: 70 soles). Visits: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
Entrance ticket to the Cathedral of Cusco 25 soles.
Entrance ticket to the Qoricancha Temple 15 soles
Drinks such as: water, sodas, wine or beer
Tips and souvenirs

THINGS TO BRING:

Passport
Camera
Warm clothes (in case of cold fronts)
Rain gear or raincoat (long poncho)
Wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for sunny days
Medications and / or personal supplies
Small backpack
Drinking water

NOTE: We only visit the Cathedral of Cusco in a private service; in shared service, we do not visit the cathedral of Cusco; but we do visit the other 5 attractions.

DAY 02 - SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS - AGUAS CALIENTES:

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION - From 7:00 to 19:00 hours

We pick you up from your hotel in our private transport (7:00 hrs.), And then start with our guided visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas; We will spend most of our tour around the Vilcanota River and enjoying the panoramic view of this magical place. The places to visit are:

Chinchero, it will be the first archaeological center to visit, it is located northwest of the city of Cusco, over 3762 meters above sea level. Chinchero, the most typical population of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a distinctly Inca town that the ambitious conquerors wanted to civilize in order to implant their culture, but never fully achieved it. Its inhabitants inhabit almost intact Inca constructions, in the same place where their ancestors lived and formed the largest and most prosperous civilization in America. Chinchero has a rich monumental and cultural heritage. It is one of the few places that conserves the Inca urban layout in a visible way. The remains of the Inca palace, the colonial church built on a stone base, its impeccable terraces and a colorful Sunday fair are its main attractions.
Moray, at first glance it looks like a kind of amphitheater. Moray is a concentric platform system, built in three gigantic holes located at different levels. The largest hole contains 12 circular terraces with varying diameters. At the bottom of these holes there is a drainage system that prevents the storage of rainwater. What is striking is the mean annual temperature difference between the top and bottom of the depressions, which reaches approximately 15 ° C (59 ° F) in the main depression about 30 meters deep. For scholars, Moray was possibly an Inca agricultural experimentation center, where cultivation experiments were carried out at different heights (seed production). Moray could have served as a model for the calculation of agricultural production not only in the Urubamba Valley but also in different parts of the Tahuantinsuyo (domestication of wild plants).
Salineras of Maras (Salt Mines), they consist of approximately 3000 wells with an area of about 5 m² on average, built on the slope of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain. During the dry season they are filled or irrigated every 3 days with salty water that emanates from a natural spring located in the upper part of the wells so that when the water evaporates, the salt contained in it gradually solidifies. This process will continue for about a month until a considerable volume of solid salt is obtained, about 10 cm. high from the ground, which is subsequently beaten and thus grainy; the salt will then be packaged by category and sent to the markets of the region; Today that salt is being iodized so its consumption is not harmful. The salt mines of Maras look like a white patch between the multicolored green of the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba mountain range. Then we will arrive in Urubamba where we will have time to enjoy a delicious Lunch.
Ollantaytambo, it will be the last archaeological center to visit for the day, located at an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level. Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that derives from: "Ollanta" personal name of an Inca Captain whose story was kept as an oral and written tradition and as a drama by Antonio Valdez, priest of Urubamba, in the middle of the 18th century it was adapted for a play in 1780; and "Tambo" Spanish form of "Tanpu" city that offers lodging, food and comfort for travelers. Ollantaytambo was a very important fortified city, built as a "tanpu" to enable roads to the "Antisuyo" (La Selva). According to many historians also to allow the protection of the great capital of the Inca from the attacks of the "Antis" who were his worst enemies. Today its name as "fortress" is common but inappropriate because it did not have a war duty, it was rather a complex city with a large urban sector and religious temples.

After the visit to Ollantaytambo, we will go to the Ollantaytambo train station (5 min.). We will take the train for 1:40 hrs towards the town of Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night. Aguas Calientes (2000 masl), is a small town located 30 minutes (by bus) from the citadel of Machupicchu.

DAY 03 - (AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO):

For this trip, we will pick you up from your hotel in Aguas Calientes, then we will take one of the buses to ascend 400 m. in 30 minutes along a zigzag path until you reach the wonder of the world "The citadel of Machupicchu", which is inside the "Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu". The guided tour in Machupicchu takes approximately 2 hours. You will begin to visit the main sectors of the citadel: the sacred square, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Royal Enclosures, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemetery. At the end of the tour you will have free time to explore the citadel on your own. After this visit, you must return to the town of Aguas Calientes and enjoy your lunch in one of the local restaurants; Then you will take the train back; the return will follow the same pattern as the outward journey. When you arrive at the train station in Ollantaytambo, we will be waiting for you with our bus to take you back to the city of Cusco.

THE SERVICE INCLUDES (DAY 2 & 3):

Sacred Valley Circuit
Train: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes (1:40 hrs.)
Lodging in Aguas Calientes
Bus: Aguas Calientes - Machupicchu (30 min.)
Entrance to Machupicchu
Guided tour in Machupicchu (approximately 02 hrs.)
Bus: Machupicchu - Aguas Calientes (30 min.)
Train: Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo (01:40 hrs.)
Bus: Ollantaytambo - Cusco. (01:50 hrs.)

THE SERVICE DOES NOT INCLUDE (DAY 2 & 3):

CuscoTourist Ticket (Peruvian: 40 soles; Foreigner: 70 soles). Visits: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq
Entrance to Salineras (10 soles)
Meals - Drinks
Regards
Tips

WE RECOMMEND TO BRING (DAY 2 & 3):

Passport
Camera
Long-sleeved shirt and pants
Swimsuit
Warm clothes (in case of cold)
Raincoats (long poncho)
Hat and sunglasses
Insect repellent 50% DEET
Sunscreen
Hiking shoes
Medications and personal supplies
Handbag
Water

MANU NATIONAL PARK (07 DAYS)

ITINERARY DESCRIPTION:

DAY 04 (CUSCO - CLOUD FOREST – PILCOPATA):

An early morning meeting and star our trip from Cusco in one of our private vehicles. In the way we are going to visit the interesting site of Ninamarca (burial towers, commonly known as “Chullpas”). Continuing we are going to visit Paucartambo, an interesting picturesque colonial town (full of folklore). Then we continue to the Acjanacu pass (3600 masl.), which marks the beginning of the trip into Manu National park (spectacular view), then we descent through the Cloud Forest, The humidity of the area provides an ideal habitat for plants such as Orchids, ferns (oldest living plants) and bromeliads (epiphytic), mosses and lichens. In the fascinating Cloud Forest we can observe the Cock of the Rock, Quetzal and the Spectacled Bear. Many plants are endemic from this area. We have lunch on the way, then we arrive to our first and homely lodge “paraiso” near the town of Pilcopata (800 masl.).

DAY 05 (PILCOPATA - ATALAYA – BOCA MANU):

After a delicious and early breakfast we continue our trip for another hour in our private vehicle, to the village of Atalaya (Port), here we board our covered motor boat (canoe) in the Alto Madre de Dios river, going down approximately 5 hours to our private and comfortable “Boca Manu lodge”. during this way we will see different bird species typical of the river edge such as: kingfisher, swallow, flycatcher, Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Jabiru, Stork, Capped Heron, and much more; Also we will have the chance to visit the native community of “Diamante”. The village of Boca Manu is located very close of the confluence of the rivers Manu and the Alto Madre de Dios. The idea of sleep here provides us the chance to start our trip in Manu River very early increasing our chances to find more wildlife. In Boca Manu there are shops where you can buy additional supplies.

DAY 06, TOP DAY (BOCA MANU – MANU RIVER - OTORONGO):

After breakfast we are going to continue our trip this time in Manu River and start one of our top days. The boat ride provides us the chance to see an immensity of the rainforest, ten minutes by boat after Boca Manu, we will have the chance to visit a Parrots clay Lick (clay wall in the riverbank knowing as “Collpa”), where many species of parakeets and parrots such as the white-eyed parakeet, blue headed parrot, etc. goes to eat the clay that is rich in minerals and salts that those birds use as supplements of their diet of seeds and fruits. Then we continue to Limonal (check point), and after registering ourselves and the Park Rangers recommendations, we continue our trip in Manu River (Reserved area) for 5 hours approximately, having the chance to see an infinity of wildlife of this pristine place such as: caimans, capybaras, monkeys and probably the majestic “Jaguar”. We will arrive to the area of Otorongo Lake, where is our safari lodge (base camp) with all the facilities like: screened dining room, toilets and showers. After a short break in the camp, we will start to walk in the trail system of Otorongo, concentrating ourselves and having a general discuss about the ecology of the rain forest. Return to our campsite. Possibility to do a night walk, to feel and observe the jungle in the dark.

DAY 07 TOP DAY (OTORONGO – SALVADOR - OTORONGO):

An early wake up, to hear the Red Howler monkey (Aloatta seniculus) howling for a territory. With a pleasant temperature we are going to start our wildlife adventure. We are going to visit another lake in the reserved area “Salvador Lake”, and paddling a catamaran quietly along this lake, we will have the opportunity to see famous Giant Otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), having the chance to see them playing, swimming, fishing and eating; an many species of monkeys, birds, caimans and others. The visit of Salvador lake and its area is going to take us the whole morning. In the afternoon of this day we will continue walking and looking for more wildlife and learning more about the forest of this magic place. Return to the campsite. Possibility to do a night walk, to feel and observe the jungle in the dark.

DAY 08 (OTORONGO – BOCA MANU):

Another early wake up, and then enjoy walking to visit the observation tower of Otorongo, and having again the chance to observe more wildlife, then walk back again to the lodge to enjoy the breakfast and then get ready to go back again to Boca Manu, going down Manu River, arriving to Boca Manu lodge in the afternoon, where we are going to spend another night.

DAY 09 (BOCA MANU - ERIKA):

After a delicious breakfast we are going to continue our trip in the Alto Madre de Dios River, upstream, back to Erika lodge, in the way we are going to have the chance to visit and enjoy some hot springs. Arriving to the lodge we will have the chance to enjoy the jungle one more time.

DAY 10 (ERIKA - CUSCO):

An early Waking up, 40 more minutes by boat to Atalaya, where our private vehicle is waiting for us to drive us back to Cusco, We have lunch on the way, arriving Cusco around dinner time. END OF OUR SERVICES…

OPTINAL ACTIVITIES:

River Rafting (class I and II): In the Pilcopata town and river we will have the chance to realice a 1½ hours river rafting (class I and II) trip down the Pilcopata River where having the opportunity for a dip and of course enjoy the spectacular view of the area.

Canopy Zip Down Line: In our Lodge area, we will have the traverse from tree to tree and platform to platform using pulleys on horizontal traverse cables, enjoying and feeling the view and adrenaline, of the treetops of the tropical rainforest canopy.

IMPORTANT: In order to solve better your question and provide you some advices the guide can meet you the previous night of the trip in our agency or in your hotel.

THE SERVICE INCLUDES:

Specialized and bilingual guide
Private land and river transports
First aid kit
01 night in Paraiso Lodge, 01 nights in Erika Lodge, 02 nights in Boca Manu Lodge and 02 nights in Otorongo Safari Lodge
Meals (vegetarian option available)
Captain and river rafting equipment
Specialized guide for the Canopy Zip-line and required equipment