Peru Explorer

• 17 nights in hotels and two nights in a jungle lodge
• Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
• Spends time at altitude
• Travel by internal flight, train, boat and private bus
• Inca Trail option (no extra cost): Please request on booking. Three nights of full-service camping replaces three nights in hotels. Additional meals included during trek

All breakfasts, six lunches and four dinners are included. For those doing the Inca Trail (or Moonstone) trek option, all meals, some snacks, and drinks/water are included during the trek. Drinking water is included throughout as the tap water in Peru is not safe to drink; boiled and filtered drinking water is provided on the trek and elsewhere your leader buys large water containers from which you can refill your bottle. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffets, usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or cooked dishes, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. Regrettably, we cannot guarantee that wheat-/gluten-free products are available for breakfast in all locations – if you have an intolerance you may wish to bring your own breakfast food. We also try a traditional pachamanca, a meal cooked on hot coals in the ground. Where lunch and dinner are not included, we visit a variety of cafes and restaurants. For some of the days with long drives, we may take some packed lunches to eat at a scenic spot along the way. Peruvian cuisine is loved for its flavours and originality; it’s well worth digging into the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry), and various hearty soups including the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca steak. To drink, there’s pisco sour, the national beverage.

The diverse geography of Peru results in a very varied climate between different regions. The coastal desert, including Lima, is generally dry but cloudy through most of the year. The exception is January to March when the skies are clear and the temperatures rise.

In Cuzco and the Andes, April to November is the dry season; during these months the sky is generally bright and clear with strong sunshine in the mornings, sometimes clouding over as the day progresses. In the Andes, however, anything is possible at any time of year, including cloud rolling up from the Amazon basin, rain or even snow, and rapid and unexpected changes! During the dry season, temperatures at night can dip to around the freezing mark (and sometimes below) particularly around Lake Titicaca.

Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are in the cloud forest and, as such, attract large amounts of precipitation all year as clouds move up from the Amazon basin. Rain here can be heavy but is seldom prolonged.

While the Amazon Rainforest is generally warm and humid, it can be subject to drops in temperature caused by cold fronts pushing in from the south – this can occur at any time of year but happens most often in June and July. This can drop temperatures considerably and we recommend you take some warm clothing with you to the lodge in case of sudden weather changes.

This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate). However, the altitude can make physical activity feel more tiring than at sea level. As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for more information and advice on how to limit the effects of altitude sickness. Although we do not linger there, the maximum altitude visited on this trip is at the Patapampa Pass (16,110ft/4,910m). Please ensure your travel insurance covers you up to this altitude.

Please note, it is essential you read the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu regulations in the Important Information section of the Trip Notes before you book this trip.

The size of Peru means this trip involves some long drives and early starts. The longest drive is about 10 hours. However, the private buses used are comfortable and the scenery is outstanding. There are also several stops to break up the journey.

Although the rainforest lodges we use are clean and comfortable, they are remote and facilities are limited. In particular, electricity is usually only provided in the main buildings.

Many of the Inca sites (including Machu Picchu) are built on hillsides and sightseeing often involves walking up and down steep streets or on uneven steps or terraces. As such, you should have a good level of mobility and a reasonable level of fitness.

Strikes are not uncommon in Peru and, while these are generally peaceful protests, they can result in roadblocks and disruption to travel. In this event, your leader amends your itinerary if necessary to minimise the impact.

Inca Trail trek option

There is the option to trek the four-day classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in place of four days of this itinerary if you wish. You must select/request the Inca Trail trek option at the time of booking to do this.

There are extremely stringent booking procedures in place for the Inca Trail. A trekking permit is required and there is a daily cap on the number of these available. Inca Trail permits sell out very quickly, especially for peak-season treks (May to August). If you wish to do the trek, we recommend booking at least six to eight months in advance to avoid disappointment. We also need your full passport details (required to purchase your Inca Trail permit) or we can’t process your booking.

Should you wish to trek but the Inca Trail permits have already sold out, we can also offer an alternative trek (not requiring a permit) in its place: the Moonstone Trek. Please enquire for details.

Please note, the trek itself is graded as Activity Level 3 (Moderate). There are four days of walking with full porterage at a maximum altitude of 13,830ft (4,215m) and an average of 10,000ft (3,050m). Though not without its difficulties (in particular the ascent and descent of the first pass, known as Dead Woman’s Pass!) this trek is certainly possible for anyone in a good state of health and fitness. However, we would not recommend to anyone who is totally unused to walking. If you are not a regular walker, you should put in physical preparation before departure. It is also not particularly suitable for those with bad knees due to the number of steep and uneven steps, particularly on the third and fourth days of the trek.