13-Nights Peru by River & Rail - Luxury Small Group Journeys

Amazon Jungle (Peru)

The Peruvian Amazon borders Ecuador, Brazil, and Bolivia. The area is rich in biodiversity and has the second-largest portion of the Amazon. 

Arequipa

Sparkling in the sun, Arequipa is called the White City because of the sillar, a white volcanic stone that makes up its buildings, modern ones as well as Spanish colonial. Peru's second-largest city sits surrounded by towering mountains—including the 19,000-ft/5,800-m volcano El Misti.

The city itself is the home of the monastery of La Recoleta (with a museum and library) and several interesting churches, but its highlight is the Santa Catalina Convent. Built in the late 16th century (but closed to the public until 1970), it was a self-contained community, a place where nuns could worship and live without leaving the convent. Walk through the well-preserved structure, soak up the peaceful atmosphere and discover the tiny, secluded plazas and lovely courtyards within.

From Arequipa, take a guided tour of Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world (10,500 ft/3,191 m deep). (Day trips are possible, but they require many hours in a bus and are not recommended; two- or three-day trips are preferable.) Several local agencies arrange two-day trips with pleasant overnights in rural hotels. A journey to the canyon offers a view of extensive pre-Incan and Incan agricultural terracing, some of which is still farmed today, as well as a chance to see Andean condors at Cruz del Condor, a lookout point.

Adventurous travelers can follow in the footsteps of the chasqui, the Incan foot messengers, and trek the canyon. The Cotahuasi Canyon is more remote than the Colca, but it is the deepest in the world, with stretches as low as 10,857 ft/3,300 m. It is located 125 mi/200 km northwest of Arequipa. Or visit the Reserva Nacional de Salinas y Aguada Blanca, a nature reserve with stunning lakes and salt flats, located high in the surrounding mountains. The area is about 465 mi/750 km southeast of Lima by air. By road, the distances are closer to 625 mi/1,000 km.

Puno

Puno lies on the shores of Lake Titicaca. This area is the cradle of the Aymara civilization and the birthplace of the Inca Empire.

Lake Titicaca (Peruvian Coast)

Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, is a world unto itself—a definite must-see. It's located 560 mi/900 km southeast of Lima, on the Peru/Bolivia border, at an altitude of 12,500 ft/3,812 m. One way to see Titicaca is on the 12-hour train ride from Cuzco to Puno through the Andes, a trip that reaches an elevation of more than 14,000 ft/4,265 m as you pass by farms, people's backyards, waterfalls and bleak but wondrous scenery—clear blue sky, deep blue water and dry, barren landscape.

This is an expensive tourist train and runs three or four times a week; the local train, which was notorious for thievery, no longer operates. Tourist buses also cover this route, stopping at major sights en route. They are faster and have English-speaking guides. Peruvians and tourists on a time limit take normal buses between Cusco and Puno, usually a six-hour trip.

Don't neglect the attractions on the Bolivian side of the lake. Stop overnight in Puno, an uninspiring town near the border that's one of the best places in Peru to buy Andean handicrafts—alpaca sweaters, rugs, ponchos and tapestries. (The town is also known for its colorful fiestas and folk dances.) Then continue by bus or car to Copacabana, just across the border, for Bolivian customs formalities and to tour the cathedral or take a day trip to the Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna. With its small-village atmosphere and charm, this town is a nice overnight stay from which you can see more of the lake.

From Puno, tours or public transport are available to Taquile Island (small Inca ruins and very nice woven goods), Sillustani on Lake Umayo (to see chullpas, the funerary towers of the ancient Colla people) and the Floating Islands (actually enormous floating reed mats that support the Uros people's villages of reed huts—you can buy reed souvenirs there).

Nauta

Nauta is a bustling small town on the shores of the Maranon river in the Peruvian Amazon. This town is perfect for visitors intersted in nature and small town culture. Visitors can hire a boat from Nauta and experience the majestic forests, mountains and lakes. For the gastronomically inclined, this region of Peru is especially known for its delicious spicy cuisine.

Cuzco

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Sacred Valley

The Urubamba valley is also named the Sacred Valley. It begins in the Urubamba's village and continues to Macchu Picchu.

Iquitos

Iquitos is located in Northeastern Peru on the Amazon river. Right at the crux, the city sits at the point where the Marañón River unites with the Ucayali River to form the mainstream of the Amazon. Founded in 1747 by Jesuit Jose Bahamonde, the city is now a blend of indigenous people and European and Chinese immigrants who populated the area in the mid-1800’s. Surrounded by greenery, the city resonates with the energy of the Amazon. Warm, exotic, romantic and seductive, Iquitos is a city with rustic charm and a unique culture.

Lima

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."