Compare Inca Trail & the Amazon Rainforest by Exodus Travels vs Peru & Machu Picchu Adventure by EF College Break (EF Ultimate Break)
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
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5 | Excellent
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3 | Average
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| Duration | 15 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 5,445 | $ 2,129 |
| Price Per Day | $ 363 | $ 213 |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
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| Meals Included | All breakfasts, nine lunches and seven dinners included. Peruvian cuisine has developed a reputation for its flavours and originality and it’s well worth trying out a few of the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (a spicy dish of seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry) and various hearty soups such as the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig), alpaca steak and, to drink, the national beverage: pisco sour. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffet-style affairs, usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or cooked dishes, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. We cannot guarantee that wheat-/gluten-free products will be available for breakfast in all locations. If you have an intolerance, you may wish to bring your own breakfast food. Lunches in the rainforest are either buffet lunches or picnics, depending on the day’s activities. Dinners in the Amazon are buffet style, taken at the lodge. During the Inca Trail, hearty breakfasts are served and good quality cooked lunches and dinners are provided, and usually consist of soup or a starter, a main course with meat/fish and some form of carbohydrates, followed by a dessert. Some snacks between meals are also provided. Drinking water (boiled and filtered) is provided in the mornings and at lunch during the trek so you can refill your bottles. Tea/coffee is brought to your tent each morning and juice or hot drinks are provided with all meals during the trek. Where lunch and dinner are not included, we’ll visit a variety of cafes and restaurants. Drinking water is provided. The tap water in Peru is not safe to drink; boiled and filtered drinking water is provided on the trek and elsewhere your leader will buy large water containers for you to refill your bottle from. |
Breakfast Daily |
| Description |
Peru has been home to many civilisations, most notably the Incas, whose ancient cities and fortresses are still being discovered across this fascinating region. This three-part itinerary includes the Inca Trail, which takes in beautiful mountains and cloud forest as it follows a historic route to Machu Picchu, the best-preserved and most dramatic Inca ruin. It also explores the expansive landscapes of the high altiplano and the islands of Lake Titicaca and, in complete contrast, the dense jungles of the Amazon Rainforest. Our classic Inca Trail trip is designed to give you more time to enjoy the trail by arriving to Machu Picchu in the afternoon for iconic photos and overnight in Aguas Calientes. We return the next morning, fresh and well rested, for our in-depth tour of Machu Picchu and train back to Cuzco.Trekking, jungle and indigenous culture: the best of Peru |
Up the altitude and dive into jungles, cities and ancient ruins on this adventure through the heart of Peru. After living like a local in Lima, you’ll journey to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, where you can learn about its mysterious past, watch the sunrise and, most importantly, pet a llama. |
Day 1 Start Lima
Welcome to Lima, the busy capital of Peru. There’s plenty of adventure on your trip, but today’s all about settling into the hotel. You will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Miraflores district of Lima. There will be a notice board in the hotel reception with details of where and when the group welcome briefing will be held. Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)
Day 2 Fly to Puerto Maldonado; boat journey into Tambopata Reserve; guided jungle walks
We have an early start today for the flight via Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado, a small jungle town. After a short drive via the lodge office (where we store our main luggage) to the river, we take a boat to our jungle lodge in the Tambopata Reserve (generally between 1hr 30min and 3hr 30min depending on the lodge used). On the way, we may see caimans, river turtles and a wide variety of birdlife. Our rainforest lodge is basic, but all accommodation has en suite facilities with cold showers. Electricity is by generator and only available for a few hours a day in the dining room area. Accommodation: Cayman Lodge Amazonia (or similar)
Day 3 - 4 Jungle exploration including forest walks and boat trips
The next two days are spent exploring the forest, rivers and lakes surrounding the lodge, on foot and in both motorised and paddle canoes. Although a lot of the wildlife tends to hide in the dense foliage, we can expect to see a wide variety of birds, including herons and egrets, jacanas, macaws and the prehistoric-looking hoatzin, plus several species of monkey, reptiles and insects and, with luck, giant otters that live in the Amazon Basin rivers. Accommodation: Cayman Lodge Amazonia (or similar)
Day 5 Fly to Cuzco; free time to explore the ancient capital
A dawn start is required for the boat trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of sunrise over the river. The wildlife is particularly active at this time; howler monkeys are frequently heard as they stake out their territories. After our flight to Cuzco, there is usually time for an afternoon orientation tour of the city. Cuzco is an extremely high city (at 11,155ft/3,400m) and you may find yourself short of breath on arrival. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 6 Free day; optional Sacred Valley excursion
We have a free day in Cuzco today. The Inca Capital is among the most attractive cities in South America, with many interesting buildings, museums and sites. There are various optional activities that can be arranged through your leader, such as a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley (including the fortresses of Pisac and Ollantaytambo) or a visit to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, situated on a hillside above the city. We have a full-trek briefing this afternoon (usually around 6pm). Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 7 Start Inca Trail trek from Km82; walk along Vilcanota River; climb to Huayllabamba
Early this morning, we transfer (1hr 30min) from Cuzco into the Sacred Valley. Reaching the town of Ollantaytambo, we drive for one hour along the final stretch of road to the start of the Inca Trail at Piscacucho, recognized among adventurers as Km82. After greeting our trekking crew, we show our passports at the checkpoint and begin the fabled Inca Trail trek. Our route today runs alongside the Vilcanota River, beneath the snow-capped peak of Nevado Veronica, passing through cactus gardens and settlements, until we reach the terraced Inca ruins of Llactapata, where we continue up the Cusichaca Valley to camp near the village of Huayllabamba (9,186ft/2,800m). Accommodation: Huayllabamba Camp (full-service camping)
Day 8 Summit Dead Woman's Pass; descend to Pacaymayu
The morning begins, as all do on our Inca Trail trek, with a hot drink delivered to your tent. Today’s journey is both challenging and rewarding, marking the most demanding and best-known stretch of the trail. A slow and steady climb takes us through a cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then we summit Dead Woman’s (Warmihuañusca) Pass, the highest point on the trek at 13,829ft (4,215m). After a well-deserved round of high fives and photos at the summit, we begin our steep descent on original Inca steps to reach our campsite in the scenic valley of the Pacaymayu River (11,811ft/3,600m). Warm up in the dining tent with a hot, fresh meal followed by a well-deserved sleep under the Andean night sky. Accommodation: Pacaymayu Camp (full-service camping)
Day 9 Over Runquracay Pass to the ruins of Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca
After a hearty breakfast, we start the day with a climb, which takes us past the ruins of Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (12,894ft/3,930m), our second and final pass. From here, the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined rolling path of flat boulders, providing access to sites only available to those on foot. One of the standout archeological sites we visit is Sayacmarca (11,893/3,625m), perched high above the green cloud forest. From here, we enjoy views of Salkantay mountain as we hike to our spectacular campsite on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (12,073ft/3,680m), where we can enjoy the sunset and sunrise. Accommodation: Phuyupatamarca Camp (full-service camping)
Day 10 Walk down Inca steps to Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate
From Phuyupatamarca, we take the famous Inca steps: a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase that rapidly descends into an immense panorama, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above and the Vilcanota River far below. Reaching Wiñay Wayna, we have plenty of time to explore these beautiful ruins and eat lunch before continuing along a relatively flat section of the trail (by Inca standards, through cloud forest and wild orchids to finally reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). From here, we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu, with the Huayna Picchu mountain rising behind… congratulations, you made it! Inti Punku is traditionally busy with photo-taking trekkers in the morning, so our late afternoon arrival affords us unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. We also get a chance to snap some classic photos of Machu Picchu before we take the 30-minute bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes for a shower and comfortable bed for the night. We are reunited with our fellow travelers who took the Moonstone Trek or the Train Option at the hotel this afternoon. Accommodation: Terraza de Luna (or similar)
Day 11 Guided tour of Machu Picchu; return to Cuzco by train and by road
Well-rested and refreshed, we return to Machu Picchu this morning for our guided tour. Machu Picchu is an architectural and engineering marvel, the staggering mountain backdrop making it even more dramatic. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records of it, and so Machu Picchu remained an enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Your guided tour highlights the history, culture, architecture and mysteries that Machu Picchu still holds today. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 12 Drive across altiplano to Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca
We take a bus ride across the altiplano, the high plains separating the Andes from the jungles. Although it is quite a long drive (10 hours including stops), the views are spectacular. There are scheduled stops at some of the most interesting sites, which helps break up the journey and we get a feel for the immensity of the Andean landscapes. A packed lunch is included today. We arrive in the evening in Puno, a high, chilly town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Accommodation: Casona Plaza Hotel (or similar)
Day 13 Boat to Amantani Island for village homestay
We explore Lake Titicaca, visiting the lesser-known Titinos communities who live on islands of floating reeds and produce some fine textiles. Though the altitude here (12,630ft/3,850m) is tiring, the air is very clear and the lakeside views can be magnificent, with the snow-capped peaks of the Andes towering in the background. There is the option to walk to the top of the island to watch the sunset. We spend the night on Amantani Island where we experience a homestay with the local villagers; this really allows us to see what life is like for the people in an isolated island community. Accommodation: Titicaca homestay (basic accommodation)
Day 14 Morning travel to mainland; afternoon fly to Lima
We take a boat to Chifron Bay and spend time exploring the peninsula before flying back to Lima (from nearby Juliaca airport). Depending on the flight taken, we may have time free for shopping and sightseeing, including an optional visit to the Gold Museum. Flight times vary and some groups will not arrive into Lima until late afternoon or early evening. Accommodation: Hotel El Tambo 1 (or similar)
Day 15 End Lima
The trip ends after breakfast today. However, if you’d like a little longer to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
Day 1: Flight
Board your flight, and arrive in Lima late tonight. After you get through customs, your Tour Director will be there to take you to the hotel.
Day 2: Sightseeing tour of Lima
Today, a local guide will lead you on a tour of both the modern and colonial quarters of Lima. Lima was once the center of “the New World,” and is now a bustling metropolis. The city is home to many of South America’s best museums, swankiest shops and tastiest restaurants. You’ll see the city’s cathedral, Plaza de Armas and Church of San Francisco, which houses a museum of religious art and some creepy 16th-century catacombs.
Welcome Mixer
Get to know your fellow travelers over a drink or two.
Day 3: Travel to Cuzco
Wake up and head to Lima’s airport for a flight to Cuzco, the center of Incan culture and a beautiful Spanish colonial city. The entire city is located about 11,200 feet above sea level, and boasts some amazing local food and shopping. This afternoon, check in at your hotel and do some exploring on your own.
Day 4: Sightseeing tour of Cuzco
On today’s guided sightseeing tour, you’ll stop by the old Spanish cathedral, La Merced Church, and the extravagant Koricancha Temple, which was once fully covered in gold and serves as a testament to the wealth and power of the Incas. Later, venture off to three separate Incan archaeological sites, including the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the location of a historic battle that forever changed Peruvian life. The Spanish defeated the Incas here in 1536.
Day 5: Sacred Valley of the Incas
A local guide leads you on a full-day sightseeing tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, nestled between Cuzco, Machu Picchu and the surrounding Andes Mountains. The valley is rich in ruins and traditional, native villages and is in some ways even more historically important than Machu Picchu. You’ll see the famous ruins of Ollantaytambo, and visit several local market towns, including Pisac in addition to exploring the longest man-made, pre-Columbian canal ever built.
After your tour, you'll head to your accommodation in Ollantaytambo, home to massive Inca ruins, and a common starting point for travelers to Macchu Pichu.
Day 6: Experience Machu Picchu
Today, take a train ride through the lush valleys that lead to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas.” You will be staying the night at the foot of the mountain in the town of Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu is completely hidden from the valley floor and is truly one of the world’s most incredible sights. Cross a big one off your bucket list. Explore the perfect stonework of the Temple of the Sun, the fountains of the Royal Sector, and the views from the Temple of the Three Windows.
Day 7
Excursion:
Sunrise Return to Machu Picchu Extra Cost
If you didn't get enough Machu Picchu yesterday (we don't blame you), you'll have a chance to go back today. Get up bright and early to beat the crowds, and enjoy the quiet, unobstructed beauty of the ruins.
Travel to Cuzco
This afternoon, take a train ride back to Cuzco.
Day 8: Free Day
Spend a free day in Cuzco exploring on your own.
Farewell Dinner
Say your goodbyes over one last dinner with your group.
Day 9: Travel to Lima and Fly Home
Head back to Lima for the afternoon, then board your flight home.
Day 10 (Travel Day)
Arrive Home
Arrive home in the late morning or afternoon from your overnight flight.
