Peru
Two Worlds of Peru: The Inca Highlands & the Amazon
Program No. 24828RJ
Experience the dramatic diversity of Peru — from Cusco and Machu Picchu up in the Andes to exploring the Amazon Basin by riverboat.
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15 days
14 nights
33 meals
13B 10L 10D
7
Amazon River,Ucayali River and Kukama Community
Amazon River
9
Disembark, Fly via Lima to Cusco, Pisaq, Sacred Valley
Yucay, Sacred Valley
10
Ollantaytambo Ruines, Urubamba Market. Sacred Valley project
Yucay, Sacred Valley
11
Train to Aguas Calientes. MachuPicchu
Machu Picchu/Aguas Calientes
14
Program Concludes
In Flight
15
Return to the U.S
In Flight
At a Glance
One journey, one country, two amazing worlds. Embark on a private riverboat voyage into the Peruvian Amazon — one of the most bio-diverse regions on earth — to discover its incredible natural beauty, intriguing wildlife and tribal villages. Experience a unique and colorful combination of ancient ruins, lively cities and local craft and culture. Then immerse yourself in the heart of Peru as you journey high into the Andes and deep into the Amazon. Explore Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley to learn how the Incas lived, farmed, communicated, worshipped and ruled.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking 3-5 hours daily over irregular terrain including city streets, village paths, densely forested jungle and markets, getting in and out of tenders. Weather extremes can add to the difficulty, as do elevations of up to 12,300 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Experience the Amazon’s magnificence, observe wildlife in its natural environment and interact with local communities and cultures on a six-night riverboat voyage.
- Soak up the ancient history of Machu Picchu, once an epicenter for the Inca, and absorb its thrilling beauty.
- Visit Sacred Valley Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the education of indigenous girls and share lunch with the students and their teachers.
Suggested Reading List
(15 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Two Worlds of Peru: The Inca Highlands & the Amazon
Program Number: 24828
The Andes
Starting out in Cuzco, heart of the Inca Empire, Wilson spreads north and south along the Andes, including excerpts from South American literary giants, travelers and his own impressions.
Peru Map
A detailed laminated relief map of Peru at a scale of 1:1,750,000. This is a very clear, colorful map, which also features detailed insets of Lima and Cuzco and even a site plan of Machu Picchu.
Peru Mammals
A handy, double-sided laminated card depicting over 60 commonly encountered mammals of Peru. Beautiful and accurate full-color illustrations.
Peru, Travellers' Wildlife Guides
Featuring 500 illustrations of the birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and insects of the Amazon, Andes and Pacific Coast.
Tree of Rivers, The Story of the Amazon
Hemming captures the ambition, greed and awe of naturalists, explorers and missionaries -- and their devastating impact on native peoples -- in this absorbing human history.
Journey of the Pink Dolphins, An Amazon Quest
In this magical, mystical journey in the Brazilian Amazon, Montgomery (Spell of the Tiger) sets off with river guides, shamans and conservationists in search of the strange bouto, a beaked dolphin that inhabits much of the Amazon and Orinoco river drainages.
Inca Trail: Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cusco Map
This fact-filled map shows the whole of the Sacred Valley, from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu, on one side and, on the reverse, the area surrounding the sanctuary in splendid, topographic detail (1:50,000).
In Trouble Again
As funny as he is insightful, O'Hanlon starts his comic masterpiece of a journey between the Orinoco and the Amazon with a litany of the insects, protozoa, snakes and predators that can do you harm.
Cloud Forest, A Chronicle of the South American Wilderness
Matthiessen recounts with wit, insight and style his odyssey to the Amazon and Andes, including Machu Picchu and Tierra del Fuego.
Insight Guide Peru
Panoramic in scope, this illustrated overview brings Peru to life in color photographs and vivid essays on history, archaeology and culture.
The Incas
Featuring archival drawings and photographs, a chronology and chapters on Atahualpa, the Conquistadors and Hiram Bingham, this handy book (previously published as People of the Sun) illuminates the daily lives, monuments and history of the Incas.
Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice
In this marvelous book, Plotkin recounts his work documenting the use of medicinal plants among remote tribes in the Northwest Amazon. A portrait of people and their environment, a tale of adventure and a moving example of science in the service of preservation.
Lost City of the Incas
This first-rate adventure story by the man who brought Machu Picchu to the attention of the world is not just a gripping tale of exploration and archaeology, it also sets the scene for any visitor to the site.
La Doctora, The Journal of an American Doctor Practicing Medicine of the Amazon River
An insightful collection of letters home to America from a doctor at an Amazonian jungle clinic for education and research.
Peru, The Cookbook
A panoramic view of traditional Peruvian cooking, featuring 500 recipes, full-color illustrations and expert information on the roots of Peruvian cuisine. Author Gaston Acurio is a Peruvian celebrity chef and restaurateur.
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