Read the review of a young couple from the UK’s six-week tour of Southern Peru & Amazonia, which included:
Stays at two eco-lodges in Peru’s Amazon.
Overland trip from Lima to Cusco, via Arequipa & Puno.
Hikes in Colca Canyon & to Machu Picchu from KM 104.
What was your favourite cultural destination in the itinerary?
The Sacred Valley, this is where we learnt the most about Incan civilisation with a number of unique and interesting sites
We kicked off our [Cusco] tours with a trip … stopping at the terraces of Moray which the Incas believed to be the uterus of the earth and the story behind this was fascinating.
Concentric agricultural terracing at Moray.
The Maras salt mines were up next and gave us another snapshot of just how impressive the Incan civilisation was.
Then we headed to Ollantaytambo ruins where we climbed the stairs and had our first views of the ancient city of Machu Picchu far in the distance, and learned about similarities between the Ancient Egyptians and Incas.
Llama grazing in front of Ollantaytambo Fortress.
Our final stop was the terraces of Pisaq and here we were told about the Incas belief in the afterlife.
Typical Inca mountainside terracing (andenes) at Pisac.
What were your favourite natural destinations in the itinerary?
Amazon Rainforest: We landed in the capital, Lima, and swiftly kicked off with a trip to Iquitos, the gateway to the Northern Peruvian Amazon here we stayed in our first Amazon lodge, Muyuna.
With Muyuna Amazon Lodge guide, Julio.
We headed down the river by boat and eventually arrived at the incredibly impressive lodge. We had a warm welcome from the staff and we were introduced to our guide, Julio.
The rooms were comfortable with mosquito nets all the way around the walls to stop any unwanted visitors getting in and we'd often return to the lodge after a few hours walking to cool off under the ceiling fan.
The activities were excellent and varied, including rainforest walks both in the day and at night, boat excursions spotting wildlife, swimming in the Amazon river, fishing and a number of activities to do around the lodge.
We found plenty of wildlife during our visit including the famous pink river dolphins and Julio was always on hand with his expert knowledge to help us learn more.
Islas Ballestas: 'the poor mans Galapagos'. The island certainly lived up to its reputation as it was teeming with bird life, I had never seen so many in one place.
We managed to spot a number of sea lions and Humboldt penguins among the thousands of cormorants, inca terns, seagulls, boobies etc.
It was a really special experience and my only criticism is that I wished the tour had spent more time there.
A South American Sea Lion in the Ballestas Islands, Paracas.
Salinas Laguna, a salt lagoon not far outside Arequipa. This was one of our favourite places in Peru and on the day we visited was untouched by tourists.
We had this beautiful lagoon all to ourselves surrounded by vicuñas, volcanoes and flamingoes.
Salinas Laguna, Arequipa.
Palcoyo: we'd planned to visit 'Rainbow Mountain' but after doing some research found out about the much less visited 'Three Rainbow Mountains' in Palcoyo.
We set off on a drive there from Cusco and climbed high into the Andes up and down narrow rural tracks until we reached over 5,000m and walked up to the viewpoints past llamas scattered across the terraces.
We reached the truly spectacular views of the different colours lined up across the mountains caused by the different mineral layers becoming exposed through erosion and the greens and reds of the mountains in the distance.
This was an amazing place and one we thoroughly recommend visiting.
Three Rainbows Mountain, Palcoyo, Cusco.
Laguna Humantay, a beautiful glacial lagoon also located high in the mountains.
This was another long drive from Cusco but well worth the journey, on arrival we had a fairly difficult hike, but this was well worth the struggle when you finally come over the final hill and are greeted by the fantastic blues of the water with the snowy mountain backdrop.
Lake Humantay, Cusco.
Which was your favourite accommodation and why?
Tambopata Research Centre. Incredible luxury with amazing natural beauty and activity surrounding the property.
Only 3 walls per room, so totally exposed to the environment.
Macaws at breakfast and fantastic food.
Who were your guides? How did they perform?
Julio - Muyuna Amazon Lodge - experienced and knowledgeable. Had many great stories about his time growing up in the rainforest.
Saul - Tambopata Research Centre - also incredibly knowledgeable, we had a great relationship and he would go above and beyond for us; our favourite guide in Peru.
Which was your favourite restaurant / dish / drink?
Having a sweet tooth, I was a big fan of Peruvian wine!
We visited Tacama vineyard in Ica and had some excellent wine and pisco.
A range of wines and Piscos for sampling at Tacama Vineyard.
Did you lose or gain weight over the course of the holiday!?
We both lost a small amount of weight, which was no surprise due to how active we were.
What forms of transport did you use? Pros/cons?
We used Peru Hop to make our way across the country, they provided a door to door drop off service to all our accommodation and really looked after us.
It was slightly more expensive that the other bus companies but for convenience and safety we believed it to be worth it.
They also included a number of memorable stops to break up the longer journeys.
Did your itinerary involve any hiking? How would you rate it in terms of difficulty?
Yes, many many hikes. Some were easier than others and I think with a good base level of fitness they are all achievable. The main thing to be careful of is the altitude, make sure you give enough time to acclimatise properly.
Our hardest hike was most definitely Colca Canyon! This was where we really started to appreciate the truly stunning ruggedness of the Andes.
We were picked up at 3am from Arequipa by minibus and driven to a small town by the canyon and stopping off at the Cruz del Condor on the way. Here we watched a number of Andean condors soaring through the canyon valley, which was an amazing spectacle we thoroughly enjoyed. Some came just metres from our heads where you could really appreciate the size of the largest raptor in the world with their huge three metre wingspan.
We then headed to the start point of the hike down to the canyon. We opted for the two-day / one-night hike which everyone had told us was difficult, but being slightly arrogant about our fitness levels and not being experienced at walking at altitude, we decided we would be fine. We were wrong!
The trail leading down to El Oasis at the bottom of Colca Canyon.
We struggled through, though, and it was an incredibly rewarding experience and one we now look back on and remember how amazing it was.
Our best piece of advice from this experience would definitely be not to take acclimatisation to the altitude for granted (Miles did warn us!).
The track is packed with incredible natural landscape and friendly locals dotted along the way.
After the first night we stayed in 'the Oasis' a small town within the valley itself, and then we woke up at 4am the next day to climb back to the top for sunrise.
This climb was the most difficult hike we did in Peru, filled with false summits, but to watch the sunrise at the summit is something we'll never forget.
At the end of the long climb back out of Colca Canyon.
What was the most pointless item in your luggage!?
Flip flops, with the amount of walking we did they almost never came out the bags!
What were your favourite natural encounter?
Watching the river dolphins flipping in the river.
Seeing a three toed sloth move slowly down a tree.
Tracking a tapir on foot from it's tracks, only to be halted by a fallen log.
Ocelot footprint in mud near Tambopata Research Center.
Did you suffer any insect bites? Other physical discomforts?
Many mosquito bites in the rainforest. They were a real pain, make sure you take plenty of repellent and wear loose fitting clothes. We made the mistake of wearing tight clothes and regretted it.
Did you have much interaction with locals? Where and how did this occur?
We found that most places we visited we interacted with locals in some capacity. The Peruvians are some of the friendliest people we've ever come across.
In Arequipa, football fever [for the Copa America] was really ramping up and we had a great time following the locals while they sung and chanted the night away.
Beer & football in Arequipa.
Did you feel your money was going to local businesses and people?
For the most part, yes!
Were you given any information regarding sustainability during the course of your trip?
Yes we were often shown the effects of climate change by the locals/guides and it was heartbreaking to see/hear.
Unfortunately, people do not visit places where it has had a real impact and so do not believe it to be real. However, talking to these people it was so clear to see what a real concern it is to them and their home, as they have watched it unfold over their lifetimes.
Did you notice any areas where environmental practices could be improved?
We were greatly impressed by the Peruvians efforts to reduce single use plastic. We were given reusable water bottles and carrier bags also tended to be reusable.
It was incredibly eco-friendly and was something we loved to see.
View of El Misti volcano from Yanahuara viewpoint in Arequipa.