INCAS & THE AMAZON - FAMILY HOLIDAY

Day 1
The group flights to Lima via Madrid leave this morning, arriving in the evening. Those on the group flights will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the upmarket modern district of Miraflores.

Day 2
The morning is free to relax after the international flight. In the afternoon we take a city tour of Lima which includes the colonial city centre along with the more modern residential districts.

Day 3
We have an early start today as we head to the airport for our flight to Puerto Maldonado, a small jungle town, where we will meet our trip leader. We then go by river (approximately 3-4 hours, depending on the river conditions) to the jungle lodge in the Tambopata Reserve. Tambopata National Reserve (when combined with Manu Reserve) constitutes the largest protected rainforest area in Amazonia. Home to the greatest biodiversity anywhere in the world, this is a truly important part of mankind's natural heritage. On the way we may see caiman (alligators), river turtles, capybara and a wide variety of birdlife.

Day 4
After an early breakfast you and your nature guide begin a morning's exploration, by foot and paddle canoe, of the lake system in the area, which is rich in bird and aquatic life. A family of giant otters live in the vicinity of the lake and are occasionally observed. Birds abound especially Tiger herons, Great egrets, Wattled jacanas, Hoatzin, the noisy Donacobius and many others. Toucans, parrots and macaws are perhaps the most spectacular bird sightings. The afternoon is for exploring the forest close to the lodge (with or without your guide). After dark on one of the nights you can go searching for caiman and other nocturnal animals by motorized canoe along the Tambopata River, or in the forest. If it is a clear night, the night sky can be spectacular.

Day 5
There is a choice of activities today depending upon what mosts interests you. Some may choose to take a walk in the forest area, or take a hike of varying duration to one of the owbow lakes in the area. Alternatively we can visit a local farm where subsistence crops are cultivated and citrus or papayas trees are grown. During all of these activities you are shown about the jungle's flora, fauna and how people in the area manage it.

Day 6
A dawn start is required for the boat trip back to Puerto Maldonado, giving memorable views of the sunrise over the river. Early morning is a great time to look out for wildlife, which is particularly active just after dawn. Howler monkeys, in particular, are frequently heard as they stake out their territories. Rom puerto Maldonado, we fly to Cuzco and transfer to the Sacred Valley, where we spend 4 nights, stopping at stunningly-situated ruined fortress of Pisac en route.

Day 7
This morning we visit the Rainbow Centre, a school in the heart of the Sacred Valley which provides education and a safe haven for disadvantaged and disabled children from the nearby communities. We will spend some time learning about the centre's work and we will have lunch with the children before we drive to Ollantaytambo, an ancient fortress town.

The layout of Ollantaytambo's streets has remained virtually unchanged since it was planned by the Incas, and its streets are lined with Spanish buildings on sturdy Inca foundations. The fortress occupies a vast area just outside the town, with buildings stretching high up the surrounding hills. We will spend time exploring the most easily accessible parts of the site, including the elaborate ceremonial centre and the well-preserved agricultural terraces.

Day 8
We have an exciting morning of rafting on the Urubamba River today. The rapids are generally grade II-III (depending on water levels) so no previous experience is necessary and we get a great mix of exhilaration and scenery as we make our way along the river. After a break for lunch in Ollantaytambo, we enjoy a leisurely walking tour of the town. Laid out according to a classic Inca street pattern, it retains many original architectural features, and as we walk around we notice the striking differences between the ordinary houses north of the plaza and the ornate stonework in the houses of the nobility to the south.

Day 9
Today we drive to the small colonial town of Chinchero, situated on the plateau to the northwest of Cuzco, where we pick up bikes for a ride back down to the Sacred Valley. The ride takes us through quiet countryside, and we along the way we pass two interesting sites: the 'Inca laboratory' at Moray, whose circular terraces are believed to have formed an agricultural research station, and the ancient salt pans of Maras.

Day 10
For most people the highlight of the trip is the visit to one of the greatest ruins in the world, the 'lost city' of Machu Picchu. This is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world, in a mountain setting of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records about it, so Machu Picchu remains a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the mountain jungle.

Rather than taking the train to Machu Picchu, we have a fascinating walk to the ruins, allowing us to approach it on foot just as the Incas did hundreds of years ago. We start the 5-6 hour hike from the Urubamba River and pass the small ruins of Conchamarca before heading sharply uphill towards Wiñay Wayña, perhaps the most beautiful archaeological site along the Inca Trail. From here, it is a relatively gentle walk through cloud forest to Intipunku ('Sun Gate'), where we enjoy our first view of Machu Picchu itself. We skirt around the site and head down to our hotel in the riverside town of Aguas Calientes, saving our tour of Machu Picchu for tomorrow morning.

Please note there are strict regulations about using the trail and you will need to provide us with full passport details at the time of booking in order to secure permits for today's hike. It is possible to opt out of the walk and take the train to Aguas Calientes, allowing time to visit Machu Picchu both today and tomorrow - due to the extra services required there is a supplement of GBP45 if you do not want to hike, and you should advise us at the time of booking if you prefer to take the train.

Day 11
An early start this morning as we return to Machu Picchu for a tour of the site before the bulk of tourists arrive on the train from Cuzco. Time and weather permitting, you may be able to climb the small peak of Huayna Picchu which overlooks the ruins for fantastic views of the whole site - this walk is not recommended for those with fear of heights, and there are sections where fixed ropes are used to get past steep sections, but the rewards are certainly worth the effort. We board the train this afternoon for the ride along the Urubamba River up the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where we will be met by our minibus and driven back to Cuzco.

Day 12
The centre of the Inca Empire was Cuzco, known in the Inca language as the Navel of the Universe. Cuzco is believed to be the oldest inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. Situated in a superb position 3480m high in the Andes, it remains a city of unique beauty and fascination, its architecture deriving half from the Incas, who made it their capital, and half from the Spanish Conquistadores who built their own capital on the massive stone foundations of the Incas. Today we have a full-day combined tour in and around this city. In the centre we visit the Plaza de Armas, which has several fine churches and examples of the famous Inca stonework. We will also visit the Coricancha Temple. Outside the town are more Inca ruins, notably the fortress of Sacsayhuaman where the Inca armies made their last stand against the Conquistadores. The tour does not include entrance fees to the cathedral, San Blas Church and the religious art museum - it is possible to pay individually for these sites, or there are combined entrance tickets which offer better value for those wishing to visit several places of interest in the city. Our tour leader will advise the most cost-effective way to explore the city's many sights.

Day 13
Today is free for your own private exploration or last-minute shopping in this charming city.

Day 14
Today we leave the mountains and the Inca capital of Cuzco as we catch a flight back to Lima. On arrival we will be taken to our hotel in the fashionable district of Miraflores, where we spend our last night. In the evening there is an optional excursion to the Parque de la Reserva, located just on the edge of downtown Lima. The park features 13 fountains which are illuminated at night with constantly changing coloured lights, and several are interactive - a great, if wet, end to our trip!

Day 15
The trip ends after breakfast today. Those on the group flights will be taken to the airport this afternoon for the flight to London.

Day 16
The group flights arrive in London this afternoon.