Itinerary
ANDES TO AMAZON ITINERARY
Special Note: The Andes to Amazon program is a true wilderness expedition. Many factors, such as weather, water levels, local conditions and equipment can and often do require changes to the below itinerary. Students on this program must be prepared to adapt to these changing conditions and take them in stride should they occur. Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change the below itinerary for any reason and at anytime to ensure the safety and well-being of our clients, staff and coworkers and will not be responsible for costs incurred as a result of this change.
Day 1- Tuesday
USA to Lima
Depart Houston for an easy 6 ½ hr to Lima, Peru’s capital. Upon your arrival you will be met by Rustic Pathways staff and transported to a comfortable hotel in one of Lima’s nicest neighborhoods. Those students coming from another Peru program will meet us in the hotel.
Day 2- Wednesday
Fly from Lima to Cuzco
Welcome to your first day in Peru. After a continental breakfast it is off to the airport to catch a one hour flight to Cuzco, the old Incan capital located high in Andes Mountains.
Once we arrive in Cuzco, we will head to our guesthouse and head out to grab lunch in town. Our afternoon will be fairly relaxed, allowing us to acclimate to the altitude more comfortably. We will also have a meeting to discuss the trip, as well as go over everyone’s gear and buy last minute supplies as needed. The will also be time to stroll through Cusco’s cobblestone streets and learn a bit about the Incan Empire based here.
Day 3- Thursday
Cusco to Juliaca
After a quick breakfast at our hotel, we will visit Coricancha, one of Cusco’s most important locations. Originally, probably one the most important temples in the Incan empire, the Spanish destroyed much of the existing buildings and built a large Cathedral right on top of it. Today, you can view both the fusion of colonial and Incan architecture, and learn much of how the two Cultures mixed.
After a quick lunch in town, we will head to airport to catch a short flight to Juliaca and Lake Titicaca. When arriving in Juliaca, a beautiful drive past local farmers tending to their livestock will bring us to the lakeside town of Llachon. Overlooking the lake, sits the unassuming guesthouse of Valentin and his wife. Life moves a bit slower here and is the perfect place to relax and continue to acclimate to the altitude.
Day 4- Friday
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is home to a variety of different cultures within a very short distance. Today will be spent visiting some of these communities that reside on the Islands of Lake Titicaca. It may even be possible to visit some of the floating inhabitants near Llachon, which are rarely visited. After our tour, we will return to Valentin’s guesthouse for the night.
Day 5- Saturday
Travel from Lake Titicaca to Cuyo Cuyo
A bus will pick us up before sunrise and we will begin the scenic and rugged drive up and over the Andes to the small village of Cuyo Cuyo. Along the way we will pass herds of Alpacas, Llamas, colorfully dressed locals, and stone houses. The views from this drive are fantastic and we will reach almost a 15,000 ft. pass before starting the descent from the Andes to the Amazon.
Arriving in the town of Cuyo Cuyo, we will set up camp and have to walk around this small and rarely visited village. Located just on the east flanks of the Andes, Cuyo Cuyo is home to thousands of Incan and pre-Incan terraces growing potatoes and other higher alpine crops, while below the valley gives way to the more tropical crops such as mango, oranges and papaya. Depending on the pace that we are making on our drive, we may continue past Cuyo Cuyo and stay in the village Sandia.
Day 6- Sunday
Cuyo Cuyo to Put-in
Descending from Cuyo Cuyo, today’s drive will bring us farther into the cloud forest and into the higher tropical forest of the Amazon. The change in climate is almost as dramatic as the winding jungle roads perched above steep mountain valleys. The humid climate makes these roads rugged and rutted and our first portage may occur on the road as your bus driver earns his stripes! Around mid after-noon, we should be arriving to the river. Upon reaching the put-in, we will set up camp and prepare our rafts and gear for the following 6 days on the river. Tonight we will camp by the river.
Day 7- Monday
Enter the Tambopata!
After a hearty breakfast, it is finally time to hit the river! Our team will consist of profession guides, safety kayakers, and a gear boat. As we begin our trip we will practice our paddling, and prepare for the more technical rapids ahead. Your professional guide will ensure that everyone is paddling in sync and aware of the commands so each raft can safety navigate around rocks and through shoots. No rafting experience is necessary for this trip, but you must be ready to listen to the commands of your guide and be ready to paddle.
We will spend our entire day on the river, navigating class II, III, and IV rapids that are appropriate for all abilities. The first couple of days will be fairly consistent whitewater, with short stretches of calm water between rapids.
Once on the water we leave the rest of civilization behind, discarding phones, clocks, ipods etc. and enter into river time. We will move at a comfortable pace downstream, stopping to scout the bigger rapids, taking breaks as needed, and searching for a good place alongside the river to camp for the night.
Day 8- Tuesday
Rafting the Tambopata
Waking to the sounds of the jungle, we will breakdown camp, eat a good breakfast and hit the river again. Today will be similar to the day before, as we continue to descend through exciting rapids and into the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Along the way will keep our eyes out for capybara, parrots, macaws, giant river otters, monkey’s, and maybe even the elusive jaguar.
Day 9- Wednesday
Rafting the Tambopata
Continue rafting through the Amazon. Today will be the last day of our larger rapids, as we continue descend into the more meandering rivers that characterize the Amazon basin.
Day 10- Thursday
Rafting the Tambopata
Having left most of the class III and IV rapids behind, the following days will be slightly quieter as we float through small rapids and search for wildlife.
Day 11- Friday
Rafting the Tambopata
Continue rafting the lower section of the Tambopata.
Day 12- Saturday
Rafting the Tambopata
Continue rafting the lower section of the Tambopata. Depending on how we can progress on the river we may spend a good part of the day hiking up one of the smaller tributaries in the forest. This will provide us with the chance to see and hear more of the Amazon wildlife that stay a little farther from shores of the Tambopata.
Day 13- Sunday
Back into Civilization… sort of!
Today we will be met by a couple of long tail boats and transported farther down the Tambopata and into civilization. At least there will be people and houses sporadically spread alongside the river. Tonight we will spend the night at a jungle lodge, enjoying the comforts of a real bed and showers. We will head to a local village of La Torre and set-up camp. After days away from people, it will be a wonderful experience to see the human side of the jungle. Depending on the time we arrive into La Torre, we will have time to learn about the community and participate in a few activities.
Day 14- Monday
Intowawa Lodge
Today will be spent exploring the surrounding sites of the jungle lodge. If energy permits, we will be up early to see the sunrise at the clay lick, where each morning flocks of parrots and macaws congregate. With time to relax in hammocks after our long journey, we will also head out to Lake Chimbadas, hoping to catch a glimpse of elusive Giant Otters and other birdlife.
Day 15- Tuesday
Puerto Maldonado to Lima
On their final day in Peru, students will wake up and head to the port town of Puerto Maldonado to catch their flight back to Lima. Small by many standards, this bustling center will now be a drastic change of pace from the previous week. The center of commerce for the region, Maldonado has historically been a hub for the timber and rubber trade, though now eco-tourism is the main industry. None the less, indigenous inhabitants and others arrive to Puerto Maldonado daily to trade their goods at the local market.
We will arrive to the airport late morning, and then fly back to Lima. Dinner and de-briefing will occur in the airport, before checking into your international flight back to the U.S or connecting to you next Peruvian adventure.
Day 16 Wednesday
Arrive in the United States
After your overnight flight from Lima to Houston, say final goodbyes to friends and exchange email addresses before heading home.
** Due to the realities of international travel, Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change itineraries at anytime, for any reason, and without notice to ensure the safety of our students, staff and make our programs the best they can possible be.
Incas, Andean Peaks, and Islands in the Sky
Set up camp along the river each night and experience the surrounding jungle. You’ll think you’re waking up to the beginning of time as you rise far from the bustle of civilization to the sounds of the jungle. As the river meanders into the Tambopata Reserve, you will be picked up by motorized canoe and pass scattered jungle lodges as you ease your way back into civilization. If time allows, you will stop to see the Tambopata Macaw Lick, where hundreds of scarlet, yellow, and blue macaws flock daily – an amazing end to an incredible adventure!
Peru Country Director Gabriel Porter-Henry, who was a professional rafting guide, will be your guide on the Andes to the Amazon program. He is extremely excited to share his passion for whitewater and wildlife with you. Other experienced and professional rafting guides will also help you navigate the rapids and teach you about the flora and fauna along the way. While no previous rafting experience is necessary, this advanced program is rugged and demanding, and you must be prepared for extended camping and a flexible itinerary. A strong sense of adventure and an open mind are essential. Andes to the Amazon is perfect for those students looking for a once-in-a-lifetime expedition in one of the world’s last truly wild places.