Peruvian Amazon & Machu Picchu with Uniworld

Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access before your flight from the UK to Lima, the capital of Peru, arriving on the same day. A Uniworld representative will meet you at the airport and escort you to the Country Club Lima Hotel, where you will check in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure as you acclimatise to your new surroundings. This hotel is the perfect base for exploring the city, which brims with world-class gastronomy, historic landmarks, colourful neighbourhoods and a bustling, cosmopolitan energy. 

Stay: Country Club Lima Hotel

Discover the ‘City of Kings’ on a panoramic city tour today. Drive along the coastline of Lima in Miraflores, stroll around the Plaza San Martin and Plaza de Armas, the city’s main square. Next, visit the San Francisco Monastery with your guide, where a maze of tunnels and catacombs awaits. Later in the day, visit Casa Aliaga, one of Lima’s oldest buildings. It has been passed down the Aliaga family for 17 generations. A family member will show you around the mansion before you enjoy a delicious local lunch. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure.

Stay: Country Club Lima Hotel (or similar)

After a flight to Iquitos, a Uniworld representative will escort you to the Aria Amazon for your Amazon river cruise, with a panoramic city tour en-route. Explore the bustling atmosphere of the Belen market with a local guide. Head to the Nanay Bridge for views of the Nanay River, your first glimpse at the stunning beauty of the Amazon region.

This evening, you’re welcomed onboard with a reception dinner by Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, famous for his innovative take on Amazonian cuisine.

Please note that the Aria Amazon sails year-round, with each season offering its own appeal to the experience. High-water season runs approximately November through May; low-water season runs approximately June through October. Day-by-day programs may require adjustments due to the water level fluctuations.

Begin your day at the headstream of the Amazon River, the Ucayali, where you may spot parrots, egrets, hawks, and monkeys. This afternoon, choose to kayak, canoe, or swim on the nearby Clavero Lake. If that doesn’t appeal, take the opportunity to interact with some of the native ribereños (‘river people’), who live on the banks of the river. When the sun goes down, head out with a naturalist guide in search of nocturnal wildlife native to the region. Cruise the Yarapa River in search of these creatures and gaze heavenwards for a crystal-clear view of the constellations.

It’s another day filled with natural beauty today, taking in the region’s wildlife and lush greenery. On the Amazon River, your naturalist guide teaches you all about the diverse flora and fauna of the region. Explore the Tahuayo River, one of the Amazon’s tributary rivers. Your naturalist guide will regale you with stories of the river to teach you about the wildlife teeming along its black waters. Following lunch onboard the Aria Amazon, head out on a guided jungle walk with your guide, keeping an eye out for all kinds of flora and fauna along the way.

Nauta, nestled between the Marañón and Ucayali rivers, is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the Peruvian Amazon. Venture into Nauta’s market to discover some of the exotic fruits native to the area, such as camu camu or maracuya. You’ll meet local fishermen and discover the catch of the day, perhaps even choosing to indulge your tastebuds in a local delicacy. From here, it’s a short journey to the birthplace of the Amazon, where the Ucayali and Marañón Rivers join. The Amazon River has been explored for centuries now, but it remains shrouded in mystery. Learn more about it today, all while taking in lush greenery. The giant water lilies growing in the river basin are a particular favourite.

Today gives you a taste of life as an Amazon River dweller as you cruise along the Marañón River. On a bird-watching excursion in the jungle, be on the lookout for one of the 64 rare bird species native to the area. Explore the black waters of the Yanayacu Pucate River on a skiff, keeping your eyes peeled for sloths, egrets, parrots, and the Taricaya turtles. Afterwards, visit an Amazon village for a demonstration of Aguaje palm harvesting.

After lunch, embark on a piranha fishing excursion. Your guide will show you how to safely hunt for this notorious fish from the comfort of your river skiff. Once dusk settles in, head out with your naturalist guide in search of nocturnal wildlife.

It’s an early start today for a fishing expedition on the waters of the Samiria River with your guide. The reward is a picnic lunch under the shade, with the sounds of the Amazonian jungle accompanying you. In the afternoon, choose to explore the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve on a jungle walk or by canoeing, kayaking, or swimming.

Later on, enjoy a sunset cruise along the Ucayali River. As the day turns to evening and you gaze at the staggering sunset, keep an eye out for pink river dolphins.

Set out on the Marañón River on a skiff today. Spend the morning jungle walking, canoeing, kayaking, or swimming, with another chance to spy the pink river dolphins if you haven’t already. Later, visit an indigenous Puerto Prado village to learn about life in the Amazon. This is also another opportunity to see the giant water lilies, known to grow up to three metres in diameter and able to hold hundreds of pounds without sinking under the water.

Spend the morning in Nauta, a central gathering place for Amazonian villagers buying and trading their local harvest. Explore the town with your guide before returning to the Aria Amazon for disembarkation.

On the way to the airport, enjoy a stop at the Amazon Rescue Centre, where orphaned manatee calves are taken in, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. During your visit, you will have the chance to see these creatures close-up. After your flight to Cusco, you’ll be transferred to the Tambo del Inka Hotel in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to relax and settle in.

Stay: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa (or similar)

Today is yours to enjoy the Tambo del Inka Hotel. Head to the Kallpa Spa, one of the best in Peru, for a relaxing treatment, take a dip in the heated pool, or savour the delicious Andean cuisine in the restaurant. You are also welcome to explore the area on your own.

The optional additional Masterpiece Collection excursion today takes you to The Art Gallery, a creative space owned by Peruvian artist Pablo Seminario. Join a painting workshop, creating a tile that will be dried in the oven and delivered to your Cusco hotel later on as a souvenir. You can also shop in the gallery for art pieces to bring home.

Stay: Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa (or similar)

Discover Moray and Ollantaytambo with your guide, two sites of great historical significance in the Sacred Valley. In Moray, meet local women to learn the traditional Peruvian weaving techniques. In Ollantaytambo, experience the fascinating way of life during a family home visit. Afterward, enjoy a picnic and listen to traditional musicians before making your own panpipe.

The optional Masterpiece Collection excursion today is a fine-dining experience fusing ancient Andean flavours with contemporary techniques. Chefs Carlos Pardo Figueroa and Ribelino Alegría restore crops in high-altitude communities, bringing back ingredients lost to time to create their ‘Flavours of the Andes: Apucc Mikhuna’ (‘food the mountains bring us’) tasting menu.

Later, board a train to Aguas Calientes, the villages nestled at the foot of Machu Picchu, and check into the Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel.

Your day starts early with a shuttle bus up to the ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world. Your guide will share stories of the Inca civilisation, Machu Picchu’s discovery, and the many theories surrounding this spectacular piece of history. Enjoy lunch at the iconic Sanctuary Lodge before making your way back down to Aguas Calientes. After lunch, you’ll board a train to Ollantaytambo, and a motorcoach will take you to the Palacio del Inka Hotel in Cusco.

Stay: Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel (or similar)

Begin your day with a guided city tour of Cusco. Located in the Andes Mountains, Cusco was once the heartland of the Incan empire. Today, it's awash with cobblestone streets, colourful textiles, and art galleries. You'll start at Sacsayhuamán, a ceremonial fortress dedicated by the Incans to the sun. Visit the San Pedro market, wandering its stands overflowing with fruits, vegetables, spices, and local products.

After lunch, visit the Renaissance-style Cathedral and Koricancha, a temple dedicated to the sun. Your day ends with a dining experience inside the San Francisco Monastery of Cusco.

Stay: Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Collection Hotel (or similar)

In the morning, enjoy a walking tour of the San Blas neighbourhood in Cusco, known for its beautiful handicrafts and antique shops. Visit the Hilario Mendivil Museum, celebrating the artist of statues of saints with notoriously long necks. With your guide, discover this neighbourhood’s many winding alleys before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant.

Afterwards, you’ll fly to Lima and transfer to the Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol Lima Airport hotel for a night of rest before your journey home.

Stay: Wyndham Grand Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel (or similar)

Your guide will walk you from your airport hotel this morning to the Lima International Airport check-in, bringing an end to your Peruvian adventures. You’ll fly home to the UK, arriving the next day.