Nature Walk: Walk along the hotel’s trails, and discover the fascinating yet fragile ecosystem of the Machu Picchu cloud forest, and learn about its many indigenous plants and animals. The nature walk offers guests a glimpse of cloud forest flora: ferns, bromeliads and orchids and fauna -an interesting variety of birds; as well as an introduction to the Vilcanota river system, the observatory, the tea garden, and house. (2 hours)
Orchids: Walk through the orchid garden to observe some of the hotel’s 372 different native orchids in bloom. Discover this extraordinary plant family, which has captured the human imagination for centuries. From the largest orchid flower in the world – the Phragmipedium caudatum to tiny flowering specimens properly appreciated only through a magnifying glass, there are orchids to amaze both the newly inquisitive and the expert, including species new to science which have been discovered on the hotel grounds. (1-2 hours)
Tea: Visit our organic tea (Camellia sinensis) plantation and tea house to discover the wonders of the traditional tea making process. Take part as the freshly picked leaves are pressed over wooden blocks and finally seal your own tea bag. A glass of fresh iced-tea direct from Inkaterra Machu Picchu’s tea house completes the experience. (1-2 hours).
Birds at Machu Picchu: Walk early in the morning to take advantage of the optimum time for cloud-forest bird watching. Begin at a river observatory, with the possibility of sighting the sought-after torrent duck and the white-capped dipper. Then proceed to a productive tanager feeding area, where silver beaked, blue-necked, fawn-breasted and saffron-crowned tanagers can be found. Along the hotel’s pathways, be on the lookout for the cock-of-the-rock, the golden-headed quetzal and many of the 18 different hummingbirds identified on the grounds, including the booted racket-tail and the green and white hummingbirds, which are native to the area.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred by a local representative to the train station to take the deluxe class train Hiram Bingham to Poroy. Departure at 5:50 pm. Dinner is included onboard. A local representative will pick you up at the train station and transfer you to your hotel in Cusco for an overnight stay.
Day 10 – Paracas: This morning, you will be transferred to the airport at Cusco to board your flight back to Lima. Upon arrival at Lima, you will be met by a local representative and transferred to the beachside town of Paracas via private transport. On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 11 – Paracas: At 6 am, depart from your hotel to begin your transfer to Palpa to begin your tour (approx 2 1/2 hour drive). With more than 600 geoglyphs, these are enormous zoomorphic and phytomorphic geometric drawings similar to the Nazca Lines and serially overshadowed by the more famous, buy less abundant Nazca Lines. They are located in between the towns of Sacramento, Pinchango, and Llipata. According to recent archaeological studies, these lines are older than the Nazca Lines. They represent a series of human and animal zoomorphic figures, including the Familia Real (Royal Family), among which the highlight is the deity of the Paracas culture during late development period (600-100 BC).
After the tour, you will be transferred to Nasca airport to take the 1 hour and 40-minute flight over the Nazca Lines. A once in a lifetime experience to view and photograph this immense Pre-Incan astronomical calendar comprised of extraordinary and mysterious designs that were discovered in the 1930s. The lines are known as geoglyphs – drawings on the ground made by removing rocks and earth to create a “negative” image. The rocks which cover the desert have oxidized and weathered to a deep rust color, and when the top 12-15 inches of rock is removed, a light-colored, high contrasting sand is exposed. Because there’s so little rain, wind, and erosion, the exposed designs have stayed largely intact for 500 to 2000 years. Finally, return to your hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 12 – End Of Itinerary: This morning, transfer to begin your visit to the Paracas National Reserve. The reserve sits within the Paracas Peninsula, filled with untouched coast and tropical desert. The pristine and secluded coastline begins to rise, giving a steep drop into the sea. The red sands of the desert coast have a luster like an orange moon. The water is a sapphire blue, the mist rising along the sunken coast and brushing your cheeks. Return to your hotel. At the appropriate time, transfer to the Lima airport to take your international flight home.
