Day 1 – 3 Leaving La Paz we head to Puno in Peru.  Nestling on the shores of Lake Titicaca it is a friendly, well-kept place and much calmer than the hustle and bustle of La Paz.  Lake Titicaca is the world’s highest navigable lake at 3800m, it is also the original place of the Uros Indians who have made their homes on floating reed islands.  By boat we visit the floating islands during the day and then we go that one step beyond the average and spend the night with one of the Indian families on the lesser known islands Isla Amantani or Taquile. Spending some time in these local communities will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about the traditional lifestyle of the Andean people and their customs.

Day 4 – 10 From Lake Titicaca we now drive on very good sealed roads through some spectacular scenery as we make our way to Cuzco, the outdoors capital of Peru and our base for the next 6 days.  This gives us enough time to hike the 2 or 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, enjoy the architectural uniqueness of Cuzco and explore some of the colourful surrounding markets.  Many believe that Machu Picchu itself cannot be understood without following the steps of the Incas on the Inca Trail. If you want to try a different route to Machu Picchu, we can organise alternative treks such as the Salkantay, Lares or Vilcabamba for those who like to get off the tourist highway.

Day 11 – 15 From Cuzco we head west, passing herds of llama, alpacas and unspoilt Andean villages as we head towards the world’s deepest canyon.  Twice as deep as the Grand Canyon, Colca Canyon is an awesome spectacle.  Here you have the option, accompanied by a local guide, of a one day excursion to view Condors circling lazily on the thermals rising from the canyon floor.  On your trip into the canyon you can overnight in the town of Chivay. Because it was isolated for so many years, customs and dress have changed relatively little, which gives a rare glimpse of what life in the andes would have been like during colonial times. From here we begin dropping down out of the Andes as we head to Arequipa, a beautiful colonial city set at the foot of the impressive El Misti Volcano.

Day 16 – 26 We then camp on the beach on our way to one of the world’s great archaeological mysteries – The Nazca Lines.  These huge figures and shapes, carved into the stony desert are best viewed from the air. Following the Coastal Highway, the Ballestas Islands in the Paracas National Reserve is our next stop.  Here we take a boat trip to view one of the most important marine reserves in the world with one of the highest concentrations of rare and exotic sea birds and sea mammals.
Further up the coast is Peru’s capital city, Lima where we spend a few days. Continuing north along the coast we reach the Chan Chan ruins, the imperial citadel of the pre-Inca Chimu Kings which the Incas later conquered.  It claims to be the largest mud brick city in the world.  Nearing the border with Ecuador we have a couple of relaxing days camping on the beach at Punta Sal before leaving Peru. 

Day 27 – 31 You will see an almost immediate change from the dry, barren desert of Peru through sub-tropical forest to the fertile farming country of highland Ecuador.  We reach the outdoors mecca of Banos, a spa town nestled at the foot of a volcano, where Ecuadorians go to relax in the thermal baths and where you can hike, mountain bike or horse-ride to one of the surrounding waterfalls including El Pailon del Diablo. For the more adventurous there is the option to go canyoning down one of the many rivers in the area.

Day 32 – 37 Descending to the lowlands and the steamy edge of the Amazon basin, we arrive in the town of Tena, gateway to the Amazon jungle.  Here, accompanied by experienced guides, we explore on foot this exotic environment for two days and you also have the chance to go whitewater rafting on the rapids of the Rio Napo. 
Returning to higher altitudes and mountain scenery, we visit the town of Otavalo, famous for its colourful crafts market.  Finally we cross the Equator, just 25km’s south of Quito and discover how Quito got its name before ending our journey in the capital of Ecuador, Quito.

ITINERARY NOTES Adventure travel is not an exact science. The very unpredictability, which makes it such a rewarding experience, means occasionally we must amend our itineraries to take into account changing local circumstances. In such situations we'll always try to minimise any disruption, but you need to bear in mind that from time to time events occur outside our control. While our crew are experienced and knowledgeable of the countries through which we travel they are not tour guides as such. In some places we visit, experienced local guides will be available.