Do you fancy a holiday with a difference, one with a successful mixture of excitement; thrills, culture and engineering marvels, then why not try Peru?

We were part of a group of 14 fellow travellers, who had all booked the holiday of a lifetime. The trip involved a 16 day tour of the country and was designed into three main areas:-
1. The Amazon Rainforest and its amazing wildlife
2. Cusco, The Inca's and The Inca Trail
3. Escape to Amantani Island

Our journey through Peru

The group all (almost all) met up at a hotel in Miraflores, an affluent suburb of Lima, late one Saturday night in September. Having travelled from all over the UK, some had arrived the previous night, whereas the majority had landed that afternoon.

Hotel Antiqua Miraflores

The only instructions we had was that breakfast was at 05.30 and we were to be out of the hotel by 06.00 for an 08.00 flight to Puerto Maldonado (the pattern of the "holiday ?" was set).

• Part -1 (The Amazon Rainforest and its amazing wildlife)

Our first trick was to get to Puerto Maldonado, having arrived at Lima airport we paid our internal departure tax and boarded a flight (in fact it was more like a bus) to Puerto Maldonado International Airport (via Cusco) a very modern terminal but only two gates and only one destination, Cusco.

Puerto Maldonado Airport

Puerto Maldonado

From there it was a short journey into town. Puerto Maldonado is a bit like a frontier town from a Clint Eastwood western. We unloaded our suitcases, repacked everything we needed for our rainforest adventure into our soft bags and our rucksacks (waterproofs, water, torches, sun-tan lotion & bug spray were essentials) and re-boarded the bus. From there we were off down the main road (dirt track) into "Inferno" (so christened by the mountain tribes when they settled here) a little port on the Tambopata river. The temperature was in the late 30oC's with humidity of around 85%. We arrived at the port, two buildings (one souvenir shop) and a couple of jettys. Having grabbed our bags there was time for a quick comfort stop, then we were off to the Tambopata Reserve Lodge, our home for the next 3 nights.

Tambopata Reserve

The Tambopata River

Lunch was served on the boat, chicken & rice with fried bananas, with wafers for dessert all served in a MacDonald's style box. The river was low at this time of year, but our boat was expertly navigated by the driver, he instinctively knew where the shallow bits were. After a couple of hours we arrived at the entrance to the Tambopata Reserve, so it was off the boat, climb up the bank and check in. From there it was another hour or so to the lodge, our wildlife experience had started, in that short distance a pair of cormorants, a fish eagle and a family of capybara were all seen along the river bank.

The lodges at the Tambopata Lodge

An interior view of the lodge

We soon arrived at the lodges, having clambered up the bank we could see there were about 20 single storey wooden thatched buildings based behind a central dinning and bar area. Each chalet was divided into 2 apartments with a low partition wall dividing them. This meant you could hear everything (I mean everything) your neighbour did or said (just don't talk in your sleep). The solar panels outside each chalet were purely to heat the water for the showers, so there was no electricity, the walkways were lit by oil lamps and the chalets by candles. Besides the shower and loo, each apartment was also fitted with a fire extinguisher (obvious reasons) and a whistle (not so obvious). Okay what do you do when you're caught short in the middle of the night and there's a big black hairy spider on the bathroom floor, no you don't scream you blow the whistle and member of staff comes and rescues you.

After settling in, the next most important thing was to set up your bar tab, one does need a beer to keep you going. Once that was completed it was time for an introduction to the rainforest followed by a night walk looking for bugs and creepy crawlies, just remember no street lights, but we did have torches, but still 14 noisy Brits stumbling through the pitch black, everything just seemed to disappear. The walk ended with everyone turning off their lights and just listening and watching fireflies, it's amazing how sound travels.

Once we found our way back, it was dinner a few drinks and bed, that is once you'd untied and tucked in your mosquito net. The alarm was set for a 5.30 wake up call.

• Day-1 in the rainforest

Breakfast - everything on 1 plate

Our path through the rainforest

Breakfast at 6.00, everyone was there kitted out for the days walk. Breakfast itself was fruit, eggs, bacon & sausage all on 1 plate (saves washing up)  washed down with tea or coffee. The only water for drinking was boiled, cooled & treated with iodine, or bottled. Once finished it was pick up your pack lunch and down to the boat.

Lunch - chicken & rice

Today was the day for our long walk (total distance about 12km) into the rainforest in search of wildlife. The routine was soon apparent upriver for about 30mins off the boat, up the bank and off we go. The guides were excellent, they knew exactly what they were looking for, we could hear lots but see nothing. The area was extremely dry, certainly not as in the Hollywood movies, as we followed the track amongst the trees.  Stopping every so often for the guide to enlighten us about a peculiar tree or plant he'd found. Even though it was still early the heat & humidity were oppressive. Stopping once again we could hear Macaws and Green Parrots above, they were barely visible in the tops of the trees. The track wound through the trees, crossing streams by bridges and a fallen log, arriving at an isolated camp, we stopped for a break and our lunch of chicken & rice wrapped in a banana leaf. After lunch we clambered into a pair of dug out canoes for a trip round one of the many ox-bow lakes in the area. This would enable us to get a better view of some of the local birds and monkeys that inhabit the shoreline. Paddling around the lake we first glimpsed a family of Stinky birds, (photo of s-birds) these were followed by some Brown Capuchins and Squirrel Monkeys, there was also a Heron fishing on the bank. Once back on shore it was back re-tracing our steps to the boat. The morning had been an experience in the wonders of nature.

The stinky bird

Once back on the boat there was a cooling breeze which momentarily allowed us to escape from the heat, as we whizzed our way back to the camp. Once back on site it was time to relax, perhaps with a beer or even a swim in the small tributary that bordered the camp (or both). It was dark by 5.30, with another early day promised tomorrow.





•  Day-2 in the rainforest

The cacophony of sounds grew as the day dawned, it was only 5.00 but everything was waking up, as the sun rose over the forest we knew we were in for another hot day. Breakfast was the same as yesterday, but with the added option of yoghurt and cheerios to mix in with your fruit etc. The guides had planned a short morning walk to a smaller ox-bow lake, followed by an optional visit to a local farm. After dark we were off caiman spotting.

A family of Capybara - our first sighting of the day

The day dawned over the river

Everything was ready as we descended down the steps to the boat, the trip up river was shorter then yesterday, as before the driver grounded the boat, we all jumped off the boat and clambered up the river bank. Once at the top we split into two groups, less people, less noise more chance of seeing something was the theory. The highlight of the walk out was a Tarantula burrow (yes they do live in holes in the ground), the guide teased her out with a twig and wow it was photo time. The groups met up again at the edge of a small lake, where we climbed aboard a raft for the short trip across to the other side. Whilst we were trying to extricate the raft from the bank a pair of Scarlet Macaws flew into the branches high above us, it was photo time again. There was also a colony of bats using a dead log as a roosting spot, plus a family of Stinky birds in the trees nearby.

A pair of Scarlet Macaws were right above us

The journey across the lake was short, we set off to find two of the tallest trees in the area, a hollowed out Strangler Fig and a Kapok Tree. It was then back onto the raft, time for elevenses and a chance to feed the fish and piranhas who are both rather partial to biscuits.


The journey back to the boat, gave an opportunity, for those that missed a chance to see the Tarantula. It was all quite quiet for the boat ride back to camp.


After lunch some decided to rest, whereas the remainder went off to the farm. Rainforest farms are nothing like UK ones, the farmer first burns a clearing in the forest, he then plants various fruits (bananas, papaya, pineapples & chillies to name a few) all higgledy, piggledy. This prevents cross contamination of diseases and bugs. Besides the fruit he also kept chickens and pigs, which were kept an eye on by a local Vulture. In the intense afternoon heat (the sandy soil just radiated the heat upwards whilst the sun beat down) we were guided around, stopping to sample some of the fruit, and admire the farming techniques.

The sun was beginning to drop as we returned to the boat (photo), once back at the camp, there was just enough time to grab our torches before our caiman spotting adventure. Just imagine it's pitch black, the storm clouds are above and there's thunder and lightning in the distance and speeding along the river in a boat with a guide on the bow waving a spotlight from side to side. How the hell the driver knew where he was going was unbelievable, but he did. Yes we did see caiman, not only that but also some capybara (apparently the caiman eat the youngsters, a fully grown one is just too much).


Dinner that night, also included a birthday cake, including candles, one of our party was 60 today (it just goes to show anything can be done if you put your mind to it). It then just time for one last beer and to settle our bar tabs, before bed and the one hour of rain we had in the whole holiday.


• Part-2 Cusco, the Incas & The Inca Trail

Our flight to Cusco was at 11.00, so it was up at 5.30 as usual, a quick breakfast and then back on the boat, bags & all for the trip back to Puerto Maldonado. Arriving back at the offices we reclaimed our suitcases  and threw them (literally) onto the bus and it was off to the airport for check in and shopping.

An example of Inca wall building

The flight to Cusco took 40mins out of the rainforest and up into the Andes. Landing at Cusco we were now at 3600m, instead of the 200m we'd left. The extra altitude became immediately apparent once we left the airport, you felt light headed, a bit like having a couple of drinks. We boarded the coach to our hotel, Cusco is built in a bowl, so everywhere is either up or down hill, plus when the Inca's built the city it certainly was'nt designed for the car, steep, narrow cobbled streets abound in the old city centre.

The Qorikancha

Having checked into the hotel, it was then time for lunch. This involved a slightly laboured walk down some steep steps to the nearby restaurant, the altitude does take some getting used to. After lunch it was time for our city walking tour, the engineering skills of the Inca's and pre-Inca's soon became apparent. This included exact fitting stones, with no mortar, earthquake proof buildings, due to the slanting walls and trapezoidal door frames. The next stop was the Qorikancha, the base is Inca, this supports a colonial church and the Convent of Santo Domingo. This was once the richest temple in the Inca empire. After a tour of the building it was onto the Plaza de Armas (the Central Square), from there it was a steep walk uphill back to the hotel. This gave us a chance for some window shopping and haggling with the many street sellers.

• Day-1 in Cusco, a free day

The itinery gave us 36 hours to acclimatise to the altitude. Our free day not only gave us a late start, but

Pisac Market

we also had a choice of things we could do, whitewater rafting, visit the Sacred Valley, or a rest day were the choices. The writer went for the Sacred Valley, he joined a pool of American tourists at the Central Square. The day involved a bus ride over the mountains to Pisac where there was a chance to explore the main market. Pisac was at one end of the Sacred Valley (the bread basket of the Incas), the tour then extended along the valley to Ollantaytambo, again a marvel of Inca engineering. After an extensive tour of the temple it was back up the mountains to Chinchero a pre-Inca site for a chance to see the weaving process. At 3800m this was highest yet, and yes 200m does make a difference.

Ollantaytambo - Inca Temple

 The whole group met back at the hotel, to share their experiences of the day and their shopping bargains, before heading back to the previous days restaurant for dinner.

It was then back to the hotel to pack for tomorrow's Inca Trail, we were allowed just one soft bag each, containing no more then 10kg, including our sleeping bag and bed roll, plus what ever we wanted to carry in our ruck sack (again this included waterproofs, water, sun-tan lotion & bug spray). The remainder of our luggage was to be stored at the hotel.


Tomorrow was to be another early day.

• Part-2 the start of the Inca Trail