Peru & Bolivia Epic Adventure
Max Group 12
Private Room
Lifetime Deposit
20 Days Off-The-Maps in Peru & Bolivia
Hola! Como estas? Get ready to uncover the best corners of Peru and Bolivia by road, air, rail and boat, as you weave your way along the spiny Andes mountain range on this 20 day adventure. Your breath, quite literally, will be taken away at both the altitude and the stunning scenery!
You’ll certainly see the highlights like Machu Picchu, but there’s plenty of room for off-beat moments in big-time cities like Lima, Cusco and La Paz and small towns that seem as though they’re tucked away in the clouds. You’ll be catching a sunset over the snow-white crust of the world’s largest salt flat, sailing deep into the far reaches of the Amazon Rainforest, overnighting in a rural homestay and meeting families to learn their unique cultural ways … All while exploring thousands of years of history.
This is the ultimate bucket list-filling adventure, and you’ll get to see it all in a small, tight-knit group of no more than 12 like-minded men and women. Are you ready to join your fellow Fencoxers?
Highlights
Discover the Amazon and its astonishing nature & wildlife.
Meet the locals in Sacred Valley & learn about their traditions.
Visit the Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu.
Stroll the streets of some of Sth. America’s most fascinating cities.
Explore Titicaca lake & meet its locals.
Sleep in boutique hotels, a jungle lodge, and rural homestay - all with your own private room!
Watch preparations of the 8,000-year-old traditional Pachamanca feast.
Trip Details
Trip Breakdown
| Dates | Price AUD (per person twin share) |
|---|---|
|
|
Missed out on a trip? Let us know and we’ll be in touch about future dates!
Length
20 days, 19 nights
Pricing Details
- $2,150 AUD deposit.
- 2 week cooling off period applies.
- Lifetime Deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips.
- Private room – no sharing required.
Meeting Point
Antigua Miraflores Hotel, Lima, Peru
Ending Point
Rosario Hotel, La Paz, Bolivia
Group Size
Maximum 12
Included
- Meals: 19 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 16 dinners
- Air-conditioned private vehicle transportation, 3 x domestic flights, boat, catamaran.
- Scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes, 4WD salt flats rides
- 15 nights boutique and premium hotels, 3 nights Amazon eco lodge, 1 night homestay
- A top-rated and English-speaking Tour Leader, 1 in peru, 1 in Bolivia
- Amazon specialist guide
- All listed activities and more!
Not Included
- International Flights and travel insurance (necessary)
- Additional hotel nights & late checkouts
- Drinks and other personal expenses
- Tip kitty. (See FAQs for more information)
Accommodation Preview
Antigua Miraflores Boutique Hotel, Miraflores
Munay Wasi Inn, Cusco
Hacienda Plaza de Armas Hotel, Puno
Day 1: Welcome to Lima!
Welcome to Lima, the City of Kings!
It’s undoubtedly been a long journey to Peru so we’ve arranged for a private transfer directly to your hotel. Relax and recharge in your private room before meeting up with your guide and fellow Fencoxers for a dinner with a hearty Peruvian welcome! This isn’t just your first taste of Peruvian cuisine, but quite possibly the start of your love affair with it – more about why tomorrow when you dive head first into Peru’s lively capital!
Accommodation: Antigua Miraflores Boutique Hotel (or similar), Lima – Peru
Included: Dinner
Day 2: Lima, Peru
The flavours and ingredients of the Pacific Ocean, Andes Mountains and Amazon Rainforest combine to create the unique flavours of Peruvian cuisine – one of the most revered in the world. Today you’ll explore this colourful country through your tastebuds.
Follow your guide’s cue and get yourself immersed in the city’s hubbub of a market filled with vendors’ commotion, selling everything from peculiar fruits to whole tuna and aromatic spices like aji amarillo. Imagine if this was your weekly shop! After you’ve gathered together your medley of ingredients, head to a local home to learn how to make Peru’s national dish, ceviche, from the best. Your teacher is a seasoned cook and you won’t need to be a master chef, merely a lover of food!
End your epic foodie escapades with a walking tour along some of Lima’s best street food stalls: the perfect mix of history and cuisine.
Accommodation: Antigua Miraflores Boutique Hotel (or similar), Lima – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Snack
Day 3: The Amazon Rainforest
Good-bye Lima, hello Amazon Rainforest. Not only are you switching scenery, you’ll be switching climates when you take a short flight to Puerto Maldonado, the gateway of the Amazon Rainforest – getting there is an adventure in itself. You’ll travel by plane, car and boat, cruising up the Madre de Dios River for three hours before reaching a remote eco-lodge. Waiting for you is your local, specialist guide who knows both the rainforest and river like the back of their hand.
Accommodation tonight is another big change of pace. It’s cold showers, no WI-FI and limited electricity for the next few days. But oh! You’ll relish in the refreshing feeling after a long walk through the humid jungle and you freshen up in your private room.
Accommodation: Cayman Lodge (or similar), Puerto Maldonado – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4: Amazon Rainforest
Burst out from under your mosquito net, because today is all about exploring the depths of the jungle – and it’s bound to be unforgettable. The Amazon Rainforest hides more than just precious creatures like tapirs and capybara from curious eyes. There’s a bounty of medicinal plants hiding in plain sight. Learn about them with your guide while also keeping your eyes peeled for forest-dwelling scarlet macaws and morpho butterflies. Can you hear the monkeys chatting to each other in the distance?
Pull out the bug spray! There’s a grand finale to your day of exploring the steamy bush – a night jungle expedition. You’ll hear the jungle’s nocturnals spring to life in a whole new way, as a symphony of tree frogs croak you to sleep.
Accommodation: Cayman Lodge (or similar), Puerto Maldonado – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5: Tres Chimbadas Lake
It’s your third day in the rainforest and it’s time to get back on the water. Today, you’re off to explore the Tres Chimbadas Lake by catamaran! At this point, you might want to pull out your binoculars and keep your eyes peeled. The dense vegetation that surrounds this lake is the perfect sanctuary for all manner of creatures, and home to giant river otters and black alligators. If you’re really lucky, you may catch a glimpse at the highly endangered, and elusive, river wolves who roam nearby.
This evening you’ll do as the locals do and while away the hours learning how to carve a bow and arrow. These weapons are used for hunting and have provided sustenance for the peoples of the Amazon for thousands of years.
Accommodation: Cayman Lodge (or similar), Puerto Maldonado – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6: Cusco
From steamy jungle to the airy highlands today – You’ve seen both the modern capital and lush Amazonian Peru, now it’s time for the ancient capital, Cusco. It’s just a 50-minute flight up and into the Andes from Puerto Maldonado. Be prepared though, you’re about to experience a major shift in altitude as you fly from sea level to 3,400 metres in elevation.
Make sure to stay hydrated and your guide will be slowing down the pace for a while now, to give you time to acclimatise. Unpack, get comfy, and settle in a bit because you’ll be based at this hotel for the next three nights.
Dinner this evening is at Mama Seledonia, a restaurant that supports young, single mothers and serves up some seriously yummy eats.
Accommodation: Munay Wasi Hotel (or similar), Cusco – Peru
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
So, What Exactly Is Coca?
Peru is famous for coca and you’ll see it everywhere in the Andes region of South America as a remedy for everything from altitude sickness to asthma. Yes, this is technically the base ingredient for both Coca-Cola and cocaine, but it’s so much more than its undeserved status as an illicit drug and sugary soda. Coca has been used medicinally for thousands of years and is sacred to the Quechua people. Used in ceremonies and rituals, residue of the leaves has even been found on the lips of mummies, sacrificed long ago by the Incas. Locals typically roll the leaves into a ball and chew on them to release their restorative properties. All this to say, coca can be a wonderful aid to whatever ails you.
Day 7: History of the Incas
You’ve had only a taste of ancient Incan history so far, so now it’s time for further investigation! However, it’s not quite time for Machu Picchu yet. There are a bunch of places along the way for you to explore. Beginning with the outskirts of Cusco at Sacsayhuaman. Just how did the Incas carve these mammoth stones that fit so perfectly together? This almost impossibly fortified ceremonial centre looks as if it were created by a giant.
Finish off your first full day in Cusco by strolling the streets this afternoon on a guided tour. You’re walking in the footsteps of thousands of years of history from the Coricancha Temple to the gruesome Spanish Conquest. The city will sing you its story through both European and Incan architecture and the craggy cobblestones that connect it all.
Accommodation: Munay Wasi Hotel (or similar), Cusco – Peru
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 8: San Blas Neighborhood
It’s day 8 already and it’s been a whirlwind of a first week in Peru, so you’ve earned today’s sleep in. Enjoying a peaceful breakfast at the hotel before regrouping this afternoon for a walking tour of the funky San Blas neighbourhood. These white-washed, terracotta-tiled buildings are home to an artisan community of galleries, studios and a creative restaurant scene.
We’re sure you know the famous tune, “El Condor Pasa”, originally composed by a Peruvian and decades later ‘remade’ by Simon and Garfunkel. Is it possible this evocative melody piqued your interest in this trip? We wouldn’t blame you! The almost mystical instruments you’re hearing are zampoña, a member of the lute family. You’ll visit a local musician’s home where you can play traditional Peruvian instruments and even try your hand at making these traditional panpipes.
Accommodation: Munay Wasi Hotel (or similar), Cusco – Peru
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 9: Sacred Valley of the Incas
You’ll be bouncing out of bed this morning because the time has finally come to journey into the Sacred Valley of the Incas. This also means you’re a step closer to Machu Picchu. Peer up into the hills to see the terraced farms and sheer valley walls that protect the locals. This legendary part of Peru has been both a fertile farmland and creative haven for centuries. Today, you’ll jump right into the locals’ way of life, learning about their traditional Andean ways.
Afterwards, there’s a special lunch in store to commemorate your arrival! Watch as searing stones are used to cook home-grown ingredients like guinea pig and potatoes, in preparation of an 8,000-year-old, traditional Pachamanca feast in your honour. Don’t worry if you can’t stomach eating these cute little guys – there’ll be beef and chicken too!
Accommodation: Sonesta Posada Del Inca Yucay Hotel (or similar), Yucay – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 10: Aguas Calientes
All aboard the Inca Rail! Today you’ll follow the winding Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo by car before taking the train to Aguas Calientes. This isn’t just any railway but one of the most wow-inducing train journeys in the world! Watch as the Sacred Valley slips past your window before ascending high into the dense cloud forest.
On arrival in Aguas Calientes you’ll need to brace yourself, because… it’s just not as attractive. Unfortunately. It’s a touristy hotspot. But, there’s literally no way around it – it’s the necessary through-route to the main gig. Your hotel on the other hand is rather beautiful! Gather together for lunch before spending the remainder of the day however you’d like. You might just want to zen out at the hotel so you can avoid the souvenir traps. Get some rest tonight, this is the eve of your pinnacle Peru moment – the final push to the mythic Machu Picchu.
Accommodation: Hatun Inti Boutique Hotel (or similar), Aguas Calientes – Peru
Included: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 11: Machu Picchu
You’ve seen it through a screen or maybe in a magazine, but today, it’s the real deal. You’re finally about to witness Machu Picchu – in the flesh! You’ll arrive by shuttle bus, saving your energy for exploring the ruins themselves rather than climbing up the steps of the Inca Trail.
Visiting Machu Picchu is surreal. It’s beautiful, but popular. We recommend finding a quiet space for yourself, closing your eyes and bringing yourself into the moment. You can just feel the magic out there. It’s amazing to think that it remained here, high up on the Vilcabamba Mountains, quietly for hundreds of years before someone noticed it.
Your guide will teach you everything there is to know about the Lost City of the Incas. A final stop for a celebratory lunch back in Aguas Calientes, then head back to your old stomping grounds, Cusco.
Accommodation: Munay Wasi Hotel (or similar), Cusco – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 12: Cusco
You’re over halfway into this exciting trip through Peru and Bolivia and we think you’ve earned a free day! Take the time to reflect or venture back out onto the cobblestone streets. Your guide will give you a Boleto Touristico, a pass that gives you access to 16 museums and archaeological sites, if you haven’t had your fill of Peruvian history. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to sleep in and get some much-needed rest. Tomorrow is a long drive deeper into the Andes!
Accommodation: Munay Wasi Hotel (or similar), Cusco – Peru
Included: Breakfast
Day 13: Lake Titicaca
We did mention you should be prepared for today. That’s because it’s an epic 10-hour road trip through the Andes. It may be arduous but we promise that the destination, and views, are well worth the journey. Your route will contour through the mountainy peaks, all the while punctuated with herds of alpaca and locals navigating on foot.
You’ll break up the drive with lunch at a local restaurant, and before you know it, the gang will arrive at the shores of the stunning Lake Titicaca. You’ve made it to the highest altitude point of the trip at 3,800 metres. Spend the night, tucked beneath thick blankets in your host family’s humble, mud-brick home. Catching some zzz’s won’t be difficult after your adventurous day!
Accommodation: Homestay with a Llachon Community (or similar), Lake Titicaca – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 14: Puno, Peru
Bid your sweet host family farewell as you sail away on Lake Titicaca, however the local family experiences aren’t over just yet! Drift along the serene waters as you head towards both the Floating Islands and Taquile Island for lunch with another family who lives in the centre of the lake.
The people of Taquile Island are skilled masters of the loom and they happen to be some of the friendliest people you could ever meet. Feel free to pick up one of their masterpieces as a gift or your very own momento. This evening you’ll appreciate your more plush accommodation in the quiet town of Puno after a night of roughing it in last night’s homestay. Believe it or not, just across the water is your next destination, Bolivia! Share your favourite memories with your Peruvian guide, because tomorrow, you’ll be saying your sad goodbyes.
Accommodation: La Hacienda Plaza de Armas Hotel (or similar), Puno – Peru
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 15: La Paz, Bolivia
Welcome to Bolivia!
After 15 days in Peru, it’s time to see the Bolivian side of the Andes. Today you’ll make your way to the highest capital city in the world, La Paz, sitting at almost 3,600 metres. It’ll be another adventurous day of transportation as you navigate both customs and winding switchbacks. But the journey will be studded with interesting, and downright mysterious, stops along the way. At the border, you’ll pass through customs on-foot. Don’t fret this formality – your Peruvian guide will be by your side until, voila! You’re safely in the hands of your Bolivian guide and driver on the other side. Further down the road, the site of Tiwanaku is a head-scratcher. A once-great civilisation disappearing into thin air is enough to make anyone curious.
Accommodation: Rosario La Paz Hotel (or similar), La Paz – Bolivia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Day 16: Explore La Paz
Today is your introduction to the “Tibet of the Americas” through La Paz’s happily-jumbled streets. You should be well used to the altitude at this point but there’s no doubt that Bolivia will leave you breathless as you explore this city of two million with your trusty guide. Crouched within a volcanic crater, the city looks as if it’s cradled in the arms of gargantuan mountains.
A visit to the Valley of the Moon will wow you with its almost supernatural, lunar landscape. Once you’re back in the city, hop aboard the shiny new cable cars for a bird’s eye perspective. Next, explore the wild and wonderful Mercado de las Brujas – the Witches Market! It’s as if you’ve stepped into a wacky world of magic with llama foetuses and talismans side-by-side with a prismatic explosion of textiles in various shades of neon.
We’ve saved this afternoon up as a free one for you! Relax at the hotel or continue exploring this enchanting metropolis. You’ll have the opportunity to seek out a local dinner of your choice tonight. Bolivian cuisine is all things hearty, and your guide will be on hand to point you in the direction of one of their favourite restaurants.
Accommodation: Rosario La Paz Hotel (or similar), La Paz – Bolivia
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
A Bolivian Fashion Statement
Curious why Bolivian women have incorporated the stoic-looking bowler hat , aka ‘cholitas’, into their wardrobe? First brought to Bolivia by British rail workers, the bowler hat began to take root in Bolivian fashion some time in the 1920s. Legend has it that a shipment of strangely small bowler hats arrived one day. Rather than have them go to waste, sellers began to market the woollen top hats to local women. The rest, as they say, is history! Today, you’ll see many Bolivian ladies rocking these cholitas to compliment their traditional, colourful outfits.
Day 17: Uyuni
Day 17 begins with a short, domestic flight to the small town of Uyuni – your base for exploring this alien landscape!
The Salar was formed thousands of years ago as a result of lake waters slowly retracting, leaving behind huge deposits of salt and lithium, just beneath the surface.
As you gaze out at these salt flats, it does indeed seem as if you’re on a different planet. It strikes you just how far from home you really are. All your worries, obligations and what-not, have no significance out here. And boy, does it feel good.
Jump into your 4WDs to navigate the barren Bolivian Altiplano. You’ll make several stops that tell the story of the Salar, from a long-forgotten train cemetery to the process of making table salt. But the most impressive stop? Incahuasi Island, with 360-degree panoramic views and its surreal cacti forest, all of it surrounded by stark, white salt flats as far as the eye can see.
Dinner tonight will be held at your hotel, made entirely of salt! You could lick the walls to double check but trust us, it’s 100 percent sodium chloride.
Accommodation: Luna Salada Hotel (or similar), Uyuni – Bolivia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 18: Tunupa Volcano
After a restful sleep beneath the salt (did you know salt is known to ease insomnia?), it’s time to venture back out onto the arid Salar. We hope you brought your chapstick! Your guide will lead you through ancient caves where mummies have been resting for hundreds of years, perfectly preserved by the briny air. End the day with views of the salt flats from the base of Tunupa Volcano as you wave goodbye to this otherworldly landscape and the sun slips into the horizon.
Accommodation: Luna Salada Hotel (or similar), Uyuni – Bolivia
Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 19: La Paz
It’s your last full day in Bolivia and you’re headed back to the capital via a one-hour, early morning flight. Once in La Paz, drop your bags and enjoy your afternoon however you like. Walk the street markets and savour those peekaboo views of Mount Illimani, or just rest and reminisce on your time in South America. This is your last chance to grab souvenirs like singani, a local liquor or talismans to protect you on your journey home. Tonight you’ll celebrate the end of this epic adventure with dinner and traditional dancing, elbow-to-elbow with your adventure-bonded friends.
Accommodation: Rosario La Paz Hotel (or similar), La Paz – Bolivia
Included: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 20: Farewell Friends!
It’s time to pack up, say tearful goodbyes and watch Bolivia disappear out the plane window. Can you believe it’s already been 20 memory-making days? Exchange info with your Fencox crew over one last breakfast .. For now it’s, “Hasta Luego!”
Included: Breakfast
Trip Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is a significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD:0.66 USD.
A deposit of $2,150 is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made 110 days in advance.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 95 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.
Aussies and Kiwis do not need Visa to visit Peru and Bolivia. The length of stay permitted upon entry is 30 days in both countries.
Level 2 or Moderate
You’ll need a moderate level of fitness for this trip. If you can walk 3 – 4 hours at an easy pace on undulating and uneven ground, you’ll be fine. There will be days where you’ll be spending a lot of time on your feet and times when you’ll need to get on and off different types of transport, including boats and 4WDs. You must be ok with using a squat toilet – we do our best to accommodate what you’re used to (all hotel rooms have sit down toilets) but when you’re on-the-road and in remote locations, sometimes it’s the only choice available. You’ll also need to be able to access over-the-bath showers.
High Altitude Trip
On this epic 20-day journey you’ll travel from the Peruvian Pacific coast to the Amazon, and up into the Andes. You’ll spend the final leg of your journey in the highlands where the altitude levels go beyond 2800 metres. All vehicles you’ll travel in have oxygen onboard and our guides are trained in first aid. However, you must seek medical advice from a health professional in relation to the high altitude and your personal health.
Most of our trips have a Tip Kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands.
We will be updating the details for tipping here soon.
To accommodate the domestic flight luggage limits, we request that you travel with 1 case/bag weighing no more than 20kg, and 1 carry-on bag/case weighing no greater than 8kg.
TBA
TBA
TBA
International airfares are not included.
Being tour operators (not travel agents), we are not licensed to sell flights. We recommend contacting your trusted local travel agent to book flights if you’re in need of assistance.
There are direct flights to Peru from some Australian cities and several 1-stop flights from Australian and New Zealand cities.
Will we be picked up at the airport?
Yes! One of our friendly team will be waiting for you in the public arrivals area of the airport. You’ll transfer directly to the hotel. The transfer is free and in a private and air-conditioned vehicle, which you will only share if there is anyone else on your flight joining the tour.
When should we arrive?
Try to arrive before midday on the start day, although earlier would be recommendable. If possible, come one day early to settle in. We can organise additional hotel nights for you at cost.
TBA
In the unlikely event of a health or security related incident during a trip, we’ve engaged a local partner to assist. From our experience, there is not one framework that fits all, and every incident is unique and requires a different approach. With all trips, your guides are your day-to-day support. While behind the scenes, there is an active line of communication – between your guide, the on-ground support team, and Australian Ops.
This trip visits two different countries, each with their unique histories, and cultures. So that you’re experiencing the essence of each country, your trip will be led by two culturally different guides (the transition occurs on Day 15), and from time-to-time, other specialty guides will join the group too.
Local regulations require that your stay in the Amazonian Rainforest be managed by your welcoming lodge hosts. Most of your luggage will be stored safely in their town office, and they’ll loan you a duffle bag to pack what you need for your three nights in the jungle.
Your lodge is eco-friendly and owned by the local community. Rooms are simple but comfortable, with flush toilets (ensuite), showers (cold water only) and mosquito nets. Usually, there is no electricity in the rooms. Don’t fret – you’ll be able to recharge your overworked camera batteries using the electricity outlets in the common area of the lodge at designated times of the day!
Due to the nature and remoteness of the location, you’ll be sharing the lodge and some transfers with others, besides your fellow Patchies. However, during the jungle expeditions, your group will have their own jungle guide – and you’ll always be accompanied by your Peruvian tour leader.
The scenic train ride on Day 10 takes you from the ancient town of Ollantaytambo to Agua Calientes. There’s no room for luggage on the small train carriages, so your group’s luggage will be stored safely at the station, and you’ll pick it up on your way back through the next day. Bring a small backpack with you to carry any personal items you need for your overnight stay.
On the last part of the trip, you’ll be travelling through the highlands region. Most of the destinations are at high altitudes (between 2,000 m and 3,600 m). Your first destination in the highlands is the vibrant city of Cusco at 3,450 m where you’ll have a chance to acclimatise to the altitude. Your tour leader is experienced in high-altitude travel and is trained in first aid. You’ll travel with oxygen aboard, for assistance in the rare case someone should feel ill from an atmospheric change. We ask that you consult your doctor for direction on how best to prepare for this tour.
Occasional days do involve long stretches of driving, and over windy roads, so you need to be the kind of person who enjoys road trips. Any such necessary long drives are offset by photo stops, picnic lunches, roadside pit stops, tea/coffee breaks, and of course seeing points of interest, with leg-stretching walks. Our vehicles are comfortable, well-maintained and not prone to breaking down.
