Andes to Amazon Explorer: Sacred Valley, Yavero River & Machu Picchu

Arrive in Cusco & Transfer to Ollantaytambo  

Upon arrival at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cusco, Peru, an OARS representative will greet you. We recommend arriving before 11 AM to allow plenty of time for the journey into the Sacred Valley.

En route to Ollantaytambo, we’ll stop for lunch at Chuchara de Palo, known for its traditional Andean and Peruvian cuisine, before continuing to Ollantaytambo to check into our hotel. 

Considered a living Inca town, Ollantaytambo retains much of its original layout, with historic homes, working irrigation channels, and traditions passed down through generations. The rest of the evening is yours to wander its charming streets and soak up the atmosphere. Dinner is on your own, with plenty of local restaurants to choose from.  

Meals: Lunch
Accommodations: Tierra Viva Ollantaytambo

Visit Chinchero, Maras, and Moray 

Today brings a deeper look at the history and ingenuity of the Sacred Valley, with visits to three distinctive Incan sites.

In Chinchero, discover a traditional highland town where Inca terraces and stonework sit alongside a colonial-era church and enduring Quechua weaving traditions. At Moray, marvel at the immense circular terraces built into the earth, believed to have served as an agricultural research center where the Incas studied growing conditions at different elevations. The day continues at the Maras Salt Mines, where thousands of shallow pools cascade down a mountainside, forming a striking patchwork of white against the surrounding landscape. Fed by a natural saltwater spring, the ponds are still harvested using traditional methods.

Return to Ollantaytambo with the afternoon free to explore this historic town at your own pace. Wander its narrow cobblestone streets, follow the original Inca irrigation channels, or browse the market near the ruins for locally made textiles and souvenirs. Dinner is on your own, with plenty of restaurants to choose from.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Tierra Viva Ollantaytambo

Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site & Quebrada Honda

After breakfast, visit the Ollantaytambo Archaeological Site, an impressive complex of terraces, temples, platforms, and stone walls overlooking the town and the Sacred Valley. From the hillside ruins, take in sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and the Inca storehouses built high on Pinkuylluna Mountain across the valley.

Later, leave the Sacred Valley behind for a dramatic journey across the Andes. The road climbs to Abra Amparaes, a windswept mountain pass more than 14,000 feet above sea level, before descending the eastern slopes into a completely different world. Along the way, alpine terrain gives way to mist-shrouded cloud forests and, eventually, the lush tropical vegetation of the high jungle.

Arriving in Quebrada Honda by early evening, this rustic agricultural village feels worlds away from the high mountains. Surrounded by banana trees and the loud hum of cicadas, we’ll check into our lodging before regrouping for dinner and preparing for the river adventure ahead. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Copacabana 2

Yavero River Rafting

The river adventure begins with a 4-hour drive to the banks of the Yavero River, where your guides will prepare the rafts and equipment, and walk you through an essential safety briefing. Then it’s time to push off and take on the river’s Class III rapids, surrounded by the remote rainforest landscapes of the eastern Andes.

By late afternoon, we’ll pull ashore at a secluded riverside beach where your guides will prepare a hearty dinner while you settle into camp for your first night beneath the rainforest canopy.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:  Catered camping

Yavero River Rafting & Megantoni Sanctuary Reserve

Over the next several days, we’ll continue to raft through the remote reaches of the Yavero River and into the Upper Urubamba, traveling through one of Peru’s most biodiverse regions. Expect four to five hours on the water each day, with Class III rapids, warm tropical currents, and ever-changing rainforest scenery along the way.

Keep watch for spider monkeys moving through the canopy, colorful tropical birds like the scarlet macaw and white-throated toucan, as well as giant river otters along the banks. As we journey downstream we’ll pass small Amazonian communities, explore nearby streams and forest trails on short nature walks, and spend evenings at secluded sandy beach camps. As the guides prepare dinner each night, there’s time to relax around the campfire, enjoy happy hour, and take in the quiet of this remote corner of Peru.

On Day 8, we reach the confluence with the Urubamba River and set up camp at Yoyato Beach, just upstream from the Pongo de Mainique.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:  Catered camping

Pongo de Mainique

Today brings one of the expedition’s most extraordinary stretches of river. After breakfast, we’ll check in at the Megantoni National Sanctuary control point before entering the legendary Pongo de Mainique, a dramatic, two-mile-long granite gorge where the Urubamba River narrows to roughly 50 yards wide.

Towering cliffs rise more than 4,000 feet above the river, cloaked in lush cloud forest and punctuated by dozens of waterfalls cascading down the rock walls. As you navigate this surreal canyon, the Andes begin to give way to the lowland Amazon, creating an unforgettable transition between two distinct worlds and profound farewell to one of the most biodiverse canyons on Earth. 

After completing this stretch of river, we’ll continue downstream into the open Amazon basin, leaving the last hills of the Andes behind, before returning by motorized river craft to our Yoyato Beach camp for a final night on the river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:  Catered Camping

Mangal Lodge

After a final breakfast at camp, we’ll pack up our gear and travel upstream for 2 hours on a motorized canoe ride to Ivochote village. From here, expect a 6-hour drive to El Mangal. Our route follows the valley upward, leaving the canyon behind for a scenic journey through lush agricultural valleys famous for shade-grown coffee, dense banana groves, and citrus orchards. As we approach the vibrant farming village of Maranura, the landscape softens into a tropical paradise.

A well-earned afternoon of relaxation awaits you at Mangal Lodge. Freshen up with a hot shower, unwind in a hammock beneath the mango trees, wander through the orchid gardens, or cool off with a swim in the pool. This evening, we’ll gather to enjoy a spectacular farm-to-table meal together, celebrating the completion of our wild Yavero run.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:  Mangal Lodge

Santa Teresa & Train Ride to Machu Picchu

Today, after a cacao tour by an award-winning producer, El Mangal, we’ll drive along the Vilcanota River toward Santa Teresa—this rugged route serves as the backdoor gateway to Machu Picchu. In Santa Teresa, you’ll have the chance to soak in the Santa Teresa Hot Springs before continuing to the Hidroeléctrica station to board the afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. 

The rail journey follows the Urubamba River through steep-sided canyons and dense vegetation toward the base of Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, we’ll check-in to our hotel where you’ll have time to relax and enjoy dinner before tomorrow’s guided exploration of one of the world’s most extraordinary archaeological sites.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:  Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco

Early this morning we’ll take a shuttle up the steep, winding road to Machu Picchu. Set high in the Andes above the Urubamba River valley, this extraordinary archaeological site remained largely unknown to the outside world until Hiram Bingham’s 1911 expedition brought it to international attention.

On a guided tour, discover the remarkable stonework and architectural ingenuity of the ancient Inca city. More than 200 structures, including temples, residences, and ceremonial spaces, occupy a dramatic mountainside setting. Precisely cut granite blocks fit together without mortar, a testament to the sophistication of Inca engineering.

After the tour, we’ll return to Aguas Calientes for the afternoon train to Ollantaytambo, where a private vehicle will be waiting to take us back to Cusco. This evening you’re free to explore the bustling streets of Cusco and enjoy one of its many fine restaurants. 

Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium Cusco

Explore Cusco & Return Flights  

Spend your final morning discovering the historic heart of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire. A guided visit to the Catedral del Cusco on the Plaza de Armas reveals grand colonial architecture, intricate cedar woodwork, and an important collection of art from the Cusqueña school.

Continue to Qoricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun, where the precision of Inca stonework is strikingly visible beneath the colonial structures built atop its original granite foundations. Together, these landmarks offer a fascinating glimpse into the layers of history that define this remarkable city.

We recommend booking a flight after 4 PM to allow enough time to enjoy the morning’s sightseeing before your journey home. A transfer to the airport for departing flights is included.