Conquer the peaks of Peru

Pisco Sours all round

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Arrive by 3pm* where your adventure begins with a private transfer from the airport to your hotel. Then it’s time to ditch the bags and get ready to explore Lima’s lively blend of cultures. Meet your fellow Flashpackers and guide, before an evening of bar-hopping in the vibrant Bohemian neighbourhood of Barranco, one of the capital’s hippest domains. Dive head-first into the local party culture by learning how to make your own Pisco Sours, frothy egg white topping and all. After all, it’s only polite to salute the national drink of Peru… Strap yourselves in and prepare for an unforgettable Latin American adventure. Here’s to the Peruvian peaks!

*Don’t worry if your flight arrives late, we’ll pick you up from the airport whatever the time is!

Foodie delights and ancient sights

Today kicks off in Lima’s grand main square, the Plaza de Armas, where you’ll find the decadent Presidential Palace and the beautiful cathedral. The fun continues as we wander around the upmarket district of San Isidro and admire the Huaca Huallamarca, a pre-Incan pyramid which looks even more striking against the contrasting modern buildings. Then we’ll ramble through the swanky neighbourhood of Miraflores, and explore Parque del Amor (Love’s Park) with stunning views across the Pacific Ocean. Afterwards, we’ll take a pew at one of Lima’s most innovative restaurants and watch the chefs prepare a ream of Peruvian delights in this foodie capital. Then it’s over to you to cook a Peruvian dish yourself, before tucking into a typical Lima lunch. As the evening descends, the city changes gear and the nightlife kicks into action. There’s two bars worth checking out—an old, reputedly haunted, German lounge with live piano music, and a 1920s bar with some pretty potent Pisco Sours.

The call of the Amazon

Today begins with a 90-minute flight from Lima to Puerto Maldonado, and the start of our jungle adventure. After meeting our rainforest guide and getting our official waterway permits, we’ll step aboard a typical Amazonian boat and cruise along the Madre de Dios River to our jungle lodge. There’s just time for a freshen up before we get right to the beating heart of this tropical wonderland with an immersive Amazon trek. Have your binoculars handy as we hike between a steamy variety of towering tropical trees, medicinal plants and exotic fluttering butterflies. Return to the lodge and kick back in your wilderness surroundings, before we hop aboard a thrilling night-time boat ride down the river. Listen to the calling wildlife and gaze up at the starlit sky, with the dark shadows of the forest all around. A delicious dinner awaits you back at base. This is jungle life at its finest!

Swing amid the treetops

Wake up to a cacophony of jungle wildlife before we embark on a trek through the Tambopata Reserve to Lake Sandoval. This brilliant route will help you understand why the Madre de Dios is the biodiversity capital of Peru; have your cameras ready for a riot of wildlife, and exotic flora and fauna. After lunch at the lodge, we’ll hop aboard a motorised canoe to the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway Interpretation Centre, with its labyrinth of hanging bridges and observation decks towering 98 feet into the jungle canopy. Come and walk high in the Amazon treetops surrounded by toucans, sloths and squirrel monkeys. This evening, we’ll see what happens when the nocturnal animals come out to play. In the dark, your senses become heightened to the sounds of the rainforest, giving you an awesome insight into the behavioural patterns of jungle life by night. Then, after a full-on day of exploring, it’s time for a relaxing meal with your fellow Flashpackers.

The gateway to the Andes

Today we’re leaving this jungle paradise and heading back to civilisation. It’s goodbye bugs and hello wifi. We’re boarding a 50-minute flight to the Peruvian Andes city of Cusco. Wreathed by mountains, charming Cusco was once capital of the Inca Empire. It’s the gateway to ancient citadels and ruins that spread across a vast region of valleys and wide open skies. Check into your boutique hotel and rest your jungle-weary soul, as you take stock of your new surroundings. Amble around the ancient stone streets framed by Inca architecture and Andean baroque buildings, as you root out a good restaurant for tonight. Cusco is brimming with world-class eateries, many of which have beautiful balconies looking out onto the city, so the foodies among you will be spoilt for choice.

Inca heritage and Andean food

Wake up in charismatic Cusco, Peru’s oldest city and the heartland of Inca heritage. Today is for chilling out as we become acclimatised to the dizzying altitude (we’re 3450 metres above sea level here). It’s not for the faint-hearted but it is a great introduction to the environment we’ll face in the days ahead. Treat yourself to a long lazy breakfast before we gather for a walking tour of the city’s main highlights, spread over a maze of Inca stonework and architecture. We’ll explore Koricancha Temple, the Main square and the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, for breathtaking views across Cusco. After getting up close and personal with a ream of archaeological sites, we recommend checking out Cusco’s local art galleries and then cutting a path to a colourful restaurant, from the rustic to the cutting-edge. Toast your Flash Pack gang over home-cooked Peruvian cuisine and drink in the very best of hearty Andean hospitality.

Mountain bike the Sacred Valley

This morning we’ll be picked up for an unforgettable day’s mountain biking in the Sacred Valley highlands. We’ll drive to Chequerek and be kitted out with bikes, along with a brief about our route. Then we’re free to pedal off into the horizon on an incredible off-radar trail that weaves between shimmering salt terraces and Inca rock dwellings, with magnificent Andean views as far as the eye can see. We’ll begin by cycling along a hilly track towards the agricultural terraces of Moray. After checking out this impressive amphitheatre, we’ll set off once more towards the town of Maras, with a downhill ride to its terraced salt mines. We’ll whiz past this remote, spectacular scenery to Pichingoto, where we’ll cross the gushing Urubamba River. Our private bus will be ready on the other side to whisk us to our hotel for the night. Put your feet up and relax – our Rainbow Mountain ascent begins tomorrow…

Sleep beneath the stars of base camp

Today we’re heading to Rainbow Mountain base camp, at a staggering 4,000 metres. We’ll begin with a drive to Pitumarca village, known for its Andean textiles, where we’ll have lunch alongside friendly, colourfully-dressed locals. We’ll then continue to Quesiuno, where our mules and muleteers await with our camping gear. Around six kilometres of high-altitude trekking now stands between us and base camp, unfolding against a backdrop of stunning glaciers and granite cliffs. Soak in incredible views of snow-capped mountains and roaming alpacas, as you tackle the steep ascent amid thinning mountain air. It’s not easy but your guide and fellow Flashpackers will help you along every step of the way. Once we arrive at camp, two chefs will whip up a Peruvian dinner as we watch the night sky come alive with stars. Then we’ll turn in for a short sleep in basic, comfy mountain tents, with thermal sleeping bags for added warmth.

Chase the colours of Rainbow Mountain

We’ll grab a hearty breakfast and an early start, to beat the crowds for our final summit ascent. The Ausangate region boasts a uniquely colourful landscape of turquoise, maroon and golden sedimentary layers, which will emerge as we climb through the dark red mountains to Vinicunca Pass, at 5,020 metres. A few hundred metres further and we’ll hit the summit. Soak in the incredible kaleidoscope of colours and fist-bump your fellow mountaineers, as you salute your feat. You made it! This challenging hike is doable for first-time climbers with moderate fitness and a positive attitude, but it’s also a real act of physical and mental stamina. Relish the moment before we begin the long descent to Pucapause, pausing en-route for a mountain lunch amid more sensational Andean scenery. Then, we’ll grab a private bus back to our Sacred Valley hotel, where a well-earned drink is in order. You conquered one of the world’s mightiest mountains today!

Chill out in the Cloud Forest

You’ve just spent the past two days trekking up and down a mountain: it’s high time for a break. This morning is yours to spend doing whatever you please in the picturesque Sacred Valley. Pop by terracotta-hued villages and wine caves in the region, or simply grab a coffee and admire the handsome emerald slopes. You may just want to lie-in to midday – you certainly deserve it! In the afternoon we’ll catch a train to Aguas Calientes, a town at the bottom of a deep gorge next to Machu Picchu. Get a feel for your new home, which can often be found clouded in ethereal cloud forest. We suggest heading to one of the hotel spas, where you’ll find pine saunas and hydro massage showers (some places even have special treatments for tired legs – just sayin’…) As the evening draws in, enjoy a slap-up supper with your fellow Flashpackers. Three cheers for conquering mountains!

Much to see at Machu Picchu

We’ll begin early today for the zigzag journey from Aguas Calientes up to the Lost City of Machu Picchu. Up until 1911, this ancient Inca citadel was believed to have vanished forever more. Then explorer Hiram Bingham tracked it down with the help of local farmers, and it became the world-famous archaeological gem that you’ll see today. Spend a precious few hours making your way around the bucket-list landscape, as you take in one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. If you’ve got the stamina, there’s also a great three-hour round trek to Machu Picchu mountain that you can follow. Later, we’ll descend back down to Aguas Calientes and hop on the train to Cusco. For round two of this mesmerising city, we’ll hit the centre for a round of farewell Pisco Sours. It’s a pretty full-on day, but that’s what happens when you’re making lifelong memories…

Hasta la vista, Peru

After conquering colourful mountains, ancient Inca cities and lush Amazonian jungles, your Peruvian adventure draws to a close today. Depending on what time your flight is, you can explore Cusco a little more, before making your own way to the airport for your journey home.

Wherever you go next, rest easy in the knowledge that you’ve lived an incredible adventure. You’ve climbed over 5,000 metres to the summit of Rainbow Mountain and cycled through jaw-dropping Inca Ruins in the Sacred Valley. You’ve conjured up Pisco Sours, learned the secrets of Peruvian cuisine and gaped at the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu. You’ve sailed down a jungle river by twilight and swung your way across the Amazonian canopy. Can’t bear to leave? Why not spend a few extra nights in charming Cusco? We’ll leave the decision with you.