13 days tour

Panama Canal, Indigenous Communities And Cultures With Machu

Panama Canal, Indigenous Communities And Cultures With Machu

This tour includes:

Flights

Economy flight from Lima to Cusco, and Cusco to Lima

Meals

3-course set lunch on Days 12 and 13 and packed lunch on Day 11 Breakfast, lunch, and dinner including beverages (house beer and wine, sodas, and mineral water) in restaurant Aune.

Others

Economy flight from Lima to Cusco, and Cusco to Lima Entrance fees according to the itinerary Expedition cruise in the cabin of your choice Fine-dining À la carte restaurant Lindstrøm is included for suite guests Complimentary tea and coffee Complimentary Wi-Fi on board. Be aware that we sail in remote areas with limited connection. Streaming is not supported. Complimentary reusable water bottle to fill at onboard water refill stations Range of included activities Experts from the Expedition Team present detailed lectures on a variety of topics Use of the ship’s Science Center, which has an extensive library and advanced biological and geological microscopes The Citizen Science program, which allows guests to contribute to current scientific research projects The onboard professional photographer will give tips and tricks for taking the best landscape and wildlife photos The ship has hot tubs, an infinity pool, a sauna, an outdoor and indoor gym, and an outdoor running track Escorted landings with small boats (RIBs) Loan of boots, trekking poles, and all equipment needed for the activities Complimentary wind- and water-resistant expedition jacket Expedition photographers will help configure your camera settings before landings

Guide

English-speaking Expedition Team who organizes and guides activities, both on board and ashore Participate in informal gatherings with the crew, such as daily recaps and the next dayโ€™s preparations

Transport

All transfers and train rides as described in the itinerary, including an English-speaking guide

Accommodation

Two nights at Tambo del Inka Resort, including half board One night in Lima, including breakfast

Not included:

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Others

International flights Travel protection Baggage handling Optional shore excursions with our local partners Optional small-group activities with our Expedition Team Optional treatments in the onboard wellness and spa area

Optional

Optional shore excursions with our local partners Optional small-group activities with our Expedition Team Optional treatments in the onboard wellness and spa area

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Panama Canal, Indigenous Communities And Cultures With Machu

  • Day 1 Day 1: Gateway To The Panama Canal
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Gateway To The Panama Canal

      The city of Colรณn lies by the entrance to the Panama Canal on the Atlantic coast. Here, you youโ€™ll find high-quality hotels, hot springs, a thriving handicraft scene, and great restaurants featuring local delicacies. Once you board the ship, pick up your complimentary expedition jacket, explore the ship, and then attend a mandatory safety drill. After dinner, youโ€™ll meet your Expedition Team, who will run through some important primers with you. Pre-Program If you want to really explore the city or join a Pre-Program where youโ€™ll spend time in a beautiful jungle lodge next to the Chagres River, you should arrive a couple of days earlier.

  • Day 2 Day 2: Connecting Two Oceans
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Connecting Two Oceans

      We depart Colรณn early in the morning to start the process entering the Panama Canal. The complex canal network is over a hundred years old, stretching almost 50 miles through natural and man-made waterways. Weโ€™ll wait eagerly for our allocated slot to enter the first of a series of huge locks. In a feat of modern engineering, these ingenious locks effectively lift the ship more than 80 feet above sea level. If weather allows, the Expedition Team will be on deck to point out sites of interest around the canal and talk about the history of this ambitious project. Roughly halfway through the 12-hour transit of the canal, the ship will enter the Gatun Lake section. Created after the nearby Chagres River was damned, itโ€™s one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. In contrast, the surrounding rainforest is virtually untouched by any development. The flora and fauna native to Central America flourish here, undisturbed. If youโ€™re lucky, you may spot a crocodile or alligator ashore. Watch the trees and you may also catch a glimpse of a monkey (and maybe even a sloth or two). After a few more locks and lakes, the ship will pass under the Bridge of the Americas and emerge in the Pacific Ocean. In one day, youโ€™ll have experienced the culmination of centuries of planning, hard work, and resourcefulness, and cross from one great ocean to another in the process. Itโ€™s sure to be an experience you wonโ€™t forget.

  • Day 3 Day 3: Afro-Colombian Vibes
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Afro-Colombian Vibes

      The little town of Bahรญa Solano is the largest settlement on Colombiaโ€™s Chocรณ coast, near the mouth of Rio Jella and surrounded by thick jungle. It is also called โ€˜Ciudad Mutisโ€™, after the 18th-century Spanish botanist Josรฉ Celestino Mutis. Such a name could be an homage to the natural biodiversity that exists in the areaโ€™s jungles, mangroves, mountains, marshes, rivers, and bays. The community here will open their town to us, as they warmly invite you on a guided walk through their settlement. Meet and talk along the way to the Afro-Colombian residents who live alongside the indigenous Emberรก people, and other Colombians from the interior. Passing by the main church and kindergarten, weโ€™ll come to the local secondary school, where students will greet you with a traditional welcome song and show you around their classrooms. At the small fishing port, learn about the townโ€™s fishing co-op, the main source of income for the community. Your tour ends at the seafront, where youโ€™re in for a treat: a performance of unique Afro-Colombian music and dance. You may also join an optional excursion to the botanical gardens located on the long sandy beach of Playa Mecana. The botanical gardens are actually a 170-acre jungle reserve with fascinating nature trails, and home to a seed bank and different reforestation projects. Other possible optional excursions will take you to the fishing village at Playa Huina, where youโ€™ll have the opportunity to walk through the jungle to waterfalls with crystal-clear swimming holes, or to visit a local indigenous community.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Crossing The Equator
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Crossing The Equator

      Spend some of your day at sea taking a relaxing walk out on deck. Enjoy the seascapes and keep an eye out for marine life such as whales, dolphins, and seabirds. Head to the Science Center and make the most of the Expedition Teamโ€™s lectures to learn about what you will experience in the following days. Participate in a Citizen Science project, where you will help contribute to current scientific research being conducted around the world. When darkness falls and itโ€™s a starry night, you can also join the Expedition Team on deck for some stargazing. Or settle into a seat in the Explorer Lounge & Bar to raise a glass or two with your new-found friends.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Made In Montecristi
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Made In Montecristi

      We cross the Equator early in the morning. In a traditional ceremony, weโ€™ll seek King Neptuneโ€™s blessing on board. If luck is on our side, he might even make an appearance before we reach our first call in Ecuador. The main attraction of the day will be to Montecristi, located 5 miles inland from the tuna-fishing port city of Manta. The town was established in the 16th century by manteรฑos fleeing the frequent pirate raids on the coast. Even though it is located in Ecuador, Montecristi is the actual birthplace of the Panama hat, despite its name. The misnomer originated when President Roosevelt wore one of these hats on a visit to the Panama Canal in 1904, sparking their popularity worldwide. There are plenty of shops selling the genuine article, which local artisans have expertly handwoven from the leaves of the jipijapa tree. When youโ€™re done hat-hunting, browse the stalls at the townโ€™s pretty plaza, admire the architecture of the church, and look at the varied street art. One prominent mural at the plaza depicts General Eloy Alfaro, two-time Ecuadorian President and a Montecristi native. If time allows, head to the top of the main hill, where there is a museum and a grandiose mausoleum in honor of Alfaro, who was also known as the Viejo Luchador (Old Warrior).

  • Day 6 Day 6: Ecuadorโ€™S Other Galรกpagos
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: Ecuadorโ€™S Other Galรกpagos

      Isla de la Plata is a part of Parque National Machalilla, Ecuadorโ€™s only coastal national park. The island sits a ways off the coast and is prone to large waves that can make landings a challenge. Its nickname of โ€˜Silver Islandโ€™ is thought to come from the belief that English seaman Francis Drake buried a treasure trove of silver here. This nickname could also come from the copious bird guano reflected in the sunshine, giving the island a shiny, silvery look when seen from the mainland. Unfortunately, no treasure has ever been found on the island, which is just over two square miles in size. But what the island lacks in size or silver, it more than makes up for in the wide range of wildlife, even rivaling that of the Galรกpagos Islands. If we are able to land here successfully, keen birdwatchers take note! Have your binoculars at the ready to spot some of the 32 species of birds found here, including the famous blue-footed boobies, nesting waved albatross, pelicans, gannets, and frigate birds. The wildlife in the islandโ€™s waters are equally diverse. Keep an eye out for whales, manta rays, green turtles, and dolphins.

  • Day 7 Day 7: Growing Green Gold
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Growing Green Gold

      Machalaโ€™s main claim to fame is Puerto Bolivar, an important Ecuadorian port where coffee, cocoa, shrimp, and bountiful bananas (which the locals call oro verde, or โ€˜green goldโ€™) leave for export. As part of one of our optional excursions, you may have the opportunity to visit a local banana plantation, or to try and spot hummingbirds, parakeets, and howler monkeys in the Buenaventura Nature Reserve to the south. The nearby Puyango Petrified Forest has one of the largest collections of fossilized trees in the world, thought to be about 100 million years oldโ€”as old as the Andes Mountains themselves. Feast on fresh seafood at Puerto Bolivar at one of the harborโ€™s many restaurants, and enjoy views of the natural mangrove swamps of Isla Jambeli. Machala has all the charm youโ€™d expect from a small coastal city. Stroll through quaint plazas filled with friendly locals, and admire unusual monuments dedicated to sorting fish and bananeros. The restaurants here are evolving and have started dabbling in the hip, modern cuisine for which Ecuador and Peru have increasingly become known.

  • Day 8 Day 8: At Your Leisure
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: At Your Leisure

      Enjoy another day at your leisure aboard the ship. Continue to take advantage of the many onboard facilities and join in on lectures (perhaps on Peruvian culture and history) as we prepare you for the final days ahead. You can also spend some time on deck sunbathing, or slip into your bathing suit and enjoy one of the outdoor hot tubs. Or, bask in a state of zen during a guided meditation class. And if the warm weather hasnโ€™t opened up your pores, a session in the sauna is sure to do the trick. Had enough of the sun for the day? Head inside to join an art workshop, or maybe swap stories about the cruise with your shipmates in the Explorer Lounge & Bar.

  • Day 9 Day 9: Ancient Kingdoms
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: Ancient Kingdoms

      Pummeled by the Pacificโ€™s wind and waves, Salaverry can be a hard port to access. If we are able to land there, though, itโ€™ll be a good starting point to explore Trujillo, Peruโ€™s third-largest city, and the array of archeological sites scattered throughout the region. Trujillo sits in a fertile valley oasis irrigated by the Moche River. It boasts a colorful Baroque 17th-century cathedral, 10 colonial churches, and many Neoclassical mansions, not to mention one of the longest mosaic murals in the world at the local university. Itโ€™s more likely, however, that your focus will be further back on the past. The city of Chan Chan was created by the Chimรบ Empire, which appeared in the region around 900 A.D. The vast ruins of the complex, measuring almost 8 square miles, include the Tschudi temple-citadel and Huaca Esmeralda. On the other side of Trujillo are youโ€™ll find the Mochican pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. These pre-date Chan Chan by a few hundred years! Huaca del Sol stands out as the largest adobe structure on the continent, while Huaca del Luna is a more detailed specimen, with many of its pastel frescos still visible.

  • Day 10 Day 10: Voyage To The Sacred Valley
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10: Voyage To The Sacred Valley

      We arrive in Callao at noon, where youโ€™ll bid a fond farewell to the captain and the crew. A packed lunch will be provided for your transfer to the Lima airport and your flight to Cusco. Once we arrive in the former capital of the Incan Empire, perched over 11,000 above sea level, weโ€™ll head to the Tambo del Inka Resort in the Sacred Valley for dinner and a good nightโ€™s sleep.

  • Day 11 Day 11: The Lost City Of The Incasโ€™
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 11: The Lost City Of The Incasโ€™

      Eat a good breakfast at the resort, because youโ€™re in for an unforgettable day. We start off in Ollantaytambo, once the royal estate of Pachacuti, the Incan emperor. He conquered the region and built up the town that shares its name, featuring a formidable stone fortress that still towers above the community on a massive cliff. Constructed with rose-colored granite, this huge structure was once a thriving complex of baths, temples, and military barracks. This fortification was the valleyโ€™s main defense against their rivals, the Antis people. It was also the site of the Incaโ€™s greatest victory against the Spanish during the Spanish conquest of the Incan Empire, also known as the Conquest of Peru. Then we head to the nearby train station and board the deluxe Hiram Bingham train to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a savory brunch while you marvel at the views on the way to this magical and renowned location. At last, we arrive at the spectacular Machu Picchu. Built around 1450 and abandoned with Spanish colonization, thick tangles of vines and trees shielded it from the prying eyes of the outside world for centuries. After being โ€˜foundโ€™ by American archeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911, โ€˜The Lost City of the Incasโ€™ is now widely regarded as one of the ancient wonders of the world. Explore the cityโ€™s ruins and imagine what life was like here, when priests, craftsmen, and servants roamed these cliffs. Excavations at the site have revealed skeletons, artifacts, and woolen clothing. Now itโ€™s your turn to admire the precise Incan stonework. Even if we have a basic understanding of the site, the Incas left no written records behind about the cityโ€™s rise or fall. Thus, Machu Picchu remains one of the most mysterious archeological sites in the world. After spending an eventful day at these two sites, weโ€™ll return to the Tambo del Inka Resort by train for a relaxing evening and an overnight stay.

  • Day 12 Day 12: Center Of The Incan Empire
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 12: Center Of The Incan Empire

      After breakfast, weโ€™ll head back to Cusco to visit the Sacsayhuamรกn fortress. Itโ€™s strategically located on a hill overlooking Cusco. Like many other Incan structures, it was constructed without mortar. The enormous stones can weigh up to 200 tons a piece but still fit together so tightly that not even a thin blade of grass can slide between them. This is a lasting testament to the Incaโ€™s sophisticated construction techniques and architectural skills. Next, weโ€™ll explore the splendid Baroque-style Cusco Cathedral, built by the Spaniards in the mid-1500s on the foundation of an Incan palace. Many of the stones used to construct it were looted from the nearby Sacsayhuamรกn fortress. Then weโ€™ll visit Koricancha, where weโ€™ll admire the Dominican Convent of Santo Domingo, built on the foundation of the Temple of the Sun, the most important temple in the Incan Empire. The curved masonry wall at the west end of the church, built without mortar, is considered to be one of the greatest existing examples of Incan stonework. At lunchtime, weโ€™ll eat at a local restaurant before our transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima. Upon arrival in Lima, youโ€™ll meet our local guide and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy the evening at your leisure in Peruโ€™s capital after check-in,. We recommend heading to the bars and restaurants of the trendy Barranco neighborhood, or drop by the illuminated ruins of the ceremonial clay pyramids Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Huallamarca.

  • Day 13 Day 13: The City Of Kingsโ€™
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 13: The City Of Kingsโ€™

      After breakfast at the hotel, youโ€™ll say farewell to your fellow explorers. Seeing as youโ€™re already here, we recommend extending your journey a few days to spend extra time in Lima, also known as โ€˜The City of Kingsโ€™. The historic center, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is full of Colonial-era architecture, such as the Plaza Mayor and San Francisco Monastery. In contrast, the clay ruins of the Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Huallamarca ceremonial pyramids are remnants of the long-lost Incan civilization. There are at least four different museums you can explore for a deeper dive into pre-Columbian archeology. Art lovers will enjoy the bright and arty area of Barranco, complete with murals, creative cafรฉs, and two of Limaโ€™s contemporary art museums. Many say the ultimate Lima experience revolves around the food. Cuisine from the capital has made a splash the world over. Try it in one of the many internationally recognized and award-winning restaurants found here. One of Peruโ€™s all-time gastronomic greats is ceviche, fresh fish marinated in tangy lime juice and other seasonings. You can savor this staple dish in many locations around the city, from up-market diners in Miraflores to basic cevicherรญas at the fishing docks over in Chorrillos. As you reflect on your expedition cruise, youโ€™ll no doubt already be planning your next one. We look forward to welcoming you on board for more adventures soon.

+10
Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Basic

Almost everyone is fit for these activities. Every hike or physical exercise last less than 30 minutes, such as paragliding and horseback riding. Please ask about specific conditions.

Age range

Age range

Min: 6 / Max: 90

Age range allowed for this experience.

Select a country to define if the visa is required