Wednesday, January 9, 2008

We are almost ready to go!!

Well, this time next week Ben and I will safely on the ground near Iquitos, Peru! It has a been a whirlwind of trip planning, shots, meds, etc., over the past few weeks but I am definitely ready to get this Tropical Forest Amazon trip on the road (or boat and plane, as the case may be)!

Here is our rough itinerary from Amazonia Expeditions:

Jan 15
Fly from Pittsburgh to Lima, overnight in Lima


Jan 16
Fly to Iquitos.
After clearing baggage security in Iquitos Airport, Speedboat transfer (note--is 4 hours) up the Amazon, then theTahuayo tributary to our lodge.

Jan 17-29
Guided excursions in and around the Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo Reserve. Activities inlcude: Canoeing, hiking, wildlife viewing and photography, visit native villages, canopy exploration on ziplines, swimming with pink dolphins, special studies in native culture with Dolores Beaver, special studies with research director and primatologist Michael Pereira, camping or jungle survival training, orchid and epiphyte investigations

Jan 30
Transfer to Iquitos, Fly to Lima, Fly to Cusco
Afternoon guided excursion to Sacsahuaman and some other sites

Jan 31
Sacred Valley excursion, Ollantaytambo, Pisaq ruins and Pisaq market

Feb 1
Transfer to train station; Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. Guided interpretation of the ruins. Buffet lunch in El Sanctuario. Afternoon optional climb up Wayna Picchu or hike to the gate of the sun (Inti Puncu).

Feb 2
Afternoon Vistadome train departs late afternoon arrives Cusco in evening. Supper usually served on train
Hotel Garcilaso
B, D

Feb 3
free day in Cusco- Maybe Lake Tititcaca on the border of Bolivia!

Feb 4
Transfer out, fly to Lima

Feb 5
Fly Home to Pittsburgh!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you get to swim with pink dolphins I'm pretty much going to be jealous of you forever.

Unless, of course, you get malaria. Or a horrible "reaction to the sun" burn.

Then we might be even.

Tom said...

Hi Erika - just wanted to prove to myself i could get into this blog site - i think i did!!! You know if i had my passport i'd be going with you in a heart beat!!! You better be careful - ure the only daughter i have - for better or worse!!! Love, Dad

Heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

Make sure you eat some of that 20 pound rat that lives in the rainforest, tastes like chicken!

You should also bring back a box of Lake Titacaca t-shirts for all of your sarcastic and culturally insensitive friends.

Oh, and Donde esta mi pantalones?

Have a ball!