http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrosz/ / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
WHY TRAVEL WITH US Adventure travel trips specifically geared for working professionals from the same city. Odyssey Treks provides authentic cultural trips involving travel to remote, exotic areas with elements of physical participation and exploration of a new experience with optional volunteering opportunities. The great thing is everyone on the trip will be from the same city where you can share, relive, and get together back home after the trip.
What we want to create with this company is a community for you in your city where you can meet new friends, create meaningful relationships and have life time memories of unforgettable trips and journeys. We’ve met some truly remarkable people, shared some amazing experiences and have had some fantastic relationships through all our years of travel. The problem is all those people are scattered throughout the world. There’s amazing people, incredible friendships and wonderful relationships ready to be made right in your own city. Why not connect with them through travel and develop something meaningful and lasting. All of our tours will incorporate our trip essence. This trip essence includes adventure, culture and volunteering opportunities. As well we promise to follow our guiding principles and core values on all of our trips.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES QUALITY Our accommodations, local guides, pre-departure service and suppliers are constantly monitored and consistently evaluated to ensure we uphold the standard of excellence. We will always ask for traveler suggestions, requirements and any safety concerns you may have for all our trips to make this the most memorable experience possible. FLEXIBILITY All of our tours offer optional activities throughout with plenty of free time to do your own thing. Of course we want you to do as many activities as possible with the group but we also understand that having time on your own is important as well. Our small groups can venture beyond the well-worn tourist paths and experience a destination’s less publicized but equally rewarding attractions. Our itineraries are creative and responsive and make the perfect one or two week vacation so you can take full of advantage. SMALL GROUPS Limiting our groups to no more than 16 participants plus one Odyssey Treks Tour Leader means we can maximize cultural immersion while minimizing environmental disruption. As food always plays an important role in the local cultural experience, we make a point of avoiding large hotel buffets in favour of smaller, local restaurants. VALUE Since we design, develop and work with local partners in each country no one is more familiar with the intricacies of our product than ourselves. When you book with us, you take advantage of this first-hand knowledge and an extensive network of worldwide contacts; you’ll be in good hands with Odyssey Treks. www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
What Odyssey Treks does is make everything easy for you from the moment you land in the country to the time you get back on that plane to go home. There’s no need to do hours and hours of planning. Let us take out all the stresses of traveling so you can enjoy your time away. Remember it’s a vacation for you. We’re going to make sure you have a fantastic time! If something were to go wrong going we will be there to help you, support you and make sure whatever challenges there are you won’t be alone. We’ve found our travel experiences sometimes things can go wrong unfortunately- that’s the nature of traveling in foreign countries.
Our CORE VALUES Develop Friendships and Community Create Happiness Responsibility Provide Opportunities Explore and Challenge We hope you choose to travel with a purpose and to travel with us! The quote above from the Dalai Lama- his words I truly believe in. “We’ve lost something along the way. Our society focuses on material things and for some reason people measure others by what they have instead who they are. I wish everyone happiness and finding it can be difficult. The happiest people I’ve met are those in villages that have nothing. It’s remarkable seeing these happy kids. For them they have family, friends and an imagination.” Ryan- Owner Odyssey Treks
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
TOUR ITINERARY Day 1: ARRIVING IN LIMA : Upon your arrival to Lima our host will be waiting for you at the aiport to take you to your hotel located 1 hour from the airport around Miraflores neighborhood. (Dinner) ** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Lima or similar Day 2: LIMA – PUERTO MALDONADO Transfer from your hotel in Lima at the coordinated time to the airport to take your flight to Puerto Maldonado. Welcome in Puerto Maldonado. You may visit Inkaterra Butterfly house near the airport, check – in, and in only 15 minutes you can get to the boarding wharf. Begin to experience the enchantment of the rainforest as you take a 45 minute boat ride along the Madre de Dios River, to arrive at Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica lodge. After a short briefing, settle into your beautiful cabaña and enjoy your lunch in the dining room. Take a siesta, share a refreshing tea time and get ready for the afternoon excursion. After gathering with your Inkaterra Explorer Guide, choose from the 14 different excursions available at the Reserva Amazonica. On your first day, we recommend a guided walk along the train system, into the natural area that the lodge offers you, where you will discover the Amazon Basin. This trail offers and excellent introduction to the forest environment, winding past impressive trees such as the Shihuahuaco, and the strangely beautiful fig, offering excellent opportunities for bird watching and observing exotic insects. We also recommend on the first night our Twilight River excursion – a guided afternoon boat ride on the Madre de Dios river. Witness the transformation from a diurnal to a nocturnal world: animals and birds of the daytime give way to species specially adapted to the night. As you enjoy their paradise, you will learn about their habits, while you search for nightjars, owls, capybaras and up to three different caiman species.
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Enjoy dinner served in the main dining room from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. After dinner, you may retire early to your own cabaña, or share your experience in the rainforest with other guests and interpreters, as you listen to the intriguing sounds of the jungle at night. (Breakfast/Lunch or Box Lunch/Dinner) ** Overnight at Reserva Amazónica or Similar Day 3: SANDOVAL LAKE – CANOPY WALK: Wake up late or rise early – the choice is yours. Full Buffet Breakfast begins at 5:30am, for those who want to avoid the heat and enjoy nature at its fullest. During the morning you may visit the Sandoval Lake into the Tambopata National Reserve. Glide in a wooden canoe, across a beautiful, mirror – like oxbow lake that is home to the endangered giant river otter. As well as red howler monkeys, red – bellied macaws, anacondas, side – neck turtles and black caimans. Return to the Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica for lunch.
Photo credit: fortes / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
After Lunch, consider the remarkable Inkaterra Canopy Walkway. Ascending the first tower, 29 meters above the forest ground, you begin your encounter with the treetop realm. For more than a quarter of a mile, you will literally walk through the rainforest canopy on a suspension bridge network linking eight observation platforms. During this hour and a half expedition, be on the lookout for colorful toucans, woodpeckers, trogons, monkey and sloths. If you wish you may extend your excursion and watch the sunset from one of the towers. Once at the lodge, enjoy the daily nature presentation in the Eco Center. (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) ** Overnight at Reserva Amazónica or Similar www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 4: PUERTO MALDONADO – CUSCO Enjoy a full breakfast before departure. A 45 minute return trip by boat on the Madre de Dios River takes you to Puerto Maldonado, where you may visit Inkaterra Butterfly house. Peru boasts the greatest variety of butterflies in the world, with 3,700 known species. Many of these can be seen at the Butterfly House, a showcase for the variety, beauty and adaptability of these fascinating insects. Then board the flight to Cusco. Arriving in Cusco City our representative will be waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel. You will have the afternoon free to explore the city or relax at your hotel. (Breakfast / Dinner) ** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar
Day 5: CUSCO WHITE WATER RIVER RAFTING UPPER VILCANOTA CLASS III - IV CHUQUICAHUANA SECTION: At 8:30 a.m. the guide will pick you up from your hotel (Cusco) and drive through the mountains towards the southern part of Cusco, until reaching Chuquicahuana (1 ½ hours). Here you will receive a safety talk and the necessary equipment to enjoy this adventure. There are fast class III and IV rapids for about 11 kms. We will www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
then be pampered by an exquisite picnic lunch on the riverside (toilet facilities available). After lunch we go to Urubamba, located in the sacred valley of the Incas, here we will find our hotel. This whitewater rafting option is a moderate to challenging option by a beautiful canyon, this section of the river is located above 11,000 feet. Prior experience is not required, but is important to have swimming skills. (Breakfast/ Picnic) ** Overnight at El Albergue Ollantaytambo or Similar
Photo credit: lulun & kame / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Day 6: MOUNTAIN BIKE – OLLANTAYTAMBO FORTRESS We will pick you up from your hotel in the Sacred Valley and transfer you for a half hour to Paucarbamba bridge. Here we will receive a safety briefing and will adjust our bikes for the ride. We will go through a trail following the Urubamba river, the sacred river of the Incas, until we reach the town of Pachar. From here we will take an easy descend through an ancient Inca trail that passes through farming fields and Inca terraces until we will get to the Inca bridge. After our bike experience we will have lunch at Ollantaytambo, we will visit the Fortress of Ollantaybamo and also the beautiful streets of the town. Our private vehicle will be waiting for us to take us back to our hotel in the Sacred Valley. (Breakfast / Lunch) ** Overnight at El Albergue Ollantaytambo or Similar www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 7: SACRED VALLEY - Km. 82 – HUAYLLABAMBA: Transfer from the hotel to Km. 82, where we will meet our porters and equipment. We start our trek escorted by the porters, going through semi-arid terrain along the Urubamba River with magnificent views of snowcapped mountains. We will leave the Urubamba valley and set off up the Kusichaca River to our first camp site in Huayllabamba (around 3000m – 9842 ft). (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner) Km 82 to Huayllabamba: 11 km / 6 hours approximately. Day 8: HUAYLLABAMBA – PACAYMAYO: After a healthy breakfast we will begin to walk to the Warmihuañusca pass (4200m - 13860 ft. approximately). After a short time, we will reach the top of the pass. From this place, it is possible to see the other side of the way leading to Runkurakay ruins. At the end of a gorge, we will stop at a place called Pacaymayo (3600m – 11181 ft.), our second camp. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner) Huayllabamba-Pacaymayo: 7km / 7 hours approximately
Photo credit: nathangibbs / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 9: PACAYMAYO- PHUYUPATAMARCA: We will depart from Pacaymayo and a while later a zigzagging but short ascent will take us to the Runkurakay circular ruins. There is no sign of human life, only great forests and abrupt hills. After a good rest, we will start our way down and then we will clearly notice that the Inca Trail is well preserved from this point on. In a short while, we will get to the steps which go up to Sayacmarca ruins (3620m – 11946 ft approximately). From Sayacmarca the stone road begins to go into the jungle, continuing our trek towards Phuyupatamarca ruins. The trail crosses the "Lago Seco" and for brief moments we will go up and down. We will then cross "The Tunnel", a natural cavity produced by a landslide but adapted by the Incas. The Inca Trail well-traced borders continue on the hills full of moss and fern. After crossing a small pass, we will see some steep steps and under them the Ceremonial Center of Phuyupatamarca ruins (3650m – 12045 ft approximately), where we will set up our camp. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner) Pacaymayo – Phuyupatamarca: 7 km / 6 hours approximately
Day 10: PHUYUPATAMARCA - MACHU PICCHU We will start early in the morning going down the trail, from where we will see the Urubamba valley and the river. The path goes down to Wiñay Wayna ruins (2650m – 8745 ft approximately), the most important ruins after Machu Picchu, heading then towards Inti Punku (2740m - 9042 ft approximately), the Gate of the Sun, our last pass. From this place, Machu Picchu (2450m - 8085 ft approximately) looks unreal and beautiful. We will visit Machupicchu just for a short time, because on the next day you will have a full day guided tour. (Breakfast / Lunch). Phuyupatamarca – Wiñaywayna: 4 Km / 3 hours approximately Wiñaywayna – Machupicchu: 5 km /4hours approximately NOTE: The last camp could be Wiñaywayna. Pacaymayo – Wiñaywayna: 11 km / 9 hours approximately (Breakfast / Boxed Lunch / Dinner) ** Ovenight at Machu Picchu Pueblo Inkaterra or Similar
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 11: MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO: We will start our visit to the Sanctuary early in the morning in order to have a full day of exploring. Then we will have a guided tour through the citadel. In the afternoon, the train to Cusco will leave from the Aguas Calientes station. You will be transferred to your hotel after your arrival. (Breakfast) ** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 12: VOLUNTEER DAY
Photo credit: Volunteer Abroad UBELONG / Foter.com / CC BY-NC
Very early in the morning passengers will be picked up from their hotel and transferred to local market. Helped by their guide, they will purchase the following breakfast Ingredients: Oat Meal, Sugar, Milk, Cheese, Bread The first option is that these items will be bought directly by participants, approximate amount of money US$60 for the whole 30 kids breakfast. The amount of each item will be based on the 2 proposed breakfast options. After purchasing everything to prepare breakfast, passengers will be transferred to the selected school. There they will be received by the teacher who will lead them to the school kitchen where they will prepare breakfast for kids. After preparing breakfast, the teacher will gather the students for passengers to be able to provide them breakfast. At the end, passengers will be transferred back to their hotel. (Breakfast / Box lunch) ** Overnight at Casa Andina Classic Cusco or Similar
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Day 13: CUSCO - LIMA At the coordinated time your guide will pick you up from your hotel to take you to the airport where you will flight to Lima.
TRIP/ROUTE MAP
PRICING $3999USD WITH MY OWN ROOM ADD $699USD 2014 DEPARTURE CITIES AND DATES Please check our website for the latest dates and departure cities. PHYSICAL CONDITIONING RATING: 4 out of 5 THIS TOUR IS FOR EVERYONE www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Cultural Rating: 4 out of 5 Accommodations 3 star boutique comfort hotels, guesthouses, cabanas, camping Meals Included All daily breakfasts at hotels are included. All meals included as indicated as in program: B: breakfast, L: lunch & D: dinner Meal Budget: Allow USD15-50 for meals and drinks (including bottled water) not included.
What’s included
Domestic flights (Lima-Puerto Maldonado-Cusco-Lima) Entrance fees Tourist tickets (entrance fee to attractions) Private transportation as mentioned in Itinerary Professional bilingual guide (English - Spanish), additional cost for other languages Meals mentioned as Included: B=Breakfast, BL=Boxed Lunch, PL=Picnic Lunch, L=Lunch, D=Dinner Vistadome Train tickets from Aguas Calientes to Cusco Tourist shuttle to and from Machu Picchu Accommodations mentioned on the program Orientation meeting in Cusco (previous to departure date) Transfer from Poroy train station to hotel (11th day) All balanced meals during the trekking (4 days/3 nights), including 4 snacks All common camping gear: 3 men mountain tent for 2 people, inflatable sleeping mattress, kitchen dishes, kitchen tent, dining tent, toilet tent, tables and chairs. Cook Porters for the whole camping equipment including personal luggage (2 porters for each client) First aid kit with oxygen. Short-wave radios Bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes train station. (10th day) Bus up and down to Machu Picchu (11th day) Sanitation care (disinfected dishes, filtered water, etc) Environmental care (all the garbage goes back to Cusco, portable toilet treatment) Vistadome train from Machu Picchu to Cusco www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com
Entrance fee to the Inca trail Dinner in Aguas Calientes (10th day) Lunch in Aguas Calientes (11th day) Top of the Line rafting equipment (V river rafting gear) and self-bailing rafts Safety and professional river procedures. Best class V river guides (international training, swift water rescue and wilderness first responder courses) Safety kayak Front suspension bike Helmet and gloves Bike repair kit
What’s Not Included International flights, airport/departure taxes, visas, pre or post tour accommodation, optional tours sightseeing or activities during free time, transfers outside of the tour program, tips and items of a personal nature, laundry and any alcohol purchased or consumed. Some places that we visit charge additional fees if you are entering with a camera or camcorder - your city guide will advise on these and they can be paid for locally. Huaynapicchu Mountain, the reservation must be done in advanced and the additional cost is $15.00 per person Extra services not mentioned in the program. Any travel vaccinations that are required. Travel Medical Insurance (this is mandatory and must be shown to our tour leader before trip begins) If you need travel insurance please go to our website and get a free quote
www.odysseytreks.com Phone: 1-855-888-8735 Email: info@odysseytreks.com