Discover Amazon & Machu Picchu

A spectacular combination of nature, history and culture awaits on our journey to the Lost City of the Incas and the Peruvian Amazon rain forest. Expedition Leader Francis Casapino shares all the details: Get an overview of our accommodations on a luxury riverboat in the Amazon and secluded retreats in the Sacred Valley, find out what to pack for these two wildly different climates, and learn about the animals you may encounter, from sloths, pink river dolphins and tropical birds in the rain forest to the free-roaming llamas of Machu Picchu.

Peru is a land of extremes, from the flooded forests of the Amazon to the heights of the Andean mountains. Expedition Leader Francis Casapino leads us through the diverse ecosystems we traverse on our Peru adventures and introduces us to their animal inhabitants. Encounter llamas and alpacas in the grassy paramo, look for the world's largest hummingbird in the intermontane valleys, search for Andean bears and condors in the humid montane forests, and spot sloths, monkeys and birds in the palm forests and shrub swamps of the Amazon.

The Inca established the largest empire in the pre-Columbian Americas, spanning from grassland savannas to tropical rain forests to the Andean Highlands. One of the crowning achievements of this civilization was the construction of the city of Machu Picchu. Expedition Leader Francis Casapino reveals why this architectural wonder was such an impressive feat of engineering, describes some of the construction techniques used by the Inca, and explains how and why Machu Picchu was built on such challenging terrain.

Peru is an ideal destination for wildlife lovers and culture buffs alike, from the abundant wildlife of the Amazon to the ruins of ancient Machu Picchu. Born in the Sacred Valley, Expedition Leader Francis Casapino introduces us to the history and culture of his country. Travel through the various eras of the past, including the rise and fall of the Inca Empire, and discover four aspects of Peruvian culture that persist today, from weaving and farming to religion and the Indigenous people themselves.