The Pongo de Mainique,is a pongo (canyon) in Peru, being 45 metres
(50 yd) wide and 3 kilometres (2 mi) long, with 900 metres (3,000 ft) to
300 metres (1,000 ft) high cliffs. It is the only break in the entire
Cordillera Vilcabamba Mountain Range. It also divides the Urubamba River
(a headwater of the Amazon River) between Upper Urubamba and Lower
Urubamba. It is considered the most dangerous whitewater pass on the
Urubamba; however, many boats traverse it, depending on seasonal river
conditions. It is crossed by the Inca Bridge, ancient secret entrance to
the Machu Picchu.it is a global biodiversity hotspot; six square miles
of rainforest around the canyon contains more species of life than any
other similar-sized area on Earth.
ITINERARY
Day 1. Today is the beginning of our descent into the jungle. Taking
our transport we head out of the valley, north to the town of
Quillabamba. Driving over the Abra de Malaga at 4300m down into high
jungle with its coffee and banana plantations to our rest place for the
night, the small market town of Quillabamba. Hotel. (L/D)
Day 2. Breakfast and we continue further north following the mighty
Urubamba River, with its twists and turns. Our guide will teach us about
the area, the spectacular flora and fauna, the birds and the fruit in
this vibrant area in Cusco, Peru. Tonight we will sleep and eat under
the stars. (this will be a night bus if travelling backpacker due to the
bus timetables.(B/L/D)
Day 3. Passing through small jungle towns with their effervescent
atmosphere we make our way to the end of the road, to the port of
Ivochote. Here we will board our motorized canoe for the last part of
our journey through the magical Pongo de Mainique, where we will have
the opportunity to admire the beauty of this truly spiritual area. We
continue our trip to just beyond the Pongo where we will camp. (B/L/D)
Day 4. An early rise so that we may visit a Cock of the Rock feeding
area that is situated near the lodge. On our return we will have
breakfast and a guided tour of the various plantations that make up our
jungle centre. For those that want we will take to the jungle trails to
see the incredible scenery, learn about the indigenous plants and
animals in the area. All meals will be served at camp. (B/L/D)
Day 5. Today gives us the perfect chance to do whatever we want, if
we want to walk in the jungle our guide is available to escort us, if we
want to try our hand at fishing that is another option or maybe just
relax. We also have a fantastic opportunity to go to the Pongo de
Mainique for a few hours, swim by the waterfall and bask on a rock. All
meals will be served at camp. (B/L/D)
Day 6. We continue our journey today, returning to the town of Kiteni.
Passing upwards slowly through the jungle that has been our home. Our
guide will explain the life of the people here that live a very simple
life dedicated to the production of coffee and fruit. Camping just
outside Kiteni. (B/L/D)
Day 7. Today the scenery changes dramatically as we climb from Kiteni
at an altitude 596m up through the Yanitile Valley to the town of Lares
(3200m). Here we will set up camp and have the opportunity to enjoy the
open air hot springs that are situated on the outskirts of the town.
(B/L/D)
Day 8. We have the morning to enjoy the hot springs one last time.
From here we begin our return journey to Cusco. Crossing the Lares Pass
(4440m) through the llama and alpaca pastures. This is a fantastic
opportunity to see real life in the Andes of Peru. Return to Cusco 2pm
and transfer to hotel. (B/L)
