www.audleytravel.com/peru ?01993 838 620 ?Peru17on the positioning and function of of the citadel.An overnight stay at Machu Picchu or AguasCalientes is highly recommended, allowing youtime to return to the site early in the morningbefore the vast majority of visitors arrive, and the opportunity to climb Huayna Picchu for abreathless, but wonderful alternative view of the site below.MACHUPICCHUSANCTUARYLODGE, MACHUPICCHULocated in an enviable position close to theentrance to the citadel of Machu Picchu, theSanctuary Lodge is an Orient Express propertythat offers high quality accommodation andservice. Staying here comes with a high price tag,but it avoids additional travelling time at the startand end of the day to get to the ruins.ACCOMMODATIONINAGUASCALIENTESThe small village of Aguas Calientes is the mostpopular place to stay when spending time atMachu Picchu. The regular bus service betweenthe village and ruins gives you access to MachuPicchu for the entire day, so time at the site is not compromised by staying here.The most renowned hotel in the village is theInkaterra. A mix of calm, comfort and naturalbeauty on the edge of the village, accommodationis in whitewashed cottages set in 12 acres ofcloudforest grounds with orchid gardens andseveral ecological trails. For visitors seeking amore functional high quality hotel then the Sumaq is an excellent alternative. Situated closerto the ruins than the Inkaterra and with its ownprivate bus stop, it is extremely service-focussedproviding a high level of comfort for guests who still prefer to spend most of their time at the ruins.Aguas Calientes also offers a wide range of simpleguesthouses although the standard and servicecan be changeable. The new Inkaterra-owned El Mapi hotel is fast becoming an Audley favouritein this category, offering affordable rooms with aconsistent level of service.Machu PicchuHidden from the world until the Americanexplorer Hiram Bingham reported the ruins in1911, this magnificent citadel is one of SouthAmerica's most famous sights. Machu Picchu restson a saddle between two lushly forested peaks,and its inaccessible location makes it all the moreimpressive. Well preserved and largely intact, asyou walk between these imposing palaces,temples, houses and storerooms it is easy toimagine the city at the height of the Inca empire.You reach the site by trekking or by means of anastounding train journey from Cuzco or theSacred Valley which delivers you into the smalltown of Aguas Calientes in the valley below, andthen take a bus journey up the windy road cutinto the side of the mountain. Once at the site,your guide will ensure that you thoroughlyexplore and will share some of the many theoriesMachu Picchu Sanctuary LodgeInkaterra, Aguas CalientesWayra Lodge, Mountain Lodges of Peru trekView from Huayna PicchuWiñay Wayna ruinsMachu Picchu

Tambopata ReserveThe sleepy frontier town of Puerto Maldonado is the most popular starting point for Amazontrips in Peru. Characteristics of the jungle hereinclude meandering rivers and ox-bow lakes,which are thriving with animal life. On the banksof the rivers just outside the town it is notuncommon to spot foraging capybara, whilstcompanies of parrots can be found feeding onclay licks hidden in creeks. A couple of theworld's most bizarre-looking creatures are alsoresident here -the tapir, with its spiky mane, andthe pre-historic hoatzin bird, which hops aroundthe edges of the numerous lakes.SANDOVALLAKELODGEBeautifully located on an ox-bow lake of the samename where a family of giant otters have set uphome, Sandoval Lake Lodge has 25 rustic roomsand offers a great insight into the Amazonianenvironment. Excursions are undertaken in smallgroups to spot wildlife along trails, across the lakeand up a canopy tower. The lodge is owned by anon-profit making conservation group and fiveindigenous families of Brazil nut collectors.HEATHRIVERLODGEHeath River is located four hours away by boatfrom Puerto Maldonado on the river dividing Peruand Bolivia. It is situated in the middle of a largearea of pristine rainforest and has just ten privatecabins. Within easy reach are a macaw clay lick,ox-bow lakes with giant otters and the largestuntouched savannah plain in the Amazon basin.Six monkey species and 480 species of bird havebeen recorded in the vicinity of the lodge.TAMBOPATARESEARCHCENTREThe Tambopata Research Centre (TRC) has just 13 basic lodgings, for both visitors andresearchers, and is located opposite the world'slargest macaw clay lick. The centre is composedof four connected thatch roof buildings, built in a low-impact native style and the bedrooms aredesigned to have an unobstructed view of theforest, thus maximising wildlife spottingopportunities. TRC is very remote but is one ofthe most spectacular places to spot wildlife in thesouthern Peruvian Amazon. It is so remote thatguests need to stop for the night at the RefugioAmazonas Lodge en route there and back.The Peruvian AmazonThere are two easily accessible tracts of Amazonrainforest in Peru. In the south of the country, theTambopata and Manu Biosphere Reserves are just a 30 minute flight from Cuzco. Stays in thesouthern Peruvian Amazon tend to be based incomfortable lodges where expert naturalist guideswill lead you through well-marked trails or takeyou out on paddle canoes, pointing out wildlife and explaining the medicinal properties of theendemic plant species.The northern Peruvian Amazon is reached byflights from Lima via the city of Iquitos, which is theboarding place for some excellent cruise options.18Sandoval Lake, Tambopata ReserveYellow-crowned green parrotTambopata Research Centre