Machu Picchu and Amazon Rainforest

General Information

Trip Style: Cultural – Nature
Altitude:

• Cusco 3.326m
• Sacred Valley 2.800m
• Aguas Calientes 2.410m
• Machu Picchu 2.430m
• Puerto Maldonado 250m

Temperature:
Peru does not have one climate. Because Peru is close to the equator, the seasons are hardly effected by changes in the state of the sun. However there can be observed some differences between the months November to April and April to November. Due to the very diverse landscape that Peru has, there are several distinct climate zones. The climate depends on the geographical location, altitude and sea currents, so we can divide Peru in three climatic zones:

1. Coast: Through the influence of the warm gulf stream El Niño off the coast of Peru are the summer months between December and April. The short summer is associated with small showers. The temperature is pleasant and is between 25°C and 35°C. From April to November dominates the cold Humboldt Current along the coast and the temperature is between 15°C and 25°C.
2. Highlands: In the Andes a mountain climate prevails. The climate is fairly constant during the year. The temperature differences are mainly to do with day and night and the height which you are located. In general; the higher, the colder! The climate in the Andes has also a dry and a wet season. The dry season runs from May to October and air is often brightly. The temperature range between 15°C and 25°C, depending on the height. At night the temperature drops quickly to 0-5°C. The rainy seoson runs from November to April. It can rain for days during this period.The temperature differences between day and night are less extreme. In the afternoon it is around 20°C and in the night about 5°C.
3. Rainforest: East of the Andes you will find the rainforest which covers most of Peru. In the rainforest is a subtropical climate. It is here all year round humid and temperatures will be around 25°C. The rainy season runs from November to April. The rains are generally short and after the rain usually appears the sun. In the dry season from April to November, there is much less rain in the rain forest.

Cusco
Cusco is a city in southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. In 1983 the historical capital of the Inca Empire was declared World Heritage Site. Today the city is a jumping-off point for the Inca Trail and the famous Inca site Machu Picchu. Cusco got his name in a very special way; legend tells that in the 12th century, the sun god Inti looked down on earth and decided that people need organizing, so he created the first Inca Manco Cápac, and his sister-wife, Mama Ocllo. They came to life on Isla del Sol (Sun Island) way over in Lake Titicaca, with a long walk ahead of them. Inti gave Manco Cápac a golden rod and told him to settle in the spot where he could plug it into the ground until it dissapeard; this would be the navel of the earth, Qosq´o, in the Quechua languaga, Cusco.

Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley of the Incas or the Urubamba Valley is a valley in the Andes of Peru, close to the Inca capital of Cusco and the ancient city of Machu Picchu. The valley was formed by the Urubamba River. The star attractions are the lofty Inca citadels of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Pisac is known for its craft market, by far the biggest in the region. You can visit the market daily but the offical market days are on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Ollantaytambo is an Inca archeological site and dominated by two Inca ruins.

Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a 15th century Inca site located 2.430 meters above sea level. It is also called ¨Lost city of the Incas¨ and declared by the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca Style, with polished dry-stone walls. In 2007 Machu Picchu was voted one of the ¨New Seven Wonders of the World¨.

Puerto Maldonado
Puerto Maldonado is a city in Southeastern Peru in the Amazon forest 55 kilometers west of the Bolivian border; located at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre Dios River. Nearby are the Manu National Park, Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park, which have been established to protect natural resources. These are some of the most pristine primary rain forests in the world. They include several oxbow lakes and clay licks, where hundreds of birds including macaws, feed on the clay. Puerto Maldonado is in the tropical Amazon Basin. The climate is hot and humid at all times. The average annual temperature is 26°C with the months of August and September being the hottest.