Save 20% on an 11-Day Trip to the Amazon and Colonial Peru

On day four of Aracari's Amazon itinerary you'll travel the Arequipa-to-Colca road, though we can't guarantee that the alpaca will be there

The flooding in Peru’s Sacred Valley in late January 2010 and earlier this month resulted in the closure (until April 2010) of the country's iconic sites of Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Understandably many visitors want to include the UNESCO World Heritage sites in their itineraries, but if you're open to seeing other parts of the country then now is a great time to do so, as prices have come down. Aracari, a Lima-based travel agency that was on our 2009 list of Top Travel Specialists for Peru, naturally, has unveiled a new 11-day itinerary focusing on iconic parts of the country not affected by the flooding. And what’s more, the itinerary comes with a special introductory rate.

When the components of The Amazon Itinerary: From Meek to Magnificent itinerary are put together, they normally price as $4,943 per person, but the rate has been slashed to $3,899 per person—a savings of 21%—to spark interest in Peru. The trip starts in Lima, with guided visits to the colonial part of the city and the Larco Herrera Museum, where ancient gold, silver, and archaeological collections are housed in a beautiful, whitewashed colonial mansion. From Lima, the next stop is the historic southern city of Arequipa, which sits in the shadow of the snowcapped volcano El Misti. The second half of the trip is spent aboard the luxury river barge Delfin II as it winds its way up the Amazon. Highlights include meeting the local villagers of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, spotting macaws and monkeys in the rainforest while traveling on skiffs, and the chance to swim with river dolphins in their natural habitat. Jump on this offer, and you’ll soon realize there’s more to Peru than its ruins.

How to book: Through Aracari. The full itinerary is shown here, but you’ll have to contact the travel agency to iron out the details and book it. The discounted price is good for travel through May 2010, and is per person, based on double occupancy. The price will return to $4,943 for trips in June and beyond. Included in the rate are all land arrangements—private transfers, bed & breakfast in the cities, full board while sailing on the Amazon, domestic airport taxes, and gratuities to waiters and bellboys. Domestic flights, gratuities to guides, some meals, and alcoholic beverages are not included.

Condé Nast Traveler approved: Aracari, and specifically its agent Marisol Mosquera, appeared on our 2009 Top Travel Specialists list.