peru- Amazon and Machu Picchu: May 2-9, 2026
Into the Wild Peru- Amazon and Machu Picchu is a unique chance to have a wild time with other amazing women, experience new culture, see amazing wildlife, one of the seven wonders of the world, and connect with the outdoors in a major way. this trip is for adventurers at heart- a wild time, indeed!
Embark on an unforgettable journey design exclusively for adventurous women like yourself, led by the fabulous Melodi of @wayfaringlore!
Your trip will begin in the enchanting Sacred Valley, where you’ll find yourself surrounded by stunning mountains, vibrant local markets, and the ruins of pre-Incan and Incan sites, and you’ll travel by train to the bustling little town of Aguas Calientes, where Machu Picchu sits atop giant jungle-covered mountains.
After soaking in the wonders of the Sacred Valley and one of the Seven Wonders of the World (Machu Picchu), you’ll journey into Peru’s vibrant Amazon region. You’ll escape into the lush rainforest and engage in exhilarating activities one can only expect in such a unique area of the world. Spend a couple of nights deep in the amazing amost birds, primates, unique plants etc.
Truly a remarkable trip!
This trip is designed for women who are eager to step outside their comfort zones and create lifelong memories. Pack your bags, grab your adventurous spirit, and prepare for the trip of a lifetime in Peru!
At $3299, you really cannot do this kind of adventurous, educational and exotic trip at a better price. Flights from Cusco to the town of Iquitos, Peru are included as well as all activities, permits, food and lodging during the trip. Leave it to Into the Wild to provide you with the BEST possible experience without you having to do any of the research.
This trip is capped at 14 participants.
COME AND PLAY!
Here are the fine details of this trip. VERY important to read these things!
If going to Peru as a US citizen, no visa is required. If you’re from another country, please look into the visa rules for your country.
This trip starts in Cusco, Peru and ends in Iquitos, Peru. You will need to buy a round trip ticket to Lima from your home and back. You will need to buy a one way ticket from Lima to Cusco that arrives before 11am on May 2, and you’ll need to buy a one way ticket from Iquitos to Lima on May 9, leaving in the evening, as there are activities you won’t want to miss in Iquitos on the 9th.
You’ll be staying in hotels in Cusco and Aguas Calientes, and a rustic lodge in the Amazon (nothing fancy, but pretty good for being in the middle of nowhere!)
Aside from your RT tickets from home to Lima, and one way tickets discussed above- everything else is paid for with your ticket, except for alcohol and snacks. All meals are included.
This trip has a specific packing list that we will give you early on.
HERE IS An ITINERARY OF THE TRIP (GET READY FOR EXCITEMENT!) SUBJECT TO CHANGES/SHUFFLING ACTIVITIES AROUND.
May 2: Arrive in Cusco by 11am. Today we are having a tour of Saqsayhuaman and exploring Cusco- opening dinner will be at 6:30pm. We’ll get to know one another and have free time in the evening.
May 3: Today we will visit the archeological rich Incan city of Pisaq, followed by the salt mines of Maras- a series of salt ponds that have been used for centuries. There we will learn about the traditional methods of salt production that are still used today. Continue on, we will see the Ollantaytambo fortress, the celebrated place of Inca resistance in one of the most important battles during the Spanish conquest. We will hop aboard a train to Aquas Calientes at 4:30pm. Dinner will be at 7pm in Aguas Calientes, where we will sleep for the night.
May 4: Today we will take an early morning bus to Machu Picchu. We will have a tour around this vividly colorful, sacred and culturally amazing site that’s on everyone’s bucket list! After Machu Picchu, we will have lunch and then return to the train station in Aguas Calientes and take the train back to Ollantaytambo at 4:12pm. Upon arrival and check in to our hotel, we will have dinner and sleep.
May 5: Early morning flight to Iquitos (provided by Into the Wild). Upon arrival, we’ll board a covered speed boat to transit upriver on the Amazon and a tributary river about 3.5 hours to our Amazon lodge. This lodge is not a luxury lodge, but a rustic (and completely acceptable) Amazon adventure base! The buildings are on stilts to accommodate the flooding water through the yearly rains. Each private room has beds with mosquito nets, fans, electricity, warm water, Western toilets, and comfortable beds. Starlink is available in the main lodge. Upon arrival we will begin our adventure into the Amazon jungle.
May 6-8: Time in the Amazon. Rainforest excursions for us to choose from on each of these days include:
The canopy experience: Zipline amongst the tree giants and the canopy of the Amazon Rainforest as you explore 6 canopy platforms on 4 ziplines more than 100 feet above the rainforest floor.
Rainforest Exploration-Walk out into the rainforest and search for birds, primates like the pygmy marmosets, night monkeys, howler monkeys etc. Look for interesting insects and enjoy the beautiful vegetation. We will learn about the many plants and how they are used for medicinal uses.
River Exploration- Go by boat with your private guide to explore the river. We will watch for macaws, tanagers, hawks, sloths, neotropical river otters and monkeys along the riverbank.
Cultural Visit-Learn about life in the local communities. You can visit the hospital and local school. Option to have the local women set up a local market for shopping their wares.
Visit the Flooded Forest-This is an area where the giant fig trees are growing in the water and you will canoe through the forest. We will look for birds, monkeys, caiman, horned screamers, wattled jacana, giant fishing spiders, and other wildlife on this serene excursion.
Frog Valley-We will ride a motorboat uprive to visit the terra firme (never flooding) ecosystem. We will hike through the dense forest searching for beautiful little poison dart frogs, harlequin toads, marmosets, leaf cutter ants and more.
Dolphin Search-Explore the nearby lakes for the incredible pink dolphins of the Amazon Rainforest. We will also look for the small gray dolphins. You can jump into the lake to swim with the dolphins (but we do not feed or disturb them in any way).
Birding-Early morning birding excursion along the river. With over 600 species, the region has a higher count of bird species of any site in lowland Amazon Forest.
Fishing-Head by boat early in the morning or late afternoon to fish for Piranha, Pacu, Vampire fish and other species. Bring your goods back to the lodge and the chef will cook them up for you for you next meal.
Nigh Excursions-Go for a night hike to search for scorpions, tarantulas, snakes and other nocturnal wildlife. Explore by boat on the river where wil will serach for caimans, snakes and frogs. Enjoy the vast night sky with the Southern Cross within sight.
All of these excursions are led by a local adventure guide who will teach us about the animal and plant life along the way. We will decide when we are at the lodge what we want to do each day.
May 9:Go out on a last morning excursion before we head back to Iquitos. We will visit the local food market here before we arrive at the airport for your flights to Lima. Please note the travel instructions in the section above for this trip, especially in regards to heading home on this last day.
Who:
Women from around the globe!
Why:
When is the last time you enjoyed a long week for yourself? To have adventures you deserve, explore new things, and to make new best friends?
When:
May 2-9, 2026. You DO NOT want to miss this. You will need to buy a round trip ticket to Lima from your home and back. You will need to buy a one way ticket from Lima to Cusco that arrives before 11am on May 2, and you’ll need to buy a one way ticket from Iquitos to Lima on May 9, leaving in the evening, as there are activities you won’t want to miss in Iquitos on the 9th.
What:
A retreat combined with absolute adventure. This trip’s purpose is to bring wildness and an appreciation for nature and other cultures back into your life. A bonding experience for outdoorsy women that is not to be missed.
IMPORTANT NOTE: tHIS RETREAT WILL INVOLVE WILD ADVENTURES. wE ENCOURAGE ALL WHO ATTEND TO BE READY FOR walks/HIKES and walks of up to 2-3 miles, boat rides, bus rides, train rides, van rides.
Refunds: Your ticket can be sold but not refunded. This is because of the nature of retreat planning. If you need to sell your ticket you may- to discuss how that works please email resales@itwadventure.com
Into The Wild is now requiring its trip attendees to provide proof of travel insurance purchase for this trip. Generally this costs an extra $100usd, and can save your bacon when traveling and things go wrong. Please email wendy@itwadventure.com if you have any questions about getting travel insurance.
