Highlights Of Ecuador And Peru

Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Baltra Island, one of the world-famous Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel on the island of Santa Cruz. In the afternoon, enjoy a tour of the highlands where you will get the opportunity to see the famous Giant Tortoises in their natural environment. After lunch in the highlands, you will be transferred to Puerto Ayora to check in to your hotel.

Overnight on Santa Cruz Island

This morning after breakfast, set out with your guide on a public speedboat to Isabela Island. From there, you will enjoy a short boat ride to Tintoreras Islet, where you may see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, sea turtles, pelicans, and Galapagos Penguins. As the island is one of the main breeding sites for marine iguanas, this is an excellent place to see these creatures from up close. After a hike through the islet, you may snorkel* in the nearby waters with multicolored fish, sharks, sea lions, and maybe even manta rays.

*Note that masks and tubes will be provided. Wetsuits will be available for rent.

Overnight on Isabela Island

Enjoy breakfast at hotel, later your guide will take you to visit the Flamingo Lagoon, the largest coastal lagoon in the Galapagos. This is an approx. 2km trail where you will receive an explanation of the vegetation and geology of Isabela Island. Arriving in the Flamingo Lagoon, you may be able to see flamingos feeding. This is an artificial lake, as due to the excavation for construction the lake was made up by the rain. From there, the trail will end in the tortoise breeding center. Here you will learn more about the reproduction and breeding of Tortoises. The Tortoise Center of Isabela was completed in 1994 and houses tortoises from the populations of southern Isabela, many of which have experienced relatively high levels of poaching within the last 10-20 years. Visitors may see both hatchling tortoises and older breeding animals. In the afternoon you will return by boat to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz.

Overnight on Santa Cruz Island

Please note this tour must be booked in advance. It cannot be booked locally.

Instead of visiting the flamingo’s lagoon and tortoise breeding center, you may choose to visit “the tunnels”. We will visit a unique place in Isabela Island called “Los Tuneles” (The Tunnels). Our path starts on board our speed boat on a 45 minutes trip. Our experienced captain will securely lead us across the waves that normally hide this treasure. The Tunnels were formed millions years ago when rivers of liquid lava ran across the island reaching the coast shore. The cold water froze their superficial layer isolating the interior while liquid lava kept flowing into the sea. When the eruption finished, a hollow structure was formed and its wall later broke allowing water to come inside and creating a tunnel. Our guide will join us along hundreds of tunnels while we snorkel and discover the marine life such as sharks, lobsters, penguins, sea lions, boobies, marine turtles among other endemic species from Galapagos. A snack will be served on board our boat. If we are lucky enough, we will have the chance to witness giant mantarays feeding in open waters. We will return to Isabela in the afternoon.

Passengers taking this optional tour will enjoy a lunched box served during the return boat ride from The Tunnels.

In the morning, your guide will transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Quito is the largest colonial town in the Americas and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the evening at leisure in this lively city.

Overnight in Quito

Begin your day with a hearty breakfast, set out on a guided city tour of Quito. You will explore the Colonial District of the city, learn more about Quito’s long and fascinating past, and visit Plaza de la Independencia, the city’s main square. Here you may see the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, and several historic churches. You can also enjoy spectacular views of the city and its surroundings from the viewpoint of Penecillo Hill before you return to your hotel, where you may relax and unwind.

Overnight in Quito

After the city tour, you will drive north of Quito to ‘the Middle of the World’, where the equatorial line divides the northern and southern hemispheres. Here you can visit the landmarks with a local guide and explore the Inti-Nan Solar Museum, where you will find more scientific information about this natural site.

Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lima.  Known as the "City of Kings", Lima is famous for its Spanish Colonial architecture, extraordinary museums, and exquisite cuisine. Upon arrival at the International Airport, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel in Lima.

Overnight in Lima

Enjoy breakfast at hotel before your transfer back to the airport for your domestic flight to Cusco; a short yet spectacular flight over the snow-capped Andes to the oldest inhabited city in the hemisphere, Cusco, at an elevation of 11,440 feet. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to Urubamba in the Sacred Valley. Drive through the fertile countryside of the Urubamba Valley to the colonial village of Pisac, where an Indian Market takes place every day. During your visit to the bustling marketplace, you will have the opportunity to bargain with natives for many different types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewellery. Continue to the Ollantaytambo archaeological complex. The Incas built this structure as a fort featuring a temple, agricultural terraces, and an urban area. There are two distinct sectors: The religious and worship zone, and the residential area. Ollantaytambo was an important administrative center with probable military functions if one considers the walls and towers. There are also traces of ancient roads and aqueducts. The town of Ollantaytambo is called a "Living Inca Town" since the inhabitants preserve very old practices and customs. You will enjoy lunch at the “Tunupa Valle” restaurant, in this beautiful country estate along the shores of the Urubamba River.

Overnight in Urubamba

Start the day with a vibrant breakfast buffet, you will travel on the Expedition train through the sacred Urubamba Valley to the "Lost City of the Incas" — Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, the site was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical jungles for 400 years until it was discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca "Virgins of the Sun" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here. Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, you will transfer to shuttle service for a drive up the switchback road to the ruins. A knowledgeable tour guide will share the history of this mystical place of the Inca. After your guided tour, return to Aguas Calientes for a delicious buffet lunch at a local restaurant, offering a chance to reflect on the wonder of the ruins. In the afternoon, take the train back to Ollantaytambo Rail Station, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

Overnight in the Urubamba

The price for this upgrade includes the separate transfer and a driver to the train station.

Post breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred back to Cusco. Post breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred back to Cusco. Head on a walking tour of Cusco, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the western hemisphere and its nearby ruins. Discover the blend of Andean and Spanish cultures as you visit key landmarks, including the Cathedral and Koricancha. The tour begins at the Santo Domingo Convent, constructed on the site of Koricancha, a revered Inca palace and worship center for the Sun God. The tour will continue to the Main Square and the Cathedral from the early 17th century and is a fine example of colonial baroque art. Enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Cusco

An escort will guide you to the restaurant where you will enjoy your evening (no vehicle included — this is a walking escort). Renowned for its variety of dishes and regarded as a gastronomic destination in Cusco. Delight your senses with a mouth-watering buffet, the exotic fusion of flavours, and experience a truly unique Peruvian dining experience. Make your own way back to the hotel (no escort or vehicle included).

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and spend a full day at leisure or consider joining the optional tour below:

Overnight in Cusco

Just outside the city lies Sacsayhuaman ("speckled falcon"), the fortress above Cusco whose precise zigzags of massive stone remain unmoved by the centuries. This is the center of the ceremonies for the famous Inti Raymi Festival. Heading away from the city, we will visit the labyrinthine ruins of Qenqo ("zigzag"), Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay ("cavern lodge") where fountains built by the Incas capture the waters of a natural spring. 

Start the day with a hearty breakfast, at the scheduled time you will be transferred to the Cusco Airport for your flight back to Lima. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Then, start your half-day tour of Lima. The tour will visit the colonial and modern sections of the city. Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace and City Hall (outside views), and entry to the Cathedral of Lima and the convent of Santo Domingo. The Santo Domingo Convent is a religious and architectural gem that houses holy paintings, images, and relics of Peruvian saints, as well as written accounts of the endeavors of the Dominican Order across the country. Visit modern-day Lima and drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. Note: the Cathedral is closed on Sundays AM.

Overnight in Lima

The Huaca Pucllana Restaurant is situated within the ancient ruins of Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological site constructed 1500 years ago. Overlooking the illuminated ruins at Huaca Pucllana, this restaurant serves an array of contemporary Peruvian dishes.  Huaca Pucllana offers a mouth-watering selection of Peruvian Criollo cuisine, cleverly put together by the head chef Marilú Madueño (Cordon Blue Paris), using her skills to mix local ingredients and flavors with modern cooking techniques. The menu includes Ceviches, soups, pasta, meats, and traditional Peruvian dishes such as Creole-style Chupe.

Have breakfast at hotel and be transferred back, at scheduled time, to Lima International Airport for your flight back home