The thrilling beauty of the Galápagos Islands and the rediscovered jewels of the Inca Empire await you on this tour through the Galápagos and Peru. A highlight of your vacation is a tour to Machu Picchu, where you’ll visit this amazing Inca city. Stand in awe as you witness the ancient ruins surrounded by soaring peaks—one of the most majestic images in South America! Also, see the Temple of Sacsayhuaman, which was built in the early 12th century with some stones weighing more than 350 tons. Try to figure out how it was built so precisely without the help of modern machinery and technology! These are just a couple of the many highlights you’ll see in wonderful Peru. You’ll also see the Nazca Lines in Ica and experience an once-in-a-lifetime thrill in the Galápagos Islands. Just like Charles Darwin, you’ll be able to see many species of animals and birds that call the Galápagos their home. On your 4-night cruise, watch for blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, sea lions, land iguanas, flamingos, giant tortoises, and more. For even more fun, consider swimming and snorkeling in search of sea life. From the ancient ruins and fascinating culture in Peru to the amazing wildlife in the Galápagos Islands, for travelers looking for a new adventure, this tour is not to be missed!
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Lima, Peru. Arrive in Lima, where you will be met by your Tour Director.
Day #2 Lima. This morning, your Local Guide focuses on the city’s colonial heritage during a walking TOUR. Start at the Plaza de Armas to see the Government Palace and the cathedral. From here, stroll to the venerable SAN FRANCISCO MONASTERY with its splendid 17th-century cloister murals. For a special treat, make a stop at a [LF] LOCAL PERUVIAN FOOD MARKET to get a real taste of the lives of the local people. This evening, enjoy a welcome dinner at one of Lima’s finest historic homes, CASA GARCIA ALVARADO, with your fellow traveling companions. (B,D)
Day #3 Lima–Cusco–Sacred Valley. Fly to Cusco, the impressive Andean city that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Spend the day in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, starting with a visit to the TEMPLE OF SACSAYHUAMAN, perched on a hillside overlooking Cusco. It remains unfathomable how and when this fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons—was built. While at the ruins, experience an [LF] El Pago a la Tierra, or MOTHER EARTH CEREMONY, performed by a local shaman. These ceremonies thanking Mother Earth and asking for good health and safe travels have been practiced in Peru since before the arrival of the Incas. Next, stop at the semi-circular KENKO Amphitheater with its stone altars and labyrinth of passages. See the ancient site of Puca Pucara before continuing to PISAC, an old mountain village where you will have free time to shop for local wares such as alpaca sweaters and blankets, jewelry, or hand-painted ornamental dishes and vases. Stay in the Sacred Valley tonight, and enjoy a special dinner outing with a PERUVIAN PASO HORSE SHOW. (B,L,D)
Day #4 Sacred Valley–Machu Picchu. This morning, visit the Inca Fortress of OLLANTAYTAMBO followed by the opportunity to visit a [LF] HOME, meet some of the locals, and experience their way of life. Next, board a TRAIN for a short journey through the lush Urubamba Valley. Then, transfer to a motorcoach for the ascent to legendary MACHU PICCHU, the “Lost City of the Incas,” high above the steep valley overlaid with dense tropical jungle. Your Local Guide will bring you closer to the lives and mysteries still hidden in these amazing structures built by the pre-Columbian masters of this sacred land. Tonight, stay at a nearby hotel. (B,L,D)
Day #5 Machu Picchu–Cusco. Your entrance to MACHU PICCHU is included for a second day. Enjoy the tranquility of the morning with free time to wander the ruins at your own pace and experience the magic that is Machu Picchu. After lunch, return to the Sacred Valley by TRAIN and continue on to Cusco. (B,L)
Day #6 Cusco. This morning, learn more about the Incas and their struggle against invading Spaniards on your Cusco city TOUR, with visits to the imposing CATHEDRAL and the SANTO DOMINGO MONASTERY. The remainder of your day is free to explore at your leisure. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)
Day #7 Cusco–Juliaca–Puno (Lake Titicaca). Board a flight to Juliaca, where you will continue to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. (B,D)
Day #8 Puno. Excursion to Lake Titicaca. Today, take a motorboat trip to some of the more unique islands of LAKE TITICACA. Start with TAQUILE ISLAND, which was once part of the Inca Empire and was one of the last areas of Peru to be conquered by Spain in the 16th century. The Spanish banned traditional dress on the island, which is why the Spanish peasant dress can still be found today. Next, travel to the fascinating UROS ISLANDS, home to the Uros Indians, who were forced to live on the lake as the Inca Indians pushed farther into their territory. These islands are completely made by reeds and are continually added to as they disintegrate to the bottom of the lake. (B,L,D)
Day #9 Puno–Sillustani–Juliaca–Lima. Depart for Juliaca this morning, visiting the ruins of SILLUSTANI en route. At this pre-Incan burial ground, see where the ancient Aymaras buried their high priests in chullpas—above-ground, cylinder-shaped tombs dating back to the 1400s. While here, [LF] spend some time with the locals, see their HOMES, learn how they work, what they eat, and gain a better understanding of their lives. Fly from Juliaca to Lima this afternoon. (B)
Day #10 Lima–Paracas. Ballestas Islands Cruise & Nazca Lines. Enjoy a scenic drive south along the Pan-American Highway to the Bay of Paracas. CRUISE out to the Ballestas Islands, which are inhabited by a wide variety of sea mammals and exotic birds, including boobies, sea lions, and Humboldt penguins. The huge Candelabro, a candelabra-shaped etching on the Paracas cliffside, can also be seen as you cruise back to shore. Continue to the town of Pisco, the wine capital of Peru. Have your camera handy today as you board your aircraft for a FLIGHT over the Nazca plains, which can only be appreciated by air. Your pilot will point out the mysterious markings known as the NAZCA LINES, a series of drawings of animals and geometric figures etched into the parched soil—some up to 1,000 feet long! Theories vary, but the most accepted belongs to German mathematician Maria Reiche, who dubbed the land the “astronomical calendar” of the ancient Peruvians. Enjoy dinner this evening at your hotel. (B,D)
Day #11 Paracas–Lima. After some free time in Paracas, return to Lima today. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a memorable farewell dinner at a local restaurant by the sea. (B,D)
Day #12 Lima–Quito, Ecuador. Fly to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. (B)
Day #13 Quito. On an included city tour, see INDEPENDENCE SQUARE with its CATHEDRAL and SAN FRANCISCO PLAZA CHURCH, and the BASILICA. (B)
Day #14 Quito–Baltra–Santa Cruz (Embarkation)–Cruising. Fly to Baltra and transfer to Santa Cruz Island to board the Galápagos Explorer II for a 4-night CRUISE. This afternoon, walk by a brackish lagoon, where flamingos can be found. Then, climb DRAGON HILL, a nesting ground for land iguanas, with lovely views of the nearby islands. (B,L,D)
Day #15 Cruising: Genovesa Island. Disembark at the base of Prince Philip’s Steps and climb up the stairs to a trail where birdlife abounds. A walk reveals large colonies of masked boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, storm petrels, and even short-eared owls. In the afternoon, disembark at DARWIN BAY to observe hundreds of birds. Return to the beach for swimming and snorkeling while looking for tropical fish, golden rays, and, hopefully, some hammerhead or Galápagos sharks. (B,L,D)
Day #16 Cruising: North Seymour & Santa Cruz Islands. Today begins on NORTH SEYMOUR. The interior has a Palo Santo and small Opuntia forest with blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebird colonies. Next up: the highlands of SANTA CRUZ, marked by extinct volcanoes and astonishing plants. Here you are likely to see Galápagos rails, cattle egrets, and flycatchers. (B,L,D)
Day #17 Cruising: San Cristobal Island. Wake up at PUNTA PITT, the easternmost point in the islands. A somewhat difficult trail leads you to the only place in the archipelago where all three types of booby exist, nesting next to both types of frigates. Cruise to JUNCO or LA LOBERÍA. Visitors to Junco see the only permanent freshwater lake in the islands. La Lobería is home to a large sea lion colony. (B,L,D)
Day #18 Cruising: San Cristobal (Disembarkation)–Guayaquil. After breakfast, visit the Galápagos National Park INTERPRETATION CENTER to learn more about its ecosystems, flora, and fauna as well as the great emphasis on conservation. While here, watch for the Chatham mockingbird and Chatham lava lizard—both species are endemic to this island and seen nowhere else. Later, fly to Guayaquil. (B)
Day #19 Guayaquil. Your tour ends with breakfast this morning. (B)