Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in
• Your included private city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Transfer to the airport and fly to Baltra and transfer with your expert Naturalist to board the Galápagos Legend for your 3-night cruise.
• Sail to North Seymour, a landmass formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, which deposited layers of lava on the ocean floor. Take a walk amidst large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls for an in-depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles. You will also encounter sea lions, land iguanas and, on a lucky day, you might even come across the endemic Galápagos snake.
(B,L,D)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Wake up at Bartolomé Island to discover a fascinating moonscape formed by volcanic parasitic cones. Hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands and Pinnacle Rock. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies. Bartolomé offers some of the best spots to snorkel, thanks to clear waters and abundant sea life, including sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and maybe even Galápagos penguins.
• This afternoon, sail to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island and take a walk on young Pahoehoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th Century. See the reddish-yellow tuff-cones with various flora growing from the fissures. Walking on solidified lava gives the impression of walking on another planet. After your guided walk, spend time snorkeling from the white sand beach where you may see penguins, sea lions, sharks, and rays.
(B,L,D)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Arrive at Pitt Islet on San Cristobal and walk to the top of a volcanic tuff to be rewarded with several magnificent viewpoints. This is one of the few sites where the Galápagos’ three booby species (blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca) can be seen together. You will also find two species of frigate birds and a sea lion colony. The island waters are excellent for dinghy rides to see a range of seabirds—and a great spot to snorkel!
• At Cerro Brujo, visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen, including black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, other sandpiper species, and white-cheeked pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal, and the adjacent coast. Your visit includes time to swim with the sea lions and other marine life.
(B,L,D)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• After breakfast, disembark in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and visit the Giant Tortoise Reserve on San Cristobal. Learn about the national park’s conservation and breeding programs to protect the endangered tortoise species.
• Also, visit the port village for a last chance at souvenirs before bidding farewell to the enchanted Galápagos Islands.
• Transfer to San Cristobal Airport and fly to Quito. Later, fly to Lima, Peru. Transfer to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Your included city tour focuses on Lima’s rich colonial history as well as the modern city. Lima was the bastion of Spanish South America from its founding in 1535 until the independence of the South American republics in the early 19th century. See the cathedral, where the remains of Francisco Pizarro are sealed in a wooden coffin, and the Santo Domingo Convent to see the relics of three famous Peruvian saints—Santa Rosa de Lima, San Martin de Porres, and San Juan Macias.
(B)
INSIDER PICKS
This evening, you may choose to head over to a nearby park to witness the largest electronic water fountain complex in the world, certified by the Guinness Book of Records. You will enjoy a wonderful show of water, lights, music, and images
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Transfer to the airport and fly to Cusco, high in the Andes, where you will be met by your Local Guide.
• Your guided tour visits the cathedral in Plaza de Armas and Santo Domingo Monastery, one of the most important temples devoted to worship of the sun. It is said it was covered in gold leaf and filled with golden representations of nature.
• Take a short drive outside the city to the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a fortress of gigantic stones—with some blocks weighing more than 350 tons. Followed by the amphitheater of Kenko, and the red fortress of Puca Pucara.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• Today, a short drive into the Urubamba Valley, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where you will learn about the importance of the alpaca for Inca cultures, as well as the ancient weaving techniques still in use today.
• Continue to the market town of Pisaq, where you can buy handmade rugs, alpaca sweaters, and jewelry at bargain prices.
• At the other end of the valley, visit Ollantaytambo to see some of the finest examples of Inca masonry.
(B,L)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch
• Embark on a train trip bound for Machu Picchu and cut a path through the Sacred Valley to this “Lost City of the Incas,” discovered by American explorer Hiram Bingham in 1911.
• On a guided tour of Machu Picchu, explore this intact fortress with its temple remains, holy houses, and mile-long aqueduct. For hikers, a brisk one-hour walk leads to the Sun Gate, the ancient entrance used by the Incas.
(B,L,D)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• A morning at leisure allows you to wake up early to see the sunrise over Machu Picchu with your second included entrance to the ruins.
• Return to Cusco by train where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
• After a transfer to the airport, fly to Lima today. Transfer to your hotel for a free evening.
(B)
Includes meal(s): Breakfast
Your vacation ends after breakfast this morning.
(B)
