Highlights of Peru with Galápagos Legend East Cruise

The Capital of the New World extends a warm welcome on your epic voyage through the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. Meet your local host on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the upscale shopping district of Miraflores. This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner.

Connect with the colonial heritage of Francisco Pizzaro’s 'City of Kings', admiring the colonial splendor of Lima’s UNESCO-listed Historic Center, with your Local Specialist. Stand in the birthplace of this ancient, yet modern city, surrounded by the Baroque façades of Cathedral of Lima and Palace of the Union. See the Church of San Francisco and discover its hidden catacombs. Celebrate Lima’s status as the culinary capital of South America and Connect With Locals when you meet Ignacio Barrios, who has worked alongside many of Peru's most award-winning chefs. We visit a local market where Ignacio will explain how Peruvian fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats are the basis of Peruvian cooking. Then, continue to Chef Ignacio's cooking school where we’ll enjoy a demonstration on how to prepare some of Peru's most popular dishes and have an opportunity to sample some at a Be My Guest experience with lunch before spending the rest of the day at leisure.

Board a morning flight to Cusco and the Sacred Valley. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® when you visit Manos de la Comunidad, a Weaving Center where you’ll uncover the traditions of the Sacred Valley, called “lindaje.” Then continue to a former 18th century colonial-style monastery, our hotel for the night. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® and learn more about the artisan traditions meeting Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, a master Quechua weaver and the first person from her village to attend university. She has been an ambassador for Andean traditions since she began learning ancient pre-Columbian weaving techniques as a young girl in the 1960s. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as your visit helps to preserve and promote traditional pre-Columbian weaving techniques in the 21st century.

The mystical empire of the Incas takes center stage today. We visit the famous Sacred Valley stronghold of Ollantaytambo before boarding the Vistadome train (light snack included) for our epic journey to Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization, admiring the 15th century stone ruins of temples, palaces and terraces perched high amidst the clouds. Join your Local Specialist for an exploration of the iconic great Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the Intihuatana, an intricately carved rock most likely used as a sundial centuries ago.

The ancient ruins of Machu Picchu beckon again and you have an opportunity to re-connect with this ancient wonder. Board the train to the Sacred Valley, then head to the colonial city of Cusco, stopping en route at a local chicheria. Enjoy the sweet flavors of chicha as you learn how this Peruvian corn beer is brewed by the local women.

Embark on a sightseeing tour of the sacred city of Cusco this morning, admiring the 16th-century Spanish colonial buildings that stand on the foundations of former Inca temples and palaces. See the baroque Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and 17th-century Church of Santo Domingo. Visit the ruins of the Sacsayhuaman fortress and see nearby warehouses where the Incas once stored their grain. The afternoon is free to explore on your terms.

A leisurely start to our day sees us return to Lima this afternoon. Meet a Local Specialist at the Larco Museum, which houses one of the largest private collections of pre-Columbian art in the world. This evening we join our travel companions for dinner in the museum's garden restaurant.

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Ecuador (flight not included in holiday price). Enjoy a warm welcome in Quito where you will be greeted at the airport and taken to your hotel.

Visit the historical center of Quito, which was the first place in the world to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and travel to the 'Middle of the World' to stand on the Equator. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Fly from Quito to Baltra Island where you’ll transfer to your Galápagos cruise for the next three nights. After settling in and having lunch on board, travel to North Seymour Island. Take a guided walk with a Local Specialist across the rocky terrain where you’ll spot frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. Sea lions are often seen resting along the shore, and there’s a clear view across to the Daphne Islands. There’s also time to snorkel in the surrounding waters before returning to your cruise. This evening, enjoy dinner on board and relax as you begin your journey through the Galápagos.

Travel to Bartolomé Island with your Local Specialist, where a short hike takes you to a lookout with views across the volcanic landscape and the iconic Pinnacle Rock, with Santiago Island in the distance. There’s time for a snorkel where you might spot Galápagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and sea lions. In the afternoon, visit Sullivan Bay for a walk across its distinctive pahoehoe lava flows. This solidified lava landscape shows clear patterns of past eruptions, making it one of the most geologically interesting sites in the Galápagos. After the hike, enjoy some time on the beach for a swim or snorkel before returning to your cruise for dinner.

Arrive at Punta Pitt on San Cristóbal Island where a hike up the eroded tuff cone brings panoramic views and the chance to spot all three booby species—blue-footed, red-footed and Nazca. There’s also the opportunity to snorkel or kayak along the coast, keeping watch for sea lions and marine birds. In the afternoon, visit Cerro Brujo, a wide stretch of beach backed by lava formations with a Local Specialist. You can snorkel or take a walk to a hidden lagoon where black-necked stilts, whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails are sometimes seen. Later, return to your cruise for a final evening on board.

Visit the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve on San Cristóbal Island, home to the breeding center of La Galapaguera. Here you’ll learn about efforts to restore the population of the San Cristóbal tortoise and see these iconic creatures at different stages of life. Before heading to the airport, there’s time to visit the town for any last-minute souvenirs. Then it’s off to San Cristóbal Airport for your return flight to Quito, where your Galápagos journey comes to an end.