Peru and Ecuador Galapagos

Day 1  Lima.  Arrival in Lima.  Welcome to Lima, Peru! Meet and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to rest, relax and acclimate to your new surroundings before the exciting adventure that awaits you in South America!  Overnight at Selected Hotel.

Day 2  Lima.  Breakfast at the hotel.  Lima City Tour (Private). Dinner at Selected Restaurant (Only transfers included)  Overnight at  Selected Hotel.

Morning Pick up at the lobby of your hotel to start the City Tour visiting the most important places such as: The Main Square, the Cathedral, the Archbishopric, the Palace of Government, the City Hall  of Lima, the railway station and the monumental Convent of San Francisco, where we will see  its cloisters, catacombs and the religious museum. We will continue the visit with Lima residential zones, arriving then to the district of Miraflores, where we will have a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean and its Beaches.

Day 3  Lima-Cusco-Sacred Valley  Breakfast at the hotel.  Transfer to airport.  Flight Lima/Cusco.  Arrival in Cusco.  Private transfer to Sacred Valley with Lunch.  Overnight at Selected Hotel.

Morning departure for a drive through the fertile countryside to the colonial village of Pisac. During your visit to the bustling marketplace you will have the opportunity to bargain with the natives for many different types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewelry. After lunch the tour continues to the village of Ollantaytambo for a visit to its impressive Inca fortress.  Buffet Lunch at Tunupa Restaurant.

Day 4  Sacred Valley-Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu.  Breakfast at the hotel.  Transfer to train Station.  Vistadome Train to Aguas Calientes.  Machu Picchu Ruins Tour (Private guide) Overnight at Selected Hotel

Start our visit to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. (Bus and entrance fee included).  The "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, it was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical jungles for 400 years until 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. (L)

Day 5  Machu Picchu-Cusco  Breakfast at the hotel.  Morning at Leisure to explore Aguas Calientes.  Afternoon train to Cusco.  Transfer to Hotel.  Overnight at Selected Hotel

Day 6  Cusco.  Breakfast at the hotel.  Cusco City Tour & Nearby Ruins.  Transfer to airport.  Flight back to Lima.  Transfer to hotel.  Overnight at Selected Hotel.

Visit the city tour Including the Main Square, the Cathedral with its religious Art   Museum, the Santo Domingo Church or Koricancha, the Church and Cloisters of La Merced, the artisans quarter of San Blas, the San Blas Church and baroque pulpit, the Archaeological Museum.

Guided visit to the four ruins nearby, the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, overlooking the city of Cusco, a pre-Inca architectural masterpiece; Kenko, a rock sanctuary whose main attraction is a monolithic altar representing a puma, the red Fortress of Puca-Pucara and Tambomachay, a beautiful fountain fed by a spring forming a series of basins.

Day 7  Cusco-Lima  Breakfast.  Transfer to airport.  Flight Lima/Quito.  Transfer to hotel.  Overnight at Selected Hotel.

Day 8: Lima- Quito (B)

The tour starts in the city center of Quito among churches with baroque designs, stoned carved facades and columns. The admirable work of the biggest amount of colonial art in the southern continent. Quito is filled with heritage sites.
Later on, there is a visit to the Middle of the World Complex where the Equatorial line passes through in a 0º0’0” latitude. Overnight at Selected Hotel. 

Day 9: Quito-Otavalo Market & Surroundings

Otavalo is located just from a two-hour drive from Quito and is well-known among visitors for being the largest and unique Indigenous market in Latin America. Indigenous people gather with stands in a city square to sell their arts and crafts which reflect their traditions and culture.
Colorful tapestries, hand-made jewelry, hand-carved wooden sculptures, Andean musical instruments are some of the items that can be found in this open market.
Other nearby town such as “Peguche” and “Cotacachi” also are known for their weaving skills and their manufacture artisanal leather goods. Overnight  at Selected Hotel in Quito

Day 10-17: All-inclusive Galapagos expedition cruise aboard the Coral Yatch (B,L,D).  Local flight to the Galapagos Islands.
Visit the islands with style in an all-inclusive 7-night expedition cruise.

The yacht's interior is exquisitely crafted from dark teak wood and polished bronze. It has a rich, luxurious feel. All cabins have air conditioning and are equipped with both inside and outside cabins that can accommodate single beds or large double beds.

The Yacht offers a range of dining and lounge areas, as well as a bar with great service and an amazing atmosphere.

The length of your cruise will determine the itinerary. There are three, four and seven-day options. All holidays take in the stunning beauty of the islands as well as the unique fauna and flora.

The volcanic landscape's colors and shapes provide a stunning backdrop for the sea lions, flamingos, and sea lions that live nearby.

Two multilingual naturalists will assist you in understanding and enjoying the unique environment.

After a hard day of bird watching, watching hammerhead sharks, and snorkeling among tropical reefs, there is nothing better than a relaxing evening on the sundeck, sipping cocktails, or taking a dip in the Jacuzzi.

You can relax, socialize, and take in the beauty of Galapagos Islands from each of the three decks.

High quality cuisine, with buffet breakfast and lunch and a-la-carte service on dinner time.

The islands are filled with unique wildlife that have adapted in order to survive in this remote archipelago. There are iguanas that graze on algae, penguins that live in the tropics, cormorants that swim, 13 different species of finches, tiny lizards that live on petrified lava fields, and of course the iconic and enigmatic Giant Galapagos Tortoises.

Every animal has been shaped by the conditions of the islands, having unique geographical features and resources. Some have powdering white sand, while others look like a landscape taken out of Mars, with red sad and volcanic traits.

The underwater is also another world that the Galapagos is known best for; it is one of the biggest marine reserves on the planet! The diversity is also found underwater and is a diverse paradise. Optional activities are offered along the excursion such as kayaking, snorkeling, and for those wanting to stay dry there is also a glass bottom boat.

Excursions are led by Galapagos highly qualified naturalist guides who will come along with the group for the two daily excursions. They will explain in detail the history, geography, and evolution of nature that have created this amazing destination.
Return to Quito or Guayaquil. Overnight stay.

Day 18 Quito or Guayaquil
Transfer out. End of services.