Upon arrival and transfer to your comfortable hotel where you are advised to rest for a while to acclimatize.
- In the afternoon the half-day city tour begins. You will be shown the exact centre of the Inca Empire, the Plaza de Armas. There one can find the cathedral built on the ruins of the Inca Palace. The cathedral borders on other churches on both sides. Next stop will be the old town with its magnificent renovated colonial buildings. You will also visit the nearby ruins such as Tampu Machay, the bath of the Inca, Kenko, the giant rock whose niches and gaps were carved in a strange way, and Puca Pucara, the ruin of a small fort.
- On the way back to Cuzco, we will visit the Sacsayhuaman fortress located north of the city of Cusco, with spectacular views of the city.
- Return to Cusco where you can relax, enjoy the local food and exciting nightlife.
DAY 2 SACRED VALLEY EXCURSION
- Buffet breakfast.
- After breakfast, you will discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas; there, you will have the opportunity to purchase local handcrafts at the special and traditional Pisac Indian market performed every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. This market exhibits and sells wide variety of fine crafts of various kind: Woven goods, sweaters,
DAY 3 MACHU PICCHU EXCURSION
- Buffet Breakfast.
- At morning, pick up from your hotel and transfer by bus to the train station where the tour starts in a train that climbs the mountain in zigzag slopes and then rattles down into the fertile plain of the Urubamba valley, passes Ollantaytambo and goes on to Aguas Calientes. From here small busses drive up the steep mountain to the ruin town Machu Picchu called the Lost City of the Incas. You will be amazed of how the Incas were able to build this city on a mist-shrouded mountaintop.
- Lunch is included at Sanctuary Lodge restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will return by train to Cusco. Upon arrival and transfer to your hotel.
- At night, farewell dinner: enjoy a marvelous dinner while see our professional Peruvian dancers and musicians amuse you with traditional Andean music and dancing.
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Flight to Galapagos
Fly from the Ecuadorian mainland to the islands on an early morning 90-minute flight. As you prepare to land in Baltra, peer out the window. The landscape below will seem out of this world - and it is for you have come to a place like no other.
This tour will be done on the Flamingo yatch, It includes accommodations in 10 double outside cabins located on three decks, each with large private bathroom and fresh, hot and cold water showers.
Cabins are furnished with two twin lower beds or one double bed; roomy closet, drawers and overhead storage; plus separate climate controls and intercom system.
The Galapagos Islands are unique to the world and you are about to see why. Your bilingual naturalist guide will greet you at the airport and assist you through customs. During lunch he/she will introduce you to the islands and specifically the flora and fauna you will encounter at our first destination, Las Bachas Beach.
On the sandy white beaches of Las Bachas we will get a close look at a sea turtle nesting area and a lake frequented by leggy pink flamingos and other migratory birds. Afterward, we cool ourselves off with our first dip in the deliciously blue Pacific Ocean. As this is our first evening together, the crew will invite us to a pre-dinner cocktail on the yacht before the welcome dinner. If the night is clear, as it usually is, the stars above will bedazzle; look for the Southern Cross, the Big Dipper (turned up-side down!) and Orion
Overnight at Flamingo Cruise
DAY 6 SOUTH PLAZAS ISLAND & SANTA FE ISLAND
After breakfast we will sail to Plazas Island, where a large colony of sea lions lounges daily in the equatorial sun.
Soon you will notice their subtly diabolic grins and wonder what they find so humorous; you only hope the joke isnt on you! Plaza also boasts excellent examples of typical Galapaganean flora such as the towering cacti "trees" that form the principal diet for both the land iguanas and the cactus finch. Other birds that may flutter by include lava gulls, yellow warblers and red-billed tropicbirds with their elaborate tails.
After lunch on the yacht, we continue to Santa Fe Island, a sea journey of 2 1/2 hours.
Upon arrival to the island, we will be treated to a noisy welcome by the local sealion colony.
Following our naturalist guide on the island paths we will come to Santa Fe's main attraction, a towering forest of giant cacti. Scattered around the cacti trees you will see a number of the islands indigenous sun-seekers: marine and land iguanas, the rainbow-streaked lava lizards and, if you are lucky, land tortoises - the namesakes of the islands.
After our walk we will plunge into the salty sea and snorkel in the company of sealions, lion fish and sea turtles.
Finally, we will return to the yacht for dinner.
Overnight at Flamingo Cruise
DAY 7 ESPAÑOLA ISLAND, SUAREZ POINT & GARNER BAY
Española is one of the most magical of all the islands. It is a place where the animals reign supreme and we humans are merely guests. As your dingy brings you to shore you will see sea lion pups sunbathing with marine iguanas and blue footed boobies nesting in between. Nearby may be a Galapagos Hawk. If it is boobie mating season watch the bonded pairs do the infamous boobie dance (if it´s not mating season ask your guide to demonstrate - after all it´s his job to teach you about the local fauna).
Following lunch on board the yacht, we will visit Garner Bay, a great place for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. Lion fish, flycatchers, and Galapagos hawks will keep us company as we relax under the rays of the evening sun. Dinner on the yacht completes our day.
Overnight at Flamingo Cruise
DAY 8 SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
We will visit the station´s Tortoise Rearing Center. Here we can find itty bitty tortoises, hand-sized between the ages of one and five, and marvel at how they achieve such a large size as adults (500 lbs. or more!). Galapagos tortoises are believed to have a lifespan of over 100 years, so the young ones have a long life ahead of them as long as they receive the protection they need.
Aside from the Station headquarters, Santa Cruz boasts the largest town and economic center of the Galapagos, Puerto Ayora. In this port-side town we can buy souvenirs of the islands (postcards, t-shirts, books, etc.). Check-out the uniquely Galapaganean ceramic shop near the entrance of the Charles Darwin Station.
After shopping in Puerto Ayora and lunch on the boat (guests may dine in town if they desire), we will explore the upper region (parte alta) of the island, a moisture-rich area with fertile volcanic soils. We will learn about the vegetation and animal life of this zone, often strikingly different than that found at lower elevations.
After the excursion transfer to the airport to take your flight to Guayaquil and then transfer to your hotel.
Leisure afternoon to visit the city.
Overnight at Cafe Cultura 4*
DAY 9 TRANSFER OUT
Buffet Breakfast at the Hotel.
At opportune time transfer to the airport to take your international connection.
No additional services at this moment.
ABOUT MACHU PICCHU AND GALAPAGOS ISLAND
[Click on map to see large version]
Machu Picchu and Galapagos
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