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Peru and Galapagos

20-day adventure

Detailed, day-by-day itinerary for this adventure!
Accommodations are noted, and meals are coded as B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner

This itinerary varies on Day 11 and Day 12 depending on your Galapagos yacht, Integrity or Reina Silvia. Please refer to departures for schedule of departures on both yachts.

Top: Marine iguana on Española Island in mating colors. (Nicole Churchill) Below: Ruins of Wiñawayna, below Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail, an easy excursion during your three days at Machu Picchu with INCA. (Roger Valencia)

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Lima, Peru

Fly from your home city to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel for check-in and overnight.

Swissôtel or Country Club Lima

Day 2

Lima

Lima is a large city with a population of over 9 million in its metropolitan area. It also has flower gardens, great plazas, huge cathedrals, elegant colonial homes, fine museums, surfing, hopping nightlife, unique cuisine, and excellent hotels and restaurants. We tour historic Lima, including the Plaza de Armas, where you'll see elegant carved wooden balconies and colonial architecture.

We visit the National Museum of ArcheologyAnthropology and History which has one of the largest collections of Pre-Hispanic art and relics including exceptionally well preserved mummies. From here we proceed to Museo Larco to see an impressive collection of pottery, gold and silver.

Now with our work for the day almost completed, we have earned a sumptuous lunch at a fine seaside restaurant that will take care of both you and the rest of the afternoon! We return to the hotel for the night. Dinner is on your own this evening

Swissôtel or Country Club Lima, BL

Day 3

Cuzco

A quick flight over the snow-covered Andes brings us to the legendary city of gold—Cuzco (alt. 11,200 feet)—the Center of the Inca Universe. Inca means "ruler," or "king" - an equivalent to the Roman Caesars.

After check-in, we have breakfast and sip coca-leaf tea while acclimating to the elevation. We begin our walking exploration of Cuzco after lunch (on your own),walking along streets where the Incas and later the Spaniards walked.

In the course of the day we will stop at Coricancha, the partially restored Temple of the Sun at the center of the Inca Universe, where the gold-covered walls were stripped by the Conquistadors. Along narrow cobblestone streets, we pass walls of stone so precisely fitted that they remain in superb condition centuries later, even after many earthquakes. We look into the University, churches and shops that face onto the Plaza de Armas.

Dinner tonight will be in the courtyard of the Art Museum at the delightful MAP Café accompanied by traditional music of the High Andes.

El Monasterio del Cuzco, BD

Day 4

Cuzco, Sacsayhuaman

We visit the bustling Cuzco "Mercado Central", a traditional market were we will get a sense of the daily rhythm of Cuzqueño life. From open air stalls, everything from coca leaves, carrots, rubber boots, jeans, padlocks, beef, live chickens and ducks, to cuys, Band-Aids, and a range of familiar and unfamiliar fruits and vegetables are sold -sometimes for cash, sometimes in the traditional manner-barter.

Later we will be admitted to view an archbishop's private collection of colonial and Indian art. After lunch we will visit the Inca Historical Museum for a fine overview of the history of the Inca Empire from its beginning to its demise.

In the late afternoon we will venture to Sacsayhuaman to explore the spectacular ceremonial and "parade" grounds used by the Incas for major celebrations, pageants and sporting events. Inti Raymi, the Incan "Festival of the Sun," is still celebrated here beginning every June 24. Cuzco fills with colorfully dressed, chicha-drinking Indians from villages all over the Andes, who come for this week-long festival of folk-dance competitions, pageantry and renowned debauchery.

We will be treated to a special ceremony with plants and herbs conducted by a shaman before we descend into Cuzco.

El Monasterio del Cuzco, BLD

Day 5

Huacarpay, San Salvador, Urubamba Valley, Pisac

Our first stop in the Southern Valley of Cusco is at the scenic Lake Huacarpay to view some beautiful wetland birds. Our next stop will be in the town of Andahuaylillas, where we visit the "Sistine Chapel" of Peru, the Church San Pedro de Andahuaylillas. Built in 1631 on top of ancient Inca foundations, the interior of the church bombards visitors with an explosion of Baroque art. The walls are lavishly decorated with exquisite colonial paintings from the Academy of Cusco and frescoes and murals by Luis de Riaño. The altars and wood carvings are all accented by gold leaf.

After Andahuaylillas, we stop in San Salvador, where a group of women will demonstrate the art of weaving with the traditional back strap looms.

After a delicious picnic lunch, we have a scenic ride through rich fields of quinoa and amaranth, and then descend into the breathtaking Urubamba Valley. Here we explore the typical, indigenous village of Pisac where we can hike above the valley in the ruins of the Temples of Pisac.

The balance of the afternoon will be spent exploring the agriculturally rich Urubamba Valley en route to a two-night stay at Sol y Luna, a country inn in the center of the valley.

Sol y Luna, BLD

Day 6

Chinchero Market, Maras, Moray, Ollantaytambo

We start our day with a visit to the Sunday Indian market at Chinchero. There we observe how the local population shops for the week. You may find a few things that you simply must have!

After Chinchero, we visit the town of Moray and walk around the extensive circular terraces where the Incas once experimented with adapting plants to new climates and temperatures. We then continue onto Maras and the amazing salt pans which have been harvested since Inca times.

We will have some time to take in the beautiful sites of the salt flats and the surrounding fertile valley below and the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Urubamba before continuing onto the spectacular temple-fortress and village of Ollantaytambo, a site that is little changed from the days of the Incas. The comuñeros, people from the small villages, descend to the town wearing their distinctive costumes—locally woven and dyed red—and easily recognized wherever you see them.

We return to the country inn in the afternoon. Perhaps there will be time for you to take a walk or go for a jog, but we will certainly be back in time for the Sundowners!

Sol y Luna, BLD

Day 7

Train to Machu Picchu, hike to Machu Picchu Mountain

We catch the early train in Ollantaytambo for one of the most breathtaking rail journeys in the world. The rail line follows the river down the impressive Canyon of the Vilcanota to the foot of Machu Picchu.

If our accommodations are at Hotel Pueblo de Machu Picchu, we leave the train at Aguas Calientes to check in to this lovely riverside inn. Then we head up the mountain by bus to Machu Picchu.

If our accommodations are at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge on the mountain by the ruins, we transfer to a bus for an exhilarating 20-minute dash up the mountainside to Machu Picchu. We check into the hotel on arrival.

We have an optional (weather-dependent) hike to the peak of Machu Picchu Mountain—a 5-6 hour round trip scenic workout! We'll bring our picnic lunch and feast on it as well as the sights.

For those who do not hike, the exploration of Machu Picchu begins with an orientation stroll around the site. This helps us get a sense of the layout of the ruins.

Machu Picchu is truly a place to explore on your own. The elevation is about 7,500-ft., much lower than Cuzco's 11,500-ft., so you will feel much better. After lunch we will all have an extended guided walking tour.

Machu Picchu Sanctuary or Hotel Pueblo de Machu Picchu, BLD

Day 8

Machu Picchu

The park opens at sunrise, a magical time of the day. Mist often shrouds the major peaks and floats onto the valley. The rising sun casts a golden glow into this fantasyland; it is not to be missed at this hour. Enjoy, and then return to the hotel for a quick breakfast.

Depending on the weather, we have another optional hike this time climbing the steep, challenging trail, hidden in crevasses and bushes, that leads to the top of Huayna Picchu, the slender granite peak that appears in every photo of Machu Picchu. On top we have an overwhelming view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding valleys and snow-capped peaks. The climb is impressive and requires no more than 1.5 - 2 hours, even if you are a very slow hiker. It is a challenging hike, but the reward of reaching the summit is one of the greatest views in the world! The descent is relatively quick and easy, but steep, and leads straight to lunch!

After lunch you have the afternoon to yourself to explore the ruins, snooze in the sun, read and take photos. This is the special time that is all yours to savor Machu Picchu as you see fit.

Machu Picchu Sanctuary or Hotel Pueblo de Machu Picchu, BLD

Day 9

Machu Picchu, train to Cuzco

This morning is all yours to enjoy Machu Picchu. You may hike up to the Sun Gate overlooking Machu Picchu or explore the Inca Bridge, take photos or muse about Machu Picchu until you meet the rest of the group for lunch.

After lunch we bus down to the train for Cuzco. Once there we tumble into the Monasterio del Cuzco for the night.

El Monasterio del Cuzco, BL

Day 10

Cuzco to Quito

Fly from Cuzco to Lima and then on to Quito, Eucador. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel for check-in and overnight.

Hilton Colón Quito, B

Day 11
Integrity

To the Galapagos—Santa Cruz Island & Royal Palm Resort

This itinerary varies on days 11-12 depending on your Galapagos yacht, Integrity or Reina Silvia. Please refer to departures for schedules of both yachts.

Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Baltra, Galapagos. While our luggage is being collected, we enjoy refreshments in the air conditioned Royal Palm Resort's VIP airport lounge. We transfer to the Island of Santa Cruz where we travel with our naturalist in a spacious air conditioned vehicle up into the highland rainforest to the Royal Palm Resort where we'll spend the night.

After a rest (or a dip in the pool) we enjoy lunch. Later, we explore the Santa Cruz Highlands to view endemic Galapagos plant species and visit lava tubes and sinkholes. We'll hike through tall grasses among the grazing tortoises and then have some leisure time before dinner. Afterwards, we retire for a good night's sleep in the very quiet Royal Palm Resort.

Royal Palm Resort, BLD

Day 11
Reina Silvia

Quito, Equatorial Monument

We spend the day exploring colonial Quito known for its many churches, peaceful squares, fountains, balconied houses, steep narrow streets and secluded gardens. We also visit the Equatorial Monument where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere. There will be time to do a bit of shopping before we meet for a welcome dinner.

Hilton Colón Quito, BLD

Day 12
Integrity

Santa Cruz, boarding the Integrity

We head down to the village of Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station where we learn about conservation issues and the tortoise and iguana hatching and rearing programs. We'll even get to view some of the hatchlings. We may catch a glimpse of Lonesome George—the sole survivor of the Pinta tortoise subspecies. After an exploration of the village of Puerto Ayora, we lunch at a waterside restaurant overlooking Academy Bay. We board the luxurious 141 foot yacht Integrity mid- to late afternoon in Academy Bay.

Integrity, BLD

Day 12
Reina Silvia

Fly to Galapagos, board the Reina Silvia

We have an early morning flight to the Galapagos Islands, where we embark on the Reina Silvia, our home for the next eight days. We then cruise out into the Galapagos National Park for our in-depth exploration of the wonders of Darwin's Islands.

Reina Silvia , BLD

Days 13-18

On the Boat—Snoozin', Cruisin' and Snorkelin'

We live aboard the spacious Integrity for a week, spending as much time ashore as the Park rules permit. With our licensed, INCA selected Class III naturalist, we learn about the birds and animals, geology, marine life and oceanic systems of the Galapagos Islands. We swim and snorkel with tropical fish, sea lions and sometimes with penguins!

The yachts' current itineraries (set by the Galapagos Park) include visits to one or more sites on the islands of Española (Hood), Floreana, Fernandina, Isabela, Santiago, Bartolome, Tower, North Seymour and South Plazas.

Integrity or Reina Silvia, BLD

Day 19

Galapagos, Quito

From our anchorage in the Baltra harbor, we say "adios" to the yacht and its dedicated crew, and adjourn to the Baltra airport to await our mid-morning flight to the Ecuador mainland and Quito. On arrival, we transfer to the Hilton Colón Quito hotel for an overnight. You will have time to shop before dinner.

Hilton Colón Quito, BLD

Day 20

Quito to home or other adventures

Transfer to the airport with check-in to your homeward bound flight unless you are remaining for more adventures.