Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 12 nights (2 nights in Quito, 4 nights at Finch Bay Eco Hotel, 2 nights in Lima, 3 nights in Cusco, and 1 night in Machu Picchu), and 22 meals (12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 4 dinners).
Elevations: Quito is 9,350 feet above sea level, Cusco is 10,912 feet, the Sacred Valley of the Incas is 8,944 feet, and Machu Picchu is 7,900 feet.
IGTOA's Traveler Funding Program
South American Vacations is an active member of IGTOA (International Galapagos Tour Operators Association). In support of IGTOA's Traveler Funding Program, we contribute $50 for each passenger that we send to the Galapagos Islands. You'll travel knowing that you support the lasting protection of Galapagos Islands.
Sixty percent of the funding of this program goes directly to the Charles Darwin Foundation for science, conservation, and education. Their work, carried out through the Charles Darwin Research Station and Galapagos National Park, is vital to the preservation of the islands. You can visit their web site to learn more http://www.darwinfoundation.org. The remainder goes toward IGTOA's mission of creating a model of responsible and sustainable tourism.
Finch Bay Eco Hotel and Machu Picchu
Experience the unique wildlife of the Galapagos Islands and the fascinating Machu Picchu on this wondrous tour. The tour begins in Quito with a city tour and a visit to the Equatorial Monument, and continues on to the Galapagos with four nights at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz Island. You will have daily yacht excursions to visit other nearby islands. The last part of the trip takes you to Peru, where you will visit Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and then Machu Picchu.
Activities: Cultural/historical sightseeing, wildlife viewing, hiking, and snorkeling.
Day 1: Quito
Depart to Quito. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Quito.
Day 2: City Tour of Quito/Equatorial Monument
This morning, you will visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito's colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop's Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.
Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 16 miles north of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator. Overnight in Quito. (B)
Day 3: Quito/Baltra Airport/Highlands of Santa Cruz/Twin Pit Craters/Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Galapagos. Upon arrival to the airport at Baltra Island, you will be taken across the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island. A bus will take you to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the Giant Tortoise Reserve to view the tortoises in their natural habitat, a once in a lifetime experience!
A stop is then made at the Twin Pit Craters, great depressions of volcanic material, formed by a long process of slow sinking of the ground, where exceptional Scalesia trees, ferns, mosses and orchids can be seen in the surroundings. Box lunch is provided and then on to the Finch Bay Eco Hotel to enjoy its multiple attractions: pool, the white coral beach in front of the hotel and rest on your hammock. In the evening, dinner includes the delicacies of local and international gastronomy, one of the main reasons people choose the Finch Bay Hotel. Overnight at Finch Bay Eco Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 4: Finch Bay Eco Hotel/Yacht Excursion to Santa Fe (Barrington)
A short trek leads through woods of Opuntia cacti and Palo Santo trees. Land iguanas (endemic to Santa Fe), lava lizards and colonies of sea lions can be observed. There is opportunity to swim and snorkel. Overnight at Finch Bay Eco Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Finch Bay Eco Hotel/Plaza
This small island is teeming with wildlife, sea side and along the cliffs: sea lions, land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, Opuntia cacti and vegetation that changes colors with the seasons. Overnight at Finch Bay Eco Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 6: Finch Bay Eco Hotel/Yacht Excursion to Bartolome
Enjoy the spectacular Galapagos views as you ascend the hillsides of this unique island. Interesting lava formations and tuff cones can be observed. Sea lions and penguins swim in the vicinity of Pinnacle Rock. Enjoy snorkeling or swimming from the beach. Overnight at Finch Bay Eco Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Finch Bay Eco Hotel/Charles Darwin Research Station/Quito/Lima
Leave the hotel early in the morning for a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, home to famous "Lonesome George" and many other giant tortoises. Then, overland transfer to the airport in Baltra to take the flight back to Quito, and then Lima, Peru. After passing through immigration and customs, proceed to the reception area, where our inbound services representative will be holding a sign with your name on it. You will be greeted and then transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)
Day 8: Lima/City Tour
In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Lima. You will visit downtown Lima and see several examples of the Spanish architecture of the colonial period including the Plaza de Armas, the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, and the Church of San Francisco and Catacombs. After that, you will see Huaca Huallamarca, a restored adobe pyramid dating from the pre-Inca period located in San Isidro. You will tour the upscale residential and commercial district of Miraflores and see the Parque del Amor, a seaside park with a huge statue of a kissing couple, before returning to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)
Day 9: Lima/Cusco/City Tour
Early morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Because of the high altitude (10,912 feet above sea level), we recommend that you rest for a short period. In the afternoon, you will have a city tour that includes a walk through of the Cathedral, the Koricancha ('site of gold'), typical streets, and the four ruins that surround the city: the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Kenko, Puca Pucara, and Tampumachay. Overnight in Cusco. (B)
Day 10: Cusco/Sacred Valley/Awanakancha/Pisac Market/Ollantaytambo
Today you will have a full-day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The tour begins at Awanakancha, a living museum of the Peruvian Andes, where you can observe traditional textile dyeing and weaving techniques and the four types of camelids that are native to the region. You will also visit the Indian artisan market in Pisac and have lunch at a local restaurant (included). The last stop is the impressive Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo that served as both a fortress and ceremonial center, and is the site of a short-lived victory by the Incas over the Spanish. Overnight in Cusco. (B,L)
Note: The Indian market is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from October to March, and daily from April to September. On the days of the week that the market is not open, you will be taken to the Inca ruins above the village.
Day 11: Cusco/Machu Picchu
Morning transfer to the train station for the ride to Machu Picchu, 'the Lost City of the Incas' (7,900 ft.). This mountaintop citadel, which served as both a center of worship and an astronomic observatory, is located in the middle of the cloud forest overlooking the Urubamba River. There are both agricultural and urban areas constructed with the precision stonework that the Incas are known for. The agricultural area consists of terraces and food storehouses, and the urban area contains temples, squares, and royal tombs. Guided tour followed by lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge. Free afternoon. Overnight in Aguas Calientes. (B,L)
Day 12: Machu Picchu/Cusco
This is a free day to explore Machu Picchu on your own. You may want to hike Huayna Picchu or enjoy another activity. Mid-afternoon, you will depart from Machu Picchu by train to Poroy Station in the Sacred Valley, and then be taken to your hotel in Cusco. Overnight in Cusco. (B)
Day 13: Cusco/Lima
Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima and your final destination. Depending upon the time of your departure flight from Lima, you can choose to leave Cusco on a mid-afternoon flight to Lima and stay at the airport until your flight departs, or leave Cusco on a morning flight to Lima, pay for a day use hotel and transfers to and from the airport to rest before your flight and enjoy your last day in Lima. (B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Finch Bay Eco Hotel and Machu Picchu
Single
Double
Triple
3 Star
$5,089
$3,639
$3,549
4 Star
$5,369
$4,149
$3,899
5 Star
$6,429
$4,729
$4,399
Deluxe
$7,899
$5,509
$5,499
All prices are in U.S. Dollars. Click here to see our prices in your currency.
Notes:
The above prices are valid until December 15, 2013.
Room upgrades and additional nights in each destination are available upon request.
Machu Picchu Pueblo, Hatuchay Tower, and Sanctuary Lodge accommodations include breakfast and dinner.
Upgrade to the Hiram Bingham train, which operates every day except Sunday, is available for $450 per person.
Oxygenated rooms are available at the Monasterio in Cusco for an additional $50 per room per day.
Christmas Season and High Season (from June to August) surcharges may apply.
Finch Bay Eco Hotel and Machu Picchu
The Price of This Tour Includes
South American Vacations' expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
Airport/hotel transfers including baggage handling.
Hotel accommodations including service fees and taxes.
Meals as indicated on the itinerary.
City tour of Quito/Ecuatorial Monument excursion.
Excursion to Machu Picchu via Vistadome train and other excursions as indicated on the itinerary including all applicable entrance fees.
Use of snorkeling equipment.
Local, English-speaking tour guides.
The Price of This Tour Does Not Include
International airfare.
Domestic airfare within Ecuador and Peru.
Ecuadorian international departure tax (Quito $40.80).
Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100).
Transit control card ($10).
Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
Sea kayaking.
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Gratuities, gifts, and personal items.
Travel insurance.
We will be happy to quote the cost of international airfare, domestic airfare, and travel insurance, and to make these arrangements for you.
