Galapagos and Machu Picchu with 5 Day Coral I & II Cruise

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.

In the morning, you will have a city tour of Quito. You will explore the bustling streets and squares of the largest historical centre in the Americas, and visit some of its most important churches such as the majestic La Compania and iconic San Francisco, guardians of a stunning multi-ethnic artistic and cultural heritage. You will drive through the traditional neighborhood of San Juan and finish the morning at the Panecillo hillside, with its breathtaking views of the old and modern parts of the city.

Following the city tour, you will be driven to the “Middle of the World City” complex, which is located 11 miles north of Quito. Here, you will see the monument of the equatorial line, a 98 ft high stone trapezoidal monument with a brass globe on top. The monument forms the focal point of a park and leisure area with gift shops and restaurants. Overnight in Quito. (B)

Departure from Quito to Baltra (2.5 hours flight).  Arriving in Galapagos, passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/Y Coral I or M/Y Coral II.

Highlands Tortoise Reserve (dry landing).  In the mountains of Galapagos, it is possible to admire different kinds of birds, such as tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell).  The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems.  The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests.  Often, Galapagos Giant Tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks.  This spot is a birdwatchers’ haven since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here.  (Duration: 45-minute drive/1.5 hour walk).  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Vicente Roca Point is a high peak of land created out of remains of a tuff cone, with two protected turquoise coves on both sides.  One of them, the Bolivar Channel is one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth.  This place is only accessible by water, with great opportunities for deep-water snorkeling.  In this part of the Galapagos, the upwelling of cold water currents from the west offer an abundant plankton supply for marine species like red-lipped batfish, seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs, octopus, and the mola-mola or sunfish.  It is common to observe dolphin pods, sea lions rafts, and tuna banks.  The dinghy ride along the coast will allow the observation of a great diversity of seabirds like noddies, brown pelicans, Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, Nazca and Blue-footed boobies are often seen feeding all at once during the cold season (May – December).  Whale watching is also common while navigating.  (Duration: one hour snorkeling/one hour dinghy ride).

Espinosa Point (dry landing).  From Espinosa Point, it is possible to admire a wide view of Isabela Island across the Bolivar Channel, an area that hosts some of the highest diversity of endemic sea fauna in the Galapagos.  Here, the largest most primitive-looking marine iguanas are found mingling with sea lions and sally Lightfoot Crabs.  Fernandina Island offers a wonderful opportunity to encounter flightless cormorants at their nesting sites.  The Galapagos penguins and the “King” of predators on the islands, the Galapagos Hawk, can also be spotted.  Pa-hoe-hoe and AA lava formations cover the majority of Fernandina terrain.  Vegetation is scarce inland, with the exception of a few brachycereus cacti.  Along the shore, mangrove can be found.  (Duration: two hour walk/one hour snorkeling).  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Urbina Bay (wet landing, might be difficult due to the tide).  Volcanic black beach, depending on the season, it is possible to find giant tortoises, land iguanas, and the unusual flightless cormorant.  After a short walk inland it´s snorkeling time, a chance to swim with sea turtles, sea lions, and countless tropical fish.  Urbina Bay features a wide variety of plants with the different range of colors in flowers, attracting different insects, birds, and reptiles.  One of the highlights of the island is the uplifted coral reef that resulted from the 1954 seismic activity; here the views of Alcedo Volcano are remarkable.  When navigating from Urbina to Tagus Cove, whale watching can be enjoyed from May-December.  (Duration: 1.5 hour walk/one hour snorkeling).

Tagus Cove. Dry landing on Galapagos’ largest island where you will learn about the eruption of the five volcanoes that form the island.  The trail leads to Darwin’s salt-water crater lake and excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations.  You will return by the same path for a dinghy ride along a shoreline full of marine wildlife, where you will admire a variety of seabirds, such as Blue-footed Booby, Brown Noddy, terns, Flightless Cormorant and depending on the season, a large number of Galapagos Penguins which are only 35 cm tall; the only penguin species in the world to live in the tropics.  The population of penguins on the islands is about 2,000 individuals, most of which live on this western portion of Isabela; others are scattered further south.  You will have an opportunity to snorkel in deep water.  Graffiti believed to have been left by 19th-century pirates is a curious reminder of an intriguing past.  (Duration: two hour walk/40-minute dinghy ride/one hour deep water snorkeling).  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Egas Port.  Egas Port is a black volcanic sand beach, visited by Darwin in 1835.  The first section of the trail is formed of volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and the other half is an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock.  The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago shore is home to a variety of animals including the bizarre yellow-crowned night heron and marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally light-foot crabs.  It is easy to see colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water volcanic rock pools.  (Duration: 1.5 hour walk/one hour snorkeling).

Sullivan Bay (wet landing).  This site located at the southeastern portion of Santiago Island is of important geologic interest.  It features extensive relative young pa-hoe-hoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th century.  In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellow-colored tuff cones appear.  Mollugo plants with their yellow-to-orange whorled leaves usually grow out of the fissures.  Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of being on another planet.  Tree molds are found, indicating that in that position large size plants grew in small crevices, until the lava flow of past eruptions burned down the flora of the island.  (Duration: 1.5 hour walk/one hour snorkeling/beach time).  Overnight aboard the ship.  (B,L,D)

Bachas Beach (wet landing).  On the north side of Santa Cruz; behind the beach lies two small flamingo ponds were iguanas sunbathe, and you can see coastal birds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, as well as interesting native vegetation like red and black mangrove, salt bushes.  This beach is one of the main sea turtles nesting sites in the Galapagos.  A turtle can lay eggs 3 or 4 times per season with an average of 70 eggs each time.  At this paradisiacal site, you will also find the remains of barges that sank a long time ago, when the United States Navy operated a base during World War II on Baltra Island.  Local people modified the word barges to “Bachas.  (Duration: one hour walk/one hour snorkeling/beach time).

Following the visit, you will be transferred to Baltra Airport for the flight back to Guayaquil, 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)

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)

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)

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.

Early morning transfer to the train station for the ride to Machu Picchu, ‘the Lost City of the Incas’ (7,900 feet). 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. In the afternoon, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Aguas Calientes. (B,L)

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)

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)