Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and Easter Island

18 Days/17 Nights
From $6,859 per person
(Dbl. Occupancy, Not Incl. Airfare)
Saturday Departures Throughout the Year
Overview
Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and Easter Island are three of the most popular destinations in South America. Your tour will begin in Quito which offers spectacular views of the Andes and nearby volcanoes. You will then travel to the Galapagos Islands for a four day cruise aboard the Galapagos Legend, and to Machu Picchu, the ‘Lost city of the Incas’. The last part of your tour is Easter Island, situated 2,200 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean, and known for its colossal Moai statues.
Lodging and Meals: This tour includes accommodations for 17 nights (2 nights in Quito, 3 nights on the Galapagos Legend, 2 nights in Lima, 3 nights in Cusco, 1 night in Machu Picchu, 3 nights in Santiago, 3 nights in Easter Island), and 26 meals (17 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 3 dinners).
Best Time to Go: April-October.
Category: Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and Easter Island Tours.
Destinations: South America, Ecuador, Galapagos, Peru, and Chile.
Interests: Adventure, Culture & History, Expedition Cruising, Sea Kayaking, Snorkeling, and Wildlife Viewing.
Places Visited: Quito, the Galapagos Islands, Baltra Island, Genovesa Island, Mosquera Islet, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Fe Island, Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Santiago, and Easter Island.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Note: The route and program may vary according to National Park policies and regulations, weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety reasons and wildlife encounters.
Dry Landing: Guests step from the dinghy directly onto rocks or a dock.
Wet Landing: As the dinghy edges onto a sandy beach, guests step into knee-deep water and wade ashore.
Day 1 (Sat): 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 (Sun): City Tour of Quito-Middle of the World.
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)
Day 3 (Mon): Quito-Baltra Airport-Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island).
Transfer to the airport in Quito for the flight to Baltra Island (2.50-hour flight). Upon arrival in the Galapagos, you will be picked up by our Naturalist Guides and taken on a 10-minute bus ride to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
Highlands Tortoise Reserve. In the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, you will have your best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles will also offer the chance for more highland species, especially several species of the famed finches. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 4 (Tue): El Barranco-Prince Philip’s Steps-Darwin Bay (Genovesa Island).
Riding the dinghy to the far side of the caldera, red-billed tropicbirds display vociferously overhead while Galapagos fur seals can be seen on the shoreline. Once at the top of the rocky stairway you are immediately met by Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, mockingbirds and finches that line the way through a palo santo forest until you arrive at an expansive open lava field. Wedge-rumped storm petrels swarm above the lava where you keep your eyes peeled for short-eared owls.
Darwin Bay. From within the flooded caldera of Tower Island you set foot onto a sandy beach to be greeted by swallow-tailed gulls often said to be the most beautiful gull in the world. The short, flat, trail leads you past stands of mangroves and saltbush on which you have your best possible looks at nesting red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. At the tidal lagoon you may also see the rarest gull in the world, the endemic lava gull. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 5 (Wed): South Plaza Island-Santa Fe Island.
Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, you spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the up draught. These include, frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds. Back at sea level, you once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.
Santa Fe Island. After a fabulous snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay you may have enjoyed time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Landing onto a sandy beach you are immediately distracted by the abundant sea lions there. You begin a walk past a forest of island-endemic giant Opuntia cacti. Here, you search for another island-endemic the Santa Fe land iguana, paler than its cousins on other islands. Galapagos hawks and even endemic rice rats are also things to look out for. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 6 (Thu): Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)-Baltra Airport-Guayaquil-Lima.
Bachas Beach. Named for some wrecked World War II barges whose ribs are still visible in the sand this visitor site offers a lovely walk along the shore and a visit to a lagoon behind the high tide line with wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingoes. The two beaches are also favorite nesting sites for green turtles which often leave tractor-like tracks in the sand.
Baltra Airport. After the visit, you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight 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)
Day 7 (Fri): Lima-City Tour.
In the afternoon, you will have a city tour of Lima. The tour begins in Miraflores with a stop at the Parque del Amor, a seaside park with a huge statue of a kissing couple and continues with a drive by of the Huaca Huallamarca, a restored adobe pyramid dating from the pre-Inca period located in San Isidro. The next stop is the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima, where you will visit City Hall (Palacio Municipal), the Government Palace (Palacio de Gobierno), and the Cathedral of Lima. The last stop is the Convent of Santo Domingo. Following the tour, you will be returned to your hotel. Overnight in Lima. (B)
Day 8 (Sat): 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 9 (Sun): 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 10 (Mon): Cusco-Machu Picchu.
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)
Day 11 (Tue): 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 12 (Wed): Cusco-Lima-Santiago.
Morning transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima and then Santiago, Chile. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Santiago. (B)
Day 13 (Thu): Santiago-City Tour-Winery Tour.
In the morning, you will have a panoramic city tour of Santiago, which will include Parque O’Higgins, Plaza de Armas (the city’s historic center), Palacio de la Moneda, ex-National Congress, Mapocho Station Cultural Center, Santa Lucia Hill, the place of Santiago’s founding in 1541,and the Bohemian district of Bellavista. In the afternoon, you will visit your choice of one of the following vineyards around Santiago (included in price): Concha y Torro, Cousino Macul, and Undurraga. Overnight in Santiago. (B)
Day 14 (Fri): Santiago-Easter Island.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Easter Island. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)
Day 15 (Sat): Easter Island-Rano Raraku-Anakena Beach.
Full day excursion visiting the archaeological site of Akahanga and the quarry at Rano Raraku volcano, where all of the moai on the island were carved. You will see over 300 statues in various stages of completion, and one giant moai, 21 meters (69 ft.) tall. You will also visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest ahu (burial site), whose moai were re-erected after a tsunami flattened the statues, Ahu Te Pito Kura, site of the largest moai moved from the quarry, and the ahu Nau Nau at Anakena Beach. Picnic lunch at Anakena Beach. Overnight in Easter Island. (B,L)
Day 16 (Sun): Easter Island-Orongo-Ahu Akivi.
Morning visit to the Rano Kau extinct volcano crater (1.6 km in diameter), the ceremonial village of Orongo, which features the largest concentration of Petroglyphs on the island, with images of post-moai deity’s, such as Tangata Manu (birdman), Make Make (the creator), and Komari, and then to Ahu Vinapu. After lunch (not included), the tour continues on to Ahu Akivi, site of the seven moais overlooking the sea, the Caves of Ana Tepahu, among the largest on the island, and Pun-a-Pau quarry, the sole source of red scoria that was used to carve the pukao (topknots) of some of the moia. Overnight in Easter Island. (B)
Day 17 (Mon): Easter Island-Santiago.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Santiago. Upon Arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Overnight in Santiago. (B)
Day 18 (Tue): Santiago.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to your final destination. (B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
A Note About Your Free Day in Machu Picchu
On your free day, you will be on your own. If you choose to revisit Machu Picchu, you will need to purchase a second entrance ticket, which currently costs $77 per person. If you are staying in Aguas Calientes, you will also need to purchase a round-trip bus ticket ($37 per person) for transportation to the site. The first bus departs at 5:30 AM. As an alternative to visiting Machu Picchu again, you can hike Huayna Picchu (a +/- 60 minute hike), or partake in another activity. The cost for hiking Huayna Picchu is $27 (in addition to the second entrance ticket). At the end of the day (mid-late afternoon), you will walk to the train station for the return ride to Poroy train station, where our local representative will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel in Cusco.
Itinerary Map
What's Included
Price Includes
- South American Vacations’ expert pre-departure planning services and documentation.
- Airport/hotel transfers including baggage handling.
- Hotel accommodations including taxes and service charges.
- Accommodations on board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
- All meals scheduled on board and others as indicated on the itinerary.
- Daily excursions to the Galapagos Islands conducted by English-speaking naturalist guides.
- Excursion to Machu Picchu via Vistadome train and other excursions as indicated on the itinerary including all applicable entrance fees.
- Use of snorkeling equipment.
- Evening briefings on board the ship.
- Local, English-speaking tour guides.
Price Does Not Include
- International airfare.
- Domestic airfare.
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee ($100).
- Transit control card ($10).
- Fuel surcharge for the ship ($50).
- Meals not indicated on the itinerary.
- Gratuities to ship crew and guides.
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Gifts and personal items.
- Travel insurance.
We will be happy to quote the cost of airfare and travel insurance, and to make these arrangements for you.
Accommodations
Quito & Galapagos
Lima
Cusco
Machu Picchu
Santiago
Easter Island
Additional Details
Group Private: All services in Quito and the Galapagos are operated on a group basis. In Peru, all transfers are private, and the city tour of Lima, city tour of Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas excursion, and Machu Picchu guided tour are group tours for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodation levels. In Santiago, all airport transfers are private, and the city tour and vineyard tour are group tours for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodations. All services in Easter Island are operated on a group basis for single passengers and 3 Star accommodations, and are private for 4 Star, 5 Star, and Deluxe accommodations.
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 Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund: South American Vacations is an active member of IGTOA (International Galapagos Tour Operators Association). In support of IGTOA’s Galapagos Traveler Conservation Fund, we contribute $20 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 www.darwinfoundation.org. The remainder goes toward IGTOA’s mission of creating a model of responsible and sustainable tourism.
Passport/Visa: For Ecuador, U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Ecuadorian embassy in their country before traveling. For Peru, U.S., Australian, Canadian, and EU citizens require a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry and return ticket for stays of up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Peruvian embassy in their country before traveling. For Chile, U.S., Canadian, UK, and EU citizens require a valid passport for at least six months from the date of entry, sufficient funds, and a return ticket. Upon entry, you will be issued a Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) valid for up to 90 days which you can extend for another 90-day period by paying $100 USD at the Chilean Immigration Office. You must return the Tourist Card upon departure. Citizens of other countries are advised to contact the Chilean embassy in their country before traveling.
Travel Insurance: In order to protect your travel investment from unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance. We offer Allianz Global Assistance’s Classic Comprehensive and other plans. The Benefits and Coverage Limits are summarized on our Travel Insurance page. Call your travel counselor if you have any questions or to purchase a plan.
To Book This Trip: Call or email us to confirm the availability of the ship and airfare for your desired dates of travel. Once we have confirmed availability, you will need to pay a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 per person plus the cost of the airfare (if we arrange it for you). The balance of the trip cost is due 60 days prior to departure.
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