Galapagos, Machu Picchu, and Nazca Lines

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.

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-North Seymour 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.

North Seymour Island. This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering, and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red, gular pouch. You will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while `dancing´ to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands top off a great visit. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 4 (Tue): Bartolome Island-Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island).

Bartolome Island. Considered the most iconic landscape of the entire archipelago, the view from the top of Bartolome Island, overlooking the famous Pinnacle Rock and the austere Santiago Island beyond, is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk. This volcanic scene has often been likened to a lunar landscape. Your subsequent snorkel here might put you face to face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.

Sullivan Bay (wet landing). Although, when viewed from the sea, the site does not look especially interesting, visitors are always totally enthralled by the amazing beds of pahoehoe lava from the recent flow on the island. It is a landscape and macro photographer´s dream. The importance of pioneer plants such as the tiny Mollugo will be discussed as you hike over the lava. After your land visit you can enjoy a refreshing snorkel in the company of sea lions, turtles and rays. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 5 (Wed): Punta Pitt & Islet Pitt-Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island).

Punta Pitt & Islet Pitt. Sea lions will greet you as you land on the beach and prepare for your climb to a high point on the steep eroded tuff cone. This is the only place in the islands where you will enjoy the chance to see all three of the booby species in the same place. The red-foots will be perched on the Cordia lutea and small trees, the Nazca´s on the ground near the cliff edge while the blue-foots will be a little further inland. Frigatebirds will be all around, and the views are breathtaking.

Cerro Brujo. From your dinghy ride, as you head to shore, you are first humbled by the immensity of the stunning cliffs of Cerro Brujo (‘Sorcerer´s Hill’). You can enjoy simply sharing the beach with sea lions, snorkeling from shore or take a walk to a hidden lagoon where you might spot black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 6 (Thu): Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve (San Cristobal Island)-San Cristobal Airport-Guayaquil-Lima.

In the moist highlands of San Cristobal, you will visit the giant tortoise breeding center “La Galapaguera” to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.

After the visit, you will be transferred to San Cristobal 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-Pisco-Nazca Lines-Paracas.

Shuttle bus transfer from Lima to the airport in Pisco for the overflight of Nazca Lines, a series of geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert in Southern Peru. The Nazca Lines were created by the Nazca culture between 400 and 650 AD and consist of hundreds of lines ranging from simple lines to animal figures, including monkeys, hummingbirds, spiders, and lizards. They were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994. After the flight, you will be taken to your hotel in Paracas. Overnight in Paracas. (B)

Day 9 (Sun): Paracas-Candelabra-Ballestas Islands-Lima.

In the morning, you will be transferred to the Paracas Harbor for a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands. During this tour, you will see the Paracas Candelabra, a giant geoglyph etched on the coastal hills. The Ballestas Islands are teeming with wildlife, including large colonies of sea lions, guanay cormerants, the Peruvian booby, and the Peruvian pelican, as well as zarcillos, Humboldt penguins, and Chilean flamingos. At the end of the tour, you will return to Paracas Harbor and then be transferred by shuttle bus to Lima. Overnight in Lima. (B)

Day 10 (Mon): 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 11 (Tue): 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 12 (Wed): 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 Machu Picchu. (B,L)

Day 13 (Thu): 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 14 (Fri): Cusco-Lima-Larco Museum-Folkloric Dinner Show.

Morning transfer to the airport for your flight back to Lima. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will visit the Larco Museum. In the evening, you will enjoy a Folkloric Dinner Show at La Dama Juana Restaurant. Overnight in Lima. (B,D)

Day 15 (Sat): Lima.

Check out at noon. 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 $74 per person. If you are staying in Aguas Calientes, you will also need to purchase a round-trip bus ticket ($28 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 $13 (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.