Galapagos & Inca Treasures

Upon arrival to Guayaquil’s airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your selected hotel for a brief on the following weeks’ activities.

You will be picked up and transferred to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival at Baltra airport, and transferred via shuttle to the Itabaca channel for a ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island.

Once on Santa Cruz Island, we will venture through the famous highlands, making stops one of the regions ranches, where we can have lunch surrounded by the iconic giant tortoises that call the archipelago home.

After lunch, we will continue onwards to Puerto Ayora and check into the selected hotel for the night.

Today you will be offered a navigable tour to one of four islands, subject to availability;

Bartolome Island; to discover fascinating geological formations such as the stunning pinnacle rock, with a great opportunity for snorkelling on this island.

North Seymour Island; to observe the magnificent endemic wildlife such as Land Iguanas, Frigate Birds, and blue-footed boobies. You may also see sea lions playing in the waves along the coast.

South Plazas Island; a really small island, this little islet has a fantastic concentration on wildlife, dramatic cliffs, and a magnificent red carpet of algae along the reef floor, offering amazing opportunities for photography.

Santa Fe Island; offering a lot of diversity, this island’s lagoons provides an excellent place for snorkeling alongside colourful fish, sea lions, giant tuna, and even small (harmless) sharks.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Puerto Ayora’s public pier before another transfer to a nearby dock for a speedboat ride to Isabela Island, the archipelago’s largest and youngest island. This ride takes approximately 2h30m. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for check in before you start your next activity.

Enjoy a trip to Flamingo Lagoon, an artificial lake created by excavations and flooded by rain. The trail to the lagoon (approx. 2km), will teach you about the island’s vegetation and geology. When you reach the lagoon, you can observe the stunning flamingos feeding and fluttering around.

Today’s adventure takes us to the unique “Los Tuneles” on Cape Rose. These tunnels were formed millions of years ago by magma flows. Los Tuneles are perfect for snorkeling through and encountering marine life such as sharks, lobsters, boobies, sea lions, and sea turtles, just to name a few of the hundreds of endemic species of the islands. If we’re lucky enough, we might be able to spot a giant manta ray feeding in the open water.

After the snorkeling adventure through Los Tuneles, we will visit the Tortoise Breeding Center to learn about the reproduction and breeding of the giant tortoises. You can also see the hatchling tortoises and older breeding animals at this center.

After breakfast, early in the morning, you will be transferred to the port in Puerto Villamil to take a speedboat trip back to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, a tour guide will drive you to the Baltra airport and help you with the check-in process to take your flight back to the mainland.

Upon arrival in Quito, you will take another flight to Lima, Peru.

Upon arrival in Peru, you will be met by a guide and transferred to your hotel.

Enjoy a private half day tour of the city of Lima, starting at the districts of Miraflores and San Isidro heading for the Historic center. Here, you can explore the most historically important streets of the city, leading to the Plaza de Armas, where you can take photos of the stunning colonial architecture surrounding it. After seeing the historical center, you will towards modern Miraflores to the Parque del Amor, where you can take photos of the beautiful photographs of the Lima bay area.

After your tour of the city, you will return to your hotel for a transferred to the Lima airport for your flight to Cuzco, a historic city influenced by the ancient cultures of the indigenous Inca. This city is nestled in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and offers you the ability to spot four camelids native to South America, the llama, alpaca, vicunas, and guanacos.

Full day tour to the Chinchero market, Misminay and Ollantaytambo. Starting your tour at Chinchero, a community 35km northwest of Cuzco who have preserved traditional Andean weaving techniques. Next, you will visit the community of Misminay, at an elevation of 3,700 meters. This height allows for a beautiful view of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the surrounding landscape and the snowcapped mountains. The locals of Misminay will show you their traditional Andean way of life, including their weaving techniques and Andean farming tools.

After lunch in Misminay, you will continue to Ollantaytambo, a historic location, where the Manco Inca defeated the Spanish in battle in 1538. Here, you can climb the steps to see the astonishing monoliths that make up the Temple of the Sun before returning to your hotel in the Sacred Valley.

A representative will meet you at your hotel for your transfer to Ollantaytambo Railway station. A beautiful scenic train ride through a deep, narrow gorge, with thick vegetation surrounding your carriage, entering the “eyebrow of the jungle”.

When you arrive at Aguas Calientes railway station, 1.5km below Machu Picchu. You will be taken to your hotel for check-in before being picked up by a guide and transferred via bus to Machu Picchu on a 30min bus ride.

After your tour of the ancient Incan ruins, you will enjoy a traditional Peruvian buffet lunch at a local restaurant before returning down the mountain to Aguas Calientes for your overnight stay.

Enjoy your morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes soaking in the thermal baths or shopping for artisan souvenirs.

In the afternoon, you will board the Vistadome train for your journey back to Cuzco. Upon arrival at Poroy railway station, you will be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel. In Cuzco, you have the opportunity to visit numerous significant Incan ruins, including the steep fortress of Ollantaytambo, the archaeological site of Moray and the ruins of Pisac.

Today you will explore the city of Cusco. We will start the tour at the iconic San Pedro market, a local market where you can explore the colours, flavours, and traditions of modern Cusco. The tour continues with a visit to the Koricancha Temple, an ancient Inca palace and cult centre of the Sun God. Our next stop will be at the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, an impressive example of Inca military architecture. As we continue the tour you will explore Q’enqo archaeological site, where important Inca ceremonies took place. Last, but not least, you will explore the Plaza de Armas (main square), where you will visit the Cathedral, the most important temple in the city.

Our representative will meet you at your hotel and transfer you to Cuzco railway station for your Perurail train ride, gently climbing up cooler and higher altitudes. The first half of this journey will take your through the stunning Andes before reaching the deep rolling Andean plains, where you can spot wild Alpacas and Vicunas. On the train, you can be served a three-course-lunch and coffee in the observation car, with an additional Breakfast Menu, various snacks and a continuous bar and restaurant service at an additional cost. Your train journey ends at Puno.

Puno is a stunning city that lays along the shores of the majestic lake Titicaca. This city is filled with folklore, deep-seated tradition, and myth. It is believed that Puno was the birthplace of the Incan Empire when Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo emerged from Lake Titicaca. On the lake, the ancient, indigenous Uru people inhabit the ‘Uros Floating Island’, continuing to live their traditional ways.

Overnight at your hotel in the Puno lake area.

This tour begins with a catamaran ride to Huayllano, the lake port for Isla Taquile. You will be greeted by the islands inhabitants where you will notice their beautiful customs and colourful clothes. After a lunch made from delicious, local ingredients, you will make your way back to the Main Square to board the catamaran to the floating islands of Uros. These islands consist of layers of totora and are their inhabitants’ homes and workplaces.

After the tour return to your hotel for your overnight stay.

You will be met by a representative at your hotel and transferred to Juliaca Airport for your flight to Lima before another flight to Santiago de Chile.

Departing flight overnight back to Australia from Santiago.

Arrive in Australia after your overnight flight.

End of Services.