Exploring Galapagos Islands & Machu Picchu – 12 days
(This sample itinerary will be customized to suit your personal interests and budget.)
Day 1 ~ Lima, Peru
International flight arrival to Lima. Personal greeting at the airport and transport to your hotel located in Miraflores district of downtown Lima.
GL Tours works with several hotels in this area. Contact our travel specialists to find the best match for you.
Overnight Lima, 1 night.
Day 2 ~ Cusco – Sacred Valley
Morning domestic flight departure from Lima to Cusco.
Upon arrival in Cusco, you will be met by a private driver / guide. Explore the Awanacancha Textile Center, Ruins & Ollantaytambo Fortress and Pisac Market on your way to the Sacred Valley. A stop for lunch at a local restaurant will be included. Enjoy the balance of your day resting and acclimating to the altitude.
Overnight at a charming hotel in the Sacred Valley, 2 nights.
GL Tours works with several hotels in this area. Contact our travel specialists to find the right match for you.
Day 3 ~ Sacred Valley
Full day of touring the Sacred Valley with a private guide. Visit Chinchero Village. On the way, you will see some of the most scenic spots in the Sacred Valley. Visit a traditional Andean village called Chinchero located in the highlands of Anta. The visit combines Inca archeological sites, typical Andean community and a colonial church.
After Chincheros, visit the ancient salt mines near the village of Maras, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Continue the excursion to Moray, where huge circular agricultural terraces were built by the Incas on limestone sinks served to plant various crops.
Day 4 ~ Machu Picchu
Full day excursion to Machu Picchu – Vistadome Rail Service.
Depart on an early train from Ollantaytambo to the town of Aguas Calientes. Along the way you will enjoy the changing landscape as you travel from Andean highlands to the beginnings of the jungle (“eyebrow of the jungle”), before finally arriving at the town of Aguas Calientes.
Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes station, you’ll board a small bus and head up to the Sanctuary Lodge for a buffet lunch before your visit of ruins of the sacred city, Machu Picchu, or Lost City of the Incas. Your private guide will walk with you through the main streets of these amazing ruins. Stroll through town squares of the urban section as well as the agricultural section.
Afternoon train back down to Cusco, then transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Cusco for 2 nights.
Day 5 ~ Cusco
Enjoy a half-day city tour of Cusco and nearby ruins with your private guide. On this guided visit of the Imperial City of Cusco, you will visit the Main Plaza, which has been the scene of great historical events in Cusco; and the Cathedral, constructed of great slabs of red granite in the renaissance style, and thus contrasting with the baroque style silverwork which decorates the interior. You will then continue on to the Santo Domingo church, built upon the foundations of the Inca temple Koricancha, which was dedicated to Sun worship.
Later, you head to the city’s nearby ruins: the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent example of Incan military power; Qenqo, a ritualistic site with subterranean galleries that form an underground maze; Puca Pucara, the red fortress; and finally Tambomachay, also known as the Incan Baths.
Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.
Day 6 ~ Quito, Ecuador
Personal transfer service to the airport in Cusco. Fly to Lima, then connect to Quito, Ecuador.
Upon arrival in Quito, you will be greeted by a local guide and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy dinner and overnight in Quito, 1 night.
Day 7 ~ Galapagos Islands
Morning domestic flight from the city of Quito to the Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands are located over 600 miles from the coast of Ecuador — flight time is generally 2.5 to 3 hours.
Airport assistance in Galapagos, then transfer to the ship for boarding. Enjoy a 4 night / 5 day cruise of the Galapagos Islands. Your cruise will include daily guided excursions with expert naturalist guides, opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking and plenty of walking & nature contact.
GL Tours works directly with a wide-variety of ships and hotels in the Galapagos. Discuss your ideal Galapagos Cruise with one of our Galapagos experts, who can make more recommendations for your trip.
Day 8, 9, 10 ~ Galapagos Islands
One of Ecuador’s most famous natural treasures is the archipelago called the Galapagos Islands. Located 600 miles off Ecuador’s Pacific coast, these volcanically formed islands are inhabited by endemic creatures found nowhere else on earth. To visit these islands is an experience like no other. Because of their remoteness, untouched landscapes, native plants, tame animals and dramatic seascapes, these islands have been titled “Las Encantadas” (“The islands lost in time”).
Day 11 ~ Quito
After a morning guided excursion in Galapagos, you will be transported to the airport for a flight back to Quito.
Enjoy the highlights of Quito with your personal guide. Quito has the best preserved city-center in Latin America. An UNESCO World-Heritage Site, Quito features interesting history & architecture. Highlights of your tour include visits to the historical center in “Old Town” and Plaza San Francisco, colonial city-center Plaza Grande, museums & churches.
Overnight in Quito, 1 night.
Day 12 ~ Departure
Personal transfer to the airport for your international flight(s) home.
Most flights to USA depart Quito in the late evening, overnight flight, arriving home on Day 13.