2-week discovery of Peru & Ecuador

Lima

Tag 1: Welcome to Peru!

Upon arrival at Lima's Jorge Chavez International Airport, look out for a friendly face in the arrivals hall, welcoming you to Peru. You'll be assisted with your luggage and driven from the airport to your hotel in the Miraflores district.

After checking in, you'll be handed a travel kit and given a short briefing to answer any last-minute questions you might have. Once finished, feel free to relax and wander around the capital at your own pace.

Depending on your time of arrival, you'll be given plenty of suggestions to make the most of your first day in Lima, a sprawling metropolis oozing the sophistication of a modern Latin American city.

Lima

Tag 2: Uncover the past in Lima

Today, head on a tour that will take you back in time through the colonial and pre-Hispanic stages of Peruvian history!

En-route to your first stop, pass by Huaca Huallamarca, a 2,000-year-old adobe pyramid located in the heart of Miraflores. Afterwards, visit the Larco Museum for the perfect introduction to this country's millenary history. The collection exhibited there features most luxurious gold, silver, and ceramic pieces from ancient Peru.

Sample a sweet treat made of lucuma, a native fruit of the coastal valleys of Peru, then head to Lima's city center to learn about its colonial past. There, you will visit the 16th-century Santo Domingo Convent and walk through the historic downtown, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. See both sides of Peru today - its Andean ancestry and Hispanic legacy.

Lima - Sacred Valley

Tag 3: Journey to the Andes

Catch a flight from Lima to Cusco this morning, where upon landing, you'll be met at the airport for a private transfer towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Because of its lower elevation (2,870m or 9,415ft) and its peaceful atmosphere, this valley is the perfect place to enjoy your first days in Cusco while you acclimatize. If time allows, you might make a short stop to see all the different camelids of the Peruvian Andes at the Manos de la Comunidad workshop on the outskirts of Cusco.

You could also take a 35-minute detour to reach Ancasmarca, a beautiful pre-Inca archaeological site with commanding views of the Sacred Valley area around Calca, which very few people visit, before continuing to your hotel in the valley.

Maras - Moray

Tag 4: Experience Peruvian cuisine & hospitality

This morning, set off to visit some of the Sacred Valley's most impressive sites.

First is Moray, a unique Inca site consisting of circular terraces built upon a natural depression. It seems to have been an agricultural experimental station, used to adapt crops to different temperatures.

Then, continue on to Maras, an impressive salt extraction complex consisting of thousands of small terraces. Locals have been collecting and selling its salt at regional markets since before Inca times.

Afterwards, drive to Iskay Maras Home, a boutique private home in the countryside with beautiful views of the Maras area and its impressive mountains. The owners and hosts will welcome you to their house and show you around before you settle down for a delicious meal in the pleasant dining room.

Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

Tag 5: Behold the majesty of Machu Picchu

Begin today by visiting Ollantaytambo, a town that has not changed much since Inca times. Its archaeological site is a place of impressive stonework only surpassed by that of Machu Picchu. Today's morning visit means you'll avoid the larger tourist groups which usually arrive in the afternoon.

Afterwards, head to the train station for a trip to Aguas Calientes, where you'll board a 30-minute bus up to the impressive mountain setting where Machu Picchu is located. Once there, find a secluded spot overlooking the main site, for an initial explanation of the Incan citadel from your guide. A little later in the afternoon, you'll find the conditions ideal for taking a guided tour of the citadel's main areas, at a less busy period when most visitors will have already left.

Aguas Calientes - Cusco

Tag 6: Journey to Cusco via Ollantaytambo

After yesterday’s excursion to Machu Picchu, you'll have the chance to sleep in and take it easy before a late breakfast. At a coordinated time, walk to the local station to board a train back from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.

For lunch, prepare to feast on a culinary speciality known as pachamanca, which in Quechua means "earth pot". Creating this dish involves employing a traditional cooking technique where the food is prepared underground, using preheated stones and leaves to separate ingredients from the soil.

After enjoying your meal, head on to your hotel in Cusco to relax for the evening.

Cusco

Tag 7: Soak up the magic of Cusco

Strap on your walking shoes - it's time for a soft stroll around Cusco’s historical center!

Today's walking tour will take you not only to the most popular sites, such as the Main Square and Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), but also into lively neighborhoods and local markets to discover the true magic of Cusco. This is the perfect way to get a more authentic feel of this fantastic city and its people.

Don't miss the San Francisco Church, whose impressive colonial architecture, catacombs, and excellent rooftop views of the city make it an unforgettable landmark to explore.

Cusco - Quito

Tag 8: Journey to Quito

Your time in Peru comes to an end today, but the adventure continues as you make your way to Quito, Ecuador's vibrant capital! From Cusco, your flight will take you to Lima in time to connect with your international flight to Quito.

Once in Ecuador, you will be welcomed by local staff and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore at your own pace. Whether that means relaxing in the comfort of your hotel or exploring this bustling city, the choice is entirely yours to make.

Quito

Tag 9: Explore Quito & straddle the equator

Today you'll enjoy the best of Ecuador's capital on a colonial city tour, exploring beautiful sites set against the backdrop of the spectacular Andean Valley, flanked by volcanic peaks.

Quito's city center is one of the largest historic old towns in the Americas, also named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you'll take in the different architectural styles and churches, as you walk along narrow and bustling streets, charming squares, and parks.

Finally, head north from Quito's downtown to find the Middle of the World Monument where the equator was calculated in 1736. There, you'll get to stand with one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and the other in the Southern Hemisphere - a truly unique experience!

Quito - Santa Cruz Galapagos

Tag 10: Journey to nature's paradise

After breakfast, transfer to Quito's airport for a flight to the Galápagos Ecologic Airport on Baltra island. From there, journey to the dock to board your deluxe Galapagos Legend cruise ship - a vessel with nautical wood and brass interiors, ample outer decks, and ocean-view cabins. Engage in educational on-board programs and discover the ship's wildlife protection and preservation efforts, as well as its eco-friendly technologies enabling it to minimize its footprint and impact.

Aboard your ship, sail for Santa Cruz Island. Observing and interacting with the slow-moving Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild is an inspiring adventure! Walk inside large lava tubes and visit the impressive pit craters. You might even spot flycatchers as you step inside an endemic scalesia forest. You'll have some time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora, before returning to your cruise ship.

Genovesa Island

Tag 11: Birdwatching in the Galapagos

Today, visit one of the most beautiful islands in the Galapagos: Genovesa, a paradise for birdwatchers and nature-lovers. There you might spot red-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and mockingbirds, the most iconic birds of the Galapagos, among gulls nesting at the cliff's edge. A 45-minute walk down a steep stairway and rocky lava plain will lead you to find the different fauna living on the island.

This afternoon, make a wet landing on Darwin Bay, a beautiful white coral sandy beach. From there, head west on a short trail along a tidal lagoon to look for swallow-tailed gulls, lava gulls, yellow-crowned night herons, and lava herons, as well as the endemic Galapagos gull. You'll pass by mangroves and saltbushes where red-footed boobies nest, allowing a chance to closely observe the birds.

Afterwards, you could enjoy some time snorkeling before heading back to the ship.

Santa Fe Island

Tag 12: Swim with sea lions off Santa Fe Island

Today's morning excursion will take you to Dragon Hill, a small lava dock home to different species of flora and fauna. The hill gets its name from iguanas, reptiles that look like dragons because of their claws and spiky crests! Along the way, keep an eye out for flamingos resting and eating at the pond just behind the beach, and once there, continue inland to a drier area to observe the iguanas nesting.

This afternoon, land on the white sandy beach of Santa Fe, surrounded by impressive sea lion colonies. Down the island path to the endemic cactus forest, you'll spot the Santa Fe land iguana, Galapagos hawk, and endemic rice rats, along with a variety of finches and one of the four mockingbird species of the archipelago.

Afterwards, enjoy a one-hour deep-water snorkeling experience to get close to the sea lions and many other species in their natural habitat.

Santa Cruz Galapagos - Quito

Tag 13: History meets nature on Santa Cruz

Today, you'll join one last excursion to the north side of Santa Cruz Island where flamingos share the same pond with land iguanas. It's a fascinating spectacle set amidst beautiful red-and-black mangrove and saltbushes.

This paradisiacal beach takes its name from bachas, the local pronunciation of the word barges, to refer to the remains of US Navy barges wrecked during World War II and still visible on the sand. Don't miss your last chance to swim in this beautiful spot on the Galapagos Islands!

After the excursion, your guide will transfer you to the airport in time for your flight to Quito. Upon arriving, you'll be met by your driver, for a transfer to your hotel in the city center.

Quito

Tag 14: Say farewell to Ecuador

All good things must come to an end, but you'll have hopefully enjoyed your time exploring the very best that this region of South America has to offer. At a prearranged time, you will be transferred from your hotel to the airport of Quito for your international flight back home.