Peru and Galapagos Luxury Experience
( 10 Days / 9 Nights )This is our mainstay program, with an added excursion to the Galapagos, with its majestic beaches and charming wildlife. You will begin your journey by flying to Cusco, to begin the first portion of your trip, where youlive the Inca experience and explorethe impressive sites of Sacsayhuaman and other surrounding sites, such as Ollantaytambo in the Valley of the Incas, before reaching Machu Picchu citadel. You will then flight to Ecuador and finally to Galapagos, in order to board your cruise through the. Galapagos islands. The islands are geologically young and famed for their vast number of endemic species, which were studied by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin´s theory of evolution by natural selection.
Day 1: Arrival to Lima + Overnight in Lima
Day 2: Flight to Cusco + Afternoon City tour + Overnight in Cusco
Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour (with Lunch) + Overnight in Cusco
Day 4: Machu Picchu Tour + Overnight in Cusco
Day 5 Back to Lima + Flight to Ecuador + Overnight in Quito or Guayaquil
Day 6: Flight to Galapagos and Cruise Program (Wednesday to Sunday) + Arrive to Baltra Island + Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island) + Overnight Cruise
Day 7: Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island) + Overnight Cruise
Day 8: Urbina Bay (Isabela Island) + Tagus Cove (Isabela Island) + Overnight Cruise
Day 9: Egas Port (Santiago Island) + Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island) + Overnight Cruise
Day 10: Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island) + Depart for Mainland Ecuador + Back Home
DAY BY DAY ITINERARY Peru and Galapagos Luxury Experience
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Day 1: Arrival to Lima & Overnight in Lima
Upon your arrival to Lima one of our representatives will meet you at the airport and take you directly to your hotel in Lima, where you will spend a well-deserved overnight stay. *While in Lima, we highly recommend adding culinary activities such as cooking classes and tasting dinners in the best restaurants of Latin America. For more information visit our website: taste-of-peru.com and contact our travel specialists for more information on our cuilnary activities. Please let us know if you would like us to add extra activities.
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Day 2: Flight to Cusco & Afternoon City Tour & Overnight in Cusco (B)
You will be transferred to the airport for the short domestic flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas, located at 11,100 feet above sea level. You will be met upon arrival by one of our representatives.. You will have the remainder of the morning to rest and freshen up. It’s best to take it easy this morning to let your body adjust to the altitude. Both lunch and dinner are on your own. After lunch, you will set out on grand tour of Cusco, the former capital of the once vast Incan Empire. We visit Cusco’s impressive Plaza de Armas and both the Spanish cathedral and Incan temple of the sun, Qoricancha. After this we visit the archeological site above the city that were considered an essential part of the ancient capital. We start from Sacsayhuaman, where Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, is held during the Summer Solstice, Tambomachay, the Temple of the Sacred Waters, which is a marvel of hydraulic engineering and Q´enqo where we will see the remains of a ceremonial site used for fertility rites and for celebrations of the solstice and equinox. * An extra day in Cusco can be added upon request. Please let us know if you like us to add additional activities and meals.
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Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Incas & Overnight in Cusco (B, L)
After breakfast we set out into the Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will start our visit at Pisac Ruins, one of the most beautiful archeological site that combines a beautiful architectural structure with a stunning landscape. Pisac site is located on the highest hill of the city, on a dry and rocky surface. Then we will have some time to have lunch and recover energies to continue with the tour. Finally, we head deeper into the Sacred Valley and visit the Inca town of Ollantaytambo. At the end of the tour you will be transferred back to your Hotel in Cusco. *An overnight in the Sacred Valley can be added upon request, as well as additional activities and meals.
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Day 4: Machu Picchu & Overnight in Cusco (B, S)
The day you have been waiting for! After breakfast, we catch the train to the town of Aguas Calientes and we will then continue by bus to the Machu Picchu citadel. This day you will enjoy a full tour of the lost city and have lunch on your own after the tour. In the afternoon we say farewell to Machu Picchu as we take the train to set out by Poroy station, where transportation will be waiting for you to bring you to Cusco. You will arrive at night at your Cusco hotel. * An overnight in Machu Picchu can be added upon request, as well as bus and entrance tickets for a second day at the citadel. Please let us know if you would like to add other activities and meals.
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Day 5: Flight back to Lima, Flight to Ecuador & Overnight in Quito (B)
After breakfast at your hotel in Cusco, you will begin your trip back to Lima, in order to continue on the second portion of your excursion: Galapagos. You will be met by one of our representatives, who will transfer you to the airport in Cusco to take your short, one-hour flight back to the capital city. Once you arrive in Lima, you will connect with your flight to Quito, Ecuador. Upon arriving in Quito, you will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel by one of our representatives to rest and relax. *There are programs with more days. Please contact our travel specialists to help you customize your trip.
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Day 6: Black Turtle Cove (Santa Cruz Island) & Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
This morning we fly to Baltra Island in the Galapagos. Flight time is just under 2 hours from the mainland. Upon arrival we board M/Y Coralwhere you will have lunch and a quick briefing en route to our first visitor site: Black Turtle Cove. Here we can find four species of mangrove in the extensive tidal lagoon system that stretches for almost a mile inland. During our panga ride through the labyrinth we will spot many turtles, herons of several species, sharks and rays. The experience is otherworldly and seems to transport us back to the beginning of time.
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Day 7: Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island), Punta Espinosa (Fernandina Island) & Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
In the morning we have a great deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth, the Bolivar Channel. Accessible by water, we take a dinghy ride along the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, flightless cormorants. The upwelling of cold water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life, a perfect place for deep snorkeling. During the afternoon, from Espinosa Point, is possible to admire a wide view of Isabela Island across the Bolivar Channel, an area that boasts some of the highest diversity of endemic sea fauna in the Galapagos. Here the largest, most primitive-looking marine iguanas are found mingling with sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Fernandina displays a wonderful opportunity to encounter flightless cormorants at their nesting sites, Galapagos penguins and the “King” of predators on the islands, the Galapagos hawk. Pa-hoe-hoe and AA lava formations cover the majority of Fernandina terrain. Vegetation is scarce inland, with few brachycereus cacti. In the shore mangrove can be found.
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Day 8: Urbina Bay (Isabela Island), Tagus Cove (Isabela Island) & Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
Depending on the season, it is possible to find giant tortoises, land iguanas, and the unusual flightless cormorant. After a short walk inland it´s snorkeling time, a chance to swim with sea turtles, sea lions, and countless tropical fish. Urbina Bay features a wide variety of plants with the different range of colors in flowers, attracting different insects, birds, and reptiles. One of the highlights of the island is the uplifted coral reef that resulted from the 1954 seismic activity; here the views of Alcedo Volcano are remarkable. In the afternoon, we have a dry landing on Galapagos’ largest island where we will learn about the eruption of the five volcanoes that form it. The trail leads to Darwin’s salt-water crater lake and excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations. We will return by the same path for a dinghy ride along a shoreline full of marine wildlife, where we will admire a variety of seabirds, such as Bluefooted Booby, Brown Noddy, terns, Flightless Cormorant and depending on the season, a large number of Galapagos Penguins which are only 35 cm tall; the only penguin species in the world to live in the tropics. The population of penguins on the islands is about 2,000 individuals, most of which live on this western portion of Isabela; others are scattered further south. We will have an opportunity to snorkel in deep water. Graffiti believed to have been left by 19th-century pirates is a curious reminder of an intriguing past.
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Day 9: Egas Port (Santiago Island), Sullivan Bay (Santiago Island) & Overnight Cruise (B, L, D)
Egas Port is a black volcanic sand beach, visited by Darwin in 1835. The first section of the trail is formed of volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and the other half is an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock. The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago shore is home to a variety of animals including the bizarre yellow-crowned night heron and marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally light-foot crabs. It is easy to see colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water volcanic rock pools. In the afternoon, we visit Sillivan Bay. This site located at the southeastern portion of Santiago Island is of important geologic interest. It features extensive relative young pa-hoe-hoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th century. In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellowcolored tuff cones appear. Mollugo plants with their yellow-to-orange whorled leaves usually grow out of the fissures. Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of been in another planet. Tree molds are found, indicating that in that position large size plants grew in small crevices, until the lava flow of past eruptions burned down the flora of the island.
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Day 10: Highlands Tortoise Reserve (Santa Cruz Island), Flight Back to Mainland (Ecuador) & Flight Back Home (B)
Today our Galapagos cruise comes to an end, but before we bid farewell to the Coral and her crew, we have a last visit. In the mountains of Galapagos is possible to admire different kind of birds, such as: tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell). The journey to the reserve offers great opportunities to see the contrasts that the island offers in reference to the variety of ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense humid forests. Often, Galapagos giant tortoises are also seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a birdwatchers’ haven, since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here. Next we return to the airport where we began our journey in the Galapagos for the flight back to the Ecuadorian mainland.
Based on double occupancy, Private Tours with Private Transfers, English Speaking Guide, Vistadome train, 4-star Hotel, and Junior Cabin at Galapagos cruise.
IMPORTANT:
As price depends on each passenger choices, please contact us to send you an updated price based on your specific request. Please send us the following information and we will respond within 24 hours with your updated price.
- Number of people in your party
- Level of accommodation (3,4,5*). Please see options
- Private or Group Tour
- Train choice. Please see options
- Adding options: if you like to add day tours, extra days, meals, etc
- Need domestic or international flights?
- Have a special request (ie: special diet, wheelchair, children, senior, etc)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
STANDARD NOTE TEXT
CRUISE ITINERARIES ARE REFERENTIAL AND CAN CHANGE ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTURE OF THE CRUISE. PLEASE CONTACT US TO PROVIDE OPTIONS.
About Machu Picchu Entrance Tickets
As of 2023, due to the increase and popularity of Machupicchu and in order to preserve the ancient paths, the government has implemented new regulations to control the crowds. The maximum number of visitors allow per day is 4004. This means that, once all the tickets are sold out, no further entrance tickets will be available. Tickets are now issued with specifics entry time and routes, and visitors are required to enter at the time stated on their tickets and show their passport or ID used to issue them. Visitors can stay up to 4 hours to reduce crowds. When you leave the site you cannot re-enter on the same ticket, and it is mandatory to be accompanied by a licensed guide. Tickets are not refundable and non-transferable.
About Huayna Picchu Tickets
Entrance tickets to Huaynapicchu are no longer free, Accessing comes with specific rules and a separate ticket from Machupicchu’s general entry. Only 200 visitors are allowed per day divided in 4 time slots (7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM). The average time allowed to complete the hike is about 3 hours. The minimum age for entry is 12 years and you must register at the entry and exit control points. The price of the ticket is slightly more than Machupicchu and get sold out quickly.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
- Round-trip Vistadome train. Other train options available upon request: Expedition train, Hiram Bingham Train upon request.
- Bus to Machu Picchu roundtrip.
- Expert leadership, guides, crew & support personnel for all listed tours
- Accommodations: 1 night in Lima, 3 nights in Cuzco, 4 nights in Galapagos Legend, 1 night in Quito
- Meals as noted (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, S = Snack). We can add any meals upon request
- All non-alcoholic beverages consumed onboard
- Land excursions as noted including entrance fees (BTG, Cathedral, Qoricancha, MachuPicchu)
- All activities onboard (excursions, snorkeling, kayaks)
- Snorkeling gear, kayaks and wetsuits for the entire cruise
- Fuel Surcharge
- Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee ($100 adults, U$50 children)
- Galapagos Immigration Card Fee (US$10 per person)
- Domestic Flights from Quito/Guayaquil to Galapagos Island (Round Trip)
- Private Transportation: Lima Airport/Lima Hotel, Lima Hotel/Lima Airport, Cusco Airport/Cusco Hotel, Cusco Hotel/Train Station, Train Station/Cusco Hotel, Cusco Hotel/Cusco Airport, Quito Airport/Quito Hotel, Quito Hotel/Quito Airport, Galapagos Airport/Port, Port/Galapagos Airport.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
- Tipping & Gratuities for Peru (Guides USD$ 10.00 per person per day / Drivers USD$ 5.00 per person per day)
- Tipping & Gratuities for guides and crew for Galapagos (Guides USD$ 10.00 per person per day / Crew USD$ 15.00 per person per day / Barman USD$ 5.00 per person per day)
- Diving is an optional activity on the cruises and has an additional charge.
- Bar consumption onboard (all-inclusive package available)
- Fuel Surcharge
- Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee (USD$ 100.00 adults, USD$ 50.00 children)
- Galapagos Immigration Card Fee (US$10.00 per person)
- Domestic Flights from Quito to Galapagos Island (Round Trip)
- Airport taxes: Local (USD$ 5.00 – 6.00) and International (USD$ 31.00) departure tax of payable in local currency by each passenger at Lima International Airport upon departure (if applicable)
- International and domestic airfares, usually quoted separately
- Excess baggage charges
- Medical immunizations
- Insurance of any kind: mandatory evacuation insurance; suggested cancellation insurance, interruption, baggage loss, damage and delay
- Items of a personal nature (clothing, sodas, liquor, snacks, laundry, etc.)
- Visas. Please be advised that some citizens other than Canadians and USD may need visa to travel to Peru. Please advise us of your nationality to help you or check with the Peruvian Consulate
- Travel Insurance with Emergency Evacuation option is mandatory to enter Ecuador
TYPE OF TOURS
All of our tours are offered in both Group and Private services; however, as we like to maintain control of the quality of our tours, even our group tours include PRIVATE transfers. This is important, as when you get picked up; you will go directly to your hotel without having to drive around the city to drop off other people in their hotels. Transportation is just for you.
MIXED GROUP/PRIVATE
Destinations Tours: Private Transfers + Group Cultural Tours
Special Interest Tours: Private Transfers + Private Special Interest Activities + Group Cultural Tours
All PRIVATE
Destinations Tours: Private Transfers + Private Cultural Tours
Special Interest Tours: Private Transfers + Private Special interest Activities + Private Cultural Tours
ACCOMMODATIONS
We offer all level of accommodations. When creating an itinerary it would be important to know which your preferred level of accommodation is. Please be sure that at all levels our recommended hotels offer great service and nice comfortable rooms. Our team has personally tried all our recommended hotels.
STANDARD
Hostels: Even though we can consider hostels in your itinerary, for travelers on a budget, we make sure to include a private room with private bathroom. We do not work with shared rooms. Hostels we work with have great location and service to travelers and include breakfast.
3-star: Basic 3-star hotels with nice comfortable rooms. Perfect for travelers that prefer a less expensive option, but do not feel comfortable with a hostel. Buffet breakfast included. All hotels we work with are very well located and have 24-hour front desk service.
MODERATE
3-star Superior: These are 3-star that should really be considered as 4-star Hotels. Nice location, great rooms and charming decoration. Excellent service, with restaurant, room service, business center, laundry, etc. Buffet breakfast. Best value. Perfect for someone looking for an inexpensive option and still having some superior services.
4-star Hotels: Good location, very nice rooms, great decoration and excellent service. This hotel includes more services such as room service, business center, laundry, spas, more room features, etc. Some have gourmet restaurants. Buffet breakfast. Perfect for someone looking for some luxury and special services and do not need a 5-star option.
LUXURY
4-star Suites: Some 4-star hotels have suites that offer the same room features of a 5-star option. Perfect for someone looking to upgrade from a 4-star standard room and get more space and features.
5-star Hotel: What you usually imagine a 5-star hotel is. Great location, luxury accommodations and excellent service. Gourmet restaurants, spas, room service, business center, etc. Perfect for someone looking for a 5-star service but do not need the 5-star Deluxe option.
5-star Deluxe: These 5-star deluxe hotels offer ultimate luxury with outstanding service, luxurious rooms with deluxe room features and “you ask-you will get” concierge service. Properties have privileged locations or particular history behind it. Gourmet restaurants and spas. Ideal for the luxurious traveler.
TRAINS
Expedition: The least expensive tourist train, recently renovated offers nice seats and good train service.
Vistadome: A higher category of train service, with panoramic roof windows. It offers a snack and fashion show. Vistadome Observatory: An upgrade from the regular Vistadome. This category of train has an observation car for a 360 view and an open-air balcony. Also, a bar car for drinks (at extra cost) and a show on board. It also offers a snack and fashion show.
Hiram Bingham: Luxury train which offers VIP service, includes a traditional welcome show, gourmet brunch, live music, tea-time at the Sanctuary Lodge a Belmond Hotel, entrance tickets to Machupicchu, and dinner service. This category of train has a Dining car, observation car and bar car.
FLIGHTS
DOMESTIC AIRLINES
Latam: It offers great service and many frequencies to Cusco (almost 13 flights per day). Prices are the highest on the market, but it is the most reliable airline.
Sky Airlines: Low-cost airline is an alternative for domestic flights. It flies to many destinations within Peru and offers good value prices. However, it has few frequencies and makes a lot of changes and cancellations of flights, especially in bad weather.
Jet SMART Airline: Low-cost airline. It flies to many destinations within Peru and South America. It has more frequencies than Sky to and from Cusco, but it usually has changes and cancellations, especially in bad weather.
Lima/Cusco/Lima:
From US$185.00 per person. This is an example price, based on Full category; including selection of seat, 1 backpack, 1 carryon of 10kg. and 1 cheeked bag of 23kg. Other categories: Basic, Light (less expensive options) and Premium Economy category (fully refundable with more room for legs and middle seat blocked). Price will vary, depending on the date, time and category booked.
INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES
Depending where you are coming from, Lima is serviced by all major Airlines. A few airlines offer non-stop services from major cities such as Miami, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Montreal.
From USA: American, Latam, Delta, United, Spirit, Avianca, Copa
From Canada: Air Canada, Air Transat, America, Latam, Delta, United, Copa, Aero Mexico