Incas, Amazon & Galapagos Adventure

Arrival
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Now the capital of Peru and its largest city, Lima was once called the “City of Kings” by Spanish conquistadors. If you look beyond the urban sprawl, you'll be rewarded with the National Museum's pre-Columbian treasures and Plaza Mayor's colonial splendour.

City Tour
Depart this morning on a 5 hour sightseeing tour exploring the most impressive sights of Lima along with some of our handpicked favourites. We will start in Miraflores market, a vibrant place visited by local chefs for its wonderful variety of fresh produce from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon. Take the chance to learn more about Peru’s diversity reflected in the colourful assortment of vegetables, fruits, fish and condiments.

On the way to Lima’s downtown we pass by ‘Huaca Pucllana’ an ancient adobe pyramid structure which served as one of the region’s most important ceremonial temples between the years of 200 AD and 700 AD. We continue to the San Isidro district and visit the impressive ‘El Olivar’ Park before stopping at the Pisco Museum where you have the chance to taste Peru’s national drink, the ‘Pisco Sour’ (optional, not included). Later we visit Lima’s downtown with its historic and traditional buildings: the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s palace and the Metropolitan City Hall surround the Main Square. Continue to San Francisco church and monastery, a 17th century jewel, recognised as a cultural heritage site by UNESCO.

This tour finishes with a guided visit of the Larco Herrera Museum. This is a fabulous private museum with an exquisite collection of gold and silver treasures from ancient Peru. Many pieces in this museum are now world famous after having been exhibited in the best museums around the world.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the city on your own.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel in Lima and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Cusco
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

We suggest that you take it easy today to give yourself the best opportunity to acclimatise to Cusco's altitude. This city is bursting with Andean culture and is one of the great culinary destinations of South America. It also just happens to be the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the best-known archaeological site on this vast continent.

Breakfast included.

City Tour
Your first morning in Cusco can be spent at your leisure, enjoying breakfast before exploring Cusco or relaxing at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be met for your guided tour of Cusco and its archaeological sites. Your Cusco tour will include highlights such as Plaza de Armas, the cathedral and Koricancha Temple. We also visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed ruins of Sacsayhuaman just outside of Cusco which were once the former capital of the Incan Empire.

Breakfast included.

Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes
This morning you will be picked up from your hotel to discover the Sacred Valley of the Incas on this full day excursion. This fertile river valley was home to many important sites for the Incas, both strategic and religious. Your first stop will be in Awana Kancha (weaver's palace in Quechua), where you will have the opportunity to learn about the different ancient weaving and dyeing Andean techniques which are still used today. You will then visit a breeding centre for South American camels (guanacos, llamas, alpacas and vicunas).

Continue on to Pisac where you will first visit the archaeological complex, the ruins of the fortress of Pisac which are set high above a valley by patterned fields and rimmed by vast terracing. The stonework and panoramas at Pisac's Inca citadel are magnificent. You will visit the lower part of the complex where the agricultural area and the pre-Hispanic cemetery are located. Afterwards, visit the colourful local market and have free time to search for a souvenir or two before enjoying a typical Andean lunch at a local restaurant.

We then continue our journey along the River Urubamba to Ollantaytambo, where you will visit Ollantaytambo Ruins and one of its best preserved areas, Hanan Hucaypata. You will be transferred to the local train station where you will catch the scenic afternoon train to Aguas Calientes. On arrival you will be escorted to your hotel by the hotel's staff. Enjoy a free evening and prepare for your early morning visit to Machu Picchu the next day.

*Option to add a night in the Sacred Valley and continue to Machu Picchu early tomorrow, giving you the opportunity to enjoy 2 visits to Machu Picchu.

Breakfast and Lunch included.

Guided Tour
This morning you will have an early start to meet your guide and take the shuttle bus to the entrance to the citadel for your first glimpse of Machu Picchu. You will have a guided tour of the ruins and monuments such as the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the Cemeteries. During your guided tour you will experience the uniqueness of the location and the genius that went into its construction. Making use of the provided headsets, you will be able to take pictures freely while enjoying the live briefings. The citadel was discovered in 1911 by the American explorer and academic, Hiram Bingham. Many theories on the citadel exist, but most agree it was a holy site, hidden for centuries and never found by the invading Spanish.

For those looking for adventure, we recommend the one and one half hour trek up unguided Huayna Picchu Mountain, which overlooks Machu Picchu and allows for spectacular views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. Includes guided tour and return bus from Aguas Calientes village.

Train to Cusco
You will take the train from Aguas Calientes through the Sacred Valley to Cusco. As you disembark from the train you will be met by our representative who will transfer you to your hotel.

Breakfast included.

Depart
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Arrive in Quito
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Ecuador's capital city, located high in the Andes Mountains, offers a warm, relaxed and traditional Ecuadorian culture with overflowing markets, a vibrant nightlife and sophisticated culinary options on offer. It's an interesting city to visit and the perfect place to stay before you explore some of Ecuador's many amazing destinations.

Breakfast included.

Quito City and Equator Tour
Your guide and transportation will pick you up and take you to the Colonial district of Quito. While walking, your guide will tell you about the pre-Inca civilizations, the Spanish occupation, the independence phase and finally, all about Ecuador and Quito's ancient history.

Places to be visited include:

The overlook of El Panecillo (Panecillo Hill)
The Independence square
La Compañía church
San Francisco square and church
The Basilic (Basílica del Voto Nacional)
Alameda square

After this you will be driven towards the Middle of the World (MitAdela Stevensonl Mundo) for approximately 45 minutes. MitAdela Stevensonl Mundo is one of Quito's most famous attractions, situated about 10km to the north of Ecuador's capital. In 1736 a French scientific expedition came to Ecuador to determine the position of the equator. On the site there is a monument, which houses an Ethnographic Museum. Here you will learn about lifestyles, clothing and utensils of different ethnic groups of Ecuador. Just outside MitAdela Stevensonl Mundo there is an interesting open-air museum called “Inti-Ñan”, which explains our solar system, the position of the equator and its effect on gravity. There are also interesting displays of Ecuadorian ancient cultures and their ways of life.

Return to the city and drop off at your hotel.

Depart Quito
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

4 Day Amazon Lodge Stay
The accommodations that we use for this package are as follows:

- Comfort: Jamu Lodge
- Superior: Napo Wildlife Center
- Deluxe: La Selva Lodge
Amazon Lodge Arrival Day
Arrive in to Coca, the entrance point to the Yasuní National Park – a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the largest area of tropical rainforest in Ecuador. The Yasuní National Park sits at the intersection of the Andes and the Amazon regions, and offers a variety of excellent lodges where you can experience the rich biodiversity of the area.

From the airport you are met and transferred to the Napo River where we start a canoe ride to your lodge approximately 2 hours away. Along the way you will enjoy a delicious lunch whilst keeping an eye out for birds like herons, kingfishers, toucans, parrots and macaws. You will arrive at your lodge and after a briefing you will have the opportunity to take part in the afternoon and evening activities included. All activities and meals are included during your stay.

Lunch and Dinner included.

Amazon Lodge
Over the next few days you will enjoy the wide variety of activities and attractions available at your lodge and enjoy incredible wildlife encounters. The exact itinerary depends on your lodge but may include a combination of the following;

- Visit a clay lick where several species of parrots, parakeets and macaws can be seen feeding.
- Discover unique rainforest creatures from the rainforest canopy.
- Hike the trails in and around your lodge and learn about the flora and fauna of the region with a naturalist guide.
- Visit native Indian communities and learn about their culture and way of life.
- Evening hiking or canoe rides which allow guests to hear the nocturnal sounds of the jungle and to look for bats, caiman, snakes, spiders and a variety of other insects.
- Go fishing for piranha.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Amazon Lodge Departure Day
This morning you will enjoy breakfast before we return to Coca along the Napo River which may reveal new sightings of giant otters, monkeys, or many other rare birds. From here you will fly out.

Breakfast included.

Arrive in Quito
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Ecuador's capital city, located high in the Andes Mountains, offers a warm, relaxed and traditional Ecuadorian culture with overflowing markets, a vibrant nightlife and sophisticated culinary options on offer. It's an interesting city to visit and the perfect place to stay before you explore some of Ecuador's many amazing destinations.

Depart Quito
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

5 Day Galapagos Cruise
The boats that we use for this package are as follows:

- Comfort: Archipell I
- Superior: Odyssey Yacht
- Deluxe: Infinity
Galapagos Cruise Arrival Day
After a short flight you will arrive at Baltra or San Cristobal Island and after paying your Galapagos National Park entrance fee you will be met by your guide and transferred to your vessel to begin your cruise. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing. Your selected cruise then begins with the exact itinerary for the next 5 days being dependent on your choice of vessel.

Lunch and Dinner included.

Galapagos Islands Cruise
Over the next few days you will enjoy fantastic wildlife spotting including island landings and snorkelling opportunities with expert guides. Animals such as Blue and Red-footed Boobies, Galapagos sea lions, giant tortoises, land and marine iguanas, Galapagos penguins and frigate birds are only some of the unique wildlife found in this region. One of the most exciting things for visitors to the Galapagos is the incredible, close-up encounters with its animals which seemingly have no fear of humans.

The volcanic Islands of the Galapagos also offer spectacular scenery, from active volcanos, to lava tubes and impressive red and white sand beaches. It is not only a wildlife haven but an incredible archipelago of diverse islands, and over the course of your cruise you will enjoy many zodiac landings and have the chance to explore them in detail.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Galapagos Islands Departure Day
After a final island landing in the morning, you will be transferred to Baltra or San Cristobal airport in time to catch your flight back to the mainland.

Breakfast included.

Fly to Guayaquil
On arrival at the airport you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel.

Breakfast included.

Depart Ecuador
Our representative will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.

Breakfast included.