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[jeffcg]

This tour combines two of the most magical destinations in South America, if not the world. Cruise in a luxury yacht around the Ecuadorian Galapagos Islands and discover the unique plant and animal life found nowhere else in the world, before travelling to Peru and onto the mystical imperial city of the Inca´s – Machu Picchu.

Day 1

You will arrive in Quito (Ecuador) from your international flights. We will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. There are no planned activities this afternoon, so you will have free time to relax and rest after your flight.

In the evening you may want to take advantage of the restaurants that Quito has to offer, and head into the colonial old town to taste some fantastic Ecuadorian cuisine.

Day 2

After breakfast our English speaking guide and driver will collect you from your hotel for a full day visit of colonial Quito, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1978. The tour includes a visit to Plaza de la Independencia, home of the tomb of Sucre, a visit to the Parque Alameda that houses the oldest astronomical observatory in South America, a visit to the amazing church of San Francisco where every inch of wall and ceiling is paved with gold, and finally we will take a few miles out of Quito to the equator, where you can have your photo taken with one foot in each hemisphere of the world!

Day 3 - 6

Today you will fly west from Quito for the start of your Galapagos Island tour. We will collect you and take you to Quito airport where you will catch your morning flight to the main island of San Cristobal, upon where we will meet you and take you to your Yacht. In the afternoon, after settling in and eating a spot of lunch with your fellow passengers, you will travel the short distance to Cerro Brujo (Witch Mountain) where your naturalist guides will introduce you to your first taste of the Galapagos wildlife.

You will return to your yacht in the evening where your crew will be waiting to serve you dinner. Overnight as you sleep, you will sail south to and onto your next island destination.

In the morning you will arrive at the port of Punta Suárez, on the southern-most island of Española. After breakfast your naturalist guides will take you out in small groups to visit some of the highlights that this island has to offer.

The island has a long beach that is among the most magnificent in all Galápagos. It is home to many sea lion colonies and the turquoise colored water makes a beautiful contrast to the white sand that consists of shell dust. Just off the coast there is a rock where you can encounter tropic fish and rays while snorkeling. But more spectacular is the Gardner Rock, home to white-tipped reef shark, cactus finch and other colorful sea dwellers and very popular among snorkelers.

The following day, your third day in the Galapagos you will travel to the island of Santa Cruz, one of the larger Islands in the Galapagos and home to the important Charles Darwin research centre. In the morning you will take some time to visit the research centre built in 1835 for the famous scientist Charles Darwin, where you can understand more about the evolution of the islands and it´s wildlife. Here you will also be introduced to some of the activities that the centre supports, like the breading program of the rare sub-species of giant tortoise which are unique to the islands.

After lunch you will travel the short distance to the small island of R?bid, covered by dry and coastal vegetation, the island has a central volcano of 367metres in height. The island also the contains the largest variety of lava types of all the Galapagos islands, with red being the dominant color. A salt-water lagoon is home to flamingos, while the beach holds a large sea lion colony, including fur seals. You can take a walk to the top of trail where you can take fabulous photos of the clear waters and volcanic peaks, here is a great opportunity to see the Galapagos hawk.

After a night´s sleep, you will be taken to the airport on the Island of Baltra where you will fly first the short distance to Guayaquil, before connecting to your flight south later that day to the capital city of Peru – Lima. On arrival in Lima we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for the evening.

Day 7

Today you will have a free day to relax and ready yourself for the next stage of your tour! Lima is a large modern city with a long colonial Spanish past, should you wish we can arrange a city tour of Lima which includes the colonial center and the chance to visit some of the finest museums in South America, including the Gold Museum and the National Museum of Archaeology, anthropology and history.

Day 8

In the morning you will take the short flight to the Inca Capital – Cuzco. On arrival we will meet you and take you by transport to your hotel. You will have time to settle in and perhaps have a spot of lunch, before we collect you for your afternoon city tour.

Our English speaking guide and driver will collect you from your hotel, and take you for a tour of Cuzco and the surrounding areas. The tour includes a visit to The Inca Fortress of Sacsayhuamán, the Inca sanctuary of Tambomachay dedicated to the worship of water, the Inca temple of the sun – Koricancha and much more.

You will have free time in the evening to explore at you leisure.

Day 9

Today after breakfast, we will collect you for a full day tour to the Sacred Valley. First you will travel to the attractive village of Ollantaytambo, located at the western end of the Valley. The town is located at the foot of some spectacular Inca ruins, strategically built to defend the entrance to the Urubamba Valley. After your guided tour of the ruins, you will travel the short distance to the market town of Pisac; where you will rest for lunch (included). In Pisac you will have time to explore the famous bustling artisan market in the main plaza, set below the sprawling Inca ruins in the mountains above.

In the evening you may want eat in one of the many excellent restaurants located around Plaza de Armas; perhaps try the local delicacy of Cuy! (Guinea-pig!!)

Day 10

Today you will have an early start for your trip to the magical Inca city of Machu Picchu. Should you take The Vistadome Train or The Hiram Bingham Train, you will be struck by the constantly changing and beautiful scenery of The Urubamba Valley as you make your way towards Machu Picchu.

You will be met at the train station and transferred by shuttle bus to Machu Picchu. Your private guide will give you a two hour guided tour of the citadel, including The Temple of the Sun, The Royal Tomb, The Temple of Three Windows and much more! For lunch we will take you to The Sanctuary Lodge Hotel, conveniently located next to the citadel for a relaxing buffet lunch.

In the afternoon you will have free time to explore Machu Picchu, before heading down to the small town of Aguas Calientes and onto your hotel for the evening.

Day 11

Today you will have a free day to re-visit Machu Picchu, this is your opportunity to explore some of the sights that are not included on the standard tour. You may wish to hike the small mountain of Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) to see the amazing views that are offered from this vantage point, or, perhaps a visit to the amazing Inca Bridge built as a secret access route to the Citadel.

After lunch you will return to Aguas Calientes, where you can catch your early evening train back to Cuzco. We will collect your from Poroy train station and transfer you to your hotel one stop before Cuzco, saving you an hour on the train.

Day 12

After a relaxing breakfast, we will collect you from your hotel and take you to Cuzco airport for your mid-morning flights to Lima. In Lima airport you can wait to connect to your onward flight, or alternatively we can arrange transport to take you into Lima for some last minute shopping, or perhaps a spot of Lunch.

Visit our peru travel agency to learn more!