Suggested Itinerary
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Cruise silently through the Pacaya Samira National Reserve in the Peruvian Amazon, keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife on the river banks.
- Learn about the important river mammal rescue and rehabilitation efforts in the Peruvian Amazon.
- Explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas and hike to one of the wonders of the world – Machu Picchu.
- Support girls’ empowerment and education by volunteering with an innovative organization in Cusco.
- Learn about Peruvian indigenous culture and taste quintessentially and world-renowned Peruvian cuisine.
- Visit the Mashpi Biodiversity Reserve to explore the Ecuadorian cloud and rainforest.
- Travel to the famed Galapagos Islands, spotting rare and unique wildlife species like giant tortoise, blue-footed boobies, iguanas, sea turtles, and more.
- Stay at stunning eco-lodges, including some of National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World.
Day 1: Arrive into Lima
Wyndham’s Costa del Sol Airport Hotel
Today you will arrive into Lima and stay at the airport hotel which will provide an easy connection to your flight to the Amazon the following morning. Relax and rest before your journey.
Overnight Wyndham’s Costa del Sol Airport Hotel
Day 2: Board the Delfin 1 Riverboat
The Delfin 1
Today you will take a morning flight from Lima to Iquitos in the Amazon, where you will board the Delfin 1 boat and explore the many wonderful sights, flora and fauna that this extensive wilderness has to offer.
During your stay in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, enjoy a wide range of inclusive activities such as trail walks, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, canopy walking, swimming with pink river-dolphins, bird watching, night expeditions, and a visit to the Rescue & Rehabilitation Center for River Mammals.
The Delfin 1 riverboat accommodates a maximum of 12 guests in large, luxurious suites all with panoramic terraces, floor-to-ceiling windows, and two with private whirlpools. Guests will indulge in Peruvian cuisine created with fresh ingredients and paired with some of the best South American vintage wines.
Overnight the Delfin 1
Days 3 & 4: Exploring the Peruvian Amazon
The Delfin 1
Spend 2 full days on a fully-inclusive basis exploring the Amazon – including canopy walks, exploring trails through the jungle, paddle boarding and kayaking, swimming in the river with pink river dolphins, bird watching, and night walks.
Overnight the Delfin 1
Day 5: Depart Iquitos for the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Today, catch your flight from Iquitos to Cusco (via Lima.) Arrive into Cusco where your driver and guide will be waiting for you at the airport. Once you pass through immigration and customs they’ll greet you outside.
The next part of your adventure begins! From Cusco, head straight for the Sacred Valley to relax at a lower altitude and acclimatize. Relax at your hotel with stunning views! Remember to drink a lot of water and eat lightly as you adjust to the elevation.
The Sacred Valley is located in the Peruvian Andes, beneath the world-famous site of Machu Picchu and not far from Cuzco, the unofficial Inca capital. This fertile valley is fed by a network of waterways which made it an important agricultural area for the Incas. It also encompasses a wealth of archaeological sites, including Ollantaytambo, a town renowned for its extensive Inca ruins.
Overnight at the Belmond Hotel Rio Sagrado, a beautifully appointed luxury hotel set on the banks of the Urubamba River. This oasis of calm has the feel of an ancient Incan farmstead, with all the amenities of a modern hotel.
Overnight Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Day 6: Explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Today you will explore the archeological site of Pisac and the local market where you can find traditional textiles mixed with more modern offerings. The archeological site is one of the best preserved in the valley and offers a lot to explore along with a good example of the Inca’s extensive agricultural terracing practices.
Have a farm-to-table lunch at beautiful hacienda and working farm. Learn about the traditions of growing a very special and specific corn, called the “Giant White Corn.” Learn about the production of this corn and see how it was farmed during the pre-Columbian era and also in the colonial times. Perhaps you’ve had the snack called, “Inca Corn” from your supermarket… now you will see where and how it’s grown!
Overnight Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Day 7: Explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas
Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Today, you’ll have another day exploring the Sacred Valley! Take the chance to explore some of the valley’s lakes and enjoy a paddle boarding excursion with a picnic lunch. You will also have the opportunity to visit a local community to observe and learn about some of their impressive traditional weaving techniques. Learn how they sheer sheep, use natural herbs, roots, and plants to dye the wool and watch them weave into a beautiful, complex pattern.
Later, you will take a relaxed bike ride along the Urubamba River through quaint farms and small villages with pretty, colonial-era churches and lush gardens. In the late afternoon, return to your lodge to relax before your early start the following day.
Overnight Belmond Hotel Rio Segrado
Day 8: Train to Inca Trail and hike into Machu Picchu
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
In the morning, transfer to the town of Ollantaytambo where you will board the train to Machu Picchu! Your guide will be with you along the way. Disembark the train and connect with the Inca Trail at Kilometer 104. From here, you’ll hike the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, where you will enter through impressive Sun Gate, which provides the most stunning entrance and view!
Hiking through the gate and down into the citadel provides classic vistas of Machu Picchu. After hiking all day, make your way down to the bus stop and take the 30-minute ride to your hotel. Your luggage will be waiting for you. Back at your hotel, take some time to relax and refresh, and to enjoy dinner with a traditional Pisco Sour.
Overnight Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Day 9: Touring in Machu Picchu
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Have a relaxed morning and maybe do some early bird watching or take a walk to the Mandor Waterfall. In the afternoon, following lunch, take the bus up to Machu Picchu for your in-depth tour of the citadel. Enjoy exploring the area in the quiet of the afternoon. Here your guide will provide you an in-depth interpretation and historical account of this sacred and special place.
Take some time to walk and appreciate it on your own for a bit before heading back to town for an evening of relaxing and dinner. Return to the small, quaint town of Aguas Calientes, have dinner and relax.
Overnight Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel
Day 10: Depart Machu Picchu for Ollantaytambo and onward to Cusco
Palacio Nazarenas Hotel
After breakfast, catch a morning train from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo. Take a walk through this ancient town to learn a bit of the interesting history. Ollantaytambo is one of the best preserved and “living” Inca towns in the Sacred Valley! Have a light lunch and then head to Cusco. Arrive to Cusco in time for dinner and relax at your hotel.
Once called the ‘Navel of the World’ by the Incas, Cuzco remains a city that blends colonial Spanish charm with older, more austere remains of pre-Columbian glory – one can still see the foundations of Inca structures on many of its city streets today. Tonight, stay at Palacio Nazarenas Hotel, one of the only hotels in Cusco with a swimming pool, luxurious spa treatments and oxygenated rooms to help you acclimatize to the elevation of Cusco.
Overnight Palacio Nazarenas Hotel
Day 11: Supporting girls’ education in Cusco
Palacio Nazarenas Hotel
Today you will have the chance to meet a very special organization working to educate girls and women. They focus on leadership and education, providing access to school, advanced degrees and continued support towards a better future. Spend the day with the project and maybe even an early morning hike up to the Temple of the Moon.
In the evening, relax and stroll about in Cusco on your own and have dinner at one of the many wonderful restaurants in historical Cusco. This is your leisure time to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Overnight Palacio Nazarenas Hotel
Day 12: Depart Peru for Ecuador
Casa Gangotena Hotel
Board a flight from Cusco to Lima where you will connect with your international flight onward to Quito Ecuador. Upon arrival in Quito your driver and guide will be waiting for you. Transfer to Quito where you will check in to your hotel and relax.
Check in to Casa Gangotena Hotel, an old mansion converted into an elegant boutique hotel. Set in Quito’s historic heart, Casa Gangotena is the perfect launch pad from which to explore Quito.
In the afternoon, take a brief walking tour of the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best preserved historic centers in all of Latin America. and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Return to your hotel for the evening.
Overnight Casa Gangotena Hotel
Day 13: Depart Quito for Mashpi Biodiversity Reserve
Mashpi Lodge
Your guide will collect you at your hotel after breakfast and to head to Mashpi Reserve – a stunning place for wildlife lovers to experience the colorful birds, butterflies, plants and wildife of the cloud forest.
The Mashpi Biodiversity Reserve occupies an impressive 3,200-acre expanse of untouched wilderness, which contains both cloud forest and rainforest! This exceptional reserve is part of the globally-important Chocó biodiversity ‘hot spot’. It’s home to pumas, kinkajous, hundreds of amphibian and reptile species, and more than 500 species of birds.
Stay in Mashpi Lodge, which was seleted by National Geographic as one of the Unique Lodges of the World! It’s sophisticated and strikingly-contemporary design is the ideal springboard for exploring the biodiverse world of its reserve. See how the architecture reinforces the difference between the forest and the glass cocoon of the lodge.
Overnight Mashpi Lodge
Day 14: Mashpi Biodiversity Reserve
Mashpi Lodge
Explore the region with your guide today.
Take walks, hikes, the sky bike, and visit the hummingbird garden and waterfalls. Indulge in the delightful nature that makes this place so unique! Then, take the chance to relax back at Mashpi Lodge, where only large glass windows separate you from the beautiful views of the forest.
Overnight Mashpi Lodge
Day 15: Depart Mashpi for Quito
Polo Club
Spend the morning bird watching before heading to Quito where you will check in to the Polo Club and have the afternoon to decompress, enjoy the pool and stroll around the extensive grounds before your early flight to the Galapagos tomorrow morning.
Nestled in the green mountains of the Ecuadorian highlands, the Quito Polo Club is an Andean dream, located in the small neighborhood of La Palma in Puembo, chosen as a place for rest and residence thanks to its privileged climate, environment and proximity to the city. This boutique hotel is an oasis outside of the city and only 30 minutes from the international airport.
Overnight Polo Club
Day 16: Galapagos Small Ship Cruise
La Pinta Yacht
Get an early start to catch your flight to the Galapagos! Arrive into Baltra and transfer to your boat where to travel the legendary Galapagos Islands. Meet your captain and crew in the marine to climb aboard your yacht, La Pinta. As Charles Darwin certainly was in 1835, you’ll be awed by the unique beauty of the islands as you take your first exploratory steps on Isla Seymour Norte—home to Blue-footed boobies and magnificent Frigate birds. Formed by a volcanic uplift, the small island of scruffy vegetation is ideal nesting terrain. Get an up-close view of these birds’ quirky characteristics by hike and panga ride.
La Pinta offers ample social areas, an observation deck towards the bow, wrap-around windows, a jacuzzi, cardio-gym, kayaks, and a luxurious sun deck. Gliding through the sea is the perfect way to immerse yourself in this exceptional environment, with expert naturalist guides opening a new world of unique wildlife for your understanding. Faultless service, delicious cuisine and stylish design are a true compliment to an extraordinary experience in the Galapagos Islands.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 17: Isla Isabela and Isla Fernandina
La Pinta Yacht
Explore Punta Vicente Roca, a marine site of impressive geological formations by panga boat. Beyond the geology, common residents include blue-footed boobies and flightless cormorants. The wildly rocky coast with a partially sunken cave provides phenomenal conditions for a menagerie of fish and green sea turtles.
If conditions allow, don your mask, fins, and snorkel and dive in for a close-up view! Later, stretch your legs on a guided walk experiencing one of the most pristine islands in the Galapagos, Isla Fernandina. The island’s active volcano erupted as recently as 2009. Thousands of bright land iguanas reside here, and it’s also a favorite haunt of Galapagos penguins.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 18: Isla Isabela
La Pinta Yacht
Large in landmass and young at 1 million years old, Isla Isabela supports abundant wildlife and sea life. An Urbina Bay shore walk reveals large, colorful land iguanas and perhaps giant tortoises. Crossing from Urbina Bay to Tagus Cove, scan the water for whales and dolphins that frequent Bolivar Channel from one of La Pinta’s spacious decks.
At Tagus Cove, an otherworldly landscape of eroded tuff cones, there’s a chance to snorkel, kayak, or ride a panga before hiking the backside of Darwin Crater to a saltwater lake. There’ll be excellent opportunities for viewing penguins, Galapagos Hawks, cormorants, petrified rain (bits of lava that cooled quickly after contacting water), and old signatures from pirates and whalers etched into the rock.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 19: Isla Rabida and Isla Santa Cruz
La Pinta Yacht
Isla Rabida’s unusual red beach is a favorite sunbathing spot for sea lions and marine iguanas. Go eye-to-eye with blue-footed and Nazca boobies, yellow warblers, several species of Darwin’s finches, and pelicans. The warm maroon-colored beach also makes a great jumping in spot for from-the-beach snorkeling. Or keep your eyes above the waterline, inspecting marine life from the glass-bottom boat. You’ll have a birds-eye view from Isla Santa Cruz hiking Cerro Dragon or Dragon Hill, enjoying a well-earned panorama of the western islands, the bay below you, and possibly even lounging land iguanas.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 20: Isla Santa Cruz
La Pinta Yacht
Today, it’s all about the magnificent giant tortoise. Touring the Charles Darwin Research Station, you’ll witness the exceptional conservation program where baby tortoises, “galapaguitos,” are reared in protective captivity until they are old enough to safely repatriate back to their native areas.
Embrace Galapagos conservation by learning about threats that still endanger this fragile ecosystem. After a lingering poolside lunch at the Finch Bay Eco Hotel (bring your swimsuit just in case), explore the misty, forested highlands and see the lumbering and charming tortoises in their natural habitat. You’ll also have a chance to walk inside the island’s famed lava tubes for a geological exploration of these remarkable volcanic channels.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 21: Isla Floreana
La Pinta Yacht
Your day will be chock-full of adventure, with opportunities to snorkel, hike, kayak, skiff, ride the glass-bottom boat, or simply relax on the beach. Send a note home from Post Office Bay, dropping your postcard in Isla Floreana’s famous, historic barrel mailbox. Then take in the island’s geologic history with a panga ride or kayak investigation of its maze of volcanic channels. A stop at Baroness Viewpoint provides the perfect vantage for a photo-op. A tale of two beaches, walk along the green olivine beach of Punta Cormorant to a brackish lagoon known to be a flamingo hideout, then on to a white-sand beach where green sea turtles come ashore to rest at night.
Overnight La Pinta Yacht
Day 22: Isla Baltra and transfer to Finch Bay Hotel
Finch Bay Hotel
Your adventure of a lifetime aboard La Pinta concludes back on Isla Baltra. From here you will transfer to Finch Bay to decompress from boat life for a couple of nights.
Check-in to Finch Bay Hotel, a unique eco hotel characterized by its natural surroundings. Set just steps from the beach in a secluded location across the bay from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, guests can enjoy peace and quiet on the beach as well as the swimming pool, the in-house chef’s culinary creations, and warm and sincere service.
Overnight Finch Bay Hotel
Day 23: Santa Cruz Island
Finch Bay hotel
Relax and enjoy the beach at Finch Bay Hotel. The days is yours at leisure to explore town, participate in various activities, or to simply just luxuriate in your idyllic surroundings on your final day in the Galapagos.
Overnight Finch Bay Hotel
Day 24: Departure
Today you will transfer to Baltra and catch your flight back to Quito (or Guayaquil). From here, you will connect with your international flight home – with many great memories of your time in Peru and Ecuador!
Inlcusions:
Included: All transfers, meals as discussed with your travel designer, lodging, volunteering with organizations, domestic flights, park fees.
Not Included: International flights, travel insurance, tips and gratuities, purchases of a personal nature, excursions not mentioned.
Interested in booking this itinerary or customizing a trip to South America? Get in touch with a private travel designer!
