Machu Picchu & Galapagos

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Carbon neutral

15 daysDuration

Small Group TourUsually 8-12 participants, maximum 18 travelers

16 peopleMaximum group size

16 - 99 yearsAge range for participants

EnglishGuide language

Moderate

Involves sustained activity requiring a reasonable level of fitness and endurance.

Starts

Cusco, Peru

Ends

Quito, Ecuador

Highlights

Visit the standout attractions in both Peru and Ecuador on one unforgettable adventure

Take a beautiful train ride to Machu Picchu, one of the New Wonders of the World

Hike a section of the Inca Trail at no extra cost

Visit Isla Lobos to relax on white sands and, hopefully, swim with sharks

See pirate lava caves and giant tortoises in the highlands of Floreana

Snorkel the wildlife-rich islets of Las Tintoreras, home to sharks, penguins and sea lions

Itinerary

Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands—two of South America’s most iconic destinations—combine in an extraordinary 15-day trip starting in Cusco and ending in Quito. Tailored with a moderate activity pace and a welcoming tone for seniors, this tour package is a rare chance to experience ancient Inca wonders and unrivaled wildlife in one seamless journey.

Begin your adventure in Peru, delving into Cusco’s vibrant heritage and visiting nearby archaeological treasures. The highlight awaits as you board a train through dramatic mountain scenery and lush cloud forests to reach the legendary Machu Picchu, with an optional hike along the famed Inca Trail for those seeking added adventure.

Next, fly to Ecuador and set out for the Galapagos Islands, an unmatched haven for wildlife. Accompanied by an expert naturalist, you’ll search for giant tortoises, playful sea lions, and elusive sharks, exploring both land and sea for an up-close encounter with nature’s marvels.

What sets this tour apart is its seamless integration of two bucket-list destinations, all with comfortable accommodations, included meals, and attentive guides for a worry-free exploration. For travelers eager to blend awe-inspiring history with breathtaking natural encounters, this trip offers a truly unforgettable exploration of South America’s best.

day 1 - Adventure starts in Cuzco

Our adventure begins in Cuzco. Set high amid the Andes, the imperial city of the Incas was the centre of a vast empire, which stretched from Colombia to Chile at its peak. After Spanish conquistadors invaded the city, they built on top of the Inca structures, resulting in unique architecture: a fusion of Spanish colonial and Inca styles.

Say hola to your leader and fellow travellers around 6pm, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventure ahead.

There are no activities planned today, so take it easy and drink plenty of water to help adjust to the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m). Your tour leader will ensure a big Latin welcome by arranging a group dinner at a local restaurant for your first taste of Peruvian hospitality.

Want to explore Cuzco further? Additional pre-tour hotel nights are bookable through your sales representative.

Accommodation: Hotel Raymi (or similar)

Upgrade to a superior room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Dinner

Accommodation:Hotel Raymi (or similar)

day 2 - Visit Sacsayhuaman • Afternoon city tour

Transfer into the hills above Cuzco to visit Sacsayhuaman, the vast Inca fortress whose precisely cut stonework still raises questions about how it was constructed. From here, we continue to the nearby sites of Qenqo, with its carved rock shrines, PucaPucara, a former military and administrative outpost, and Tambomachay, known for its finely engineered water channels that still flow today. Throughout, our tour leader explains how these sites worked together to defend and supply the Inca capital.

Returning to Cuzco, we take a guided walk through the historic centre on foot. We view the Qoricancha Temple from outside, once the most important temple in the Inca Empire, before visiting the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, where colonial art and architecture reveal another layer of the city’s history.

Accommodation: Hotel Raymi (or similar)

Upgrade to a superior room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Raymi (or similar)

day 3 - Sacred Valley tour • Visit Chinchero community for a traditional ‘pachamanca’ lunch • Stay in Ollantaytambo

After breakfast, we travel (1hr 15min) through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, on the outskirts of Cuzco, as we head up to the traditional weaving community of Chinchero. Along with amazing views of the valley and Vilcabamba mountains, Chinchero offers the unique cultural opportunity to enjoy a traditional Andean pachamanca lunch, which is hosted by and supports the local community. This is a real culinary treat, in which the food is wrapped, then buried underground with hot stones to cook it slowly.

After lunch, explore the ancient salt ponds near the village of Maras, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Also visit Moray, where the Incas built huge circular agricultural terraces on limestone sinks.

We arrive in Ollantaytambo around 6pm, with time to wander around the town.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Tunupa Lodge Hotel (or similar)

day 4 - Train to Aguas Calientes • Optional Inca Trail hike via Wiñay Wayna ruins

Take the train (1hr 30min) to Aguas Calientes this morning, a lively town in the valley below Machu Picchu. The rest of the day is free to visit hot springs or shop in the large craft market.

Our Machu Picchu entrance ticket is valid for tomorrow; however, should you wish to visit the ruins today as well, you need to purchase an extra ticket in advance – please inform your sales representative at the time of booking the trip.

For those who wish to hike to Machu Picchu, there is an optional full-day trek that meets with the final section of the Inca Trail. Our route starts at Km104 and climbs 1.25mi (2km) to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, where we continue to the Sun Gate for the iconic view of Machu Picchu with its mountain backdrop. Although this optional hike is available at no extra cost, it must be pre-booked since numbers are strictly limited (and a permit is required). You should request this at the time of booking and note the first part of the hike is a steep climb.

Travellers not joining the hike board the train at around 11am, with free time beforehand to visit the Ollantaytambo archaeological site independently (entrance ticket included). They’ll travel independently to Aguas Calientes, where a local guide meets them on arrival, escorts them to the hotel for check-in, and then to a restaurant for lunch.

Travellers taking the optional hike board an earlier train with the main tour leader, who also leads the hike.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Hotel Hatun Inti Classic (or similar)

day 5 - Morning tour of Machu Picchu • Afternoon return to Cuzco

To beat the day-trippers from Cuzco, we get an early start for our 30-minute bus drive up the winding road to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is an architectural and engineering marvel with a mountain backdrop of staggering immensity.

Please note, exploring the ruins involves a reasonable amount of walking, including up and down steep and uneven stone steps.

After our tour, we return to Aguas Calientes and the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min). From Ollantaytambo, we continue by private bus to Cuzco (1hr 30min).

Travellers who completed the optional one-day Inca Trail visit Machu Picchu today via Circuit 3, which covers the lower part of the site. Those who did not trek explore Machu Picchu on Circuit 2, the full circuit, in line with current regulations. An additional guide is provided for the second group.

Accommodation: Hotel Raymi (or similar)

Upgrade to a superior room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Raymi (or similar)

day 6 - Fly to Quito

Say goodbye to our Peruvian tour leader today, as we leave Cuzco on a flight to Quito, Ecuador, via Lima (sometimes with an additional stop in Guayaquil).

In the western cordillera of the Andes, Quito is the second highest capital in the world and, as always at altitude, it is a good idea not to do anything too strenuous at first!

Our Quito tour leader picks us up from the airport and transfers us to the hotel – holding a welcome briefing in the afternoon/evening.

Accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)

Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)

day 7 - Quito city tour

We have a half-day tour of Quito today, one of the smaller and more attractive capitals in South America. Our adventure takes us to the Plaza Grande, the main square, which is flanked by some of the most important landmarks in the city.

We also visit the impressive Quito cathedral and La Compañia church, plus the small volcanic hill known as El Panecillo. We then have the rest of the day to relax and continuing adjusting to the altitude.

After, you may wish to join an optional excursion to the equator, which is just 40 minutes’ drive north of Quito. Here, you visit the fun – and interactive – Intiñan Equator Museum, which explores indigenous culture and traditions, as well as unique phenomena related to the geographic location.

Accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)

Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar)

day 8 - Fly to San Cristóbal • Visit La Lobería

Rise early (leaving the hotel around 5am with a box breakfast) as we transfer to Quito Airport for our flight to San Cristóbal in the Galapagos via Guayaquil.

Your Galapagos tour leader (an official naturalist guide) takes you from the airport to the hotel for check-in and our first briefing about our time in the archipelago.

We have time to explore the town and enjoy a restaurant lunch, before picking up our snorkelling equipment and, if you’d like, renting wetsuits.

After this, we visit to La Lobería, a wonderful beach surrounded by mangroves, volcanic rocks and sea lion colonies.

It’s a perfect spot to snorkel, relax on the sands, or have a short walk along the shore.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Hotel Paraiso Insular (or similar)

day 9 - Tour Isla Lobos and Playa Ochoa • Free afternoon

Start your day with an exciting tour to Isla Lobos, a small island near San Cristóbal. This excursion takes you by boat to one of the best spots for observing sea lions in their natural habitat. Isla Lobos is also an excellent location for birdwatching, including frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies. Snorkel in the clear waters around the island, swimming with marine turtles, rays and, occasionally, whitetip reef sharks.

After, we head to Playa Ochoa, a white-sand beach with turquoise waters. It’s ideal for relaxing, while also offering excellent birdwatching and snorkelling opportunities.

Enjoy lunch on board the boat as we head back to town for a free afternoon.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Hotel Paraiso Insular (or similar)

day 10 - Boat to Floreana Island • Visit the highlands

A three-hour navigation by motorboat takes us to Floreana, one of the first Galapagos islands to be inhabited. En route, we may see whales, dolphins and sea birds.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the highlands, home to one of the few sources of freshwater in the entire archipelago. We also visit lava caves once used by pirates and see a large enclosure of Galapagos giant tortoises.

In the afternoon, we transfer (2hr 30min to three hours) to Isabela Island by speedboat.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:San Vicente Hotel (or similar)

day 11 - Morning visit to Las Tintoreras Islet • Afternoon exploration at the Wall of Tears

Spend 15 minutes sailing to the islets and lava channels of Las Tintoreras, one of the best places in the Galapagos to see whitetip reef sharks, penguins and sea lions. A 40-minute walk takes us around the islet and back to the boat again, before we jump into the water for a snorkel!

This afternoon, we hike (2.5mi/4km) to the Wall of Tears, a sad reminder of Isabela’s very different past when the island was used as a penal colony. Between 1946 and 1959, convicts were forced to build this wall from huge blocks of lava simply as a form of punishment, which, combined with the harsh conditions, led to many deaths.

After this sobering visit, we hike back to the town through the mangroves, wetlands and along sandy beaches. This is one of the best places on the islands to view migratory birds, including Wilson’s phalaropes, blue-winged teals and, if we’re very lucky, ospreys.

This region has also seen the reintroduction of Galapagos giant tortoises from the breeding centre into the wild and we are likely to encounter several on our walk.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:San Vicente Hotel (or similar)

day 12 - To Santa Cruz; visit Tortuga Bay • Optional afternoon visit to Charles Darwin Research Station

After breakfast, we navigate by motorboat (2hr 30min) to Santa Cruz.

After, we visit Tortuga Bay, a long stretch of white sand regarded as one of the best beaches in the Galapagos. The trail there is paved and takes 45 minutes to one hour, with possibilities to observe Galapagos finches and lizards along the way. The beach is scattered with marine iguanas, who lay among the black rocks or stroll along the sand. Turtles can sometimes be seen in the water, though swimming is not recommended here due to the strong currents.

In the afternoon, we have the option of visiting the Charles Darwin Research Centre, home to the headquarters of the Charles Darwin Foundation. This is the main research station on the islands and scientists come from all over the world to study the flora and fauna.

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar (or similar)

day 13 - Full-day boat tour to an uninhabited island

Visit either Bartolomé Island, South Plaza Island, Santa Fe Island or North Seymour (depending on national park restrictions).

South Plaza has a remarkable vegetation of succulents and cacti that provide a unique habitat for land iguanas. The iguanas form small colonies at the base of the tall opuntia cacti, waiting for their flowers and dead pads to fall to the ground so they can feed.

Seymour is a flat, boulder-strewn island and a major nesting site for frigatebirds. It’s also a good place to see blue-footed boobies performing courtship rituals and sea lions playing in the powerful surf.

Bartolomé is a spectacular scene of dramatic lava cones and clear seas and affords perhaps the most famous view of the Galapagos Islands, looking across the red cinder cones to the recent black lava fields on James Island.

If possible, we snorkel today where the water is calm. We also enjoy lunch on board the boat.

Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar (or similar)

day 14 - Fly back to Quito

After a few days following the footsteps of Darwin, Cousteau and world-renowned scientists, it is time to say goodbye to the Enchanted Islands. After breakfast, we drive (one hour) to the airport at Baltra – saying a fond farewell to our Galapagos tour leader – and fly to Quito for our final night, meeting our Quito tour leader at the airport.

Accommodation: Vieja Cuba Hotel (or similar)

Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals:Breakfast

Accommodation:Vieja Cuba Hotel (or similar)

day 15 - Adventure ends in Quito

Our adventure ends after breakfast this morning. If you’d like to continue your adventure, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Quito.

Meals:Breakfast

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What's Included

Accommodation

All accommodation

Meals

All breakfasts, five lunches and one dinner

Transport

All land/sea transport, flights between Cuzco and Quito and return flights from Quito to the Galapagos, and all listed activitiesArrival transfer for any flight, group departure transfer available

Guide

Tour leader in Peru and a second tour leader in the Galapagos

Others

Transit Control Card for the Galapagos

What's Excluded

Customer Reviews

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