Essential Treasures of Peru & Ecuador

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, an exciting day awaits you in Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Transfer to the village of Ollantaytambo to travel by train to Aguas Calientes* (Machu Picchu village) and enjoy the beautiful green mountain scenery along the way.

Once there, transfer by bus to the ancient Inca city of the Citadel for approximately a 2:30h visit which may take place in the morning or afternoon depending on availability. Enjoy the spectacular views of this Peruvian treasure built in the 15th century at an altitude of more than 2000 meters. 

Return by bus to Aguas Calientes and, depending on the return train schedule, you will have free time to explore the town at your own pace. Travel by train back to Ollantaytambo, transfer to the hotel and overnight stay in Cuzco.

*The reservation includes a standard category train (Expedition train or Voyager train). You have the option to add a supplement to travel on a higher category train (360º train or Vistadome train) in the next step of the booking process.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the scheduled time, transfer from the hotel to the airport to board a flight to Lima. As the capital of the country, Lima offers award-winning Peruvian gastronomy, two miles of parks along the Pacific coast, museums and gorgeous colonial Plaza de Armas.

Upon arrival, you will be assisted and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Take this time to explore the capital of Peru at your own pace. Overnight stay in Lima.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight to Quito. Arrive in Quito, the capital of Ecuador and a city famed for its high vantage point in the Andean mountains and its ancient Incan significance. Transfer to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure. Use this time to familiarize yourself with your new surroundings. Overnight stay in Quito.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, enjoy the entirety of the day at your leisure; the perfect opportunity to explore all the beauty this magnificent city has to offer. Why not sample delicious Ecuadorian classics in the many bars, restaurants and cafes at your disposal?

Alternatively, we recommend you take part in either an optional half-day tour of the Historic Center with a fruit tasting in the Quito Market* and/or an excursion to the Middle of the World Monument**. Overnight stay in Quito.

*Optional Half-Day Historic Centre Tour & Fruit Tasting at Quito Market: Begin with a guided tour of the historic center, to learn more about the history of this thriving Andean capital. Continue to one of the largest markets in Quito and discover the rich variety of Ecuadorian fruits and delicacies with an authentic fruit tasting tour. 

**Optional Middle of the World Monument Excursion: Take a photo with one foot in each hemisphere against the backdrop of a mesmerizing mountain landscape. Visit the Museo Solar Intiñán, which features an interactive tour, and then enjoy a chaguarmishqui tasting at the Museo de la Experiencia del Agave to learn about the versatile and delicious plant used to make this ancient drink.

Please note: None of these activities overlap, therefore it is possible to book all of them.

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, transfer to the airport in Quito to board a flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon arriving at San Cristobal Airport, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in. You will then meet with one of our staff members to get briefed on the next few days of your trip including a quick description of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the capital city of the Galapagos province.

Later, you will go for a walk with our representative as they give you further insight into the natural treasures of the islands before taking part in a cooking class on the beach where you will learn how to prepare the traditional Galapagos dish of ceviche.

This guided cooking class will take place in a local restaurant near Mann Beach, known for its friendly sea lions! Use authentic ingredients to craft this delicious meal while listening to the fascinating stories of life on the island from locals. And of course, you can enjoy your homemade ceviche at the end of class! Overnight stay in San Cristobal.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, begin your adventure visiting the stunning Loberia Beach for a relaxing start to your day. To get to the beach, you will first be picked up by a taxi and then hike to your destination where you'll encounter land iguanas, various birds and flora typical of the region. Once at the beach, you can enjoy the view, swim/snorkel among sea lions, and if you're lucky, also spot marine iguanas and turtles.

Return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure exploring the island at your own pace. Alternatively, we recommend you take part in our optional half-day tour snorkeling in Isla Lobos*. Overnight stay in San Cristobal. 

*Optional Half-Day Tour with Snorkel in Isla Lobos: Board a boat to visit Isla Lobo where you will encounter blue-footed boobies, sea lions, sea turtles and rays before getting to snorkel and swim in the crystal clear waters of this island. From here, make your way to Ochoa Beach to relax, swim and take in the beauty of this stunning landscape. Lunch is included.

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day to enjoy the beautiful island at your leisure. Alternatively, we recommend you take part in one of our two optional excursions of the day: either a visit to Kicker Rock for some snorkeling* or a visit to San Cristobal’s highlands**. Overnight stay in San Cristobal. 

*Optional Excursion to Kicker Rock with Snorkeling: Early in the morning sail to the lava formation in the middle of the sea where you will walk around to observe different species of birds that use this rock as a resting place for nesting. From here, enjoy some leisurely time to snorkel and try to catch a glimpse of different shark species (including hammerheads!), turtles, rays and more.

After this, continue to Manglecito Beach, a white coral beach offering the opportunity to walk and swim in its shallow waters and take in the beauty of this stunning location. Lunch is included.

**Optional Full-Day Highlands & Giant Tortoises Excursion: Discover the wildlife-rich highlands or 'Altos' of San Cristobal island! Begin at the white-sand beach of Puerto Chino before taking a short nature hike to visit the sea lion colony and spot blue-footed boobies!

An uphill walk rewards you with excellent views of the surrounding landscapes before travelling to La Galapaguera, a Galapagos Tortoise hatchery where wooden walkways allow you to walk amongst these gentle giants.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today, you will be departing the island of San Cristobal. Transfer to the airport to board a flight to Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador located on the Pacific coast. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure; take this time to explore the city. Perhaps now would be a good time to go last-minute souvenir shopping. Overnight stay in Guayaquil.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight back to UK/Ireland. Night on board *.

* Depending on the flight departure time you may arrive back in UK/Ireland today.