This 11-day South American vacation takes you to Guayaquil and the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador before exploring Lima and the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru. It features first-class and moderate accommodations, shared tours, and is an ideal pairing of some of South America’s most popular destinations.
Your journey begins with a breif stop in mainland Ecuador, before boarding a flight to the Galapagos Islands. After landing on Baltra, you’ll connect to your camp in the Santa Cruz highlands, where you’ll share the hillside with giant tortoises and enjoy stunning views of the colourful sunsets off the island. While in the Galapagos Islands, you’ll spend a few days following in Darwin's footsteps and exploring the biodiverse playground full of blue-footed boobies, inquisitive sea lions, and centuries old giant tortoises. One day, go sightseeing on a motor yacht, snorkelling through the waters and visiting Santa Fe Island, home to land iguanas that feed off the island’s prickly pear cactuses. The next day, explore La Loberia, named after its sea lion colony, and venture through the Untel del Amor, where you can share the waters with white-tipped reef sharks. You’ll also have time to hang out in the village of Puerto Ayora, visit Tortuga Bay, or learn about animal conservation at the Charles Darwin Research Station.
From Baltra, fly back to the mainland and connect to Lima, the capital of Peru and South America’s gastronomical capital. You’ll have a day to explore the city, starting in the cosmopolitan districts of Miraflores and San Isidro, where you’ll see a pre-Inca pyramid and enjoy the views off the coastal cliffs. Continue to Lima District, where you’ll explore Peru’s colonial history at the Presidential Palace and Archbishop’s Palace.
From Lima, fly to Cusco in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where you’ll have the rest of the day at leisure to acclimate to the high altitude. The next day, descend into the valley to visit the PARWA Center in Chinchero, explore the town’s Inca ruins, admire the views from Racchi Viewpoint, and summit the fortress of Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo, you’ll ride the train to Aguas Calientes, located at the foot of Machu Picchu Mountain. Spend the night and rise early the next day to ride the bus up the mountain to visit Macchu Picchu, the Lost Citadel of the Incas for yourself. Tour the mountaintop Incan ruins and learn about the history of this lost settlement that wasn’t discovered by the broader world until 1911. After soaking in the magic of this historic location, you’ll descend the mountain, ride the train to Ollantaytambo, and then connect back to Cusco. In Cusco, you’ll have another day to explore the former capital of the Inca Empire. Visit some of the colonial churches around the Plaza de Armas and hike up the fortress ruins of Sacsayhuaman, which overlook the entire city.
At the end of your stay, you’ll head to the airport to connect to your onward destination.