Discover Galapagos & Machu Picchu (14D)
Our passengers can choose any of our Galapagos Boats and combine them with any of our Machu Picchu programs (all private tours). The example program below is a combination our popular Exploring Machu Picchu itinerary & Treasure of the Galapagos Catamaran itinerary. If "SPECIALS" are being offered for the Galapagos boat dates you are interested in, the program price will be adjusted accordingly - check out the boat pages for applicable specials).

DAY 1 (Sun) LIMA
Lima Accommodations
Arrival and transfer to your hotel. If you arrive early, we can arrange optional tours to visit the city and or museums.

DAY 2 (Mon) LIMA – CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Morning departure for flight to Cusco (10,856 ft.), center of the Inca Empire. Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel to check in and rest and acclimatize. In the afternoon, you will have a guided walking tour to visit the historic sites of Cusco, the colonial Cathedral and the impressive Temple of the Sun (Koricancha). We then transfer to the nearby fortress of Sacsayhuaman with its megalithic stone terraces; Kenko, with its carved stone surfaces and subterranean altars; the small fortress of Puka Pukara that protected the royal capital from attacks and the water temple Tambo Machay. Late afternoon transfer to your comfortable hotel in Cusco. (B)

DAY 3 (Tue) CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY
Sacred Valley Accommodations
Full day guided excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop will be the picturesque town of Pisac and its open air market*, this is a great opportunity to enjoy the lively market and/or to visit the ruins above the town. After lunch, we continue down the Urubamba valley to reach the charming town of Ollantaytambo (9,185 ft.). Here we will have plenty of time to explore the town and the impressive Inca fortress that towers nearby. The Urubamba valley was an important agricultural area in Inca times, as manifested by the many Inca remains dispersed throughout the valley. Overnight in Sacred Valley. *Due to its popularity, there is a market at Pisac every day, with the largest market day being Sun, as well as Tue & Thu. (B,L)

DAY 4 (Wed) SACRED VALLEY – MACHU PICCHU
Machu Picchu Accommodations
Morning transfer from your hotel to take the Vistadome train (8 am) from Ollantaytambo to the Aguas Calientes train station. The scenery during the ride down the Urubamba gorge changes from mountain vegetation to cloud forest. Arrival at the train station (9: 22 am) and a half hour bus ride will bring you to the mountain citadel of Machu Picchu (7,800 ft.). Once here, you will have a guided tour of the ruins (3 hrs approx). Lunch near the ruins at the Sanctuary Lodge. Afternoon exploration of ruins and return to Aguas Calientes by bus at time of your choice. Overnight Aguas Calientes hotel. (B,L)

DAY 5 (Thu) MACHU PICCHU – POROY – CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Early rise for those who want to experience the serene beauty of Machu Picchu in the morning (great opportunity for crowd less photos). Arrive early for the opportunity to climb the famous peak of Huayna Picchu (8,900 ft/2,720 m), which is beautifully situated overlooking the Machu Picchu ruins*. Rest of day you are free to explore the ruins at your leisure, hike to the Sun Gate or Inca Bridge. The mid-afternoon Vistadome train (3-4 pm approx) returns us to Poroy (3 hrs), where a private bus is waiting to transfer us the 20 minutes back to Cusco and your hotel. Overnight Cusco hotel. (B)

*Climbing Huayna Picchu – an early AM departure is essential, consult your guide as to the preferred departure time.

DAY 6 (Fri) CUSCO
Cusco Accommodations
Day is free to relax, shop or explore Cusco. (B)

DAY 7 (Sun) CUSCO - LIMA - QUITO
Quito Accommodations
Morning transfer to the airport for the return flight to Lima and your connecting international flight to Quito.  Airport pickup and transfer to hotel. Remainder of day at leisure.  Overnight Quito hotel. (B)

DAY 8 (Sun) QUITO (City Tour - private)
Quito Accommodations
A private walking city tour of Old Quito followed by a visit to Quito’s most impressive view. We depart early in the morning to Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll The Quito City tour starts with a stroll to the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its original gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive facade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. The city tour ends at a lookout point with a great view of Quito. Overnight Quito hotel. (B)

DAY 9 (Mon) QUITO - SAN CRISTOBAL (Interpretation Center)
Morning transfer to airport for your flight to the Galapagos to begin your cruise.
Begin Treasure of Galapagos Catamaran Cruise
San Cristóbal is the easternmost island in Galapagos; on its southwestern side is the town of Baquerizo Moreno, the capital of the province of Galapagos. Located here is the other airport in the Galapagos. Upon airport arrival, all passengers must pay the Galapagos Entrance Fee ($100.00 USD per person). Guides and transport will be waiting for passengers at the airport in order to begin the selected Galapagos cruises.

Interpretation Center - Opened to the public in 1998 by the Galápagos National Park, the San Cristobal Interpretation Center offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about the natural and human history of the islands. (Dry landing) (B,L,D)

DAY 10 (Tue) ESPANOLA (Gardner Bay, Punta Suarez)
Espanola is one of the most popular and attractive islands because it is one of the most isolated islands in the archipelago. The quantity and variety of wildlife here is remarkable, and it has a high proportion of natural fauna. On this island we will find waved albatrosses (April to December), blue footed bobbies, masked boobies, Galapagos hawks, Darwin finches, swallow-tailed gulls, Espanola mockingbirds, shorebirds sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and an impressive blowhole.

Gardner Bay - Offers a great possibility for the visitor to enjoy some beach time in the Galapagos. At the beach you can walk and watch sea lions, or just lie down and relax. Or you can go swimming and snorkeling. The rocks in front of the beach are excellent snorkeling sites. (Wet landing)

Punta Suarez - When landing, young sea lions surf the breaking waves, while a few steps inland groups of the Española variety of iguanas bask in the sun. Farther inland, Masked and Blue-foot Boobies nest almost right on the trail, Galapagos Doves peck around unaware of visitors and finches go about their business in the bushes. The trail continues toward the cliffs and the blowhole, a fissure in the lava where water spurts high in the air like a geyser. (Dry landing) (B,L,D)

DAY 11 (Wed) FLOREANA (Punta Cormorant, Post Office Bay)
Floreana is one of the most interesting islands in the Galapagos with early human inhabitants that date back to the 1930's. Floreana has a colorful history of pirates, whalers, convicts and colonists.

Punta Cormorant - At Punta Cormorant the landing is on a beach with green olivine sand. Several trails on the island allow you to explore and experience a brackish lagoon where long, skinny-legged flamingoes wade through the water, sifting shrimp with their curved bills. White-cheeked pintail ducks, stilts, and other shorebirds feed along with the flamingoes. The trail then goes over a hill to a stunning white beach consisting of ground coral where the green sea turtles nest. (Wet landing)

Post Office Bay - This is one of the most intriguing sites because of a wooden barrel that was put there in the 18th century by a group of whalers. From that time, tourists and seamen have used it as a post office. Visitors sift through the pile of postcards and letters deposited inside the barrel, and if they find one that they can deliver personally to its destination, they take it with them. (Wet landing) (B,L,D)

DAY 12 (Thu) ISABELA (Chico Volcano, Tortoise Breeding Center)R
Isabela is the largest island in the archipelago with a total area of 1,771 sq. miles (4,588 sq. Km). Composed by six shield volcanoes that have merged into a single land mass, it also has the highest point in the islands, Wolf Volcano. Isabela provides habitat for five subspecies of giant tortoise.

Chico Volcano - located northeast of Sierra Negra volcano at an altitude of approximately 860m (~2800 feet). Volcan Chico is a fissure of some parasitic cones, composed of slag and lava. This fissure had its last eruption in November 1979. Its activity lasted for a period of two weeks. On 13 April 1963, Chico Volcano had an even stronger eruption. The activity lasted one month, and at that time, the lava flows fell to Elizabeth Bay and covered a large sector east of the Sierra Negra volcano, consuming large sections of vegetation. Sulfur, iron and other cooled magma make up a colorful landscape.

Giant Tortoise Breeding Center – Created with the aim of preventing the extinction of the threatened races of giant tortoises. Eggs are collected from natural nests and brought to the center for incubation, rearing and eventual release. (B,L,D)

DAY 13 (Fri) SANTA CRUZ (Highlands) – BALTRA – QUITO
Quito Accommodations
Santa Cruz Island is the second largest island in the Galapagos. Puerto Ayora is a charming town on the southeast shore of Santa Cruz and is the economic center of this archipelago. On this island you will have the opportunity to visit the Charles Darwin Station and see how the conservation of the islands is conducted. Here the visitor will see the famous Galapagos or Giant Tortoises that give the name to the archipelago. The station is a tortoise breeding and rearing center, providing good opportunities to photograph tortoises of all sizes.

Charles Darwin Research Station (Puerto Ayora) - The Darwin Station is located near the south shore town of Puerto Ayora. Scientists, park rangers and park managers make huge efforts to preserve and protect the Galapagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises of different subspecies are prepared for reintroduction to their natural habitats. (Dry landing)

Transfer to the Baltra airport for your return flight to Quito. Arrive Quito, airport pickup and transfer to hotel. (B)

DAY 14 (Sat) QUITO – HOME (or begin extension program)
Transfer to the airport for your international departure home (End of Services). Galapagos adventures, Trip Extensions to other regions or Extra Days in Quito can also be arranged. (B)

Key: (B)reakfast (L)unch (D)inner

Physical Requirements: This trip involves easy to moderate walking in the Galapagos and at high elevations in Peru (above 10,000 ft.). Good walking/aerobic fitness is required. Any physical activity at high altitude can be a challenge. It is the traveler’s responsibility to best evaluate their physical ability to meet the stated Physical Requirements.

PRICING:

Trip Cost Per Person:   (2 passenger minimum / 4 star hotels):
$3750 - Discover Galapagos (Treasure Catamaran) & Machu Picchu (14D)

Optional
$475 - Treasure of Galapagos Suite Upgrade (5 Day Cruise)

***Contact us for a trip quote based on any other Galapagos boat selection***

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PERU
Price includes: Bilingual guides for all tours as noted, all airport/hotel transfers, all land transport during the itinerary, cost of entry for all scheduled tours and archaeological sites, all hotel accommodations, all meals (as noted).

Not included: International airfare (to/from USA), internal and connecting airfare (will be quoted with trip proposal), lunches and dinners in the cities (unless otherwise noted), personal expenses (tips and gratuities, alcoholic beverages, medical or travel insurance, laundry, airport taxes, etc.).

GALAPAGOS
Price includes: Galapagos Cruise (as noted in proposal), English speaking naturalist guide while in the Galapagos, all meals in the Galapagos (as noted), local representative, 2 nights hotel & 4 airport/hotel transfers.

Not included: Galapagos airfare (will be quoted with trip proposal), international airfare (to/from USA), airport taxes, travel insurance, boat fuel surcharge (if applicable), entrance fees to Galapagos National Park (unless otherwise noted).

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Accommodation: hotels included in program will be set at the same level as those included with the Galapagos cruise program (unless otherwise indicated or requested).

Airfare: Roundtrip Airfare (Quito/Gal/Quito - price subject to change)
$370 - Low Season: (Sep 15 - Oct 31, May 1 - June 14)
$425 - High Season: (June 15 - Sept 14, Nov 1 - April 30)

Single Supplement (hotel/lodges): Trip cost is based on twin shared hotel accommodations, a single supplement charge is assessed for those traveling alone or preferring single hotel/cabin accommodations.

Trip Extensions: Ecuador Day Tours and Peru Day Tours are a great way to complement your Galapagos & Machu Picchu Tour experience.

Carbon Offset Program:

Go South Adventures is proud to promote the CarbonFund.org program - which gives all of us the ability to offset our carbon footprint both at home and while traveling on a Go South Adventure. Learn more at CarbonFund.org, where their motto is: "Reduce what you can. Offset what you can't".