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Itinerary includes:
• 7-night hotel accommodation in Ecuador and Peru’s destinations.
• Exclusive transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
• Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu archaeological sites and archaeological and cultural sites indicated on the itinerary.
• Round trip Bus tickets from Machu Picchu ruins to the village of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu.)
• Round trip Train tickets by Vistadome Service from Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu.)
• Yacht la Pinta Packages includes accommodations, all meals, island sightseeing’s, naturalists and lecture services, snorkeling gear, taxes and transfers in the islands.
Itinerary does not include:
• International and domestic airfares.
• Round trip air ticket Guayaquil – Galapagos Islands.
• Entrance fee to Galapagos National Park (100 USD subject to change without previous notice)
• Galapagos entry card (10 USD subject to change without previous notice)
• Meals or any other item not described in the itinerary.
• Personal expenses and gratuities.
• Tips to guides and hotels’ staff.
• International airport tax from Lima and Quito
• Domestic airport taxes in Peru
• Peruvian local taxes (19% V.A.T. is applicable only to Peruvian and foreign residents of Peru; in order to be exempted you will need to show your passport.)
• Items not specified.
Note: Final itinerary is subject to change due to final approval of the Galapagos National Park.
Day 1 Arrive Lima
Upon your arrival to Lima you will be met by an airport supervisor and transfer driver who will assist you with your luggage and escort you to the hotel selected. Assistance at the hotel with the check-in procedures and provided information for the rest of the itinerary. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Classic Miraflores Centro or similar.
Day 2 Lima - Sacred Valley
Early morning transfer to the Lima airport to board your flight to the city of Cusco (1 hour).
Upon your arrival to Cusco's airport you will be met by a driver who will assist you with your luggage and drive you to the hotel located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in the town of Urubamba. Morning at leisure to adapt to sudden change in altitude.
Enjoy a fabulous typical Andean luncheon at one of the best restaurants in the area. After lunch, an early afternoon visit to the town of Pisac and Awanacnacha; an excursion to the famous Pisac Ruins and the town’s colorful market fair or “mercado� where the idea of “trueque� (goods exchange) was used for centuries. Afterwards, a stop at Awanacancha, to observe traditional Andean weaving and to see the four types of camel-related Andean animals – llamas, guanacos, alpacas and vicunas. Discover the methods of ancient weaving techniques. Finally, a walking around through the magnificent ruins of the Ollantaytambo Fortress. Return to the hotel for overnight. Hotel La Casona de Yucay or similar
Meal: B, L
Day 3 Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu
Your guide will meet you at your hotel very early this morning. You will be driven to the Ollantaytambo train station to board the alpine train, for a dramatic train ride to Machu Picchu, the great mountain-top city abandoned by the Inca Empire, reclaimed by the jungle and lost to humanity until its rediscovery in 1911. The legendary 'Lost City of Machu Picchu' is without a doubt one of the world's most impressive archaeological sites. Built by the Incas on the summit of "Machu Picchu" (Old Peak), overlooking the deep canyon of the Urubamba river in a semi-tropical area 120 Km. (75 miles) from the city of Cuzco at 3,400 m.a.s.l (11,155 f.a.s.l) It sits on a mountain site of extraordinary beauty, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest; Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height, with its giant walls, terraces and ramps, which appear as though they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. Machu Picchu is also one of the Inca's best kept secrets, since they did not left written records and Spanish chronicles make no mention of the citadel, it remains a mystery.
Upon arrival to the ruins, a guided tour of the lost citadel, followed by lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge.
Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Machu Picchu.
Hotel Hatuchay Tower or similar
Meal: B, L, D
Day 4 Machu Picchu – Cusco
Morning at leisure in Aguas Calientes and enjoy a traditional lunch at Aguas Calientes. You can have the opportunity to experience Machu Picchu archaeological site for a second time in a different way (Optional.)
Afternoon return to Cuzco by train. Upon arrival at the Cuzco train station you will be met by your driver who will transfer you to you the hotel.
Tonight enjoy a culinary show in Cusco that offers more than a gastronomic experience to travelers, as it features delightful Peruvian cuisine accompanied by the richness of Peruvian dances. This spectacle was designed for those who want to learn and feel the different cultural expressions of Peru. Overnight at Hotel Casa Andina Classic Koricancha or similar.
Meal: B, D
Day 5 Cusco – Lima – Quito
Morning at leisure in Cusco.
Early afternoon, a tour of the city of Cusco, the “Navel of the World� for the Incas. Cusco remains today a city that blends colonial Spanish charm with older, more austere remains of pre-Columbian glory. A sightseeing tour of the city of Cusco which includes a visit of the city's most important historical monuments, The Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral, the Koricancha Temple, and a visit to the surrounding ruin of the Sacsayhuaman Fortress. After the tour, a transfer and drive to the airport to board your flight to Lima.
Upon arrival to Lima you will be met by our airport supervisor who will assist you with your luggage and check-in procedures in order to board your international flight to Quito.
Arrival to Quito from Lima. Escorted transfer between airport and hotel. Overnight in Quito at Hotel Plaza Grande or similar
Meal: B
Day 6 Quito
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañia de Jesus and its awesome gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.
Lunch at one of the excellent restaurants in Quito or the equator area.
Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Km (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.
Overnight in Quito at the selected Hotel.
Meal: B, L
Day 7-13 Quito – Galapagos Islands
Escorted transfer to the airport to board your flight to the astonished Galapagos Islands (1 hour.)
Galapagos Islands on board the exclusive brand new Yacht La Pinta.
Meals: (B/L/D)
Yacht La Pinta offers ultimate luxurious expedition adventure in the Galapagos Islands.
La Pinta itinerary will include the Galapagos' main highlights on its Friday to Friday expeditions. During the 8 days / 7 nights you will have comfort and safety aboard the 48-guest yacht in which a full board program is included. You will thoroughly enjoy the variety of colourful tropical fruit juices every morning, and the generous buffet for lunch, with many fresh salads, cold cuts, cheeses, seafood and of course, plenty of vegetarian options. All meals are free seating with no dress code.
Baltra Island: This is where the journey starts. An uplifted island from the sea bed is the starting point. Look around and see hundreds of cacti outcrop in the middle of the tropics. You will begin getting in contact with outstanding nature between pelican plunges, booby flies overhead, and frigate bird hovers way up in the sky.
Bartolome Island: An open book of geology awaits us. Let your eyes wander off and find the most unique volcanic features; lava flows, cinder cones, lava tubes. Once near the shore look for black & white movement along the rocks; you are witnessing the only tropical penguin on Earth. Later, take the plunge and feel the power of the Galapagos Marine Reserve. A torpedo-like creature flies through the water amidst colourful fish: penguins again!
Fernandina Island: We are looking at one of the youngest island volcanoes of our planet. That dome-shape summit is a sign that change occurs rather rapidly at this isle. Pitch dark and black lava flows dominate the land here. The refreshing green of mangroves provides shelter for sea lions and other species. This island is home to the only cormorant that gave up flying: the Galapagos Flightless Cormorant. If black rocks seem to quietly move, it is most likely that you are watching the largest clusters of marine iguanas of the archipelago. Watch them graze on the emerald-green algae.
Isabela Island: Far out to the west, this island is the result of volcanic fusion; six volcanoes have joined forces to create an island shaped like a sea horse. Here, land iguanas roam the land next to bulldozer-like giant tortoises. An uplifted piece of land reveals a not-so-distant volcanic past. Look for gaunt marine skeletons as evidence that this once was ocean and now is land. The plankton-rich waters attract encounters with goliaths of the ocean: whales. Energetic dolphins consider the ocean an evolutionary playground. Can you measure happiness when you see dolphins play?
Floreana Island: History tells us, this is where humans saw hope. Pirates, sailors, privateers, whalers, colonizers, and other adventurous explorers found here a reason to call on Galapagos, at World’s End. Charles Darwin also noticed some strange beauty on this tropical-desert island. This island holds one of the oldest ways of posting items in the middle of the sea: Post-Office Bay. Flamingos inhabit brackish-water ponds, while sea turtles nest upon beaches. Endless numbers of large parasitic cones take over the landscape. Take another plunge and fishes abound. This is paradise in Technicolor.
Santa Cruz Island: Once upon a time violent eruptions occurred here. Evidence of such past is caves where lava oozed in different directions. Now, we can walk through them. It is also the place where highland vegetation has taken over the volcanic boulders. Such plants provide food for the Galapagos’ largest reptile: giant tortoises. Watching them roving in the wild becomes the voyage’s unforgettable moment. Look for orchids, ferns, mosses, and even mistletoes. The island also hosts Ecuador’s largest conservation effort: the Charles Darwin Research Station. On the northern side of this large island, land iguanas and giant tree-cacti will surprise us again. Contrasts… redefined.
James Island: This was Charles Darwin’s favourite island. He was touched by the many different types of habitats seen here. By now, it is easy to understand why Galapagos was a true wake-up call for him. The eroded shores of this island include black beaches made out of volcanic ash. This location holds one of the strangest marine mammals in the tropics: fur sea lions. What is a furry animal doing in the tropics? Galapagos hawks patiently look for lizards, just as herons patiently look for fish. If you have an eye for migrant birds, get ready for a fair good number of new records. Sunsets here win the prize!
Rabida Island: Red is not a common colour in Galapagos. A male frigate bird carries a red pouch, just like an oystercatcher holds a red beak. In higher elevations a male vermillion flycatcher will stand out from plants, just like red hot lava gently flows on black slopes. This island shows the uncommon: red terrain against a blue ocean. It is an artist’s dream come true. Pelicans nest here, and their neighbours are sea lions that peacefully rest on red sand. Another plunge and more marine creatures will surprise us. Every inch of this location is blooming with life. Let your senses work overtime.
North Seymour Island: Here, it seems like a volcano just collapsed and sank. In fact, the opposite happened; a volcano rose from the depths of the ocean and formed an island. Brown and white rocks hold large amounts of life, but it is here where sounds will impress you the most. Sea birds are always on the lookout for mates or food. Watch a male frigate bird and its red-scarlet pouch attract a mate, or watch a couple of blue-footed boobies parade. Look carefully near the shores, as sally-light foot crabs add orange to this ever-dark stones. If the ocean shows a swell, sea lions will surf it well. This is where humans don’t touch nature, but where nature touches humans.
Sombrero Chino: Perhaps, this is one of the most remarkable examples of volcanic activity. This volcanic cone is surrounded by aquamarine colours mixed with basaltic blacks. This small islet is a satellite of neighbouring James Island. Its secluded white beaches host sea lions, marine iguanas, and great marine diversity. Rays, fishes, penguins, and more, are common underwater highlights at this picturesque location. This island offers “wildlife a la mode�.
San Cristobal: Out in the eastern corner of the archipelago lies an island where extremes are found: old and young lava flows. This volcanic enigma puzzled Charles Darwin too. This was the first island where he set foot. Island endemics are evidence of great isolation, and it is here where a unique type of mockingbird and lava lizard can be observed. Your eyes will never get tired of seeing the dramatic volcanic vistas, including famous Kicker Rock out in the ocean.
Friday: Baltra Island & North Seymour Island
Saturday: Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island) & Punta Moreno (Isabela Island)
Sunday: Post Office Bay, Champion Islet (Floreana Island) & Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
Monday: Rabida Island (Jervis) & Las Bachas (Santa Cruz Island)
Tuesday: Highlands of Santa Cruz Island & Puerto Ayora and the Charles Darwin Research Station
Wednesday: Sullivan Bay (James Island) & Puerto Egas (James Island)
Thursday: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal (Chatham) Island) & Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
Friday: Baltra Island
Meal: B, L, D
Day 14 Galapagos Islands – Quito
Breakfast at the yacht and transfer to the airport to board your Galapagos Islands-Quito flight. Arrival to Quito and private transfer to the selected Hotel. Overnight.
Meal: B
Day 15 Depart Quito
Private transfer between the hotel and the airport for your homebound flight.
Meal: B
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