Machu Picchu & Galapagos Wonders featuring a 4-Night Cruise to the West Islands

• Day
  1

  Lima, Peru

  Touch down in Lima, the “City of Kings.” Across ancient lands and earthly legends, experience the mysticism of the Peruvian Andes. Due to late flight schedules, there are no scheduled activities today and dinner is on your own.

  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium Miraflores
• Day
  2

  Lima

  Become fascinated by Lima’s history on a tour through the historic center, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, where the elegant Cathedral at Plaza de Armas stands out among the colonial architecture. Visit the former home of a conquistador and feel the surge of colonial and republican life. Enjoy some free time this afternoon to discover Lima on your own. Get to know new friends over a menu of artful Peruvian dishes at a welcome dinner.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium Miraflores
• Day
  3

  Lima - Cuzco - Sacred Valley

  Fly over the Andes on your way to Cuzco, the heart of the Inca civilization. Follow the trails of this Andean paradise with a local guide to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Stop in Pisac village and browse a handicraft market full of vibrant colors. Discover why Peru has consistently been named the world’s top food travel destination during a fun-filled interactive cooking class where you will learn how to master ceviche and pisco sours. Settle into your hotel nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley and relax in the calm surroundings of the Andes.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium Sacred Valley
• Day
  4

  Sacred Valley - Ollantaytambo - Sacred Valley

  Visit the terraced ruins of Ollantaytambo, the only Incan settlement that has remained continually inhabited since its inception. At the ceramic studio of artist Pablo Seminario, see how he utilizes the intricate techniques inspired by ancient Peruvian cultures. Deep dive into the cultures of modern Andean people and experience an Impact Moment as you mingle with a nearby community. Thanks to their effort and teamwork, tourism has become an additional source of income for agriculture, which has positively impacted their quality of life. Learn traditional methods of growing, harvesting, and weaving, listen to their music, and learn their dances before enjoying a farm-to-table meal of local specialties prepared just for your group. Arrive back at your hotel in the early evening for a relaxed night on your own.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium Sacred Valley
• Day
  5

  Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu

  Get ready for an unforgettable day as you hop aboard your train to Machu Picchu, where views of the Andes astound through panoramic windows as you climb toward the “Lost City of the Incas.” Uncover the mysteries of this “Lost City” at the meeting point between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin. Wrapped inside a semi-tropical jungle and hidden by mountains, Machu Picchu, or La Ciudadela (the Citadel), is one of the world’s most spectacular archaeological sites.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu
• Day
  6

  Machu Picchu - Cuzco

  This morning, take advantage of free time and explore the local markets in Aguas Calientes on your own, or opt for a second visit to Machu Picchu. This is an incredible opportunity to experience the ancient citadel in the softer morning light, when the site is often more peaceful and serene. This afternoon, return to the Sacred Valley by train. Upon arriving in Cuzco this evening, feel the local culture at a special community dining experience.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium
• Day
  7

  Cuzco

  This morning, it’s your choice! Travel above the city to discover the Incan ruins of Sacsayhuamán Fortress -OR- embark on a walking tour through the enchanting streets of Cuzco, going off the beaten path and uncovering the city’s best-kept secrets. After, come together for a tour of Cuzco, visiting the San Pedro Market, the Koricancha Temple, the central Plaza de Armas, and the Cuzco Cathedral. This evening, enjoy flexible dining at a popular local restaurant featuring the local flavors of Cuzco.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  Casa Andina Premium
• Day
  8

  Cuzco - Quito, Ecuador

  This morning, fly to Quito, Ecuador’s stunning capital city, and your home for the next two nights. An intersection of mountains and colonial architecture, this city is a UNESCO World Heritage site full of lively culture and vibrant history.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  Accommodations:  Mercure Hotel Alameda
• Day
  9

  Quito

  Today, tour the Presidential Palace in Quito’s colonial center. After lunch, stand at the “Middle of the World,” situated between two hemispheres, at the Equatorial Line Monument and Museum. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  Accommodations:  Mercure Hotel Alameda
• Day
  10

  Quito - Baltra - Embark Ship - Santa Cruz Highlands, Galápagos

  Fly to Baltra, the gateway of the Galápagos, to launch your eco-adventure aboard the M/Y Coral II,* an exclusive yacht that serves as your home for the next four nights. After dry landing on Santa Cruz Island, head from the coast to the dense humid forests and the Highlands Tortoise Reserve. In addition to the famed Galápagos giant tortoises, you may also spot many kinds of birds, such as tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets, which are usually found standing on the tortoises’ shells.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  M/Y Coral II
• Day
  11

  Isabela Island - Fernandina Island

  On Isabela Island, soak in the wonders of one of the richest marine havens on earth during deep-water snorkeling in Bolivar Channel. Then, take a dinghy ride along the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, and flightless cormorants. Continue on to make a dry landing on Fernandina Island, where the largest, most primitive-looking marine iguanas are found mingling with sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. You may even encounter flightless cormorants at their nesting sites, Galápagos penguins, and the “king” of predators on the islands, the Galápagos hawk!

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  M/Y Coral II
• Day
  12

  Isabela Island

  Make a wet landing today on the volcanic black beaches of Urbina Bay, home to giant tortoises, land iguanas, and the unusual flightless cormorant. Here, colorful varieties of plants and flowers attract unusual insects, birds, and reptiles. Enjoy time to snorkel, possibly swimming alongside sea turtles, sea lions, and countless tropical fish. Don’t miss the remarkable views of the Alcedo Volcano from the island’s uplifted coral reef. Travel from Urbina to Tagus Cove for a dry landing. Take the trail that leads to Darwin’s saltwater crater lake, offering excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations. A dinghy ride along the shoreline full of marine wildlife highlights a variety of seabirds, such as the Brown Noddy, blue-footed boobies, terns, and depending on the season, a large number of Galápagos penguins which are only 35 centimeters tall and the only penguin species to live in the tropics. Keep an eye out for graffiti believed to have been left by 19th-century pirates.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  M/Y Coral II
• Day
  13

  Santiago Island

  Walk in Darwin’s footsteps today on Santiago Island. Begin with a wet landing at Egas Port’s black volcanic sand beach, visited by Darwin in 1835. Take a unique trail formed by volcanic ash that transitions halfway to an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock. The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago is home to the bizarre, yellow-crowned night heron and marine wildlife such as lobster, starfish, and marine iguanas that graze on algae alongside Sally Lightfoot crabs. Colonies of fur seals swim in volcanic rock pools. After landing in Sullivan’s Bay on southeastern Santiago Island, walk through the otherworldly landscape of solidified pahoehoe lava flows, formed during the last quarter of the 19th century.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  Accommodations:  M/Y Coral II
• Day
  14

  Santa Cruz - Disembark Ship - Quito - Tour Ends

  Your last landing in the Galápagos is on the north side of Santa Cruz at Bachas Beach, where ponds entice Galápagos flamingos to visit and iguanas to sunbathe, and where coastal birds, such as Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and gulls, flutter among the red and black mangroves. This beach is also one of the main sea turtle nesting sites in the Galápagos and home to the remains of barges that sank during World War II. Bid the Galápagos goodbye and return to Quito, where a day room will be available close to the airport before your flight home.

  • Meals Included:
  • Breakfast

Optional Activities:

• Early Morning Machu Picchu Experience

  Location: Lima
  Price: $129.00 per person

  
  Ascend to Machu Picchu in the early morning and enjoy one of the most peaceful times of day within this awe-inspiring sanctuary. Enter the citadel before the main crowds arrive and experience the site at its most tranquil. Wander through its terraces, temples, and viewpoints at your own pace, or simply find a quiet spot to take in the breathtaking Andean scenery as the morning light reveals the majesty of this ancient Incan wonder. Duration approximately 3.5 hour(s). Transportation is included. A minimum of 6 passenger(s) is required to operate this option. This option needs to be purchased at least 30 days prior to tour departure and is non-refundable after purchase. This option is self-guided and includes bus and entrance tickets. Departure time will vary but will typically take place before 8:00 a.m. and you will have up to 3 hours on the mountain. Travelers will walk approximately 5-10 minutes from the hotel to the bus with the Tour Manager, then to the pick-up location where they will hop on the included roundtrip transfer to Machu Picchu themselves. Travelers will have the opportunity to explore Machu Picchu on their own and will need to return to Aguas Calientes with sufficient time to board their group train departure. The Tour Manager will advise on the recommended return time. Machu Picchu is extremely popular and access is regulated through several designated circuits. For this optional second visit, Collette will make every effort to secure a different circuit than the one used during your included group visit the previous day. However, availability is limited and specific circuits cannot be guaranteed. Additionally, travelers who book within 150 days of departure may be assigned a different circuit, and in some cases, a different entry time than the main group, depending on what permits remain available at the time of booking.

Tour Extensions:

Pre-tour Extension

• 3 Day Peruvian Amazon Extension (Land Only)

  Price: $599.00 per person

  
  Travel to the Peruvian Amazon and experience the sights and sounds from your rainforest lodge, for a first-hand opportunity to delight in the mighty Amazon. Your naturalist guide will lead you on a trek through Tambopata National Reserve. Explore by canoe in search of giant otters and caimans; keep an eye out for howler and capuchin monkeys, agoutis, toucans and many other species of birds; venture out for a nocturnal walk to see what animals and insects are active at night; and enjoy the unforgettable atmosphere. The Inkaterra canopy walkway awaits as you ascend 98-feet in the air and cross a series of hanging bridges that connect the treetops or stay an extra night in Miraflores.

Pre-tour Hotel

• Casa Andina Premium Miraflores

  Price: $75.00 per person

Tour extensions are 1-night in length, unless noted otherwise.