Galapagos Cruise + Peru

Itinerary

Day 1: Miami/Guayaquil, Ecuador

Depart U.S. and arrive Guayaquil by late evening. Upon arrival in Guayaquil, it’s a short drive to the Hotel Hilton Colón.

Day 2: Guayaquil/Baltra, Galápagos/Embark Polaris

Fly from Guayaquil to Baltra in the Galápagos Islands, where you embark M.S. Polaris.

Days 3-8: Exploring the Galapagos Islands

While your exact routing depends on the National Park Service, you may visit the following islands: Santa Cruz, Española, Floreana, Genovesa, Fernandina, Isabela, Bartolomé and Santiago. Here is a brief description of what each island offers. Santa Cruz: This epicenter of Galápagos administration is home to the National Park headquarters, as well as the Charles Darwin Research Station where you’ll learn about their vital preservation work. Wild giant tortoises forage in the highlands.Española: Blue-footed boobies and sea lions galore. Española marine iguanas and waved albatross (mid-April through mid-December) are exclusive to this island. Snorkel and stroll one of Galápagos’ best beaches. Floreana: Flamingos sometimes feed in the island’s large lagoon and colonies of sea lions and blue-footed boobies reside here. Snorkel with playful sea lions. Genovesa: Genovesa, a collapsed caldera, allows picture-perfect anchorage. It’s home to the red-footed and Nazca booby, a significant population of frigate birds; and it’s a great place to snorkel. Fernandina: Explore Punta Espinoza on Fernandina Island — the most pristine and youngest island in Galápagos — where marine iguanas warm themselves and sea lions bask by mangroves. Isabela: Visit the small town of Puerto Villamil and nearby saltwater lagoons, explore the island’s caves or simply stroll along a beautiful beach. Bartolomé: This is an enchanting landscape where lava, mangroves and beautiful golden sand converge. Great walks, views and a good chance to snorkel with penguins — a tropical oxymoron. Santiago: Santiago provides a chance to see the Galápagos fur seal, along with the opportunity to enjoy the best "tide pooling."

Day 9: Galápagos/Guayaquil/Lima, Peru

You'll leave Galápagos this morning and fly to Lima, Peru via Guayaquil, arriving in the early evening. The night will be spent at the gracious Orient Express Miraflores Park Hotel located in one of Lima's most exclusive residential neighborhoods. On Sunday you'll be getting up early for the flight to Cusco, so you are on your own for dinner in the hotel or at one of the restaurants in the neighborhood.

Day 10: Lima/Cusco/Sacred Valley of the I

This morning fly from Lima to Cusco and drive to Awanacancha, a farm where South American camelidae are bred. Enjoy the scenery as we make our way to Pisac - Gateway to the Sacred Valley of the Inca. Enjoy a walk through the local food market before visiting its famous ruins and checking into your hotel for the night, Sol y Luna.

Day 11: Sacred Valley of the Inca

This morning visit the massive Inca stone fortress of Ollantaytambo, thought to be the only remaining example of pre-Columbian urban planning. After lunch at the hotel, the afternoon is at your leisure for exploration and personal discovery. Tonight is a very special night. Dinner is an outdoor event complete with a campfire, BBQ and vibrant dances based on Peruvian folklore performed on stilts. A unique and personal cooking demonstration affords you the opportunity to witness firsthand, the preparation of Peruvian specialties like Ceviche.

Day 12: Machu Picchu

This morning visit the massive Inca stone fortress of Ollantaytambo. Then board the train for the 1 ½ -hour ride to Machu Picchu. At the citadel, “The Lost City of the Inca,” you first have a guided walk but the real magic is that between 4:30 PM and 10:00 AM. (last train departs/first train arrives) most visitors are gone. By staying over, you share Machu Picchu with only a handful of visitors. Overnight at Orient Express Sanctuary Lodge.

Day 13: Machu Picchu/Cusco

Watch the day break over the quiet ruins, an almost mystical experience for many. The morning is free to explore Machu Picchu. After lunch on your own, reboard the train for your journey to Cusco. Spend two nights at the Orient Express Monasterio Hotel.

Day 14: Cusco

The Inca Empire’s capital, Cusco, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere. The heart of the city is the Plaza de Armas. Visit the magnificent 17th-century cathedral built on Inca foundations, the Santo Domingo Convent – Koricancha – and the vast Sacsayhuaman Fortress, a premier example of Inca stonework.

Day 15: Cusco/Lima

This morning return to Lima and explore Colonial Lima, founded in 1535 by the conquistador Francisco Pizzaro. Visit the Larco Herrara Museum and its private collection of pre-Columbian art, pottery, textiles, jewelry and stonework. Stroll the Plaza Mayor. Lunch, a somewhat late one as is traditional in Latin America, will be a combination of food and museum, in a sense, at Casa Aliaga. Don Jeronimo de Aliaga, a nobleman from Castille, Admiral of the Seas, co-founder of Lima and founder of the first university in the Americas, built his house in 1535 on the grounds where the last Inca governor resided. Home to 17 generations of Aliagas, this ancestral mansion is the oldest private household in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. It is not open to the general public. This evening is on your own.

Day 16: Lima/Miami

After breakfast the morning, fly home.