The hidden gems of Peru and Ecuador

Day 1 : Lima

Reception at the arrival of your international flight at Jorge Chavez airport in Lima and transfer to the hotel. An English representative will greet you at the airport and hand you over your travel documents. Night at the hotel Barranco’s Bed & Breakfast

Day 2 : Lima

Half day dedicated to the visite of Lima!

Departure towards Surquillo market. This local market will allow you to discover the different products of the Peruvian terroir: fish, crustaceans, fresh fruits and vegetables, spices of all kinds.

Continue to the historical center to discover the colonial districts of the city center passing by Plaza San Martin and Plaza Armas and visit the Convent San Francisco and its catacombs. Transfer from the city center to the airport. Flight to Cusco. Reception at Cusco airport and transfer to the hotel. English speaking assistance from airport to hotel. Night at the hotel El Retablo.

Day 3 : Cusco

Departure for an half-day dedicated to the discovery of Cuzco’s historical downtown.

In the morning, visits of the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), and of the Cathedral, exhibiting some paintings from the School of Cuzco and many goldsmith’s art, silver and precious stones treasures.

Then we walk down to the San Blas quarter (the artists’ place).

Note: The Qoricancha is closed on Sunday mornings. Free afternoon in Cusco, navel of the Inca world.

Suggestions:

Free time in Cusco is generally appreciated for its walking possibilities in the many small cobbled streets of the city.

You can also take advantage of this moment to make your last purchases of souvenirs: clothes, jewelry and decoration, the choices are endless in Cusco! Night at the hotel El Retablo.

Day 4 : Cusco

At 8:00 am departure by private vehicle to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

First step, Pisac, one of the major sites of the Inca culture with different neighborhoods (administrative, religious, military) dotted in the mountains. You will observe the important terraces intended for agriculture and protecting from erosion. Then, stroll on its colorful artisanal market, one of the largest in the Sacred Valley!

Then Ollantaytambo direction. This village is also called the last living Inca village because its inhabitants maintain their very old customs and traditions. Then, visit the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo and its Cyclopean stones which was the seat of fierce battles between Incas and Spaniards. If time permits, after the visit you can stroll through the cobbled streets of the city. Train to Aguas Calientes, starting point for visiting Machu Picchu.

Note: The train company allows passengers to carry a cabin bag of up to 8 kg per person. It will be necessary to leave your checked luggage at the deposit of the hotel in the Sacred Valley and Cusco. Possibility of transferring luggage from one hotel to another).

Afternoon train. Night at the Tierra Viva Machu Picchu hotel.

Day 5 : Aguas Calientes

Direct connection to the shuttle service that will drive you to the citadel of Machu Picchu.

Departures, for the ascent and as well as the descent, run every 5 minutes.

Note: 1st shuttle to the citadel: 05:30am / Duration: 30 minutes

Last Shuttle to the citadel: 3:30pm / Last Shuttle to Aguas Calientes: 4:45pm Your guide accompanies you on the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Arrival on Machu Picchu, wonder of the world.

Machu Picchu is an ancient Inca city of the fifteenth century in Peru. Abandoned during the collapse of the Inca empire, the sacred city of the Incas was forgotten for centuries. It is considered a masterpiece of the architecture of this civilization. It was unveiled by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911.

Since 1983, the site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World by the NewOpenWorld Foundation, an unofficial, commercial organization. Finally the site is part of a whole cultural and natural complex known as the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu .

From 09:00 am: Access to the Machu Picchu site

At 09:00 am: Ascent of Montaña (3h30 – 4h round trip) Ascension subject to availability at the time of booking.

At 13:00 am: Visit of the main site of Machu Picchu (about 2h30 of visit) Train to Ollantaytambo.

Note: The train company allows passengers to carry a cabin bag of up to 8kg max . per person. It will be necessary to leave your checked luggage at the deposit of the hotel in the Sacred Valley and Cusco. Afternoon train. Reception at Ollantaytambo’s train station and transfer to the hotel in the Sacred Valley. Night at the hotel Casona Yucay.

Day 6 : Sacred Valley

In the morning, departure in a private vehicle for a day dedicated to the discovery of the Sacred Valley.

First stop at the cultural site of Moray, a former Incan agricultural laboratory.

Then, continuation of the excursion to Maras: salt mines in the middle of the Cordillera!

Visit of the village of Chinchero and its colonial church.

Drive back to Cuzco and transfer to the hotel. Night at the hotel El Retablo.

Day 7 : Puno

English speaking assistance from hotel to bus terminal station.

Departure by tourist bus to Puno, town located on the shores of Lake Titicaca. We enjoy wonderful landscapes along the road. We go over the Raya Pass, at an altitude of 4320 meters. Visits of the Pukara Museum, of the archaeological site of Raqchi and of the “Sistine Chapel” of the Andes in Andahuaylillas. Lunch included (buffet restaurant at Sicuani). An English-speaking guide, exclusive to the bus company, participates to the journey and gives information along the way. Reception at Puno bus station and transfer to the hotel. Night at the hotel Casona plaza centro.

Day 8 : Puno

In the morning, transfer at 7am to Puno harbor to embark on a collective boat for the islands of Uros and Taquile with an english/spanish speaking guide.

After twenty-five minutes, you will visit the floating islands which are not natural but were built by the Uros tribe, whose main activity is fishing.

We then head toTaquile (around 2 hourd cruise), an island with great cultural interest, whose inhabitants have remained without contact with the outside world for four centuries and have thus preserved their ancestral traditions. Men knit, women weave, you will discover the meaning of the different hats ports.

Lunch in a typical restaurant, not included.

Back to Puno in mid-afternoon.

Transfer to the hotel. You will have your own English speaking guide during the excursion. Night at the hotel Casona plaza centro.

Day 9 : Puno

Transfer to Juliaca’s airport.

On the way, visit to the Chullpas de Sillustani, burial towers built in stone, some of then high of twelve meters. Domestic flight to Lima. Reception at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Night at the hotel Barranco’s Bed & Breakfast

Day 10 : Lima

Three hours before your take-off, you will be transfered to Jorge Chavez airport in Lima to take your international return flight.

Day 11 : Guayaquil

Departure from your hotel to the airport by private transport with an english-speaking guide and a spanish-speaking driver. Domestic flight Guayaquil – Baltra. At the airport, after the payment of the migratory card ($20 per person) and the luggage control (20 kg maximum per person and 10kg for the hand luggage per person) , you can check in and embark for a 3 hours flight.

Arrival at Baltra airport, located on a small island near Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is the second biggest island of the archipel by its surface and the most populated. You will pay the entrance fee to the Galápagos National Park ($100 per person) before picking up your luggage.

Our local representant will take charge of you at the exit of the airport. You will reach the Canal of Itabaca in public bus (5 minutes) and you will cross the canal in public boat. From there, you will continue on the main island in private pick-up to arrive to Puerto Ayora ( 45 minutes)

You will visit the Charles Darwin Station. Here, you can learn about the ongoing conservation efforts on these Enchanted Islands. The Research Station rears endemic Galapagos plants, land iguanas, and giant Galapagos Tortoises for educational, scientific and conservation purposes.

Remark 1: These price can’t be paid in advance by our services, they have to be paid directly at the spots.

Remark 2: If the arrival time is before 10am, you will make a visit in the Highlands, at the Twin Craters or at Manzanillo ranch to see the giant turtlesin the wild, before reaching Puerto Ayora. Night in Deja Vu hotel in Santa Cruz island.

Day 12 : Puerto Villamil

Night in Wooden House hotel. For this morning, we will take the public speedboat to Isabela (2:30 approx.), the largest island of Galapagos and the most wild of the three biggest ones.

At Puerto Ayora harbour, your luggage will be checked again before embarking. You will need to take a taxi-boat (between $us 0.50 et $us 1 maximum per person) to reach the boat with which you will make the journey between the two islands.This service is to pay directly on the taxi-boat.

At Ihe arrival in Isabela, you will need to take another taxi-boat (maximum $us 1 per person) to disembark on the island. You willl also need to pay the local tax ($us 10) at Isabela harbour.

Once arrived at Isabela, you will have some time to rest at the hotel or walk around to the village.

You can also head to the Concha y Perla lagoon, where you could swim if lucky with sea lions, colorful varieties of fish, sea turtles and penguins.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Tintoreras Islet (20 min. from the port). The name of the islet derives from the sharks that live in the waters surrounding the islet that have whit-tipped fins, which are known as “Tintoreras”. The islet is one of the most fascinating places on Isabela Island and in fact all of the Galapagos. In this one area we can see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Sally lightfoot crabs, sea turtles, pelicans, and Galapagos penguins. As the island is one of the main breeding sites for the marine iguanas, it is an excellent place to see numerous amounts of these creatures close-up. After the hike through the islet, we will get back on the boat and cool off by snorkeling in the waters nearby, where we can see multicolor fish, starfish, sea-urchins, and with luck manta rays, sharks, and sea lions that may swim with us close up. we ensure you that you will not forget this fascinating experience.

Day 13 : Puerto Villamil

Night in Wooden House hotel. After breakfast we will prepare ourselves to depart for the Tunnels | Cape Rosa is a site located at 40 minutes by boat southwest of Puerto Villamil. The sighting of birds and marine animals from the lava platform is one of the most important attractions. While snorkelling at this site, experience enclose encounters with many species of fish, rays, sea turtles, penguins and sea lions.

During the rest of this day, we suggest to visit the Breeding Center of the Giant Tortoises and the Humid Lands on your own.

Day 14 : Puerto Villamil

Night in Wooden House hotel. Early in the morning (8:00 am aprox.), after breakfast, we will prepare ourselves for the Sierra Negra Volcano hike by putting on comfortable walking shoes and possibly a rain jacket, making sure our cameras are stored in waterproof bags, making sure to bring sunscreen, water, and hats, and finally by preparing our box lunch at the hotel to take with us. We will then travel approximately 45 minutes by truck or bus to begin the 12 km hike (appx. 3 hours). The hike is long in terms of distance, but not very difficult as the inclines and declines are quite gradual. Sierra Negra Volcano has the second largest crater in the world, measuring approximately 6 miles in diameter and 300 feet deep. We will reach Volcan Chico before heading back, which should provide a spectacular view of the incredible moonlike terrain. Return to Puerto Villamil for free end of afternoon.

Day 15 : Baltra

Domestic flight Baltra – Guayaquil. Free connection with your international flight. After a short early breakfast, departure by public boat to return to Puerto Ayora. You will be taken to Baltra’s airport so as to get your flight back to the continent.