BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY – 2 PEOPLE |
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| Luxury Class 5***** | |
| Accom.Quito | Swissotel |
| Coral Cabin | Junior |
| Accom. Lima | Country Club |
| Accom. Cusco | Monasterio |
| Train Tickets | Hiram Bingham |
DAY 1: Sunday – ARRIVAL QUITO
Meeting and assistance upon arrival in Quito and transfer to the Hotel. Overnight. (No meals)M/V Galapagos Legend
Cruise (Mon – Thu) / 4 days / 3 night
*Schedule activities at the Galapagos Island could vary depending on the travel dates chosen. Please contact to our travel agents for more information.
DAY 2: MONDAY – BALTRA AIRPORT
Departure from Quito to Baltra (2 hours flight /Airfare included). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend.
PM – Highlands – Pit Craters (Santa Cruz)
Dry landing. A 45-minute bus ride will take us to the Santa Cruz highlands, located to the northwest of Puerto Ayora, where we will find a natural reserve with giant tortoises. These enormous and slow-moving reptiles are responsible for the island’s name and therefore approaching them in their humid and forested abode is always an inspiring adventure. They can weigh between 250 and 300 kg and can live up to 150-200 years. Additionally, travelers can walk inside surprising lava tubes; we also visit Pit Craters created from the collapse of surface materials into chamber fissures underground. It’s a great place spot to spot Vermilion Flycatcher as we walk inside an endemic Scalesia forest.
Difficulty level: easy
Type of terrain: flat & muddy sometimes (depending on season)
Duration: 45 minutes drive / 1h30 walk
DAY 3: TUESDAY – EGAS PORT / SALT MINES (SANTIAGO)
Wet landing on a beach of black volcanic sand, visited by Darwin in 1835. The first section of the trail is comprised of volcanic ash (eroded tuff) and the other half of partially uneven terrain is comprised of volcanic basaltic rock lounging the shoreline.
The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago’s shores is home to a variety of resident and migrant birds, including the bizarre Yellow-crowned Night Heron and astounding array of marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally Light-foot Crabs. Colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water pools formed by volcanic rocks are also a highlight.
Snorkeling here offers rarities such as octopus and squid. We organize optional visits to the Salt Mines where you can observe the two species of sea lions: fur and Galapagos sea lions.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: the first part flat and then semi rocky.
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling
If Salt Mines is chosen:
Duration: 2h30 walk / 30 minutes snorkeling
PM – Bartolomé
Dry landing. We discover a fascinating moonscape formed by different volcanic parasitic cones —lava bombs, spatter, cinder cones —as we hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock. We also encounter marine iguanas and lava lizards.
Beach time is a great opportunity to snorkel and see (perhaps swim with) Galapagos Penguins, sea turtles and White-tipped Reef Sharks among a great variety of colorful fish. For many visitors, this may turn out to be the best of snorkeling experiences; the water here is generally clear, without too much surf and full of marine life.
Due to its geographical location, the lack of vegetation is immediately noticeable. Pioneer plants are observed, so called because they are the first to establish roots on new ground. They include Tiquilia nesiotica (which is endemic to the island) and Chamaesyce (known as sand mat or spurge in English), lava cactus, and Scalesia bushes. Behind the beach we have dunes covered by mangroves.
Difficulty level: intermediate.
Type of terrain: trail made of steps (370 steps)
Duration: 1h30 walk / 1 hour snorkeling
DAY 4: WEDNESDAY – DRAGON HILL (SANTA CRUZ)
Dry landing. We walk by a brackish lagoon where feeding flamingos can be occasionally found. The trail leads across typical dry zone vegetation up to Dragon Hill, an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, offering lovely views of the anchorage and neighboring islands. The forest is home to mockingbirds, Darwin’s finches, Yellow Warblers and Galapagos Doves.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk
PM – North Seymour
Dry landing. This is perhaps one of the busiest tourist destinations on the archipelago. Off of Baltra Island (where the airport is located) and not far from Santa Cruz, North Seymour is the most accessible for day trips out of Santa Cruz’s main port, Puerto Ayora.
An approximately two hour walk amidst large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigatebirds, and swallow-tailed gulls for an in depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles and as well as sea lions. You will also encounter sea lions, land iguanas, and on a lucky day, you might even come across a Galapagos Snake.
Difficulty level: intermediate
Type of terrain: rocky
Duration: 2 hours walk
DAY 5: THURSDAY – BALTRA AIRPORT
In the morning you will go straight to the airport for return flight to Quito (airfares included). Hotel Overnight (B)
*About the Galapagos Islands:
We reserve the right to alter or omit any part of an itinerary, and reverse the order of places to be visited or change any space reservation without prior notice due to readjustment of National park policies, seasonal changes, safety reasons weather conditions or force majeure which may dictate these changes. These decisions are oriented in terms of passenger safety and in the interest of the islands conservation.
DAY 6: FRIDAY – QUITO – LIMA
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your connection flight to Lima (Airfare Not Included) to take an exciting extension to Peru, Cusco and Machu Picchu. Upon arrival transfer the Hotel. Overnight. (B)
DAY 7: SATURDAY – LIMA – CUSCO
Transfer to the Lima airport for the flight to Cuzco (Airfare Not Included).
Upon arrival to Cusco Airport. Reception and transportation to the Hotel where you will receive an aromatic coca tea to stimulating for the height, will have the free morning to rest and also we suggest you have a light lunch in either your hotel or in one of the surrounded; in the afternoon we will depart on a City tour (entrance to the archaeological centers and museums including) we will visit the Main square, Cathedral, the Koricancha (temple of the sun) and in addition we will make a route bordering archaeological centers like Sacsayhuaman Fortress, Q’enko, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, tour finishes 6:30pm approximately at the main square in order you can take dinner in one of the exquisite restaurants in the area, then overnight. (B)
NOTES:
*City tour: from 1.45pm to 6:30pm approx. (Pickup from the hotel starts at 1:15pm)
DAY 8: SUNDAY – FULL DAY MACHUPICCHU TOUR
Breakfast and at 8.15am pick up to go Poroy Train’s station. The Hiram Bingham departs from Poroy Station (20 minutes outside Cusco) at 9.00am which gives a more leisurely start to the day than the traditional 6am departures of other train services to Machu Picchu.
Brunch is served on board the train whilst passengers watch the spectacular scenery unfolding before them. From the agricultural plains of the Sacred Valley, to the crashing waters of the Urubamba River, and as you get closer to Machu Picchu the soaring mountains, the scenery is constantly changing, and the Hiram Bingham travels at a speed where this can be appreciated.
The train arrives into Aguas Calientes where private minibuses await passengers to escort them on the fifteen minute journey up to the citadel, avoiding the queues.
Upon arrival at the Machu Picchu entrance, passengers can go straight into the citadel as tickets will have been pre-purchased for all guests.
A guide will escort you around the citadel in small groups, pointing out the best of the ruins and recounting the history of this Inca settlement.
After the guided tour, guests are given the choice to wander alone through this fascinating World Heritage site, or to enjoy Afternoon Tea at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, the Orient-Express hotel located right at the entrance to the citadel.
The Hiram Bingham departs at 18.00. Guests are welcomed back on board with pre-dinner cocktails served in the Bar Car with live musical entertainment. Later a 4-course, à la carte dinner is served in the dining cars. The train pulls into Poroy station just outside Cusco at 21.25. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. Overnight.
WHAT’S INCLUDED ON HIRAM BINGHAM?
On-board meals with Peruvian wine, cusqueña Beer, soft drinks and hot drinks (brunch on outward journey, dinner on return), on-board entertainment, guides, bus transfers, entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary and afternoon tea at Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, pre-dinner cocktails.
DAY 9: MONDAY – FULL DAY SACRED VALLEY TOUR
Breakfast. You will be picked up at 8:15 am. Full day excursion to the Urubamba Valley visiting: the colorful Indian market in Pisac where a mixture of color and tradition will be able appreciated besides will have a good opportunity to try our bargain skills on the free time to interact with the local craftsmen to purchase their hand-made souvenirs. The Valley has a distance of 31 km (19 miles) of Cusco, and an altitude of 2,970 ms (9,700 p), Pisac is located to the entrance of the Sacred Valley and followed by Ollantaytambo, the older town continuously occupied of the American continent. The narrow streets of Ollantaytambo, along with their channels that have not varied from the time Inca, evoke their ancestral inheritance, lunch in a typical restaurant and then the last visit will be to Chinchero market.
Chinchero is believed to be the mythical birthplace of the rainbow. Its major claim to tourism is its colorful Sunday market which is much less tourist-orientated than the market at Pisac. At the end, return to Cusco main square at 6:30pm approx.
The night is free for you to eat in a restaurant of your choice; although we always have plenty of suggestions for you should you require them. (B, L)
DAY 10: TUESDAY – CUSCO / LIMA
Breakfast and transportation from the hotel to the airport for your return flight back to Lima (airfare not included). Arriving just in time to catch your international connection (B)
END OF SERVICES
MACHU PICCHU
SACRED VALLEY
UROS
TAQUILE
INCLUDES: All hotel and lodge accommodations based on double room occupancy. All scheduled land, lake and river transportation. All transfers. All scheduled excursions with English-speaking guide services. All entrance fees. Meals and domestic airfares as specified in the itinerary. B=Breakfast; L=Lunch; D=Dinner.
IMPORTANT: For a better service, the company informs you that it has autonomy to change the Hotels mentioned in the itinerary with another one of similar category if therefore sees it by advisable taking into account justifiable availability of spaces or other reasons, if this it is the case you will be notified ahead of time.
NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE
International and domestic airfares, Galapagos entrance fee US$100 per adult and US$50 per children (*up to 12 years old), rate subject to change and INGALA tax $10, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, additional nights during the trip due to flight cancellations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, radio calls or messages, reconfirmation of flights and items of personal nature.
