Quito – Galapagos – Cusco – Machu Picchu – Titicaca 16D/15N

Arrival into Ecuador´s capital, Quito. A meet and greet with your bilingual guide and tour escort is followed by a transfer to your chosen hotel. Quito´s old town is the world´s first UNESCO heritage site, and a must-see spot of South America. The “Centro Histórico” will transport you back in time as you meander down the worn cobblestone streets and arched pedestrian walkways.

This comprehensive city tour includes visits to residential neighborhoods at the northern end of the city, continuing through the Gran Colombia Avenue up to the Basilica Church, where we will make a brief stop, next to the “San Juan Mirador” for a beautiful view of Colonial Quito. While walking through the colonial streets we will stop at the Independence Plaza with a chance to admire the Cathedral, the Government’s Palace, and the Archbishop’s palace. We then visit the stunning La Compañia Church with its adornments and gold altars. Finally we drive on to the “Panecillo Mirador” for a breathtaking view of Quito.
This will be a private tour with an English-speaking guide in a private car.

Pick up at the Hotel and transfer to the Airport to fly to Galapagos.
After arriving into San Cristobal Island from the mainland, you can enjoy a hearty welcome lunch before the adventure begins! Your first stop is the San Cristobal Interpretation Center, where you will learn of the geology and natural history of the archipelago. You will continue on a natural lava trail through a unique dry forest ecosystem, where cacti, acacia, palo santo and Galapagos cotton are abundant.
Frigate Hill is your destination, where you will enjoy your first encounters with the spectacular local wildlife. The place is famous for it´s unrivalled bird ecosystems, that of which include the namesake frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, gulls, herons, Darwin’s finches, warblers and mockingbirds. After enjoying the luscious landscape, you will stop at charming Carola Beach, where a swim or snorkel can be had in the crystal ocean before you relax on the beach, ready to witness a breathtaking sunset. The rest of the evening is open for guests to dine and explore the peaceful of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno at their own pace.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will take a speedboat off the coast of San Cristobal to Kicker Rock, (Leon Dormido), known locally as the Sleeping Lion because of it´s striking resemblance to the animal. Here he remains of a lava cone eroded by ocean, two vertical rocks rising 500 feet above the sea, form a small channel that is navigable by small boats. This natural monument of the Galapagos Islands has become a sought after spot for snorkeling thanks to the floods of tropic birds, frigate birds and boobies that circle the surrounding air. Beneath the sea the crystal waters are home to a brilliant array of colorful tropical fish and invertebrates.

Early in the morning you will transfer to the airport where a small aircraft will be waiting to take you to Isabela Island. After a short inter-island flight you will check into the Iguana Crossing Hotel in Isabela. In the afternoon, we head out to Las Tintoreras, a group of small islets within Isabela bay, and walk through the prehistoric landscape of lava rocks and iguanas. The islets are also home to the Galapagos penguin – the only penguin species that lives on the equator.

Today we drive up to the highlands until the road ends. Here, we do our day packs and hike into a world of recent geological history. On the hike up, admire the incredible views of the surrounding volcanoes and sea. However, when you arrive at the rim of Volcan Sierra Negra, your jaw will drop. This is the second largest active caldera on the planet. You will walk along the rim of this enormous 30 square mile crater, and if feeling energetic, continue your hike into the caldera of Volcan Chico. This is an otherworldly landscape with endless hues of oranges, reds, blacks, and yellows. Here, you can explore puffing fumaroles and spectacular lava formations. We return to the coast in time to spend the rest of the afternoon on the exotic white sand beaches.

After an early start this morning, a speedboat takes us to Santa Cruz Island check in at the hotel.
Once we get settled in, it’s time to depart towards the Highlands of Santa Cruz, around to the Village of Santa Rosa where guest can hike down through the Guayabillo forest to the Tortoise Reserve, though it is easier to view them on one of the farms where they share the fields with cattle, watch out for the only “TORTOISE CROSSING” signs in the world! There are also many mosses, ferns and other epiphytes on the trees, watch out for the small and large tree Finches

In the afternoon visit Charles Darwin Station the headquarters of the Galápagos National Park Service and The Charles Darwin Research Station are located side by side on the outskirts of Puerto Ayora. There is an interpretation center open to the public and also one may view the tortoise-rearing program. Unfortunately, the number of tortoises is so reduced in the wild that this is the only place where many visitors to Galápagos have the chance to see tortoises. Return to the hotel.

Pick up at 7h45am from the hotel. You will embark in a fast boat, departing from Puerto Ayora to Floreana. You will reach Puerto Velasco Ibarra and head for the highlands in a truck called a chiva. There you will visit the Scalesia Forest in the Floreana highlands, home to yellow warblers, Galapagos fly catchers and Darwin’s medium tree finch that only lives on this Island. You will visit Asilo de la Paz, a visitor site that features fresh water wells and nearby caves that were used by the early settlers. You also will visit pirate caves and learn about some bizarre islander stories. In the afternoon you will go snorkeling, swimming through hundreds of fish, sea lions and maybe Galapagos sharks. Back to Puerto Ayora.

Pick up at the airport and accommodation at a hotel in Quito.

Reception at the Airport “Velasco Astete” and transfer to selected hotel where you will be served a welcome mate de coca.
We will begin the tour visiting the Temple of the Koricancha or Temple of the Sun, following the tour we will visit the typical streets colonial and inca.
Then the tour go to the outside of the city to be able to visit in the first place, the sumptuous Sacsayhuaman (head of puma), place majestic with impressive works in stone.Only 200 meters from Sacsayhuaman is our next destination: Q’enqo (labyrinth) religious center dedicated to the worship of the Earth and, according to some theories, to funeral rituals. Our upcoming visits are about 10 minutes by bus from Q’enqo.
The first site is Puca Pucara (reddish) that was used as military center and control as well as a site of compulsory stop for all travellers from the Inca era.
Our final destination, located just 100 meters from Puca Pucara is Tambomachay (Temple of the Water) was used as a center of worship and worship of the water.
The tour includes private transportation, bilingual guide, and accommodation at our hotel.

The full day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas brings us to the colorful Indian market of Pisac. There you can buy typical clothes and souvenirs. We will have lunch in a local restaurant in the Urubamba Valley. In the afternoon the tour continues to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo is an ancient Inca citadel, it was originally built to protect the people from possible invasions of jungle tribes. In the evening we return to Cuzco. The tour includes private transportation, bilingual guide, and accommodation at our hotel.

After getting up very early and have breakfast, climb the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and we appreciate the spectacular sunrise of this marvel. Optional: can make the trek to the summit of “Huayna Picchu” this will take about 2 hours round trip (This visit without guide). Then our tour guide made the citadel of Machu Picchu, for 2 hours, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemeteries around for more than two hours. Then you will be given free time to stroll around the citadel. They will have all morning to Machu Picchu to take pictures and be in this mystical place. Then descend by bus to “Aguas Calientes” in the afternoon we take the train back to “Ollantaytambo”, where our staff will be waiting for you, to transport you by bus to the city of Cuzco. The tour includes private transportation, bilingual guide, entrance tickets, and accommodation at our hotel.

After breakfast, we will take you to the bus station to start with our trip to Puno. This trip lasts around 8 hours. Then we will arrive in Puno, and our staff will take you to the Hotel. The tour includes public transportation, bilingual guide in Puno, and accommodation at our hotel.

After breakfast, you will be driven to the Puno station from where you will take a speedboat to cross the Titicaca Lake. On the way, you will visit the “Uros” islets, and meet the Indian communities that live in the region. Return to Puno. The tour includes transportation, bilingual guide, and accommodation at our hotel in Puno.

In the morning, you will be driven to the Puno airport to catch your flight to Lima. Transfer to the hotel in Lima.

Free morning to get ready for your international flight departure. Transfer-out to the international airport in Lima.