Galapagos and Peru | Mysteries of Machu Picchu and the Enchanting Galapagos

Upon arrival in Lima, proceed through customs and immigration before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Holbrook representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Holbrook sign. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled. Hotel check-in usually begins at 3 pm.

After breakfast, receive a welcome orientation before driving along the main streets, plazas, and avenues of the city. Continue to the main square, where the government palace and city hall are found. Visit the Cathedral of Lima and explore the Santo Domingo Convent; in the 17th century, San Martin de Porras and Santa Rosa de Lima walked these corridors, and their remains rest here today. Have a welcome lunch at one of the oldest taverns in Lima for an introduction to Peru's renowned cuisine, and enjoy a taste of the famous pisco sour. This afternoon, visit the Larco Museum for a comprehensive look at the most representative cultures of ancient Peru. Enjoy time at leisure this afternoon to walk around the Miraflores district and the Larcomar Center on your own. Before dinner at the hotel, receive a lecture on the history of Peru.

After breakfast, return to the airport for your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, transfer to the Sacred Valley, stopping en route at the Awanakancha Center to learn about South American camelids and products made using traditional and modern techniques, such as dyeing, spinning, and weaving. After lunch, visit the ruins at Ollantaytambo, which showcase the engineering genius of the Inca. The town has original buildings of Inca construction where the Inca retreated in the highlands for their last stand against the Spanish. Running water still flows through the aqueducts, terraces are still farmed, and the pinnacle above the town is a burial ground. Learn about this town's ancient heritage while walking the narrow streets and observing numerous aqueducts that remain unchanged. Late this afternoon, head to the hotel for dinner.

This morning, visit a local market in Urubamba. Discuss the importance of the Sacred Valley as a market for the Inca Empire and learn about the fruits and vegetables unique to the region. Continue to the Moray archaeological site for a lecture on Inca agriculture. Researchers and archaeologists theorize the Inca site at Moray was once used for agricultural studies and experiments. Its unique terraces are laid out in concentric circles within three large pits measuring as much as 100 feet in depth. Next, continue to Maras to view local salt mines and learn how valuable salt was in the preservation of food, especially meats. After enjoying a typical lunch with the local community, learn how to weave baskets from corn husks, about their farming techniques, and get a glimpse of daily life in the Sacred Valley. End the day with an ancient Pachamama ceremony led by a shaman. Pachamama is an important fertility goddess revered by the people of the Andes, similar to conceptions of "Mother Nature" in Western culture.

After breakfast, depart for the train station and ride to Aguas Calientes, following the Urubamba River with spectacular views of the Andes Mountains. Upon arrival, continue with a bus transfer to the Machu Picchu ruins for a full afternoon guided field trip in and around Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is arguably the best known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent. The quality of the stonework and abundance of ornamental sites indicate that Machu Picchu was an important ceremonial center, but archaeologists are still uncovering details. Have lunch at a local restaurant close to the ruins. Dinner will be at the hotel.

The morning is free to explore the town of Aguas Calientes on your own or to visit Machu Picchu a second time (additional cost). Take the late morning train, arriving to Ollanta in time for lunch. Then continue to Chinchero for a visit to a local weaving community, where you will learn which ancient traditions are still practiced by modern-day descendants of the Inca. Afterwards continue to Cusco and check in at the hotel. Dinner will be on your own tonight to explore the local fare.

Today explore colonial Cusco, including a visit to the Koricancha Temple, possibly the most sacred Inca site, and the Cathedral Complex. Nowadays the colonial structure of the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo sits on top of the original temple foundations. Lunch is at a local café in the main plaza surrounded by its colonial architecture. The afternoon is free to enjoy the city on your own. Before dinner, regroup for a presentation by a local expert on the history of Incan and Andean musical instruments at the hotel. Afterwards, dinner is at a local restaurant on your own.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport, where you will say goodbye to your Peruvian guide and board your flight to Quito via Lima. Upon arrival in Quito, clear customs and immigration and meet your Ecuadorian guide outside the airport. After lunch at a local restaurant, check in at the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to rest and relax. Have dinner tonight in the district of La Ronda for the chance to see Quito by night.

This morning explore Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by volcanoes, Quito is a unique city that boasts one of the largest and best-preserved colonial centers in America. Visit the Church of La Compañía and the Church of San Francisco. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will enjoy a visit to the Casa del Alabado Museum of Pre-Columbian Art. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon and have the rest of the day at leisure to get ready for your departure to the Galápagos Islands tomorrow. Before dinner, there will be a lecture on the geology of the Galápagos Islands. Please note that there is a 50-pound luggage weight limit for the flight. You can leave extra luggage in Quito if needed, and we will make arrangements to transfer any excess luggage to the final night's hotel in Quito.

This morning, fly from Quito to the Baltra airport in the Galápagos. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to Puerto Ayora to board your fast boat to Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. En route, visit Los Gemelos, the "twin craters" that were actually formed by sinkholes. Have lunch at a local restaurant. Upon arrival to Isabela Island, check in at Scalesia Lodge, where you'll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure.

This morning visit Las Tintoreras, an islet formed by lava flows located 10 minutes by dinghy from Puerto Villamil. "Tintoreras" is the Spanish name for the white-tipped reef sharks frequently seen in this area. Different types of animals can be seen here, such as sea lions, marine iguanas, and penguins. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling. Return to the hotel by lunch time. In the afternoon visit Los Humedales, a complex with various trails where you can find the Galápagos' four species of mangroves. This area is characterized by solitary beaches, lava tunnels, natural pools, and estuaries where you can see flamingos and other birds. Also visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where the national park breeds tortoises in danger of extinction. Some of these giant tortoises have been released by the park and can be found on the trails.

Today visit some of Isabela's best attractions, Sierra Negra and Volcán Chico. Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes of the archipelago. The volcano's elliptical crater is considered one of the largest in the world (about four by six miles wide). Volcán Chico is also an active volcano, and sulfur vents can be seen in this area. It is approximately a six-hour walk to appreciate all the splendor of the volcanoes, with a snack provided along the way. Return to Scalesia Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, free time to enjoy the magical beach of Puerto Villamil or enjoy an optional activity like biking, surfing, or kayaking (additional cost).

Make a visit this morning to the Wall of Tears, a historical site three miles west of Puerto Villamil, constructed between 1945 and 1959 by prisoners in a penal colony on the island. The wall reaches up to 65 feet and runs over 300 feet long, and its construction was dangerous work, resulting in the deaths of a number of prisoners from both sickness and injury. In the afternoon, follow a wooden pathway to Concha de Perla in the Port of Villamil. The bay's calm, clear, shallow waters are ideal for observing the incredible array of marine life. Visitors can swim and snorkel alongside tropical fish, sea lions, penguins, and turtles, and it is also possible to observe up to 20 bird species.

After an early breakfast, take the fast boat back to Puerto Ayora and transfer to Baltra for your flight to Quito arriving late in the afternoon. Lunch will be on your own. At Baltra airport, there are opportunities to get a sandwich and drink. Upon arrival to Quito, have some time off to rest and relax before attending an early evening farewell dinner at the hotel. Most international flights depart very late this evening/before dawn next morning, please be ready to check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport immediately after the farewell dinner.

Arrival to United States.