Adventure Galápagos and the Mysteries of Machu Picchu

Arrivals in Lima. Proceed through customs and immigration before exiting the secured area of the airport. The group leader will be waiting outside the exit door. Transfer to the hotel and check in. Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check-in usually begins at 3 pm.

This morning, following breakfast, meet your guide for a short orientation. Then, explore the colonial center of Lima with a visit to the Plaza de Armas and the Monastery of San Francisco, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Transfer to the airport for an afternoon flight to Cusco. Please note lunch is on your own today at the airport. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel situated in the Sacred Valley. Have time to rest before dinner to acclimate to the altitude change. Have dinner at the hotel.

Today explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Drive to Chincheros to visit a local weaving community and learn which ancient traditions are still practiced by modern-day descendants of the Incas. Then continue to the Moray archaeological site to discover the agricultural genius of the Inca people. Finally, stop at the salt mines of Maras before a traditional lunch with members of a local family. End the day with an ancient Pachamama ceremony led by a shaman, and then return to the Sacred Valley. Dinner will be on your own.

After breakfast, board the train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, take the bus to the top of the mountain for our guided tour of the ruins at Machu Picchu. The guided tour is about two hours and you have the rest of the day to enjoy this magical place on your own. Machu Picchu, known as "The Lost City of the Incas," is probably the best known yet least understood of all Incan sites. The quality of the stonework and the abundance of ornamental sites indicate that Machu Picchu must have been an important ceremonial center, but knowledge of the city's history has been lost over time. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel-one of the top 25 hotels in South America, as rated by readers of Condé Nast Traveler-and settle into your room. Dinner at the hotel.

This morning, return to the ruins at 6 am for a second guided visit. Then take the train back to Ollantaytambo with a boxed lunch and depart to the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, an impressive citadel surrounded by beautiful landscapes in complete communion with nature. This evening, fly to Lima. Dinner at the hotel this evening.

Early morning transfer to the airport, say goodbye to your Peruvian guide and fly to Quito. Upon arrival, meet your Ecuadorian guide and check in at the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure to rest. Have dinner in La Ronda district.

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 La Compañía Church, the Alabado Museum (pre Columbian art), and San Francisco Church, with lunch along the way. Return to the hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure to get ready for your departure to the Galápagos Islands tomorrow. Dinner will be at the hotel.

This morning, we will be escorted to the airport for our flight to the Galápagos Islands. Note that there is a 50-pound weight limit on the internal flights; please pack accordingly. We arrive to Baltra Island in the Galápagos and take the bus to town. Transfer to the highlands for a visit to El Chato Reserve to see giant tortoises, perhaps Short-eared Owls, Darwin's finches, Yellow Warblers, Galapagos Rails, and Paint-billed Crakes. Transfer back to town by bus and visit Garrapatero Beach. Situated on the northern side of Santa Cruz, El Garrapatero has beautiful white-sand beaches surrounded by mangroves. Dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

This morning is at leisure before we board the Bonita yacht. After getting settled and having lunch aboard the boat, our first visit is to Dragon Hill on the northwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island. This site consists of a mile long trail running through three different environments. In 1975, it was one of the only places on Santa Cruz Island where healthy land iguanas (Conolophus subcristatus) could be found. That same year, the Galápagos National Park and the Charles Darwin Foundation initiated a program to conserve land iguanas. Look for flamingos in the lagoons; at certain times of the year, the shrimp they feed on are more abundant and the flamingo population increases. Return to the ship for dinner.

This morning, visit Espumilla Beach and Bucanero Cove on Santiago Island. The main attractions include palo santo trees, the beach, and the stunning landscape; the beach is a very important nesting site for sea turtles. At one time, invasive pigs were the main predator of tortoise eggs; the pigs were later eradicated with the creation of the Isabela Project. Have lunch back on the boat, and then visit Egas Port, known for its beautiful black sand beach. Further south is the Pan de Azúcar Volcano, whose volcanic deposits have contributed to the beach's formation. The crater of this volcano contains a saltwater lake that dries up during hot weather. Between 1928 and 1930, explorations to develop a salt mine were carried out, but it was decided that a mine was not feasible. The workers' use of endemic woods also damaged the environment, and the development was scrapped.

Today explore Vicente Roca Point on Isabela Island. This site is a large bay composed of two separate coves, with spectacular sea life. Keep an eye out for seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange yet fascinating ocean sunfish (Mola mola). This afternoon, visit Fernandina Island's Espinoza Point. Fernandina is the third largest island in the archipelago and is famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas. It's also home to the endemic Flightless Cormorant, the Galápagos Penguin, and Galápagos snakes, and it's the only island that doesn't have any mammals. From Espinoza Point, admire the beauty of Fernandina Island and its volcano, which last erupted in 2005.

Continue exploring Isabela Island today. Begin at Urbina Bay, located at the base of Alcedo Volcano between Elizabeth Bay and Tagus Cove. Hike along the two mile trail, a great place to observe land iguanas, hawks, and tortoises. It's also possible to see red and blue lobsters here. This afternoon, visit Tagus Cove, to the west of Darwin Volcano. While walking, note the rocks marked by inscriptions and graffiti, some dating back to 19th century pirates. From here, we can see Darwin Lake, a saltwater lake approximately 30 feet deep. The lake contains no fish, but it's very common to see a variety of bird species.

Today disembark at Moreno Point near Elizabeth Bay on the west coast of Isabela Island. A plethora of birds can be seen on a dinghy ride along the rocky shores or during a hike along a path that leads through lava rocks to tide pools and mangroves. In the tide pools, green sea turtles or white tipped reef sharks can be seen. After lunch, take a panga boat ride around Elizabeth Bay, one of the island's breeding sites for penguins. Also visit a red mangrove cove, where Brown Pelicans, Flightless Cormorants, spotted eagle rays, golden rays, and sea lions are often seen.

After breakfast, return to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Take a private bus to the entrance of the breeding center, where you will see tortoises and land iguanas in captivity. This center is the main breeding site on the islands. Animals that were in danger of extinction on the various islands are maintained in captivity. Thanks to the dedicated work of several institutions, some species are being saved. Prior to his death in 2012, this was also the home of Lonesome George, the famous last survivor of the giant tortoise species found on Pinta Island. Afterwards visit a local farm to have lunch and search for giant tortoises in the wild. Galápagos tortoises are one of the animals that contributed to Charles Darwin's understanding of natural history, and the archipelago was referred to in Spanish as the Islands of the Tortoises on early maps.

This morning take a bus to the misty highlands of Santa Cruz Island for a visit to the lush, green Scalesia forests surrounding Los Gemelos (The Twins) pit craters. These two formations were caused by the collapse of surface material caused by underground fissures. Afterwards transfer to the Baltra airport flight to Quito. Remainder of the day is at leisure then enjoy a farewell dinner tonight at the hotel.

This morning transfer to the airport for your flight home. *Hotel check out is noon.