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Day 1 (SATURDAY)
Meeting and assistance upon arrival in Quito and transfer to the Hotel or similar for overnight.
Day 2 (SUNDAY)
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra airport in Galapagos (aprox. 2
hours flight, AIRFARE INCLUDED ). Passengers are greeted by guides at the
airport and transferred to the Itabaca canal and cross to the Island of
Santa Cruz and ride to Puerto Ayora. On the way to Puerto Ayora you cross
the highlands of Santa Cruz passengers will observe the twin pit crates, Los
Gemelos and later visit Cerro Chato. Opportunity to admire the famous Giant
Tortoises that gave the name to these islands. Lunch at the Highland of
Santa Cruz Charles Darwin Station, staffed with international scientists
doing biological research and conservation projects. Here you can also
admire giant tortoises and their one year old offspring, the second being a
miniature version of the first and are part of the breeding program. Admire
the impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest and many land birds. The
visit to the station lasts around 40 minutes. After this visit passengers
have some free time to walk around town and shop for souvenirs or can mail
postcards. Passenger welcome & briefing, there is a cocktail and a
presentation of the crew. At this time a safety drill is practiced.
(National Park regulation). Free time on board.
Day 3 (MONDAY)
Wake up call, in each cabin there are speakers and a light music will awaken
passengers softly. Buffet Breakfast. Disembark at Punta Suarez, dry landing
and walk on lava terrain. Aside from the sea lion colonies this is one of
the most important sites for bird watching. Here as soon as you disembark
many species can be spotted up close, among these the hood mocking bird, red
billed tropic birds. You will also spot large marine iguanas with traces of
green and red along with lava lizards and colorful sally light foot crabs.
After a short trek you will run into colonies of masked and blue footed
boobies and their nesting grounds sometimes overlapped over the trail. You
will also find Galapagos doves, hawks and swallow-tailed gulls. After
crossing the nesting grounds you will reach the world colony of waved
albatross (15000 aprox.), they all come to the Galapagos for their mating
rituals. Finally you will visit the blowhole where water shoots into the air
at almost 23 m. (75 ft.). After a 3 hour trek you will want to stay longer.
Lunch. Disembarkation at Bahia Gardner (isla Española), wet landing on a
white coral beach amidst a large colony of sea lions, this site has no
trails but is considered an open area where you can spot: Galapagos hawks,
American oyster catchers, Galapagos doves, hood mockingbirds, 3 species of
Darwin finches, yellow warblers, lava lizards and marine iguanas and a great
place for swimming and snorkeling, the best spot is by the islet that looks
like a turtle; here if you are lucky you can admire many of the Galapagos
marine species such as King Angelfish, Creole fish, damsel fish, parrot
fish, manta rays, white tipped reef sharks, and many more. Cocktail & Dinner
Guides’ briefing on next day activities at the living room.
Day 4 (TUESDAY)
Wake up call, in each cabin there are speakers and a light music will awaken
passengers softly. Buffet Breakfast. Visit Ochoa Beach at Isla Lobos, after
a walk on a short trail passengers can swim and practice snorkeling with sea
lions. Dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Interpretation Centre, the
visit to the interpretation centre, where you learn about the natural and
human history of the islands through display presentations, lasts more or
less one hour. There is some time to shop in town for souvenirs. Lunch.
Disembarkation, wet landing at Punta Pitt (San Cristobal), guides provide
passengers with towels so they can dry their feet and put on their shoes and
begin the morning hike to the top of Pitt Point, an excellent opportunity to
view important nesting sites for many sea birds including blue footed,
masked and red footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls and storm
petrels. Passengers board & at the bar awaits a delicious cocktail & snacks,
the yacht or ship departs to navigate through the Leon Dormido (Kicker rock)
a vertical tuff cone formation rising almost 153 m. (500 ft.) from the
ocean, representing for many a sleeping lion or a shoe in mid - ocean; aside
from the beauty in formation itself you can spot blue footed and masked
boobies, frigate birds on its cliffs and sea lions along the shore. Farewell
cocktail. Guides’ briefing on next day activities. Dinner.
Day 5 (WEDNESDAY)
Early wake up call. Disembarkation at Seymour Norte here after a dry landing
you will be encountered by swallow tailed gulls and sea lions that will be
found bodysurfing, it is also known for being another major nesting site for
blue footed boobies, and the largest colony of magnificent frigate birds
(different from the great frigate birds). You will also spot marine iguanas
and the opportunity to see land iguanas. Breakfast. Disembark at the docks
(Isle of Baltra), passengers board a bus that drives them to the airport for
their flight back to Quito (AIRFARE INCLUDED). Meeting and assistance upon
arrival in Quito and transfer to the Four points Sheraton Hotel or similar
for overnight.
Day 6 QUITO LIMA (THURSDAY)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your connection flight to Lima
(not included) to take an exiting extension to Peru, Cusco and Machu Picchu.
Upon arrival transfer to Boulevard Hotel or similar. Overnight. (B)
Day 7 - LIMA / CUSCO (FRIDAY)
Pick up and transfer to the Lima airport for the flight to Cusco (airfare
included). Upon arrival, you will be met and driven to Picoaga Hotel or
similar, followed by a few cups of mate de coca, whilst you iron out any
questions you may have with us. At 1:45 pm Cusco city tour. This tour
includes the major sites of historical interest in Cusco, including the
ruins of Sacsahuaman, Kenko and Tambomachay and the temple of the Sun. Also
included in this is a tourist card, giving you access to all the sites in
the Cusco area as a whole (i.e., including outside of the City itself). This
tour finishes at 18:00 hrs. Overnight. (B)
Day 8 - CUSCO / MACHU PICCHU (SATURDAY)
At 5:30am you will leave the Hotel to the train station , the train leaves
at 6:00 am. Travel is in "Vistadome" Class (formerly "Autowagon"). At 9:40
a.m., you will arrive at the Aguas Calientes Station, from where you take a
25 minute bus ride to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Once there, you will have a
guided tour, with a professional English speaking guide. The ruins are on
the eastern slope of Machu Picchu in two separate areas: the agricultural
and the urban. Lunch at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (included). In the
afternoon take the train back to Cusco. Overnight at the hotel. (B,L)
Day 9 - PISAC & OLLANTAYTAMBO (SUNDAY)
(Note: This Tour is available just on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday).
You will be picked up at 8,45A.M. Full day excursion to the Urubamba Valley,
visiting: the village of Pisac, a picturesque town of creole and colonial
aspect and its lndian market and craftfair. Lunch provided. In the afternoon
you'll visit to the fortress of Ollantaytambo, an architectural group that
in the days of the Tahuantinsuyo empire was a gigantic agricultural,
administrative, social, religious and military complex, then the Chincero
market. At the end Return to Cusco and Overnight. (B,L)
Day 10 - CUSCO / LIMA (MONDAY)
Transfer from the hotel to the airport for your return flight back to Lima
(airfare included). (B)
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