Highlights: UNESCO heritage Quito tour and Middle of the World; Galapagos, paradise of evolution; Lima, gastronomy paradise; Machu Picchu, Inca fortress.
Welcome to Quito – Ecuador. Private transfer in Airport. Accommodation at a boutique first class hotel.
After breakfast, departing from the hotel, we begin the tour driving to the north of the city to visit the Equatorial monument “Mitad del Mundo” (Middle of the World), situated at 0o0’0” latitude where the French Geodesic Expedition according to planet calculations, designated the center of the world. Visit the museum of the Ethnic groups of Ecuador. After this visit, we will drive back to downtown Quito and have a delicious lunch at a restaurant in the old city, and then we will go to visit the colonial site of Quito and its churches and cathedrals: the gothic Basilica, the Compañía de Jesús, the Convent of San Francisco, among others. We will visit the Plaza Grande where is located the Presidential Palace, the Major’s Office, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop Palace. Return to the hotel.
Roundtrip flight tickets Quito – Galapagos – Quito included. Galapagos National Park entrance fee and Transit Control Card fee. Early in the morning, transfer to the airport for local flight to the Galapagos Islands. We will board a first-class yacht (M/Y Seaman or similar) on a 4-day cruise that includes accommodation based on double cabin with private bathroom, all meals aboard, naturalist guide, excursions, transfers in Galapagos. Sample Itinerary M/Y Seaman Journey:
At noon, we will take the flight from Galapagos to Guayaquil, where we will take the international flight to Lima (not included). Welcome to Lima, Peru. Evening arrival. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner on board. Lunch and dinner are not included on last day of cruise.
After breakfast, we will make a tour to the colonial site of Lima that includes a walk at the Plaza de Armas that is surrounded by the beautiful Cathedral, Archbishop’s Palace, the Government and Municipal Palace. We will visit a masterpiece of colonial architecture: the San Francisco Convent with its famous catacombs. Later, we will drive to the modern site of Lima and its beautiful touristic neighborhoods of San Isidro and Miraflores. There you will have a beautiful sight of the Pacific Ocean and the cliffs of Costa Verde. Lunch. Back to the hotel.
Transfer from the hotel to the airport for a short flight through snowcapped mountains to the imperial city of Cuzco, located at 3.399 m. Transfer to the hotel and accommodation.
Breakfast. We begin the excursion with a combined trip by bus, train, and bus. This impressive and colossal site is the most famous attraction of Perú. Hidden in the mountains during 400 years, the ruins were discovered on 1911 by the Northamerican Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu, adoration and astronomic observation center, was a private shelter of Inca Pachacutec. This is composed of two big areas, one for agricultural purpose and the other for urban purpose, where stands temples, squares, and royal mausoleums that were built with exquisite perfection. Return to Cuzco in the afternoon. Accommodation.
Breakfast. We will drive through fertile fields of the Sacred Valley of Incas to the picturesque town of Pisacf, where the indian market has become a touristic attraction. Artisans of nearby towns arrive to Pisac with weavings of alpaca and handicrafts. During this visit, you will have the chance to bargain the different products that they have to offer. Ollantaytambo was also an important administrative center with military functions according to its walls and towers. The town of Ollantaytambo is called “Pueblo Inca Viviente” (Inca living town) because the inhabitants maintain the customs from Inca’s time. Lunch will be served at an old hacienda located on the banks of the river Urubamba. Back to the hotel in Cuzco.
Breakfast. Transfer from hotel to the airport for your flight to Lima, and then take your connecting flight to home. End of our services.
* Additional pre- and post-tours are available under request.
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