Galapagos Islands Hopping Tour
This journey will allow you to connect with nature and discover the beauty of Galapagos Islands; a unique place on the planet where time seems to have stopped and home of a flora and fauna that can not be found anywhere else in the world and that will leave you amazed. You will watch amazins species as sea lions, marine iguanas, lava lizars, tropical fishes and much more. This trip includes the visit the world famous Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
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HighlightsLima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galapagos Islands
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Duration11 days
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Start PointLima
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Finish PointQuito
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Trip StyleHistory & Culture, Multi-Country Tours, Peru Family Vacation, Peru Wildlife Tours, Travel Photography
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IncludedBuffet lunch in the Sacred ValleyAll BreakfastsHotel nights as per the itineraryTravel InsuranceTrain to/from Machu Picchu24/7 SupportEntrance feesAccredited Tour GuidesTours and Transfers
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Not IncludedDomestic airfareTipsMeals not mentionedInternational airfare
Day 1: LIMA
Arrive in Lima and catch your private transfer to your selected hotel.
No meals included.
Day 2: LIMA
Today, a guided tour in Lima will give you the opportunity to turn your camera on spots like the main plaza, Presidential Palace, the bone blanketed catacombs at San Francisco Church, and the Park of Love at Miraflores.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 3: LIMA - CUZCO
Arrival in Cuzco and private transfer to your selected hotel.
Later, embark on a guided Cuzco city tour. Your guide will give you the 411 on sights like the UNESCO World Heritage Main Plaza with its Colonial cathedral, the Santo Domingo Convent and the Incan sites of Sacsayhuaman, Quenco and Tambomachay.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 4: CUZCO - SACRED VALLEY - AGUAS CALIENTES
Roam into the Sacred Valley where the ancient Incas lived and farmed. Your guide will walk you along the area's time line, taking you from Awanacancha to the ancient ruins of Ollantaytambo and Pisaq.
In the afternoon, you'll catch the train to Aguas Calientes; the gateway to Machu Picchu.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
Day 5: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU - CUZCO
Wake early to watch day break over Machu Picchu.
Later, take a tour of the ancient citadel Machu Picchu. Your guide will show you the ritual baths, the Palace of the Princess and the Temple of the Sun. You can pay a little extra to climb Huayna Picchu; the mountain that stands sentry over the far end of the citadel.
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 6: CUZCO - QUITO
Arrival in Quito and private transfer to your selected hotel.
Meal: Breakfast.
Day 7: QUITO - GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - SANTA CRUZ ISLAND
Arrival to Galapagos Islands (Santa Cruz). Today, you will visit Rancho Manzanillo farm, where we will have a delicious lunch and then a tour of the trails for the observation of giant tortoises in their natural state.
In the afternoon, we will take you Puerto Ayora to visit Las Grietas, a site that is located 3 kilometers from the port on a route of medium difficulty between lava rock formations. The path passes through a forest of huge cactus, by inhabited areas where the first habitants of Santa Cruz settled. We will cross the salt lagoon where the formation of it is appreciated. The cracks were created by a volcanic fracture that forms two giant walls traversed by an arm of fresh water filtered from the upper part where it mixes with the sea water, creating a brackish ecosystem, ideal for swimming and surface diving .
Return to your hotel in Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 8: NAVIGATION BARTOLOMÉ OR SEYMOUR ISLAND
Bartolomé Island: You will leave your hotel at 05:50 am and a private transfer will take you to the dock of the Itabaca Canal, to board the yacht that will take us to Bartolomé Island for approximately 2 hours.
This island has the most colorful landscapes of the entire archipelago, is without a doubt the most photographed in all the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival we will climb a wooden staircase to the summit to appreciate a spectacular landscapes of two beautiful bays and even more remote islands such as Marchena, La Pinta, North Seymour, Baltra, Santa Cruz, Rábida and Santiago Island. The main attraction of this island is known as Pinacle Rock, it is a huge formation of black lava that has eroded over time. Near Pinacle Rock you can see two beautiful crescent shaped beaches. On the south beach you can go hiking with the possibility of observing rays and blue sharks (endemic shark of Galapagos) from the shore, so it is forbidden to do activities such as swimming or snorkeling on this beach. On the north beach you can do surface diving; during most of the year the sea is very calm.
Seymour Island: Created by internal volcanic eruptions that over time were superimposed to have the current appearance.
The route begins with a landing in very slippery black basaltic stone, for which you must use appropriate shoes. There will be a small walk in climbing mode in ¨pillow lavas¨ and after the road is regular and easy, there will be frigates, lava gulls, sea lions, brown terns, pelicans, tropical birds. On the other side of the island and while the waves collide with the rocks, you can see the naughty sea lions playing in the sea. North Seymour is mostly flat and arid, with some vegetation that includes cactus, palo santo and salt bushes.
In the afternoon we will return to your hotel in Santa Cruz Island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 9: CHARLES DARWIN STATION - NAVIGATION TO SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND
Early in the morning, we will head to Charles Darwin Station, famous for the procreation and captive breeding of giant tortoises that live on an average of 150 years. This station is also the center of operations of foreign scientists who come to the islands to deal with special research programs.
Later, you will be transfered to the dock of Puerto Ayora, and at the dock we will take our boat to San Cristóbal and then we will transported to our selecte hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 10: SLEEPING LION
After our breakfast, we will take our boat to head to León Dormido, in the middle of the sea northwest of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. León Dormido or Kicker Rock, is formed by two rocks of approximately 148 m high, named for its resemblance to a sleeping lion. Between the rocks an exceptional channel is formed for swimming, diving, snorkeling and observing species such as blue footed boobies, masked boobies, frigates, pelicans and sea lions.
Later, you will return to your hotel in San Cristóbal Island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Day 11: GALAPAGOS ISLANDS - QUITO
After breakfast, we will take you to the airport and the you will catch your flight back home!
Meals: Breakfast.