15 Days / 14 Nights
Andean Cultures, The Galapagos Islands, Colonial Cities, and Cuzco - Machu Picchu, the Majestic Heritage of the Inca Empire Featuring a Galapagos Islands cruise aboard the M/V Coral I or II for four nights and Inca Roots
Day 1 - Sunday
Arrival In Quito. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist
you in transferring to the hotel and in registering. Complimentary Quito
scenic tour - Drive through this overwhelmingly beautiful city down the
broad avenues of the northern residential section. See the modern Legislative
Palace whose stone murals record the country's history and the impressive
San Agustin Monastery and its Sala Capitular. Go downtown to Independence
Plaza, the town's oldest colonial center bordered by the Cathedral, Government
Palace and Archbishop's Palace. Visit La Compañía Church, famous for its
ornate facade and glittering golden altars. Visit San Francisco Church
which is one of the first great religious buildings in the New World and
the home of the works of the famous Indian artist, Caspicara. This tour
is provided when passengers arrive in Quito before 1:00 PM.
Day 2 - Monday
Breakfast at your hotel. Motorcoach to Otavalo Area. Ecuadorian countryside
and the Otavalo Indians, two days - At about 8:00 AM our guide will pick
you up from your hotel to begin a day full of interesting opportunities
of learning the secrets of Ecuadorian folklore and furthermore be able
to accomplish purchases at very attractive prices. 15 Km. north of Quito
one can find Carapungo, a small parish that keeps the tradition of honoring
to the deceased by manufacturing "guaguas de pan", those are colorful
dolls made of bread bulk that are used as decorations, the smallest ones
are beautiful on the Christmas three. The following stop is Guayllabamba,
the "green valley" where we will taste the delicious Chirimoyas. We will
cross the canyon of the Rio Pisque where we will learn the geological
formation of the Andes to arrive at the monumental zone of Cochasqui where
there are 15 mounds in the form of pyramids built with volcanic ash blocks.
The pyramids are of different sizes and some have an access ramp, furthermore
exists an ethnographic Museum to investigate the cultural roots using
the wisdom of the aboriginal and the nature of the sector. Luncheon will
be served at Chorlavi Estate. After lunch we visit Caranqui where we can
find the Museum of Atahualpa (last Inca) and optionally an archaeological
project in quarry. We also visit the embroidery fair of Mariano Acosta
and the woodcarving center of San Antonio de Ibarra. Late afternoon departure
to Peguche where we will be guests of an Indian community, will be served
a traditional dinner while we enjoy a Folklorical show. Optional visit
to the Witch Doctor (Shaman) for a spiritual experience. Lunch and dinner
are included
Day 3 - Tuesday
Breakfast at your hotel. Motorcoach back to Quito. After an early breakfast
we visit the animals market, the crafts fair and the Institute Otavaleno
of Anthropology and the archaeological museum of the area. Lunch will
be at an authentic Ecuadorian Hacienda with plenty of time to enjoy the
ambiance and beautiful gardens. Afternoon visit to Cotacachi where leather
crafts are made. Return to Quito via motorcoach. Lunch is included.
Breakfast at your hotel. Transfer from hotel to the airport for departure. Flight from Quito to Guayaquil and then on to Baltra - The Galapagos Islands. Ship - M/V Coral I or II: 5 Days/4 Nights (Wednesday-Sunday) cruising the islands. All meals and shore excursions during the cruise are included. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the M/V Coral I or II for midday departure. Afternoon arrival at Santa Cruz Island. Academy Bay on Santa Cruz Island is the location of the internationally famous Charles Darwin Research Station. This is one of the few places in the islands where the giant tortoises may still be seen. Another point of interest is Turtle Cove, a mangrove lagoon which is a favorite haunt of the Green sea turtles.
The ship swings close past Cape Berkeley, where a large volcano half has dropped away into the sea giving you the opportunity to walk through coral reefs on an uplifted ocean bed. Just south of Punta Tortuga, there is the visitor site of Tangus Cove where early sailors frequently anchored. You can still see some of the names of the vessels scratched on the cliffs around the cove. After a dry landing a 2-Km path will take you past a salty lagoon into the lower slopes of volcano Darwin where volcanic formations can be observed. A panga ride along the cliffs will enable you to see various sea birds usually including the Galapagos penguin (Speeniscus Mendiculus) and flightless cormorant (Nanopterun Harrisi). There are good snorkeling opportunities in the cove. Urbina Bay lies around the middle of the western shore of Isabela. It consists of a flat area formed by an uplifting that took place in 1954. Here you can find corals, flightless cormorants, pelicans and marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus). Rays and turtles can be seen on the bay. On this site a wet landing is required to reach the trail that leads onto the corals. The scenery of volcano Alcedo is magnificent.
Fernandina - Point Vicente Roca (Isabela) While sea lions zip playfully in and out of the various inlets of Fernandina Island, hundreds of sunning Marine iguanas blend magically into the background of the black lava rocks that mark Punta Espinosa. Flightless cormorants, Galapagos hawks and Sally Light-foot crabs also vie for your attention as you step into this wonderland of wildlife and geological wizardry. At the west end of the northern arm of Isabela we find the small old volcano Ecuador (610 m) coming down almost to the shore. Punta Vicente Roca, at the volcano's base, is a rocky point with a good snorkeling area.
Rabida (Jervis) And James Island Magnificent red sand beaches are on the agenda today as you land at Rabida (Jervis) Island. Located near the geographic center of the Galapagos archipelago, this small steep cliffed island serves as a residence to beautiful flamingos, Blue-footed and Masked boobies, Galapagos doves, and many species of finches. James Island with its massive lava fields of varying colors leaves a deep impression on the first time visitor but lava flows are not the only attraction found here. The cold Humboldt current around the island makes Puerto Egas a viable home for a colony of fur seals yet the area is equally appealing to Galapagos hawks, Marine iguanas, and sea lions.
Morning departure to Santa Cruz Highlands, which is located about 12 km from Bellavista. Going there you pass from the xerophitic vegetation into the scalecia, miconia, fern-sedge areas as well as Opuntia and the Cereus, Palo Santo, Croton, and Cryptocarpus bushes. Afternoon arrival in Baltra. Transfer to airport for departure. Flight from Baltra to Guayaquil and then on to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival at the airport a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the hotel and in registering. Peru... home to one of the earliest and most advanced civilizations in the Western Hemisphere... Under the rule of powerful kings, an incredible people known as the Incas amassed an empire that built systems of winding mountain roads, remarkable cities, and an unforgettable legacy. One is still mystified today by their amazing accomplishments, as can be seen at the hidden and fascinating Machu Picchu... Take a trip back in time and explore the roots of an ancient civilization that left behind some of the most interesting and awe-inspiring constructions in the world. Arrival in Lima, the "City of Kings" famous for its Spanish Colonial architecture and extraordinary museums.
American Breakfast at your hotel. City Tour and Gold Museum. This half day tour visits both the colonial and modern sections of this "City of Kings." Colonial sites include the lovely Plaza Mayor with its cathedral and palace, and the exquisite Torre Tagle Palace modern day seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In modern Lima, drive along the exclusive residential areas of Miraflores and San Isidro. Then visit Peru's famous Gold Museum which houses a priceless collection of pre-Colombian gold artifacts as well as the private armory of Miguel Mujica Gallo. Some of the cultures represented in this collection include the Chavin, Paracas, Nazca, Tiahuanaco and Inca.
American Breakfast at you hotel. Transfer to airport for departure. Flight from Lima to Cuzco. Motorcoach from Cuzco to Urubamba Valley. Start your excursion upon your arrival in Cuzco. Pisac Indian Markets, and Ollantaytambo Fortress. Early morning flight to Cuzco. Departure from hotel for a drive to the Spanish Colonial village of Pisac and the Pisac Indian Market. Here you will find excellent bargains on Alpaca sweaters and a variety of handicrafts. After lunch the tour continues through the sacred valley of the Incas, Urubamba, to visit the town of Ollantaytambo and the imposing Inca Fortress. Return to Yucay in the Urubamba Valley for overnight. Lunch is included.
American Breakfast at your hotel. Salt Pools and Quechua Village. Morning excursion to the impressive salt pools formed by water emerging from a lake inside a mountain in the Urubamba Valley. Continue your excursion and visit an authentic Quechua Village to feel the way of life of the Inca's ancestors. The Inca himself was a noble Quechua. They live off the land and are always wearing their colorful ponchos, see quechua children scamper about while woman are weaving their family's clothes. A meaningful experience! Lunch is included.
American Breakfast at your hotel. Take a train from Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu. Excursion to Machu Picchu with overnight stay. Early wake up for a train ride through the sacred valley of Urubamba to the "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, it was hidden by mountains and semitropical jungles for 400 years until discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca "Virgins of the Sun" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here. Lunch is included.
American Breakfast at your hotel. Free morning to enjoy one of the most incredible sights on earth, the ruins of Machu Picchu. Take as much time as you need to study the mysterious ruins, hike Huayna Picchu the pyramid-shape mountain above Machu Picchu, walk to the Inca Bridge a secret entrance used by the Inca's army, or toward the Inca Trail to find the historic Sun Gate. Return via train to Cuzco. Lunch is included.
American Breakfast at you hotel. Cuzco and nearby Ruins. Morning walking tour of the ancient capital of the Inca Empire. Visitors are caught up in the excitement of this city. This tour includes a visit to the Cathedral and Santo Domingo Church, passing the main streets and Plaza de Armas. You will walk through the most astonishing Cuzco streets to reach the San Blas Church. Cuzco is a delightful combination of Inca and Colonial architecture. Afternoon tour includes a visit to the ruins of Kenko, Puca-pucara, Tambomachay, and to the Sacsayhuaman fortress.
American Breakfast at you hotel. Morning transfer to the airport for flight home. Flight to Cuzco and then on to Lima. Return flight to USA.