Day 1: Quito
Photo By Flickr
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Arrival to Quito. City with amazing landscapes and a big cultural heritage. Transfer to hotel Radisson or similar
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Introduction
Enjoy a unique an amazing trip that combines the two great wonders of South America: The enchanted Galapagos Islands and the lost city of Machu Picchu.
You will have the opportunity to follow Darwin's footsteps and to live in the heart of the Inca empire.
You will be able to discover the natural wonders of the Galapagos and the magnificent cultural treasures of Peru.
Natural and historical treasures await for you in this ultimate adventure.
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Reserve with Paypal
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Arrival to Quito. City with amazing landscapes and a big cultural heritage. Transfer to hotel Radisson or similar
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Breakfast at the hotel.
We will take you to a short ride through the north of the city in order to arrive to the Equatorial Monument, built as a tribute to the French scientists who determined the shape of the earth in the 1700s.
You will visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, where the colorful way of life of the different ethnic groups of Ecuador is on display, and you will continue to a visit to the Intiñan interactive museum, which shows the different theories of the Incas in determining the middle of the world.
You will have lunch at a local restaurant in order to taste different flavors from our gastronomy.
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The tour will then continue through to visit the modern section of Quito and continue towards the city's historic district. You will visit San AgustÃn Convent and its historical Sala Capitular, followed by Independence Square, flanked by the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace and City Hall.
We will continue with the visit to the Stroll past El Sagrario Church and marvel at the exquisite stone facade of La CompañÃa Church. You will visit the San Francisco Church, built over the ruins of an Inca Palace in the 16th century. After this, you can choose between a visit to the home of former philanthropist Maria Augusta Urrutia or the City Museum.
The Urrutia House has its original furniture and paintings from the 19th century, privately restored by the owners. The City Museum is housed in the old San Juan de Dios Hospital, a restored building from the 16th century. Here you will gain insight into what life was like in Quito, from prehistoric times to the 19th century.
The day will conclude with a ride up the road to the Panecillo or the Itchimbia hills for a breathtaking view of Quito.
Transfer to Radisson hotel or similar. (B,L)
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Pick up in order to take you to the airport and take the flight to the islands.
Arrival to Baltra Airport.
Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz Island (10-minute ride). Arrival at Santa Cruz around 11:30 AM (depending on your flight schedule).
Check in and lunch at Aventura Lodge.
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Academy Bay Tour
The adventure starts with a 40 minute navigation to Tortuga Bay.
As we enter the white sandy beach, we have a chance to observe different marine species, like sting rays and baby reef sharks in the shallow waters of the mangrove ecosystems. After swimming on the beach, we take a very short hike to the marine iguana nesting site.
The walk back is through a prickly pear forest carpeted in crimson sesuvium with black lava outcroppings home to more marine iguana colonies.
Briefing and Dinner at Aventura lodge.
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Breakfast at the Lodge,
The adventure will start with a trip to "Los Gemelos" (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers-a breathtaking visual reminder of the power of nature.
The short, easy hike to each of the twins is swarming with endemic flora and fauna, including the remaining Scalesia Forest, draped in liverwort, with large and small tree finches, the beautiful vermillion flycatcher, and more. It's a wonderful introduction to the majestic power of the forces of nature and the great biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands.
We will visit a 600-acre private reserve where the giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze, and sleep. Sometimes it's a bit muddy here, so before setting out, we provide a selection of field boots to choose from, including large sizes for men. You will be transported through this tropical environment by truck, and from there you walk through fields to blend with these gentle giants.Â
As prehistoric as these creatures look, wait until you hear what they sound like! After visiting the tortoises, we'll take a 5-minute ride to the entrance of a 450-meter (1350 feet) illuminated lava tunnel. With a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, this is an incredible opportunity to wander through the remnants of one of the most powerful forces in nature-lava flows.
Stalagmites, stalactites, sulfur, mineral-colored walls, and the rippled floor formed from lava can all be experienced in this uniquely Galapagos stroll
Lunch will be served at the hotel. After that, departure to Floreana, our navigation will take two hours approximately (According to sea conditions).
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Arrival at Floreana Island.
Visit to Black Beach to enjoy this beautiful spot and swim, snorkel, or simply relax by enjoying the special scenery or a walk to La Loberia.
Check in at Floreana Lodge.
Dinner at a local family restaurant to enjoy food and the warm hospitality of one of pioneers to arrive at the island and learn from them about the mysteries of Floreana. (B,L,D)
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Breakfast at the local restaurant.
Departure in an open-air bus that will transport you up to the highlands of Floreana while your Naturalist Guide begins filling you in on the history of this, the first settled island in the Galapagos.Â
You will walk up to see the Asilo de la Paz (Peace Asylum), where a spring is located-a natural spring that attracted pirates, whalers, and later settlers to Floreana because it was one of the very few year-round sources of fresh water in the Galapagos.
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The Cueva de los Piratas (Pirate's Cave) is quite literally where pirates carved temporary shelter out of soft stone.
It is also where one of the original settlers, Margret Wittmer, gave birth to a son, Rolf, who is still living.
Some have jokingly referred to it as the "Stonehenge" of Floreana because of its interesting shapes. Cerro Pajas (Bird Hill) truly lives up to its name, with a multitude of Floreana finches.
It also offers spectacular views of the island and the sea below. We will visit a tortoise reserve where you can watch many of the giant tortoises up close and personal.
All the while, your Naturalist Guide will be pointing out the wildlife and filling you in on the colorful history of Floreana's first inhabitants, like the Baroness, and re-telling the legend of the "Floreana Mystery", which involves the mysterious deaths of several inhabitants. The mystery has never been solved.Â
Departure at 11:00 AM for Isabela. Sailing time is 1.5 to 2 hours. We will arrive at Isabela between 12:30 and 1:00 PM. Arriving in the port is a visual feast, with stunning green and turquoise water so clear you can see turtles, sea lions, and penguins as though looking through glass. We will check into the Red Mangrove Isabela Lodge and have a hot, wholesome lunch. (Time scheduled could change according to sea conditions).
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Departure to "Las Tintoreras" and Bay Tour. After lunch, we will board a smaller craft to head out across the port, slowing down to view blue-footed boobies and Galapagos penguins sharing the same rocky sunbathing space, before turning a bend and docking.Â
From there we take an intriguing walk through a jagged lava field, passing abundant colonies of marine iguanas, to see a small canal full of resting white-tipped reef sharks.Â
If the tide is low, they are sometimes a mere two feet below the surface.Â
The views from here are something you will take with you for the rest of your life! The black, treacherous lava field, the emerald green sea, the forest green mangrove, and the cloud-capped volcanoes of Isla Isabela create an afternoon backdrop you are not likely to ever forget.
Once you return to the dock, you can snorkel in this warm, shallow bay surrounded by mangrove, for an opportunity to see white-tipped reef sharks, sea lions, penguins, and, of course, the mystery of the mangrove below the surface. Don't worry, white-tipped reef sharks are not aggressive, merely fascinating.
We'll have a bit of time to relax and shower before briefing and dinner in the Lodge at 7:00. (Time scheduled could change according to sea conditions). (B,L,D)
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Breakfast at the lodge.
Departure for Sierra Negra Tour, vehicles of local providers will drive us up through the humid highlands to the slopes of Volcan Sierra Negra.
Then we hike to arrive at the caldera (crater) of Sierra Negra.
With 4 miles across, it is the second largest in the world.
The views are breathtaking! We will relax a bit and have a snack on the edge of the caldera (crater).
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For the hardiest of the group, there is the option to continue on a especially difficult one hour walk to Volcan Chico, where fumarole activity is abundant, and again, the views are spectacular.
This is not an easy hike, however, because it is mostly across sloping lava fields.
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After returning from Sierra Negra, we will have lunch at Campo Duro.
Campo Duro is a beautiful an organic farm whose food is prepared with their local production and a lava rock-grill, have a sight to the fruit trail and eat some of them, also have a rest in one of their hammocks and breath the clean air above a big "Mango tree".
This property also takes care of giants? tortoises in liaison with the Galapagos National Park.
Back to the lodge, time to discover Isabela on your own or go snorkeling, swimming or simply relax.
Briefing and dinner at the Lodge. (B,L,D)
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Breakfast at the Lodge.
Departure to "Humedales" Tour.
We begin with a drive out of town along the most beautiful, white sand, palm lined beach in all of Galapagos-Long Beach.
This beach, straight from the cover of a travel magazine, stretches on for 3 kilometers before the National Park, where we will walk up the trail for astounding views from the top of "Cerro Orchilla".
Visit the "Muro de Las Lagrimas" (Wall of Tears), a unique construction built by the backbreaking of prisoners of a penal colony centuries before. The path to the Wall of Tears is abundant with lava lizards-the males are larger and striped and the female's red-throated.
11:00 AM, departure Isabela for Santa Cruz.Â
Sailing time is 1.5 to 2 hours.
PM
Arrive in Puerto Ayora around 12:30 to 1:00 PM.
Check in at Aventura Lodge and lunch.
Departure 3:00 PM for guided tour of the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Station.
After the Darwin Station, there will be free time to shop for souvenirs or browse the shops along Charles Darwin Avenue.
Dinner 7:00 PM at Aventura Lodge (B,L,D)
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Breakfast at the lodge.
Departure 3 hours before your flight in order to arrive back at the Baltra Airport the requested 1.5 hours before your flight.
Transport and guide included from the hotel to the airport.
Flight back to Guayaquil.
Pick up at the airport and transfer to Oro Verde Hotel or similar.(B)
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Guayaquil City tour.
Overnight at Oro Verde hotel.
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Breakfast at the Oro Verde Hotel.
Transfer to airport in order to take flight to Lima.
Upon arrival, reception at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Our representative will give you a documentation kit with detailed program explanation.
Luggage and hotel registration assistance is offered. In the afternoon, a trip to the essential Lima, "The City of Kings" including the most important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square, where you can find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace.
Then, we continue with a visit to the San Francisco Convent, an architectonic jewel dating back to the 16th century.
On our way to the modern area of the city, we will cross the exclusive district of San Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, to take a look at pre-inca Huaca Huallamarca.
Finally, we conclude our circuit in Miraflores, where we will visit the “Parque del Amor” (Love Park) an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean.
Overnight in Lima at Thunderbird Principal Hotel or similar.(B)
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At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport to take your flight to Cusco. Upon arrival, reception by our representatives and transfer to the hotel.
The rest of the morning is free to rest and get acclimatized to the altitude. In the afternoon, we will enjoy the visit to the impressive colonial city built on the bases of Inca palaces.
This tour will make you travel back in time as you walk through the streets of San Blas neighborhood, where the most renowned artists lives, thIn you will see the Stone of the Twelve Angles placed at Hatun Rumiyoq Street among other Inca streets.
The stop at Korikancha or Temple of the Sun will give you the opportunity to appreciate the impressive construction techniques of the Incas, placing stone over stone like if was a sculpture. The Cathedral with its exquisite works of carved wood and Altars.Â
The tour will finish at the Inka Museum, this magnificent colonial mansion which was built on Inca foundation, today houses a complete collection of Inca ceramics, textile and goldsmith as well as an important sample of colonial paintings from Cusco School.
Overnight in Cusco at Eco Inn Cusco or similar. (B)
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We will drive towards the Sacred Valley of the Incas, taking the direct route to Pisac. We will stop on the way to have a classic view of the Urubamba valley, with crops dressing the mountains like carpets.
We will arrive to the colorful market of Pisac, where we will have free time to interact with the local craftsmen, or to purchase their hand-made souvenirs. We will continue to the town of Urubamba for a buffet lunch.
Finally, we will visit Ollantaytambo, attractive town of Inca origin with remarkable channels and stone streets. In its high part one rises to an impressive ceremonial center of cult to the water and a fortress that guarded the access to the inferior part of the valley.
Overnight in the Sacred Valley at Casa Andina Private Collection or similar. (B,L)
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You will visit one of the most important energetic centers of the world: Machu Picchu. The excursion will be by train and during the trip we will have an amazing view of the landscapes of the Sacred Valley of Urubamba.
Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes, our representatives will assist you to board the bus which will take you to the citadel. It will be an unforgettable experience, where a professional tour guide will transmit us the history around this mysterious and charming place.
After the guided tour, you will have free time to explore the zone on your own, relax and meditate. At the scheduled time, we will go down to the Aguas Calientes town. Lunch included.
Overnight in Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu at Hatuchay Tower Hotel or similar.(B,L)
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Morning at leisure.
Optionally, you can make a second visit to Machu Picchu and have the chance to know hidden places, such as the Intipunku (Gate of the Sun).
Those with a sense of adventure can enjoy a hike full of adrenaline to the top of Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain) to visit the Temple of the Moon and enjoy a spectacular view of the city.
In the afternoon, you will board the train that will take you back to Cusco.
On arrival, our collaborators will be waiting at Ollanta or Poroy Station, from where we will transfer you to the hotel.
Overnight in Cusco at Eco Inn Cusco or similar.(B)
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At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport to take the flight to Lima. Upon arrival, assistance and connection with your international departure flight.
Flight back to Quito
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Pick up at the airport and transfer to Hotel Radisson or similar.
At night, pick up at the hotel in order to have a special farewell dinner at a nice restaurant in Quito. (B,D)
Transfer back to the hotel.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Transfer to the airport in order to take the international flight.
END OF SERVICES
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2012 RATES: starting from $4.348 per person in standard double room.
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CONTACT US salesteam@redgalapagos.com |
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  USA / Canada1-888-254-3190 |
