Highlights of Peru and Naturalist Cruise in the Galapagos A private itinerary for you and your guests

We offer a variety of vacation options to Peru and the Galapagos Islands. The information below is just one suggested itinerary that combines 5 nights in Peru with 7 nights in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Either destination can be rearranged to meet your specific needs. We recommend that you start your vacation in Peru and then travel on to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Day 1, Sunday: Depart the USA for Lima, Peru You will be met upon arrival at Lima airport and transferred to your Hotel. Overnight: Hotel Jose San Antonio, Lima Day 2, Monday: Fly to Cusco After an early breakfast we transfer you back to the airport where we assist you with check in for your flight to Cusco. The flight is by modern jet, usually a Boeing 737 or equivalent. Upon arrival in Cusco we will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. We recommend, because of the sudden increase in altitude, that you rest for a few hours before enjoying a private afternoon tour of Cusco. Cusco was the center of the Inca Empire and the tour of the City and nearby ruins will educate you on the history of this astonishing city. The nearby ruins include the Inca sites of Puka-Pukara, Tambomachay, Qenqo, and the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman with its impossibly huge stones still fitting together perfectly. You will have your own private guide and vehicle which allows you to move at your own pace and to enjoy this remarkable City in your own time. Overnight: Hotel Monasterio. Breakfast Day 3, Tuesday: Cusco We recommend that you spend one more day in the Cusco area to acclimatize before you head on to Machu Picchu. And the very best way to enjoy this day is on a private, full day guided excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visiting the picturesque Pisac or Chinchero Market and continuing down the Urubamba Valley. After lunch, we will reach Ollantaytambo, a small town surrounded by an Inca complex on a hill overlooking the whole area with huge monolithic carved blocks. A unique chance to visit a living Inca village. Return to Cusco in the late afternoon. Overnight: Hotel Monasterio. Breakfast, lunch Day 4, Wednesday: Cusco - Machu Picchu Early this morning you and your guide board the first class section of the autorailcar and travel to Machu Picchu. This is an interesting journey as you climb out of Cusco, travel through the Sacred Valley that you enjoyed the previous day, and then follow the banks of the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes at the base of Machu Picchu Mountain. Your guide will see you bags are transferred to your hotel while he leads you on a private tour of the quite incredible Lost City of the Inca's, Machu Picchu. We recommend that you do not head back to Cusco with the bulk of the tourists but spend the night in Aquas Calientes. This will give you the opportunity to explore the ruins longer into the afternoon and without the crush of all the other travelers. We prefer to stay in the village of Aquas Calientes rather than at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge which is quite isolated and very expensive for the quality it offers. The best hotel is the Machu Picchu Pueblo. We do not include dinner this night because there are several very good restaurants in the village of Aguas Calientes, including the spectacular India Feliz, and we give you the option of staying in the hotel or exploring the village. Your guide will assist you with dinner plans. Overnight: Mapi Pueblo Hotel. Breakfast, picnic lunch Day 5, Thursday: Machu Picchu - Cusco The real beauty of staying overnight is the opportunity to visit Machu Picchu early this morning and long before the daily train arrives from Cusco. To experience the sight of Machu Picchu appearing through the mists at sunrise is something you will never forget. After lunch, you transfer back to the autorailcar and return to Cusco. Overnight: Hotel Monasterio. Breakfast, lunch Day 6, Friday: Lima - Quito, Ecuador We fly to Quito this morning with the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. The Swissotel is a modern, 5 Star property. It has a variety of restaurants and bars for you to choose from. Overnight: Swissôtel Quito Breakfast Day 7, Saturday: Quito - Galapagos Islands This morning we will assist you with your transfer to the airport and with check in for your flight to Baltra, on the Galapagos Islands where you board 'Eclipse,' your home for seven nights. There are many vessels offering cruises in the Galapagos. Many are large with several hundred passengers, some are designed for divers or small family groups, and a few offer first class service, comfort, excellent naturalist guides and, importantly, safety. Of these we prefer the Eclipse. We have traveled on this vessel and loved every minute of it. Our only regret was that we departed after five nights and wish we had stayed for the full itinerary. A description of the M/V Eclipse and a copy of the itinerary are included at the end of the itinerary. Day 8 - 13: The Galapagos Islands Typical Day aboard the Eclipse: The boat will have cruised through the night and you wake to a new sight each morning. After breakfast, usually served in the main restaurant, you will disembark and go ashore in one of the several inflatable boats. You will be accompanied by a highly trained, English speaking naturalist guide who will lead you through your morning's exploration. On many days it is possible to swim or snorkel. You will return to the Eclipse for lunch which is usually served 'al fresco' on the aft deck. You may well cruise to a second destination and it is quite delightful to watch the scenery going past, a cool breeze in your hair, as you relax. When you arrive at the day's second destination you disembark again and join your naturalist for the afternoon's excursion. In the evening there will be a short talk or lecture, each day presented by a different member of the naturalist staff, before dinner. Dinner is usually served on the aft deck 'al fresco' style. One of the things we particularly enjoyed about this cruise is that every day, and usually twice each day, you will see a different aspect of the Galapagos and so the time flies by. Day 14, Saturday: The Galapagos Islands - Quito - USA We disembark at Baltra and transfer to the airport for the flight back to Quito. Upon arrival in Quito you will be met and transferred to your hotel where we have a dayroom for you. After dinner we will transfer you back to the airport and assist you with check in for your return flight to the USA. Day room Swissôtel Quito Notes on your Itinerary: Dining: We have not include the cost of dinner during your stay in Cusco, Machu Picchu or Quito, The simple reason is that there are so many very good options that we feel you would hate to be stuck in your hotel each night. Cusco is a delightful colonial city, and the center, where you will be staying, forms around the Plaza de Armas, a beautiful square, with the Catherdral on one side, the Jesuit Church on another and various shops and restaurannts on the other two sides. We have spent many happy hours here. Your guide or the hotel concierge will be delighted to assist you with dinner plans. The dinning options at Machu Picchu and at the Swissotel we discussed above. Duration: This itinerary is the 'Ultimate' option. If time restraints are a consideration then you could delete day two in Cusco and also shorten the Galapagos cruise to 5 nights. This will also reduce the cost of the vacation. Prices: The cost of your vacation will depend upon two factors, the date you travel and the type of cabin you choose on the Eclipse. High season begins June 14th 2003. Prices from: US$7,064 per person, sharing double accommodations. Our prices are a package combining your international flights from the USA to Lima, Lima to Quito and Quito back to the USA, all internal flights and transferds and the services more fully described above. Included in your price: All accommodations as detailed in the itinerary All meals as detailed in your itinerary All of your ground transfers, including being met at each airport and assistance with all your checking in at each airport. Your international flight from the USA to Lima and Quito back to the USA - please see note below. International flight from Lima to Quito. All internal flights, being Lima to Cusco and return; Quito to Baltra and return. Please note - All flights are based upon prices current today and, are subject to change until paid in full. Private tours for you and your party in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu - you will not be joining a bus full of other travelers. Entry fees for Machu Picchu. Your seven night /eight day naturalist cruise of the Galapagos Galapagos taxes Not Included: Items of a personal nature such as the costs of obtaining passports or visas; laundry; meals, beverages or sightseeing not included in the itinerary; travel insurance; gratuities to escort, naturalist-guides, drivers and ship crew members where specified; communication charges; excess baggage fees; international, internal or any other airfares not listed as included with the tour. International Flights to and from the USA: We are able to offer very competitive fares from the USA. The estinmated cost is included in the price shown above. Actual cost might fluctuate depending upon your actual date of departure, airport of departure and seat availability. Please let us know your preferred dates of travel and airport of departure and we will be happy to confirm our prices. The M/V Eclipse The Eclipse brings a new level of comfort and elegance to the Galapagos trips. She is a 210 ft. L.O.A. Cruise Ship that accommodates up to 48 passengers in 27 cabins, half the number of passengers of other vessels her size. Built in 999 to July 1998 SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) specifications. Her cruising life began in October 1999. This vessel preserves the smaller boat atmosphere and attention to detail that make this a very special trip. Such features as an "al fresco" dining area for all 48 passengers, a naturalist guide for every 12 passengers and a library / video room. Additionally, the yacht has amenities such as a warm pool , a pool side bar, a souvenir shop, an observation deck and an air-renewal system. The yacht has an infirmary with a M. D. on board at all times. Extremely comfortable and attractive, with sober decoration, rich Seike furnishings, writing desks, large closets, ocean-view windows or portholes, Eclipse's staterooms are among the largest of any vessel in Galapagos. They have either a queen or a two-twin bed arrangement, and are equipped with an air-conditioning unit and internal communication phones. The M/V Eclipse Itinerary: Day Time Destination Day 1: Saturday A.M. Baltra   P.M. Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Island: Las Bachas Beach or Cerro Dragon Day 2: Sunday A.M. Santiago (San Salvador, James) Island: James Bay   P.M. Bartolome (Bartholomew) Island Day 3: Monday A.M. Tower (Genovesa) Island: Darwin Bay Beach   P.M. Tower (Genovesa) Island: Prince Philip's Steps Day 4: Tuesday A.M. Fernandina (Narborough) Island: Punta Espinosa P.M. Isabela (Albemarle) Island: Tagus Cove Day 5: Wednesday A.M. Isabela (Albemarle) Island: Urbina Bay   P.M. Isabela (Albemarle) Island: Elizabeth Bay Day 6: Thursday A.M. Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Island: Charles Darwin Research Station & Highlands   P.M. Santa Cruz (Indefatigable) Island: Free Day 7: Friday A.M. Hood (Española) Island: Gardner Bay   P.M. Hood (Española) Island: Punta Suarez Day 8: Saturday A.M. Santa Cruz Indefatigable) Island: Black Turtle Cove     Baltra Print this Itinerary You can download a print-friendly version of this itinerary in PDF format by clicking here.