Best of Peru & Galapagos

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your adventure begins in the capital city of Lima, one of South America’s most beautiful cities, with a welcome meeting at 2 pm. You’ll meet your fellow travellers and trip leader and then head out for a stroll of the streets of downtown to check out some of the main attractions on a walking tour. Enjoy some free time before an optional group dinner this evening. The unofficial food capital of South America, there’s no better place to sample Peru’s national dish, ceviche, than at one of Lima’s excellent restaurants. As there's little time spent in Lima, it’s recommended that you arrive a few days early to see the sights, including the chic suburb of Miraflores, as well as Central Park, Lovers' Park and the National Museum.

This morning after breakfast, you’ll catch an early flight to Cusco. Spend a little time acclimatising to the high altitude (3450 m), then get acquainted with the blend of cultures here on a leader-led walking tour. Check out some of Cusco's main attractions, as well as its lesser-known sights, such as the Qoricancha temple, San Pedro market, the main square, the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square. Tonight is free to explore at your own pace or find the perfect dinner spot with your group and try some local Peruvian favourites.  

Travel by private bus through the Sacred Valley on the outskirts of Cusco today. This lush valley, known as Wilcamayo to the Incas, has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces that are carved high into the valley walls. You’ll visit a community in the valley to learn about local lifestyles and activities. If your visit coincides with market day, you can browse the stalls in search of hand-painted beads or warm ponchos. Visit the AMA Restaurant in Urubamba – this cafe provides employment opportunities and job training for single mothers throughout the Sacred Valley. Have a snack and learn how this inclusive enterprise focuses on economic growth, gender equality and the support of vulnerable communities. Board a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, in the cloud forest at the foot of Machu Picchu.

This morning, you’ll take an early bus up the winding road to Machu Picchu. Welcome to one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World! This is your chance to decide for yourself whether Machu Picchu was built around 1440 as a country retreat for the Incan nobility or as an ancient astronomical observatory. Enjoy a guided visit of the incredible site, giving you ample time to take in the many temples, palaces and living quarters. After taking advantage of the seemingly endless photo opportunities, one of the Seven Wonders of the World is checked off your bucket list! you’ll return to Cusco.

Today after breakfast, you can enjoy free time to relax, shop and explore Cusco's many sights. Maybe rest your weary legs at a cafe on Plaza de Armas or head to the San Pedro Market, where you can find vegetables, meats, local cheeses, chocolates, herbal medicines and many local handicrafts. It’s a great place to pick up souvenirs or ingredients for a picnic. The market is also where many locals (and daring travellers) go to eat ‘mystery soups.’ Some may be just chicken, however, the most popular among the locals usually contain frogs or offal. For those looking for something active, why not try mountain biking in the hills surrounding Cusco?  

This morning after breakfast, you’ll travel through the dramatic scenery of the high Altiplano to Puno – located on the shores of serene Lake Titicaca. At an altitude of 3800 m, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake. Today includes a bit of a long drive in a local bus, but it’s worth the first glimpse of immense Lake Titicaca, whose seemingly endless waters stretch into the horizon. Puno is a melting pot of Indigenous Aymara and Quechuan culture and traditional Andean customs, and it wears its traditions on its sleeve. If you're lucky, your trip will coincide with one of the many cultural festivals here. Ask your leader where you can get the best grilled trout tonight – a true local specialty perfect for dinner.   

This morning, you’ll take a tour of the immense lake by motorboat, stopping at the floating Uros Islands that look like they could come from a Pixar or Studio Ghibli movie. Built by the Uros people to protect themselves from encroaching Inca forces hundreds of years ago, the islands are constructed from many layers of totora reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake. Get a closer look at contemporary life on the shores of the lake with a homestay in a local community. Help your host family with their daily activities, try out a few words in the Quechua language and maybe even join a local soccer game to make some friends on the makeshift pitch. Tonight, sit down and swap stories with your hosts, who will cook you a feast full of traditional Peruvian favourites.  

This morning after breakfast at your homestay, say goodbye to the local family & your new Peruvian friends and take a bus to Juliaca airport. Then, you’ll take an included flight back to Lima, where you’ll have a free night. Enjoy your last night of the trip with your fellow travellers, time allowing explore the beautiful neighborhood of Miraflores including Kennedy Park, (a cat haven!) and “Parque del amor” (Love Park), entirely dedicated to all lovers. Enjoy the last night of the trip with your fellow travellers and maybe head out to a final celebratory dinner.

Today, you’ll take a flight to Quito, Ecuador – one of the most attractive cities in South America, sitting at an altitude of 2850 m with a view of Pichincha Volcano on the horizon. If your flight arrives in time head to your second welcome meeting at 2 pm where you’ll be briefed on the next stage of your South American adventure. After the welcome meeting, join your local leader for a tour of Quito's historic centre. Catch the metro to the Parque de la Alameda and visit sites such as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a famous neo-Gothic church known for the details of its façade that represent Galápagos tortoises, Andean condors, and Amazon alligators. You’ll also visit La Compania de Jesus, considered by many to be the most beautiful church in the Americas. It's claimed that seven tons of gold leaf cover the interior whilst the exterior is decorated with statues, busts, sculpted heads, and a jungle of carved leaves. The tour will finish at San Francisco Square, where you’ll have the option to return to the hotel, or why not get to know your new travelling companions and dine in Quito’s Old Town – your leader will have plenty of recommendations!

Transfer to Quito airport for your flight to San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. The flight includes a stop in Guayaquil to pick up additional passengers (you will not need to disembark the plane). After joining up with your fellow travellers and your local naturalist guide on San Cristobal, head to La Loberia where you'll put on snorkelling gear for the first time and go for a swim among sea lions and maybe even some sea turtles! Return to town for a free evening tonight and maybe head out with the group for some fresh seafood.

Take a 45-minute boat ride to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) this morning. On the way, you might be able to spot nesting frigates and blue-footed boobies. You might even get the chance to swim among the sea lions again. At Leon Dormido, you can snorkel and look for sea turtles, manta rays and the harmless Galapagos shark. Eat lunch on the boat, then head to the Interpretation Center. Learn about the history of the 'Enchanted Islands' and the conservation projects that seek to preserve them. Continue to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) – it's quite a climb to the top, but well worth the amazing views of the bay. Then, return to town in the late afternoon for a free evening.

Take an early morning boat ride to Isla Floreana and look for dolphins and whales along the way. Snorkel in the clear blue waters and then break for lunch. After, venture to a black-sand beach belonging to the Witmers – descendants of some of the first settlers on the Galapagos. The town here – Puerto Velasco Ibarra – has about 150 residents and an intriguing history involving deaths, disappearances and murders. Later in the afternoon, wave goodbye to Floreana and continue to Isla Isabela, where you’ll spend the night.

This morning, you’ll hop on a small Zodiac boat and cruise to Las Tintoreras (Shark Alley), looking out for blue-footed boobies and the famous Galapagos penguin. Take a short walk on this isolated islet and popular iguana nesting site, then snorkel in a calm inlet with colourful fish and winding underground lava tubes. This area is also frequented by green sea turtles that like to rest on the calm, sandy bottom. Return to Isla Isabela and visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where you'll observe giant tortoises in all stages of development. After learning about the thousand turtles that are preparing for life here, you’ll head to a brackish lagoon to observe flamingos. Later today, take a kayak around the island and spend your evening resting in the sand and soaking in your first Isabela sunset – arguably the most beautiful of all the islands!

Start your last day on Isla Isabela by heading towards the Sierra Negra Volcano – one of the Galapagos’ most active volcanoes and the world's second-largest crater! Weather permitting, you’ll take a challenging hike of around 17 km up the rocky mountain. After, make your way back to town for some free time to curl up with a book, soak your tired muscles or venture down to the water for a relaxing swim before dinner.

Jump aboard a private speedboat this morning and head to Isla Santa Cruz. When you arrive, leave your bags at the hotel and head to the Santa Cruz Highlands. Your first stop is a local farm, where giant tortoises roam the grounds freely. Here, you’ll meet with an expert chef for a cooking class to make the famed encebollado – a local tuna soup that’s widely considered one of the best in the world! This hearty dish uses slow-cooked albacore tuna and a savoury broth made of onions, cilantro and spices. The dish is traditionally served with yuca (a starchy root vegetable) and garnished with lime and green onions. Enjoy the soups of your labour for lunch, then wander the grounds with the slow-paced residents. After lunch, you’ll visit an organic sugar cane farm run by a local family for a tour of their trapiche (a sugar cane mill used in artisanal sugar production). See how the family harvests and processes sugar cane and cacao and how they work with the local community.

Take a morning walk in Tortuga Bay after breakfast. Along the way, keep an eye out for eagle rays, sea turtles and blue-footed boobies. Later, you’ll head to the local fish market for a dose of local life on the way to The Galapagos Conservancy, who help protect the Galapagos' unique biodiversity. Learn how The Intrepid Foundation supports the Galapagos Conservancy Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) program, which provides critical capital for sustainability initiatives and builds the entrepreneurial capacity of Galapagos women. After, head to the Charles Darwin Research Station – an international non-profit organisation that’s dedicated to the scientific research and conservation of the archipelago’s environment and biodiversity.

Say goodbye to these enchanting islands and your Galapagos leader before taking a flight back to Quito, making a stop in Guayaquil on the way. You'll arrive in Quito later in the afternoon, where a representative from Intrepid will take you from the airport to your hotel. Enjoy a free evening in Quito and perhaps head out for a final dinner with your group.

This morning, your adventure comes to an end. As there are no activities planned for today, you can depart the accommodation at any time, though we recommend staying a few extra days to see more of Ecuador. Not far from the capital, there are volcanoes, hot springs, Indigenous markets, and much more to explore. If you would like to extend your stay in Quito, just contact your booking agent to organize additional accommodation (subject to availability).