M.V. Santa Cruz





Llapingachos are
potato patties or
pancakes stuffed with
cheese, cooked on
a hot griddle until
crispy brown and
served with peanut
sauce and a fried egg





The Galapagos
Land Iguana grows to
a length of three to
five feet with a body
weight of up to
twenty-five pounds,
depending upon which
island they are from





Ecuadorian
bananas are well
known worldwide,
and are an important
source of income
for the country





The Galapagos Hawk
hunts in groups of
two or three. When
one of the birds spots
prey or a rotting
carcass, they
signal to the other
members. The
dominant hawk of
the group feeds from
the prey until it is
satisfied, as the other
hawks in the family
group submissively
wait their turn to feed

Cultural & Wildlife
Expedition to the
Islands of the
Galapagos & Peru

For a cultural and wildlife adventure a little closer to home and your own time zone, journey to the enchanted isles of the Galapagos.  Beginning with a 4-day cruise aboard the M.V. Santa Cruz, experience close encounters with animals found nowhere else on earth.  Feel the wind in your hair as you motor in an open panga between the ship and the next island, where your hikes will be accompanied by knowledgeable professional naturalists eager to share their enthusiasm for this world treasure.  Then explore Peru’s
colorful Inca and Spanish heritage.  From cosmopolitan Lima, to Machu Picchu – the ‘lost city of the Incas’ – to Cusco, discover this fascinating land where the past is interwoven in the fabric of the present.

Day 1 - Miami/Guayaquil
Board your flight in Miami for Guayaquil, Ecuador’s port city, where you are escorted to your elegant hotel.  HILTON COLON GUAYAQUIL. (Meals Aloft)

Day 2 - Guayaquil/Galapagos Islands:  Baltra/Santa Cruz Island
In 1835, Charles Darwin spent five weeks aboard the HMS Beagle exploring the Galapagos Islands.  It was his observations of the unique inhabitants found nowhere else on earth that contributed to his development of the theory of evolution by natural selection.  This morning, fly to Baltra and board the M.V. SANTA CRUZ, your 90-passenger ship with numerous amenities.  Spacious, fully air-conditioned with private facilities, most cabins face outside with portholes providing splendid ocean vistas.  Today’s excursion is on the island of Santa Cruz, home of the Charles Darwin Research Station, whose staff of international scientists conducts biological research and conservation projects.  Have your picture taken with the giant 600-pound tortoises or the year-old baby tortoises that are part of the breeding program.  (B,D)

Day 3 - Fernandina Island
Your early morning cruise takes you around Roca Redonda before breakfast.  Get set for a panga ride along the cliffs of Punta Vicente Roca and your opportunity for snorkeling.  After lunch, cross the Bolivar Canal and disembark at Fernandina, the youngest and most pristine island found in the Galapagos.  Hundreds of marine iguanas, the largest colony in Galapagos, bask in the sun along the rugged shoreline.  Watch resident sea lion bulls carefully guard their harems. (B,L,D)

Day 4 - Isabela Island
The lava flow of six volcanoes met together and formed Isabela, the largest island in the Galapagos chain.  This morning, enjoy spectacular views of lava fields, volcanic formations and the ocean.  In the midst of this bizarre setting where the sea became land, massive marine iguanas wonder along with Flightless Cormorants and sometimes giant tortoises.  Your afternoon walk will be at Punta Moreno to observe unique lava flows and small lagoons a flutter with birdlife. (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Hood Island
Explore the one-of-a-kind life on Hood Island including a visit to Gardner Bay with a chance to swim.  Stroll along the brilliant white sand beach favored by sea turtles for nesting and sea lions for snoozing.  Walk among lava rocks at Punta Suarez to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the Waved Albatross.  Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea, creating a spectacular view of soaring birds and the famous blow hole.  You may see a multitude of Blue-footed and Nazca Boobies.  (B,L,D)

Day 6 - Baltra/Guayaquil/Lima, Peru
Disembark at Baltra Island and fly to Guayaquil, where you connect with your flight to Lima.  You’re escorted to your luxurious hotel in the San Ysidro residential area of Lima.  HOTEL EL OLIVAR. (B)

Day 8 - Lima
Discover the faded grandeur of Lima’s beautiful Spanish colonial past on a guided tour this afternoon.  Visit the Plaza de Armas, the Archbishop’s palace and the Cathedral.  Drive through the charming suburb of Miraflores and visit the Archaeological Museum with its superb collection of pre-Columbian artifacts.  This evening, dine on traditional Peruvian cuisine at Las Brujas de Chachiche.  HOTEL EL OLIVAR. (B, D)

Days 8/9 - Cusco/Yucay/Ollantaytambo/Pisac
Fly to Cusco and drive to Yucay, in the heart of the Urubamba Valley – the sacred valley of the Incas.  A vital Inca road once snaked its way up the canyon that enters the Urubamba Valley at Pisac.  The citadel controlled a route which connected the Inca Empire with the eastern jungles.  Set high above a valley floor, the stonework and panoramas at Pisac’s Inca citadel are magnificent.  Barter for handcrafted jewelry and leather, woolens, carpets and alpaca products at is colorful market.  Explore Illantaytambo, an Incan temple turned fortress against the Spanish.  Optional activities such as horseback riding or white-water rafting are available at additional cost.  POSADA DEL INCA HOTEL. (B Daily)

Day 10 - Machu Picchu
All aboard a scenic rail trip to Machu Picchu, the mountain top sanctuary of the Incas which was hidden from the world until 1911.  In all directions, the Andean peaks are covered in jungle green, a spectacular setting for the ancient ruins of Incan temples, houses, terraces and altars.  Your beautiful hotel is in the heart of Machu Picchu National Park, situated on 12-acres of cloud forest.  The hotel features the world’s largest native species orchid garden, with 372 species.  It offers a wide variety of ecotourism activities.  MACHU PICCHU PUEBLO HOTEL. (B,L Daily)

Days 11/12 - Machu Picchu /Cusco
Experience the magic of Machu Picchu at dawn.  Trek to the citadel of Winaywayna, which is located only three miles from Machu Picchu, passing by the Inti Punku via the Inca trail.  In the afternoon, stroll the picturesque streets of Cusco, past Inca descendants dressed in traditional clothes and speaking Quechua (derivative of the Incan language).  Enjoy a guided tour of the Inca Temples of the Sun and the Moon; the Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman, the Kenko amphitheatre and Tambo Machay, the traditional bathing place for Incan royalty.  Return to your 5-star hotel – a restored, colonial San Antonio Abad seminary, built more than 300 years ago.  HOTEL MONASTERIO. (B)

Days 13/14 - Cusco/Lima/Miami
Fly to Lima where a dayroom awaits you at HOTEL EL OLIVAR.  After a farewell dinner at La Huaca Pucilana, you are escorted to the airport for your flight to Miami, arriving the next morning. (B,D)

Your Journey at a Glance:

  • Flights between Miami and Guayaquil, returning from Lima.
  • Roundtrip flights to the Galapagos from Guayaquil.
  • Flights from Guayaquil to Lima and within Peru as indicated in the itinerary.
  • Superior and best available accommodations at hotels and cruiseship in Ecuador.
  • All meals as specified.
  • 5-Days/4-Nights Cruise to the Galapagos Islands on the MV SANTA CRUZ with all meals included. Naturalist guide provided aboard the ship. Accommodations are in double, air-conditioned cabins, outside with private facilities.
  • Gratuities for baggage handling, hotel tips and taxes.
  • All entrance fees to places of interest visited and on sightseeing tours indicated in the itinerary, EXCEPT for the Galapagos Islands entrance fees.
  • Complimentary travel bag, passport wallet, and baggage tags.

Call Today to begin planning your journey of a lifetime (800) 627-1244