Itinerary
- Day 1
Lima
You'll arrive in Lima today and get introduced to your tour director and the other travelers in your group. This is a good time to settle in and get oriented before the tour activities begin tomorrow.
- Day 2
Lima
Start at Plaza de Armas where you'll see the Government Palace and cathedral, then walk over to the San Francisco Monastery to look at its 17th-century cloister murals. Head to a local food market to taste regional fruits, vegetables, and spices. Later this evening you'll have a welcome dinner at Casa Garcia Alvarado, a historic home known as one of Lima's finest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Welcome dinner at Casa Garcia Alvarado, one of Lima's finest historic homes)
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Plaza de Armas and Government Palace
- Visit San Francisco Monastery with 17th-century cloister murals
- Stop at local food market
Landmarks Plaza de Armas Government Palace of Peru San Francisco Monastery Casa Garcia Alvarado - Day 3
Sacred Valley
You'll fly to Cusco and then travel into the Sacred Valley. A special lunch happens at a private location where a local shaman leads you through an El Pago a la Tierra ceremony. Afterward, you'll have free time in Pisaq village to shop for alpaca sweaters, blankets, jewelry, and hand-painted dishes at the market. You'll stay overnight in the Sacred Valley with dinner at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Special lunch prepared exclusively for Globus guests at a private location in the Sacred Valley), Dinner (Dinner at hotel)
Included Activities
- Fly to Cusco
- Special lunch prepared exclusively for Globus guests
- El Pago a la Tierra (Mother Earth Ceremony) performed by local shaman
- Free time at Pisaq market
Landmarks Cusco Sacred Valley of the Incas Pisaq - Day 4
Machu Picchu
Morning brings a visit to Ollantaytambo fortress, then you'll spend time at a local family home to see traditional Sacred Valley life. The Vistadome train takes you on a scenic ride through the Urubamba Valley before ascending to Machu Picchu. Your guide shows you the temples, holy structures, and the mile-long aqueduct. This evening includes a Peruvian cooking demonstration where you'll learn to make a Pisco Sour before dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Included dinner at hotel)
Included Activities
- Visit Inca Fortress of Ollantaytambo
- Visit local family home in Sacred Valley
- Board Vistadome train through Urubamba Valley
- Visit Machu Picchu with Local Guide introduction
- Peruvian cooking demonstration: How to make Pisco Sour
Landmarks Ollantaytambo Urubamba Valley Machu Picchu - Day 5
Cusco
You have a leisurely morning at Machu Picchu with a second included entrance to explore the ruins. Wake early to watch sunrise light up the ancient fortress before crowds gather. After lunch, the train brings you back to the Sacred Valley and then on to Cusco.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing at Machu Picchu
- Second included entrance to Machu Picchu ruins
- Return to Sacred Valley by train and continue to Cusco
Landmarks Machu Picchu - Day 6
Cusco
A guided tour takes you through Cusco to understand both Inca and Spanish influences. You'll start at Plaza de Armas and enter the Cathedral, which took 100 years to build starting in 1550. Plan to have your camera ready to meet an Inca king character. Next comes Koricancha and Santo Domingo Monastery at the merged site, then the semi-circular Kenko Temple with its stone altars and stone passage labyrinth. Puca Pucara comes next, followed by Sacsayhuaman Temple on a hillside overlooking the city. The rest of your day is open for independent exploration, and dinner is at a local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Guided sightseeing tour of Cusco
- Visit Cathedral at Plaza de Armas
- Visit Koricancha and Santo Domingo Monastery
- Visit Kenko Temple
- Visit Puca Pucara
- Visit Temple of Sacsayhuaman
Optional Activities
- Free time to explore Cusco at leisure
Landmarks Plaza de Armas Cusco Cathedral Koricancha Santo Domingo Monastery Kenko Temple Puca Pucara Temple of Sacsayhuaman - Day 7
Juliaca - Puno
You'll fly to Juliaca and continue to Sillustani, a pre-Incan burial ground where cylinder-shaped tombs called chullpas date back to the 1400s and hold ancient Aymara high priests. Time with local families gives you insight into their daily lives. Then you travel to Puno on Lake Titicaca's shore, the world's highest navigable lake at 12,500 feet/3,810 meters, shared between Peru and Bolivia.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Fly to Juliaca
- Visit Sillustani burial ground ruins
- Visit local family homes in Juliaca
Landmarks Sillustani Lake Titicaca Puno - Day 8
Puno
A motorboat trip explores Lake Titicaca's unique islands. First stop is Taquile Island, once part of the Inca Empire and one of Spain's last conquests in the 1600s. You'll see Spanish peasant dress still worn today because Spain banned traditional clothing. Next, the Uros Islands are home to the Uros Indians, who live on manmade islands completely built from totora reeds. Over 1000 Uros people live here among more than 100 islands, with boats and homes also made from reed.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Motorboat trip to Lake Titicaca islands
- Visit Taquile Island
- Visit Uros Islands
Landmarks Taquile Island Uros Islands - Day 9
Lima
You'll head to Juliaca this morning for your return flight to Lima.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Return flight to Lima
- Day 10
Paracas - Pisco - Nazca
Drive south on the Pan-American Highway to the Bay of Paracas for a cruise to the Ballestas Islands, where you'll see blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and Humboldt penguins. The Candelabro candelabra-shaped etching appears on the Paracas cliffside. Continue to Pisco, Peru's wine capital. An aircraft takes you on a flightseeing tour over the Nazca plains with geoglyphs dating back to 500 BC and over 10,000 lines depicting plants and animals. Dinner is at your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner at hotel)
Included Activities
- Scenic drive south along Pan-American Highway
- Cruise to Ballestas Islands
- View Candelabro etching on Paracas cliffside
- Flightseeing tour over Nazca plains
Landmarks Bay of Paracas Ballestas Islands Candelabro Nazca Lines Pisco - Day 11
Lima
Free time in Paracas this morning before heading back to Lima. Your tour director hosts a farewell dinner tonight at a local restaurant with your travel group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Farewell dinner with Tour Director and travel companions at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Return to Lima
Optional Activities
- Free time in Paracas
- Day 12
Quito
You'll fly to Quito, Ecuador's capital, with free time this evening. Note that your tour director doesn't accompany guests on this extension.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Fly to Quito
Optional Activities
- Free time in Quito
Landmarks Quito - Day 13
Quito
A guided city tour shows you Independence Square with its Cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica. San Francisco de Quito sits on Inca city ruins and ranks as one of the Americas' largest and best-preserved historic landmarks at 2,850 meters/9,350 feet in the Andes foothills.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided city tour of Quito
- Visit Independence Square with Cathedral
- Visit San Francisco Plaza Church
- Visit Basilica
Landmarks Independence Square (Plaza Grande) Cathedral of Quito San Francisco Plaza Church Basilica of Quito Mitad del Mundo - Day 14
San Cristobal - Galapagos
You'll fly to San Cristobal and board the Seaman Journey for a 4-night cruise. This afternoon, your expert naturalist takes you to the Galapagos Darwin Interpretation Center to learn about conservation efforts, the archipelago's history, ecosystems, and its flora and fauna. The boutique catamaran holds 16 passengers and includes spacious sundecks, kayaking, naturalist lectures, air-conditioned cabins with private baths, snorkel equipment, and all meals.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Fly to San Cristobal
- Embark the Seaman Journey catamaran cruise
- Visit Galápagos Darwin Interpretation Center with Naturalist
Landmarks San Cristobal Island Galápagos Darwin Interpretation Center - Day 15
Galapagos
Visit Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve to learn about giant tortoises and preservation efforts through a corral, breeding facility, and interpretive trail. You'll see native and endemic plants and birds like San Cristobal mockingbirds, yellow warblers, finches, and Galapagos flycatchers. Afternoon exploration of Cerro Brujo includes beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the first place Charles Darwin visited. Look for blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, herons, frigatebirds, lagoons with migratory species, plus snorkeling and swimming with sea lions, turtles, and other marine life.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve
- Explore Cerro Brujo with views of Kicker Rock
- Optional snorkeling with sea lions and turtles
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling at Cerro Brujo
Landmarks Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve Cerro Brujo Kicker Rock - Day 16
Galapagos
Your naturalist leads excursions to Gardner Bay and Punta Suarez on Espanola Island, one of the archipelago's oldest at roughly 400 million years. Gardner Bay has three Darwin finch species and snorkeling or kayaking opportunities. Punta Suarez shows the famous blowhole and unique seabird colonies including waved albatrosses (April through December), Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, and Darwin's finches with their distinctive beak adaptations that influenced Darwin's theory.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Excursion to Gardner Bay
- Excursion to Punta Suárez
- View three species of Darwin finches at Gardner Bay
- View blowhole at Punta Suárez
- View sea bird colonies including waved albatrosses, Nazca and blue-footed boobies
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling at Gardner Bay
- Kayaking at Gardner Bay
Landmarks Española Island Gardner Bay Punta Suárez - Day 17
Galapagos
Cormorant Point features a brackish lagoon with one of the Galapagos' largest flamingo populations, and the trail continues to a beautiful white-sand beach where green Pacific sea turtles nest. Snorkeling happens among sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions, and white-tipped reef sharks. This afternoon, Post Office Bay appears, named for the wooden barrel that served as a sailor's informal mail drop. Darwin's finches, yellow warblers, and lava lizards live here, and you'll have another snorkeling chance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Cormorant Point
- Visit white-sand beach nesting site for green Pacific sea turtles
- Visit Post Office Bay
Optional Activities
- Snorkeling among sea turtles, reef fish, sea lions, and white-tipped reef sharks at Cormorant Point
- Snorkeling at Post Office Bay
Landmarks Cormorant Point Post Office Bay - Day 18
Guayaquil
After breakfast you'll leave the Seaman Journey and visit the Galapagos giant tortoise breeding facility at the Charles Darwin Research Station. Eggs from nearby islands get artificially incubated and hatch as galapaguitos, little turtles. At age five these young giants return to their native habitats to help preserve the Galapagos environment. You'll then fly to Guayaquil.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Charles Darwin Research Station tortoise breeding facility
- Fly to Guayaquil
Landmarks Charles Darwin Research Station - Day 19
End
Your trip ends after breakfast this morning.
- Meals
- Breakfast
