Itinerary
- Day 1
Lima
Your adventure starts in Lima, Peru's capital city where you'll find colonial buildings, ancient pre-Columbian history, and a thriving modern culture all existing side by side.
- Day 2
Lima
Start with a guided walk through Lima's Old Quarter and Plaza de Armas, stopping at the presidential palace and cathedral. You'll head down into the San Francisco Monastery's catacombs, then see the Larco Herrera Museum with its huge collection of pre-Columbian art. End your day at Casa Garcia Alvarado mansion for an authentic Peruvian welcome dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Authentic Peruvian welcome dinner at Casa Garcia Alvarado)
Included Activities
- Guided Walking Tour of Lima - colonial Old Quarter, Plaza de Armas, Presidential Government Palace, and Lima Cathedral
- Visit San Francisco Monastery to see the famous catacombs
- Larco Herrera Museum - world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian Peruvian art
- Culinary Experience with authentic Peruvian welcome dinner at Casa Garcia Alvarado
Landmarks/POIs Plaza de Armas Government Palace of Peru Lima Cathedral San Francisco Monastery Larco Herrera Museum - Day 3
Lima to Cusco to Sacred Valley
After flying to Cusco, you'll explore the Sacred Valley's ancient Inca temples including Sacsayhuaman, Puca Pucara, and Kenko. You'll encounter llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos around the valley, then wander through Pisaq's indigenous Quechua market looking for alpaca sweaters, woven blankets, and handmade jewelry. Dinner features Andean and Western cuisine with wine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner featuring Andean and Western dishes with wine)
Included Activities
- Flight to Cusco
- Guided Excursion into the Sacred Valley
- Visit Temple of Sacsayhuaman - 15th-century Inca fortress
- Visit Inca military post of Puca Pucara
- Visit ceremonial site of Kenko
- Encounter with llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and guanacos
- Visit old mountain village of Pisaq and indigenous Quechua community market
Landmarks/POIs Temple of Sacsayhuaman Puca Pucara Kenko Pisaq - Day 4
Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
Begin at Ollantaytambo fortress ruins where you'll see massive stones and the Sun Temple plus Princess Baths fountain. Visit a native Incan home to learn about centuries-old traditions. Board the 360 degree Machu Picchu Train through Urubamba Valley to Aguas Calientes, then take a guided walk through Machu Picchu high in the Andes. You'll finish with gourmet Peruvian dinner at your mountain base.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Gourmet Peruvian dinner)
Included Activities
- Guided Tour of Ollantaytambo adobe village and Inca fortress ruins
- Visit Sun Temple and Princess Baths fountain
- Escorted Visit to native Incan home
- Guided Excursion aboard 360° Machu Picchu Train with panoramic views
- Guided Walk to explore Machu Picchu - Lost City of the Incas
- Gourmet Peruvian dinner
Landmarks/POIs Ollantaytambo Machu Picchu Urubamba Valley Aguas Calientes - Day 5
Machu Picchu to Cusco
Rise early to catch the sunrise over Machu Picchu ruins and explore the terraces and Stone Gate, the ancient entrance to the sanctuary. After lunch, you'll take the train back through the Sacred Valley toward Cusco.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Second included Guided Excursion to Machu Picchu with sunrise viewing
- Explore Machu Picchu terraces
- Visit Sun Gate - ancient entrance to the Sanctuary
Landmarks/POIs Machu Picchu Sun Gate - Day 6
Cusco
Walk through Cusco with a guide learning about Inca culture and Spanish history. You'll visit Santo Domingo Monastery, built by Incas as the Temple of the Sun with remarkable architecture, then continue to Plaza de Armas and Cusco Cathedral. The afternoon is free to explore the city's colorful culture before an elegant dinner featuring Peru's cultural mix of cuisines and wine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Elegant dinner with wine and menu inspired by Peru's eclectic mix of cultures)
Included Activities
- Guided Walking Tour of Cusco - Inca culture and Spanish invasion history
- Visit Santo Domingo Monastery - originally Koricancha, Inca Temple of the Sun
- Visit Plaza de Armas
- Visit Cusco Cathedral
- Elegant dinner with wine and menu inspired by Peru's eclectic mix of cultures
Optional Activities
- Free time to explore Cusco's colorful culture
Landmarks/POIs Santo Domingo Monastery Plaza de Armas Cusco Cathedral - Day 7
Cusco to Amazon (Iquitos)
Fly to Lima then continue to Iquitos to begin your Amazon journey. Head to Nauta and board the Delfin III luxury vessel for your Amazon cruise. You'll settle into your suite and meet the naturalist and cruise director at a welcome reception. See where the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers meet to form the Amazon, then enjoy dinner with fresh local Peruvian ingredients.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Dinner featuring Peruvian cuisine with fresh local ingredients)
Included Activities
- Travel by air to Lima and then to Iquitos
- Embark Delfin III luxury vessel
- Onboard Welcome Reception with overview of Amazon experience
- Naturalist Guide information about Amazon animal species and ecosystem
- View convergence of Ucayali and Marañon Rivers
- Dinner featuring Peruvian cuisine with fresh local ingredients
Landmarks/POIs Ucayali River Marañon River - Day 8
Amazon (Peruvian Amazon)
Rise early to see the Amazon at sunrise. After breakfast, take a panga ride down a tributary spotting capuchin, howler, tamarin, and spider monkeys, iguanas, sloths, pink dolphins, and birds. Later explore Pacaya Samiria National Reserve for exotic birds and trogons, macaws, parrots, and falcons. You'll swim and encounter pink dolphins, then join a cooking class about local fruits and fish, followed by a mixology lesson for Pisco Sour cocktails.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing of the Amazon
- Guided Panga Ride down Amazon tributary searching for wildlife
- Wildlife viewing - capuchin, howler, tamarin, and spider monkeys
- Wildlife viewing - iguanas, sloths, freshwater pink dolphins
- Wildlife viewing - birdlife and giant Amazonian water lily
- Guided Excursion to Pacaya Samiria National Reserve
- Bird viewing - trogons, macaws, parrots, falcons, and jacamars
- Swim in the Amazon with chance to encounter pink dolphins
- Onboard Cooking Class on native fruits, vegetables, and fish
- Mixology Lesson to create Peru's Pisco Sour cocktail
Landmarks/POIs Pacaya Samiria National Reserve - Day 9
Amazon (Peruvian Amazon)
Morning naturalist walk explores tropical plants including epiphytes and orchids beneath the rainforest canopy. An onboard presentation covers indigenous medicinal plants used for centuries in Amazonian culture. Later visit San Francisco community to meet local villagers, then join a night safari looking for caiman, frogs, bats, and boa constrictors. End with live entertainment from the crew featuring local music and dance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning Naturalist Guided Walk exploring tropical flora
- Explore epiphytes, orchids, and indigenous jungle vegetation
- Onboard Nature Presentation about indigenous and medicinal plants
- Guided Excursion to Amazon community of San Francisco
- Meet local villagers
- Night Safari Excursion spotting nocturnal creatures
- Wildlife viewing - caiman, frogs, bats, and boa constrictors
- Live Entertainment by Delfin III crew with local performers
Landmarks/POIs San Francisco - Day 10
Amazon (Iquitos) to Lima
Say goodbye to your ship's crew this morning. On the way to Iquitos, you'll visit the Amazon Tropical Aquarium to learn about the river's ecosystem and its species. Later fly back to Lima.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Amazon Tropical Aquarium
- Educational experience on river ecosystem and species behavior
- Flight to Lima
Landmarks/POIs Amazon Tropical Aquarium - Day 11
Lima to Quito
Fly from Lima to Quito and spend the day relaxing or walking through the historic city to try ceviche or helado. You can dine out tonight or check out Quito's clubs for music and dancing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Flight to Quito
Optional Activities
- Walk through historic city
- Sample ceviche or helado (Latin-American ice cream)
- Dine out
- Visit Quito's clubs for music and dancing
- Day 12
Quito
Travel through Tandayapa Valley to the Chocó cloud forest and visit Alambi Reserve with over 250 bird species and 30 hummingbird types in the hummingbird garden. Take a guided tour of Quito's colonial city seeing the Legislative Palace, Independence Plaza, San Francisco Monastery, and La Compañía Church with Spanish baroque architecture. Walk Calle La Ronda meeting local artists, tour a chocolate factory, then visit the Equator monument where you can stand in both hemispheres. Finish with a welcome dinner at a well-known local restaurant.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Welcome dinner at famed local restaurant with delicious regional cuisine)
Included Activities
- Travel through Tandayapa Valley to Andean Chocó cloud forest and nature reserve
- Visit Alambi Reserve - bird watching with 250+ bird species including 30 hummingbirds
- Visit hummingbird garden
- Guided Sightseeing Tour of Quito colonial city
- Visit Legislative Palace
- Visit Independence Plaza
- Visit San Francisco Monastery - 16th century
- Visit La Compañía Church - Jesuit cathedral with Spanish baroque architecture
- Guided Walk down Calle La Ronda - one of Quito's oldest streets
- Meet local artists in workshops and galleries
- Visit local chocolate factory for tour and tasting
- Guided Excursion to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo - Equator monument
- Stand in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres at Earth's Equator
- Observe equatorial effects of water spiraling and eggs on end
- Welcome dinner at famed local restaurant with regional cuisine
Landmarks/POIs Tandayapa Valley Alambi Reserve Legislative Palace Independence Plaza San Francisco Monastery La Compañía Church Calle La Ronda Ciudad Mitad del Mundo - Day 13
Quito to Galápagos Islands (Baltra)
Fly to Baltra and board the MS Infinity luxury yacht for a five-day Galapagos cruise. Join your naturalist for a guided trip to Santa Cruz Island's El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve where you'll see giant turtles and dozens of bird species. Attend an onboard briefing about tomorrow before dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Flight to Galápagos Island of Baltra
- Embark MS Infinity yacht
- Guided Excursion to Santa Cruz Island
- Visit El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve
- Observe giant turtles and bird species
- Onboard briefing of next day's adventures
Landmarks/POIs Baltra Island Santa Cruz Island El Chato Giant Tortoise Reserve - Day 14
Santa Cruz
This morning visit Dragon Hill, a newer accessible site in the Galapagos with beach and trail walks to a lagoon spotting bright flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas. Afternoon at Bachas Beach on Santa Cruz's north shore means swimming, shore walks, and a lagoon visit with wading birds, marine iguanas, and sometimes flamingos. Sea turtles nest here frequently.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Dragon Hill - newest visitor site in Galápagos Islands
- Walk along beach and trails to lagoon
- Wildlife viewing - flamingos, pintail ducks, and land iguanas
- Visit Bachas Beach
- Swimming at Bachas Beach
- Walk along beach shore
- Visit lagoon with wading birds, marine iguanas, and flamingos
- Observe sea turtle nesting site
Landmarks/POIs Dragon Hill Bachas Beach - Day 15
Floreana Island
Visit Floreana Island where an 18th century wooden barrel mailbox used by whalers still functions today. Bring postcards that may arrive before you do. Spend free time at Post Office Bay swimming and snorkeling for sea turtles, reef fish, and rays. Walk Green Beach with its green olivine crystals and Flour Sand Beach of white coral, watching for flamingos, flycatchers, and finches.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Floreana Island
- Visit historic post office barrel from 18th century whalers
- Free time at Post Office Bay beach for swimming and snorkeling
- Snorkeling - see Green Sea Turtles, reef fish, and rays
- Guided Walk on Green Beach
- Walk on Flour Sand Beach
- Wildlife viewing - flamingos, flycatchers, finches
Landmarks/POIs Floreana Island Post Office Bay Green Beach - Day 16
Española Island
Your naturalist takes you to Punta Suárez cliffs to see ocean blowhole spray and watch blue-footed and Nazca boobies, waved albatrosses, and other birds. Look for the male Christmas iguana turning red and green during mating season. Afternoon explores the southeastern archipelago with a stop at Gardner Bay's white coral beaches for sea lions, marine iguanas, and seabirds. Snorkel for colorful reef fish, reef sharks, playful sea lions, and sea turtles.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Punta Suárez - sheer cliffs
- Witness spectacular spray from ocean blowhole
- Wildlife viewing - blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies, and waved albatross
- Wildlife viewing - Christmas iguana (red and green during mating season)
- Guided Excursion to Gardner Bay
- Wildlife viewing - Galápagos sea lions, marine iguanas, seabirds, and hawks
- Wildlife viewing - three species of Darwin finches
- Snorkeling and swimming in Gardner Bay
- Snorkeling - multi-colored reef fish, reef sharks, sea lions, and Green Sea Turtles
Landmarks/POIs Punta Suárez Gardner Bay - Day 17
Galápagos Islands to Quito
Cruise to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno for a naturalist tour of the San Cristobal Interpretation Center learning about the Galapagos' volcanic origins, remote location, and the diverse species that arrived over time. Afternoon brings your farewell to the islands before flying to Quito where you can relax or dine at one of the city's quality restaurants.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cruise to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
- Naturalist Guided Tour of San Cristobal Interpretation Center
- Learn about Galápagos volcanic origins, location, and climate
- Flight to Quito
Optional Activities
- Relax
- Dine at one of Quito's fine restaurants
Landmarks/POIs Puerto Baquerizo Moreno San Cristobal Interpretation Center - Day 18
Quito
Your vacation ends this morning after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
