11-Nights Wonders of the Galapagos & Machu Picchu - Eastern Islands Route - Luxury Small Group Journeys from $17,495

Itinerary Details

Abercrombie & Kent: Wonders of the Galápagos & Machu Picchu - Eastern Islands Route

Day 1 Guayaquil, Ecuador

Arrive in tropical Guayaquil, gateway to the Galápagos, where you are met and transferred to your hotel.

Fly to Baltra in the Galápagos Islands. After a welcome briefing, enjoy lunch on board. This afternoon, begin exploring the Galápagos, starting at South Plaza Island. Observe the native flora, such as the prickly pear cactus, a favorite snack of the land iguana that roam the island like real-life dragons. Scan the coastline for playful sea lion and colorful wild birds. Tonight (and each evening) back aboard your expedition ship, enjoy a variety of all-ages activities designed to capture the imaginations of young explorers, including fun quizzes, making handicrafts and learning some Spanish words.

Today, discover Santa Fe Island, boarding a panga (small boat) for a brief ride to its idyllic sandy-white beaches. Walk the onshore terrain, keeping a lookout for wild residents: a curious sea lion coming to greet you, a Galápagos hawk perched atop salt bushes or a Santa Fe land iguana sunning itself on a rock. Then, snorkel and swim along a natural wave barrier or ride in a glass-bottom boat for a cool glimpse into life beneath the waves. Break for lunch back on board as you set a course toward San Cristobal Island. Disembark at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and drive to the breeding center for highly endangered giant tortoise at Cerro Colorado, set in a fantastic deciduous forest.

Land on San Cristobal Island and set out on a trail that ascends from the beach to a lookout offering you spectacular shoreline views. Observe frigatebird and a colony of sea lion, and, if conditions are favorable, swim from the beach. After lunch on board, take a panga to Cerro Brujo and walk the same sandy shore once trod by Charles Darwin, the 19th-century English naturalist whose theory of evolution began with the firsthand observations he made of life in the Galápagos.

Begin at Punta Suárez, walking on lava terrain to visit the island’s seabird colonies. Depending on the time of year, you may spy soaring waved albatross, booby or swallow-tail gull; watch for marine iguana, too. After lunch aboard, cruise Gardner Bay and go ashore to observe sea lion, mockingbird and various species of finch. The bay has a magnificent beach, a great place to snorkel, kayak or ride a glass-bottomed boat.

Disembark on Santa Cruz Island to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and learn about the captive rearing program for giant tortoise. Transfer to the airport to fly to mainland Ecuador, and then board a connecting flight to Lima, Peru. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Fly to Cusco, located more than 11,000 feet above sea level, where you are met and transferred to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. En route, visit a sanctuary to interact with the South American camelid species living there — such as llama and alpaca — and learn about the valuable fibers created from their coats. Then, visit the beautiful Hacienda Sarapampa for a Chef ’s Table experience. Enjoy lunch with the owner, who cordially shares his family’s history in farming and shows you around the farm.

Today, visit Moray, a fascinating archaeological site comprising a series of concentric agricultural terraces, some almost 500 feet deep. Then, journey to a remote mountain village, where you experience ancient agricultural methods used for centuries, on an A&K-exclusive experience. Continue to the Children of the Rainbow school, a project supported by A&K Philanthropy, where you enjoy lunch and take in an equestrian performance featuring Paso Fino horses. Return to your hotel to enjoy a relaxing Scenic Sundowner before dinner.

Visit the imposing fortress of Ollantaytambo, with its massive stone terraces, and journey deep into the Andes toward Machu Picchu by train. Alternatively (at an additional cost), start toward Machu Picchu by train, stopping at KM 104 to disembark and hike to the Sun Gate above the Incan citadel. Overlooking the Urubamba River, Machu Picchu was built in the 15th century at the height of the Inca Empire. Although this “Lost City” was revealed to the rest of the world by American Hiram Bingham in 1911, its location was long known to locals. Its original purpose, however, remains a matter of some conjecture, as the Incas left no written records. As you wander amid the age-old stone walls, picture life here as it might have been. Tonight, stay in the only hotel on site, just steps from the entrance.

Rise with the sun and join your expert guide to walk through Machu Picchu in the early morning mist before the crowds arrive. After your explorations, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before returning to Ollantaytambo by train, savoring incomparable views of the mountain scenery that surrounds you. On arrival, transfer to your Cusco hotel, a 400-year-old architectural treasure that was once a monastery. Tonight, relax or stroll this ancient Incan capital on your own.

Discover Cusco on a city excursion that includes the Gothic Renaissance-style Cathedral Basilica on the Plaza de Armas and the Santo Domingo Temple, a Dominican church built on the foundations of the Koricancha, the Incas’ principal religious building. Later, visit Sacsayhuaman, a testament to Incan architectural skill. Compiled from colossal stones, its walls were cut and placed together with incredible precision and without a drop of mortar to hold them in place. Back in Cusco, stop for lunch at a local restaurant near the plaza. Afterward, enjoy an afternoon at leisure to relax or shop. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner at an elegant Cusco restaurant.

This morning, enjoy one of these Design Your Day activities:

Visit the San Blas Neighborhood, a unique, bohemian enclave where you find the workshops of artisans.

Stroll San Pedro Market and Visit the Inca Museum for a taste of local fruits and cheese, and a glimpse into history.

Join a Photographer in Cusco who helps you capture authentic images of the city’s architecture and people.

Later today, fly to Lima and connect with your homebound flight.