Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu

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Ask your agent for details today! Click here for terms and conditions.In the footsteps of Darwin. Embark on a thrilling five-day cruise of the Galapagos Archipelago. These islands teem with the same exotic wildlife that changed the way we see our world. But first travel to mainland Ecuador, a country of rich cultures and spectacular natural beauty. Visit Quito, one of the most elegant cities in South America. You’ll delight in one stunning discovery after another.

Day 1: Quito, Ecuador - Tour Begins
Your tour begins in Quito, Ecuador’s stunning capital city.

Day 2: Quito - La Magdalena - Optional Homestay*
Journey to the Karanki community of La Magdalena • Lost in time and living on the slopes of Cubilche volcano, the Karanki welcome visitors • Share in shepherding and harvesting activities or go horseback riding, taste homemade bread and cheese, and admire traditional embroidery skills • Choose to overnight at historic Hacienda Pinsaquí or experience a homestay* with a Karanki family, where you savor a home cooked dinner and wake to the imposing volcanoes of the Andes.

Day 3: Imbabura - Otavalo
Travel through the scenic valleys of Imbabura and photograph the towering volcanoes • Take a short language lesson • Tour a rose plantation hacienda to study the varieties of one of Ecuador's major exports • Experience the renowned Otavalo Market • Browse colorful displays of blankets, ponchos and panama hats • Explore regional customs during lunch with the locals • Join the dancing and listen to indigenous music at a folkloric show • Watch artisans create high-quality apparel using traditional techniques • Enjoy accommodations at a 300-year-old Andean hacienda, a colonial estate that offers warm hospitality and Old World elegance • Make empanadas at a culinary demonstration, then taste canelazo, a favorite Ecuadorian spiced drink.

Day 4: Otavalo - Andes Mountain Train - Quito
Taste some “helado de paila,” a local ice cream specialty • Set out on an unforgettable train ride through a landscape of fertile valleys, lush plantations and indigenous villages • Step off the train in the community of Salinas where lunch features regional specialties and Afro-Ecuadorian music • Experience thriving traditions as artisans create “Masapan” bread dough figurines and explain this unique art • Return this evening to Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 5: Quito
Tour Quito’s colonial center, including the Presidential Palace and 17th-century church of La Compañía • Cross between hemispheres at the Equatorial Line Monument and Museum at the “Middle of the World” • Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 6: Quito - San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos - Embark Ship
Fly to beautiful San Cristóbal Island, gateway to your Galapagos adventure • Enjoy lunch aboard the m/v Galapagos Legend • At Port Baquerizo Moreno, visit the San Cristóbal Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve • After exploring the island, stargaze from the deck of your ship and toast the wonders of the Galapagos with tropical cocktails.

Day 7: Española Island (Gardner Bay and Suarez Point)
Board your panga to visit Gardner Bay • Guarded by a colony of sea lions, the beach is home to Galapagos hawks and endemic finches • Swim and snorkel with the marine life, including manta rays and white-tipped sharks • Continue to the volcanic terrain of Suarez Point • During a nature walk, watch for hooded mocking birds, lava lizards, Sally Light foot crabs and Blue-footed Boobies • Count Waved Albatross at the world’s largest colony • Finally, visit the Soplador blowhole where water shoots 75 feet into the air.

Day 8: Floreana Island (Post Office Bay and Cormorant Point)
Land at storied Post Office Bay, named for a barrel left in 1793 by Captain James Colnett as a “post office” for passing sailors • Continue the tradition and leave a letter • Snorkel if you choose with green sea turtles or search for Darwin’s finches and yellow warblers • Sail to Cormorant Point • Spot sting rays and reef sharks in the emerald waters • Learn about the ecosystem’s unusual plants • You may also observe a small colony of penguins • Enjoy another chance to snorkel and swim near the playful sea lions!

Day 9: Santa Cruz Island (Charles Darwin Research Station and Highlands)
Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station • See the giant tortoises from the station’s breeding program, including Lonesome George, the last of his species • Trek through the Santa Cruz highlands to Cerro Chato and find more giant tortoises • Savor some organic Galapagos coffee • Walk inside dormant lava tubes to gain insight on how these islands formed • Enjoy time to explore Port Ayora town.

Day 10: Daphne Island - Disembark Ship - Baltra Island - Guayaquil
Garner panoramic views as you circumnavigate Daphne Island • Look for marine iguanas, fur seals and crabs teetering along the rocky shore • Bid farewell to the Galapagos and fly to Guayaquil • Tour this community known as the “Pearl of the Pacific” • Visit the Malecón 2000 waterfront area and the 19th-century neighborhood of Las Peñas, with its Spanish-style houses • From Santa Ana Hill, look out over the city and the Guayas River.

Day 11: Guayaquil - Lima, Peru
Fly to Lima, Peru’s “City of Kings” • Spend an afternoon shopping or visiting Lima’s many fine museums • Perhaps you’ll experience an optional Peruvian Paso horse exhibition, dinner and folklore show.

Day 12: Lima - Cuzco - Sacred Valley of the Incas
Fly to Cuzco • Descend through the Andes to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, once the agricultural center of a great empire • Visit Awana Kancha, a living museum of the Peruvian Andes • Explore centuries-old methods of spinning, dyeing and weaving textiles • Stop in Pisac village to browse the handicraft market • Visit Pablo Seminario Ceramic Studio • Marvel at this internationally-renowned artist's techniques and designs, inspired by ancient Peruvian cultures • Settle into your hotel nestled in the Sacred Valley.

Day 13: Ollantaytambo - Sacred Valley of the Incas
Glimpse daily activities at a nearby village and connect with another culture • Visit the Ollantaytambo ruins, a spectacular example of Inca architecture • Do as the locals do and enjoy a tasting of “chicha,” a regional drink made from maize, at a local pub.

Day 14: Sacred Valley of the Incas - Machu Picchu - Cuzco
Embark on a train ride through the Andes from Ollantaytambo to mysterious Machu Picchu • Hidden for centuries, the “Lost City of the Incas” is the most spectacular sight in South America • Spend the day exploring the fabled ruins • En route to Cuzco, meet Peruvian children at a Collette Foundation supported orphanage** • In Cuzco, relax and become acclimated to the altitude.

Day 15: Cuzco
Explore the former capital of the Inca Empire • Cuzco means “Center of the World” in the ancient Quechua language • On a city tour, experience the Spanish architectural legacy visible in the Cathedral, Santo Domingo and the Plaza de Armas • Discover the sacred Incan ruin of Sacsayhuaman Fortress • Spend some time browsing the local markets • See the San Blas artisans quarter or visit one of the impressive museums • Enjoy dinner and a traditional Andean folkloric performance.

Day 16: Cuzco - Lima - Tour Ends
Return to Lima and tour its historical center, a UNESCO World Heritage site • Admire the artwork at San Francisco Monastery and enter the catacombs • View the Government Center, the Plaza de Armas’ Cathedral and the fashionable suburbs for insight into the life of Limeños • Before transferring to the airport, complete your day with a farewell dinner at the Larco Museum, housed in an 18th century mansion.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
3/3/2012 - 3/14/2012	$4,299
4/14/2012 - 4/30/2012	$5,599
5/12/2012 - 5/28/2012	$5,649
9/22/2012 - 10/8/2012	$5,649
10/20/2012 - 11/5/2012	$5,649
12/1/2012 - 12/17/2012	$5,649
1/12/2013 - 1/28/2013	$5,999
1/19/2013 - 2/4/2013	$5,999
2/16/2013 - 3/4/2013	$5,999
3/9/2013 - 3/25/2013	$5,999
4/13/2013 - 4/29/2013	$5,999
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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