Inca Civilisation, Mountain Landscapes and Enchanted Islands

Tuesday, 30 May 2023

Fly from the UK to Lima

Depart on a daytime flight to Lima. On arrival at Lima airport, you will be met by our representative who will take you to your hotel for two nights.

Wednesday, 31 May 2023

Guided tour of Lima 

Included today is a half day tour with your local guide to discover both colonial and modern districts of Lima. Following an earthquake in 1746, the city was elaborately rebuilt, and today wide streets, vast plazas and old houses with ornately carved balconies are a legacy of this period. Visit the Museo Arqueologico Rafael Larco Herrera in the suburb of Pueblo Libre. Founded in 1926 by the Peruvian archaeologist Rafael Larco Hoyle, the Larco Museum showcases remarkable chronological galleries providing an excellent overview on 3,000 years of development of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. Featuring the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru and to the famous erotic archaeological collection, this museum is one of the most visited Peruvian tourist attractions.

Thursday, 01 June 2023

Fly to Lake Titicaca

Transfer to Lima airport for your morning flight to Juliaca, where you will be met by our local guide and taken to your hotel in Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

This afternoon we venture onto Lake Titicaca to visit Uros Islands. Although the Uros Indians of the floating islands have intermarried with Aymara Indians and no pure-blooded Uros exist, many of the inhabitants of the islands still practice the old traditions of fishing, trapping birds and living on the lake plants. The totora reeds which grow abundantly in the shallows of the lake are used for their boats, houses and islands. The Indians began living on the reed islands over 500 years ago when the Uros built the islands in an effort to isolate themselves from the Collas and the Incas. 

Friday, 02 June 2023

Train journey to Cusco 

Crossing the Andes on the Puno – Cusco route is an unforgettable experience all on its own. But doing it aboard the PeruRail Titicaca Train will make this a truly once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The PeruRail Titicaca Train was created to provide passengers with all the luxuries they could want in a trip, while offering them a chance to forge a mystical connection with nature. The PeruRail Titicaca Train features an open-air observatory car, allowing you to take in the majestic views while enjoying the typical music and dances of the Peruvian highlands.

During your trip, you will have the chance to take panoramic pictures of some of the quintessential Andean landscapes. The route covered by the PeruRail Titicaca Train is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world, with a trip that lasts ten and a half hours. At the start of the journey, passengers are welcomed at the Wanchaq Station (Cusco) or the Puno Station, where local musicians will provide background music as you board the train. Once aboard, you can enjoy the two dining cars decorated in the style of the Pullman cars of the 1920s. Also, during the trip, you will enjoy a personalized service and have the finest in gourmet food. When you arrive in Cusco, our guide will meet you and take you to your hotel. Lunch is included today.

Saturday, 03 June 2023

Sacred Valley of the Incas

An early start today for a full day tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop is at Chinchero to visit the local colourful and authentic market where indigenous people from the surrounding communities congregate to trade their goods, not only trading in money, but in goods as well. The Chinchero Market is also well-known for its woven handcrafts typical of the region. You will also visit a workshop where you can see the artisans of the region working in their place. From here we drive to the Moray ruins, used by the Incas as a type of open-air crop laboratory.

Our next stop is Maras pre-Inca salt mines located on a wide-open hill above the Urubamba Valley. From here we will continue down to the Urubamba River and stop to admire the beautiful views of the valley. Lunch. We cross a small bridge and arrive at a beautiful Spanish Hacienda, overlooking the Urubamba River.

We visit the huge fortress of Ollantaytambo, the archaeological complex believed to have been a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military centre. The town itself is geometrically perfect; with straight streets, trapezoidal doors, and Inca drainage systems.

We continue to Pisac a small colonial village built by Viceroy Francisco de Toledo on the ruins of an Inca citadel, standing at the entrance to the immensely fertile Urubamba River valley which was called the "Sacred Valley of the Incas" for the agricultural produce and wealth it brought as the base of the Inca Empire. There is a tourist market with numerous shops full of handicrafts and weaving and also a food market for local people, particularly on Sunday when some women and children dress in their traditional costumes. We drive up the mountain above the town for a short to visit to the Pisac ruins. Entrance fees and lunch are included. Lunch is included today.

Sunday, 04 June 2023

Guided tour of Cusco & nearby Inca Ruins 

Today enjoy a guided tour of Cusco. We visit the Cathedral in the main square of Cusco and the Koricancha, the Spanish church built on Inca stone foundations. The Cathedral, believed to be built on the foundations of the Palace of Viracocha, stands proudly in the main square and houses an interesting picture of the last supper where Jesus and his disciples are about to tuck into a guinea pig, a Peruvian delicacy.

We drive to the mountains above Cusco to visit the archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman and Kenko. The largest complex and most famous of the ruins surrounding Cusco is Sacsayhuaman, a mighty fortress, built using massive stones some of which weigh over 100 tons, and somehow fitted together so neatly that even now, after so many years and earthquakes, one can still not slip a knife blade between the pieces of this huge jigsaw puzzle.

We also explore Tambomachay ruins, which may have served as a military outpost or a spa resort for the Incan political elite; as well as the Puca Pucara site, a red granite huge fortress. On the return we stop at a vantage point above Cusco for a superb view of the city and the surrounding mountains, before returning to your hotel. Entrance fees are included. 

Monday, 05 June 2023

Machu Picchu by Vistadome Train

Today we set off by Vistadome train from Cusco along the course of the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes. This is a spectacular journey through a dramatic and changing landscape with some fantastic views. From Aguas Calientes, you will be met by your guide and take a bus up the steep mountain side to the magnificent citadel of Machu Picchu, which silently awaits. You will have a private guided tour of the ruins to learn about the Inca culture and history of the site. After you have checked into your hotel, the rest of the afternoon is free. Lunch is included today.

Tuesday, 06 June 2023

Return to Cusco

Early mornings offer an excellent opportunity for a quiet stroll around Machu Picchu, a walk along the Inca Trail to Intipunku (Sun Gate), or a strenuous climb to Huayna Picchu, the rocky escarpment overlooking the ruins. In the afternoon Vistadome train back to Cusco, where we stay for 1 night. 

Wednesday, 07 June 2023

Fly to Quito

Transfer to Cusco Airport for an early morning flight to Quito (via Lima).. Situated between two ranges of the snow-capped Andes, the old town in Quito is a a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city enjoys a beautiful setting and temperate climate. You will be met by our local guide and taken to your hotel for a 1-night stay. 

Thursday, 08 June 2023

Fly to the Galapagos for your 7-night cruise

Take a domestic flight to the Galapagos and transfer to your chosen yacht for your 7-night cruise on a full board basis. Your Galapagos cruise includes daily morning and afternoon guided excursions to admire the tame wildlife endemic to each island. 

Friday, 09 June 2023

Cerro Brujo & Punta Pitt (San Cristobal)

We spend the morning at Cerro Brujo, a breathtaking white coral beach, with expansive views and good bird-watching.  Take a peaceful walk along the beach, or swim with sea lions from the beach. Take out the kayaks or stand up paddle boards for a different perspective of the marine life.  Enjoy a scenic Zodiac ride that takes us through a cave called The Cathedral. Return to the yacht for lunch. 

Go ashore this afternoon at Punta Pitt, a tuff formation that serves as a nesting site for many sea birds including all three types of boobies – blue-footed, Nazca and red-footed boobies, both frigatebird species, swallow-tailed gulls, storm petrels, shearwaters, and brown pelicans. Punta Pitt is considered one of the best sites for birds in the archipelago, and is also home to a colony of sea lions.  At Pitt Rock, we snorkel with sea lions and colorful fish such as the King Angel and Surgeon fish. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Saturday, 10 June 2023

Punta Suarez & Gardner Bay (Espanola)

Disembark at Punta Suarez on Espanola Island,  home to the greatest number of endemic species found in Galapagos.  Sea lions bark noisily as we land on their beach. Curious Hood mockingbirds peck at our shoelaces. From April to December, the waved albatross, found only on Espanola, perform its wild mating ritual. Colonies of blue-footed boobies engage in “sky-pointing” to show off for potential mates. Easily spotted wildlife are the Nazca boobies busily caring for their young, stunning swallow-tailed gulls, the only nocturnal gulls in the world and red-billed tropicbirds take shelter under the cliffs. We also find Darwin’s Finches, Galapagos Doves and Galapagos Hawks, as well as a  unique species of marine iguana identified with traces of red and green colorings. Follow the trail to the dramatic ocean blow hole, and watch for colorful sally light-foot crabs crawling along the shoreline.  Return to the yacht for lunch on board.

Continue on to Gardner Bay, where large colonies of sea lions dot the seemingly endless white sand beach.  Take a leisurely stroll or relax on the beach, watching for the Galapagos Hawk, Darwin’s Finches or Espanola Mockingbird. Swim with playful sea lions right from the beach, explore the bay and islets by kayak or stand up paddle board.  Take a Zodiac ride to explore the caves covered with invertebrates.  Admire the colourful array of underwater life at this excellent snorkeling site near Tortuga Rock.  Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Sunday, 11 June 2023

Punta Cormorant & Post Office Bay (Floreana)

Step ashore at Punta Cormorant on Floreana Island, where the olive-sand beach is alive with the sounds of sea lions, lava herons, yellow-crowned night herons, blue-footed boobies, and penguins.  Follow a trail to a brackish lagoon, home to Bahama ducks, common stilts, Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers and the greater flamingos. Wind your way past a rich variety of plants including the morning glory, cut leaf daisies, mangroves (black, red and white), paldo verde and scalesia. After the walk, there is an opportunity to snorkel at Champion Islet, a shallow sunken crater colonized by a brilliant array of colorful fish and corral, white-tipped sharks, sea turtles, spotted eagle rays and sea stars. L

Floreana is one of the few populated islands in the Galapagos with a rich and intriguing human history.  After lunch, visit on of the most famous sites in Galapagos, Post office Bay, where a post office barrel was erected in the late 18th Century to use by English whaling vessels. Visitors are invited invited to leave a post card and to pick up any mail destined for their home town. There is a chance to swim from the beach with sea lions. Late afternoon, take a Zodiac ride near Baroness Point to look for sea turtles and rays. Return to the yacht for a briefing followed by dinner.

Monday, 12 June 2023

Highlands & Charles Darwin Research Centre (Santa Cruz)

Disembark at Puerto Ayora, the social heart of the Galapagos, with a population of 24,000. Travel by bus to the highlands,passing through all seven vegetation zones found in Galapagos. Visit the tortoise reserve at one of the private farms that protects giant tortoises in their natural habitat.  Stop at “the tunnels”, the largest lava tubes found in Galapagos, and visit Los Gemelos (The Twins), a pair of large craters. Return to the yacht for lunch on board and a briefing. 

This afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and see the tortoise and land iguana corals and the breeding center with new hatchlings and miniature tortoises that will be repatriated when grown. Visit a new exhibit honoring Lonesome George, a worldwide icon of conservation as the last surviving tortoise from Pinta Island that tragically died of natural causes.  Stroll through town to shop for souvenirs or stop in at an internet cafe. Return to the yacht for dinner or as you wish, remain ashore for dinner on your own.  Zodiac shuttles from the Letty to the main dock will be offered throughout the evening.

Tuesday, 13 June 2023

Las Bachas & Bartolome Island

This morning enjoy a Zodiac ride at Caleta Tortuga Negra (Black Turtle Cove) through a series of coves and inlets surrounded by mangroves. See pairs of mating sea turtles (Sep to Feb), white-tipped reed sharks and golden cow-nosed rays.  Return to the yacht for lunch. 

Disembark at Bartolome, a young Island that is inhospitable to most plants and animals. Climb the long wooden staircase to the summit of a dormant volcano, pausing along the way to marvel at lava bombs, spatter and cinder cones. It seems as if we are walking on the moon!  The panoramic view from the top encompasses the entire island, including the distinctive eroded tuff cone known as Pinnacle Rock.  The crystal clear water below beckons of snorkeling with schools of tropical fish, white-tipped reef sharks and Galapagos Penguins. Take a Zodiac ride along the rocky shoreline. Return to the yacht for the evening briefing followed by dinner.

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

South Plaza Island & North Seymour

Today’s visit is at South Plaza, a small geological uplift with tall cliffs where swallow-tailed gulls, shearwaters and red-billed tropicbirds build their nests.  The trail leads us through Opuntia (Prickly Pear) and Sesuvium, and land iguanas are seen here feeding on the cactus leaves.  The island is home to a colony of bachelor sea lions, with dominant bulls in various stages of recovery from battles over prime beach territory.  Return to the yacht for lunch.  Later, snorkel between North and South Seymour in deeper water.  

Go ashore at North Seymour, a small geological uplift to observe swallow-tailed gulls, blue-footed boobies and endemic land iguanas. Visit the largest colony of Magnificent frigate birds in Galapagos, and watch for marine iguanas and sea lions body surfing the northern swells. Return to the LETTY for the Captain’s farewell cocktail party and dinner, followed by a slide show presentation by your guides.

Thursday, 15 June 2023

Departure

Disembark, transfer to the airport and flight to Guayaquil to connect with your overnight flight home. Or extend your stay in the Galapagos Islands at the Finch Bay Hotel on Santa Cruz Island. 

Friday, 16 June 2023

Arrive in the UK

Arrive in the UK in the morning.