Machu Picchu & Galapagos

Our adventure begins in Cuzco. Set high amid the altiplano the imperial city of the Incas was the centre of a vast empire, which stretched from Colombia to Chile at its peak. After Spanish conquistadors invaded the city, they built on top of the Inca structures, resulting in unique architecture: a fusion of Spanish colonial and Inca styles. Say hola to your leader and fellow travellers around 6pm, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventure ahead.

There are no activities planned today, so take it easy and drink plenty of water to help adjust to the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m). Your leader will ensure a big Latin welcome by arranging an optional group dinner at a local restaurant for your first taste of Peruvian hospitality. Want to explore Cuzco further? Additional pre-tour hotel nights are bookable through your sales representative. Stay: Hotel Raymi (or similar).

Explore the heart of the Inca empire this morning, seeing the highlights of Cuzco both in and above the city. In the centre, Cuzco Cathedral and Qoricancha (Sun Temple) feature arguably the finest examples of Inca stone craft. On the hill overlooking Cuzco, we visit the monolithic stone fortress site of Sacsayhuaman, where the Inca armies made their last stand against the conquistadores.

This afternoon has been left free to explore the city in more detail. Stay: Hotel Raymi (or similar) (B).

After breakfast, we travel (1hr 15min) through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, on the outskirts of Cuzco, as we head up to the traditional weaving community of Chinchero. Along with amazing views of the valley and Vilcabamba mountains, Chinchero offers the unique cultural opportunity to enjoy a traditional Andean pachamanca lunch, which is hosted by and supports the local community. This is a real culinary treat, in which the food is wrapped, then buried underground with hot stones to cook it slowly.

After lunch, explore the ancient salt ponds near the village of Maras, where salty springs emerge from the hillside and the Incas built terraces to capture the flows and harvest salt. Also visit Moray, where the Incas build huge circular agricultural terraces on limestone sinks. Arriving at Ollantaytambo around 6pm, we visit an immense Inca fortress and explore the town, where many streets and facades remain unchanged and continuously inhabited since Inca times. Stay: Classic accommodation: Tunupa Lodge Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

Take the train (1hr 30min) to Aguas Calientes this morning, a lively town in the valley below Machu Picchu. The rest of the day is free to visit hot springs or shop in the large craft market. Our Machu Picchu entrance ticket is valid for tomorrow; however, should you wish to visit the ruins today as well, you need to purchase an extra ticket in advance – please inform your sales representative at the time of booking the trip. For those who wish to hike to Machu Picchu, there is an optional full-day trek that meets with the final section of the Inca Trail.

Our route starts at Km104 and climbs 1. 25mi (2km) to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, where we continue to the Sun Gate for the iconic view of Machu Picchu with its mountain backdrop. Although this optional hike is available at no extra cost, it must be pre-booked since numbers are strictly limited (and a permit is required). You should request this at the time of booking and note the first part of the hike is a steep climb. Stay: Classic accommodation: Hotel Hatun Inti Classic (or similar) (B/L).

To beat the day-trippers from Cuzco, we get an early start for our 30-minute bus drive up the winding road to Machu Picchu. Machu Picchu is an architectural and engineering marvel with a mountain backdrop of staggering immensity. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records, and so it remained a great enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham.

Please note, exploring the ruins involves a reasonable amount of walking, including up and down steep and uneven stone steps. After our tour, we return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min). From Ollantaytambo, we continue by private bus to Cuzco (1hr 30min). Stay: Hotel Raymi (or similar) (B).

Say goodbye to our Peruvian tour leader today, as we leave Cuzco on a flight to Quito, Ecuador, via Lima (sometimes with an additional stop in Guayaquil). Stay: In the western cordillera of the Andes, Quito is the second highest capital in the world and, as always at altitude, it is a good idea not to do anything too strenuous at first! Classic accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar) (B).

We have a half-day tour of Quito today, one of the smaller and more attractive capitals in South America. Our adventure takes us to the Plaza Grande, the main square, which is flanked by some of the most important landmarks in the city. We also visit the impressive Quito cathedral and La Compañia church, plus the small volcanic hill known as El Panecillo. We then have the rest of the day to relax and continuing adjusting to the altitude. Stay: Classic accommodation: Hotel Vieja Cuba (or similar) (B).

Transfer to Quito Airport and fly to San Cristóbal in the Galapagos. Your Galapagos tour leader (an official naturalist guide) takes you from the airport to the hotel for check-in and our first briefing about our time in the archipelago. We have time to explore the town and enjoy a restaurant lunch before our visit to La Lobería, a wonderful beach surrounded by mangroves, volcanic rocks and sea lion colonies. It's a perfect spot to snorkel, relax on the sands, or have a short walk along the shore. Stay: Classic accommodation: Hotel Paraiso Insular (or similar) (B).

Start your day with an exciting tour to Isla Lobos, a small island near San Cristóbal. This excursion takes you by boat to one of the best spots for observing sea lions in their natural habitat. Isla Lobos is also an excellent location for birdwatching, including frigatebirds and blue-footed boobies. Snorkel in the clear waters around the island, swimming with marine turtles, rays and, occasionally, whitetip reef sharks. Head to Playa Ochoa in the afternoon, a white-sand beach with turquoise waters, ideal for relaxing. It also offers excellent opportunities to birdwatch and snorkel. Stay: Classic accommodation: Paraiso Insular Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

A three-hour navigation by motorboat takes us to Floreana, one of the first Galapagos islands to be inhabited. En route, we may see whales, dolphins and sea birds. After lunch, we visit the highlands, home to one of the few sources of freshwater in the entire archipelago. We also visit lava caves once used by pirates and see a large enclosure of Galapagos giant tortoises.

In the afternoon, we transfer (2hr 30min to three hours) to Isabela Island by speedboat. Stay: Classic accommodation: San Vicente Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

Spend 45 minutes sailing to the islets and lava channels of Las Tintoreras, one of the best places in the islands to see whitetip reef sharks, penguins and sea lions, with time to snorkel. On this morning excursion, we may be lucky enough to spot the endangered Chatham mockingbird.

This afternoon, we visit the Wall of Tears, a sad reminder of Isabela's very different past when the island was used as a penal colony. Between 1946 and 1959, convicts were forced to build this wall from huge blocks of lava simply as a form of punishment, which, combined with the harsh conditions, led to many deaths. After this sobering visit, we hike back to the town through the mangroves, wetlands and along sandy beaches.

This is one of the best places on the islands to view migratory birds, including Wilson's phalaropes, blue-winged teals and, if we're very lucky, ospreys. This region has also seen the reintroduction of Galapagos giant tortoises from the breeding centre into the wild and we are likely to encounter several on our walk. Stay: Classic accommodation: San Vicente Hotel (or similar) (B).

Navigate by motorboat (two hours to 2hr 30min) to Santa Cruz and have breakfast at our hotel. After, we visit Tortuga Bay, a long stretch of white sand regarded as one of the best beaches in the Galapagos. The trail there is paved and takes 45 minutes to one hour, with possibilities to observe Galapagos finches and lizards along the way. The beach is scattered with marine iguanas, who lay among the black rocks or stroll along the sand. Turtles can sometimes be seen in the water, though swimming is not recommended here due to the strong currents.

In the afternoon, we have the option of visiting the Charles Darwin Research Centre, home to the headquarters of the Charles Darwin Foundation. This is the main research station on the islands and scientists come from all over the world to study the flora and fauna. There is also the chance to visit the lively fish market, where we can see the daily catch and sample some of the freshest seafood you've ever tasted. Stay: Classic accommodation: Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar (or similar) (B).

Visit either Bartolomé Island, South Plaza Island, Santa Fe Island or North Seymour (depending on national park restrictions). South Plaza has a remarkable vegetation of succulents and cacti that provide a unique habitat for land iguanas. The iguanas form small colonies at the base of the tall opuntia cacti, waiting for their flowers and dead pads to fall to the ground so they can feed. Seymour is a flat, boulder-strewn island and a major nesting site for frigatebirds.

It's also a good place to see blue-footed boobies performing courtship rituals and sea lions playing in the powerful surf. Bartolomé is a spectacular scene of dramatic lava cones and clear seas and affords perhaps the most famous view of the Galapagos Islands, looking across the red cinder cones to the recent black lava fields on James Island. If possible, we snorkel today (usually around Bartolomé) where the water is calm. Stay: Classic accommodation: Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar (or similar) (B/L).

After a few days following the footsteps of Darwin, Cousteau and world-renowned scientists, it is time to say goodbye to the Enchanted Islands. After breakfast, we drive (one hour) to the airport at Baltra and fly to Quito for our final night. Stay: Classic accommodation: Vieja Cuba Hotel (or similar) (B).

Our adventure ends after breakfast this morning. If you'd like to continue your adventure, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in Quito (B).