Best of Peru & Galapagos
Peru
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Visit Peru's incredible natural and historical highlights on this awesome adventure. Retrace the steps of the Incas to Machu Picchu, admire bustling cities, explore vibrant markets and meet the locals in this South American country with a difference. Return home with incredible memories of the panoramas and people of Peru. Amazing wildlife, both on land and underwater, is the drawcard of the remote Galapagos Islands. Tour the Galapagos' outstanding natural beauty and interesting history by foot, boat and bike on this active adventure. Trace Darwin's theory of evolution, spot colourful, bizarre and beautiful creatures and have an experience that is completely out of this world as you discover the incredible Galapagos Islands.
Availability
From 11/04/2025 to 20/12/2027
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
Marvel at the mother of all Inca cities, magical Machu Picchu.
Enjoy a guided tour of the ruins and free time to explore on your own.
Enjoy plenty of time in gorgeous Cusco, the perfect place to launch into further outdoor adventures, or simply relax and take in mountain views.
The floating reed islands of Uros on Lake Titicaca are astounding in concept, construction and history.
Take a boat tour on the world's highest navigable lake and stay with a local family there.
Get acquainted with the beautiful churches and graceful boulevards of Quito, Ecuador's capital.
Get up close and personal with giant tortoises on Santa Cruz Island.
These nearly extinct creatures are one of the greatest drawcards to the Galapagos .
Breakfasts Included: 15.
Lunches Included: 6.
Dinners Included: 1.
Homestay (1 nt),Hotel (13 nts).
Plane,Speed Boat,Canoe,Train,Private Vehicle,Public bus.
Age: min 16.
Group Size: 1 - 12.
Lima - Leader-led walking tour.
Cusco - Leader-led orientation walk.
Sacred Valley - Community visit & lunch.
Sacred Valley - Snack & drink at AMA Restaurant social enterprise.
Machu Picchu - Entrance and guided tour.
Lake Titicaca - Boat tour & Homestay.
Quito - Historic District Walking Tour.
Isla San Cristobal- Snorkeling in La Loberia (1.
5 Hours).
San Cristobal - Excursion to Leon Dormido or Lobos Islands.
Isla San Cristobal - Interpretation Center (45 minutes).
Isla San Cristobal - Cerro Tijeretas View Point (1 Hour).
Floreana - Snorkeling.
Isla Isabela -Tintoreras or Shark Alley (2.
5 Hours).
Isla Isabela - Flamingo lagoon visit (30 Minutes).
Isla Isabela - Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre (1 Hour).
Isla Isabela - Kayaking.
Isla Isabela - Sierra Negra Volcano Hike (5-6 Hours).
Santa Cruz Highlands Visit (3 Hours).
Santa Cruz – Organic Farm Tour.
Santa Cruz – Encebollado Cooking Class.
Isla Santa Cruz - Tortuga Bay walk.
Isla Santa Cruz - The Galapagos Conservancy (The Intrepid Foundation partner) visit.
Isla Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Research Centre.
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Itinerary
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1 - Lima Bienvenidos! Welcome to Peru. Your adventure begins in the capital city of Lima, one of South America's most beautiful cities, with a welcome meeting at 2 pm. You'll meet your fellow travellers and trip leader and then head out for a stroll of the streets of downtown to check out some of the main attractions on a walking tour. Enjoy some free time before an optional group dinner this evening. The unofficial food capital of South America, there's no better place to sample Peru's national dish, ceviche, than at one of Lima's excellent restaurants. As there's little time spent in Lima, it's recommended that you arrive a few days early to see the sights, including the chic suburb of Miraflores, as well as Central Park, Lovers' Park and the National Museum.
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2 - Cusco This morning after breakfast, you'll catch an early flight to Cusco. Spend a little time acclimatising to the high altitude (3450 m). Then, get acquainted with this charming city and its intriguing blend of cultures on a leader-led walking tour. Check out some of Cusco's main attractions, as well as its lesser-known sights, such as the Qoricancha temple, San Pedro market, the main square, the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square. Tonight is free to explore at your own pace or find the perfect dinner spot with your group and try some local Peruvian favourites.
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3 - Aguas Calientes Travel by private bus through the Sacred Valley on the outskirts of Cusco today. This lush valley, known as Wilcamayo to the Incas, has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces that are carved high into the valley walls. You'll visit a community in the valley to learn about local lifestyles and activities. If your visit coincides with market day, you can browse the stalls in search of hand-painted beads or warm ponchos. Visit the AMA Restaurant in Urubamba - this cafe provides employment opportunities and job training for single mothers throughout the Sacred Valley. Enjoy a snack and learn how this inclusive enterprise focuses on economic growth, gender equality and the support of vulnerable communities. Board a train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes - nestled in the cloud forest at the foot of Machu Picchu.
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4 - Cusco This morning, you'll take an early bus up the winding road to Machu Picchu. Welcome to one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World! This is your chance to decide for yourself whether Machu Picchu was built around 1440 as a country retreat for the Incan nobility or as an ancient astronomical observatory. Enjoy a guided visit of the incredible site, giving you ample time to take in the many temples, palaces and living quarters. After taking advantage of the seemingly endless photo opportunities, you'll return to Cusco.
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5 - Cusco Today after breakfast, you can enjoy free time to relax, shop and explore Cusco's many sights. Maybe rest your weary legs at a cafe on Plaza de Armas or head to the San Pedro Market, where you can find vegetables, meats, local cheeses, chocolates, herbal medicines and many local handicrafts. It's a great place to pick up souvenirs or ingredients for a picnic. The market is also where many locals (and daring travellers) go to eat 'mystery soups.' Some may be just chicken - however, the most popular among the locals usually contain frogs or offal. For those looking for something active, why not try mountain biking in the hills surrounding Cusco?
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6 - Puno This morning after breakfast, you'll travel through the dramatic scenery of the high Altiplano to Puno - located on the shores of serene Lake Titicaca. At an altitude of 3800 m, Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake. Today includes a bit of a long drive in a local bus, but it's worth the first glimpse of immense Lake Titicaca, whose seemingly endless waters stretch into the horizon. Puno is a melting pot of Indigenous Aymara and Quechuan culture and traditional Andean customs, and it wears its traditions on its sleeve. If you're lucky, your trip will coincide with one of the many cultural festivals here. Ask your leader where you can get the best grilled trout tonight - a true local specialty perfect for dinner.
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7 - Puno This morning, you'll take a tour of the immense lake by motorboat, stopping at the floating Uros Islands that look like they could come from a Pixar or Studio Ghibli movie. Built by the Uros people to protect themselves from encroaching Inca forces hundreds of years ago, the islands are constructed from many layers of totora reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake. Get a closer look at contemporary life on the shores of the lake with a homestay in a local community. Help your host family with their daily activities, try out a few words in the Quechua language and maybe even join a local soccer game to make some friends on the makeshift pitch. Tonight, sit down and swap stories with your hosts, who will cook you a feast full of traditional Peruvian favourites.
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8 - Lima This morning after breakfast at your homestay, take a bus to Juliaca airport. Then, you'll take an included flight back to Lima, where you'll have a free night. Enjoy your last night of the trip with your fellow travellers and maybe head out to a final celebratory dinner.
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9 - Quito Today, transfer to the airport and board an included flight from Lima to Ecuador's capital, Quito. Once you arrive, there are no activities planned until another group meeting held at 2 pm, where you'll be briefed on the next stage of your South American adventure. After the welcome meeting, join your local leader for a tour of Quito's historic centre. Catch the metro to the Parque de la Alameda and visit sites such as the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a famous neo-Gothic church known for the details of its fa?ade that represent Gal?pagos tortoises, Andean condors, and Amazon alligators. You'll also visit La Compania de Jesus, considered by many to be the most beautiful church in the Americas. It's claimed that seven tons of gold leaf cover the interior whilst the exterior is decorated with statues, busts, sculpted heads, and a jungle of carved leaves. The tour will finish at San Francisco Square, where you'll have the option to return to the hotel, or why not get to know your new travelling companions and dine in Quito's Old Town - your leader will have plenty of recommendations!
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10 - Isla San Cristobal, Galapagos Welcome to San Cristobal in the Galapagos Islands! As you start this trip on the Galapagos Islands you have two options for joining the group, as outlined in Special Information below. After joining up with your fellow travellers and your local naturalist guide, head to La Loberia where you'll put on snorkelling gear for the first time and go for a swim among sea lions, perhaps spotting sea turtles too. Return to town for a free evening. Perhaps head out with the group and enjoy some of the fresh seafood available.
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11 - Isla San Cristobal Take a 45-minute boat ride to Leon Dormido (Kicker Rock) this morning. On the way, you might be able to spot nesting frigates and blue-footed boobies. You might even get the chance to swim among the sea lions again. At Leon Dormido, you can snorkel and look for sea turtles, manta rays and the harmless Galapagos shark. Eat lunch on the boat, then head to the Interpretation Center. Learn about the history of the 'Enchanted Islands' and the conservation projects that seek to preserve them. Continue to Frigatebird Hill (Cerro Tijeretas) - it's quite a climb to the top, but well worth the amazing views of the bay. Then, return to town in the late afternoon for a free evening.
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12 - Isla Floreana Take an early morning boat ride to Isla Floreana and look for dolphins and whales along the way. Snorkel in the clear blue waters and then break for lunch. After, venture to a black-sand beach belonging to the Witmers - descendants of some of the first settlers on the Galapagos. The town here - Puerto Velasco Ibarra - has about 150 residents and an intriguing history involving deaths, disappearances and murders. Later in the afternoon, wave goodbye to Floreana and continue to Isla Isabela, where you'll spend the night.
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13 - Isla Isabela This morning, you'll hop on a small Zodiac boat and cruise to Las Tintoreras (Shark Alley), looking out for blue-footed boobies and the famous Galapagos penguin. Take a short walk on this isolated islet and popular iguana nesting site, then snorkel in a calm inlet with colourful fish and winding underground lava tubes. This area is also frequented by green sea turtles that like to rest on the calm, sandy bottom. Return to Isla Isabela and visit the Arnaldo Tupiza Tortoise Breeding Center, where you'll observe giant tortoises in all stages of development. After learning about the thousand turtles that are preparing for life here, you'll head to a brackish lagoon to observe flamingos. Later today, take a kayak around the island and spend your evening resting in the sand and soaking in your first Isabela sunset - arguably the most beautiful of all the islands!
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14 - Isla Isabela Start your last day on Isla Isabela by heading towards the Sierra Negra Volcano - one of the Galapagos' most active volcanoes and the world's second-largest crater! Weather permitting, you'll take a challenging hike of around 17 km up the rocky mountain. After, make your way back to town for some free time to curl up with a book, soak your tired muscles or venture down to the water for a relaxing swim before dinner.
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15 - Isla Isabela Jump aboard a private speedboat this morning and head to Isla Santa Cruz. When you arrive, leave your bags at the hotel and head to the Santa Cruz Highlands. Your first stop is a local farm, where giant tortoises roam the grounds freely. Here, you'll meet with an expert chef for a cooking class to make the famed encebollado - a local tuna soup that's widely considered one of the best in the world! This hearty dish uses slow-cooked albacore tuna and a savoury broth made of onions, cilantro and spices. The dish is traditionally served with yuca (a starchy root vegetable) and garnished with lime and green onions. Enjoy the soups of your labour for lunch, then wander the grounds with the slow-paced residents. After lunch, you'll visit an organic sugar cane farm run by a local family for a tour of their trapiche (a sugar cane mill used in artisanal sugar production). See how the family harvests and processes sugar cane and cacao and how they work with the local community.
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16 - Isla Santa Cruz Take a morning walk in Tortuga Bay after breakfast. Along the way, keep an eye out for eagle rays, sea turtles and blue-footed boobies. Later, you'll head to the local fish market for a dose of local life on the way to The Galapagos Conservancy, who help protect the Galapagos' unique biodiversity. Learn how The Intrepid Foundation supports the Galapagos Conservancy Women in Sustainable Entrepreneurship (WISE) program, which provides critical capital for sustainability initiatives and builds the entrepreneurial capacity of Galapagos women. After, head to the Charles Darwin Research Station - an international non-profit organisation that's dedicated to the scientific research and conservation of the archipelago's environment and biodiversity.
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17 - Quito Say goodbye to these enchanting islands and your Galapagos leader before taking a flight back to Quito, making a stop in Guayaquil on the way. You'll arrive in Quito later in the afternoon, where a representative from Intrepid will take you from the airport to your hotel. Enjoy a free evening in Quito and perhaps head out for a final dinner with your group.
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18 - Quito This morning, your adventure comes to an end. As there are no activities planned for today, you can depart the accommodation at any time, though we recommend staying a few extra days to see more of Ecuador. Not far from the capital, there are volcanoes, hot springs, Indigenous markets, and much more to explore. If you would like to extend your stay in Quito, just contact your booking agent to organize additional accommodation (subject to availability).
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