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Highlights Of Peru With Galápagos Legend East Cruise

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Highlights Of Peru With Galápagos Legend East Cruise

Operated by: Trafalgar

13 Days
JAN - DEC 2023
Highlights Peru Guided Tour

Countries Visited

Peru, Ecuador ...more Peru, Ecuador

Locations Visited

Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Baltra Island, Bartolomé Island, South Plaza Island, North Seymour Island, San Cristobal Island ...more Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Baltra Island, Bartolomé Island, South Plaza Island, North Seymour Island, San Cristobal Island
  1. Day 1 Arrive Lima

    Welcome to the Capital of the New World – the launch pad to our effortlessly delivered encounter with the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. On arrival in Lima, you’ll be transferred to your hotel in the exclusive barrio of San Isidro where you’ll enjoy a Welcome Reception this evening to meet your Travel Director and travel companions.

    meals Welcome Reception
    hotel Novotel Lima San Isidro
  2. Day 2 Experience the Sights and Flavours of Lima Connect with Locals

    Connect with the colonial heritage of Francisco Pizzaro’s 'City of Kings', admiring the colonial splendour of Lima’s UNESCO-listed Historic Centre. Stand in the birthplace of this ancient, yet modern city, surrounded by the Baroque façades of Cathedral of Lima and Palace of the Union. See the Church of San Francisco and discover its hidden catacombs. Celebrate Lima’s status as the culinary capital of South America and Connect With Locals when you meet Ignacio Barrios, who has worked alongside many of Peru's most award-winning chefs. We visit a local market where Ignacio will explain how Peruvian fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats are the basis of Peruvian cooking. Then, continue to Chef Ignacio's cooking school where we’ll enjoy a demonstration on how to prepare some of Peru's most popular dishes and have an opportunity to sample some at a Be My Guest experience lunch before spending the rest of the day at leisure.

    meals Breakfast, Be My Guest
    hotel Novotel Lima San Isidro
  3. Day 3 Journey to the Sacred Valley Dive Into Culture Connect with Locals Make Travel Matter Stays With Stories

    Board a morning flight to Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Dive Into Culture when you visit the Pisac market, displaying Quechua arts and crafts, then continue to a former 18th century colonial-style monastery in the Sacred Valley, our hotel for the night. Connect With Locals and meet Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, a master Quechua weaver, and the first person from her village to attend university. She has been an ambassador for Andean traditions since she began learning ancient pre-Columbian weaving techniques as a young girl in the 1960s. MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as your visit helps to preserve and promote traditional pre-Columbian weaving techniques in the 21st century.

    meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    hotel Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay
  4. Day 4 Explore iconic Machu Picchu

    The mystical empire of the Incas takes centre stage today. We visit the famous Sacred Valley stronghold of Ollantaytambo with a Local Specialist, before boarding the Vistadome train (light snack included) for our epic journey to Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilisation, admiring the 15th century stone ruins of temples, palaces and terraces perched high amidst the clouds. Join your Local Specialist for an exploration of the iconic great Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the Intihuatana, an intricately carved rock most likely used as a sundial centuries ago. We return to our hotel where we dine tonight.

    meals Breakfast, Dinner
    hotel El MaPi
  5. Day 5 The Sites of Machu Picchu and Cusco Dive Into Culture

    The ancient ruins of Machu Picchu beckon again and we have an opportunity to re-connect with this ancient wonder. We board a train to the Sacred Valley, then head to the colonial city of Cusco, stopping en route at a local chicheria. Dive Into Culture and enjoy the sweet flavours of chicha as you learn how this Peruvian corn beer is brewed by the local women.

    meals Breakfast
    hotel Hotel Novotel Cusco
  6. Day 6 Step Back in Time in Cusco Dive Into Culture

    Discover Cusco’s colonial center with your Local Specialist, highlighting the city’s most important landmarks of both the Inca and the Colonial times including the Plaza de Armas where a cathedral stands on the ruins of the ancient Inca Palace. Stop at the Temple of the Sun, Korikancha, before visiting the ruins of Sacsayhuaman, a UNESCO-listed Incan fortress with tremendous views over Cusco. The afternoon is free to join an optional experience including a visit to the Chocolate Museum, Cusco off the beaten track or the Incan agricultural greenhouse and salt wells of Maras & Maray.

    meals Breakfast, Regional Dinner
    hotel Hotel Novotel Cusco
  7. Day 7 Delve into Pre-Columbian Art in Lima Dive Into Culture

    A leisurely start to our day sees us return to Lima this afternoon. Meet a Local Specialist at the Larco Museum, which houses the largest private collection of pre-Columbian art in the world. This evening we join our travel companions for a Farewell Dinner in the museum's garden restaurant.

    meals Breakfast, Farewell Dinner
    hotel Novotel Lima San Isidro
  8. Day 8 Travel to Quito

    Transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Ecuador (flight not included in holiday price). Enjoy a warm welcome in Quito where you will be greeted at the airport and taken to your hotel.

    meals Breakfast
    hotel Sheraton
  9. Day 9 Uncover Historic Quito

    Visit the historical centre of Quito, which was the first place in the world to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and travel to the 'Middle of the World' to stand on the Equator. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

    meals Breakfast
    hotel Sheraton
  10. Day 10 Bartolome Island and Galapagos penguins

    Discover a land that inspired Darwin to form his Theory of Natural Selection. On arrival at Baltra airport, transfer to the M/V Galápagos Legend. Sail to Bartolomé Island, hiking to its summit for soul-stirring views, then snorkel in the midst of Galápagos penguins.

    meals Breakfast, Lunch
    hotel M/V Galápagos Legend
  11. Day 11 South Plaza Islet and the Famous Galapagos Sea Lions

    Our first destination today is South Plaza Island, home to the famed Galápagos sea lions and the unusual prickly pear cactus tree which dot the island’s red landscape. Next is North Seymour Island, on whose long sandy beach and rocks, the resident sea lions and marine iguanas sun themselves.

    meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    hotel M/V Galápagos Legend
  12. Day 12 Uncover San Cristobal Island

    We journey to Pitt Point this morning, ascending to a high point on the steep volcanic tuff hill to see if we can spot all three of the booby species simultaneously. Cerro Brujo’s coral sand beach is our next destination, where we can connect with the resident sea lions or snorkel in the shadow of Witch’s Hill.

    meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    hotel M/V Galápagos Legend
  13. Day 13 Depart San Cristobal Island

    Enjoy a first-hand encounter with the giant tortoises of La Galapaguera de Cerro Colorado, a tortoise reserve that protects the island’s tortoise population. Your Galápagos exhibition at its end, transfer to San Cristobal Airport for your return flight to Quito. Airport arrival time in Quito will be at 7 p.m.; please be aware when booking your flights.

    meals Breakfast
Highlights Peru Galapagos Cruise East Guided Tour Map
Price Includes

Whats Included

  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • A Trafalgar Bonus all Intra-Air Flights: Lima to Cusco and Cusco to Lima, including porter service at all airports.
  • Tickets for a ride aboard the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu
  • Optional Experiences and free time

Dining Summary

  • 1 Welcome Reception (WR)
  • 12 Breakfast (B)
  • 1 Be My Guest (BMG)
  • 4 Lunch (L)
  • 4 Dinner (D)
  • 1 Regional Dinner (RD)
  • 1 Farewell Dinner (FD)

Be My Guest

  • Lima: Visit a local market with Chef Ignacio and enjoy a special lunch at his cooking school.

Dive Into Culture

  • Cusco: Enjoy the flavours of chicha, a Peruvian corn beer. Hear about how chicha is brewed by the local indigenous women and its history dating back to the time of the Incas as a favourite drink of the Andes. Learn about the two types of chicha, alcoholic sour chicha de jora made from fermented jora corn and the non-alcoholic, sweet chicha morada.
  • Cusco: Enjoy cusquenian dishes and a folkloric dance perfomance.

Iconic Experience

  • Lima: Take in the highlights of Lima, the 'City of the Kings,' including a panoramic view of the ancient districts. Join a local specialist for a visit to the UNESCO-listed Historic Center. Learn how before it was destroyed by earthquakes in the mid-18th century, observing how the historic buildings display a collaboration between local craftspeople and others from the Old World. Then drive along the coastline as you learn more about the fascinating history of Peru's capital city.
  • Lima: Join a local specialist for a gentle hike to explore jungle trails that snake between the roots of towering trees for an immersive introduction to the rich ecosystems of the rainforest. Here in the Amazon, you’ll find a staggering 540 bird species, 362 ant species (a world record you have to see to believe) and over 100 mammal species that have been registered within Inkaterra’s ecological reserve.
  • Lima: Under the cloak of night, cruise the Madre de Dios River at night in search of wildlife that roams the riverbanks under darkness. Keep on the lookout for the likes of nightjars, owls, capybaras and caimans as you learn about the curious behavior and characteristics of this nocturnal world.
  • Cusco: Climb the exhilarating Inkaterra Canopy Walkway for an unforgettable opportunity to observe the rainforest from its rooftop. Follow a sophisticated network of seven suspension bridges originally designed for scientific research strung between eight treetop observation platforms over 30 meters (100 feet) above the forest floor. This half-day, medium difficulty exploration is an immersive and colorful way to experience the jungle stretching out beneath you.
  • Sandoval Lake: Embark on a half-day hike on a boardwalk jungle trail to Lake Sandoval, a glassy ox-bow lake tucked inside the protected Tambopata National Reserve. Board a dug-out canoe to paddle through eerie mangroves and glide out onto the palm-flanked lake, home to thousands of bird species as well as anacondas, black caimans, yellow spotted side-neck turtles, red howler monkeys and two endangered (and elusive) families of giant river otters.
  • Sacred Valley: Discover the Amazon’s otherworldly realm of aguajales rainforest swampland on a gentle hike along a –200 meter (656 feet) walkway through this diverse ecosystem. Learn how vegetation has adapted to this atmospheric natural habitat and the exotic species of amphibians, reptiles, snakes, birds and mammals that are drawn here.
  • Sacred Valley: Boldly venture out at night to discover some of the strange species that come alive under deep darkness in the Amazon. Wildlife activity greatly differs between day and night, as some creatures curl up and sleep while others employ ingenious adaption mechanisms to emerge. Enjoy a gentle, quiet stroll as your senses heighten to the mysterious nocturnal sounds of birds, mammals, insects, and amphibians wandering close by.
  • Cusco: Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo with a Local Specialist. These famous ruins are a massive Inca fortress made of large stone terraces stretching out across a hillside. Walk among the stone platforms, the sun temple of six monoliths and the Princess Baths fountain ― the Baño de la Nusta at the base of the ruins flowing from carved stone into a pool. Over your exploration, learn how the old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings.
  • Machu Picchu: Soak in every moment of your Machu Picchu tour in style as you descend to the Lost City in the clouds aboard the Vistadome train. Travelling the Inca Trail, you’ll traverse dramatic landscapes with a panoramic view of the soaring peaks, river, and ruins. Sit back and relax as you enjoy this multi-sensory journey complete with background music, an informative audio commentary highlighting interesting sites, and an included light snack.
  • Machu Picchu: Take a shuttle to the top of the mountain where you’ll meet your local specialist for a guided hike of Machu Picchu. You’ll learn about Machu Picchu’s history and the use of each section of including ceremonial, storage, agriculture, temples, astronomical, and observatory as well as the possible reasons why the Incas left Machu Picchu.
  • Machu Picchu: The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and we enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story. Journey to take in the ruins at sunrise spending some time on your own to explore the hill-top fortress. Soak in every moment at this iconic site, making stops at points of interest while your guide shares their insights on the archaeological sites.
  • Cusco: Join your Local Specialist for a guided walk through Cusco's colonial centre, including the nearby 13th century Incan settlement of Koricancha. Here in Cusco’s Golden Temple of the Sun dedicated to the Sun God Inti, view the trapezoidal and irregular shapes and rounded edges. Note how the stones fit together and were built simply by placing them on top of each other without using any mortar. This staggered placement also enables them to withstand earthquakes.
  • Cusco: Begin your day at the ruins of the UNESCO-listed Sacsayhuamán fortress overlooking Cusco. With zig zagging walls and ruins of giant stones, see how the shape and harmony of the landscape is similar to Machu Picchu. Stroll through this Incan architecture of sacred buildings such as residential buildings, towers, shrines, warehouses, roads and aqueducts. And while you may not be able to take in the grand scale, the complex design is based on the shape of the head of a puma, a sacred animal in Inca spirituality.
  • Lima: Join a local specialist for a tour of the Rafael Larco Herrera Museum which houses the largest private collection of pre-Columbian Peruvian art in the world. You'll also explore the extensive collection of Peruvian gold and silver from ancient times. Learn the history of the museum founded by Rafael Larco on July 28th, 1926 in Trujillo followed by in 1958 when Larco moved his collection to Lima to a unique colonial residence built on top of a VIII century pyramid.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

  • Sacred Valley: Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience meeting Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez, a master Quechua weaver and the first person from her village to attend university. She has been an ambassador for Andean traditions since she began learning ancient pre-Columbian weaving techniques as a young girl in the 1960s. You'll learn about traditional weaving practice using natural dyeing techniques and its importance to their identity and culture. Your visit makes a difference in helping to preserve and promote traditional pre-Columbian weaving techniques in the 21st century.

Must-see Highlights

  • : Explore Lima and Cusco with a Local Specialist and try Peruvian food during a cooking demonstration
  • : Visit the outdoor market at Pisac, the ruins at Ollantaytambo, two visits to the 15th century fortress of Machu Picchu, historic Sacsayhuaman, the Larco Museum in Lima and meet a master Quechua weaver
  • : Scenic Drive through the Sacred Valley and in Peru's Andean highlands
  • : Scenic Train Ride to Machu Picchu aboard the Vistadome train

Whats Included

  • : An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • : Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • : All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • : All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • : Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • : Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • : Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • : Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • : A Trafalgar Bonus all Intra-Air Flights: Lima to Cusco and Cusco to Lima, including porter service at all airports.
  • : Tickets for a ride aboard the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu
  • : Optional Experiences and free time

Dates & Prices

Thank you for your interest in this tour. If no dates are displaying, please call our reservations line at 1-877-622-9109 for more information

Reviews
Service
Vacation
Independent Reviews
Trusted Customer
Review date: Saturday, February 29, 2020
Service
The people that I talked to were always pleasant and helpful!
Vacation
The trip was very interesting.
Albert Barabe
Review date: Saturday, February 8, 2020
Service
Very helpful staff
Vacation
More awesome than I expected
Jian-Ping Huang
Review date: Sunday, September 29, 2019
Service
The whole process went smoothly. The tour guide, Daniel, was very knowledgeable and caring.
Vacation
Seeing Machu Picchu in Peru was a dream. This trip realized it. It wasn't difficult as I anticipated. Meeting the follow travelers were good experience.
Trusted Customer
Review date: Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Service
The booking agent was punctual at returning emails and providing the information we needed.
Vacation
GET/Trafalgar did not include airfare to Easter Island and also reduced the stay by one day compared to past years. Otherwise, the trip was very good. The guides were excellent.
Barry Smith
Review date: Saturday, February 2, 2019
Service
Wonderful tour package. Got to see local and national cultures, artifacts, people, and language. A great tour director.
Vacation
GET did a wonderful job in selecting the hotels, food programs, excursions, and overall travel experience.
Trusted Customer
Review date: Saturday, November 3, 2018
Service
Easy to deal with, brochures and website very informative.
Response from Grand European Travel:
It sounds like you had an awesome time seeing the Highlights of Peru. We are very happy to hear you enjoyed your trip and that you found our information helpful in your planning. Thank you for taking the time to write, and we hope to work with you again in the future! All the best!!
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Vacation
Great value. Tour Director Freddy was very competent and handled logistics with great precision. Our schedule was always on time I spite of having to manage activities across several towns and cities (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu) with precise coordination of air and local transportation facilities and local guides. Hotels were very comfortable and well located. Meals were excellent too. This tour is very hectic and one should prepare for this pace before the tour. And read up about altitude sickness which you may experience at Cusco. Bring trekking sticks. Then hope for good weather.
Trusted Customer
Review date: Saturday, September 29, 2018
Service
Excellent trip to Machu Picchu, Peru! Rudy was a wonderful guide - he handled everything seamlessly and was able to convey and share the culture and history. It was just the right amount of active time and social time. Enjoyed the excursion to the salt mines and Moray agricultural grounds. Thank you for a memorable trip!
Vacation
So nice to have everything planned out for us - tickets, hotels, meals, transportation, itinerary.
Frances Rainey
Review date: Saturday, September 22, 2018
Service
GET service was top notch! The two service reps we worked with were friendly, informative, and very thorough in guiding us through the booking process.
Vacation
The lodging and ground transportation were all first class. The itinerary was perfect to get the feeling of the country and culture. Danny, our travel guide, was the best. Very personable, and knowledgeable. He added insightful historical and societal perspectives of the Incas and the Spanish conquest that went far beyond the usual sightseeing. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We recommend it to anyone.
Trusted Customer
Review date: Saturday, August 18, 2018
Service
Booking vacation was straight forward. We were pushed to eatly August due to full house in July. Probanly better weather in Peru in August. Only issue was getting our documrnt and itinerary. We had to call after waitng and ask for them. Finally, getting the airline s hedukes and boarding data correct was difficult, requiring several calls to GET, AMER. AIRLINES and LATAM. Only finalized 48 hours before take off. LATAM had no Passport info, from GET or AA. Once entered manually on LATAM website, the bogus BOGATA flight disappeared and everything was resolved. But up to then, no one could answer my question. Very disconcerning! Great trip! High quality with TRAFALGER. Great group.
Vacation
Very informative and deeply insightful thanks to Trafalger's Tour Guide.
Trusted Customer
Review date: Saturday, August 18, 2018
Service
Initially I was not particularly interested in a couple of cultural learning experiences based on prior experiences I had on a different tour. However, I was genuinely surprised by the cultural experiences as scheduled. These opportunities were engaging in large part due to the enthusiasm generated by the presenters. Loved each opportunity to interact with community members and learn from their perspectives. Please continue recruiting presenters who are personable and enthusiastic about their communities!
Vacation
Overall the tour was terrific. There were booking issues with our flights which took several phone calls to resolve over a couple of days. Our travel documents were not sent until a short time (8 days) until our departure. I had to call GET to request our travel documents which were then sent electronically.
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