Have questions? We're here.
The land iguana has adapted to the dry conditions in the Galapagos

Exploring Galapagos + Peru's Land of the Incas

Example 16 Day Cruise aboard National Geographic Islander
Talk with an expert
Build your ideal Galapagos trip. Call 1.406.541.2677
Start Planning My Trip
Embark on a sweeping adventure that encapsulates all the wildness of the Galápagos balanced with cultural and historic experiences of Machu Picchu & the Land of the Inca. Explore the Galápagos in depth aboard the 48-guest National Geographic Islander, an intimately-scaled vessel. Journey to contemporary Lima and historic Cusco, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Plus, overnight at Machu Picchu and watch the sunrise over this fabled city.
Plaza in LimaFinal leg from Sun Gate to Machu PicchuOllantaytambo ruins in the Sacred ValleyDiving in the Galapagos is Awesome!The land iguana has adapted to the dry conditions in the Galapagos
Highlights
  • Have up close encounters with Galapagos wildlife, on land and undersea
  • See daybreak over the ruins at Machu Picchu from the fabled Sun Gate
  • Discover Cusco’s array of cultural influences and explore the Sacred Valley
  • Explore the massive stone Inca stone fortress of Ollantaytambo
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
0

Full Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Guayaquil, Ecuador

Arrive Guayaquil by late evening. Upon arrival, it’s a short drive to the Hotel del Parque.

Day 2: Guayaquil | Galápagos | Embark Ship

  • Ship
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
After the 1 1⁄2-hour flight to the Galápagos, you’ll immediately board the ship. Over the course of the week, our exact routing depends on the National Park Service. 

Day 3-8: Exploring the Galápagos Islands

  • Ship
  • 6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners
While your exact routing depends on the National Park Service, you may visit the following islands: - Bartolomé - Santiago - Santa Cruz - Isabela - Fernandina - Floreana - Española 

Day 9: Galápagos | Guayaquil | Lima, Peru

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Depart Galápagos this morning and fly to Lima, Peru. Overnight at the conveniently located Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel. 

Day 10: Lima | Cusco | Sacred Valley of the Inca

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This morning you board your flight over the Andes to Cusco. Upon arrival, drive through the fabled and fertile Urubamba Valley to Moray—a visually stunning Inca site known for its agricultural terraces. After lunch and an opportunity to experience a local market, check-in at Sol y Luna for two nights. This serene Relais & Chateaux hotel entices with individual adobe casitas set in a verdant garden. 

Day 11: Sacred Valley of the Inca

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Spend the day exploring the archaeological sites and culture of the Sacred Valley in the company of National Geographic expert Peter Frost, who has lived and worked in Peru for decades. He (or occasionally a colleague, if he is in the field) joins us for a talk at the hotel and continues with us to Ollantaytambo, where massive stone walls stand sentry over a thriving Inca community. Lunch is nearby at a working, family-owned hacienda. Here you are also treated to a show of Peruvian Paso horses, and National Geographic grantee Nilda Callañaupa, founder of El Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco, joins us to demonstrate Inca weaving traditions. Dinner tonight it at the hotel. 

Day 12: Sacred Valley | Machu Picchu

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
This morning marvel at the tropical Andean scenery and life along the river from the panoramic windows on the train to Machu Picchu—the Inca royal retreat famously introduced to the world by Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine. Set at less than 8,000 feet, the sanctuary is set in tropical mountain forest with diverse birds and orchids. Check-in at the historic 31-room Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, adjacent to the World Heritage site, with the leisure to explore over the two days in the company of our hand-picked tour director and local guides. Linger after day-visitors are long gone. Lunch and dinner is at the Hotel's private Tampu Restaurant. 

Day 13: Machu Picchu | Cusco

  • Hotels
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Awaken this morning at Machu Picchu, where your options include an early hike to the Sun Gate, the ancient final checkpoint to the Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. After lunch, return through the valley to Cusco, center of the Inca universe and a burgeoning Andean cultural capital. Check-in at the Belmond Hotel Monasterio for two nights in the ancient heart of Cusco. Like many colonial-era buildings, our hotel—founded as a monastery in 1592—stands atop a fountain in the Inca-carved stone. 

Day 14: Cusco

Explore the magnificently ornate 17th-century cathedral and Plaza de Armas, the sacred Inca Temple of the Sun and other treasures of Cusco this morning. Visit nearby Sacsayhuaman, where impressive terrace walls, some of the finest stonework we've seen yet, command views over the city. Relax, shop, or visit Cusco's many churches and museums this afternoon. Dinner is on your own tonight. 

Day 15: Cusco | Lima

  • Hotel
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
Return to vibrant, coastal Lima this morning, where on a tour you stroll the Plaza Mayor and delight in a private farewell lunch with a special musical presentation at Casa Aliaga—in the same family for 17 generations. After a visit to the extraordinary Larco Museum, dedicated to pre-Columbian art, check-in at Belmond Miraflores Park, set along a fashionable seaside promenade. Dinner is on your own. 

Day 16: Lima

  • 1 Breakfast
This morning fly home – or anywhere else you might have decided to go. 

Ship/Hotel

National Geographic Islander

Galapagos Islander
Galapagos Islander
Enjoy a cool drink and the company of your fellow passengers

Wyndham Costa Del Sol Lima Airport

Costa del Sol, Lima Airport
Costa del Sol, Lima Airport
Costa del Sol, Lima Airport

Miraflores Park Hotel

Miraflores park hotel
Miraflores park hotel Lobby
Miraflores Park Hotel

Sanctuary Lodge

Machu Piccu Sanctuary Lodge
Machu Piccu Sanctuary Lodge
Machu Piccu Sanctuary Lodge

Sol y Luna

Sol y Luna front desk
Jacuzzi

Cusco - Hotels

Guayaquil - Hotels

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
$15,300

Notes

*Rates include Galapagos National Park Fee.

*Hotel nights on Days 1 and 9 are at the Hilton in Guayaquil or Quito. Please inquire for pre and post tour accommodation rates at these hotels.
Included
  • 15 Breakfasts, 14 Lunches, 11 Dinners
  • 15 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
  • Snorkeling equipment, wetsuits, kayaks, and paddleboards are all included in the cruise cost and are available for your use onboard.
  • Bilingual Naturalist Guide 
  • Hotels Ashore as Indicated in the Itinerary
  • Sightseeing & Entrance Fees
  • Special Access Permits, Park Fees, Port Taxes
  • Adventure Life Pre-departure Services and In-Country Assistance (Quito Representative)
  • Shore Excursions, Swimming and Snorkeling 
  • Transfers and Baggage Handling in the Galapagos
  • One hour of Wifi per person per day 
  • Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee
  • Nonalcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages (except premium brands).
  • All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Use of snorkeling equipment, wet suits, and kayaks (where available)
  • Services of the expert expedition team and guest speakers
  • Shore excursions, sightseeing, entrance fees, and special access permits
  • Taxes, service charges, and tips (except for ship’s crew, at guests’ discretion)
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Galapagos Park Entrance Fee: $100 per adult, $50 per child under 12. Payable upon arrival to the Galapagos, only in cash dollars. Starting Aug 01, 2024 new fees will be implemented: $200 per adult and $100 per child.
  • Scuba Diving
  • Passport and Applicable Visa Expenses
  • Internal Flights: Mainland Ecuador - Galapagos - Mainland Ecuador: $475-675
  • Additional Hotel Nights 
  • Expedition Extensions 
  • Laundry 
  • Air transportation (except when indicated in the itinerary, as included)
  • Passport, visa, and immigration fees
  • Special and unique excursions such as scuba diving, flightseeing, etc. (where offered)
  • Alcoholic beverages (alcohol is included on select ships)
  • Items of personal nature
  • Phone and Internet Service
  • Gratuity for ship’s crew, at guests’ discretion (crew tips are included on select ships
  • We strongly recommend our guests to take Travel Protection Plan. A Plan with comprehensive coverage to protect you from cancellation fees, costs incurred due to trip delays/interruption, damaged or lost baggage, medical assistance, and evacuation during your travels

Map

Inquire

* By providing your phone number, you consent to receive direct phone calls or SMS messages from our Trip Planners to get the process started. We do not share your information with third-parties.
Travel Agents

We Love to Talk Travel

Call 1.800.344.6118
or
Chat Now
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
More Reasons

Why Travel With Adventure Life

All News

Recognized By