>MACHU PICCHU, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AND EASTER ISLAND, 15 Days 14 nights

ITINERARY

DAY 1 Sunday - QUITO PICK UP Upon arrival in Quito, reception and transfer to the select Hotel - overnight

DAY 2 Monday - GALAPAGOS (BARTRA AIRPORT) Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2 and half flight). Passengers are picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend. North Seymour Dry landing. Guests wil encounter swallow tailed gulls and sea lions. This site is a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and has the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird. Travelers will also spot both the marine iguanas and land iguanas.

Galapagos Islands - Ecuador

DAY 3 Tuesday - SANTA CRUZ (DRAGON HILL) Dry landing. Passengers walk to a saltwater lagoon behind the beach, where on occasion many pink flamingos can be observed. This trail leads up to Dragon Hill, which offers a lovely view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroduced land iguanas, and there is also a Holy Stick Forest. Floreana (Cormorant Point) Wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach. Visitors will hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish lagoon, which holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, Galapagos daisies, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions. Please keep in mind this is an open-water activity; there is nothing to step on.

Galapagos Islands - Ecuador

DAY 4 Wednesday - ESPAÑOLA (SUAREZ POINT) Dry landing. Visitors will learn more about the lava terrain and cross the inactive lava fields. Besides the sea lion colonies, this is a very important site for bird watching. Various bird species such as the mockingbird of Española, Nazca booby and tropic bird can be spotted and observed from very close. You will also see a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and rally light foot crabs. After a short trek visitors encounter colonies of Nazca and blue-footed boobies. The nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. Visitors will also find Galapagos doves, hawks and swallow-tailed gulls and then reach the world’s largest colony of waved albatross. A major highlight is their mating season, from May through December. You’ll visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air about 23 m (75 ft). San Cristóbal (Interpretation Center or La Galapaguera) Dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Passengers will visit San Cristóbal breeding center and learn about the National Park’s breeding program with the giant tortoises. Passengers will observe some animals in their natural environment. Passengers will also have the opportunity to the visit the town and go shopping for souvenirs and arts and crafts.

Galapagos Islands - Ecuador

DAY 5 Thursday - SANTA CRUZ (CARRIONT POINT) - QUITO - LIMA Today, passengers can choose either a ride in an outboard motorboat to observe the Galapagos fur seal, seabirds and marine wildlife or go snorkeling to see a variety of tropical fish, manta rays or even harmless white-tipped reef sharks. Return to the Galapagos Legend. Check-out and transfer to the airport. Return flight to Quito, then you will take your Flight to Lima. Upon arrival reception and transfer to the select hotel - overnight (B)

Day 6 Friday - LIMA / CUSCO CITY TOUR You will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cusco upon arrival reception and transfer to the select hotel, morning at leisure to acclimatize to the altitude. In the afternoon 2;00pm you will be taken on a city tour and visit a local archeological sites, the Cathedral, Koricancha, Sacsayhuaman and surroundings returning later afternoon 5:30pm to your hotel around and enjoy the hospitality of the local people (B).

Galapagos Islands - Ecuador
Cusco - Peru

Day 7 Saturday - SACRED VALLEY After breakfast at 8:45am you will be taken through the Inca Sacred Valley where life has remained almost unchanged for 500 years. You will visit the impressive village of Pisac and the Indian market, enjoy the beautiful handicrafts on sale and wonder at the many ethnic tribal costumes worn, not just for tourists, but as part of their heritage by the local people. The tour also include the visit to Ollantaytambo fortress and the Chinchero Market Before returning to your hotel in Cusco late afternoon (around 6:30pm)(breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 8 Sunday - MACHU PICCHU 2days 1 night by train Early morning 5:30am and after breakfast, we'll depart to the train station to our journey to Machu Picchu on Vistadome Train (4 hours) at 9:40am you will arrive to the Aguas Calientes Town from where you will go by bus to the Archeological site (20 minutes); Once there where you will have a guided tour with an English speaking professional guide follow by some time at leisure. You can stay in the area or relax in the hot springs near the Aguas Calientes town (entrance to hot springs not included) Overnight in your Hotel (breakfast included)

Sacsayhuaman-Machu Picchu

Day 9 Monday - MACHU PICCHU - CUSCO Morning at leisure to explore by your own, you can visit the citadel early when the full magnificence of the site reveals itself in all its majesty, you will have the option to hike up to Huaynapicchu, the pyramid-shaped peak that overlooks Machu Picchu (entrance and bus fee for this day not included on the rate) return to Cusco where you will arrive around 7:30pm. (breakfast included)

Day 10 Tuesday - CUSCO TO LIMA / LIMA TO SANTIAGO DE CHILE After breakfast, return flight to Lima and your connecting flight to Santiago. Arrival and transfer to your hotel.

Day 11 Wednesday - SANTIAGO TO EASTER ISLAND After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight to the Easter Islands. The flight will take approximately 5 hours Reception at Mataveri Airport and transfer to Hotel and then make a half day excursion. We initiate the tour about 3 pm from Hanga Roa's settlement visiting Ahu Vinapu. It was used for the islanders in the year 1.200 A.C. it includes 3 Ahu. The first has 6 moais demolished and painted of red color. The second one has a supposedly feminine moai which had two heads. Finally, the third and the most ancient moai has only removed stones. We will continue our way to the quarry Puna Pau, archaeological site to the east of Hanga Roa. It is a small crater of red dross, from where were obtained the Pukao or hats with which were crowned the moais. Along its antique exit way, there are some incomplete and abandoned moais. We will go on our tour towards Ahu Akivi, the first Ahu restored by the science in the island in the year 1960. The platform with 7 moais is characterized for being one of the few ones located in the center of the island, with its statues facing the rising sun. According the legend, these 7 moais would represent 7 exploratory young men sent before Hotu Matua'a's arrival to investigate the island. Our adventure takes to us to the cavern of Te Pahu, a place used as housing and as temporary refuge in war times. Then, we will return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours

Day 12 Thursday - EASTER ISLAND Departing from Hanga Roa's town at about 9:30 am, going to the southeast and northeast coast of the Island visiting the Ahu Vaihu temple, which is located 10 km from Hanga Roa. It consists of a stone platform with 8 Moais and 8 pukao dispersed in the proximities. Then, we will go to Ahu Akahanga, the also called as the "platform of the king". The legend tells that Hotu Matua'a's tomb is near this place. There, we will find 4 platforms, 12 Moais, 8 Pukao and towards the interior of this Ahu; it is possible to see the best preserved village of the island. Later, we will go to Ahu Tongariki, with 15 moais being the biggest Ahu of the island. Then, we will meet Ahu Te Pito Kura, which possesses the highest statue of the island raised in an Ahu, the moai Paro (10 meters of height and 85 tons with a Pukao of 11,5 tons). Close to this ceremonial temple is the great spherical stone that is identified as the center of the universe (Te Pito o Te Henua), as the legend tells, it was brought to the island by Hotu Matua'a in his craft. Later, we will arrive to Ahu Nau Nau, temple of a complex construction due to its different levels where we will find 5 Moais with Pukao. There, we will see petroglyphs in the backs of the statues. We will continue our excursion to the volcano and quarry Rano Raraku, where there was carved most of the moais of the island using the volcanic rock of its hillsides. There are an estimated number of 400 moais in several stages of carved. To finish our adventure, we will go to Anakena's wonderful beach. It is a beach of white sands chosen for the arrival of the Ariki Hotu Matua'a and his sister Avareipua. Anakena corresponds to the name of a small cave of an adjacent gully. Returning to Hanga Roa, we will realize our last stop in the Fundo Vaitea, country estate with an extension of 6.560,80 hectares, which represents 39,6% of the total surface of the island and it was created to achieve an agricultural production capable of sustaining the needs of the whole island, which was achieved years behind. Return to the populated Hanga Roa, total duration 8 hours.

Day 13 Friday - EASTER ISLAND We will begin our tour at about 8:30 am from Hanga Roa to Tahai's Archaeological Complex, ceremonial center with 3 Ahu, Ahu Vai Uri with 5 moais, Ahu Tahai with 1 moai, and Ahu Lo Te Riku with 1 moai. From this site the visitors can appreciate wonderful landscapes. Then, we will go to Orongo's ceremonial city, ancient ceremonial city located in the west summit of the volcano Rano Kau. It is composed by approximately 53 houses of elliptical shape with flagstone walls and a small square access looking at the sea. In this place were realized the most important ceremony of the second period of the island, the Tangata Manu (“the bird man”). It was carried out until approximately 150 years ago, with the arrival of the first Christian missionaries. Return to Hanga Roa, total duration 3,5 hours.

Day 14 Saturday - EASTER ISLAND TO SANTIAGO Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the return flight back to Santiago. Arrival and transfer to your hotel.

Day 15 Sunday - SANTIAGO TO LIMA - TRANSFER OUT After breakfast, return flight to Lima and your connecting flight home. End of our services.

INCLUDE: Domestic and international airfares as specify in the program, nights at select hotel based on double occupancy, all transfers, professional biligual guide service, entrance fee, transportation and meals as specify in the program.

NOT INCLUDED International airfares, airport departure taxes or visa fees, excess baggage charges, extra expenses for flight cancellations, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages or bottled water, snacks, insurance of any kind, laundry, phone calls, reconfirmation of international flights and items ofpersonal nature.

Travel to the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Easter Island 15d 14n

ITINERARY