Fly overnight from London to Quito, Ecuador. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel for a two-night stay. Quito, the capital of Ecuador, lies on the slopes of the Andes’ mighty Pichincha volcano in the Guayllabamba river basin. The city’s Old Town is its main attraction - one of the most well preserved in Latin America and the first-ever UNESCO heritage site. Wander among ancient, colourful streets; pop into glorious historic churches; or spend an afternoon browsing the vibrant Mercado (markets) and learning about the unique, traditional Ecuadorian Sierra culture. Numerous gorgeous public parks and a thriving and exciting culinary scene complete the package.

Stay: Casa Gangotena Boutique Hotel

Today you will enjoy a full-day tour of Quito, exploring the city’s most iconic landmarks and immersing yourself in its rich history and culture. The day begins at the Mitad del Mundo monument and museum, which marks the exact point of the equator and provides fascinating insights into Ecuador’s geography and indigenous heritage. Next, visit the neo-Gothic Basilica del Voto Nacional, renowned for its gargoyles, massive stained-glass windows, and panoramic city views from its towers. Lunch is served at Casa Gangotena, a historic mansion turned restaurant, offering signature cocina mestiza inspired by Ecuador’s biodiversity and traditional culinary techniques. In the afternoon, explore the Church of La Compañía de Jesús, a 17th-century Baroque masterpiece with a dazzling gold-leaf interior, and stroll through Independence Square, the vibrant heart of Quito, surrounded by the Presidential Palace, Cathedral, and Municipal and Archbishop’s Palaces. The day concludes with a visit to Raqeri Chocolate, an immersive chocolate-tasting experience in a restored colonial mansion, where guests savor six chocolates from different regions, engaging all the senses. This full-day itinerary highlights Quito’s architectural marvels, cultural traditions, and flavors, offering an unforgettable journey through the history, artistry, and spirit of Ecuador’s capital.

Stay: Casa Gangotena Boutique Hotel

This morning transfer to Quito airport for your flight to the Galapagos. Upon arrival in Baltra, head directly to the dock to board Yacht La Pinta. Your adventure starts with a welcome briefing, safety drill, cabin allocation, and lunch. Then, we’ll sail for our first afternoon exploration of South Plaza Island. The island boasts turquoise waters contrasting against a volcanic landscape. Scarlet sesuvium succulents lead to a grove of prickly-pear cactus, home to colourful Galapagos land iguanas. Lively sea lion colonies and dancing seabirds can be found along the coast. This stunning island offers a perfect introduction to the unique natural wonders of the Galapagos archipelago.

Explore Santa Fe Island, part of the “Humboldt quartet” of islands in the Galapagos. It’s a hotspot for genetic diversity and home to unique species like the Galapagos hawk and the elusive Santa Fe land iguana. Enjoy kayaking, snorkeling, and coastal exploration in the morning for a memorable visit. After a fulfilling lunch, we visited Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, where Charles Darwin first set foot in the Galapagos Islands. We then drive to Cerro, Colorado, to see the breeding center for giant tortoises in a captivating deciduous forest. The sanctuary is also home to various bird species. We ended the day by exploring the town and its surroundings.

After arriving at Punta Pitt on the eastern tip of San Cristobal Island, you can enjoy a coastal trail with views of frigates and sea lions. Look out for various species of boobies. If the weather is good, you can take a panga ride or go snorkelling to explore the marine life further. After lunch, take a dinghy ride to Cerro Brujo’s white coral beach, a haven for birdwatching and historical significance, as Charles Darwin explored it in 1835. Enjoy sightings of seabirds, shorebirds, and Galapagos sea lions.

Explore Punta Suarez in the morning to see unique lava terrain and remarkable seabird colonies. Keep an eye out for waved albatrosses, boobies, swallow-tail gulls, and the stunning “blowhole” lava formation against the backdrop of the Humboldt Current. Look for colourful marine iguanas. This visit promises unforgettable encounters. End your morning adventure with a delightful lunch back on board. In the afternoon, we’ll visit Gardner Bay’s pristine white coral beach. Here, you can observe playful sea lions, graceful mockingbirds, and charming finches or enjoy snorkelling, kayaking, or a glass-bottom boat ride to explore marine life.

We will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, home to the Charles Darwin Foundation’s renowned biological research center and its giant tortoise captive-rearing program. After exploring the station and learning about its vital conservation work in the Galápagos Islands, we will travel by bus across Santa Cruz Island and then take a ferry to Baltra for your return flight to mainland Ecuador. Continue your journey and fly from Guayaquil to Lima, Peru. Upon landing at Lima International Airport, our representative will be there to warmly welcome you. They'll ensure your smooth transfer to your hotel, helping with check-in and providing you with a comprehensive itinerary for your exciting journey through Peru. Following your arrival time, the remainder of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the amenities of the hotel at your leisure.

Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

We will enjoy a half-day guided city tour of Lima, the “City of Kings,” exploring its most iconic landmarks. The tour begins in Lima’s Historical Center, passing by Plaza San Martín, Plaza Mayor, the Government Palace, the City Hall, and the Cathedral with its Religious Art Museum. We will also visit the San Francisco Monastery and its famous catacombs. The tour continues through the elegant districts of San Isidro and Miraflores, where we will see Huaca Pucllana, a 2nd-century A.D. ceremonial center of the Lima Culture considered sacred by the Incas. Other highlights include El Olivar Park, with olive trees brought from Spain in the 15th century, Miraflores Central Park, and El Parque del Amor (Love Park), overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We will then visit the Larco Museum, home to Peru’s finest private collection of pre-Columbian art, offering a captivating glimpse into ancient civilizations. Lunch will be served at Café del Museo Restaurant, known for its refined Peruvian and international cuisine in a charming, romantic setting. The menu celebrates the diverse flavors and traditions of Peru’s regions. After the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel, and the rest of the day will be at leisure.

Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Upon arrival at Cusco Airport, we will transfer to the Sacred Valley, stopping in the town of Pisac, renowned for its hilltop Inca ruins at the valley’s entrance. At the Inti Watana complex, we explore the Temple of the Sun, ceremonial baths, altars, water fountains, a ceremonial platform, and the volcanic inti watana stone, used as an astronomical clock and Inca calendar to mark seasonal changes. We then visit the lively Pisac Market, historically a gathering place for local artisans to trade their goods, where you can browse colorful textiles and crafts, interact with the vendors, and even practice bartering. Lunch follows at Hacienda Sarapampa, a traditional corn hacienda in the heart of the Sacred Valley, offering a unique gastronomic and cultural experience. Guests can learn about the cultivation of Cusco’s famous giant white corn while exploring the scenic farm and discovering daily life on a working Andean property. The farm-to-table lunch features fresh local ingredients and traditional Peruvian dishes reinterpreted with a contemporary touch, served in a charming countryside setting surrounded by the Andes. After lunch, we continue to your hotel in the Sacred Valley, concluding a day filled with history, culture, and authentic Peruvian flavors.

Stay: Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness

Today we set off for the Sacred Valley, visiting the charming Andean village of Chinchero, known for its colonial church housing an extensive collection from the Cusqueñan School of Art. In Chinchero, we will enjoy a weaving demonstration and workshop with master weaver Nilda Callañaupa, who collaborates with six mountain villages to revive ancient textile techniques and symbolic patterns. This hands-on class will include wool spinning, natural dyeing, traditional designs, and the chance to weave your own bracelets or practice with a spinning wheel, using provided looms and materials. Our journey continues to the Salt Mines of Maras, with their striking terraces where salt has been harvested from natural springs since pre-Inca times. Founded by the Spanish in 1556, Maras supplied salt to the southern highlands, and today its sunlit pools create a dazzling array of colors, illustrating the ingenuity of the Incas. Next, we explore the Moray terraces, a series of circular, cone-shaped depressions designed to create microclimates for crop experimentation, showcasing the Incas’ advanced agricultural knowledge. Lunch will be at Rancho Wayra, including a Peruvian Paso Horse demonstration, where the horses display their fluid gait and elegance to the rhythm of la marinera, reflecting centuries of cultural tradition. After the tour, we transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay in the Sacred Valley.

Stay: Aranwa Sacred Valley Hotel & Wellness

We begin the day with a morning transfer to the train station for an unforgettable journey on the Inca Rail 360° train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, passing through the dramatic transition from the Andean highlands to the lush “eyebrow of the jungle.” Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, we take a 20-minute bus ride up to the Citadel of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, perched at 3,400 meters (11,150 feet). Here, a private guide will lead us on a comprehensive tour of this world wonder, exploring its massive stone walls, terraces, and ramps, which seem naturally sculpted into the mountainside, and learning about the Inca Empire’s extraordinary engineering and urban planning. After the tour, we enjoy lunch at Qunuq Restaurant in Aguas Calientes, savoring local flavors before beginning our journey back. In the afternoon, we board the Inca Rail 360° train for the scenic return trip to Ollantaytambo, where our representative and private driver will meet us for transfer back to the hotel in Cusco. This full-day experience offers an intimate glimpse of one of the most iconic archaeological sites in the world, combining breathtaking landscapes, rich history, and the unmatched ingenuity of the Inca civilization. Overnight in Cusco.

Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Cusco with breakfast

We begin with a guided half-day sightseeing tour of Cusco, the Imperial City and archaeological capital of South America, where you will admire the finest examples of Inca history and architecture. The tour includes the city’s most important historical landmarks, reflecting a blend of cultures, such as the Main Square, the Cathedral, and Santo Domingo Church, built atop the foundations of the Inca temple Koricancha, dedicated to the worship of the Sun God. We then visit Sacsayhuaman Fortress, one of Cusco’s most significant surrounding archaeological sites, a ceremonial and military complex renowned for its massive stone walls and sophisticated construction, offering a panoramic view of the city below. This experience provides insight into the ingenuity, culture, and history of the Inca civilization while appreciating the harmonious blend of Inca and colonial architecture throughout Cusco. After the tour, you will return to your hotel to gather your belongings, and at the designated time, our representative will meet you in the lobby to transfer you to Cusco Airport for your next flight. Assistance with check-in procedures and departure formalities will be provided, ensuring a smooth conclusion to your visit in this remarkable city.

Stay: Hilton Garden Inn Lima Miraflores

Your journey comes to an end. Check out and transfer to the airport for your overnight flight back to London.