Plan Your Trip
After tying the knot and saying “I do,” set your sights high and head off on the ultimate honeymoon. Spend wistful days and romantic nights at two of the world’s most dreamed of, otherworldly destinations: The astounding Galapagos Islands and the enigmatic “Lost City” of Machu Picchu – with the colonial jewel of Quito carefully set in between. Embarking on this travel experience as a married couple, you’ll land first in Peru – a country as breathtaking and vibrant as its intricate and exquisite weavings. Making the travelers’ pilgrimage to the remarkable ruins of Machu Picchu, you’ll walk among remnants of the ancient past, always thinking of your future lives together, while enjoying the most modern and sublime amenities. After a week in this land of mystery and magic, the two of you will head off to another equally revered destination. Spending a week in the Galapagos Islands, the you’ll share in the weather, wildlife and wonder that’s found only in this archipelago made famous by Darwin himself so very long ago. Looking to mark your honeymoon with something so truly epic? This 17-day Machu Picchu and Galapagos Islands honeymoon will tick all the boxes …and more..!!
“We loved the time at the lodge in Cuyabeno. It was so genuine and natural there and the crew was so knowledgable and helpful. Thank you so much for the recommendation of the real Amazonia-experience.”
The two of you will find us waiting for you when your international flight arrives in Lima. Look for the sign with your name and a smile. We will escort you to your hotel, check you in and help you get settled for your 2-weeks+ of romantic adventure. You’ll then be able to rinse away the feeling of a long flight and enjoy a good night’s rest!
Food tour in Lima. This Lima tour starts at a local coffee roastery, Tostaduria Bisetti, where only the best organic coffee beans are hand-selected in making rich Peruvian coffee. You will also tour the colonial streets of the Barranco district, home to artists, musicians, and the city’s top art galleries. In this bohemian quarter, the two of you can share in tasting some exotic fruit smoothies made from lucuma at the La Bodega Verde garden cafe. From here, you will visit a traditional market in the San Isidro district to try exotic fruits and local products, while also learning about the ancient myths and legends associated with them.
The third stop is one of the city’s top cebichería (seafood) restaurants: Embarcadero 41 Fusion, in the Miraflores district – a venue that other tours in Lima won’t take you. Staring into each other’s eyes, you will discover the secrets of the perfect Cebiche and Pisco Sour as you prepare the dish and cocktail yourself with the head chef and bartender. The last stop is for lunch at La Huaca Pucllana, a restaurant within a pre-Incan archeological complex – undoubtedly a Lima highlight. This prestigious restaurant is so impressive that the King of Spain, Mick Jagger, Bill, and Hillary Clinton, just to name a few, have made sure not to miss it during their trips to the Peruvian capital. You will enjoy a variety of gourmet Peruvian dishes, four different desserts, and another Pisco-based cocktail here.
Historic City Tour: In the afternoon, you’ll go on a private tour of Lima that will take you to the beautiful colonial center of the city. Hand in hand, you will visit the Lima Cathedral and the Convent of San Francisco. We will also visit Casa Aliaga. A mansion built in 1535, it’s one of the oldest in the New World, occupied by the Aliaga family since its construction. We will then take you to the Pueblo Libre neighborhood, home to the Larco Herrera Museum. Housing the country’s largest collection of pre-Columbian artifacts. Including extensive gold and silver collections, as well as the infamous erotic archaeological collection, this museum is the perfect introduction to Peru’s multi-faceted cultural history
As a couple, both of you will wake up refreshed and enjoy breakfast at your hotel before we escort you to the airport for your morning flight to Cusco.
Look out the plane’s window to see the winding rivers of the rainforest become snowcapped peaks of the Andes! We will be waiting for you when touch down at our Andean airport, and we’ll drive you to the historic city center of Cusco for a delicious lunch. Then, before you can even feel the high altitude of the ancient Ina city, we will whisk you to the Sacred Valley.
Just 45 minutes outside of Cusco, true Peruvian countryside will stretch away on either side of you, cows and sheep tranquilly grazing on the roadside, as impossibly steep peaks rise in the distance. Your journey will take you first to the Awanakancha Living Museum, where you will see traditional weavers at work and come face to face with llamas, alpacas, and other Andean camelids. Next, you will stop at the vibrant Pisac market, where locals come from miles around to sell their wares. Here, you can by those special souvenirs to mark this occasion of beginning your lives together. Upon conclusion of your market visit, we’ll bring you to your hotel in the heart of the Sacred Valley.
Today, the two of you will weave through the Sacred Valley’s most fertile agricultural lands and experience an unforgettable blend of the past, present, and future. Your first stop of the day will be revisiting centuries past at the ancient Inca ruins at Moray. Some experts believe these concentric circles served as an agricultural laboratory, though no one has yet been able to confirm their definitive purpose. Form your own hypothesis as you peer deep into these beautiful feats of engineering and stonemasonry. Both of you will then be transported to the present, continuing on through a small traditional village before arriving at the iconic Maras salt pans carved into the mountainside. In use to this day, each one of the thousands of flat white pools terracing the hillside has been passed down through generations since pre-Incan times, providing sustenance and income. The intricate network of waterways and white evaporation pools seem like a work of modern art. We will then pause for a locally-prepared lunch while enjoying the panoramic views.
After savoring a traditional Peruvian meal, we will introduce the two of you to our friends in a small indigenous village and glimpse the promising futures that await in rural Sacred Valley. Surrounded by towering mountains and hugging the shore of the breathtakingly blue Lake Piuray, agriculture dominates life in this close-knit place. The women of the village are weaving masters that use Incan techniques, materials, and patterns, and have formed a weaving association that supports the community’s development through sales and teaching. You will also meet some of the local children who attend after-school programs that provide much-needed school supplies, homework help, and – perhaps most importantly – encouragement to stay in school. The kids love to show off their drawings and computer skills! This town is far off the beaten track, so you will not see other travelers here. You will get to meet some of the friendliest people in Peru and witness how a more traditional way of life is adapting to contemporary times. Finally, after experiencing first-hand the past, present, and future of the Sacred Valley, we will take you to your hotel for the evening.
Today, prepare to walk in the footsteps of the Inca and proudly reach Machu Picchu on foot! We’ll collect you from your hotel bright and early this morning, and drive through the picturesque Sacred Valley to the train station in Ollantaytambo, where we’ll board the Vistadome train.
The two of you and your guide will disembark the train at the Inca Trail trailhead, located at Kilometer 104, and from there walk the lovely uphill path to the Wiñaywayna ruins. As you walk, your guide will point out orchids and other jungle plants. With the Urubamba River rushing below, you’ll marvel at the Inca’s strength and ingenuity. At the ruins, you’ll rest up and enjoy a delicious al fresco lunch. You’ll then hit the trail once again, walking for approximately two hours to Inti Punku, the famous Sun Gate of Machu Picchu.
You’ll approach this stone construction climbing up one last flight of stairs, catching your breath only to then lose it again at the sight of Machu Picchu itself, nestled and hidden between steep peaks below.
Descend triumphantly over ancient paving stones to the Lost Citadel, and relish in the audacity of construction of this caliber in this stunning location. Ending the afternoon, you’ll catch the bus to the village of Aguas Calientes and check into your hotel.
This is your day to enjoy a private tour of Machu Picchu, though you’ll also have time to experience this adventure alone as a couple. In the morning, after breakfast at your hotel, the two of you and your guide will board the bus to the ancient ruin’s entrance. You will then ascend stone steps, through heavy tree cover to finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu! Your expert guide will give you a private tour of the ancient city, introducing you to the history of this spectacular citadel and showing you the most important temples and ceremonial sites.
We will have also secured hiking permits for you to scale the iconic peak called Huayna Picchu, which is featured in all the postcard-perfect backgrounds that you see in all classic Machu Picchu photos. From that vantage point, you’ll delight in an alternate perspective of Machu Picchu from the top of what is certainly a true feat of natural and human engineering.
After completing your Machu Picchu experience, you will descend to the village of Aguas Calientes for your return journey to Cusco via a romantic Vistadome train ride. We will be waiting to pick both of you up at the Ollantaytambo train station and will then drive you back to your Cusco hotel for the night.
This morning, after a long but completely enjoyable and memorable day at Machu Picchu, you can sleep in and have a late breakfast. As a couple, you’ll have a completely free day to enjoy the ancient Inca capital of Cusco. Together, you’ll explore the streets, plazas, and markets of this UNESCO World Heritage City at our own pace. We’ll be happy to give you plenty of recommendations so you can make the most of your day.
Wake up refreshed and enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning. At the appropriate time, both of you will be driven to the Cusco airport to take your flight back to Lima.
Arriving in Lima, you will be assisted at the airport in checking in for your international flight to Quito.
Reaching the Ecuadorian capital of Quito, we will be waiting for you to privately drive you to your hotel.
Begin this half-day city tour of Quito’s exquisite historic district. Wandering along the cobblestone streets of this UNESCO-declared “World Heritage Site,” you’ll find Quito’s colonial center packed with artistic and architectural treasures. Internationally considered “the best-preserved, least altered historic center in Latin America,” you should be prepared to discover picturesque colonial-era plazas, 17th-century churches, age-old monasteries, and beautifully restored mansions. These experiences include majestic churches, monasteries, and cathedrals – guardians of a stunning artistic and cultural heritage. Within these sanctuaries, you’ll find altars, pulpits, pillars, and arches adorned head-to-toe in gold leaf, allowing these elements to shine like jewels. Specifically, the visit starts at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, one of the largest churches in Ecuador and one of the most important works of Ecuadorian neo-gothic architecture. While the exterior of the building stands out for its stone carvings that represent plants and animals of the country, the interior consists of 24 chapels. Beneath the structure are crypts in which lie the remains of several former presidents of the Republic, and on top of the 100-meter-tall church is a beautiful gazebo that serves as a small cafe. Continuing on to the always-vibrant Plaza Grande (“Independence Square”), you’ll find this site surrounded by the City Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Nearby, we’ll also visit the intricately detailed church of the “Compañia de Jesus” to find its spectacular interior inlaid in gold. Next, we’ll walk to the San Francisco Church, one of the principal religious monuments of the New World, with its impressive facade and atrium and its Baroque Moorish-influenced interior with the winged “Virgin of Quito” on its main altar.
In addition to magnificent churches, monuments, and museums, you’ll also get a feel for authentic day-to-day Quito life, catching glimpses of indigenous locals in their traditional Inca-influenced outfits and fedoras, each immersed in the hustle and bustle of everyday living. Strolling hand in hand, your “Historic Quito Tour” will end with a birds-eye view of the city from the panoramic “Virgin of Quito” monument atop Panecillo Hill, which overlooks the capital. This will give you a chance to appreciate Quito from above, and – if the weather permits – to catch a view of the spectacular “Volcano Avenue,” two parallel mountain ranges containing eight of the country’s ten highest peaks. What could be more romantic?
After lunch, you will continue to an Andes hot springs, which are common throughout this area. Because these waters have various medicinal and healing properties, resorts and spas have sprung up here, welcoming travelers who wish to undergo hydrotherapy treatments during their trips to Latin America. In Ecuador, the town of Papallacta is one of these destinations that possess volcanically warmed mineral waters containing sulfates, sodium, calcium, chloride, and magnesium – which give the water characteristics that are anti-allergic, de-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-rheumatic and sedative.
Today you have the morning free to enjoy the Papallacta, where the two of you can soak, swim, play and relax in the medicinal hot springs in this exceedingly natural environment of the Termas de Papallacta Resort & Spa. If the sky is clear, you will have a spectacular view of the Antisana Volcano looming above your pool. Depending on the season, the average outside temperature ranges from 50° to 57°F (10° to 14°C); however, the water temperature can reach a relaxing 104°F (40°C).
This afternoon, you will be driven back to Quito.
In the morning, both of you will be picked up from your hotel on the Ecuadorian mainland (in Quito or Guayaquil) and driven to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands’ Baltra airport, the main point of entrance to this natural paradise and situated in the heart of the Galapagos archipelago.
Upon your arrival at the Baltra Island airport, you will need to pay the national park entry fee, which goes to protecting both the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve. A member of the Surtrek team will then welcome you and accompany you on a quick shuttle bus ride to Itabaca Channel, followed by a 5-minute ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island, and then an hour drive to the town of Puerto Ayora. En route, we will stop at a Santa Cruz highlands reserve to see amazing Galapagos giant tortoises in the wild. You will also have a chance to walk together through astonishing lava tunnels before having lunch at a local restaurant.
We will reach Puerto Ayora in the afternoon, we will visit the famous Charles Darwin Research Station, which includes an information center, a museum, a library, and a tortoise breeding station. Park rangers and park managers — along with others who make tremendous efforts to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site — work here for the conservation of the islands. At the tortoise breeding center, you can see tortoises of different subspecies that are being prepared for reintroduction into their natural habitats.
You will then check in at your selected hotel and still have plenty of free time to explore the town at your leisure as a couple.
Getting up early for a 6 a.m. departure, a 40-minute bus ride will take you across Santa Cruz Island to the Baltra Channel, where we will embark onto a passenger boat with plenty of facilities to relax for the 2-hour journey to Bartolome Island. The tour begins with a hot breakfast on board the boat, along with a short introduction and briefing by a National Parks-accredited bilingual guide.
Situated just off the east coast of Santiago Island, today’s island-hopping destination is Bartolome Island, one of the younger islands in the archipelago. It and Sullivan Bay (just off Santiago Island) were named after Charles Darwin’s lifelong friend, the naturalist Sir Bartholomew James Sullivan, who was a lieutenant on board the HMS Beagle. Though the island has a total land area of just 1.2 sq. km., Bartolome Island offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the archipelago. The island consists of an extinct volcano and a variety of red, orange, green and black glistening volcanic formations. Once we reach Bartolome, we will disembark and take a short 40-minute walk up to the 114-meter-high summit of the island. The dramatic views here make this a fantastic spot for group photos. The trail leads through a wild and otherworldly moon-like landscape, with the walk advancing along a wooden boardwalk built to protect visitors and the trail.
After a hot lunch and refreshments provided back on the boat, you will have a chance to relax and share some quality time together before snorkeling in a small sandy cove. Try to keep up with the speedy Galapagos penguins there, with countless varieties of colorful reef fish, Green sea turtles and various rays surrounding you. The best way to photograph the Galapagos penguins here is on a “panga” (a small boat), which will take you close to the rocks and around Pinnacle Rock. It’s possible to get within 3 or 4 meters of the birds while they look on, seemingly uninterested in your fascination with them. A light snack will be provided on the return trip to Baltra Channel, where the bus will drive you back to your hotel at around 5:00 p.m.
After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, your morning adventure will begin. We will leave for Isabela Island by speed boat, a voyage of about 2-1/2 hours, depending on sea conditions. Upon our arrival, you will have some free time.
In the afternoon, we will take a short boat trip across Isabela Island’s harbor. After passing the sea lions and pelicans that bathe in the sun on the fishing boats there, we will reach the small island of Las Tintoreras, an outstanding snorkeling site! Here, the two of you will be accompanied on an easy walk through the bizarre lava landscape with its huge colonies of marine iguanas. A colony of sea lions also lives here, and it is common to see whitetip reef sharks snoozing in the water near the shore. The views from here will be affectionate memories that you will carry with you for the rest of your lives!
The treacherous black lava field, the emerald green sea, the red mangroves, and the cloud-capped volcanoes of Isabela Island create an afternoon backdrop you are not likely to ever forget.
After breakfast, we will take the two of you to Los Túneles (“The Tunnels”), an area of naturally occurring underwater stone tunnels located about an hour from the town of Puerto Villamil. Here, you can hare in watching huge manta rays and turtles, while in the background you should be able to spot the Sierra Negra Volcano looming like over the island. At Los Túneles, you’ll also have a chance to spend time snorkeling together …along with Galapagos penguins and tropical fish.
Following breakfast, you newlyweds will head to the highlands of Isabela Island and delve into a world of modern geological history. The continuing volcanic activity on this island is a microcosm of the dramatic geological events that have formed the Galapagos Islands over millennia. After driving up to the trailhead, we will hike into a young dry-forest ecosystem. Our destination is the rim of the Sierra Negra Volcano, an active volcano that last erupted in October 2005. Upon our arrival, you’ll both take in breathtaking views and peer across this massive crater, which stretches over six miles at its widest point. If the sky is clear, you will also enjoy views of Isabela’s other volcanoes in the distance, as well as the Perry Isthmus and beyond. If both of you feel energetic enough, we can continue our hike to Chico Volcano, a secondary crater that has a wild untamed landscape of puffing fumaroles and colorful lava formations. In the afternoon, we will return to Puerto Villamil to enjoy our last afternoon on Isabela’s exotic white sand beaches.
Early in the morning, you will take the speed boat back to Santa Cruz Island. Upon arrival, your guide will meet both of you and take you to the Baltra airport your flight back to the mainland. Enjoy your last romantic look at these “enchanted islands,” a unique and wondrous paradise! You will then be assisted with your luggage and with checking in for your flight back to Quito.
Arriving in the Ecuadorian capital, our guide will welcome you and drive you to a boutique hotel near the airport.
At the appropriate time, a Surtrek your guide will take the two of you to the Quito airport and assist you with the international flight home.
| Room | Double |
| 17 Days | US$ 6,935 PP |
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“I want to thank you for arranging a perfect tour for me. I know you did not have control over who the other people would be, but it all, on all fronts, was perfect. The itinerary was sensational and the boat fabulous.”
