The Best of South America: Machu Picchu, the Galapagos & the Andes 14-Night Itinerary

In the morning, you will visit the Lima Cathedral and the Convent of San Francisco. The catacombs under the convent house the skeletal remains of much of colonial Lima! We will also visit Casa Aliaga, a 1535 mansion - it is one of the oldest mansions in the New World and has been occupied by the Aliaga family since its construction.

Prepare for a climactic day! In the morning, we will board the train in Ollantaytambo for our journey to Machu Picchu. Watch the cloud jungle pass by through the large glass windows! After a bus ride to the gates of this wonder of the world, lunch will be served on-site at the Sanctuary Lodge. You will then ascend stone steps, through heavy tree cover to finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu. The incredible Inca stone construction will be spread below, alternately hidden and revealed by clouds. Your expert guide will give you a private tour of the ancient city.

Upon returning for an evening in Aguas Calientes. Enjoy an excellent dinner on-site at your hotel and fall into bed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the cloud forest around you.

This morning you will experience the lay of the land as only true world travelers know how: on foot traversing hidden alleyways, historic plazas, and local treasures. After breakfast on your own, your private guide will proceed to illuminate Cusco’s rich tapestry woven by its inviting cobblestone streets, charming neighbourhoods, and astounding landmarks.

Your first stop of the day will be to the Santo Domingo monastery, perched atop the most sacred of Incan sites, the Qoricancha temple of the sun. Once bathed in 24-karat gold long-since pilfered by Spanish conquistadors, this temple is now an astounding blend of Incan stonemasonry and colonial architecture. We will then climb up to the bohemian neighbourhood of San Blas, known for its whitewashed adobe buildings and quaint blue balconies, home to generations of renowned Cusco artisans, before dropping back down to Plaza de Armas for a stop in at the colonial Cathedral.

Top off your tour with a visit to a local indigenous market brimming with a rainbow of local fruits and traditional remedies, and make sure to pause to marvel at the 12-angled stone nestled in a wall that has withstood the test of time (as well as a couple of earth-shattering earthquakes!).

Upon conclusion of your tour your guide will leave you with suggestions as to where you find a delicious, local lunch, and you’ll have the remainder of the afternoon to explore the Imperial City at your leisure!

On this one-day tour, we will visit the historic district of the Ecuadorian capital, enjoying this urban jewel and its artistic and architectural treasures. One of the largest and best preserved colonial centers in South America, Quito’s “Old Town” area was declared the first “World Heritage Site” by UNESCO, in 1978. The visit to the historic center begins with 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 outside of the building stands out for its stone carvings that represent plants and animals of the country, the inside consists of 24 chapels.

We will continue on to the always vibrant Plaza Grande (“Independence Square”), which is surrounded by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. We will then visit the church of the “Compañia de Jesus” to find its impressive interior inlaid in gold. Your tour of historic Quito will end with a birds-eye view of the city from the panoramic “Virgin of Quito” monument atop El 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.

This afternoon, you will visit the shop of one of the best Chocolate companies in Ecuador and also one of most awarded in the world, Pacari.

The organic cacao produced in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Los Rios and Manabi, is blended with Andean flavors like: lemon verbena, gooseberry and Andean blueberry. Likewise traditional flavors from neighboring countries are used: Chile merkén (Mapuche chili) and the pink salt Maras (an ancient salt from nearby Cusco).

As in any tasting process, first sight matters initially, where a glow over the chocolate showing its quality can be seen. In addition to the dark tone, the coverage of chocolate should be smooth, indicating that sugars have been well compacted.

Then comes the aroma, which can be perceived only by approaching the bar. However, to isolate the smell you should take the piece in both hands, cupping one over the other, with the piece of chocolate in the middle. Both hands are brought up to the nose in order to appreciate the aroma of the chocolate using tiny inhalations. On breaking the bar, the sound should be clear, precise and strong. A ‘crack’ lets you know that chocolate was produced correctly. Another way to perceive the different characteristics of chocolate is to cover the nose and let the chocolate melt in the mouth while letting some air in, so that it is possible to distinguish other aromas and flavors in greater detail.

At the end of the tasting the guide will drive you to El Panecillo hill, from where you will have an overlook of 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. Return to your hotel.

AM: In the morning you will fly from Quito to the Galapagos Islands. At the airport on San Cristobal Island, a member of the ship's crew will welcome you and accompany you to your yacht: the Odyssey.

PM: One of the main features on the San Cristobal Island is the Tortoise Breeding Center, where you will see enormous Galapagos tortoises, as well as iguanas. As the natural population of tortoises from San Cristobal Island is seriously threatened by animals introduced onto the island by humans – mainly wild goats, cats, and rats – the center is attempting to increase the number of tortoises as well as eradicate threatening species. Close to the center is an easy trail that covers a distance of 900 meters; along this trail, you will see different species of native and endemic plants of the Galapagos, like cat’s claw, manzanillo, romerillo, and acacia. Be careful not to touch or eat the manzanillo fruits as these are toxic. San Cristobal Island is also one of the few islands where you can see the plant calandrinia galapagosa, which is in danger of extinction. Later this afternoon, we will visit Puerto Chino, a remote beach on the southern edge of San Cristobal Island, and located not too far from the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Breeding Center. The trail from the road goes about a mile (1,500 meters) to the beach. The beach itself is small and surrounded by mangroves. It’s a great place for relaxing and surfing, but don’t touch or eat the fruit of the poisonous manzanillo trees. Also, make sure to drink a lot of water, use sunscreen, and wear a sunhat, since the sun’s reflection off the white sand is strong.

AM: Today we will visit Floreana Island, considered to be one of the most exotic in the Galapagos archipelago. Countless legends are part of the history of this island, as pirates and buccaneers were drawn to here in search of for food and water. Later the island was colonized by Norwegians, Brits, Germans and others who were in search of ways to make money from what they hoped to discover here. The name Floreana is in honor of Juan Jose Flores, Ecuador’s first president. This morning’s first excursion is to the Cormorant Point visitor site. After a wet landing on the beach, we will go down a 100-meter-long path to a mangrove lagoon that is home to Galapagos ducks, black herons, oystercatchers and plovers. With a little bit of luck, you might also see flamingos. Another path leads to a small beach that is an important nesting site for sea turtles. In the shallow water there, one can often find stingrays and Whitetip reef sharks. Afterwards, you will be able to take advantage of the great snorkeling opportunities at Devil’s Crown, a broken volcanic cone that is one of the most beautiful places for snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands. The underwater world here includes reef sharks, starfish, sea turtles, sea lions and a host of tropical fish species.

PM: After lunch, we will visit the Baroness Lookout point where the controversial Eloisa de Wagner, one of the first human inhabitants in the Galapagos Islands, would spend several hours’ daily observing whales and dolphins. Later we will visit Post Office Bay, where the legendary post barrel that whalers historically used to put their mail in is still kept. After a wet landing, you can walk just off the beach to leave a letter here in hopes that it will make to its destination via another tourist…so don’t forget to bring postcards along. Snorkelers can take a dip on the main beach among the playful sea lions and green sea turtles.

AM: After a dry landing on North Seymour Island, we will take a short walk along its coast, where you will encounter Swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions, and Cliff crabs. This part of Seymour Island is also known for being a major nesting site for Blue-footed boobies and one of the largest colonies of Magnificent frigatebirds (a species different from the Great frigatebird) As you enjoy this relaxing hike around various nesting sites, you can also spot both of the endemic species of iguanas: marine iguanas and land iguanas.

PM: This afternoon we will arrive on the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island, where we will visit the long and sandy Bachas Beach, one of the most important nesting beaches for sea turtles. Here you can also find flamingos, Black-winged stilts, sea lions, herons, marine iguanas, and — with a little bit of luck — tiny Galapagos penguins. In addition, this beach is one of the main nesting sites of sea turtles in the Galapagos. A female can lay eggs 3 or 4 times with an average of 70 eggs each, but they then spend 3 to 5 years without breeding. At this paradisiacal site, we will also find the remains of barges that sank long ago; these were once the property of the United States Navy when they operated an airbase on Baltra Island during World War II. In fact, the beach got its name because the English word “barges” was hard to pronounce for the local people – hence “Bachas” Beach. You will also have the opportunity to swim on this soft white sand beach or explore the fascinating underwater by snorkeling.