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| Day 1: Arrive Lima (Peru) |
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Arrive Lima, Peru. Transfer to the hotel which is in Miraflores area. It enjoys a privileged location, in the heart of the Miraflores area, famous for its elegant homes, business districts and restaurants near to the Pacific Ocean. |
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Dinner at one of the finest restaurant in Lima. |
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Return to hotel. Relax and overnight at hotel. |
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Breakfast at hotel. |
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Today you will explore the city on a sightseeing tour through the old and the new Lima. The Plaza de Armas with the beautiful buildings of the government Palace, the town hall, the Palace of the Archbishop and the Cathedral is still the most important place in town. The tour will continue to the San Francisco convent that was renovated after several earthquakes, the Santo Domingo convent and to the most popular place Plaza San Martin. You will also visit the most traditional residential areas in the capital: The Olive Grove of San Isidro, Mifaflores and Larco Mar, distinctive tourist centre of contemporary Lima. |
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Lunch at Huaca Pucllana Restaurant, is located in a breathtaking setting: within the ruins of the Huaca Pucllana, an archaeological compound built between 200 and 700 AD by the early inhabitants of Lima. The adobe pyramid, digs and walls of the complex -one of the main administrative and ceremonial center of the Lima Culture- are illuminated by night, making some amazing views for the clients dining at the covered terrace. |
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Visit Larco Museum, the Larco Museum showcases are the remarkable chronological galleries providing an excellent overview on 3000 years of development of Peruvian pre-Columbian history. Features the finest gold and silver collection from Ancient Peru and the famous erotic archaeological collection, one of the most visited Peruvian tourist attractions. For an unforgettable experience, Larco is one of the few museums in the world where visitors can also choose to enter the storage area with its 45,000 classified archaeological objects. |
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Visit Gold Museum,The Gold of Peru and Arms of the World Museums were founded by Miguel Mujica Gallo in 1968. Between both museums, 25,000 objects are on exhibition. The Gold of Peru Museum holds the most important pieces in gold, silver and gilded copper from a number of Peru's different pre-Columbian cultures, including Lambayeque, Chimu, Mochica, Frias, Huari, Vicus and Inca Culture. |
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Dinner & Show at restaurant. |
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Overnight at hotel |
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Breakfast at hotel. |
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Travel from Lima to Nazca, Nazca Lines were made by the Nazca people, who flourished between 200 BCE and 600 CE along rivers and streams that flow from the Andes. The desert itself runs for over 1,400 miles along the Pacific Ocean. |
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Lunch at restaurant. |
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Flight over the Nazca Lines, in private aircraft; gigantic drawings and geometrical figures, representing animals, such as a spider, a monkey and several birds, and once believed to be an enormous astronomical calendar. |
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Dinner at restaurant. |
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Relax and overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 4: Nazca – Lima – Cusco |
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Breakfast at hotel. |
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Transfer from Nazca to Lima. |
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Fly from LIMA To Cusco, High in the Andes, more than 12,000 feet above sea level, Cuzco was founded in the 15th-century by the Incas and later conquered by the Spanish. Much of its architecture reflects the dramatic Spanish style known as Cuzco Baroque. Inca walls, colorful costumes, churches built on top of palaces, citadels lost in the Andean heights, legendary roads – all the beauty of a glorious past enfolds you in Cuzco, the Sacred City of the Incas and archaeological capital of the Americas. |
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Arrive Cusco and transfer to hotel. |
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Lunch at restaurant. After lunch relax and enjoy walking around the main square. |
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Evening enjoy Dinner & Show at one of the finest restaurant in Cusco. |
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Overnight at hotel. |
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| Day 6: Cusco – Machu Picchu |
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Breakfast at hotel. |
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You will be transferred to Cusco station where you will catch the train to Machu Picchu. |
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Depart at 06:00 AM. The 3.30 hour train journey follows the ever narrowing gorge of the Urubamba river to Aguas Calientes town on the way you will see picturesque Andean scenery and traditional villages. As we approach the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, the valley turns into a canyon and the vegetation changes to a cloud forest. |
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Full day excursion in Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain" in Quechua, the ancient language of the Incas) nestles on top of a mountain saddle high above the Urubamba River in the middle of the cloud forest. It was both a center of worship and astronomic observatory as well as the private retreat of the family of Inca ruler Pachac?tec.
It is undoubtedly the most spectacular Inca site on the continent. What remains of the Inca legacy is limited, as the conquistadors plundered what they could of Inca treasures and in so doing, dismantled the many structures painstakingly built by Inca craftsmen. Remarkably, a last bastion of the Inca Empire, Machu Picchu, remained unknown to the Spanish conquerors. Discovered in 1911 by American explorer Hiram Bingham
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Lunch included. |
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Evening take a train back to Cusco. |
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Dinner at restaurant. |
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Relax and overnight at hotel. |
| Day 7: Cusco – Lima – Quito (Ecuador) |
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Explore the Colonial churches, monasteries, paintings and sculptures of Quito , which is set in a valley ringed by beautiful snow-capped volcanoes. You'll see a city, known as the “Convent of America,” because it is home to 86 churches and monasteries dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1978, UNESCO declared Quito , “Patrimony of Mankind.”
Travel to the Equatorial Line Monument called the “Middle of the World.” Here you get the rare opportunity of standing in the Northern and Southern hemispheres of planet Earth simultaneously. This area is worth exploring for its typical colonial town with restaurants and charming gift shops. The Ethnographical Museum presents the history of the Indian cultures of Ecuador and gives you a better understanding of the country's history.
Colonial Ecuador comes alive in Quito along with a wide variety of religious and cultural sights. Step inside the Church of San Francisco , the first religious building constructed by the Spanish in South America . At the church of La Compania , you'll view its ornate and richly decorated interior. |
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| Day 9: Quito – Santa Cruz Island |
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In the morning we fly from Quito into the Baltra airport, arriving around mid-day. This is the second largest town in the Islands, having approximately 6,000 inhabitants. You’ll be greeted and transferred to your awaiting vessel.
The Gala'pagos Islands are called the "cradle of evolution." They are the genesis of the studies of Charles Darwin, who said of the islands: “from so simple a beginning, endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.”
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| Day 10: Bartolome Island, Puerto Egas & Santiago Island |
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In the morning you will visit the volcanic landscape of Bartolome Island, Puerto Egas & Santiago Island
most visited and most photographed island in the Galapagos. The island consists of an extinct volcano and a variety of red orange, green, and glistening black volcanic formations. You’ll have a dry landing, and then take a guided nature walk to view endemic vegetation.
Animals and birds which you may see this morning include California Sea Lions, Marine Iguanas, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, Lava Lizards, Blue-Footed Boobies, Darwin Finches, Gala'pagos Hawks, Great Frigate Birds, Lava Herons, American Oyster Catchers, Wandering Tattlers and Gale'pagos Penguins.
Return to the ship for lunch and cruise to Puerto Egas on Santiago (James) Island. It was settled in the 1920’s by a group of Norwegians who attempted to establish fishing and salt factories, but returned dispirited after only two years. Some construction from the early colonization may still be seen on your walk along the coast. Those who wish may swim and snorkel before the walk.
On your guided hike, you’ll have a chance to see Marine Iguanas, California Sea Lions, Gale'pagos Mocking Birds, Gala'pagos Doves, Brown Pelicans, fur seals, willets, American Oyster Catchers, Lava Herons, Striated Herons, Great Blue Herons, Semi-Palmated Plovers, Wandering Tattlers, Whimbrels, Ruddy Turnstones, and the endemic Gala'pagos Hawk.
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| Day 11: Punta Espinosa – Fernandina – Punta Vincente Roca & Isabela Island |
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It is always worthwhile to keep an alert watch for whales while traveling between and around the various islands. However, a place with high possibilities of whale sightings is the northwest coast of Isabela Island.
Punta Espinosa on Fernandina Island is this morning’s anchorage. Fernandina is the westernmost island of the Archipelago and the youngest island in the Gala'pagos (approximately 700,000 years old). Its still active volcano reaches to over 4,900 feet. An impressive island with a variety of wildlife as well as striking volcanic features, its location to the west and on the far side of Isabela makes it one of the least visited islands.
Fernandina is home to the largest colony of Marine Iguanas, among the most unusual creatures in the Gala'pagos. Growing to approximately 3-feet in length, they exist only in the Gala''pagos Islands. Living on the black lava shore rocks they have developed into efficient swimmers feeding off shore mostly on marine algae and seaweed.
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| Day 12: North Seymour – Highlands & Santa Cruz Island |
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A dry landing will be made on North Seymour – Highlands & Santa Cruz Island
A dry landing will be made on North Seymour Island this morning. The visitor trail miles in length, crossing the inland of the island and exploring the rocky coast. Along the way the trail passes colonies of Blue-Footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigate birds.
Boobies are large seabirds, about the size of a goose. They come ashore only to breed. At sea they can be seen diving from the sky to catch fish – they plunge head first into the ocean with their wings partly folded and can even catch flying fish when they are stillin the air. There are three varieties of boobies in the Galapagos: the Blue-Footed Booby, Red-Footed Booby and Masked Booby.
The Blue-Footed Booby is the most common booby in Gala'pagos and is distinguished by its bright blue feet. They have a very elaborate mating ritual. The male raises one blue foot in the air then the other as he struts in front of the female. Both the male and the female stretch their necks, point their bills to the sky and whistle. The blue-footed booby nests in colonies and both parents incubate the eggs using their feet.
Other animals which may be seen include Land Iguanas, Lava Lizards, Ground Finches, Swallow-Tailed Gulls, Noddy Terns, Storm Petrels, Great Frigate Birds, fur seals, Marine Iguanas, California Sea Lions and Brown Pelicans. After the walk, you may go snorkeling if you wish.
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| Day 13: Galapagos Islands – Quito – Lima |
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Breakfast on board. |
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Return to San Cristobal Island where you will visit the state-of-the-art Gala'pagos National Park Visitor Center, which was donated by the Spanish government and inaugurated by the Prince of Spain in 1998. The center’s exhibits include the island's natural history, human interaction, ecosystems and flora and fauna.
Afterwards, check-in for your flight to Quito.
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Connecting flight to Lima. Arrive Lima and prepare for your flight home. |
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Date |
Trip |
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Jan - April |
Argentina - Peru - Brazil |
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Jan - Dec |
Mexico - Costa Rica |
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Nov - April |
Chile - Argentina - Antarctica |
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Jan - Dec |
Peru - Galapagos |
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