Machu Picchu & Galapagos Adventure
Days
11+
Activity Level
Moderate
Host City
Cusco, Peru
From
$6,995 USD
Machu Picchu & Galapagos Adventure
Journey from the misty peaks of the Andes to the pristine islands of the Pacific on our Machu Picchu & Galapagos Adventure. This extraordinary adventure weaves together two of South America’s most awe-inspiring destinations: the ancient Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and the legendary Galapagos Islands. Traverse the Sacred Valley, walk in the footsteps of the Inca, and stand before one of the world’s greatest archaeological wonders. Then, trade the mountains for turquoise seas as you encounter giant tortoises, playful sea lions, and volcanic landscapes teeming with life found nowhere else on Earth. Blending cultural discovery with natural wonder, this journey offers an unforgettable immersion into the spirit, history, and wild beauty of Peru and Ecuador.
Trip Highlights
Let’s Plan Your Trip Today:
TRIP COST
From $6,995 USD per person
Our Peru trips are all-inclusive, crafted with the intent of providing you with an unforgettable adventure travel experience.
*More info. on pricing
More questions? Read more about pricing here
Start dates
Custom dates are available every month
To inquire about a custom date,
please contact us!
Duration
Starts at 11 Days / 10 Nights
Accommodations
Relax in comfort & luxury
*Various Options
10 Nights in Hotels
Choose between a 3.5 / 4 Star, 5 Star, or 5+ Star hotel package option.
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Moderate*
Sample Trip Itinerary
Inca Trail Express Route map
Want more information? Download a detailed itinerary.
Itineraries include detailed descriptions of each day, tips on travel arrangements, regional highlights, and more. It’s the perfect resource to help you choose!
Day 1: Arrival in Cusco, Peru
Bienvenidos a Peru! Upon arrival at Cusco International Airport, you will be greeted by a member of our team. Experience the scenery and history in the beautiful capital city of Cusco as you are then transported to your hotel. This afternoon and evening, after settling in to your hotel, you will have free time to explore this extraordinary high-altitude city (~11,000 feet / ~3,350 meters above sea level). Later, you will enjoy dinner with a special VIP guest at one of our favorite restaurants in Cusco. Additionally, your guide will coordinate with you to provide a detailed pre-trek Inca Trail Express briefing on Day 1.
Day 2: Cusco
After a hearty breakfast, embark on a private half-day tour of Cusco. Discover this UNESCO World Heritage Site’s highlights by van and on foot. Visit the archaeological sites of Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Pukapukara, and Q’enqo, and explore the Cusco Cathedral and Qorikancha temple. Experience the unique blend of ancient and modern Cusco, where traditional attire and bustling city life intersect. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring the city and savoring its culinary delights at your leisure.
Day 3: Sacred Valley Tour
After breakfast, set out on a full-day tour of Moray, Maras, and Ollantaytambo with a restaurant or picnic lunch. Begin at Moray, where circular Inca terraces once served as agricultural laboratories. Continue to Maras, famous for its shimmering salt ponds and centuries-old salt harvesting traditions. Enjoy lunch surrounded by Andean scenery before heading to Ollantaytambo, a living Inca town with narrow stone streets and an impressive hillside fortress offering panoramic valley views. Return to your accommodation for dinner and rest before tomorrow’s Inca Express trail.
Day 4: Inca Trail Express Hike
After breakfast, meet your private transport and travel to Ollantaytambo to board the train along the Urubamba River. As the landscape shifts from highlands to lush cloud forest, disembark at KM 104 and cross the hanging bridge to visit Chachabamba, a site honoring ancient water deities. Begin a scenic three-hour hike to Wiñay Wayna, an impressive Inca ruin clinging to the mountainside. Continue to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) for a breathtaking first view of Machu Picchu, spread across the valley below. Conclude the day with an overnight stay in the village of Machu Picchu.
Daily trekking distance: approximately 7.3 miles / 11.7 kilometers (i.e. ~6 hours of hiking)
Day 5: Machu Picchu
Now that you have experienced the beautiful Inca Trail, you will hike Huayna Picchu in the morning which will be followed by lunch. Then you will have time to explore the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu (7,972 feet / 2,430 meters above sea level) on a three-hour guided tour. As part of the enhanced experience, you will do the Circuit 2 tour route (the longer route through the citadel). Having the privilege of wandering the various sectors and entering some of the houses and temples will really bring this iconic site to life and leave you with a sense of reverence and awe for what the Inca were able to achieve so long ago. This will be followed by an option of either a standard scenic train ride or a luxury train ride on the Hiram Bingham to Ollantaytambo Station. From there, you will be transported by private vehicle to your hotel in Cusco.
Day 6: Cusco to Guayaquil
Today you will enjoy your last morning in Peru before being transferred by private vehicle from your hotel to Cusco International Airport for your flight home. Bienvenidos a Ecuador! Upon arrival at Guayaquil (José Joaquín de Olmedo Airport) you will be greeted by a member of our team. It’s a short drive from the airport to your riverside hotel where you can check in to your room early. This evening you will have free time to explore Ecuador’s second largest city and enjoy its restaurants – perhaps you’ll taste some fresh ceviche or local favorite, pan de yuca.
Day 7: Guayaquil to the Galapagos
Your Galapagos adventure begins with a flight to Baltra Island, where you’ll meet your naturalist guide and take a short ferry to Santa Cruz. Explore the island’s diverse landscapes, from the volcanic sinkholes of Los Gemelos to the lush highlands teeming with giant tortoises and native birdlife. After lunch at a local restaurant and a visit to the lava tunnels, continue to Galapagos Safari Camp to relax and settle into your tented retreat for the evening.
Day 8: Santa Fe
Today you’ll visit Santa Fe, one of the oldest uninhabited islands in the Galapagos. After the morning’s post-breakfast private drive and shared boat ride accompanied by your private guide, you’ll disembark at 10:00 AM (wet landing) at Barrington Bay, walking past sea lions as you approach the trailhead. From here your guide will lead you along two paths. One trail hugs the bay through a forest of Opuntia cacti; the other traces the coastal cliffs for a view of the bay and neighboring islands.
Day 9: Island Excursion
After breakfast you will be transferred to the dock (a 30-minute drive). Once onboard your boat, you will navigate to your destination. Each of the islands’ tours include a guided walk and a guided snorkel. Lunch is served onboard the boat (food is not permitted in the National Park). These boat navigations are often a good opportunity to chat with your guide and to learn more about these extraordinary islands and the creatures that inhabit them. Alternatively, guests often use this time to quietly reflect on their Safari by jotting down their thoughts or elaborating on sketches. As author John C. Maxwell wrote, “It’s not necessarily experience that is valuable; it’s the insight people gain because of their experience.”
Day 10: Island Excursion
After breakfast you will be transferred to the dock (a 30-minute drive). Once onboard your boat, you will navigate to your destination. Each of the islands’ tours include a guided walk and a guided snorkel. Lunch is served onboard the boat (food is not permitted in the National Park). These boat navigations are often a good opportunity to chat with your guide and to learn more about these extraordinary islands and the creatures that inhabit them. Alternatively, guests often use this time to quietly reflect on their Safari by jotting down their thoughts or elaborating on sketches. As author John C. Maxwell wrote, “It’s not necessarily experience that is valuable; it’s the insight people gain because of their experience.”
Day 11: Flight Home
Enjoy the serenity that Galapagos Safari Camp has to offer. To make the most of this morning we recommend getting up early for a reflective stroll around the camp, perhaps taking in the sunrise from our observation deck. When you’re ready, breakfast will be served on the veranda, alongside the friendly finches and warblers. For your airport transfer, your guide will accompany you all the way to the airport, overseeing the short ferry transfer across Itabaca Channel to Baltra Island, and from here, the car transfer to the airport. After checking in, you have access to the VIP lounge for a swift aperitivo before boarding your plane. Today marks the end of your journey with us. We hope you’ve had an incredible adventure in the Galapagos! We wish you safe travels home and hope to join you on your next adventure!
Customizing Your Peru & Ecuador Adventure
Want to hike Rainbow Mountain, explore the Amazon Jungle in Ecuador, or experience the culinary delights of Lima? Perhaps you’d like to spend more time in the Sacred Valley or wander through the historic streets of Quito? No problem. We can weave your interests and your timeframe into our existing itineraries so that every detail of your journey unfolds exactly the way you want it to. Keep scrolling to learn more about our various trip customization options!
Contact us today to get started customizing your dream trip to Peru & Ecuador!
Hear what travelers are saying:
5-Star Review Average on TripAdvisor! Read More >
Trip Accommodations
5+ Star Accommodations
Belmond Palacio Nazarenas | Cusco, Peru
Bedding down in a former convent isn’t necessarily what you might expect. Lovingly restored, 17th-century architecture gives each artistic room and suite a distinctly colonial feel. Recline on a four-poster bed splashed with hand-embroidered silk coverlets. Bathe beneath hand-painted frescos using soap perfumed by the Palacio’s own flowers. Some suites feature original Inca stonework; others boast balconies with hypnotic views of Cusco’s distant, mist-wrapped mountains.
Belmond Palacio Nazarenas website
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Sitting in the shadows of the Lost City, our lodge is an oasis of calm before or after a day exploring Machu Picchu. Unwind with a yoga session, take part in a traditional shaman ceremony in the garden, or sip muña tea in the Tampu Bar. Tranquility, wonder and beauty are at the heart of our unique experience. Cool botanical fabrics are offset by cherry-colored woods. King-sized beds provide space to unwind. Outside your windows, the mountains ripple into the distance.Signature dishes like a Jungle Landscape salad or Sacred Valley grilled trout evoke the Andean setting. Take a seat and let our authentic menu kickstart your Peruvian adventure.
Belmond Sanctuary Lodge website
Sol y Luna | Urubamba, Peru
Each of their forty-three casitas is surrounded by gardens filled with flora native to the Sacred Valley and all face the Andes Mountains where the Incas believed their gods dwelled. Within each sanctuary, an outdoor terrace leads into the high ceilinged living space with terra cotta tile floors and some of our favorite Sacred Valley artifacts, Spanish colonial style furniture, a king size bed or two double beds made with goose feather duvets and Peruvian pima cotton sheets, and a spacious marble bathroom with deep soak bathtub.
5 Star Accommodations
Palacio del Inka | Cusco, Peru
Located in the heart of Cusco, Palacio del Inka is walking distance to shopping, restaurants, and museums. It is also located across from the Koricancha, the most sacred temple in the Inca Empire. The spacious rooms are exquisitely appointed, combining Peruvian art, handcrafted furnishings, as well as state-of-the-art technology. The on-site restaurant, Inti Raymi, serves particularly authentic Andean specialties, with ingredients organically grown in the Sacred Valley. Take advantage of the full service spa that draws on the ancient healing mysticism of the Andes.
One of the finest hotels in Peru and part of Starwood Resorts’ Luxury Collection, the Palacio del Inka is a 16th century mansion once occupied by Gonzalo Pizarro, half-brother of Francisco Pizarro (the Spanish conquistador who conquered Peru).
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is an intimate Andean village with terraced hills, waterfalls, stone pathways and 83 whitewashed adobe casitas tucked away in the cloud forest. The property has 12 acres of exquisite natural beauty, where 214 bird species – such as the golden-headed quetzal and the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock – as well as the world’s largest native orchid collection (372 species) have been registered. The hotel also features an on-site restaurant overlooking the river, as well as a relaxing spa and sauna.
Additionally, the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Resort was rated the #3 hotel in Central and South America in Travel and Leisure’s 2015 World’s Best Awards.
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo website
Tambo del Inka | Urubamba, Peru
Escape to a luxurious and mystical journey at Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. This hotel in Peru is nestled in the heart of the Sacred Valley and stands as a doorway to the vast cultural richness of this region. You’ll love lingering in your elegantly designed hotel room or suite with mesmerizing views of the Andes and the Vilcanota River from a private balcony. Savor the dining options available, with on-site restaurants featuring organic ingredients and local products.
Galapagos Safari Camp | Santa Cruz Island, Ecuador
Located in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Safari Camp is the ideal base for discovering the remarkable wildlife of Santa Cruz and neighboring uninhabited islands. With just nine safari tents immersed in lush vegetation on 50 hectares of land, the feeling is discreet, unpretentious, familiar and wholly appropriate to our natural world, while remaining low-impact on the land. The comfortable tents have electrical sockets, en-suite bathrooms, and private balconies.
Wyndham Guayaquil | Guayaquil, Ecuador
The Wyndham Guayaquil is located near the historic Santa Ana Hill and the vibrant boardwalk of Malecon 2000. Rooms and suites overlook the river and feature upscale amenities, including plush pillow top bedding and down pillows, free WiFi, alarm clock radios with docking stations, digital safes, and a 43-inch flat screen TVs. On site there is a fitness center and heated outdoor pool.
3.5 / 4 Star Accommodations
Novotel | Cusco, Peru
The centrally located Novotel Cusco hotel is the perfect base for exploring this historic city and its surrounding wonders. Nestled in the heart of Cusco, the hotel seamlessly blends colonial charm with modern comforts. The architecture reflects a harmonious fusion of old and new, and this unique style extends into the spacious, elegantly appointed rooms, each equipped with free Wi-Fi to keep you connected during your stay. After a day of adventuring through the vibrant streets and ancient ruins of Cusco, unwind in the serene ambiance of the hotel’s lush courtyard. Relax under the shade of the canopy on the patio of this beautifully restored colonial house while sipping a traditional coca tea.
El Mapi | Aguas Calientes, Peru
Step into the smart, contemporary and cozy confines of El Mapi, amidst the picturesque Machu Picchu Pueblo. Discover an efficient, lively and friendly atmosphere, welcoming guests expecting an unfussy, down-to-earth break. The flowing lobby creates a sense of vitality. Lofty ceilings, panoramic windows and an open café allow natural light to filter between tall eucalyptus dried branches, creating an ambience of order and wellbeing. Relax in a pleasant and wholesome ambience after your enlightening visit to Peru’s most famous destination: the Machu Picchu archaeological site!
Casa Andina Premium Valle Sagrado Hotel & Villas | Urubamba, Peru
The hotel is located in the Sacred Valley of Cusco. It’s only a 30-minute bus drive away from the City of Cusco. It’s a cozy environment in the middle of the Urubamba Valley. Ideal if you want to relax and be close to the main tourist attractions of the valley. Alma Restaurant & Bar offers a breakfast buffet and a wide range of dishes. The hotel has games for children and they can also feed the sheep. The hotel organizes “pachamancas” [traditional Peruvian dish made with the aid of hot stones, of lamb, mutton, pork, chicken or guinea pig, marinated in spices].
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for something?
Check here for our Frequently Asked Questions for our Machu Picchu & Galapagos Adventure, and if you can’t find the answer you are looking for then send us a message.
Click the button below to access our general FAQ section!
Image Gallery
Trip Support
There is no other operator in the travel industry that will provide the same level of personal attention to your travel experience.
Personal Attention & Preparation Before Every Trip
We get very involved with our travelers before each trip by offering a series of pre-planning calls in the months and weeks before departure. This provides you with an opportunity to hear directly from us on preparation, trip experience, and training. It also gives you the platform to ask questions about any aspect of the trip. We also provide comprehensive packing lists, pre-adventure checklists, and other detailed information.
Staff Support & Logistics
We go above and beyond our competitors in handling every aspect of your trip, so that you can focus exclusively on experiencing all that Peru has to offer. Our knowledgeable support staff takes care of the details of your in-country ground transportation, lodging, meals, tours, permits, and activities. We’ve even scheduled a bit of free time for you to explore, relax, shop, or eat on your own.
Additional Trip Information
Check out our detailed educational content on the Sacred Valley, written by our adventure team. The article provides a complete overview of everything that you need to know about this amazing journey in Machu Picchu.
