Peru, Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands

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Peru, Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands

BOOK BY 31st JANUARY AND SAVE 5% PLUS CHOOSE A FREE GIFT WITH PROMO CODES: HAMPERFIVE OR WINEFIVE

See an unforgettable World Wonder, the treasures of the Inca, the world's highest capital and some of the planet's most unusual creatures. Beginning with a visit to Peru's Sacred Valley where the Inca civilisation once thrived and to the magical "lost city" of Machu Picchu, this wonderful Small Group Tour will reveal Cuzco's unique blend of Inca architecture and colonial style, and Peru’s cosmopolitan capital, Lima. You’ll fly to lofty Quito, to explore the Ecuadorean capital in its spectacular Andean setting, and spend four nights in the remote Galápagos Islands. Here, encounters with the fearless, extraordinary creatures that make the islands their home will leave you with some astonishing memories, and ensure a wonder-filled conclusion to a very special holiday.

Holiday Highlights

Gaze in awe at the mountain-top ruins of Machu Picchu
Explore Otavalo’s colourful market – the largest in South America
Spend five wonderful days in the Galápagos Islands
Close-up encounters with sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and many more
Explore the stunning Inca capital, Cuzco
Tour the Peruvian capital Lima – the City of Kings
Fly to lofty Quito, the world’s highest capital
Hop back and forth across the equator line at the ‘Middle of the World’
Visit the fascinating Charles Darwin Research Centre on Santa Cruz Island
A bay cruise with opportunities for swimming and snorkelling

What's Included

14 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation at good hotels in the Sacred Valley (2 nights), Aguas Calientes (1), Cuzco (2), Lima (2), Quito (3), San Cristobal, Galápagos (2) and Santa Cruz, Galápagos (2)
Hop back and forth across the equator line at the ‘Middle of the World’
Four lunches and one dinner
Entrances and Galapagos National Park fees
Return flights to Cuzco, via Bogotá (returning from Quito via Bogotá)
Internal flights from Cuzco to Lima, from Lima to Quito, from Quito to San Cristobal and from Baltra to Quito
An inter-island ferry and bay cruise in the Galápagos
Comfortable, air-conditioned coach travel and transfers
The services of a friendly, experienced tour manager and local guides

Itinerary

Day 1

Fly overnight, via the Colombian capital, Bogotá, to Peru’s Inca capital, Cuzco.

Day 2

Today you'll arrive in the high Peruvian Andes, and transfer from Cuzco to the fabled Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here, highlights will include a visit to the tiny town of Ccaccaccollo, where you’ll enjoy a demonstration of the ancient crafts of fabric weaving and dyeing before continuing to your hotel for the first of two nights in the valley.

Day 3

Continue your discovery of the Sacred Valley, today, as you explore the Inca ruins and market of ancient Pisac, as well as the great terraced fortress at Ollantaytambo. You'll also visit a potato park where you’ll learn about the importance of that vegetable to the valley’s indigenous community.

Day 4

Today you'll travel by narrow-gauge railway and bus to breath-taking Machu Picchu, the iconic Lost City of the Incas. On arrival, your guide will introduce the layout of the original citadel, after which you are free to wander around the site. Magnificently set in the heart of the Andes, Machu Picchu seems to have been a military outpost, a secret retreat of Inca rulers and a sanctuary built in honour of Inca chief Pachacutec. With its Royal Tomb, Temple of the Sun, Priest’s House, Temple of the Three Windows and Sunken Plaza, it is undeniably one of the true wonders of the world. At the end of the day, you’ll head back down to nearby Aguas Calientes for an overnight stay in this lively Andean jungle spa town.

Day 5

A second day’s optional visit to Machu Picchu begins with the unforgettable sight of sunrise over the citadel, as well as the opportunity to explore the site before the bulk of visitors arrive. At the end of a truly unforgettable couple of days you’ll return to Cuzco by train and bus, to spend two nights in the majestic city.

Day 6

Join your guide for an introduction to one of The Americas’ most enthralling cities, with its ancient palaces and temples, and its roll call of colonial buildings. Highlights will include the Santo Domingo monastery, built over the Inca Temple of the Sun, the monumental cathedral and the Spanish glories of the main square, the Plaza de Armas. You will also visit San Pedro market's colourful stalls, and journey out into the surrounding hills to take in the ruins at the Inca sites at Sacsayhuaman, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay, before spending a second night in the city.

Day 7

Today you’ll fly west and back down to sea level to spend two nights in Lima. After your arrival in the Peruvian capital, you'll be transferred to your hotel so you can rest and relax. Why not dine out this evening in this city that is well known as one of South America’s culinary hotspots?

Day 8

Today’s tour will introduce this thriving city, founded by conquistador Francisco Pizarro, where Spanish colonial influences abound, especially around its central Plaza Mayor, the Plaza de Armas. See the Presidential Palace and the city's Baroque cathedral, explore the ultra-modern San Isidro and Miraflores districts, which overlook the Pacific Ocean, and enjoy a second evening in the city.

Day 9

Bidding farewell to Lima, today you'll head to the airport to board the two-hour flight back into the high Andes and to the extraordinary Ecuadorian city of Quito. Stunningly set just 22 kilometres south of the equator, over 9,300 feet above sea level and beneath the volcanic slopes of towering Pinchincha, Quito is a Spanish colonial treasure-chest arrayed around its UNESCO-listed Historic Centre. Since the city can be literally breath-taking due to the altitude, you'll have the rest of the day free to spend acclimatising.

Day 10

Join your tour manager for a guided introduction to the Ecuadorian capital, including a tour of the colourful, edgy La Mariscal district and the historic centre. Among the city's fascinating sights are restored Independence Plaza in the heart of the city's Historic Centre, Plaza San Francesco with its monumental church, and the towering Gothic wonder that is the Basilica del Voto National. The cries of the bowler-hatted street-vendors peddling woollen shawls and panama hats, and the aromas of traditional street food, add to the wonderful atmosphere. Head to Itchimba Park for spectacular views of the city and its mountain backdrop, and this afternoon pay a visit to Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (The Middle of the World) where the equator is marked with a monument and visitor centre. Spend a second evening in the fascinating city, perhaps heading to La Mariscal, the hub of Quito’s nightlife.

Day 11

Today’s included excursion takes you to the sprawling, kaleidoscopic fair held in the squares and streets of the highland town of Otavalo, probably the most famous of all South America’s colourful, indigenous markets. See vendors in traditional dress selling a vast array of traditional goods at remarkable prices on a fascinating day that will also include visits to indigenous villages Cotacachi and Peguche before you return to Quito for a last evening in the city.

Day 12

The first of four very special days begins as you bid farewell to Quito and fly to the remote, volcanic Pacific archipelago. Charles Darwin first set foot in this "paradise" in 1835, and it remains a unique ecosystem of flora and fauna unaffected by the outside world. After your arrival on San Cristóbal Island, you'll transfer to tiny Puerto Moreno and your first hotel, where your guide will outline the adventure that lies in store for you. This afternoon, you’ll head to the nearby beach at La Lobería, a crescent of sand that is home to families of sea lions, and where other indigenous species such as turtles, marine iguanas and several unique bird species (including the remarkable blue-footed booby) are also sometimes seen. There'll be time for swimming or snorkelling (opportunities for yet more marine encounters) before you return to the hotel.

Day 13

After breakfast, head to the dock to board a boat for a short trip, accompanied by your certified Galápagos National Park guide, to tiny Isla Lobos to see its resident sea lions, and colonies of frigate birds and blue-footed boobies. A swim in the calm, clear waters, or a stroll along the white sand beach, should bring yet more sightings and close-up views of marine life before you return to Puerto Moreno to enjoy an included lunch followed by an afternoon free for relaxation.

Day 14

Today you’ll bid farewell to San Cristóbal Island, and cross the pristine waters to Santa Cruz Island and Puerto Ayora, the archipelago’s most developed town and home to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Enjoy a fascinating visit here, learning about the vital conservation work that takes place across the Galápagos, and meeting several sub-species of giant tortoise, many of which are at ease with human contact. This afternoon, after an included lunch, head into the island’s highlands for a gentle hike in the El Chato Reserve, where the extraordinary giant tortoises still wander freely, and where you'll also be able to watch the skies and surrounding vegetation for signs of bird life, including the island's Darwin finches. Later, spend the first of two nights in delightful Puerto Ayora.

Day 15

On the last full day of your tour, you’ll take an unforgettable cruise across the pristine waters of Academy Bay. Make the most of opportunities for snorkelling or swimming in waters gilled with a colourful array of marine life, including turtles and sea lions. Ashore, there are marine iguanas to encounter, and an astonishing collection of cacti and red volcanic rocks to marvel at. Lunch is included again, today, and this evening you'll sit down with your new-found friends to reminisce about the extraordinary sights of the last two weeks over a Farewell Dinner.

Day 16

Say goodbye to the Galápagos Islands, today, transferring from Puerti Ayora to Baltra’s island airport to board the flight to Quito. Here, you'll catch a connecting flight to Bogotá and your overnight flight home across the Atlantic.

Day 17

You'll land back in the UK, today, at the end of a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime, South American adventure.

Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Touring Hotels

You will be staying in a series of comfortable hotels that are conveniently located for your tour itinerary.

Hotel Agustos, Sacred Valley (nights 2-3)

Casa Andina Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes (night 4)

Costa del Sol Ramada, Cusco (nights 5-6)

Jose Antonio, Lima (nights 7-8)

Swissotel Quito, Quito (nights 9-11)

Blue Marlin Hotel, San Crist'obal (nights 12-13)

Hotel Fiesta, Santa Cruz (nights 14-15)

Terms and conditions

This 5% Discount and Free Gift offer applies to new bookings on air-inclusive and A-ROSA river cruise holidays (including tour-only and Eurostar packages) made between 2nd and 31st January 2020 inclusive (only). Offer excludes all departures with late-availability pricing and all Wimbledon packages. Prices shown when booking do not include the discount, which will be applied to your booking once the correct promo code (WINEFIVE or HAMPERFIVE) has been used and will be confirmed before purchase. The discount applies to your final holiday price (excluding holiday insurance) at the time of booking. Your chosen gift will be dispatched within 30 days of your holiday return date. If you cancel your holiday, your free gift and travel pillow will not be dispatched. One free gift plus one travel pillow per booking. No cash equivalent can be given. Newmarket Holidays reserves the right to supply a gift that is different to that shown for promotional purposes, but guarantees that the gift value will remain the same. Free gifts are not available on bookings with postal addresses in the Channel Islands. The Free Wine gift is available to over-18s only. Your Free Travel Pillow will be dispatched in March, before you travel. By choosing a free gift you are agreeing that you will provide a valid address and will allow us to send this, and any other necessary data, to the free-gift supplier for the sole purpose of fulfilling the order of the free gift. The gift supplier will not use this information for any other purpose. Newmarket Holidays will use this data in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Offers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. The terms and conditions in our Booking Conditions do not apply to any matters concerning the provision of the free gift.

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time is approximately ******.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Combining hotel transfers

We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

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Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos Touring Hotels

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