2024 Belmond Peru & Luxury La Pinta Galapagos Cruise

Arrival to Lima and transfer to your hotel the Belmond Miraflores Park, complete with ocean views.

Belmond Miraflores Park Hotel

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cuzco, the ancient Inca capital of the Incas. After the one hour flight, reception and private transfer to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
If today is a main market day, you will visit Pisaq with your private guide. Accommodation at the Belmond Rio Sagrado Hotel. Free afternoon at leisure. Dinner at your hotel.

Belmond Rio Sagrado Hotel  |   Meals: B & D

Full-day excursion to the beautiful Urubamba, the Sacred Valley of the Incas, situated between Pisac and Ollantaytambo. It is an exceptionally fertile valley that was and remains the larder of Cuzco. Visit the village of Pisac, founded during colonial times, and set at the foot of a hill crowned by the remains of an ancient Inca city. On Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Indians barter their products in the main square and artisans from around the area sell their woven alpaca wool blankets and ponchos, engraved gourds, antique reproductions, jewellery, etc. Lunch at the Huayoccari Hacienda, overlooking the Sacred Valley and which dates back to the seventeenth century. Continue your trip to Ollantaytambo, the only Inca town that was not defeated by the Spanish with an opportunity to explore the ruins which tower above. Late afternoon return to your hotel.

Meals: B & L

Enjoy a good night's sleep before transfer to the local station for the boarding of the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes (option of upgrading to the Hiram Bingham train except on Sundays).
Arrival to Aguas Calientes and start a guided tour of Machu Picchu, the most spectacular ancient city in the world. Built by the Inca Pachacutec, and comprising stone blocks fitted with masterful precision, Machu Picchu harmoniously blends into the mountain landscape. There are many theories as to the origins behind Machu Picchu but three of the most popular ideas include a temple to the sun, a fortress against the jungle inhabitants or a sanctuary for the Incas. This fabulous city has houses, temples, warehouses, a large central square, all connected by narrow roads and steps, and is surrounded by terraces cut into the mountain side which were used for agriculture. Return to Cuzco and transfer to your hotel, the Belmond Monasterio Hotel.

Belmond Monasterio Hotel  |   Meals: B & D

After early breakfast, transfer to the airport for the morning flight back to Lima and your connecting flight to Quito. Arrival and transfer to the Casa Gangotena Hotel. Free afternoon at leisure.

Meals: B

After breakfast, with boarding passes in hand, you will be driven to the airport for your quick-check-in and flight to San Cristóbal Island. Arrival, reception and welcome. Your Galapagos fee will be collected here. You will collect your luggage before you take your transfer to Yacht La Pinta for cabin assignment, introductory briefing and lunch.
After lunch, we land back at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and drive 40 minutes to the island's southern shore. At Cerro Colorado, we visit the breeding centre of the highly-endangered giant tortoises in the midst of a fantastic deciduous forest, home to dozens of bird species and the endemic San Cristóbal lava lizard.

Meals: B & D

We land at the eastern tip of San Cristóbal Island this morning. The trail that ascends from the beach provides spectacular views of the shoreline; we can see the two frigate species, plus a colony of bachelor sea lions. After the walk, if conditions are favourable, there is a chance to swim from the beach and snorkelling by an islet.
In the afternoon following lunch on board, a dinghy ride along the shores of tuff-stone layers takes us to Cerro Brujo's expansive, white coraline beach, great for walking, with rewarding birdwatching with good views of seabirds and shore birds. Also, look out for Galápagos sea lions. These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835. There is a chance to ride in our glass-bottom boat.

Meals: All meals

Our morning outing at Punta Suárez provides an exciting walk on lava/boulder terrain to visit its unique sea bird colonies, including the waved albatrosses (April - December), boobies, swallow-tail gulls, and the famous "blowhole". Also, look for red-green-black marine iguanas. Back on board for lunch.

In the afternoon, we set down at this beautiful, white coral beach for a short walk to observe the sea lions, mockingbirds, finches or enjoy the beach. There is great snorkelling in this area, or else there's time to kayak or ride the glass-bottom boat.

Meals: All meals

Disembarking in the morning, we visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and the 'rearing in captivity' programme for the giant tortoises. Here we witness the efforts and results of all the field work done in the name of science. We transfer by bus across Santa Cruz Island and a short ferry ride to Baltra. Transfer to the airport to take the flight back to the mainland to connect for your international flight home.

Meals: B