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GalapaGos & peru combinations
16 days
Cusco & the Inca Trail with Galapagos
n colonial liMa n cuSco & the Sacred valley n 4-day inca trail trek & Machu Picchu n 4-night galaPagoS cruiSe
neW!
Days 17-21/Zorritos Beach - Chiclayo - Trujillo - Lima Leaving Ecuador we descend to the coastal desert of Peru, spending our nights in the seaside towns of Zorritos and Chiclayo before arriving in Trujillo. Nearby are the magnificent ruins of Chan Chan, the imperial city of the Chimu Kingdom. On Day 21 we catch the bus to Lima, arriving early evening. Days 22-23/Lima - Pisco Lose yourself in Limas many museums, galleries and religious buildings. There are countless artefacts of the Inca and ancient coastal civilisations of Peru to investigate and the local markets offer great indigenous handicrafts. On day 23 we board the bus for the trip to Pisco home of Perus national drink, the Pisco Sour. Day 2-25/Ballestas Islands - Nazca From Paracas we take a boat trip to the Ballestas Islands before continuing on to Nazca, where you can take an optional flight over the mysterious Nazca lines. The lines draw out perfect geometric figures, shapes and animals. In the evening of Day 25, we join the overnight bus to Arequipa. Days 2-29/Arequipa Arequipa is nicknamed the white city for the numerous buildings that have been formed from a pale volcanic rock called Sillar. Arriving in the early morning in this beautiful town, we have time to visit the many beautiful churches and museums. You can also take an optional excursion to the incredible Colca Canyon, or try other activities including trekking, cycling and horseback riding. On Day 29 we fly to Cusco. Day 30/Cusco Theres so much to see in Cusco. We visit the Plaza de Armas and the huge Spanish cathedrals and museums. In the hills surrounding the city are the Inca ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Quenca and Tambo Machay. Further on is the beautiful Sacred Valley and the fortress ruins of Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Days 31-3/Trekking the Inca Trail From Cusco we start our trek along the incredible Inca Trail. Walking along ancient stone pathways and past crumbling ruins we reach the city of Machu Picchu, where we have time to explore. For full day-by-day details of the trek, see page 20. Days 35/Cusco We enjoy a rest day in Cusco to relax with a local beer (youve earned it), shop in the colourful markets or take in those last few sites. Days 3-3/Lake Titicaca - Puno At 3810 metres, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. We visit the unique floating islands of the Uros Indians and spend an evening in the house of a local Indian family another trip highlight. We then return to Puno for our last night in Peru. Day 39/Puno - Copacabana The bus follows the shore of beautiful Lake Titicaca, arriving at the lakeside town of Copacabana in Bolivia at midday. The 17th-century cathedral that dominates the town is magnificent. Nearby is the Island of the Sun site of the Inca creation legend. Days 0-2/La Paz La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. Nestled in a steep canyon on the Altiplano, the city is towered over by spectacular Mount Illimani. You have free time in La Paz to discover all the amazing sites including the intriguing Witches Market where you can pick up a unique souvenir! Our epic adventure comes to an end on Day 42.
This adventure offers all the highlights of the Inca Empire combined with the natural wonderland of the Galapagos Islands.
Day 1/Lima No activities are planned for today, so you can arrive at any time. Days 2-3/Cusco A spectacular flight over the mountains takes us to Cusco, ancient capital of the Incas. We can explore this former stronghold by starting at the ancient Plaza de Armas, before heading up to the spectacular site of Sacsayhuaman or venturing out into the Sacred Valley to the market town of Pisac. Days -7/Trekking the Inca Trail We travel to the Sacred Valley, where we set off on a four-day camping trek that takes us high into the mountains and on to Perus most famous monument Machu Picchu (refer to page 20 for trek details). Day -9/Cusco - Lima We have a free day in Cusco to kick back and relax after our trek. Its a great opportunity to explore the backstreets of this unique city or do some further sightseeing. On Day 9 we fly back to Lima, where we have more time to see the sights of Perus capital. Day 10/Quito Today we fly to Quito, capital of Ecuador and one of South Americas most charming cities. Day 11-1/Galapagos Cruise A morning flight brings us to the amazing Galapagos Islands where our cruise begins. As we cruise among the volcanic islands, we keep an eye out for some of the archipelagos unique wildlife, including blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, marine and land iguanas, and, of course, the giant Galapagos tortoise for which these islands were named. Refer to Galapagos Adventure on page 41 for full cruise details. Day 15/Santa Cruz - Charles Darwin Station - Quito This morning we disembark in the small town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island. We visit Charles Darwin Research Station, home to the giant Galapagos tortoise. Travelling across the island and the turquoise waters of the Itabaca Channel we reach Baltra, where our flight takes us back to Quito for the last night of our trip. Day 1/Quito Our adventure comes to an end today after breakfast.
42 days
Galapagos & Conquistador Adventure
neW!
This classic journey takes in three of South Americas most interesting countries Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. We cruise the Galapagos Islands, travel into the Amazon jungle, trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu before ending at the worlds highest capital city La Paz.
n colonial quito n 3-night galaPagoS cruiSe n aMazon jungle n banoS & andean rail adventure n cuenca & zorritoS beach n chan chan ruinS & colonial liMa n balleStaS iSlandS & nazca n arequiPa n cuSco & the Sacred valley n 4-day inca trail trek & Machu Picchu n lake titicaca hoMeStay & la Paz
Day 1/Quito You are free to arrive in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito at any time today as no activities are planned. Day 2-/Galapagos Cruise A morning flight brings us to the amazing Galapagos Islands where our cruise begins. Onboard the MY Darwin well explore these magnificent islands, spotting wildlife, swimming in the azure waters and enjoying mind-blowing scenery along the way. Refer to Galapagos at a Glance on page 41 for full cruise details. Day 5/North Seymour - Quito Our last stop is at North Seymour. Witness the magnificent frigatebirds and colourful blue-footed boobies before returning to Baltra for the flight back to Quito. Days -9/Quito These days are free for you to explore one of South Americas most charming cities. Roam the cobblestone streets of old Quito and enjoy the stunning vistas across the mountains and snow-capped volcanoes that dominate this town. Days 10-13/Amazon Jungle - Banos We travel to our jungle lodge, where we have two nights to discover the wonders of the Amazon jungle with a local guide. Next is the mountain town of Banos, which lies in one of the most beautiful settings in the Andes. There is time to explore the town and to venture into the surrounding countryside to try some great optional activities mountainbike riding, whitewater rafting and horseback riding. Days 1-1/Rio Bamba - Cuenca We take the local bus to Rio Bamba where we spend the night before boarding the famous Devils Nose train for a memorable journey through superb scenery. We arrive the colonial town of Cuenca and explore the Inca ruins of Ingapirca.
trip info
Group size: Maximum 16. Grade: Active. Transport: boat, bus, on foot, plane, taxi, train. Accommodation: 3 nights camping, 8 nights hotel, 4 nights cruise boat. Meals: 15 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners. Other: On arrival in the islands you must pay US$100 national park fee to enter Galapagos National Park. Your flight from Lima to Quito on Day 10 is not included in the tour cost, and should be booked by your travel agent. For full details see Cusco & the Inca Trail on page 36 and Galapagos Adventure on page 41. Local payment: Your tour leaders will collect local payments of US$200 on Day 1 in Lima and US$300 on Day 10 in Quito. Tour Code: GSGT. Prices: See page 2 Further Info & Trip Notes: www.geckosadventures.co.uk/trips/gsgt
Start Mon 200 31-Mar 28-Apr Finish Tue 15-Apr 13-May 19-May 18-Aug 15-Sep 13-Oct 10-Nov 03-Jun 02-Sep 30-Sep 28-Oct 25-Nov 2009 05-Jan 02-Feb 02-Mar 30-Mar 20-Jan 17-Feb 17-Mar 14-Apr
trip info
Group size: Maximum 16. Grade: Active. Transport: boat, bus, on foot, plane, taxi, train. Accommodation: 3 nights camping, 2 nights jungle lodge, 1 night overnight bus, 31 nights hotel, 1 night homestay, 3 nights cruise boat. Meals: 41 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 9 dinners. Other: On arrival in the islands you must pay US$100 national park fee to enter Galapagos National Park. For full details see Conquistador on page 22 and Galapagos at a Glance on page 41. Local payment: Your tour leaders will collect local payments of US$300 on Day 1 in Quito and US$300 on Day 9 in Quito. Tour Code: GSGC. Prices: See page 2 Further Info & Trip Notes: www.geckosadventures.co.uk/trips/gsgc
Start Sun 2007 04-Nov 09-Dec Finish Sat 15-Dec 19-Jan 200 06-Jan 20-Apr 11-May 01-Jun 24-Aug 14-Sep 05-Oct 26-Oct 16-Nov 07-Dec 25-Oct 15-Nov 06-Dec 27-Dec 17-Jan 2009 18-Jan 08-Feb 01-Mar 22-Mar 12-Apr
16-Feb 31-May 21-Jun 12-Jul 04-Oct
28-Feb 21-Mar 11-Apr 02-May 23-May
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