8 Day Machu Picchu & Galapagos Classic Tour

Tour Summary

The Peru & Galapagos combination is the perfect option for travelers who don’t have a lot of time. You will see the absolute highlights of Latin America with the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu in Peru. The trip is full of adventure but combined with comfortable family-owned hotels. The hotels are a tourist superior class.

Gallery

Cusco - Peru -- Credits Alonso Molina - PROMPERU

Llama in Machu Picchu -- Credit Gihan Tubbeh - PROMPERU

Highlights

Machu PicchuGet amazed by the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, considered a masterpiece of art, architecture, and engineering.
Santa Cruz HighlandsYou will be surrounded by impressive flora and fauna including giant tortoises in their natural habitat and unique volcanic features.
CuscoExplore the streets, plazas and markets of this UNESCO World Heritage City.
Sacred ValleyWander through Ollantaytambo, the town built on top of Inca foundations.
La LoberiaA beautiful beach where you can find plenty of sea lions, interacting with each other.
Seymour IslandWonderful island to hike, snorkel and see frigate birds and blue footed boobies.
Plaza de Armas Cusco Square that marks the colonial centre of the city.

Itinerary

DAY 1 ARRIVAL TO CUSCO
Today you will arrive at Cusco Airport. There are a couple of connecting flights to get to Cusco from the airport in Lima. You will need to arrange your flight to get to Cusco. Upon your arrival, your Machu Picchu and Galapagos tour will start and you will have a private transfer from the airport to your hotel. Please be aware of the sign with your name on it. You will drive with your guide to the nearby ruins of Cusco, such as Sacsayhuaman Fortress with its immense walls of temples made up of huge stones distributed in a zigzag pattern, the red Fort Puca Pucara, Qenko Amphitheatre and Tambomachay, the Inca baths. After an impressive walk around the area, you will turn back to the hotel.
- Activity:Hiking, Sightseeing.
- Transport:Car.
- Accommodation:Antigua Casona San Blas or similar.
DAY 2 CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY – OLLANTAYTAMBO – AGUAS CALIENTES
The Sacred Valley was a key area of settlement for the Incas. Its agreeable climate and fertile plains make a rare and fruitful combination for the high Andes. The visit includes Pisac Indian Market which attracts people from remote communities, dressed in colorful, traditional attire. In the afternoon, you will visit the Ollantaytambo Ruins. One of its best-preserved areas, known as Hanan Hucaypata, lies north of the main square. After lunch, you will begin your journey by train enjoying panoramic windows. You will be delighted by the incredible landscapes along the route to Machu Picchu. In the evening you will have dinner (drinks not included).
- Activity:Exploring, Sightseeing.
- Transport:Car, Train.
- Meal:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
- Accommodation:El Mapi Hotel or similar.
DAY 3 MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
You will start the day by walking to the bus station to take your bus to Machu Picchu. Here, you will have your shared transfer from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, and vice versa. Machu Picchu is considered one of the most extraordinary examples of landscape architecture in the world. Located in an enclave of a mountain overlooking the canyon of the Urubamba River, in an area of lush tropical forest, it served as a place of worship and a site for star-gazing. In 2007, Machu Picchu was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. In the afternoon, you will take the Executive Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, and then private transport to Cusco with a guide.
- Activity:Exploring, Sightseeing.
- Transport:Bus, Car, Train.
- Meal:Breakfast.
- Accommodation:Antigua Casona San Blas or similar.
DAY 4 CUSCO – GUAYAQUIL
Today you will have your transfer to the airport of Cusco from where you will fly to Guayaquil. Upon arrival in Guayaquil, you will be picked up by the hotel shuttle. Depending on the flight times, you will have a city tour by night in Guayaquil (about 3 hours).
- Activity:Sightseeing.
- Transport:Car.
- Meal:Breakfast.
- Accommodation:Wyndham Hotel Guayaquil or similar.
DAY 5 TRANSFER IN – TWINS – HIGHLANDS
At Baltra Airport, the guide will pick you up and will take you to the highlands of Santa Cruz. First, you make a stop at the Twin Craters. “Los Gemelos”, or the Twin Craters, are located opposite each other. You will have lunch in the highlands (if your arrival is before 02:00 PM). This includes a visit to the famous Lava tunnels. Rancho Primicias is located on the top of the island of Santa Cruz. This is a humid tropical forest and offers varied landscapes. Its major tourist attraction is the tortoises that migrate from the park to this property at certain times of the year. Afterward, you will be brought to Puerto Ayora.
- Activity:Sightseeing, Wildlife Watching.
- Transport:Boat, Bus, Car.
- Meal:Breakfast, Lunch.
- Accommodation:Hotel Fiesta or similar
DAY 6 BARTOLOME / FLOREANA / NORTH SEYMOUR
Today you will visit an uninhabited island by boat. It will either be Floreana, Bartolome, or North Seymour. You can tell us your preference and we try to get you to that island. Unfortunately, due to availability, we cannot guarantee the island. You will navigate for about 30 min up to 2,5 hours to get to the island. You will have a short hike to get to know the land species and afterwards, you will go snorkeling. Around 04:00 PM you will be back in the village and you might have time to visit the Charles Darwin Station by yourself.
- Activity:Hiking, Snorkeling, Wildlife Watching.
- Transport:Boat, Car.
- Meal:Breakfast, Box Lunch.
- Accommodation:Hotel Fiesta or similar
DAY 7 SAN CRISTOBAL – LA LOBERIA SELF-GUIDED – ISLA LOBOS
At 07:00 AM you take the public speedboat to San Cristobal. Here you’ll be picked up and the driver will take you to your hotel. The rest of the morning is free, and you can visit La Loberia Beach on your own. At 01:00 PM you will go to Isla Lobos where you will have a high chance to see blue-footed boobies and a big Galapagos sea lion colony. The boat ride takes about 20 min and upon arrival, you will have a snack / basic local lunch. Afterward, you have a hike of about 1,5 hours before you go snorkeling.
- Activity:Exploring, Hiking, Snorkeling, Wildlife Watching.
- Transport:Boat, Car.
- Meal:Breakfast, Snack.
- Accommodation:Hotel Casa Opuntia or similar.
DAY 8 TRANSFER OUT
This is the last day of your Machu Picchu and Galapagos tour. After breakfast, you will have a drop-off at San Cristobal Airport (just 5 min). In the morning you usually have time to enjoy a bit more of the sea lions at Playa Mann or you can go to the interpretation center by yourself. The tour will end upon arrival at the airport where you will depart to Quito or Guayaquil.
- Activity:Relaxing.
- Transport:Car.
- Meal:Breakfast.

Map

8-Day Machu Picchu & Galapagos Classic Map

Book now

Price Based on Number of Guests:

1 or more guest	$ 3,199 p.p.
2 - 5 guests	$ 2,461 p.p.
6 or more guests	$ 1,929 p.p.

Check Availability

Inclusions

Meals as described in the itinerary.
Accommodation in a single, double or triple room.
Airport pickups and drop offs at corresponding airports.
Transportation on and between the Galapagos Islands as described in the itinerary.
Transportation fee between Baltra Airport – Itabaca Channel.
Return train tickets Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes in Machu Picchu.
Local naturalist guide (English & Spanish speaking).
All activities as described in the itinerary.
Entrance fee Machu Picchu (including guided tour)
Snorkeling equipment in the Galapagos Islands: mask, snorkel, fins and life vest.
24/7 assistance in English, Dutch and Spanish.
Exclusions

+ International and domestic flights.
+ Food & drinks that are not mentioned in the itinerary.
+ Entrance fee for the Galapagos National Park: $ 100 p.p. (cash only).
+ Migratory Control Card / Ingala Transit Card: $ 20 p.p. (cash only).
+ Water Taxi (small boat that takes you from the speedboat to the harbor and back).
+ For rent: wetsuit (recommended between May – November).
+ Personal travel & health insurance.
+ Personal expenses.
+ Optional tips for the guide.

Additional information

Prices for 2025 are subject to change.
Essential items to bring include comfortable and lightweight clothing (with a jacket as a precaution), water, sunblock, sunglasses, and your passport.
Since you will ride on steep mountain trails where oxygen is limited, it is our safety recommendation that the rider weighs 220 lbs (100 kg) or less.
Inform yourself about food safety when traveling to tropical countries. Take the necessary precautions to avoid food poisoning (always wash your hands before eating, don’t eat street food, only eat peeled fruits, etc.).
It is mandatory to have valid travel and medical insurance. Please inform us of any known medical conditions you have.
Rebecca Adventure Travel and the respective cruise operator reserve the right to change the itinerary without prior notice due to weather conditions, availability, National Park regulations or notifications, and unforeseeable circumstances.
Please note that the activity sequence depends on your flight schedule and the availabilities of the different tours and transportation. The sequence of your complete tour might change but you won’t miss any tours if you have an afternoon flight back to Ecuador on the last day.
It is recommended to book flights with an early arrival time to the Galapagos Islands and a late departure time from the Galapagos Islands to make sure you can enjoy all of the activities of the tour. Late arrivals and/or early departures mean you might miss some activities.
Try to only bring small baggage/bags since public transportation on the Galapagos Islands is quite small.
There are no guides on the transportation by public speedboat between islands.

ADVANTAGES OF BOOKING WITH REBECCA ADVENTURE TRAVEL

Authenticity: Rebecca Adventure Travel offers unique and authentic experiences. All tours are personally selected by Rebecca, which guarantees authentic hotels (preferably family-owned), high-quality tours, great service, and, last but not least, value for money.
Tailor-made design: Whether travelers prefer a Galapagos island-hopping tour, a cruise, or a tailor-made tour of Ecuador, our local and international destination experts use their own travel experiences to create the right travel plan for every traveler.
Safety & 24/7 assistance: Rebecca Adventure Travel possesses all official tour operating insurance up to EUR 3 million. The team can be reached 24/7 for emergencies, by phone, e-mail, Skype, and WhatsApp. This service is available in English, Spanish, and Dutch!
Face-to-face assistance throughout your travels: Although online communication is essential, in-person service is very important, too. This is why travelers can get face-to-face travel advice at the Travel Concept Store in Zutphen, Netherlands. During your trip, there will be local personal hostesses at each destination, e.g., the Galapagos Islands.
Zero credit card fee: For guests who book a cruise with Rebecca Adventure Travel, there is no extra charge for credit card payment.
When you book a tour with Rebecca Adventure Travel you agree to its terms and conditions.