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Machu Picchu to the Galapagos
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Depart: September 30, 2007
Return: October 13, 2007 |
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Audubon Nature Odysseys
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Itinerary Day 1 Depart U.S.A./Lima, Peru Retaining much of its colonial grandeur, this vibrant Peruvian capital exudes a sense of old-world charm. You'll stay at the Swissôtel Lima, located just minutes from the city's finest shopping, restaurants, and art galleries. Day 2 Lima Travel to the elegant beachfront community of Miraflores, where you'll enjoy lunch at Rosa Nautica — set dramatically on the pier jutting out over the Pacific. During a tour of Lima, see the heart of the city at Plaza de Armas — site of the Presidential Palace, cathedral, Archbishop's Palace, and City Hall — and the nearby Franciscan monastery (the largest remaining from colonial times). Day 3 Cuzco, Peru Founded as a tribal center around 1150, Cuzco evolved into an opulent city protected by the fortress of Sacsayhuaman. During your stay, enjoy comfortable accommodations at the Hotel Libertador — a restored 16th-century conquistador's villa. Explore Cuzco's civic square and its Cathedral Plaza de Armas, which houses a solid silver altar; and visit Santo Domingo, a 17th-century church built on the original site of the Incan Temple of the Sun. Stop briefly at Cuzco's Christ the Redeemer statue before continuing to Sacsayhuaman Fortress — a bold example of Incan architectural skill. Then savor a Peruvian dinner and folkloric show later tonight at your hotel. Day 4 Machu Picchu, Peru An unforgettable experience awaits as you depart Cuzco by narrow- gauge railcar for the legendary "Lost City of the Incas," where you'll stay one night at the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. With convenient access for afternoon and early-morning visits, your unique Andean town-style hotel affords the extraordinary opportunity to see this spectacular site in an unhurried and thoughtful manner. Walk the narrow passageways and gaze upon the surroundings as knowledgeable guides help lift the mysterious veil that blankets this region, much like the clouds that envelop its jagged peaks. Machu Picchu will prove to be a life-changing experience. Day 5 Machu Picchu/Cuzco An additional morning tour, focusing on important sites that may have been missed during your earlier visit, offers ample time to once again enjoy the sheer beauty and solitude of the site before Machu Picchu's daytime visitors arrive. Return by narrow-gauge railcar to Cuzco and your retained room at the Hotel Libertador. Day 6 Lima (Return Visit) Return to Lima for a tasteful lunch of nouveau-Andean cuisine at La Huaca Pucllana Restaurant — set within the excavation compound of an adobe pyramid built by Lima's pre-Inca inhabitants. Then enjoy a visit to the Mujica Gallo Collection of pre-Columbian artifacts at the Gold Museum; also see the Arms of the World Collection and many fine tapestries. Stop at Miraflores artisan market en route back to the Swissôtel Lima for overnight. Days 7-8 Quito, Ecuador Once a prosperous town of the Kingdom of Quitus and the northern capital of the Incan empire, ancient Quito was destroyed in 1534 and reestablished as a center of Spanish colonialism. Nestled in the Andes beneath Pichincha volcano, this UNESCO city's impressive setting is equaled by its rich architectural and artistic legacy. You'll stay two nights at the Swissôtel Quito, conveniently located at the city's colonial heart. An afternoon tour begins at Plaza Independencia, where you'll see the 17th-century Presidential Palace and several area churches, including South America's oldest — the baroque San Francisco. Another outing travels northward to the Equatorial Monument, where you can set foot on both halves of the world while straddling the line between the Northern and Southern hemispheres at 0 degrees latitude. You'll also visit Pakakuna, one of South America's largest privately owned botanical gardens, dramatically set in Pichincha's shadow. This beautiful kichwa (or "hiding place" in the native Indian language) showcases more than 500 plant and floral varieties from all over the world. Day 9 Baltra (Embark) and Santa Cruz Islands/Cruising the Galápagos Fly to Baltra and embark the 90-passenger Santa Cruz for a memorable four-day cruise that visits landing sites exclusive to this itinerary. First, arrive at Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz Island's northern shore, where a scenic panga ride highlights the habitat's waterways. Mangrove forests, sheets of lava, arid-zone vegetation, and a brackish lagoon support pelicans, boobies, and frigate birds, as well as land and marine iguanas. Day 10 Bartolome and San Salvador Islands Search for elusive whales and dolphins amid the volcanic seascape during a sunrise cruise en route to Bartolome's Sullivan Bay, where majestic Pinnacle Rock beckons visitors to its 359-foot summit. White beaches tempt travelers, while a glass-bottom boat reveals the stunning underwater world. On San Salvador, with its narrow beach and surreal lava formations, follow along the trail to a sea lion colony. Beforehand, perhaps even snorkel with them face-to-face — a playful encounter. Day 11 Genovesa and North Seymour Islands Arrive this morning at Darwin Bay, where few ships other than the Santa Cruz can anchor. Graced by turquoise waters and a coralline beach, Genovesa is a birder's paradise — see Red-footed and Masked Boobies, Noddy Terns, Lava Gulls, and mockingbirds. The more adventurous can don snorkel gear and search for hammerhead sharks along the cliffs. After lunch, land at North Seymour — one of the Galápagos' few uplifted islands that once formed part of the ocean's bed. Here, sea lions, marine iguanas, Blue-footed Boobies, and Swallow-tailed Gulls abound. Day 12 Santa Fe (Barrington) and Santa Cruz Islands Newer to the ship's route, Santa Fe — claiming some of the archipelago's oldest geological phenomena — invites exploration. Stroll through the tall forest of opuntia cactus, populated by endemic land iguanas. Then sail for Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island's southern shore. Venture inland to the Darwin Research Station, where you'll learn more about the islands' giant tortoises. Then glimpse life along main street before trekking into the highlands for a visit to Los Gemelos — your best chance to view giant tortoises in the wild, as well as Darwin's famous finches. Day 13 San Cristóbal Island (Disembark)/Guayaquil, Ecuador Just as Charles Darwin did in 1835, disembark the Santa Cruz at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Home to 4,000 Galápagueños, this provincial capital boasts the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, where you'll discover the islands' natural and human history. Explore this quaint town on your own, then fly to Guayaquil — a natural port city and commercial center. There is time to rest at the Hilton Colon Guayaquil before tonight's farewell dinner. Day 14 Return to U.S.A. Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the United States |
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