Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(11
days/10 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(12 days/11 nights)
Machu Picchu - Lake
Titicaca
(14 days/13 nights)
Colca Canyon - Machu
Picchu
Lake Titicaca
(16 days/15 nights)
Archaeological & Ecological
Treasures
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca (or Amazon)
(18 days/17
nights)
Colca Canyon - Amazon
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(22 days/21 nights)
Machu Picchu
(10
days/9 nights)
Machu Picchu
(13 days/12 nights)
Machu Picchu - Galapagos
(15 days/14 nights)
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
(18 days/17 nights)
Manu National Park
(8 days/7 nights)
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Galapagos
(11
days/10 nights)
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Galapagos - Andes
(16 days/15 nights)
Galapagos - Amazon
(16 days/15 nights)
Historic Haciendas of the Andes
Cotopaxi - Antisana
- Otavalo
(7 days/6 nights)
© 2008
Inka's Empire Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Luxury Galapagos Islands
Marine iguana, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Land Price (4 days/3 nights)
Imperial US$ 2,255
The land price includes escorted transfers, private excursions with professional guides and chauffeurs, entrance fees, a Veranda Studio in the Royal Palm Hotel, all meals except beverages, all transportation except air flights, and travel insurance for guests through the age of 59 years. Over that age, there is a supplementary fee. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see About Our Tours.
Map
Hotel
Masked booby, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
... we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact
-- that mystery of mysteries --
the first appearance of new beings on this earth.
The natural history of these islands is eminently curious, and well deserves attention. Most of the organic productions are aboriginal creations, found nowhere else; there is even a difference between the inhabitants of the different islands; yet all show a marked relationship with those of America, though separated from that continent by an open space of ocean, between 500 and 600 miles in width. The archipelago is a little world within itself, or rather a satellite attached to America, whence it has derived a few stray colonists, and has received the general character of its indigenous productions. Considering the small size of the islands, we feel the more astonished at the number of their aboriginal beings, and at their confined range. Seeing every height crowned with its crater, and the boundaries of most of the lava-streams still distinct, we are led to believe that within a period geologically recent the unbroken ocean was here spread out. Hence, both in space and time, we seem to be brought somewhat near to that great fact -- that mystery of mysteries -- the first appearance of new beings on this earth.
-- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1845
The perfect way to extend your tour in the Galapagos is to add two days of land-based excursions on Santa Cruz Island with two nights in the Royal Palm Hotel, the most luxurious lodging in the islands. Your private guide will take you to places not included on your cruise such as the Charles Darwin Research Center, Tortuga Beach, Academy Bay and exotic La Garrapatero Beach, allowing you to deepen your appreciation of the Galapagos and its wildlife. With another day and night, you can include a boating excursion to Santa Fe Island and its Playa Escondida, as shown in this itinerary.
See Galapagos Geology on the Web for geology, history and related web sites.
Royal Palm Hotel, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Royal Palm Hotel. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Highlights
Santa Cruz Island
Day 1: Santa Cruz Island. Transfer to your hotel, located on 500 acres in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, next to the Tortoise Reserve. Morning visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station. Box lunch. Continue to Tortuga Beach, a spectacular white sand beach. Dinner and overnight in a Veranda Studio in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Day 2: Santa Cruz Island. Full-day excursion on Santa Cruz Island. Once on board a private chartered boat at the main dock in Puerto Ayora, the captain takes you out of the bay towards the lighthouse at Punta Estrada to view swooping blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, herons and frolicking sea lions. Continuing into Shark Bay you can spot rays and sea turtles and observe white-tipped reef sharks. At the entrance to Academy Bay, off a small islet, you will have the opportunity to join a colony of playful sea lions. Box lunch. Continue to El Garrapatero, one of the most exotic and beautiful beaches in the Galapagos Islands. Dinner and overnight in a Veranda Studio in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Day 3: Santa Fe Island. Full-day excursion by boat to Santa Fé Island and Playa Escondida to see land iguanas and swim with sea lions. Picnic lunch. Return to Santa Cruz Island. Dinner and overnight in a Veranda Studio in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Your next destination
Day 4: Santa Cruz Island - Your next destination. Transfer to the dock for your cruise or to the airport for the flight to your next destination.
Giant tortoise, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Day 1: Santa Cruz Island (Charles Darwin Research Center & Tortuga Beach)
Breakfast. Transfer to your hotel, located on 500 acres in the Highlands of Santa Cruz Island, next to the Tortoise Reserve. Private excursion to the Charles Darwin Research Station, staffed with international scientists conducting biological research and conservation projects. Here, you can admire giant tortoises, part of the program to breed, rear and reintroduce different subspecies of tortoises back into their natural habitat. Surrounding the station is an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest with many land birds. Box lunch.
Male frigate bird displaying,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Marco Robalino. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Continue to Tortuga Beach. This spectacular white sand beach is situated about 35 minutes walking distance from Puerto Ayora. After walking through an arid, aromatic palo santo forest surrounded by cactus and birdlife, you reach a pristine, long, deserted, white sandy beach ideal for body surfing, or stroll over to a small tranquil lagoon where yoou can swim and snorkel. Watch out for pelicans, white egrets, oystercatchers, blue herons and frigate birds or take a short walk over a National Park trail to view marine iguanas and, occasionally, blue-footed boobies. Walking shoes, hats and sunglasses are essential. Dinner and overnight in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Sea lions, Galapagos
Islands.
Photo:
David Bate. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Day 2: Santa Cruz Island (Academy Bay & El Garrapatero)
Breakfast. Once onboard a private chartered boat at the main dock in Puerto Ayora, the captain takes you out of the bay towards the lighthouse at Punta Estrada to view swooping blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, herons and frolicking sea lions. Continuing into Shark Bay you can spot rays and sea turtles and observe white-tipped reef sharks. At the entrance to Academy Bay, off a small islet, you will have the opportunity to join a colony of playful sea lions in the water and perfect your "sea lion rolls. Snorkel equipment, life vests and chilled drinks are provided onboard. Box lunch.
Sea turtle, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Bonnie Pelnar. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Contine to El Garrapatero. After walking along a 20-miute trail past Opuntia cacti and Palo Santo trees, you will reach one of the most exotic and beautiful beaches in the Galapagos Islands, offering a landscape of black lava, bristling with Pioneer cacti, contrasted with shimmering white sand and a turquoise sea, safe for swimming. You can watch the blue-footed boobies and pelicans fishing in the bay, crabs scuttling into their burrows in the white sand and marine iguanas stroling along the beach, all from under the shelter of shoreline trees and bushes. Explore the mangroves or discover a small lagoon behind the beach where Bahama Ducks and, sometimes, Pink Flamingos can be seen. Walking shoes, hats and sunglasses are essential. Dinner and overnight in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Land iguana and opuntia cacti, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Ron Dahlquist. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Day 3: Santa Fe Island
Breakfast. Full-day excursion by boat to Santa Fe (24 sq. km.), a small island located in the southeastern part of the Galapagos. It is home to a number of endemic species which have bounced back from outside threats. These include the Galapagos hawk, land iguana, a variety of Darwin's finches and the Galapagos mockingbird, sea lion and marine turtle. Another attraction is Playa Escondida, one of the most beautiful coves in all of the Galapagos, where you can swim and snorkel with sea lions. Santa Fe was formed from a seismic uplift (rather than volcanoic activity), giving the island a relatively flat surface, rather than the typical conical shape. One trail leads out along the coast into the Opuntia forest, whose giant prickly-pear cactus trees are the largest in the Galapagos. The other trail leads into the highlands, where the land iguana may be seen. Picnic lunch. Return to Santa Cruz Island. Dinner and overnight in the Royal Palm Hotel.
Blue-footed boobies,
Galapagos Islands.
Photo: David Bate. Luxury Galapagos Islands.
Day 4: Santa Cruz Island - Your next destination
Breakfast. Transfer to the dock for your cruise or to the airport for the flight to Quito or Guayaquil.
Nazca Lines Tours
Northern Kingdoms Tours
Sacred Valley Tours
Tour descriptions courtesy of LuxuryLink.com
Luxury Link and LuxuryLink.com are trademarks of Luxury Link LLC. © 1997-2006 Luxury Link LLC.
© 2008 Inka's Empire Corporation, Luxury Peru Tours & Travel. All rights reserved.
El Yunque National Forest Hotels, Villas, Inns & Resorts
