Best of Peru & the Galapagos

(13 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Quito, Galapagos cruise (4 nights)

This tour is the perfect combination of two of South America's iconic travel destinations: Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.

Begin with introductory private touring in Lima. This cosmopolitan city is well worth a visit for the opportunity to experience its history as well as Peru's best museums, shopping and restaurants. Enjoy personalized touring according to your interests, such as an insider tour of the old colonial quarter, a viewing of spectacular pre-Columbian art collections, time for browsing high-quality boutiques and art galleries, or exploring the city's food markets (including tastings of local specialties).

Next, fly to Cusco, and transfer through the beautiful countryside to the Sacred Valley (Urubamba Valley), a river valley with the high peaks of the Andes towering overhead. During private touring with your own guide and driver, experience the best of the local culture, such as visits to indigenous markets and villages, meetings with renowned local weavers and artisans, and tours of outstanding archaeological sites such as Ollantaytambo, Moray and Pisac. Perhaps also visit terraced salt evaporation ponds at Maras to learn how this natural resource is harvested by local people. Upon request, additional activities can also be incorporated, such as pottery or weaving workshops, a Nuevo Andean cooking lesson, a traditional pachamanca dinner, and active touring including day treks, rafting, horse-back riding or mountain biking.

Continue to Machu Picchu and spend one night near the ruins. Your private guide will teach you about the fascinating history of the site and ensure that you have the opportunity to explore the grounds after most tourists have left. Spend the following day exploring the ruins with the option to hike trails to stunning viewpoints around the site.

Continue to Cusco on the luxury Hiram Bingham train. An oxygenated room will be arranged at the city’s most luxurious and distinguished hotel. Your guide will lead you through the narrow cobblestone streets as you learn about the fascinating Incan and Spanish history in the city. During your tour, visit markets, galleries, boutiques and the best artisan workshops. Also opt to see important archaeological sites just outside of the city. In the evenings, enjoy dining reservations at Cusco’s top restaurants. Additional activities can also be arranged, upon request, such as a meeting with a local art expert or an evening cultural performance. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can also arrange a day excursion to beautiful Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain (also known as Tres Rainbows), where mineral deposits create colorful stripes on the dramatic, undulating alpine landscape. (This location is different from the more remote and more crowded Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain.)

Next, fly to Quito, the capital of Ecuador and a historic city set among snowcapped volcanoes in the Andes. With your private local guide, tour the city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with Spanish colonial-era architecture. Explore interesting back streets, hidden courtyards and churches with spectacular interiors. Visit the best museums, traditional workshops, markets and other sites according to your interests. Perhaps also shop for a high-quality Panama hat—an Ecuador original.

Next, fly to the Galapagos Islands, a dream destination for nature lovers. Spend five days exploring the Galapagos Islands on one of our preferred expedition cruises. Each day, tour different islands with an expert naturalist, and get close to giant tortoises, blue-footed boobies, marine iguanas and other iconic Galapagos wildlife. See the cycle of life up close, which depending on the season, might include mating rituals, newborns feeding, territorial squabbles, and more. Snorkel among sea turtles, playful sea lions and schools of brightly colored fish. Upon request, we arrange private yacht charters, SCUBA diving and other options in the Galapagos.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

• Private touring with your own personal guides and drivers
• Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
• Firsthand, sophisticated destination knowledge and recommendations from our travel specialists
• Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
• Artisans of Leisure upgrades and amenities
• A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, skipping lines during touring whenever possible, restaurant and spa reservations, performance tickets, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and fast-track airport assistance in many destinations
• Around-the-clock support in each destination during your trip
• Unique, insider travel experiences and access to the Artisans of Leisure network of experts around the world