Galápagos Islands & Machu Picchu Adventure - 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive on Isla Santa Cruz & Visit Charles Darwin Station

Welcome to the Galápagos Islands! You'll start the adventure on Isla Santa Cruz. Enjoy lunch at a local farm in the highlands, followed by the observation of giant turtles in the wild. Then continue to the port in Puerto Ayora to check into your hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Station, where scientists from all over the world meet and work together. Environmental projects include water analysis, protection of endemic wildlife, analysis of the effects of tourism on nature, and other pressing issues. Visit the turtle rearing station to see where animals are raised before being released into the wild. Make sure to look around for the land iguanas who live around the station.   

Day 2: Day Trip to an Uninhabited Island

Today, you'll travel by yacht to an uninhabited island near Santa Cruz. Depending on the weather, scheduling, and permissions granted by the national park, you'll visit one of the following islands: Santa Fé, Plaza Sur, Bartolomé, or Seymour Norte.

Each island is unique, offering spectacular scenery and opportunities to see rare wildlife. Santa Fé and Plaza Sur are home to endemic land iguanas, while Bartolomé is known for its beautiful lava sceneries. On Seymour Norte, look for frigatebirds, land iguanas, and blue-footed boobies. In the evening, return to Puerto Ayora to enjoy some free time. 

Day 3: Ride a Speedboat to Isla Isabela & Los Túneles

Early in the morning, you'll take a public speedboat from Santa Cruz to Isla Isabela. Then you will go on an excursion to Los Túneles, a perfect snorkeling spot. A series of lava flows have produced unique geological formations here, including arches and tunnels underneath and above the water. This makes the area a uniquely interesting place to swim around. In the shallow waters, you can see tropical fish, rays, turtles, seahorses, and whitetip reef sharks. Keep your eyes open for penguins sitting on the rocks and be ready for the possibility of swimming alongside majestic sea turtles. In the afternoon, return to the island's town of Puerto Villamil, where you will spend the next night.

Day 4: Hike the Sierra Negra Volcano 

The majestic Sierra Negra volcano is a highlight of today's agenda. You'll hike to its summit to see the second-largest volcanic crater in the world. Walk around spectacular lava landscapes, taking in the northern volcanoes on the islands of Isabela and Fernandina. During your climb, make sure to be on the lookout for the unique vegetation that inhabits the area. In the afternoon, catch the speedboat back to Isla Santa Cruz and spend the night there once more.

Day 5: Spend the Afternoon & Evening in Quito

Do some last-minute souvenir shopping in Puerto Ayora before transferring to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross by ferry to make the connection to the airport. Catch a flight to Quito, and on arrival in Ecuador's capital, you'll be taken to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for sightseeing, hiking, or just enjoying the city's many shops, bars, cafés, museums, and restaurants. Get some rest at your hotel before the next day's flight to Peru.

Day 6: Transfer to Lima & Try Peruvian Cuisine

Welcome to Peru! You'll arrive in Lima on a flight from Quito. Transfer to your hotel and take some time to get oriented in the afternoon. If you have the energy, Miraflores is a wonderful place to spend the afternoon and evening. Walk on the waterfront promenade and sample traditional Peruvian dishes and drinks—ceviche with a pisco sour is a sure bet—in the district's many eateries. 

Day 7: City Tour of Cusco 

Early in the morning, you'll catch a flight to Cusco. In the afternoon, a city tour is on your agenda. You will visit the Cathedral and Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun) and the nearby ruins. These include Qenqo (where sacrifices were made), Puca Pucara, Tambomachay (also called "The Bath of the Inca”), and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, where Inca festivals like Inti Raymi and Warachicuy take place. After your city tour, have dinner in a family-run restaurant and head to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 8: Discover the Sacred Valley

Join your Peruvian guide today for a jaunt through the Sacred Valley's most remarkable places. The Sacred Valley was the spiritual center of the Inca Empire, where all-powerful emperors built private estates, temples, fortifications, and thousands of agricultural terraces. You'll explore the Pisac ruins and shop at the famous artisan market in the village plaza. Scale the heights of the Ollantaytambo fortress and take some time to wander the stone-lined streets of the village where water still flows through Inca-built channels. After the tour, you will catch a train for the impossibly scenic ride to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu.

Day 9: Spend the Day at Machu Picchu

Your day begins with an early morning bus ride up to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Your tour guide will lead you on an unforgettable walk through the old city's stone-lined paths, along the terrace edges to the base of structures that testify to the extraordinary skill of its builders. For 400 years, the so-called "lost city of the Inca" remained hidden atop a mountain ridge until it was revealed to the world on the pages of National Geographic in 1911.

If you have time and energy to spare, hike Huayna Picchu for a bird's-eye view of the ruins. Later, descend back down to Aguas Calientes and catch the train back to Cusco. You'll enjoy one last night on the town before flying out the next day.

Day 10: Depart Peru

The trip ends today as you transfer back to Lima to catch an international flight out of Peru. Safe travels!

More Great Galápagos Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to the Galápagos? Check out these other Galápagos itineraries, explore different ways to spend 10 days in the Galápagos, or discover the best time to visit the Galápagos.