Peru & Ecuador with Galápagos — 12 Days in South America
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Essential Lima, Cusco & Quito is the shortest way to combine the highlights of Peru and Ecuador in one South America trip. In Peru you explore Lima, fly to Cusco, travel through the Sacred Valley and take the scenic train to Machu Picchu. Then you fly to Quito, the first city ever declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of its colonial churches and plazas, and continue to the Galápagos Islands for four days on Santa Cruz: a full-day boat excursion to a nearby island and marine outings to see sea lions, blue-footed boobies and giant tortoises, before flying home from Guayaquil.
Your 12 days at a glance: Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru, then Quito and the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador. Tap any day to see the details.
Every day of your trip, with where you'll spend the night.
Day 1
Welcome to Lima! After the airport reception, transfer to your hotel and rest. In the evening, enjoy your first ceviche in one of the city’s celebrated restaurants.
Day 2
Your guide shows you Lima old and new: the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral and the San Francisco Monastery in the historic center, then the clifftop parks of Miraflores and the artistic district of Barranco.
Day 3
Fly to Cusco (approx. 3,400 m) and transfer to your hotel. Rest in the afternoon and take a gentle walk in the evening to the Plaza de Armas and the Koricancha.
Day 4
Spend the day in the Sacred Valley, from the market and terraces of Pisac to the Ollantaytambo fortress, then take the scenic train along the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes.
Day 5
Explore Machu Picchu with your guide in the morning, then return by train and road to Cusco.
Day 6
Return to Lima by plane and enjoy a free afternoon in Miraflores or Barranco.
Day 7
Fly to Quito (approx. 2,850 m), Ecuador’s capital in the Andes. After the airport reception, discover its colonial old town, the first in the world to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site: Plaza Grande, the gold-covered Church of La Compañía, the San Francisco Monastery and the views from El Panecillo hill.
Day 8
Fly from Quito to Baltra Island in the Galápagos, cross the Itabaca Channel and drive through the Santa Cruz highlands, home to wild giant tortoises, to Puerto Ayora.
Day 9
Join a full-day boat excursion with a naturalist guide to one of the islands near Santa Cruz, such as North Seymour, Bartolomé, Plaza Sur or Santa Fe, depending on availability. Walk among sea lions, iguanas and seabird colonies, and snorkel in clear water before returning to Puerto Ayora.
Day 10
A day for the marine life of the Galápagos: a bay tour or snorkeling trip to see sea lions, sea turtles and reef fish, a walk to watch blue-footed boobies and marine iguanas, and time at Tortuga Bay or the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Day 11
Transfer to Baltra airport for your flight back to the mainland, landing in Guayaquil, where you spend your last night.
Day 12
Enjoy breakfast and some free time in Guayaquil, depending on your flight schedule, before your transfer to José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport for your flight home. End of services.
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Yes. This itinerary gives you six days in Peru (Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu), one day in Quito and four days in the Galápagos, connected by flights from Lima to Quito, Quito to Baltra and Baltra to Guayaquil.
Quito is the capital of Ecuador and one of the best-preserved colonial cities in South America, and flights to the Galápagos leave from there. Stopping in Quito lets you discover its UNESCO-listed old town on the way to the islands, and you return via Guayaquil.
The full-day excursion goes to an island near Santa Cruz — usually North Seymour, Bartolomé, Plaza Sur or Santa Fe. The island is assigned by the National Park and by availability, so it is confirmed closer to your travel date.
This is a land-based, island-hopping Galápagos program: you stay in hotels on Santa Cruz and Isabela and explore by day with speedboat transfers and guided excursions. It is more flexible and usually more affordable than a cruise, and ideal if you are prone to seasickness. If you prefer to sleep on board and visit more remote islands, we can replace the land program with a Galápagos cruise on request.
Every visitor to the Galápagos pays two fees on top of the tour price: the Transit Control Card (TCT), bought at the Quito or Guayaquil airport before your flight, and the Galápagos National Park entrance fee, paid in cash on arrival. At the time of writing the park fee is US$200 per foreign adult and the TCT US$20, but both are set by the Ecuadorian authorities and can change, so please confirm before you travel.
Cusco (approx. 3,400 m) comes first with a free afternoon, and Machu Picchu (approx. 2,430 m) is lower. Quito sits at approx. 2,850 m, so after Peru you will already be acclimatized. The Galápagos are at sea level.
The Galápagos can be visited all year. From December to May the warm season brings calmer seas, warmer water for snorkeling and green landscapes; from June to November the cooler garúa season brings richer marine life, more active sea lions and seabirds, and choppier boat crossings. In Peru, April to November is the dry season for Cusco and Machu Picchu.
The price depends on the hotel category you choose (Essential 2★, Comfort 3★, Superior 4★ or Deluxe 5★) and on the number of travelers. Open the Rates tab for the current price per person, based on double or twin accommodation. Domestic and international flights, the Galápagos National Park fee and the Transit Control Card are not included.