Galapagos and Inca trail holiday

country:	Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Peru
trip type:	Strenuous walking holidays
departures:	Regular departures available from October 2008
price:	From £1090 (14 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $700 plus park fees US $100. We can arrange flights from the UK. All departure dates are guaranteed

Inca Trail holidays

Galapagos Island holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

From the domain of the iguanas to the homeland of the Incas, explore the best of Ecuador and Peru. Sail through the turquoise waters of the Galapagos, stroll the streets of Cuzco, Discover the Sacred Valley, Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

Highlights include:

Cruise the Galapagos Islands

Enjoy walking tours of the historical centres of Quito and Lima

Stroll the streets of Cuzco

Discover the Sacred Valley

Trek the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Snorkelling along Devil's Crown

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Quito. Sitting at an altitude of 2,850 m under the gaze of Volcan Pichincha, Quito is longg and thin, winding its way down a valley that drops down to the Amazon Basin. The historic Old Town has charming narrow cobblestone streets, beautiful buildings and some great penas where you can try delicious local food and practice your Spanish with the friendly locals.
Day 2:	Baltra/Santa Cruz. Fly to the Galapagos Islands, located approximately 1000 km off the Pacific Coast. Long before Darwin arrived the islands had already developed a reputation among mariners as strange and wonderful lands. Teeming with wonderful wildlife, the islands of the Galapagos are sure to delight. Cruise through the untouched waters on a yacht and learning about the unique animal life in this part of the world from the onboard naturalist.
Day 3:	Floreana. Discover Post Office Bay, where seafarers would drop mail and collect any letters destined for ports on their itineraries, a system that is still working today. Cruise around Floreana to reach the Devil's Crown, a fantastic place to snorkel among the colourful fish and playful sea lions.
Day 4:	Espanola. Watch spectacular waves crash onto jagged cliffs in Punta Suarez, home to large bird colonies. The dense colonies will most likely include blue-footed boobies and red-billed tropical birds. The island is also home to fierce-looking iguanas and is a great spot to spot eagle rays swimming in the turquoise waters.
Day 5:	Cristobal/Santa Fe. Call into the San Cristobal Island Interpretation Centre before heading to Santa Fe, where there are many walking trails to explore. Hang out at a sea lion bachelor pad and learn how mangrove trees survive in such a harsh environment. Head into a forest of prickly pear cactus to explore or simply chill out on the beach.
Day 6:	North Seymour/Baltra/Quito. With a bit of luck, see the flamboyant mating rituals of frigate birds at Seymour Island before returning to quirky Quito.
Day 7:	Lima. Get a feel for Peru's colonial past on a guided walk around churches, museums and streets with carved balconies. For a taste of cosmopolitan coastal lifestyles, head to seaside Miraflores or Barranco to dine in local cafes. Don't go past the ceviche, a traditional seafood specialty.
Day 8:	Cuzco. Possibly the most charming city in the Andes, Cuzco overflows with Spanish colonial buildings and the ruins of ancient temples.
Day 9:	Sacred Valley. Stop in at the rural town of Pisac before travelling through the farming land and small villages of the Sacred Valley. The fertile region is filled with maize crops and terraces are carved high into the valley walls.
Day 10-14:	Inca Trail/Cuzco. Follow the ancient paths of the Inca Empire on a trek that takes in ruins, mountain scenery, rich subtropical jungle and dreamy cloud forests. On the final day, hike to Machu Picchu in the early morning for an unforgettable South American experience.

small group adventure holiday

This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more)

Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

We just can't get enough of the Amazon, not only as a jaw-dropping travel destination but also as a global treasure and this trip will help to ensure that the incredible Amazon Rainforest is here for us to enjoy for generations to come! Our Amazon Fund will help support on the ground projects by our long time partners Greenpeace and WWF. By booking your Latin American adventure with us you're helping us work towards a sustainable future for the Amazon.

This trip gives you plenty of opportunities to get to know the culture and vibrant history of Latin America. There are numerous chances for local interaction as we cover so much ground using all means of public transport. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from a friendly local who strikes up a conversation during your journey.

Your leader and the occasional local guide will be able to direct you to many local eateries throughout the trip, helping you discover real local fare at real local prices (and probably helping you learn some Spanish at the same time). All travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible.

Local guides are employed to help explain as much as possible about the cultural differences and the historically significant places that we visit. This also allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving and respecting these sites and to help us minimise the impact of our visits.

While in the Galapagos Islands, a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Centre is a must. This provides travellers with a better understanding of the fragile ecosystem and all money received from entrance tickets is contributed towards conservation, education and further research.

When hiking on the Inca Trail, we always ensure that travellers stick to marked trails, take all their rubbish with them and follow a set of hiking guidelines for the protection of the environment.

There are plenty of opportunities to support local merchants in the markets and stalls that we pass along the way. We can purchase traditional handicrafts from local artisans and learn more about the importance of preserving these crafts.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

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'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

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