Galápagos & Machu Picchu Cultural Walking Adventure

DAY 1 – GUAYAQUIL
Upon your arrival in Guayaquil, you can choose to enjoy some downtime or explore this active port city. Situated along the beautiful Guayas River, Guayaquil offers colorful neighborhoods, charming parks, and historic landmarks including the Metropolitan Cathedral and Tower Morisca.

DAY 2-3 – SANTA CRUZ
Departing Guayaquil, you’ll head to Santa Cruz Island where your Galápagos getaway begins. Giant, 500-pound tortoises are the stars here, and you’ll walk among them in their natural habitat in the highlands at El Chato Reserve. You’ll join your guide to boat to Santa Fe Island for a day of snorkeling and barbeque. The island is a non-stop photo op with plenty of chances to spot an incredibly wide variety of wildlife, from sea lions and sea turtles to Galápagos hawks, Nazca boobies and so much more.

DAYS 4-6 – ISABELA
On Isabela Island, you’ll take to the water to kayak with sea lions, green sea turtles and marine iguanas while keeping your eyes sharp for blue-footed boobies in the trees along the shores as well as watching how they hover over the sea and dive for fish. Enjoy a walk through otherworldly volcanic terrain that takes you to the awesome caldera of Volcan Sierra Negra and a very civilized picnic. An afternoon flight returns you to the mainland before making your way to Peru.

DAYS 7-10 – SACRED VALLEY / MACHU PICCHU
The Incan glories of Peru take center stage as soon as you land in Cusco. You’ll begin with a guided exploration of the imposing ruins of Sacsayhuaman. For close-up looks at Peruvian culture, you’ll visit a bastion of ancient weaving techniques that are also a breeding center for llamas, alpacas and vicunas, visit children in a tiny village, and meet the locals in the Incan village of Ollantaytambo. A cinematic train ride lifts you up to Machu Picchu for a 2-day visit. You’ll experience the legendary site with experienced guides, and have time to wander on your own or go bird-watching in the surrounding rainforest. You’ll want to be sure to be in place to watch the first rays of the morning sun strike the site. On your final day, you’ll return to Cusco to experience the grand colonial city and maybe do a little shopping.

We believe in creating authentic connections by immersing you into the history and culture of a people and place. So we find the most well-connected local guides who share their relationships and knowledge with us. And with them, we handcraft walking tours in cinematic settings that allow you to see the world on foot and at eye level.

It’s why Travel + Leisure magazine has named Classic Journeys as the #1 World’s Best Tour Operator multiple times, and the editors of T+L say, "Classic Journeys provides unbeatable access to experiences around the globe." Here’s what that access means for you every time you travel with us.

• Experience the world on foot and at eye level. Each day, join your guide on the most cinematic footpaths in the region.
• Exceptional full-time local guides who become your well-connected friend. Our amazing guides are with you throughout each day of the tour, share their lifelong connections as well as engaging anecdotes about the history and culture of the region.
• Small groups that provide you unrivaled access. An average of fewer than 10 guests per departure means we can offer you special access to sites like Stonehenge so you experience the stone circle when it’s closed to the general public, a guided visit to Zion Narrows that other companies cannot arrange because of larger group sizes, and vineyard walks with a count and countess in Tuscany.
• Award-winning hotels are waiting for you at the end of every day. Luxuriate in the finest and most distinctive accommodations in the region you’re exploring, including rainforest lodges, 16th century villas, and award-winning properties that show up on World’s Best and Gold lists.
• Eat like (and with) the locals. Food is a foolproof way into the hearts, homes and history of the places you visit with us. From gourmet picnics to coveted local restaurants, our meals offer you opportunities to explore native food traditions and fine dining.
• Handcrafted itineraries with all activities included. With our long-term friendships, we know our walking tour regions more personally than anyone else. So you get thoughtfully curated itineraries that combine explorations of the villages, organic farms, archeological sites and the people who know them best.
• Sustainable travel that supports the places you’re visiting. We put our local currency into the pockets of the people who live where we travel. It’s your guarantee that you’ll have authentic, up-close experiences on your trip. Best of all, our person-to-person approach helps sustain their ways of life.