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A Grand Journey Through Peru, the Amazon and Galápagos
Machu Picchu Amazon And Galapagos Grand Adventure
Duration
17 DaysStarts In
LimaRoute
Lima, Sacred Valley, Cusco , Machu Picchu, Cusco , Iquitos, Lima, Santa Cruz Island
Trace a continuous thread from Andean summits to Amazon riverways to volcanic shores on this seventeen-night journey through Peru, the Peruvian Amazon, and Ecuador's Galápagos Islands. Beginning in Lima's cliffside Miraflores, the route climbs into the Sacred Valley and Cusco before culminating at Machu Picchu, then descends entirely into the roadless Amazon basin around Iquitos, where riverboats replace roads and pink dolphins trace blackwater channels. From there, Quito's gilded colonial core and the Otavalo markets lead into an extended Galápagos finale — nine days shorter on paper, longer in memory — sailing between Santa Cruz, North Seymour, and Bartolomé, where frigatebirds, penguins, and giant tortoises share landscapes untouched by time. This is South America's ultimate cross-section: empire, jungle, and evolution, woven into a single unforgettable itinerary.
Includes
- Keytours 24-hour emergency assistance
- Local guide: Private during tours where necessary
- Private arrival and departure transfers as per itinerary
- Accommodations of your choice
- Sightseeing tours and/or activites of your choice
Excludes
- Items of a personal nature
- All other items not mentioned as included
- Travel insurance; please inquire with your Keytours travel consultant
- Gratuities for drivers, guides, and escorts
Itinerary
Day
1
1
Day 1
Day 1: Miraflores Skyline — A Pacific Prelude
Touch down in Lima, Peru's coastal capital, where a private transfer delivers travelers to their hotel along the cliffs of Miraflores, overlooking the Pacific. With the balance of the day open, there's time to wander the seaside Malecón, browse the boutiques of Parque Kennedy, or simply rest ahead of the Andean altitude to come. For those arriving with energy to spare, a private evening excursion to the Larco Museum offers an introduction to pre-Columbian art and Peru's ancient civilizations before the journey turns toward the mountains.
Day
2
2
Day 2
Day 2: Urubamba Unfolding — Valley of the Sun God
A short flight lifts travelers from sea level to the Andes, landing in Cusco before a private transfer continues directly into the Sacred Valley — a deliberate route that eases the body into altitude gradually rather than confronting Cusco's thinner air head-on. Terraced hillsides and snow-dusted peaks frame the drive along the Urubamba River. The afternoon settles into valley life, with the option of a gentle first outing to a local weaving cooperative, where Andean women demonstrate natural dyeing techniques passed down through generations.
Day
3
3
Day 3
Day 3: Terraces & Trade Routes — Where the Empire Still Breathes
A private guide leads the morning through Pisac, where Inca agricultural terraces spiral up a mountainside above a bustling artisan market known for silver, textiles, and ceramics. The afternoon continues to Ollantaytambo, a rare Inca town still inhabited on its original foundations, its steep ceremonial terraces and megalithic stonework offering some of the valley's most striking architecture. Cobblestone streets and working irrigation channels — unchanged since Inca times — make this one of the few places where the ancient and the everyday still overlap directly.
Day
4
4
Day 4
Day 4: Stone Upon Stone — Cusco's Imperial Legacy
A private transfer climbs into Cusco itself, once the capital of the Inca Empire, where colonial churches sit atop Inca foundations throughout the historic center. A guided walk through Plaza de Armas leads to Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, whose precision-cut stonework still awes engineers today, before continuing to the bustling stalls of San Pedro Market. The afternoon climbs above the city to Sacsayhuamán, a massive Inca fortress complex with commanding views over Cusco's terracotta rooftops, closing out a day steeped in imperial history.
Day
5
5
Day 5
Day 5: Riverbound & Rising — The Approach to Machu Picchu
A scenic train departs Cusco for Aguas Calientes, tracing the Urubamba River as it descends into increasingly dense cloud forest, with sheer green mountainsides rising on either side. The journey itself is part of the experience — panoramic windows frame the shifting landscape as the train winds toward the base of Machu Picchu. The afternoon is left open to settle into the small riverside town, with its hot springs and markets offering an easy, low-key introduction before tomorrow's main event.
Day
6
6
Day 6
Day 6: Mist and Monument — Machu Picchu at First Light
An early private departure carries travelers up the switchbacking road to Machu Picchu itself, arriving as morning light first reaches the ruins and mist still clings to the surrounding peaks. A private guide leads a comprehensive exploration of the citadel — temples, terraces, and residential sectors laid out exactly as Inca builders left them five centuries ago — explaining the astronomical and agricultural precision behind the site's design. Free time allows for photographs from the classic overlook before the return train carries the group back toward Cusco.
Day
7
7
Day 7
Day 7: Descent to the River City — Iquitos and the Roadless Amazon
A flight connects Cusco to Iquitos via Lima, the world's largest city unreachable by road, set deep in the Peruvian Amazon along the river's main stem. A private transfer continues to the port, where a riverboat departs downstream toward a remote jungle lodge, the water widening and the forest thickening with every passing mile. The shift in landscape, humidity, and pace is immediate and total. The afternoon brings a first guided walk through the surrounding rainforest, an introduction to the region's extraordinary biodiversity as the light begins to fade and nocturnal sounds take over.
Day
8
8
Day 8
Day 8: Treetops & Blackwater — Life Above and Below the Canopy
A full day immerses travelers in the rainforest's layered ecosystem, beginning with a canopy walkway strung high above the forest floor, offering a rare vantage point over the treetops where macaws and toucans move between branches. The afternoon continues by boat into a network of flooded forest channels and quiet blackwater lagoons, home to pink river dolphins, caimans, and an array of birdlife along the still, mirrored surface. As night falls, an optional guided night walk reveals the rainforest's nocturnal residents — tarantulas, tree frogs, and insects rarely seen in daylight.
Day
9
9
Day 9
Day 9: Wings at Dawn — Clay Licks and the Journey Upriver
An early start brings travelers by boat to a riverside clay lick within the Pacaya-Samiria reserve, where parrots and macaws gather in vivid, noisy flocks to consume mineral-rich clay — one of the Amazon's most photographed wildlife spectacles. After a final lodge breakfast, the riverboat returns upstream to Iquitos for the flight back to Lima, closing out the jungle chapter of the journey.
Day
10
10
Day 10
Day 10: Volcanoes on the Horizon — Quito's High-Altitude Welcome
A flight carries travelers north from Lima to Quito, Ecuador's capital, set nearly 2,850 meters up in the Andean foothills, where the air is noticeably thinner than the Amazon lowlands just left behind. A private transfer winds through the Cumbayá valley and into the capital, with volcanic peaks and colonial rooftops framing the drive. The remainder of the day stays unhurried, allowing time to adjust to the altitude shift before the city opens up more fully tomorrow.
Day
11
11
Day 11
Day 11: Gilded Naves & Cobbled Plazas — Old Quito Revealed
A private guided walk through Quito's historic center — among the largest and best-preserved in the Americas — starts at Plaza Grande, bordered by the Presidential Palace and Metropolitan Cathedral. Step inside the Compañía de Jesús church, where gold leaf coats nearly every surface in a baroque display unmatched elsewhere in South America. The route continues to San Francisco Plaza before a climb up Panecillo hill, where a towering statue of the Virgin of Quito surveys the entire capital below.
Day
12
12
Day 12
Day 12: Two Hemispheres, One Market Day — Otavalo Beckons
A private excursion travels north to the Mitad del Mundo monument, where travelers can straddle the equatorial line with one foot in each hemisphere, followed by interactive demonstrations at the neighboring Intiñan Museum. The route continues to Otavalo, home to one of South America's largest indigenous markets, its stalls piled high with handwoven textiles, leather goods, and silver jewelry rooted in generations of Andean craft. Lunch is included, with ample time set aside for browsing before heading back to Quito.
Day
13
13
Day 13
Day 13: Across the Itabaca Channel — First Steps in the Enchanted Isles
A private transfer to the airport connects to a flight bound for the Galápagos, landing at Baltra Island's pioneering eco-airport, the first in the world built to run on renewable energy. A private transfer crosses the Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz's highlands, where giant tortoises move freely through their natural habitat, unbothered and ancient against the volcanic scenery. Choose between a walk through a natural lava tunnel or a visit to the twin sunken craters of Los Gemelos, where finches, doves, and cattle egrets drift through the scalesia forest. The afternoon eases into island time.
Day
14
14
Day 14
Day 14: Frigatebirds & Sea Lions — A Sail to North Seymour
A private yacht sets out for North Seymour Island, a flat, uplifted islet north of Baltra known for hosting some of the densest seabird colonies in the archipelago. A naturalist guide leads a walk past nesting frigatebirds, their scarlet throat pouches inflated in courtship display, and blue-footed boobies performing their signature high-stepping dance. Land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, and sea lions round out the wildlife encountered along the volcanic trail. Snorkeling follows in the surrounding waters, where turtles and rays move through the channel, before lunch is served aboard the yacht en route back to Santa Cruz.
Day
15
15
Day 15
Day 15: Pinnacle Rock & Penguin Waters — Bartolomé's Volcanic Crown
A full-day excursion crosses to Bartolomé Island, whose lunar volcanic landscape and iconic Pinnacle Rock rank among the most photographed views in the Galápagos. A wooden boardwalk climbs to the island's summit, rewarding the short ascent with sweeping views over Sullivan Bay's cooled lava fields and the surrounding turquoise channels. Below, a snorkel outing offers the chance to swim alongside Galápagos penguins — one of the only places on Earth where penguins and tropical fish share the same waters. The afternoon sail back to Santa Cruz closes with sea lions often trailing the boat's wake.
Day
16
16
Day 16
Day 16: Highland Harvest — Tortoises, Coffee & Quiet Farewells
With the archipelago's wildlife circuit largely complete, today shifts to a gentler pace. Spend the morning back in Santa Cruz's misty highlands, revisiting the giant tortoises at closer range or exploring a family-run farm where the reptiles roam freely alongside coffee and cacao plantations. The afternoon is left open — time for a final swim, a stroll through Puerto Ayora's waterfront, or simply absorbing the rhythm of island life before departure. A relaxed farewell dinner overlooking the harbor closes out the Galápagos chapter.
Day
17
17
Day 17
Day 17: Homeward Over the Pacific — Journey's End
A private transfer crosses back over the Itabaca Channel to Baltra Airport for the flight home, closing out a journey that spanned Inca citadels, Amazon riverways, colonial cathedrals, and the volcanic islands where Darwin's theories first took shape — four landscapes, one continuous thread.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure package includes a remarkable journey through several destinations: Lima, Sacred Valley, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Iquitos, and Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. Over the course of 17 days, travelers will experience the coastal beauty of Lima, the Andean culture in the Sacred Valley and Cusco, the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, the biodiversity of the Amazon, and the unique wildlife of the Galápagos Islands.
During the Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure, travelers will spend the following nights in each location: 1 night in Lima, 2 nights in Sacred Valley, 1 night in Cusco, 1 night in Machu Picchu, 1 night in Cusco, 2 nights in Iquitos, and 4 nights on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos. This distribution allows for a well-rounded exploration of each destination.
Yes, private transfers are included in the Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure package. This includes private arrival and departure transfers as per the itinerary, ensuring a seamless travel experience between destinations. Additionally, local guides are provided during necessary tours to enhance your exploration of each location.
The Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure includes various sightseeing tours and activities tailored to your interests. Highlights include visits to Machu Picchu with a private guide, exploration of Cusco's historic sites, guided rainforest walks in Iquitos, and excursions to the Galápagos Islands with naturalist guides. Specific activities can be customized based on your preferences, allowing for a personalized experience.
No, travel insurance is not included in the Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure package. Travelers are encouraged to inquire about insurance options with their Keytours travel consultant to ensure adequate coverage for their journey. It is advisable to secure travel insurance to protect against unforeseen circumstances.
Yes, accommodations can be customized based on your preferences during the Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure. Keytours Vacations offers options for different hotel categories and can assist in adding extra nights in any destination. This flexibility allows you to tailor your experience to fit your travel style and needs.
Keytours Vacations provides 24-hour emergency assistance throughout the Machu Picchu Amazon and Galapagos Grand Adventure. Travelers can reach out to local guides or the Keytours support team for any inquiries or assistance needed during the trip. This ensures peace of mind while exploring diverse landscapes and cultures.
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