Land of the Incas

Departures & Pricing

Cabin grades, balcony upgrades and pre-cruise hotel options are quoted on enquiry — call 1300 414 198.

Itinerary

1. 1

   Arrive Lima

   The Capital of the New World extends a warm welcome on your epic voyage through the iconic and unexpected highlights of Peru. Meet your local host on arrival and transfer to your hotel in the upscale shopping district of Miraflores. This evening, you’ll join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner.

2. 2

   Lima Sightseeing

   Start your city tour taking in of the highlights of Lima. Visit Casona San Marcos, where you’ll enjoy a snack from a local vendor and learn more about the fascinating history of this ancient building from Local Specialists. During a short workshop, learn to play the “cajón” percussion instrument and get an introduction to the basic steps of “musica negra”, a dance that originated in Chincha (near Paracas). Continue to the Main Square of Lima for more views and history. Choose to join a walking tour of Miraflores with a local expert highlighting the popular Larcomar shopping centre and on towards the Kennedy Parkor for dinner at one of the restaurants in “Pasaje de Ramón.”

3. 3

   Lima – Cusco – Sacred Valley

   We'll fly to Cusco this morning, the gateway to Peru's treasured Sacred Valley, where you will enjoy a local Peruvian lunch with sweeping views of the Sacred Valley. Then Dive Into Culture, meeting a Shaman who will perform a special ceremony to welcome you to Peru.

4. 4

   Sacred Valley

   Enjoy a Be My Guest experience as you meet farmers who grow Peru’s iconic Giant White Corn. You’ll learn how their cultivation methods blend ancestral knowledge with modern innovation. Then watch a performance of the Marinera, a graceful couple’s dance that celebrates Peru’s Spanish, Indigenous and African heritage. With swirling handkerchiefs and elegant footwork, this is coastal culture in motion. Round out the day by rolling up your sleeves in a hands-on cooking class. Round out the day by learning how to shake up the perfect Pisco Sour with a Local Specialist.

5. 5

   Sacred Valley – Machu Picchu

   Visit the mystical Incan stronghold of Ollantaytambo, en route to Machu Picchu, a village in the Sacred Valley, set on the Urubamba River amid majestic mountains. It's known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Then, ascend to the Lost City in the Clouds aboard the Vistadome train (light snack included) traveling along the Inca Trail, where you can view hikers and porters along the way. Here you will delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilization, joining your Local Specialist for an exploration of the temples, palaces and terraces whose construction defy imagination.

6. 6

   Machu Picchu – Cusco

   The ruins of Machu Picchu beckon yet again and you'll enjoy one final opportunity to reconnect with its story, spending some time on our own to explore the hill-top fortress. Next, journey back to the Sacred Valley by train, stopping en route to Cusco to learn about the natural dyeing techniques used by native weavers. Visit the Pisac handicraft market followed by sampling the sweet flavours of chicha, savouring the favourite drink of the Andes.

7. 7

   Cusco Sightseeing

   Begin your day in Cusco with your Local Specialist at the remarkable UNESCO-listed Incan fortress of Sacsayhuamán, then continue on a guided city tour. Visit Korikancha, once the most important temple in the Incan Empire, and stop at Mantay, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supporting young mothers through housing and craft training. The afternoon is free to explore as you wish or to join one of several Optional Experiences — visit the Choco Museum, explore the Maras Salt Mines and Moray terraces, take a walking tour of Cusco after dark or enjoy a Peruvian cooking class to master classic local recipes.

8. 8

   Cusco - Puno

   Leave Cusco behind as you journey towards Puno, crossing the La Raya Pass where the Andes divide the Cusco and Puno regions. Along the way, explore the archaeological site of Raqchi, once a key settlement along the Inca road network. Enjoy a warm welcome into a local family home, where you’ll share lunch and stories. Then Dive into Culture with a traditional art form as you paint your own torito de Pucará: a colourful ceramic bull said to bring good fortune and protection. These iconic bulls are a symbol of strength in this part of Peru, often seen perched on rooftops in pairs, watching over homes and families.

9. 9

   Lake Titicaca Excursion

   Take to the water for a scenic cruise across Lake Titicaca to the Uros Floating Islands, where you’ll meet a local family and hear how their extraordinary homes are carefully crafted from totora reeds. Cruise to Taquile Island where you’ll enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you meet the island’s Indigenous community and learn about their UNESCO-listed knitting and weaving traditions, kept alive by generations of local artisans over a home-cooked lunch.

10. 10

    Lake Titicaca – Juliaca – Lima – Paracas

    Return to Lima this morning, then continue your journey to the coastal playground of Paracas. Discover what life is like in Peru’s rural countryside before arriving to Paracas for an evening at leisure. Perhaps there’s even time for a stroll along the Malecon.

11. 11

    Paracas – Nazca Lines Flight

    Fly high above the desert to view the Nazca Lines, a network of ancient geoglyphs best seen from the air. Spot the hummingbird, spider, monkey and condor, and marvel at the precision of these vast, centuries-old designs. Back on the ground, explore the Regional Museum of Ica, home to a collection of artefacts from the Paracas, Nazca and Inca cultures. At a nearby winery, learn how Peru’s iconic Pisco is made during a tour of the production site. Sample a variety of styles, then settle in for a relaxed lunch of regional dishes. Later, take some time for yourself to explore or unwind at your own pace.

12. 12

    Paracas – Ballestas Islands – Lima

    This morning, connect with nature with a Local Specialist, cruising around the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, a 'mini-Galapagos' teeming with wildlife. See the mysterious Candelabro in Pisco Bay, then return to Lima where this evening, we’ll visit the Larco Museum with a Local Specialist. Our journey almost at its end, we’ll indulge in a festive farewell dinner in the museum’s garden restaurant.

13. 13

    Voyage to Quito

    Transfer to the airport for your onward flight to Ecuador (flight not included in holiday price). Enjoy a warm welcome in Quito where you will be greeted at the airport and taken to your hotel.

14. 14

    Uncover Historical Quito

    Visit the historical centre of Quito, which was the first place in the world to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and travel to the 'Middle of the World' to stand on the Equator. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

15. 15

    Embark on your Northern Galápagos Cruise

    Land on Baltra Island and meet your Local Specialist who’ll take you to the Galápagos Legend. After settling in, cruise towards the northern coast of Santa Cruz Island to explore Black Turtle Cove — a quiet inlet surrounded by mangroves and only accessible by water. Keep watch for green sea turtles gliding near the surface, white-tipped reef sharks just below and rays moving through the shallows. Overhead, you might spot pelicans, herons and egrets nesting in the branches. This area is a protected turtle sanctuary, offering your first chance to see the unique wildlife that makes these islands so special. Return to the ship this evening for dinner and your first night onboard.

16. 16

    Hike Lava Trails on Genovesa Island

    Ride by boat across the caldera at El Barranco, keeping watch for red-billed tropicbirds and Galápagos fur seals along the rugged shoreline. Step ashore with a Local Specialist and follow the trail up Prince Philip’s Steps, climbing into a landscape of a palo santo tree forest and ancient lava fields. This is prime nesting ground for Nazca boobies, storm petrels and finches, with short-eared owls sometimes seen gliding low over the volcanic rock. Later, explore the mangroves and saltbush of Darwin Bay on Genovesa Island. Cross a tidal lagoon and you may be lucky enough to spot one of the world’s rarest birds—the elusive lava gull—hidden among the shorebirds that make this island their home.

17. 17

    Snorkel off Sante Fe Island

    Visit South Plaza Island with a Local Specialist, home to a large sea lion colony and land iguanas that feed on the island’s distinctive Opuntia cacti. You’ll take a walk across the rocky terrain and along the cliff where swallow-tailed gulls and other seabirds nest. Return to your cruise before travelling to Santa Fe Island. Go snorkelling in the bay, where you might spot turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. Then walk along the beach and through a cactus forest, keeping an eye out for Santa Fe land iguanas. The island is also a good place to look for Galápagos hawks and the rarely seen Santa Fe rice rat.

18. 18

    Farewell Galápagos

    Travel into the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island for the best opportunity to walk among wild Galápagos giant tortoises. These iconic reptiles can weigh over 270kg and move slowly through the grassy landscape as you follow their path. Along the way, spot other native wildlife, including several species of the finches that helped shape Darwin’s theory of evolution. Continue to Baltra Airport for your return flight to Quito. Arrival into Quito is scheduled for 5pm, so please keep this in mind when booking onward travel.

Accommodation

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