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Travel from the Galapagos Archipelago to the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Ecuador
1.Tour Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Ecuador’s stunning capital city. Explore its colonial center, including the Presidential Palace and 17th-century church of La Compañía.
2.Cross between hemispheres at the Equatorial Line Monument and Museum at the “Middle of the World.”
3.Try some “helado de paila,” a local ice cream specialty.
Galapagos Islands
1.Española Island (Gardner Bay and Suarez Point)
Cruise to the Galapagos Islands with a naturalist guide – see blue-footed boobies, sea lions, iguanas and more!
Visit Gardner Bay, guarded by a colony of sea lions, the beach is home to Galapagos hawks and endemic finches.
Swim and snorkel with the marine life, including manta rays and white-tipped sharks.
See the Soplador blowhole where water shoots 75 feet into the air!
2.Floreana Island (Post Office Bay and Cormorant Point)
Travel to Post Office Bay, named for a barrel left in 1793 by Captain James Colnett as a “post office” for passing sailors.
Continue the tradition and leave a letter.Sail to Cormorant Point and its olivine green sand beach.
Spot sting rays and reef sharks in the emerald waters.
Enjoy another chance to snorkel and swim near the playful sea lions!
3. Santa Cruz Island (Charles Darwin Research Station and Highlands)
Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, which was created in 1960 to conserve research and educate in the Galapagos Islands.
See the giant tortoises from the station’s breeding program.
Trek through the Santa Cruz highlands to Cerro Chato and find more giant tortoises.
Peru
1.Visit Pablo Seminario Ceramic Studio and marvel at this internationally-renowned artist's techniques and designs, inspired by ancient Peruvian cultures.
2.See the Ollantaytambo ruins, a spectacular example of Inca architecture. Afterward, do as the locals do and enjoy a tasting of “chicha,” a regional drink made from maize, at a local pub.
3.Visit Awana Kancha, a living museum of the Peruvian Andes. Explore centuries-old methods of spinning, dyeing and weaving textiles.
4.Give yourself plenty of time to explore the “Lost City of the Incas,” which was hidden for centuries. Discover why Machu Picchu is considered the most spectacular sight in South America!
Comprised of 200 structures of religious, ceremonial, astronomical and agricultural use, this New Seven Wonder of the World mixes perfectly with the natural surroundings of the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon Basin.
Venture to Cuzco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. Cuzco means “Center of the World” in the ancient Quechua language, and is home to Spanish architectural legacy visible in the Cathedral, Santo Domingo and the Plaza de Armas.
To learn more about traveling to South America, contact your local travel agent or call leading U.S. tour operator Collette Vacations at 800.340.5158 or visit www.collettevacations.com.
October 10, 2023
