Paired Solo Option

25 Day Complete Peru & Galapagos Small Group Tour

This tour is escorted by local city guides in each location. The local guides will join you during the included activities and local representatives will assist with transfer arrangements. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise, or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.

Escorted Type
Local Guides & Self-Guided

This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5

 

Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.

 

As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.

Pace
Balanced

Minimum: 4 people
Maximum: 20 people

Group Size
4-20

Take advantage of our 7 day cooling-off period. 

Cooling Off Period
7 Days
Small Group Tour
812 people have travelled to this destination

✓ Small, intimate group experience – no more than 20 people
✓ Ride the iconic train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, on the foothills of Machu Picchu
✓ 24 nights in 3 & 4-star accommodation including a feature homestay in Lake Titicaca, 2 nights at a eco-friendly lodge in the Amazon and 4 nights in the Galapagos National Park 
✓ Breakfast daily, 7 lunches and 5 dinners
✓ Beat the crowds, arrive early to Machu Picchu with a guided tour
✓ Explore Santa Cruz, San Cristobel and other outer uninhabited islands of the Galapagos
✓ Fully escorted by English-speaking guides in each country (excluding internal flights)
✓ All internal flights, coach, boat and rail transportation

✈ Needing international airfares to accompany your Inspiring Vacation? You will be able to access our flight portal after securing your package to add international airfares to your booking.

🛏️ Shared room available for solo passengers. This tour offers solo passengers the option to share a room with a fellow passenger of the same gender and avoid the Single Traveller supplement.

What we love about this tour

An exciting small group adventure with a scenic train ride to Machu Picchu and a two night stay at an eco-lodge in the Amazon—think of the travel memories you’ll have! You’ll also get close to nature with four nights in the Galapagos and dive into Kicker Rock's marine wonders. 

Itinerary

Hotel
Pullman Miraflores Hotel or Similar

Welcome to Lima, the "City of Kings". Upon arrival at the airport, make your own way to the hotel.

Special Information 

Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

Hotel
San Agustin Paracas Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast before meeting your tour leader at approximately 9am for a welcome briefing & some tips during your stay in Peru. Following this, we enjoy a walking tour of the city starting with a panoramic view of the “Huaca Pucllana Pyramid” a magnificent ceremonial and archeological centre built in the 4th century A.D. Then, you’ll visit the colonial side of the city where you'll see attractions like the Cathedral, the Viceroyalty of Peru, the main places of Lima's Plaza Mayor (Main Square), the Government Palace, the City Hall, and other important monuments.

After our tour, we continued for approximately 4 hours by road to Paracas. Paracas Bay, with its southern end lying within the Paracas National Reservation is well known for its abundant wildlife. On arrival, you are transferred to your hotel located on the oceanfront where every room overlooks the sea. 

Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure. 

Inspiring Highlights

  • Plaza Mayor
  • Government Palace
  • City Hall

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Hotel
San Agustin Paracas Hotel or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

You will have an early start today and will be leaving the hotel at approximately 7:30 am to begin your tour of the spectacular Ballestas Islands by boat.  Inhabited by amazing marine life, with over 200 types of migratory and resident birds, including Peruvian Pelicans, Peruvian boobies and turkey vultures, among others. In addition, you will also see hundreds of sea lions resting at the beaches, sleeping on the rocks or swimming nearby. The islands also provide shelter to the shy Humboldt penguins which are usually seen at the entrances of small caves near the cliffs.

Following our tour, we return to the hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure to take advantage of the hotel’s facilities.

Alternatively, you may wish to book an optional tour to see the incredible Nazca lines by air.

Inspiring Highlights

  • Ballestas Islands

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.
The visit to Ballestas Island is by shared boat with bilingual English/Spanish speaking guide.

Optional Tour - Nazca Lines overflight from Pisco airport

The mystery surrounding the Nazca Lines enigma continues to go unanswered. Buckle up and get ready to be amazed by the splendour and magnificent art of the Nazca lines in the comfort of a fixed wing Grand Caravan Cessna aircraft . Unfolding beneath you are dozens of animal figures, trapezoids and hundreds of ruler-straight lines that lie across the rocky Nazca plateau, visible only from the air. Some say it is an ancient solar calendar. Others suggest the Lines acted as ritual pathways for religious processions. Still others believe it was just an ancient culture’s way of asking for water during a long drought. 

Meeting Point: Hotel
Includes: Hotel transfers and scenic flight
Start Time: Depending on availability
Duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Note: The Ministry of Culture tourist entrance ticket for the Nazca Lines must be paid locally. The current charge is PEN 47.00 (approx USD12.00) per person. 
The flight over the Nasca Lines always depends on the weather conditions for the safety of all passengers. You must bring your passports because of the security checks.

Hotel
Casa Andina Select Arequipa or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

In the morning, after breakfast, you will be transferred approximately 4.5 hours by road to Lima airport in time for your included flight to Arequipa. A delightful colonial city, Arequipa is situated at the foot of El Misti Volcano, a snow-capped perfect cone of 5,822 metres. Known as the White City, Arequipa is teeming with fine Spanish buildings and wonderful natural landscape. 

On arrival you will be transferred to your historic hotel located in front of the main square of Plaza de Armas, where you can explore this wonderful city.

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 9 hours.

Your included flight allows one checked bag up to 15kg (33 lbs), and one 7kg (15 lbs) carry-on, with options to increase your luggage allowance at the airport if needed. Your flight will be unescorted, however your tour guide will assist you on either end to ensure that your journey is trouble free. 

On your departure from Lima you will say goodbye to your tour guide, and your group will be met by a tour leader in Arequipa, who will be there to help you with everything between Arequipa and departure from Cusco.

Hotel
Casa Andina Select Arequipa or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, meet your local guide for a walking tour of the main historic sites of Arequipa. Visit the Plaza de Armas (Main square), one of the most beautiful and stunning of Peru. Here you will visit the Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa with its neo classic style with French influences. We then take a visit to the Compaña de Jesus church, with its interior adorned with beautiful colonial paintings and golden altars. Finally, visit the local market of San Camilo as we taste our way through its exotic fruits, vegetables, and prepared dishes to get a better understanding of the culinary culture of Arequipa.

This evening enjoy a traditional dinner, Peruvian style, at a local picanteria. The restaurants in Arequipa are known as “Picanterias” a word that comes from “pick”, as people come together and sit around a table and “pick” from a large sharing plate filled with local specialties.

Inspiring Highlights

  • Plaza de Armas
  • Compaña de Jesus
  • San Camilo Market
  • Dinner at local picanteria

Hotel
Casa Andina Standard Colca or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast we leave Arequipa behind as we travel towards the Colca Canyon this morning. On the way we make a stop at Pampas Cañahuas (3,500m/11,482 Ft), a National Reserve where you may spot some Vicuñas and Alpacas that can be seen running freely on these high plateaus. 

Continue your journey to the Colca Canyon as we ascend to the highest point of the trip (4,800 m /15,748 Ft). From here look over the incredible landscape across the Andes with the volcanoes Ubinas, Mismi, Misti, Chachani, Sabancaya (active) and Ampato all dotting the background. Arrive this afternoon at the quaint village of Chivay (3,600 m /11.811 Ft) where you will check into your charming hotel made up of rustic stone cottages located at the edge of the Canyon.  The rest of the afternoon and evening is at leisure to explore the village on your own. Take the opportunity to relax and rejuvenate in the warm waters of La Calera Hot Springs, surrounded by towering mountains and breathtaking Andean scenery (entrance ticket is included)

Inspiring Highlights

  • Pampas Cañahuas
  • Colca Canyon
  • La Calera Hot Springs

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Hotel
Tierra Viva Puno or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast, we travel towards the “Cruz Del Condor”, a natural lookout point where you can see Condors flying over the canyon and spectacular views of the canyon with hundreds of ancient agricultural terraces carved onto the slopes of the mountains.  Afterwards, you will return to the village of Chivay and travel approximately 4 hours towards the city of Puno, crossing the Altiplano (high Andean plateau). 

Upon arrival into Puno, you will be dropped off at your hotel located in the historic centre of the city.  Located between the shores of Lake Titicaca and the mountains surrounding the city, Puno is the gateway to the famous floating islands of the Uros, an amazing archipelago of Totora islands, inhabited by the Uros, descendants of one of the oldest cultures of the continent.

Tonight enjoy a free night to explore Puno.

Inspiring Highlights

  • Cruz Del Condo

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Hotel
Homestay or Similar
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

An early morning start today is approximately 7am for our tour of Lake Titicaca. Sitting 3820 metres above sea level, it holds the title of highest navigable lake in the world. 

Hop in a motorboat and learn about the spiritual significance the lake holds for the Quechua while cruising across its waters. Stop off at Uros Titinos, a floating man-made island made entirely from reeds and home to several families. 

Later, head to your homestay in the Lake Titicaca region. To get a better understanding of daily life, why not help your host family with some of their daily activities. Your hosts will be happy to teach you a few words of their language, Quechua, and a friendly game of soccer may also be on the cards! Enjoy dinner in your homestay.

Inspiring Highlights

  • Lake Titicaca 
  • Uros Titinos

Special Information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Depending on your group size today's touring maybe a shared service with other travellers.

Your homestay offers an authentic cultural experience in a traditional mud-brick house with basic facilities, including shared outdoor manual flushing toilets. Showers are not available for this night.

Hotel
Tierra Viva Puno or Similar
Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast, take a 1-hour boat ride to Taquile Island. The locals here make their livelihood out of textiles, with the women doing the spinning and men doing the knitting. Browse the handmade goods sold here including warm, high-quality items. Next, take an uphill trek for about an hour to visit the main area of the island. After a brief stay, the boat will take you back to Puno (about 3 hours).

Enjoy an evening at your leisure.

Inspiring Highlights

  • Taquile Island  

Special Information 
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
Depending on your group size today's touring maybe a shared service with other travellers.