23 Apr 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £5,434
Escorted tour
Machu Picchu & Galapagos Island-Hopping: Cusco to Quito – 15 Days
Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, then island-hopping on San Cristóbal, Isabela and Santa Cruz, in a group of 6 to 16.
15 days
From £5,026
Tour overview
This 15-day small-group trip combines the Inca heartland of Peru with a land-based exploration of the Galapagos Islands, staying in comfortable hotels and lodges and travelling between islands by motorboat. Groups have between 6 and 16 travellers aged 16 and over, with a tour leader in Peru and an expert local leader in Ecuador and the Galapagos. You stay fourteen nights in hotels and lodges, among them the Tunupa Lodge in Ollantaytambo and seafront hotels in the islands. Fourteen breakfasts, five lunches and a welcome dinner are included, with a traditional pachamanca lunch, cooked in an earth oven, with a Chinchero community.
Your adventure begins in Cusco, the imperial city of the Incas, high in the Andes. You visit the vast Inca fortress of Sacsayhuaman and take an afternoon city tour, then head into the Sacred Valley, stopping in Chinchero for lunch with a local community, and stay in Ollantaytambo. A train takes you to Aguas Calientes, with the option of hiking part of the Inca Trail past the Wiñay Wayna ruins, before an early start for a guided tour of Machu Picchu.
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Flying to Quito, you join a half-day tour of the city, one of the best-preserved colonial capitals in the Americas. You then fly to San Cristóbal in the Galapagos, visiting the sea lion colony at La Lobería and taking a boat tour to Isla Lobos and Playa Ochoa for snorkelling with sea lions and turtles.
A three-hour boat ride brings you to Isabela, where you visit Las Tintoreras, an islet where white-tipped reef sharks rest in the lava channels, and the Wall of Tears, built by prisoners in the 1940s. On Santa Cruz you can visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and walk to the white sands of Tortuga Bay, then take a full-day boat trip to an uninhabited island such as Bartolomé, South Plaza, Santa Fe or North Seymour, before flying back to Quito.
The physical rating is medium, with altitude in Peru and boat transfers between islands. This trip suits travellers who want Machu Picchu and a hands-on Galapagos experience without a cruise. Departures need at least six travellers to run.
Trip highlights
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Sacsayhuaman and Cusco (Day 2)
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A pachamanca lunch in Chinchero (Day 3)
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A guided tour of Machu Picchu (Day 5)
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Snorkelling at Isla Lobos (Day 9)
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Las Tintoreras on Isabela (Day 11)
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A boat trip to an uninhabited island (Day 13)
Your route
11 stops from Cuzco to Quito
- Cuzco Days 1–2
- Sacred Valley Day 3
- Aguas Calientes Day 4
- Machu Picchu Day 5
- Cuzco Day 5
- Quito Days 6–7
- San Cristóbal Days 8–9
- Floreana Day 10
- Isabela Days 10–11
- Santa Cruz Days 12–13
- Quito Days 14–15
Why choose this tour
Machu Picchu and the Galapagos in two weeks, staying on land. Expert local leaders and a day trip to an uninhabited island.
Best suited to
- First-time visitors to South America
- Wildlife lovers
- Travellers who prefer land to a cruise
- Solo travellers looking for a group
Day-by-day itinerary
15 days from Cusco, Peru to Quito, Ecuador
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Day 1 · Cusco Arrive in Cusco
A welcome dinner in the Inca capital.
- Hotel
- Hotel Raymi or similar
- Meals
- Dinner
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Day 2 · Sacsayhuaman, Cusco Sacsayhuaman
The Inca fortress and a city tour.
- Hotel
- Hotel Raymi or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 3 · Chinchero, Ollantaytambo Sacred Valley
A pachamanca lunch and the valley.
- Hotel
- Tunupa Lodge Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 4 · Aguas Calientes, Wiñay Wayna Aguas Calientes
A train, with an optional Inca Trail hike.
- Hotel
- Hatun Inti Classic or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 5 · Machu Picchu, Cusco Machu Picchu
An early guided tour, then back to Cusco.
- Hotel
- Hotel Raymi or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 6 · Quito Quito
Fly to Ecuador.
- Hotel
- Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 7 · Quito Quito
A half-day tour of the colonial centre.
- Hotel
- Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 8 · San Cristóbal, La Lobería San Cristóbal
Fly to the Galapagos.
- Hotel
- Hotel Paraiso Insular or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 9 · Isla Lobos, Playa Ochoa Isla Lobos
Snorkel with sea lions.
- Hotel
- Hotel Paraiso Insular or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 10 · Isabela Isabela
A boat ride and the highlands.
- Hotel
- San Vicente Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 11 · Las Tintoreras, Wall of Tears Las Tintoreras
Sharks in lava channels.
- Hotel
- San Vicente Hotel or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 12 · Tortuga Bay Santa Cruz
Sail to Santa Cruz and Tortuga Bay.
- Hotel
- Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 13 · Bartolomé, North Seymour Uninhabited island
A full-day boat trip.
- Hotel
- Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 14 · Quito Quito
Fly back to the mainland.
- Hotel
- Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 15 · Quito Trip ends
The trip ends after breakfast.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Cusco (2 nights) Hotel Raymi or similar
- Ollantaytambo (1 night) Tunupa Lodge Hotel or similar
- Aguas Calientes (1 night) Hatun Inti Classic or similar
- Cusco (1 night) Hotel Raymi or similar
- Quito (2 nights) Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar
- San Cristóbal (2 nights) Hotel Paraiso Insular or similar
- Isabela (2 nights) San Vicente Hotel or similar
- Santa Cruz (2 nights) Grand Hotel Lobo de Mar or similar
- Quito (1 night) Hotel Vieja Cuba or similar
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 14 nights in hotels and lodges
- Meals 14 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 1 dinner
- Flights from Cusco to Quito and to and from the Galapagos
- Inter-island motorboats and the train to Aguas Calientes
- Sacsayhuaman, Cusco and Sacred Valley tours
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu
- Quito city tour, Isla Lobos and Las Tintoreras
- Full-day boat trip to an uninhabited island
- Tour leaders in Peru and Ecuador
Not included
- Meals not included 8 lunches and 13 dinners
- International flights
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee and transit card
- Optional activities
- Tips, travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You get seasick — island transfers are by fast motorboat
- You want a cruise
- You are unsure about altitude
- You want international flights included — they are not
Good to know
Meals by day
Breakfast: Days 2–15 · Lunch: Days 3–4, 9–10 and 13 · Dinner: Day 1
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £5,026 per person, twin share, tour only. 8 upcoming departures. Single travellers from £5,434 (single supplement from £408).
Offer Reduced prices on selected dates, shown with the regular price crossed out. Book by 16 Oct.
14 May 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £5,434
04 Jun 2027
Twin share
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Single from £5,434
30 Jul 2027
Twin share
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Single from £5,434
20 Aug 2027
Twin share
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Single from £5,434
24 Sept 2027
Twin share
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Single from £5,434
08 Oct 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £5,434
05 Nov 2027
Twin share
Book by 16 Oct
Single from £5,434
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Is this a Galapagos cruise?
No, you stay in hotels on three islands and travel between them by motorboat.
Can I hike the Inca Trail?
There is an optional day hike on part of the Inca Trail via Wiñay Wayna.
Are internal flights included?
Yes, from Cusco to Quito and to and from the Galapagos.
Does the trip need a minimum number?
Yes, departures need at least 6 travellers to run.
What is the minimum age?
The minimum age is 16.
How many people travel together?
Between 6 and 16 travellers, with tour leaders in Peru and Ecuador.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
ATOL protected
100% financially protected in a Trust bank account
PTS 6035
4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary