Quito, Ecuador, Swissôtel:
Swissôtel Quito offers 250 tastefully decorated and generously sized rooms and suites. Its five excellent restaurants offer a wide range of international cuisine. It is known as "The Kindest Hotel of Latin America." The facilities include the exclusive and intimate Amrita Spa, an indoor & outdoor swimming pool, sauna, steam bath, fitness center, squash and racquet court.
CRUISE SHIP: M/V Galápagos Explorer II:
The M/V Galápagos Explorer II is the most elegant vessel cruising the Galápagos’ waters. It is designed to provide both comfort and scientific information to 100 passengers visiting the Galápagos National Park. The itineraries emphasize the best of this pristine paradise and expert naturalist guides offer an environmentally friendly and educational cruise focused in the Natural History of the Galápagos. The M/V Galápagos Explorer II was built in 1990 as part of the Renaissance Cruise Line and has operated in the Galápagos Islands since February 1998. It has an overall length of 293 feet and reaches 17 knots. The vessel is adapted to eco-tourism operations.
All of the spacious suites offer outside views and are fully air-conditioned. They are equipped with marble bathroom, hair dryer, closed-circuit TV, mini-bar and satellite communication telephones.
Facilities on board include a boutique, library, conference room, restaurant, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, bar and karaoke bar, coffee/tea/snack station and 24-hour doctor.
*Travcoa features deluxe hotel rooms and a Classic Suite aboard the ship. Upgrades are available for cabins on higher decks. Prices and availability vary per departure. Please ask your Travcoa Vacation Planner for the specific availability and prices on your desired departure date.
Lima, Peru, Miraflores Park Plaza Hotel:
Located in Malecon de la Reserva, an exclusive residential area with a spectacular ocean view, Miraflores Park Plaza Hotel is a relaxing, comfortable oasis. Your ocean view guestroom features an ample private bathroom in marble and granite, comfortable king-sized bed, air-conditioning, heating, spacious closets, a sitting area equipped with the best in communications technology fax machine, two phone lines, data port. Access to the Internet and personal computers are available upon request.
Cuzco, Peru, Monasterio del Cuzco:
Hotel Monasterio del Cuzco is located in a 17th-century building that was once the Seminary of San Antonio Abad. In 1995, the seminary was tastefully converted into a hotel, while still preserving its original historically relevant architecture. Today the hotel provides a unique opportunity to experience the comfort and service of a five-star hotel in an amazing museum setting.
The decoration and furnishings combine the best of modern and traditional Spanish colonial style, many of them with charming views of the city or the colorful rooftops of Cuzco. You can feel the presence of the past as you are pampered with every luxury and modern comfort.
The original architecture and design of the Monasterio has not been significantly altered, and thus the rooms reflect their origins as a home for Jesuit seminarians. There are no two rooms alike and they all vary in size and format.
A fine restaurant, coffee house and bar are located in the hotel. Your comfortable and elegant room includes telephone, mini-bar, cable television, hairdryer and room service. The Hotel Monasterio has taken steps to alleviate altitude sickness by introducing an oxygen supplementation system, which is a special feature of your guestroom.
Days 1 - 3, Wednesday - Friday - Depart for Quito, Ecuador
Depart from home on Wednesday.
Set in a valley ringed by snowcapped volcanoes, Quito welcomes you. Explore its many
colonial churches, monasteries, paintings and sculptures, and visit the Equatorial
Monument. Visit the famous Otavalo market and admire the handcrafted textiles of the
local indigenous people. In the small town of Cotacachi—Ecuador’s center of
leatherworks—enjoy strolling through the town’s narrow streets where quaint shops abound.
Days 4 - 7, Saturday - Tuesday - The Galapagos Islands: Baltra, Bartolome,
Santiago, Fernandina, Isabela, North Seymour & Santa Cruz
The M/V Galápagos Explorer II awaits you for a five-day cruise of the living laboratory
where Charles Darwin studied and collected samples of the flora and fauna. His
observations on the islands’ diverse species would later become the basis for the
Theory of Evolution. You’ll explore the islands by Zodiacs and find opportunity to swim
and snorkel in crystal clear waters. Hike pathways to view endemic wildlife such as the
Galápagos Tortoise, known to have a lifespan of more than 150 years.
Days 8 & 9, Wednesday & Thursday - Lima, Peru
Explore the sights of colonial Lima with a visit to the San Francisco Monastery and the
Plaza de Armas Square. View the world’s largest private collection of Peruvian pre-
Colombian art at the Larco-Herrera Museum, and marvel at the extensive collection of
ceramics, textiles, gold, silver, and erotic pottery.
Day 10, Friday - Cuzco
High in the Andes, more than 10,000 feet above sea level, Cuzco was founded in the
15th century by the Incas and was later conquered by the Spanish. Much of its
fascinating architecture reflects the dramatic Spanish style known as Cuzco Baroque.
You’ll explore the Convent of Santo Domingo, known as Korikancha to the Incas, a
temple devoted to worship of the sun, and tour the countryside to see the National
Archeological site of Sacsayhuaman.
DAY 11 & 12 Saturday: Cuzco, Machu Picchu & Pisac Board the luxurious Hiram Bingham train and enjoy brunch on
your journey to Machu Picchu, the last bastion of the Inca
Empire. Tour the ruins and enjoy afternoon tea at the Machu
Picchu Sanctuary Lodge before returning to Cuzco. Enjoy a
full day in the Urubamba Valley—the Sacred Valley of the
Incas—and visit the artisan market of Pisac.
DAYS 13 & 14, Monday & Tuesday
Lima
Return to Lima and enjoy your private farewell lunch in Casa
Aliaga, the oldest private mansion in continuous use in the
Western Hemisphere. Depart Lima on Tuesday.
NOTE: High Altitude. This journey spends three nights in
Cuzco at over 10,000 feet, and three nights in Quito at over
9,200 feet. These high altitudes will affect your blood pressure
and breathing. Caution must be observed.