Peru & Ecuador: Between Andes, Inca City and Galápagos

Your entry into this extraordinary journey begins in Lima – a city that has long been celebrated as the culinary capital of South America. Together with a local food expert, you will explore the Surquillo market: cherimoya, aguaymanto, and passion fruit are here next to potato varieties that exist only in Peru. Besides the culinary highlights, Lima offers charming neighborhoods like Barranco high above the cliffs of the Pacific, the Plaza Mayor, and colonial buildings like the Casa Aliaga from 1535, which still belongs to the same family today – the perfect start to experiencing Peru with all your senses.

The Sacred Valley welcomes you with green terraces, snow-capped peaks, and the spirituality of the Incas. At around 2,900 meters, it is lower than Cusco, milder, and makes acclimatization easy for you. On a guided bike tour over 18 kilometers, you will visit the ring terraces of Moray, an agricultural laboratory of the Incas, and continue to the salt pans of Maras, which have been farmed by hand for centuries. The valley can also be experienced by water or horseback: On the Huaypo lagoon, whose deep blue water reflects the surrounding mountains, you will spend one and a half hours on the stand-up paddleboard, or you can ride with an experienced local horse guide over the vast high plains and gentle hills of the valley. A profound experience is the private Pachamama ceremony: traditional sounds, fragrant offerings, and words in Quechua connect you with the power of the Andes. Away from the usual paths, you will hike down six kilometers from the ruins of Pumamarca to Ollantaytambo, passing waterfalls and terraces where food still grows today.

Machu Picchu – one of the most impressive wonders of the world – awaits you. You will reach Aguas Calientes via the Vistadome train, from there the shuttle takes you up to the ruins city, which sits at 2,430 meters between Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Alternatively, you can hike from kilometer 104 on the last section of the classic Inca Trail to the Sun Gate Intipunku and reach Machu Picchu on foot. Unlike classic tours, you have entries for two consecutive days: time for a guided tour through the main square, Temple of the Three Windows, and sundial – and for the ascent to Huayna Picchu or the Machu Picchu mountain. You will spend the night in a stylish retreat in the green cloud forest, with birds singing in the morning and a view into the green. An exclusive highlight: the return journey on the legendary Hiram Bingham train with dinner, bar car, and open observation car.

In Cusco, you will experience a city that fascinatingly connects past and present: Colonial palaces stand on massive Inca walls that have survived every earthquake. At the San Pedro market, Andean culture takes place without a tourist backdrop, in Koricancha the walls of the sun temple were once clad with gold plates, and in the bohemian district of San Blas, the city's most famous artisans work in their workshops. If you want to delve deeper into the culinary secrets of Peru, a private cooking experience over lunch is available, where you can prepare classic Andean dishes together with a local chef, and in the late afternoon, enjoy a Pisco Sour and a Pisco tasting, where you will learn about the nuances of different varieties. Your hotel is centrally located – ideal for walking off, past small boutiques, cafes, and the Plaza de Armas. Two nights at 3,400 meters give you space to explore Cusco at your leisure – whether with a Pisco Sour on the rooftop or during an evening walk.

After the flight to Ecuador, Quito welcomes you with its colorful old town – one of the largest and best-preserved colonial centers in South America – and an impressive location at 2,850 meters between volcanoes. Two nights give you time for the Plaza Grande, the Jesuit church La Compañía from the 17th century, and the Panecillo hill with views over the entire valley basin. In an artisanal manufacture, you will learn what makes Ecuadorian fine aroma cocoa so special – with tasting, of course. And about 30 kilometers north lies the Mitad del Mundo, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere. Your boutique hotel combines design with tradition – a quiet retreat over the rooftops of Quito.

Three nights on Isabela, the most pristine of the inhabited Galápagos Islands, will bring you very close to the volcanic wilderness of the archipelago. At Los Túneles, where solidified lava flows have formed bizarre bridges and tunnels of black rock, a certified nature guide will accompany you to crystal-clear, calm lagoons, where white-tipped reef sharks, seahorses, and rays reside – even on the way, blue-footed boobies and sea turtles may pass by the boat. During the excursion to the Tintoreras islands, you will glide along narrow lava channels where resting reef sharks and, with a bit of luck, even penguins await, while sea lions lounge on the beach. Alternatively, you can take a hike up to the Sierra Negra volcano, whose caldera is among the largest in the world, and continue over black, relatively young lava rock to the Chico volcano, where steam rises from countless fumaroles and the view opens out to the sea. On your own, you can best explore Puerto Villamil and its surroundings by bicycle: The Wall of Tears and lonely coves, where flamingos may appear with a bit of luck, are on the route, as well as the lagoon of Concha de Perla, which offers snorkeling among colorful fish, sea lions, and sea turtles. Your home during this time is directly on the ocean front of Puerto Villamil – simple, stylish, and with a view of the open sea.

Three nights on Isabela will bring you very close to the volcanic wilderness of the Galápagos world. At Los Túneles, where solidified lava flows have formed bizarre bridges and tunnels, you will snorkel with a nature guide between white-tipped reef sharks, seahorses, and rays, while at the Tintoreras islands, reef sharks glide through narrow lava channels and sea lions lounge on the beach. Alternatively, you will hike up to the Sierra Negra volcano, whose caldera is among the largest in the world, and further to the Chico volcano with its steaming fumaroles. Exploring Puerto Villamil and the surrounding area on your own is best done by bicycle: The Wall of Tears and lonely bays, where flamingos may appear with a bit of luck, and the lagoon of Concha de Perla, which offers snorkeling among colorful fish, sea lions, and sea turtles.

Five nights on Santa Cruz will open up the full spectrum of the Galápagos world for you. At Los Gemelos, two colossal sinkholes, naturalist guides will show you Darwin’s finches in the endemic Scalesia forest, in the neighboring reserve you will get up close to the giant tortoises and crawl through centuries-old lava tunnels. From the lookout mountain Cerro Mesa at 490 meters, a bike path leads down to the fine sandy beach Garrapatero, where flamingos sometimes stand in the lagoon behind the dunes. By boat, you will reach Seymour with its blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, and sea lions as well as Bartolomé, whose volcanic crater landscape is among the best snorkeling spots of the islands. And practically at your doorstep are Tortuga Bay with its kilometer-long white sand beach and the Charles Darwin Station in Puerto Ayora. Your home at this time is a private villa in the highlands of Santa Cruz – sustainable, secluded, luxurious, and very close to the giant tortoises of the archipelago.

After days full of encounters, discoveries, and unforgettable moments in nature, it is time to say goodbye. From the highlands of Santa Cruz, you will take the ferry across the Itabaca Canal to the airport in Baltra and begin your return journey across mainland Ecuador. Perhaps one last look at the Pacific or a quiet moment in nature – before you board the flight home with many images in your head and a smile on your face. A journey that goes far beyond what you have seen and lingers long after.