We had always wanted to see Machu Picchu and finally decided to plan the trip. Our plan was to see Peru and Ecuador in this trip. We decided to fly to Lima and then head to Cusco the next day. After seeing Machu Picchu we headed to Quito and then to Galapagos making our way back to Quito for the flight home. we had booked the sightseeing through a local tour group rutasdelperu.com and they were very detailed and organized. I would highly recommend them. Below is a detailed itinerary.

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Day 1 : Fly from New York (JFK) to Lima. It was a day flight from JFK(New York) to Fort Lauderdale and then after a 2 hour layover direct to Lima on JetBlue,  arriving in Lima at 11pm. The Costa del Sol Wyndham Airpot Lima hotel was in the airport right across the arrivals area so that was convenient and after a  quick bite to eat we went to bed. 

Day 2: Early morning flight from Lima to Cusco arriving mid-morning. we were met by the tour guide and they drove us to the hotel, Picoaga Costa del Sol which is ideally located near the main square in Cusco. We spent the afternoon sightseeing in Cusco, there is a beautiful square surrounded by historic buildings one of them being a cathedral.the cobblestoned streets were very quaint to walk on and there were plenty of nice shops in the area. in the afternoon as the schools were let out there were children walking around and stopping to by snacks.

Day 3: the guide and the car picked us up at hotel in the morning for the exclusion to Sacred valley.First stop was Chincheros village where we saw indigenous people busy at their weaving - they use natural wools from the alpacas and llamas and natural dye from fruits, vegetables and other plants. the local market was very nice with lots of fresh produce and as we walked around we sampled some delicious local fruit.after that we headed to Ollantaytambo where there were old ruins and there was one area where we climbed up to a viewing point and the there were huge steps from rocks. it was amazing to see the Inca culture and from the top we could see the surrounding hills. we stopped for lunch at a cozy restaurant which had a beautiful terrace, lunch was buffet style with a great delicious spread of local foods, of course we binged on the ceviche. the restaurant was called "Tunupa". after the satisfying lunch it was onto the station for the Vistadome train to Machu Picchu and train ride was through the lush valley with a view of the mountains in the background, there was a nice drink service on board. upon arrival we had to take a bus up the hill to out hotel - we were staying at the Sanctuary Lodge which is at the entrance to Machu Picchu.This is an all-inclusive resort with all meals and drinks included. we had drinks at the bar followed by a gourmet dinner. after dinner we sat in the terrace outside our room where there was nice garden and watched the stars.

Day 4: Early breakfast and then for the most amazing visit to Machu Picchu - we arrived early to see the sunrise and it was out of this world. it is best to stay in this hotel so that you are at the entrance and can get in real quick to beat the crowds. these were the best pictures we took before the park striated getting full. Our guide too walked us around and took us to a terrace where we could sit and soak in the Incan sight while we had a little snack. There are no bathroom or food available so be sure to take a little snack and some water. it was truly amazing to walk around, there were llamas just waling around and watching the people. We spent at least 5 hours there and as we left they stamped our passports with the Machu Picchu stamp - that was quite amazing, so don't forget to take your passports with you , they do check it for ID when you enter. 

Day 5: Early flight to Lima and then another flight to Quito, Ecuador. the Wyndham hotel is very close to the airport where we checked in had a cup of coffee and then headed to the central Quito for sightseeing .It is a quaint city surrounded by beautiful snow capped mountains. it is high altitude so if you are not used to it take some dimox which we did and it helped a lot. if you do not take it you will be out of breath and at times feel dizzy or nauseous. we had made reservations for dinner at a high recommended restaurant - Zazu which is centrally located.

Day 6: Flight to Galapagos to Baltra airport. Before arriving at the hotel we had went sightseeing directly after landing and went for a hike in the highlands where there were giant tortoises in their natural habitat - we got quite close to them and they were just lazing around and eating or just gazing up at us. After that we were driven to Puerto Ayora  and took a ferry to the Angermeyer Waterfront Hotel.The hotel was on the waterfront and it had  a nice patio where we could have drinks and just watch the turtles swimming by. .once we had checked in to the hotel, we took  a ferry across to a restaurant where we had lots of good seafood and walked around the town after dinner.

Day 7: We rose early to take the speed boat to the Isabel Island -where we were going to stay for a few days at the Iguana Crossing Hotel. the speed boat ride was over 2 hours and at time felt choppy and as we arrived at Isabela it was the most amazing sight, clear blue waters, plenty of seals on the pier just handing around and of course iguanas walking around. in the afternoon, there was sightseeing in the Tintoreras islets where there is opportunity for snorkeling where you can swim with turrets, with baby sharks and they take you through a narrow lagoon that is full of sharks but they are safe and do not harm you or bother you. 

Day 8: Sightseeing to the tunnels of Cape Rosa, Wall of Tears, Orchilla viewpoint - all these are a must and the natural beauty is surreal. During this excursion which is all by boat. The boat was anchored in a pristine area with blue waters where they take you snorkeling, we saw seahorse, swam with turtles and baby sharks.

Day 9: We left Isabela island to fly to Baltra and head back to Quito. the plane had only 10 seats and it was quite an adventure to see the islands from above. We landed in Quito in the early afternoon and stayed at El Relicario hotel in plaza grande which was a luxury hotel located on the square. the rooms were total luxury and a very large size with a jacuzzi the bathroom and a shower, got a bottle of wine as a welcome gift. We walked around to see the churches - church of Campana is a beautiful baroque church and simply magnificent - not to be missed. 

Day 10 : the car and guide picked us and we went outside Quito the the Equatorial line - this is a must , you will be amazed to be standing with one foot on the northern hemisphere and one on the southern. After that we drove to  Cotacache which is a quaint then with a market tin the local square and  there are 2 main streets that sell leather goods. it is known for its leather and silver and you can pick up jackets, bags and belts at great price for good quality leather. We stopped for dinner in the outskirts of Quito before heading to the airpot for the flight home. luckily it was direct flight back to New York.