D2 is graduating in May and we’ve blocked off 2 weeks for a (possibly last time ever) family vacation. The Galapagos piece is booked and is the second week. We had planned to visit Machu Picchu first but, as I look at the logistics, it looks like a huge amount of travel/flying/moving from place to place time and that perhaps the two are not a logical pairing. I had heard and read that many do pair them together but, now that I’ve really looked at it, I’m questioning it for us. Also, my family has decided that we are not able to hike the Inca Trail so that part of the trip is largely focused specifically on Machu Picchu.
Has anyone made this trip and what was your experience? If we don’t go to Machu Picchu, we do have that first week free and we were planning to leave right from graduation to travel to South America. Did anyone pair the Galapgos with another southern destination? D’s college is on the east coast and home is on the west coast so I don’t see much point to having everyone fly back home just to leave again unless we make this a one week, Galapagos trip.
We haven’t been able to make final plans as we were waiting for D3’s final schedule to come out. It has and now it’s time to finalize the trip. Would love to hear thoughts.
Machu Picchu was awesome and I had no issues seeing it and other sites in the week I spent in Peru. I went during the rainy season which was a VERY BAD idea. I decided not to hike the Inca Trail. You need at least a day to see the sites in Cusco, then a day to Machu Picchu, and lastly 2 days to visit Lake Titicaca.
The biggest issue I encountered was adjusting to the altitude at Lake Titicaca and initially in Cusco. But the coca tea instantly cured me. I highly recommend it if you find yourself with symptoms of altitude sickness.
You should easily be able to accomplish both in the 2 week time frame.
I have traveled extensively in South America and love it, but really there is not much to see elsewhere in Ecuador. And there is no other “destination” in other countries like Machu Picchu.
You can easily fly into Cuzco and take the train to Macchu Piccu. It is a one day trip. Machhu Picchu is a single or max 2 day visit. You could explore around Cuzco for a couple more days and then fly off to Galapagos from there.
If you want to spend more time exploring in a single city, Colombia is a wonderful place and Bogota or Medellin both have plenty to see and do to occupy a week. Quito is a charming city - albeit a little less interesting than the big Colombian cities for tourists. There is a nice monument for the Equator and some historic sites related to Bolivar, etc. Guayaquil Ecuador is a big city, but there isn’t much of interest for tourists.
Generally, people will stay in Cusco for a day or two to acclimatize. There is plenty to do, as it was the Capital of the Inca Empire at the time of European contact, and still has a major university presence, as well as all of the vibe of a launch-point for international trekkers. There are folkloric shows, there are art galleries, there are shamans ready to read your fortune and book you for an excursion to the sacred valley. There are museums, there are ancient sites. There are 5-star restaurants, spas, and hostels. You can get your laundry done, buy oxygen bottles, rent a booth for an international phone call- you name it. The sacred valley is actually worth some attention, as is Ollyantambo (an ancient stronghold that withstood conquistador attacks for extended periods, and now is home to lodgings for every price range. We took the 6 am train to Machu Picchu from there), and the Urumbu river valley. Machu Picchu itself is a one-day excursion. We enjoyed the overpriced buffet at the entrance that is bundled with a Peru-Rail ticket (we did the Vista-Dome for the views). Also, see if you can get one of the limited Huyanu Picchu endorsements which is a ticket to hike the peak you see in the background of all the Machu Picchu photos. The peak has several archeological sites on it as well that were putatively part of the religious ceremonial culture. Machu Picchu has so many subtle details. I don’t know what to do about hired guides. We listened to a few of them, and they may all have the true story, but the stories did not match, so there needed to be several versions of the truth. In any case, do your homework in advance so you can revere the place as more than a high-altitude jumble of rocks. If I were to fly into Cusco, I would expect to arrive in Quito a minimum of 5 days later, and could easily see that stretch to seven if you have deeper interest in learning more about the ancient civilizations before and during the time of the Incas. For example, there is one site which has tiered terraces, which was used as an agricultural laboratory. The microclimate within this valley changes enough to allow experiments in crop development to be conducted to guide the ancients in administering their empire. I feel that, even without 3-5 days on the Inca trail, a bit of time to explore is really rewarding. I would see no problem in allocating a full week to Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. I would not recommend staying in Aguas Calientes (the end of the train ride and a 1 km bus ride from Machu Picchu) unless you really like places like Tijuana. It comes across to me as a race-to-the-bottom high-pressure tourist-kitsch shantytown. If that vibe works for you, it could be fine.
We went to Peru in December. Machu Picchu is breathtaking, mysterious, not to be missed. We stayed in Ollantaytambo for a few days- you can easily spend a full day climbing and exploring the ruins there. We took the earliest train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes -at 5:07 am- beautiful morning views of the valley and getting into the site early is worth it to beat the crowds. We were there in the rainy off-season and it still got crowded. By nine in the morning. I recommend the trails to the Inca Bridge and the Sun Gate. Moras and Moray -one is the concentric terraces mentioned in a post above and the other are otherworldly looking salt pools covering a mountainside-was a very interesting day trip out of Cusco. Lake Titicaca was beautiful though we thought our stay in Puno was one day too long-a rather dirty city.
You can definitely do Galapagos and Machu Picchu on the same trip over 2 weeks as a family. We did it and had an awesome time. There are a lot of flights involved, but worth it! Spend time in Lima, Quito, Sacred Valley (2 nights) and spend the night up at the top with Machu Picchu in the background. It gives you a chance to marvel at the site once all the day tourists leave and watch the sun rise over the site! We took the train and had a private guide from the time we arrived in Cusco to end of the trip. Worth it! We spent a week in Peru doing these things following a week on a small boat in the Galapagos. We are nature lovers, but we all agreed we liked the Peru half of the trip the best. PM me if you would like the name of companies that can put this trip together with arranging flights, guides, boutique hotels, Off the beaten path cultural experiences etc. Do it!!!
Forgot to mention, you can also pair Galapagos with a week trip in the Amazon (Peruvian or Ecuadorian) or there is a great Orient Express resort outside Araquipa in southern Peru. Mountain biking, horse riding etc in the Andes. Fun!
I gasped at the statement “not much else to see in Ecuador”. Though I have not traveled in other parts of S America, I have traveled extensively elsewhere in the world, and thought my 10 days in Ecuador were some of the most interesting time spent anywhere. Thee old town of Quito is a world heritage site, and nestled in a mountain valley. The Andes are spectacular, and there are mountain towns to explore, lake filled craters, and many different cultures. I visited my son on a study abroad, and we went to the Amazon basin, (though far from the Amazon itself) spent a day in dugout canoes learning about the biology of the rainforest, while staying in a lodge above an Amazonian river. Another day was spent in the market town of Otavalo. We hiked to towns in volcanic calderas. Friends have mentioned spending time in the cloud forest where the birdlife is spectacular. There are haciendas to stay on. Prices are reasonable and people exceptionally kind and friendly. I really enjoyed my time in Mitad del Mundo, a day trip from Quito.
ItsJustSchool - Yes, you can stay at the top without hiking in. Reserve early! You take the train to the town below and then they bus or drive you up (We had a private car with our guide) Spend the day exploring the ruins, stay the night (see the sunset) and catch the bus back down when you are ready to go the next day. The buses run often and just coordinate with train schedule for that day. Taking bus ride back down is kind of fun. Our guide arranged all tickets, but I would guess you could do on own too. Definitely stay away from hiking Huaya Picchu. Not sure if it is encouraged now, but when we were there they said NOT to do it. They have had more than one death from experienced and inexperienced hikers alike. If you are a real hiker - stick to the Inca trail you can climb up to the entrance of the trail and walk a bit there if you have the hiking bug.
@tennismom, Thanks! We went last year and hiked up Huayna Picchu. I felt it was a real highlight of the trip, as far as being away from the groomed and thronged “sites” and in the more primitive environs. I could see how it could be very dangerous if foggy, misty, or rainy.
It’s interesting seeing the comments here. We plan on a similar trip in July that will start with an Amazon river cruise on the Aria from Iquitos. Then we will go to Macchu Picchu, Cuzco and Lake Titicaca etc in Peru, fly to Quito for a few days then go on a Galapagos cruise.
Maybe a CC reunion on a Galapagos cruise?! Please be careful and preserve the place for the others who will follow in your footsteps someday, like the Bunsens when they will finally solve their kitchen issue.
(No wonder no one has answered my steam oven question - now I know where your kitchen renovation $$ went! If it weren’t for the gaping hole in the wall, I’d be looking at Galapagos travel, too! )
