2 NIGHTS

Our South American adventure begins with a flight from Sydney. Due to the time difference, we will arrive on Thursday afternoon, the same day as we departed.

We land in Lima, Peru’s bustling capital in time to check-in for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Overnight: Lima

Founded in 1535, Lima was once the capital of Spain’s South American Empire and the power and wealth of this period is reflected in its architecture. Today, Lima is one of South America’s largest cities yet its colonial centre remains preserved and is now a World Heritage site. A walking tour takes in the 17th-century baroque Basilica and Convent of San Francisco, a monumental structure of great beauty, as well as the historic Plaza de Armas (main square). Here we see the Government Palace, the presidential palace that was once the home of Francisco Pizarro, founder of Lima and Spanish conqueror of Peru. Pizarro is buried in the nearby Cathedral of Lima, in a crypt that is completely covered in mosaics; admire the glorious renaissance facade of the Cathedral as well as its richly decorated interior.

The remainder of your day is at leisure – relax or explore Lima’s rich cultural and Christian heritage. On tour we employ the “Buddy System” so you can choose to join another passenger or spend time with the Tour Leaders if you don’t wish to strike out on your own.

Suggested things to see:

Catacombs of San Francisco de Lima

About 25 thousand people were buried in these famous catacombs during colonial times; their skulls and bone remains can still be seen in their underground galleries.
Church and Convent of Santo Domingo
This Dominican church & convent was built in the 16th century in a Rococo and Mudejar style and is one of the oldest and most beautiful churches in Lima. There is a belltower that you can climb for a view across the city and the river.

Museo de Sitio Bodega y Quadra

This centrally located archaeological site was once more or less adjacent to the city walls and is the only fully-excavated colonial building in the historic centre. A couple of minutes’ walk from the Plaza de Armas it is on a street of souvenir shops.

Casa de Aliaga, Lima

Dating back to May 1536 this is not just Lima’s oldest colonial mansion, but the oldest house in the Americas continuously occupied by the same family; 17 generations of Conquistador Geronimo de Aliaga have now lived here.

We come back together to share our experiences and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Overnight: Lima

2 NIGHTS

In the 15th century two Inca leaders, Pachacuti Yupanqui, and Tupac Yupanqui built one of the biggest empires in South American history. They transformed a small kingdom based around Cusco into a mighty empire that stretched an unbelievable 4,000 kilometers from North to South with a road network of 40,000 kilometres; it ran from Southern Colombia to the center of Chile and occupied the entirety of Peru, most of Ecuador as well as parts of Argentina and Bolivia. The incredible riches of the Incas saw a flowering of art and culture but it was gold that attracted the Spanish conquistadors. Whilst the Incan Empire could not withstand the 16th century Spanish invasion its period of rule (1438-1533) left behind an architectural legacy of the world’s most amazing building structures.

We fly high into the magnificent Andes and land in Cusco, the very heart of this former empire, to explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

At Awana Kancha we meet some of the locals – llama, vicuna, alpaca, and guanaco – to learn about their vital importance for the Inca; not just viewed as livestock, the role of camelids was deeply woven into the region’s culture and spiritual beliefs. The fine fleeces of the alpaca were originally reserved for Incan royalty and the wool of all these animals continues to be highly valued; learn how their coats are transformed into precious fibres for the ancient weaving techniques still in use today.

The historic village of Pisac was built over an Inca settlement and is famous for its Indian market; take time to browse the many colourful stalls selling handicrafts ranging from alpaca sweaters and blankets to painted vases and sterling silver.

Our home for the next 2 nights is a charming colonial style hotel surrounded by beautiful gardens and set at the foot of the mountains, a perfect place to soak up the ambience of the Sacred Valley.

Overnight: Sacred Valley

This morning, we join together for worship before a visit to the village of Ollantaytambo and the Inca ruins of the same name. Explore this archaeological site, the scene of the only successful Inca resistance during the Spanish conquest. We visit a local home to experience daily life in a traditional village, ways that remain remarkably well preserved from former times.

Enjoy a visit to the Seminario ceramics workshop and learn about both ancient and modern Peruvian art. We end our day at a local chicheria, where friends and family come together to celebrate life, friendship, local food and drink, for a taste of a chicha, a typical Inca drink in Peru.

Overnight: Sacred Valley

The incredible Machu Picchu is both World Heritage listed and named a Wonder of the World; one of the greatest artistic, architectural and land use achievements anywhere, it is also the most significant tangible legacy of the Inca civilization.
Abandoned when the Inca Empire fell to the Spanish, these remarkable ruins were known only to locals and finally “discovered” by the rest of the world almost 400 years later.

We board the Vistadome train that cuts a path through the picturesque Urubamba Valley bound for the village of Machu Picchu (formerly Aguas Calientes). This quaint town is closest to the “Lost City of the Incas” and where we will stay the night.
A 30 minute bus ride takes us through tropical cloud forest and up the mountain to reach the sacred refuge of Machu Picchu. Nothing quite prepares you for the dramatic sight of this hilltop citadel embedded in the Andean mountains.

Wow!

Our professional local guide will recount the many accomplishments of the Incas as we tour the terraced ruins dating back to the 15th century. Be amazed by these people’s sophisticated architecture; dry-stone walls that fuse huge blocks without the use of mortar and intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views.

Return to the village and relax after a truly spectacular day.

Overnight: Machu Picchu

2 NIGHTS

Enjoy a morning at leisure to explore this mountain village – visit the Museum, browse local market stalls or quaint boutiques, or take a walk along nearby trails. Later this afternoon we return to Cusco, the former capital of the Incas, where we will spend 2 nights and have time to explore this intriguing city.

Overnight: Cusco

Sightseeing in Cusco is an incredible journey into the past as we uncover one historical treasure after another. The oldest living city in the Americas with the first urban structures dating back 3000 years, Cusco is best known as the political, military and cultural epicentre of the Inca Empire. Despite the civilization being toppled by the Spanish, Inca foundations can still be found in Cusco, just with the invaders’ baroque structures built over them. We visit the Santo Domingo Monastery, where these two forms of architecture are melded together with the temple of both cultures atop one another.

The Plaza de Armas is believed to mark the exact centre of the Inca Empire, earning Cusco the nickname “the navel of the world.” After Spanish conquistadors conquered the city they erected two churches on either side of the square including the main Cathedral. Taking almost 100 years to build it has a Renaissance façade and Baroque, late-Gothic and Plateresque interiors which include carved wooden altars and outstanding examples of colonial gold work. Amongst its magnificent collection of artwork, is a depiction of The Last Supper portraying the Apostles dining on cuy (guinea pig, a local speciality).

Some of the best examples of Inca masonry can be found at the nearby Temple of Sacsayhuaman, where huge stones weighing up to 350 tons are pieced together to form a complex that could house up to 10,000 men. Not only was this structure built without mortar but the blocks display a precision of cutting and fitting that is unmatched in the Americas – many stones are so closely spaced that a single piece of paper will not fit between them! We learn about the ceremonies and battles that took place here.

We then roll up our sleeves to participate in a tree planting project supporting the local community before returning to Cusco.

Overnight: Cusco

2 NIGHTS

Today, we travel to Puno, the gateway to Lake Titicaca, one of South America’s largest lakes and the world’s highest navigable body of water (over 3800 metres above sea level). A regional trading hub, the city is also considered Peru’s “folkloric capital,” owing to its traditional festivals featuring vibrant music and dancing. One of the city’s landmarks is the Andean baroque-style Puno Cathedral located on the main square.

Overnight: Puno

Experience fascinating Lake Titicaca as we embark on a motorboat tour of the highest navigable lake in the world and its man-made islands. Legend says the first Inca, Manco Capac, arose from the waters of the lake by the power of the sun god to found the Inca Empire. On Taquile Island we see how the local people integrate their Inca and Spanish heritage, evident by their Spanish-style peasant dresses made of Andean textiles. The textiles made by the islanders are considered some of the finest in all of Peru. We continue to the famous floating islands to be amazed by one of the world’s most innovative feats of human engineering. These islands were created by the indigenous Uros people as protection against attacks from the Incas. Learn all about this centuries-old practice and be amazed at how the Uros construct their islands, homes, boats, and many other resources completely out of totora reeds.

Overnight: Puno

This morning, we head to Juliaca, where we are welcomed into a local home. A short flight returns us to Lima, where we will transfer to our hotel.

Overnight: Lima

We come together for morning worship and fly to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Quito is located high in the Andean foothills at an altitude of 2,850m.

Overnight: Quito

3 NIGHTS

Our incredible natural adventure begins as we fly to the island of Baltra, the gateway of the Galápagos. Situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 km from the South American continent, these 19 islands and the surrounding marine reserve have been called a unique ‘living museum’. Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galápagos are a ‘melting pot’ of marine species whilst the extreme isolation of the islands led to the development of unusual animal life.

Following his visit in 1835 Charles Darwin was inspired by his studies of local wildlife to propose that species change over time through natural selection. His theory of evolution was shocking to some but Darwin saw evidence of God in Nature and the cosmos and was supported by Frederick Temple, the future Archbishop of Canterbury, who preached that “the finger of God could be seen at work in the laws of nature…”.

The incredible diversity of nature is on display as we travel from the Andean Mountains of Quito to the cacti studded Baltra and then into the cloud forest of the highlands of Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) Island. Located at the centre of the archipelago the island is marked by extinct volcanoes, amazing lava tubes, and astonishing plant life. It is also home to the famous Galápagos giant tortoise, and we will see wild tortoises in a natural reserve and learn about efforts to conserve these ancient creatures.

This afternoon we board our small, luxury cruise ship – Galápagos Legend – for our 3-night cruise through this UNESCO World Heritage area.

Overnight: Onboard Galápagos Legend Cruise

Wake up at Genovesa Island, a horse-show shaped shield volcano whose caldera has collapsed to form the Great Darwin Bay. With its great diversity of species Genovesa is known as Bird Island and is home to the largest colony of red-footed boobies on the planet, with a population of over 140,000 breeding pairs.

After encountering a small fur seal grotto, we walk up Prince Philip’s Steps to get up close to large nesting colonies of red-footed boobies and Nazca. Even if you are not especially into birdwatching, the sheer volume of birds on this island is amazing, at times they seem to cover the entire sky. Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels can be observed flying in all directions and we can observe frigate birds, herons, lava gulls, and many other bird species (we may even catch a glimpse of a short-eared Owl). A day to glory in God’s Creation.

Overnight: Onboard Galápagos Legend Cruise

The Galápagos marine iguanas are the only lizards on Earth that spend time in the ocean, like many Galápagos species they have adapted to an island lifestyle. Additionally the wildlife populations across the archipelago have been isolated from each other for so long that each island has its own subspecies. On South Plaza Island we will walk through an impressive cactus forest populated with land and marine iguanas; due to both types living in such close proximity this is the only place on Earth where you will find the Galápagos hybrid iguana. From the island’s summit, we can watch for tropicbirds, Nazca and blue-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls.

A large sea lion colony greets us on the white-sand beach of Santa Fe before we go off in search of the endemic Santa Fe land iguana, the largest in the islands and distinctively paler than its counterparts. This island is home to a number of endemic species, including the Galápagos hawk, Galápagos snake, a variety of finches, and one of the four species of Galápagos mockingbirds.

Overnight: Onboard Galápagos Legend Cruise

2 NIGHTS

Soak up the serenity of Bachas Beach where you can enjoy a swim in the aquamarine waters or a stroll along the white sand. This area is a favourite nesting site for green turtles and you can visit a lagoon to observe wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingos.

After a truly spectacular Galápagos experience, we farewell our friendly crew and disembark. We fly back to Quito for a 2-night stay in Ecuador’s historic capital.

Overnight: Quito

Constructed on the foundations of an ancient Incan city, Quito is World Heritage listed as the best-preserved, least altered historic centre in Latin America. The 16-17th century old monasteries of San Francisco and Santo Domingo, and the Church and Jesuit College of La Compañía, are pure examples of the ‘Baroque school of Quito’, a fusion of Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish and indigenous art.
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of these cultural treasures including their rich interiors such as the stunning golden altars of La Compania Church.
Learn more about Ecuador’s history when we visit Independence Plaza, with its monument to those who called for independence from Spain in 1809. The plaza is surrounded by many historic buildings including palaces and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito.

With its tree-lined paths and fountains this pedestrian-only area is the perfect place to relax as you enjoy your afternoon at leisure and just soak up the cultural heritage of this wonderful city.

Overnight: Quito

Today we fly south to Santiago, the capital of Chile and one of the America’s largest cities. We check-in to our hotel for a good night’s sleep.

Overnight: Santiago (Chile)

We come together for morning worship before transferring to the airport for our return flight to Sydney. Gracias & Adiós South America – we’ve had a truly remarkable holiday!

Overnight: In-Flight

We arrive in Australia this morning, feeling blessed after an unforgettable tour full of incredible sights and wonderful fellowship.