We have finalized our spring trip to Ecuador and Peru.
We’ve book our Peru leg of the trip through Totally Latin America
I spoke with Nick in Cusco earlier today to go over our questions about the trip. We hiked Mt. Whitney some years ago. Both Ellen and I experienced altitude sickness at “base camp” at nine thousand feet and felt really depleted hiking toward fourteen thousand feet. We quizzed Nick about altitude and the length of hikes/walks on the trip. Nick was reassuring and sent back this information on the hikes around Machu Picchu:
Huayna Picchu Hike
Machu Picchu Mountain Hike
I’ll post details for each day of our itinerary closer to our departure dates.
We plan to visit Quito, Banos, Guayaquil, the Galapagos Islands, Tumbes, Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Lima. It may seem like too much time spent at Cusco. The Sacred Valley and even Machu Picchu is at a lower elevation. The Sacred Valley is at nine thousand feet and Machu Picchu is at eight thousand feet whereas Cusco is at eleven thousand feet. It is good that we will spend some time at nine thousand feet before staying at eleven thousand. The extra time in Cusco is to acclimate and to prepare for the Amazon leg of our trip.
Our Itinerary
Ecuador
Day 1 fly into Quito, Ecuador overnight Quito
Day 2 Quito to Banos overnight Banos
Day 3 visit Pailon del Diablo close to Banos
Day 4 Banos: free day, zip line, hikes
Day 5 Banos to Guayaquil, Ecuador, overnight Guayaquil
Day 6 fly to Galapagos board National Geographic Islander
Day 7 – 12 explore the Galapagos Islands
Day 13 return to Guayaquil, Ecuador
Machu Picchu, Peru
Day 14 Express Bus to Tumbes, Peru overnight Tumbes
Day 15 fly to Cusco and bus to the Sacred Valley (9000 ft)
Day 16 Sacred Valley private tour
Day 17 Full day private tour Cichero, Moras, Moray, & Salt Pans
Day 18 Vistadome train to Machu Picchu, MP tour, overnight Aguas Caliente
Day 19 revisit MP, return to Sacred Valley in the evening
Day 20 free morning, Cusco; shared Cusco tour in the afternoon
Day 21 free day Cusco
An Amazon Tribuary and Manu National Park, Peru
Day 22 Cusco to Cock of the Rock Lodge Andes Cloud Forest
Day 23 Cock of the Rock to Boca Manu
Day 24 Boca Manu to lower Manu National Park, Fitzcarrald Provence.
Boat to Manu Tented Camp
Day 25 Manu NP Cocha (lake) Salvador & Cocha Otorongo (oxbow lakes)
Day 26 Manu NP
Day 27 Manu NP Macaw Clay Lick hide, trail walks, canopy tower
Day 28 Manu NP to Miraflores Lima
Day 29 half day tour Miraflores Lima
Day 30 fly home