Legacy of the Incas
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(11 days/10 nights)
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(12 days/11 nights)
Empire of the Sun
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Machu Picchu - Lake Titicaca
(14 days/13 nights)
Ancient Civilizations of Peru
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Colca Canyon - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca
(16 days/15 nights)
Archaeological & Ecological
Treasures
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru & Ecuador:
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
Lake Titicaca (or Amazon)
(18 days/17 nights)
Grand Tour of the Inca Empire
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Colca Canyon - Amazon
Machu Picchu- Lake Titicaca
(22 days/21 nights)
Ancient & Colonial Capitals
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Machu Picchu
(10 days/9 nights)
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru:
Machu Picchu
(13 days/12 nights)
Machu Picchu & Galapagos
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Peru & Ecuador:
Machu Picchu - Galapagos
(15 days/14 nights)
Galapagos & Machu Picchus
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Ecuador & Peru:
Galapagos - Machu Picchu
(18 days/17 nights)
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Ecuador:
Galapagos
(11 days/10 nights)
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Ecuador:
Galapagos - Andes
(16 days/15 nights)
Galapagos & the Amazon
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Ecuador:
Galapagos - Amazon
(16 days/15 nights)
Historic Haciendas of the Andes
Machu Picchu Luxury Tours
Ecuador:
Cotopaxi - Antisana - Otavalo
(7 days/6 nights)
© 2013 Inka's Empire Corporation.
All rights reserved.
Luxury Galapagos Cruises
Land iguana and opuntia cacti, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Ron Dahlquist. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.
-- Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, 1859
Select a Yacht
Luxury Galapagos Cruises
Cormorant
Add the Galapagos Safari Camp to any cruise
When considering a Galapagos cruise, note that the islands are distinct in their flora and fauna. Certain islands provide a greater or unique opportunity for observing certain species. Thus, landings on more islands reveal more species and, importantly, the amazingly different adaptations each species has made to its own insular world. Accordingly, a 7-night cruise is preferable. It also offers a greater choice of luxury vessels.
Inka's offers luxury Galapagos cruises in combination with the World Heritage Sites of South America. Our Galapagos cruises with Quito begin in that 1534 Spanish city, which preserves the largest colonial quarter in South America. Cruises with the Andes include volcanic landscapes and the historic haciendas of Ecuador, cruises with the Amazon feature a lodge created by conservationists to guard rare species, cruises with Machu Picchu add one of the world's most magnificent archaeological marvels and cruises with both Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca further add that ancient inland sea and its indigenous cultures. All prices are per person based on two people sharing a guest room. For a detailed description of our services, see Opulent Itineraries. Intra-tour air fares are additional.
M/Y Grace, Galapagos Islands.
Photo montage: Quasar Expeditions. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
M/Y Grace: Elegance, Beauty & Prestige...
In 1951, this motor yacht was acquired by Aristotle Onassis, who later gave her as a wedding gift to Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco. It was onboard this vessel that Prince Rainier and Princess Grace spent their honeymoon getaway. She has been rechristened with a name that takes her years' back into her history, to the very best of her times. Named after her late owner, Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco, the name is a representation of her elegance, beauty and prestige. Reservations for The Grace Experience, a seven-night journey in one of her nine spacious cabins, are now being accepted. We invite you to download a brochure and a deck plan.
Grace, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Quasar Expeditions. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos
Quito - Galapagos
Land price
11 days/10 nights: Imperial US$ 10,055 per person
8 days/7 nights: Imperial US$ 6,705 per person
Illuminates the theory of the origin of species...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
One of the most dramatic regions in the world is the highlight of Enchanted Isles of the Galapagos, an odyssey from Inka's Empire Tours, specialists in private luxury travel in South America. Beginning and ending high in the Andes of Ecuador, this equatorial adventure sweeps from the country's colonial heritage to its unique natural splendors. In the city of Quito, the capital and a World Heritage Site, an expert guide and a chauffeur escort you through the city's cobblestone streets and centuries-old plazas.
From Quito, take a flight to the Galapagos, where you will board a classic yacht and sail to Bartolome Island -- its volcanic formations create a moonlike landscape you will never forget. As the days progress, experience the rare opportunity of snorkeling among Galapagos penguins, marine tortoises, white-tipped sharks and octopuses. A visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island will greatly enhance your understanding of this extraordinary archipelago. Staffed with international scientists, this exciting destination illuminates the theory of the origin of species.
Eden is unveiled in this delightful 10-night escape.
Luxury Safari Tent, Galapagos Safari Camp, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Galapagos Safari Camp. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Galapagos Safari Camp
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos
The perfect landlubbing bookend at the beginning or end of a cruise...
-- Tatler, Travel Guide 2010, Starring the 101 best hotels in the world
On the islands that put Charles Darwin on the evolutionary trail, one thing didn't evolve - travellers' bedrooms. The Galapagos had boats to visit the blue-footed boobies, but the budget boobies you found to stay in on shore were enough to turn you green at the gills. So this place is a one-off: a dashing cockscomb of comfort and style atop a 400-metre ridge in the highlands of Santa Cruz, the Galapagos's second-biggest island. The views are pure IMAX. It's built out of passion. Michael and Stephanie Mesdag fell in love with each other, then with the ridge and finally the idea of the camp. So it's hair-brained and wonderful. Nine voluminous tents have floors of cedar and basins of stone, and the front door of the glass-fronted main lodge was salvaged from an Indian temple. From Bali came a five-metre, solid teak table; it took 25 men to lift it - mad. With hilly activities by day and a log fire at night, this is the perfect landlubbing bookend at the beginning or end of a cruise. In autumn, as the camp gets enveloped in mist, be careful not to trip over the meandering tortoises.
-- Tatler, Travel Guide 2010, Starring the 101 best hotels in the world
The Independent: "From the landing stage on Santa Cruz, I was driven into the interior by Raúl, who works at the Galápagos Safari Camp, a newly opened lodge up in the highlands. Everything started small on our journey; the red soil was spattered with tangles of bleached-white wood, cactus plants and bright green grass. My first close encounter was with a cricket, then a bright yellow butterfly and a flock of finches (the birds so tame that Raúl had to beep his horn to get them to fly out of our way). But as we climbed into the hills, the vegetation grew in height, rising lusher and larger with every metre of elevation. The Galápagos Safari Camp lies at the end of a dirt track: the last farm before the national park begins. The view from the sleek, modern curve of the newly constructed main building is astounding: a broad sweep of the coast, pricked with conical hills, with the neighbouring islands looming beyond the coast in sharply defined gradients of grey. My "room" was set below-- one of eight luxury tents imported from Australia by the owners, Stephanie and Michael Mesdag, who hope to lure visitors here for a spot of R&R at the beginning or the end of a cruise around the islands. "Safari tents are so suited to this landscape," said Stephanie. "Look at that view -- don't you expect a lion to come out of it? The prospect of a Galápagos lion padding through the scalesia and pale green palo santo trees might stretch credulity, but the Safari Camp is nevertheless a place of fantasy -- the perfect opportunity to take stock of the islands for the first time."
Frederic Edwin Church, Cotopaxi, 1855, oil on canvas, 28 x 42 inches.
Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito
Andes - Quito - Galapagos
Land price (16 days/15 nights)
Imperial US$ 14,470 per person
Volcanoes, islands and remnants of the Incas: an Ecuadorian odyssey...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
Inka's Empire Tours, leaders in private luxury expeditions in South America, has orchestrated an excursion from the Andes to the Galapagos Islands. Galapagos & the Kingdom of Quito includes adventures on both land and sea in one of the world's most fascinating corners. With the assistance of expert guides, guests are escorted to destinations throughout mainland Ecuador -- once the Inca's Kingdom of Quito -- as well as the islands of Bartolome, Isabela and Fernandina, just to name a few.
Experience a priceless journey as you hike in the moorlands surrounding the highest active volcano on earth, ride a horse in the mystical Otavalo Valley, recapture the spirit of old Spanish days in a trio of colonial haciendas and sleep in an Inca palace. Explore Quito's curious blend of Gothic, Baroque, Moorish and Neo-Classical architecture before departing from the Andes. At sea, cruise in style for eight days aboard a small yacht, enjoying fine food and accommodations while navigating the enchanting Galapagos Archipelago. Island landings with a certified naturalist provide an opportunity to explore the volcanic topography and observe the region's unique wildlife.
Discover the Galapagos and the Kingdom of Quito on a 14-night land and sea excursion.
Achuar guide, Kapawi Ecological Reserve, Ecuador.
Photo: Kapawi Lodge. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Amazon - Quito - Galapagos
Land price (16 days/15 nights)
Imperial US$ 12,285 per person
The awesome opportunity to explore one of the world's last pristine landscapes...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
Inka's Empire Tours offers thoughtful travelers authentic and truly exclusive encounters with the ancient cultures and natural beauty of South America. Each of its private luxury expeditions is a unique showcase of local wonders, and its Galapagos & the Amazon tour sheds dramatic light on the Galapagos Islands and Ecuador's Yasuni National Park. This adventure begins and ends in the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. Founded in 1534, its picturesque cobblestone streets are home to an impressive collection of Gothic, Baroque, Moorish and Neo-Classical architecture, all blended with the mestizo sentiment.
Following your stay in Quito, board a small yacht for a seven-night cruise in evolution's laboratory -- the Galapagos Islands. Twice daily land excursions with a certified naturalist will give you a close-up view of the animals that inspired Charles Darwin's theory on the origin of species. This voyage is followed by a flight from Quito to the remote Napo Wildlife Center in the Amazon Rainforest. Your hosts and expert guides are the native Añangu people, whose reserve offers the awesome opportunity to explore one of the world's last pristine landscapes.
Savor unspoiled landscapes on this exquisite 15-night South American escape.
Boatman, Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca, Peru.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Archaeological & Ecological Treasures
Quito - Galapagos - Lima - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco - Lake Titicaca
Land price (18 days/17 nights)
Frugal Luxury US$ 14,155 De Luxe US$ 15,130 Imperial US$ 16,385 per person
Travel back to ancient empires and the origins of nature...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
It's a marriage made in heaven -- the remarkable heritage of the Inca Empire and the dramatic natural spectacle of the Galapagos Islands. With the Archaeological & Ecological Treasures itinerary, Inka's Empire Tours invites you to experience both of these ancient marvels. Cruise the Galapagos, and then travel on to trace the history of the Incas from the glory of Cuzco, their capital, to their roots in southern Peru. Beginning with the colorful colonial quarter of Quito, Ecuador, and ending in Lima, Peru, this is the adventure of a lifetime.
From Quito, embark on a five-day cruise in evolution's laboratory, the Galapagos Islands, to observe the animals that inspired Charles Darwin's theory on the origin of species. Following visits to the historic sites and archaeological museums of Lima, take a flight to Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and the legendary "Lost City" of Machu Picchu. Then, it's "all aboard" for a spectacular rail adventure on the Orient-Express Andean Explorer through gentle, rolling plains and towering mountains to Lake Titicaca. A day of sailing by private yacht to the floating Islands of the Uros, the traditional village of Llachon and charming Taquile Island is complemented by a day on shore at the noble ruins of Sillustani and Pukara. Throughout your journey, enjoy all the expertise of one of South America's premier tour companies.
Voyage to the ancient marvels of Peru and the Galapagos on this sublime 17-night escape.
Agricultural terraces, Machu Picchu, Peru.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Machu Picchu & Galapagos Islands
Lima - Cuzco - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Quito - Galapagos
Land price (15 days/14 nights)
Frugal Luxury US$ 11,610 De Luxe US$ 12,565 Imperial US$ 13,485 per person
Appreciate a rare palette of natural and historic wonders...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
Private and authentic expeditions have long been hallmarks of Inka's Empire Tours. On its Machu Picchu & Galapagos Islands itinerary, you will enjoy unwavering dedication and an exceptional holiday experience. In the imperial city of Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and the fabled "Lost City" of Machu Picchu, discover the glory of the Inca Empire through a mélange of archaeology, art, architecture, folklore and cuisine. This famed cultural adventure is then united with an exploration of the world's foremost ecological treasure to create once-in-a-lifetime travel.
Your journey begins in the Spanish colonial city of Lima, home to Peru's most significant archaeological museums. After a flight into the Andes, spend two days at the legendary sites and native markets of the Sacred Valley before discovering the "Lost City of the Incas" and the ancient temples of Cuzco. In Ecuador's historic Quito, founded in 1534, cobblestone streets and centuries-old plazas transport you back in time and effect the perfect prelude to the trip's brilliant culmination -- a four-night cruise aboard a small luxury yacht through evolution's laboratory, the incomparable Galapagos Islands.
Seek out the treasures of Machu Picchu and the Galapagos on this singular 14-night South American retreat.
Marine iguanas, Galapagos Islands.
Photo: Kleintours. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Galapagos Islands & Machu Picchu
Quito - Galapagos - Lima - Sacred Valley - Machu Picchu - Cuzco
Land & Cruise Price (18 days/17 nights)
Frugal Luxury US$ 15,370 De Luxe US$ 16,385 Imperial US$ 17,470 per person
South America's ecological and archaeological splendors...
-- Kimberly Fay, LuxuryLink.com
As the world grows smaller, fewer destinations remain untouched by tourist crowds. You need only imagine a journey to one of those rare corners of the earth for Inka's Empire Tours to make it an irresistible reality. Beginning in Quito, Ecuador and ending in Lima, Peru, Galapagos Islands & Machu Picchu is a private exploration in the company of experts who will inspire you with a mosaic of ecology, archaeology, folklore and local cuisine.
Before exploring the Inca Empire, cruise the Galapagos aboard a small luxury yacht. From hiking among iguanas to snorkeling among penguins, this is truly an unparalleled adventure. Following your voyage, take a flight to the Spanish colonial city of Lima and into the Andes, where the majesty of the Incas endures in the ancient capital of Cuzco, the "Lost City" of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.
Marvel at two of the world's rarest gems -- the Galapagos and Machu Picchu -- on this fabulous 17-night escape.
Iglesia de San Pablo and the Imbabura Volcano, Otavalo Valley, Ecuador.
Photo: Mylene d'Auriol Stoessel. Luxury Galapagos Cruises.
Andes & Amazon, Ecuador
Admire the magnificent landscape that inspired Frederic Edwin Church's
epic paintings of the Andes...
During an overland excursion along the "Avenue of the Volcanoes", from Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano on earth, to Antisana, you will admire the magnificent landscape that inspired Frederic Edwin Church's epic paintings of the Andes. Soak in the hot springs of Papallacta, "barter with the natives" in the mystical Otavalo Valley, visit authentic workshops in artisans' pueblos and recapture the spirit of old Spanish days while staying in historic haciendas, such as Zuleta, established in 1691, and San Agustín de Callo, the 15th century Inca palace from which Atahualpa ruled the Kingdom of Quito, now called Ecuador. As an Inka's client you will sleep in one of the Inca rooms. Who knows -- maybe even Atahualpa's!
Arriving back in Quito, founded in 1534, walk along the cobblestone streets through centuries-old parks and plazas to churches filled with gold. Contemplate Gothic, baroque, Moorish and neo-classical art, all blended with the mestizo sentiment, and imagine you've gone back in time to the astonishing colonial world.
© 2013 Inka's Empire Corporation, Machu Picchu Luxury Tours. All rights reserved.
