Machu Picchu & Galapagos

• 6 nights en suite hotels, 7 nights on board a motor yacht in en suite, air-conditioned cabins
• Optional Inca Trail day walk: request on booking
• Group normally 2 to 14 plus local leader/staff. Min. age 16 yrs
• Spends time at altitude
• Travel by flight, minibus, train and motor yacht

Seven nights are spent on board a motor yacht - single cabins are not available, and if you are travelling on your own you will be paired up in a cabin with a member of the same sex. There may be passengers on the boat who have not booked through Exodus, and occasionally this may include families with children below the minimum age of this trip. The Galapagos boats operate different itineraries on alternate weeks: Itinerary A (Tower) and Itinerary B (Fernandina). Each itinerary follows a different path and visits a different set of islands in the Galapagos - please refer to the correct itinerary for your date within these Trip Notes. During the cruise we live aboard, visit a number of islands and sites and spend as much time as possible ashore watching the birds and animals. Due to local regulations, there is usually very little disruption to the schedule, but this can also mean little deviation in the event of poor weather or other circumstances. Exodus use only small Galapagos boats (8 to 16 passengers) as we believe this is the most satisfying and environmentally friendly way to see the islands. We do not use the large boats preferred by some of our competitors. In the Galapagos, each day will feature a mixture of walking, snorkelling and exploring the islands by boat. To get closer to the designated landing sites on each of the islands we disembark into small pangas (motorised dinghys). Landings on the islands are divided into two types - wet and dry. For dry landings, the panga will take you right up to a landing stage or rocky outcrop where you can disembark without getting wet. However in some places where there is no landing stage the panga will stop close to a beach and you will be expected to walk through shallow water (generally no more than ankle-deep) to the shore. The leader will always advise conditions prior to leaving and it is possible to skip any particular excursion if you would rather relax on board the boat. There are plenty of opportunities for snorkelling in the Galapagos and this is one of the best ways to experience the marine life. A mask and snorkel will reveal an exciting underwater world with Sea lions, rays, turtles, Marine iguanas and a colourful array of fish. On most days of the itinerary there will be one or two snorkelling sessions. Snorkelling in the Galapagos does not require any special skills, however, at times you will be snorkelling in open water where there are fairly strong currents. Before going into the water, the guide will evaluate the strength of the currents and the general condition of the sea to make sure they are right for this to be a safe and enjoyable activity. The dinghy will remain very close at all times; if you get tired or feel like coming out of the water you only have to raise your arm and they will come to pick you up so you can rest for a while before going back in or stay in the dinghy until it is time to return to the boat. Snorkelling equipment (snorkel, fins and masks) is provided, however, is advisable to wear a wetsuit which not only protects you from the cold but also makes floating much easier without as much effort. This trip spends considerable time at altitude, Cuzco itself lies at 3400m above sea level. Please note that there are now extremely stringent booking procedures in place for the Inca Trail. If you would like to do the optional day walk to Machu Picchu on day 3 then it's essential that you let us know at the time of booking as a permit is required to do so. We will also need your full passport details or we will be unable to process your booking. Inca Trail RegulationsThose who have opted to do the day walk along a section of the Inca Trail will require an Inca Trail permit. There are a number of important regulations regarding the Inca Trail that we would like to make you aware of:Spaces on the Inca Trail are on a first come, first served basis and we urge you to book as early as possible. If you cancel your booking more than 8 weeks before departure and wish to transfer your deposit to another departure or another trip the transfer fee is £150 as we will lose the permit we have purchased. This is an amendment to our Booking Conditions. No transfers are possible within 8 weeks of departure. Bookings can only be made if we are supplied with your full name, passport details, date of birth and nationality, exactly as per the passport you will be using to travel to Peru (this information is used to purchase your Inca Trail permit). If your passport details do not match those on your permit you will be refused entry to the Inca Trail by the local authorities. Should the passport used to purchase your permit be lost, stolen or expire before your Inca Trail start date, you must purchase a new passport and notify Exodus immediately as we will need to apply to amend your Inca Trail permit. To do so, you must supply copies of both your old and new passports to Exodus in advance of travel and pay an administration fee of £25. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you make a copy of your passport at the time of booking.Please be aware that these regulations may change at any time, and Exodus is not responsible for the decisions made by Peruvian authorities.There is a possibility that the Peruvian authorities may increase the entrance fees to the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu and other major sights at any time. If they do so, we will inform you of this increase and the extra amount will need to be paid locally in cash in Peru. Please Note: If you have elected to do the optional day walk along a section of the Inca Trail, you should be aware that whilst your departure date may be 'Guaranteed', your Inca Trail permit itself will initially be 'On Request'. If travelling within the current year we will try to purchase your permit immediately upon receiving your booking. If travelling next year, we will apply for your permit as soon as they are released for sale. In either case, in the event that we are unable to get your permit we will contact you. List of Regulations for visiting Machu Picchu: The main points impacting your visit are the following:The tickets are valid only for one entry which means that you cannot leave the site and re-enter.Once you have done the chosen circuit with your guide, you cannot walk back to view anything already visited and once you finish the circuit, you will have to leave the site. You can no longer explore the site further after the guided tour.The two visit times for visiting the site, either 6am-12pm or 12-16.30pm. These regulations will affect how long you are able to spend at Machu Picchu and which temples you can visit. In the past, after the guided tour passengers could stay longer to explore the site, this is not possible anymore. The alternative that we are implementing on our visits to allow you further time, is to explore the upper part of Machu Picchu (Sun Gate and Inca Bridge) before starting the guided tour. The guided tour will be about 2 hrs in duration, and unfortunately at the end of it, you will need to exit the site. You will be able to visit the Condor’s Temple, but not the Sun Dial Temple or the Sun Temple on this itinerary. Schedule of visit to Machu Picchu on this itinerary:Early bus to Machu Picchu and explore upper part with the tour leader until 10am.10 am start the guided tour12.30pm passengers leave Machu Picchu Please see our COVID Travel Guide for Peru for more information on current guidelines for travel in Peru. Please see our COVID Travel Guide for Ecuador (including the Galapagos Islands) for more information on current guidelines for travel in Ecuador.