Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate
This image is from an interesting, and beautifully illustrated, piece on the hike from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu in the New York Times
This is a stunning trip which we have recently added to our portfolio of Peru holidays. The hiking is tough but the rewards phenomenal as you can read in this article.
If you would like to hike from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, why not call us on 01273 676 712 to discuss this remarkable walking holiday.
The deluxe Galapagos cruise ship, La Pinta
This just in from Ecuador, it’s not exactly a lot of notice but if you can make it, it’s a very, very comfortable trip and a good price!
ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
LAST MINUTE DEAL
8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS
LA PINTA YACHT & HOTEL PLAZA GRANDE
ITINERARY DAY BY DAY
JUN 22 – Quito
Escorted transfer between airport and major hotels or vice versa. Baggage handling of two pieces of luggage per person at airport and at hotel is included.
Overnight at Plaza Grande, Royal suite.
JUN 23 - Quito (B/-/-)
QUITO & CENTER OF THE WORLD
A visit to downtown Quito to relish in this urban jewel and its treasures of art and architecture. Quito’s colonial quarter, the largest and best preserved of South America, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The stroll starts at the Independence Plaza, flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace. Visit the temple of La Compañía de Jesús and its awesome gilded interior. Continue on to the Monastery of San Francisco, one the of great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium that lead to its Baroque interior influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar.
Then continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 Kms. (16 miles) North of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, latitude 0º, where you can stand with a foot on each hemisphere. Visit the Ethnographic Museum inside the monument, which shows the different Native American groups living in Ecuador. Beside the monument there is a colonial-style town, complete with main square, church, post office, bullring, cafeterias, restaurants and many gift shops with postcards and souvenirs. You will get a certificate for having crossed the Equator.
Dress in layers (T-shirt, blouse, sweater, coat). Take a sweater even if the day is warm and sunny. Rain protection advised in the afternoon. This tour includes walking at an altitude of 2800 meters (9200 feet) and climbing stairs. Sun protection (SPF 40). Good walking shoes. Entrance fees are included.
Overnight at Plaza Grande, Royal suite.
JUN 24 – Quito – Galapagos (B/L/D)
Escorted transfer between airport and major hotels or vice versa. Baggage handling of two pieces of luggage per person at airport and at hotel is included.
Flight Quito – Galapagos
Board La Pinta Yacht for a 4 night cruise.
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristobal [Chatham] Island)
Morning arrival at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the small and cozy capital of Galapagos. This attractive port is the provincial capital of the Galápagos Islands (population ca 4,000), along a crescent-shaped bay. Visit the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, located in a natural setting, that allows visitors to obtain information for a better understanding of the natural history of the Galápagos, with a great emphasis on human history and conservation. Transfer to board Y/LA PINTA. Welcome introductory briefing, and lunch. Boat Drill and other activities will be explained by the staff.
Isla Lobos and Playa Ochoa (San Cristobal[Chatham] Island)
A zodiac ride along the rocky shoreline of Isla Lobos: a rugged satellite islet of San Cristobal, home of Galapagos sea lions, brown pelicans, and marine iguanas. A small colony of frigate birds, trees and stunning vistas of nearby kicker Rock. A wet landing on a coralline beach (Playa Ochoa) will offer the first opportunity to swim or snorkel. Highlights ashore include the Chatham (San Cristobal) Mockingbird, Chatham Lava Lizard; both species are endemic to this island, and seen nowhere else in Galapagos. We may also spot Yellow Warblers, Galapagos flycatchers etc. These are the same shores that Charles Darwin walked upon, back in September 1835, as San Cristobal was the first island where he set foot in the Galapagos. Back on board, join us at the bar saloon for a cocktail offered by the Captain, enjoy the expedition plan for the next day followed by dinner.
JUN 25 – Galapagos (B/L/D)
North Seymour Island
Morning disembarkation (dry landing) for a walk along the coast and the interior of the island, observing bird colonies of blue footed boobies, frigate birds, swallow tailed gulls and also sea lions and marine iguanas. An opportunity for snorkeling or coastal exploration. Lunch on board.
Guy Fawkes and Cerro Dragón (Santa Cruz Island)
Guy Fawkes is a group of four small islets, remains of eroded tuff cones, two of which still show their crescent face protected to the leeward side. Fantastic locations to enjoy the marine reserve, including Galápagos sharks, turtles and sea horses along with myriads of reef fish. Afterwards, explore the northern shore of Santa Cruz Island, at Cerro Dragon, where an important project to save the endemic land iguanas was successful in protecting these reptiles against introduced predators. Today the iguana population is booming again, and individuals may be seen basking in the sun or feeding on the opuntia cacti. To reach this “Dragon Hill” we pass a small lagoon, feeding ground for colorful waders like stilts and greater flamingoes. Back on board, our expedition plan will reveal the details of next day’s activities.
JUN 26 – Galapagos (B/L/D)
Post Office Bay, Champion Islet (Floreana [Charles] Island)
Wet landing at the historic barrel that served as a post office, to learn about the human side of the islands, its early inhabitants and the adventures of pirates and whalers. Possibility to snorkel from the zodiacs around Champion Islet or a ride on the glass-bottom boat. A zodiac ride along Champion islet may show the rarest land bird in Galápagos: the Charles Mockingbird. Lunch on board.
Punta Cormorant (Floreana [Charles] Island)
Disembark at Punta Cormorant (wet landing) for an easy walk to see the flamingos that inhabit a brackish-water lagoon, and other birds like stilts and sandpipers. Return to the beach and possibility to swim; there is great snorkeling at this site or kayak from the beach. Next day’s expedition plan and dinner
JUN 27 – Galapagos (B/L/D)
Punta Moreno (Isabela [Albemarle] Island)
Dry landing over a young lava field. A dramatic scenery of pahoe-hoe lava that stretches to the foot of some of the most active volcanoes in Galápagos (Cerro Azul and Santo Tomás a.k.a. Sierra Negra). The landscape will be briefly interrupted by small scattered brackish lagoons. Lush vegetation and brightly colored birds are a striking contrast with the surrounding jet black lava. A panga ride along the shore will reveal mangrove tenants like rays, young sharks, nesting pelicans and flightless birds like penguins and the endemic cormorant. Lunch on board.
Punta Espinoza (Fernandina [Narborough] Island)
The afternoon brings us to the jewel of the Galapagos National Park, and youngest island, Fernandina. Disembark (dry landing) for a one-mile walk. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness with much wildlife. Having no introduced mammals, Fernandina has a very unique environment with the highest density of marine iguanas, sharing their space with sea lions, sally-light foot crabs, hawks, penguins and the flightless cormorant. Expedition plan and dinner.
JUN 28 – Galapagos (B/-/-)
Highlands of Santa Cruz [Indefatigable] Island
After breakfast, disembark (dry landing) to visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, an Scalesia forest and the twin pit craters geology formation, Los Gemelos. From December to mid-April a visit to see the giant tortoises in the wild may be included, if weather conditions are good.
Flight Galapagos – Quito
Escorted transfer between airport and major hotels or vice versa. Baggage handling of two pieces of luggage per person at airport and at hotel is included.
Overnight at Plaza Grande, Royal suite.
JUN 29 - Quito/…. (B/-/-)
Escorted transfer between airport and major hotels or vice versa. Baggage handling of two pieces of luggage per person at airport and at hotel is included.
End of services
LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE
2011
PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE ACCOMMODATION
| 2 pax | 3 pax | 4 to 9 pax | Sgl Suppl. |
| $3460.00 | $3424.00 | $3404.00 | $1284.00 |
Minimum passengers per departure: 2 pax.
Hotels:
| City | Royal Suite |
| Quito | Plaza Grande |
Program includes:
Ÿ Accommodation in double/twin Royal Suite room
Ÿ English speaking guide for all services
Ÿ Naturalist English speaking guide for Galapagos
Ÿ All guide and lecture services in Galapagos
Ÿ Glass-bottom boat outings in the Galapagos
Ÿ Island sightseeing
Ÿ Snorkeling gear
Ÿ Transfers in the islands
Program does not include:
Ÿ Domestic and international flights
Ÿ Air tickets Quito-Galapagos-Quito US$372.60
Ÿ Galapagos National Park tax $100.00 (subject to change)
Ÿ Control Transit Card – Ingala $10.00 (subject to change)
Ÿ Airport taxes
Ÿ Services not specified in the programme
Ÿ Wet Suits available for rent, NET rate $ 15 + VAT per guest
Ÿ Soft or alcoholic drinks
Ÿ Personal expenses
For more information or to book, call us on +44 (0)1273 676 712
The volcano is about mid-way down the Chilean Lake district which runs from (roughly) the area of Lago Villarica/Pucón in the north to Puerto Montt/Puerto Varas in the south. Pucón is 700km south of the capital, Santiago. Puerto Montt is just over 1,000km. The Chilean Lakes therefore run for 300km north to south along the Andes. This is an area of snow-capped volcanoes, forests, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs and greenery. It is quite, quite beautiful.
The current eruption is basically half way between the two.
Since prevailing weather systems come in from the Pacific ocean, the winds really seem to be pushing the volcanic ash across the Andes eastwards and into Argentina. The images of the thick layer of ash are currently coming from Bariloche on the Argentine side of the frontier. In Chile the problem seems to be with large pumice stones falling rather than ash. Whilst it is more dangerous in the immediate term, the environmental impact of falling stones is far less than the impact of ash blankets.
Thus far the wind has shifted to blow towards the south-east, then to the north-east and today back to the south-east. The Chilean authorities have completely evacuated the Gol Gol valley due to the risk of avalanche. Some 15cm of pumice material have fallen over an area of some 500 square km.
Evacuations thus far seem to be limited to villages and farmlands in the immediate vicinity – 450 people in Lago Ranco yesterday for example so numbers affected are still relatively small, 4,000 total evacuees I believe. As with any geological/seismic activity in Chile, there is an enormous amount of local expertise in place due to Chile’s location in one of the world’s most geologically active zones. Experts from the University of Chile seem to fairly relaxed about the eruption thus far – the cloud is of pumice and therefore completely inert and the risk of lava flows appears to be low. La Tercera has a very interesting diagram of the Puyehue Volcano which explains everything quite well, albeit in Spanish.
La Cuarta has a rather more tabloid approach but has some good images in its gallery.
We’ll be keeping you informed as we get more news in from Chile.