Lindblad Expeditions: National Geographic Endeavour II

This tropical city of over two million people spreads out along the banks of chocolate-colored Guayas River, about 12 miles from Gulf of Guayaquil. The river, navigable for the largest of ocean vessels, makes this one of the Pacific's most important and best-protected ports. Visitors find the city itself is primarily valued as a gateway for the Galapagos Island and the rest of the country. Ecuador's scenic capital Quito can be reached via a 45-minute flight from Guayaquil. Lush green hillsides, snow-capped volcano cones and brilliant sunshine combine to make the city a charming surprise. Guayaquil offers a rich and interesting history. The meeting of Bolivar and San Martin is commemorated with the colonnaded La Rotunda facing the river. Other attractions include Colon Park where the city was founded, the Santo Domingo Church and the cemetery, often called the White City. With its elaborate tombs and monuments, this is one of South America's most striking burial grounds.

Suggested Private Excursions

Ride Like a Local - 4 hours

Cerro Blanco Wildlife and Forest Trail - 4.5 hours

This tropical city of over two million people spreads out along the banks of chocolate-colored Guayas River, about 12 miles from Gulf of Guayaquil. The river, navigable for the largest of ocean vessels, makes this one of the Pacific's most important and best-protected ports. Visitors find the city itself is primarily valued as a gateway for the Galapagos Island and the rest of the country. Ecuador's scenic capital Quito can be reached via a 45-minute flight from Guayaquil. Lush green hillsides, snow-capped volcano cones and brilliant sunshine combine to make the city a charming surprise. Guayaquil offers a rich and interesting history. The meeting of Bolivar and San Martin is commemorated with the colonnaded La Rotunda facing the river. Other attractions include Colon Park where the city was founded, the Santo Domingo Church and the cemetery, often called the White City. With its elaborate tombs and monuments, this is one of South America's most striking burial grounds.

Suggested Private Excursions

Ride Like a Local - 4 hours

Cerro Blanco Wildlife and Forest Trail - 4.5 hours

No information currently available.

No information currently available.

Today Baltra is the most important airport of Galápagos and a small navy base for Ecuador. Baltra has suffered most from human settling and does not have any visitor sites. Many cruises start from the its harbour and already there pelicans and noddies will welcome you.
To the north lies Mosquera, a small sandy bank with a large colony of sea lions. Go swimming and snorkeling on the beach.

Located off the northern tip of Baltra, this island is home to the largest colony of frigate birds in the Galapagos, as well as blue-footed boobies and playful sea lions.

On the island of Isabela is Caleta Tagus, a trail that surrounds a salt-lake crater. This beautiful region is also known as the "land of marine iguanas."

From a chance to walk on recent lava flows to the opportunity to see the endemic flightless cormorant up close, this island offers it all.

Among the many sights of this island is Punta Suarez, a rocky point of land where guests may observe various colonies of sea birds as well as other fauna found nowhere else on the planet.

The landing place of the first Galapagos settlers, this island is home to Devil's Crown, an islet offering incredible snorkeling and scuba diving.

Here, the Charles Darwin Station offers insight into ongoing research and conservation in the Galapagos. Also located on this island is Cerro Dragon, one of the best places to spy land iguanas.

This small, barren island offers guests the opportunity to observe firsthand its volcanic formations and moon-like landscape.

Santiago's Puerto Egas is the perfect place to explore dark, sandy beaches and spot birds and marine iguanas.

The island is home to Darwin Bay and colonies of Frigates, Red Footed and Masked Boobies. Just behind the beach one sees inland tide pools and outcrops of black rock and saltbushes, frequented by feeding Wandering Tattlers, Turnstones, Whimbrels, Lava Gulls and Fiddler Crabs.  Genovesa, as a result of its isolation, remains an undisturbed nesting ground for these birds, who fish in its rich waters, and lacks introduced as well as native land animals and reptiles-the only reptile, in fact, is a small subspecies of marine iguana. This island is a must for bird enthusiasts of all ages.

No information currently available.

Today Baltra is the most important airport of Galápagos and a small navy base for Ecuador. Baltra has suffered most from human settling and does not have any visitor sites. Many cruises start from the its harbour and already there pelicans and noddies will welcome you.
To the north lies Mosquera, a small sandy bank with a large colony of sea lions. Go swimming and snorkeling on the beach.

No information currently available.

No information currently available.

This tropical city of over two million people spreads out along the banks of chocolate-colored Guayas River, about 12 miles from Gulf of Guayaquil. The river, navigable for the largest of ocean vessels, makes this one of the Pacific's most important and best-protected ports. Visitors find the city itself is primarily valued as a gateway for the Galapagos Island and the rest of the country. Ecuador's scenic capital Quito can be reached via a 45-minute flight from Guayaquil. Lush green hillsides, snow-capped volcano cones and brilliant sunshine combine to make the city a charming surprise. Guayaquil offers a rich and interesting history. The meeting of Bolivar and San Martin is commemorated with the colonnaded La Rotunda facing the river. Other attractions include Colon Park where the city was founded, the Santo Domingo Church and the cemetery, often called the White City. With its elaborate tombs and monuments, this is one of South America's most striking burial grounds.

Suggested Private Excursions

Ride Like a Local - 4 hours

Cerro Blanco Wildlife and Forest Trail - 4.5 hours

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Suggested Private Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Insider Access: Barranco & Lima songs with Javier Lazo (3 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

LIMA: Lima´s boardwalks and gastronomic experience - 4 hours

LIMA: Participative cocktail class offered by Hotel B - 1.5 hours

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Suggested Private Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Insider Access: Barranco & Lima songs with Javier Lazo (3 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

LIMA: Lima´s boardwalks and gastronomic experience - 4 hours

LIMA: Participative cocktail class offered by Hotel B - 1.5 hours

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Suggested Private Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Insider Access: Barranco & Lima songs with Javier Lazo (3 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

LIMA: Lima´s boardwalks and gastronomic experience - 4 hours

LIMA: Participative cocktail class offered by Hotel B - 1.5 hours

No information currently available.

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Suggested Private Excursions

CUZCO: Pottery workshop by Totemiq - 3 hours

No information currently available.

Urubamba is a well endowed town situated in the shadow of beautiful Chicon and Pumahuanca glaciers. The attractive Plaza de Armas is laid back and attractive, with palm trees and a couple of pines sourounded by interesting topiary. Weekends there's a large market on Jirón Palacio, which serves local villages; and at the large ceramic workshops set around a lovely garden at Avenida Berriozabal 111, new and ancient techniques are used to produce colourful, Amerindian inspired pots, household items and artistic pieces for sale on site. Urubamba makes an ideal base from which to explore mountains and lower hills around Sacred Valley, which are filled with sites. Also within walking distance, the salt pans of Salinas, still in use after more than four hundred years, are situated only a short distance from the village of Tarabamba, 6km along the road from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo.

Urubamba is a well endowed town situated in the shadow of beautiful Chicon and Pumahuanca glaciers. The attractive Plaza de Armas is laid back and attractive, with palm trees and a couple of pines sourounded by interesting topiary. Weekends there's a large market on Jirón Palacio, which serves local villages; and at the large ceramic workshops set around a lovely garden at Avenida Berriozabal 111, new and ancient techniques are used to produce colourful, Amerindian inspired pots, household items and artistic pieces for sale on site. Urubamba makes an ideal base from which to explore mountains and lower hills around Sacred Valley, which are filled with sites. Also within walking distance, the salt pans of Salinas, still in use after more than four hundred years, are situated only a short distance from the village of Tarabamba, 6km along the road from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo.

No information currently available.

Urubamba is a well endowed town situated in the shadow of beautiful Chicon and Pumahuanca glaciers. The attractive Plaza de Armas is laid back and attractive, with palm trees and a couple of pines sourounded by interesting topiary. Weekends there's a large market on Jirón Palacio, which serves local villages; and at the large ceramic workshops set around a lovely garden at Avenida Berriozabal 111, new and ancient techniques are used to produce colourful, Amerindian inspired pots, household items and artistic pieces for sale on site. Urubamba makes an ideal base from which to explore mountains and lower hills around Sacred Valley, which are filled with sites. Also within walking distance, the salt pans of Salinas, still in use after more than four hundred years, are situated only a short distance from the village of Tarabamba, 6km along the road from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo.

No information currently available.

Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu pueblo, and is located four miles away from Machu Picchu. The city was founded in 1901 as the railroad between Cuzco and Santa Ana was being built, in result, Aguas Calientes became a hub for the railroad’s machinery and home for those who worked it. Today, many people visit the city for its hot springs, or as a great starting point for those headed up to Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu is a fortress city of the ancient Incas, in a high saddle between two peaks 50 miles NW of Cuzco, Peru. The extraordinary pre-Columbian ruin consists of five sq. miles of terraced stonework link by 3,000 steps; it was virtually intact when discovered by Hiram Bibghan in 1911.

Machu Picchu is a fortress city of the ancient Incas, in a high saddle between two peaks 50 miles NW of Cuzco, Peru. The extraordinary pre-Columbian ruin consists of five sq. miles of terraced stonework link by 3,000 steps; it was virtually intact when discovered by Hiram Bibghan in 1911.

Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu pueblo, and is located four miles away from Machu Picchu. The city was founded in 1901 as the railroad between Cuzco and Santa Ana was being built, in result, Aguas Calientes became a hub for the railroad’s machinery and home for those who worked it. Today, many people visit the city for its hot springs, or as a great starting point for those headed up to Machu Picchu.

No information currently available.

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Suggested Private Excursions

CUZCO: Pottery workshop by Totemiq - 3 hours

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Suggested Private Excursions

CUZCO: Pottery workshop by Totemiq - 3 hours

The Cuzco (Cusco) region of Peru combines Inca legacy with Spanish colonial architecture in an atmosphere at once provincial and sublime. The chaotic marketplaces where campesinos barter grain or potatoes for multi-colored fabric belie the mute spirituality of the Lost Cities, where Inca stonework conveys order and balance. Such diversity enhances this inspiring nine-day adventure. The blue sky radiates with an intensity achieved only at high altitudes (the city of Cuzco lies 11,150 feet above sea level), while the landscape offers its unique pattern of exacting agricultural grids and tangled jungle masses.

Suggested Private Excursions

CUZCO: Pottery workshop by Totemiq - 3 hours

No information currently available.

Lima, "the City of the Kings," became the effective capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru, established 1560. Today, a visit to Lima may serve as a unique Peruvian experience that offers a glimpse into the Andean world, Spanish tradition and the country's modern aspect. Visit handsome old buildings and baroque churches that testify to the city's religious background and the Plaza de Armas, shared by the realms of the Catholic church, municipality and national government. The pre-Inca ruins of Pachacamac lie a short distance south of the city. Once a ceremonial site, Pachacamac has been the most important religious center of the Andean world since before the age of Christ. Stop and admire The Temple of the Sun and the Moon, Lima's outstanding museums, and Machu Picchu - a "Jewel in the Mist."

Suggested Private Excursions

Huacas and Shrines on a bike (Lima - 4 hours)

Historical and Natural Sanctuaries (Lima - 6 hours)

Insider Access: Barranco & Lima songs with Javier Lazo (3 hours)

Walking the history center of Lima (4 hours)

LIMA: Lima´s boardwalks and gastronomic experience - 4 hours

LIMA: Participative cocktail class offered by Hotel B - 1.5 hours