Early morning departure from London Heathrow by Iberia via Madrid (2 hours 20 minutes) to Lima (12 hours). On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the Libertador San Isidro Golf Hotel. Stay here for 2 nights.

You will have a half-day tour of Lima, the country´s capital. It was originally named “La Ciudad de los Reyes” (the City of Kings). The Plaza de Armas and now Plaza Mayor; used to be the city’s most popular meeting point and main market. Around the great Plaza Mayor stands the Palacio de Gobierno, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Municipalidad and the Club Unión. In the centre of the plaza is a fountain dating from 1650. Some blocks from the main square, stands the Santo Domingo or San Francisco, Churches and Monasteries. Inside are valuable collections of paintings, dating from 16th century. Also visit the private Larco Herrera Museum, which houses a large collection of gold, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and more.

Morning flight to Cusco (1 hour). On arrival, you will be transferred by road to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Stay at the Aranwa Hotel & Spa (February to July 2009), or the Libertador Urubamba Luxury Collection (September 2009 and beyond). Stay here for 3 nights. In the afternoon, visit the ruins at Ollantaytambo.

At leisure. You may relax and enjoy the hotel’s facilities or book some local activities.

In the morning, take the train to Machu Picchu. The train travels parallel to the Urubamba River, with awe-inspiring views of the dramatic canyon. The carriages have beautiful panoramic windows offering unsurpassed scenic views and photographic opportunities. With glass surrounding them on all sides, passengers feel as if they are part of Peru's remarkable landscape. On arrival at Aguas Calientes, you will transfer by bus to the Machu Picchu ruins. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, is one of the most famous examples of Inca architecture and is situated at 2,350 meters above sea level. The ruins are located in a lush jungle and are believed to have been built in the mid-15th century by Inca Pachacutec. Lost in history, the ruins were not discovered until 1911 by the American explorer, Hiram Bingham. You will have a tour of the ruins followed by a buffet lunch at the Sanctuary Lodge Hotel. Return by train to your hotel in the afternoon.

In the morning, travel by road to Cusco, via Chinchero. On arrival in Cusco, stay at the Libertador Palacio del Inka Hotel.

Today is free to explore Cusco at your own pace.

Fly in the morning via Lima (1 hour) to Quito (2 hours 15 minutes), the capital city of Ecuador. On arrival in the afternoon you will be met and transferred to the Hilton Colon Hotel. Stay here for 3 nights.

Morning sightseeing of Quito and the Equatorial Monument. Quito’s colonial quarter is one of the largest and best preserved of South America and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your walk 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 of the 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. Afterwards continue to the Equatorial Monument, 25 kilometres 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. The afternoon is free.

Today is free in Quito. Optional sightseeing tours can be booked locally.

Morning flight via Guayaquil to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands (3 hours). On arrival in the Galapagos, you will be required to pay the Galapagos National Park Fee (currently $100 per person). After completing entry formalities, you will be transferred to the M/V Santa Cruz, where a welcome talk and safety drill takes place. Later, visit Cerro Dragon on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island. A trail into the interior affords great views of the bay and the western reaches of the archipelago, a superb introduction to this breathtaking spot. This area is a natural nesting site for land iguanas. Evening stargazing on deck (weather permitting).

Morning shore excursion by panga (small motorised dinghy) visiting Bartolome Island, where a dry landing allows stunning views of the striking Pinnacle Rock. There will be the opportunity to snorkel next to Galapagos penguins. The Santa Cruz sails to James Island, where in the afternoon, in addition to viewing numerous seabirds, you will visit a colony of endemic Galapagos sea lions.

Swimming and snorkelling are an integral part of Galapagos cruises, and this morning you have an opportunity to explore the crystal clear waters off the red sands of Jervis Island, also known as Rabida Island. Here you can find large colonies of sea lions, marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin finches. Close to the beach is a salt pond where Greater Flamingos can occasionally be seen and where from June to November, pelicans nest in the surroundings. In the afternoon visit North Seymour Island whose sandy shores teem with sea lions and marine iguanas, and whose trails lead to colonies of blue-footed boobies.

Spend a full day on Santa Cruz Island beginning in the morning with a visit to the its highlands where you see the giant Galapagos tortoise in its natural habitat. Vegetation on this island includes the Scalesia Forest, and birds such as the scarlet-feathered Vermillion Flycatcher, and species of Darwin’s finches. After lunch, taken in the highlands, head down to Puerto Ayora to see the Galapagos tortoises at the Charles Darwin Research Station and learn about the breeding programme that is in place for these endangered reptiles.

Your 4-night cruise ends today at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the provincial capital of the Galapagos on San Cristobal Island, where Charles Darwin first visited. See the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre, with its displays of the natural history of the islands. Afterwards, fly to Guayaquil for an overnight stay at the Hilton Colon Hotel.

Late morning transfer to the airport. Depart by LAN Airlines non-stop flight to Madrid (11 hours).

Arrive at Madrid, continuing by Iberia flight to London Heathrow (2 hours 20 minutes).