Written by Paul Schicke Senior Expedition Designer
Updated: September 30, 2026 Published: August 30, 2012
The best way to combine a trip to Galapagos and Peru is to arrange your trip to Machu Picchu Peru after going to the Galapagos. That’s because you can depart the Galapagos and be in Lima, Peru on the same day. If you do it the other way around you will need to leave an extra night in the Ecuadorian mainland before going out to the Galapagos. When you complete your Galapagos cruise you depart the Galapagos for the mainland.
You can change planes in Guayaquil, Ecuador and fly onto Lima and arrive that same night. You will, however, need to spend a night in Lima before flying on to Cusco and the Valley of the Inca, where Machu Picchu exists.
4 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Galapagos Trip-of-a-lifetime
DOWNLOAD THIS ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO AVOID THAT ARE MADE BY 90% GALAPAGOS TRAVELERS.
Hello! My name is Paul. I am photographer, traveler, teacher and writer. I have extensive experience in travel to Galapagos, Peru, Patagonia and the western seaboard of South America specializing in ways travelers can experience these once-in-a-life destinations like locals on the road. Lover of wine, chocolate, travel, coffee, and helping others plan vacations of a lifetime!
For anyone who’s read Mr. Popper’s Penguins or enjoyed watching these flightless seabirds zip around an aquarium or zoo, a trip to Antarctica might seem like the ultimate treat for curious children. Where else can you go to watch penguins slide around on ice, in nature? That said, traveling to the ends of the earth …
Machu Picchu has long captivated travelers with its remarkable history and mystical mountain setting. But as you’re planning a trip to this wonder of the world, the logistics can feel like an obstacle that stands in the way of your bucket-list adventure. How do you actually get to this remote Incan citadel? What’s the closest …
Most travelers reach Peru by flying into Lima, the country’s main international gateway. From there, domestic flights and other connections make it easy to explore destinations like Cusco, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, the Amazon, and beyond. That is the practical answer. The more meaningful one is that Peru is not a destination that reveals …
Close your eyes and imagine arriving in Antarctica. Maybe you’re bundled up in layers on the deck of an expedition ship, and rewarded with the sight of white cliffs emerging from an inky sea spotted with crumbling glaciers. Or maybe you’re touching down on a remote landing strip, watching as an endless white wilderness seems …