Andes & Galápagos: Self-Launched Peru & Ecuador Adventure
10 days · Peru & Ecuador (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galápagos)
LimaTours charges £1,960
No-markup version: ~£1,650 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 10-day version of LimaTours' Andes & Galápagos group tour, covering Lima's UNESCO old town, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, colonial Quito, and the wildlife of Santa Cruz in the Galápagos. Instead of a partially guided group package with 3-4* hotels and private transfers, you'll book your own budget guesthouses and hostels, ride local buses and colectivos, take the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes, fly budget carriers between countries, and join shared day excursions for Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley and the Galápagos. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP for budget/backpacker travel; the Galápagos park fees and internal flights make Ecuador the priciest leg.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Lima
Lima, Peru
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM) and make your own way to your accommodation in Miraflores or Barranco using an official taxi or app-based ride (approx. £15-20). Settle in, then stroll the Malecón clifftop walkway for Pacific views and grab dinner at a local cevichería or menú del día spot. Note: you are at sea level here, a good warm-up before altitude.
🚌Official airport taxi or app ride, approx. £15-20
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco (dorm £10-14 / private £25-35)
- →Airport transfer by official taxi/app
- →Malecón cliff walk in Miraflores
- →Independent evening exploring Barranco
Lima Old Town & Museums
Lima, Peru
Take a public bus or metropolitano to the historic centre. Join a pay-what-you-like walking tour of the UNESCO-listed old town (Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, San Francisco Convent catacombs), then visit the Larco Museum in Pueblo Libre for its famous pre-Columbian gold and silver collection (entry approx. £9). Skip the pricey Casa Aliaga unless it's a must. Finish with a Pisco sour in Barranco.
🚌Metropolitano bus or local taxi, approx. £3-5
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco (dorm £10-14 / private £25-35)
- →Free/donation walking tour of Lima old town
- →Larco Museum visit (approx. £9)
- →Plaza de Armas and Cathedral exterior
- →Barranco evening stroll
Fly to Cusco & Acclimatise
Cusco, Peru
Fly Lima to Cusco (approx. £55-90 one-way on Sky/LATAM/Viva, booked early). Cusco sits at 3,400m, so take it easy on arrival — drink coca tea, avoid heavy exertion. In the afternoon do a gentle self-guided wander of the Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha (Inca Coricancha temple/Santo Domingo Convent, entry approx. £5) and Cusco Cathedral. If you feel fine, walk up to Sacsayhuamán fortress above town (entry via Boleto Turístico approx. £17 for multiple sites).
🚌Domestic flight approx. £55-90; local taxis/collectivos in Cusco £2-4
🛏Hostel in Cusco old town (dorm £8-12 / private £22-30)
- →Flight Lima-Cusco
- →Qorikancha and Cusco Cathedral
- →Sacsayhuamán and Qenqo (Boleto Turístico)
- →Acclimatisation rest day
Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Ollantaytambo
Sacred Valley / Ollantaytambo, Peru
Take a local bus or shared colectivo from Cusco to Chinchero (approx. £1-2) to see the textile market and Inca terraces, then continue to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. Visit the Living Museum of Yucay with its weaving, adobe, pottery and silverware demos, and feed llamas and alpacas (small entry fee). Explore Ollantaytambo town and its impressive fortress (Boleto Turístico covers this). Stay overnight in Ollantaytambo to catch an early train tomorrow.
🚌Local bus/colectivo Cusco-Chinchero-Urubamba-Ollantaytambo, approx. £5-8 total
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Ollantaytambo (dorm £8-12 / private £22-30)
- →Chinchero market and terraces
- →Living Museum of Yucay demonstration and animal feeding
- →Ollantaytambo fortress and town
- →Traditional lunch in the valley (approx. £5-8)
Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco, Peru
Take the early Vistadome or Expedition train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (approx. £50-75, book weeks ahead at perurail.com or incarail.com), then the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu (approx. £10 return). Enter with a pre-booked timed ticket (approx. £33, mandatory booking via machupicchu.gob.pe or official agents — sells out, get it early) and either explore independently or join a small-group guided tour (approx. £20-25). Train back to Cusco in the afternoon/evening (approx. £50-75).
🚌Round-trip train approx. £100-150; Machu Picchu shuttle bus approx. £10
🛏Hostel in Cusco old town (dorm £8-12 / private £22-30)
- →Train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes
- →Machu Picchu timed entry ticket
- →Optional small-group Machu Picchu guide
- →Shuttle bus to the citadel
Cusco to Quito
Quito, Ecuador
Fly Cusco to Quito, usually connecting in Lima (approx. £130-200 one-way on Avianca/LATAM/Sky, book early; a Guayaquil connection is sometimes cheaper). Arrive in Quito and take a taxi or the Aeropuerto-Quito bus into the city centre. Rest up or take a gentle evening wander around the colonial centre; Quito sits at 2,850m so altitude is milder than Cusco.
🚌Flight approx. £130-200; airport bus/taxi approx. £7-10
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Quito (La Mariscal or Centro Histórico) (dorm £9-14 / private £25-35)
- →Flight Cusco-Quito (via Lima)
- →Evening orientation walk in Quito old town
Quito to Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos)
Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
Fly Quito to Baltra (GPS) — the Galápagos flight is separate and typically £300-420 return depending on season and carrier (Avianca/LATAM). On arrival pay the Galápagos National Park entry (approx. £160) and the transit control card (approx. £16). Take the free/paid shuttle and the public bus-plus-ferry crossing to Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz (approx. £2-4). In the afternoon visit the Charles Darwin Research Station (free entry) to see giant tortoise breeding programmes, and if time allows ride a bike or take a taxi to the highlands to spot giant tortoises in the wild and explore lava tunnels.
🚌Galápagos round-trip flight approx. £300-420; local shuttles, bus and ferry approx. £4-6
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Ayora (dorm £12-18 / private £30-45)
- →Flight Quito-Baltra (GPS)
- →Galápagos park entry and transit card
- →Charles Darwin Research Station
- →Highland lava tunnels and wild tortoise spotting
- →Ferry crossing to Santa Cruz
Uninhabited Island Day Tour & Snorkelling
Santa Cruz Island / Galápagos
Book a shared navigable day tour to one of the uninhabited islands — North Seymour, Bartolomé, Santa Fe or Plazas (around £120-160 per person including lunch and a naturalist guide, best arranged with local agencies in Puerto Ayora the day before or online). Look for blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, sea lions and land iguanas, plus a guided nature walk and snorkelling session. Rent a wetsuit on the island (approx. £14-15/day) if you'd like more warmth in the water.
🚌Shared boat tour transport included in activity price
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Ayora (dorm £12-18 / private £30-45)
- →Shared boat tour to an uninhabited island
- →Guided nature walk
- →Snorkelling session
- →Optional wetsuit rental
Santa Cruz Bay Tour & Las Grietas
Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos
Take a half-day bay tour by boat around Academy Bay (approx. £35-50 with snorkelling stops and wildlife — sea lions, turtles, reef fish). In the afternoon walk or take a short water taxi plus a 15-minute trail to Las Grietas, the volcanic crevice natural pools perfect for a refreshing swim and snorkel (free entry). Evenings in Puerto Ayora are low-key — great seafood and a very social traveller scene.
🚌Water taxi and short local transfers approx. £3-5
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Puerto Ayora (dorm £12-18 / private £30-45)
- →Half-day bay boat tour with snorkelling
- →Las Grietas natural pools swim and snorkel
- →Puerto Ayora waterfront seafood dinner
Departure from Baltra
Baltra Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
Take the morning bus and ferry back to Baltra Airport (GPS) for your flight to the mainland (typically onward to Quito or Guayaquil, then home). Allow extra time — Galápagos airport transfers involve a bus, a ferry crossing and a shuttle, and bag checks are thorough. If your onward flight is later, you can fit in one last swim or a coffee on the waterfront before heading out.
🚌Local bus, ferry and shuttle to Baltra approx. £4-6; onward mainland flight approx. £300-420 (often included in the round-trip Galápagos fare)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Transfer by bus, ferry and shuttle to Baltra Airport
- →Onward flight to Quito or Guayaquil
Self-launched vs. LimaTours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | LimaTours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,650 | £1,960 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £310 per person (16%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more LimaTours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,650
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Andes & Galápagos: Self-Launched Peru & Ecuador Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,650 per person for 10 days in Peru & Ecuador (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galápagos). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with LimaTours?+
Yes — LimaTours charges around £1,960 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,650 — a saving of roughly £310 (16%) per person.
How long is the Peru & Ecuador (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galápagos) trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Peru & Ecuador (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galápagos).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Peru & Ecuador (Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Quito, Galápagos), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
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