Luxury Peru and Galapagos: Machu Picchu and the Enchanted Islands

With its narrow cobblestone streets and white-washed buildings huddling beneath a skyline of extravagant steeples and cupolas, Quito was the first city ever to be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its compact colonial core hides a wealth of architectural and historic treasures around almost every corner, and a short walking tour is an ideal way to begin exploring.

Imagine a natural sanctuary where giant tortoises plod beside marine iguanas, while penguins and sea lions dart through an ocean brimming with tropical marine life... Welcome to the Galápagos Islands, where wildlife enjoys a fearless existence free from predators and unthreatened by man.

No matter which islands you visit, you'll see wildlife in huge numbers and from very close range – these exotic creatures are completely unfazed by your presence. You can walk among languid colonies of iguanas and sea birds, snorkel with playful sea lions and watch blue-footed boobies perform their delightful mating dance right before your eyes. Between June and October there’s even a chance of sighting humpback whales breaching beside your boat.

This natural paradise of twisted lava and deserted beaches is a haven for endemic wildlife, offering a fascinating glimpse into the processes of natural selection that gave shape to life on Earth.

The islands' fauna enjoys an undisturbed life free from predators and unthreatened by man. No matter which islands you visit, you will be greeted with wildlife in extraordinary abundance and with no fear of your presence, making this one of the most magical places on the planet for nature lovers.

Cruises can last anywhere between 4 and 15 days, the boats we use range in size, accommodating between 12 and 100 guests. No matter what the overall group size, guided excursions on land will be small and intimate – by law tour groups on the islands can consist of no more than 16 visitors.

Exotic marine life teems within the clear waters of the Galápagos, an evolutionary melting pot where penguins swim in the same seas as tropical fish and turtles, and marine iguanas cohabit with boisterous crowds of sea lions.

You don't need to dive to experience the wonderland beneath the ocean surface. Having evolved without fear of predators, the islands' abundant fauna is undisturbed by your presence so you can get right up close to the underwater action with nothing more than a snorkel.

The Galápagos Islands owe their biodiversity to the meeting of currents from Antarctica and the tropics, creating microclimates that support a huge variety of life. Snorkelling is the easiest way to experience the unique marine environment, and is included on every Galápagos cruise.

Even if Machu Picchu was not lying at the end of the tracks, resplendent on its mountain pedestal, this train journey would doubtless still be an attraction in its own right. It traverses one of the continent’s most scenic sections of rail, where each of the panoramas that glide past your window seems even more spectacular than the last.

At first you’ll look out over a serene rural tableau, passing a patchwork of fields studded by whitewashed adobe villages. Soon however the valley narrows into a dramatic gorge, carved by the tumultuous Urubamba river that gushes alongside the railway track. Bottle-green mountains and cliffs clad in dense vegetation accompany the final stretch to Machu Picchu village (formerly Aguas Calientes), where a zigzagging bus journey transports you up to the mountaintop Inca citadel.

For a real treat, upgrade to the luxurious Hiram Bingham train to arrive at Machu Picchu in ultimate style and comfort. Harking back to the golden age of rail travel, the carriages are sumptuously kitted out and two dining cars serve up an outstanding gastronomic experience.

It is said that Cusco was designed in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuamán as its head. The symbolism would be apt, since archaeologists believe this imposing fortress doubled as a ceremonial centre of supreme importance to the ancient Incas. Proving that it continues to be at the centre of Cusco’s traditions and heritage, modern-day Peruvians celebrate the Inca festival of Inti Raymi here in the shadow of its solid stone walls.

A visit to the impressive ruin is often combined with the nearby temple of Q’enqo, the ancient military complex of Puca Pucara and the ‘Inca Baths’ at Tambomachay.

The Sacred valley of the Incas, just an hour's drive out of Cusco following the river Urubamba towards the Amazon, is a fertile plain once known as the breadbasket of the Incas. Highly populated at the apogée of the Inca Empire, it is now a bucolic paradise of fields bulging with cereals and vegetables, dotted with colonial towns and villages, as well as the ruins of imposing Inca temples and fortresses  

The pretty village of Pisaq in the heart of the Sacred Valley of the Incas hosts a colourful market 3 times a week, where you can haggle for handcrafted souvenirs and textiles alongside locals bartering for fresh produce. It's also home to an impressive Inca site set high on a hillside spur overlooking the town. Jutting out between two gorges, the large complex consists of temples, observatories and grain stores. Ollantaytambo sits at a strategic point where the river begins its descent to the Amazon jungle. The village has squat colonial houses with Inca foundations and quaint lanes and squares.  Most tours visit both.

Housing one of the finest collections of pre-Columbian artefacts in all South America, Lima's Larco Herrera Museum is a must for anyone with even a passing interest in ancient civilisations.

Organised by culture – from Moche through Sicán to Chimú – the impressive range of ceramics, textiles and metalwork illustrates Peru's development through the ages. To give an even more vivid image of life in the ancient world, you'll see mummies displayed with their well-preserved clothing and funeral items, as well as an unusual erotic collection.

This is the moment almost all visitors to Peru have come for: the chance to finally see the legendary Lost City of the Incas for yourself.

Perched on a remote mountain pedestal and shrouded by neighbouring Andean peaks, the secluded citadel of Machu Picchu was never found by the Spanish invaders and escaped plundering, making it the most complete and intact Inca site in existence.