Cruise prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel and cruise ship accommodations, motor coach transportation, port charges, land excursions, admissions, entertainment, sightseeing, special dinners, wine with dinner aboard the cruise ship, cocktail hour, all-day soft drinks, porterage, and the services of the Tauck Directors, the Tauck Cruise Director, hotel and ship staff, and local guides and drivers are included. Transportation from the arrival city’s local airport and central train station to either the cruise ship or the first hotel on your itinerary is included, regardless of the date and time of your arrival, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight or train arrival information at least two weeks prior to the start of your tour. Transportation from either the cruise ship or the last hotel on your itinerary to the departure city’s local airport and central train station is also included whenever you decide to depart. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other Tauck guests.

Hotel and Cruise Ship Accommodations - The cruise price includes all hotel and cruise ship accommodations. Our standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality of accommodations may differ slightly from one hotel to another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are usually two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.

Your cruise ship accommodates fewer guests than large ocean-going vessels. Your well-appointed cabin includes these amenities: radio, television with VCR, mini-bar, international direct-dial telephone, safe and hair dryer. Your cabin also features adjustable air-conditioning and an en suite bathroom with shower. Most cabins have two twin beds that may be separated or combined.

Other cruise ship facilities may include all or some of the following: elevator, bar, lounge, restaurant, sun deck, sauna, Jacuzzi, beauty salon, spa, library, fitness center, boutique and pool. Please inquire at time of booking which facilities will be available on your cruise.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Complimentary wine is served with dinner on board Isabela II.

Complimentary soft drinks, coffee and tea service are available throughout the day. Each night you are invited to attend a complimentary cocktail hour. The legal drinking age aboard the cruise ship is 21.

Tauck Director – Each “Peru & the Galápagos Islands” tour is conducted by one Tauck Director who remains with the group throughout the duration of the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.

Gratuities Included – All customary gratuities for hotel and ship staff, local guides, drivers, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director are included.

No Options Sold - Your Tauck Director will assist you with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.

 

Airfare While on Tour – Five on-tour flights must be purchased through us as part of your tour package.

 

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before and After Cruises – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your cruise. As a service, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the cruise cost. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this webpage and discuss it with your reservations sales consultant or your travel agent when you book your cruise.

• Pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on bag
• Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase
• Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage
• Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in
• Place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight
• File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area
• Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications
• Make certain that the airline has your onward itinerary

Your Tauck Director will assist you with airline and other carrier communications, but has no inside contacts to guarantee or expedite recovery of lost luggage. All recovery costs, including the communication costs, are your responsibility. Check your travel protection details for covered expenses.

Personal Expenses - such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

 

 

Travel Document Requirements –
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Authorization for Travel

If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.

If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.

All children who are U.S. citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.

Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.

Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.

 

ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this cruise to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.

Clothing and Packing – Your adventure in Peru and the Galápagos Islands is informal and casual and designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing. For the welcome and farewell receptions, casual resort wear is appropriate; formal wear is never required for dining with your fellow guests at a Tauck provided dinner. When traveling abroad, you may have the opportunity to dine at an upscale restaurant on your own, which may require men to dress in coat and tie, and women in more elegant eveningwear.

On day 2, guests are invited for welcome cocktails and dinner at Casa Aliaga, a 66-room home built in 1535 that has remained in the same family for generations. For this special occasion, we recommend casually elegant evening attire.

All of the hotels on this tour provide valet laundry services with the exception of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge. There are also no laundry facilities on board Isabela II; however, a clothes dryer is located on the sun deck to dry wet clothing. Clothes may be laundered for a fee the day the ship visits Santa Cruz Island.

Most importantly, bring comfortable walking shoes with adequate ankle support. You will also need reef shoes or aqua shoes for beach landings and walks over rocky, uneven terrain. Your feet will get wet when you transfer from ship to shore on many landings.

Snorkel gear is available aboard the ship; however, if you have prescription lenses you should bring them. Wetsuits are now available on board. In September and October, a wet suit is recommended for snorkeling excursions as the water tends to be very cold. You may also wish to bring an underwater camera. Scuba diving is NOT available.

We recommend that you pack your prescription medicines (an adequate supply to last through your journey) together with your doctor’s prescription, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed. If you have allergies to certain foods or insects that may require an injection, please bring a kit with you that is packaged for use at higher elevations.

We suggest that you pack the following items your journey:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Battery-operated travel alarm clock
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Zipper-lock bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your ship cabin while traveling

Elevation – This adventurous itinerary takes our guests from coastal city of Lima to the majestic heights of Machu Picchu to the tropical Galápagos Islands. Guests will experience great changes in land elevations throughout the tour. The principal sites visited - in the order visited - and their associated elevations are:

Health - To fully enjoy this tour’s itinerary, participants must be in good health. This is a rigorous tour and you need to be in good physical condition with good balance as the terrain varies from sandy beaches to uneven lava and rocks. Proper walking shoes with ankle support are essential. You may want to bring a walking stick – there are a few available on board Isabela II for the Galápagos section of your journey. Walks range from 1 to 2 mi (3 to 6 km) in length and last from 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

You will spend several days touring at high altitudes in Peru [especially Cusco at 11,200 ft (3,414 m)]. At these altitudes some visitors may suffer varying degrees of altitude sickness, including nausea. We have found that some guests may be more affected by the altitude than others. Medications are available to prevent altitude sickness, and we urge you to speak with your physician prior to your departure from home to discuss prophylaxis for safe travel.

All ship-to-shore transfers use Zodiacs or Pangas (capacity 9 to 12 persons). Occasionally you will get wet with spray. Some wet landings require guests to wade through knee-high deep coastal water.

There are three decks on Isabela II; however, there is no elevator.

Tauck is not able to accommodate wheelchairs on this tour. We also regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to guests for walking, dining or other personal needs. Persons needing such assistance must be accompanied by an able companion who will assist them.

Isabela II does not have mechanical stabilizers because the water around the Galápagos Islands is very calm. However, the ship has a rounded hull that helps minimize rocking. We travel between the various islands so the areas in which we cruise are sheltered. If you are prone to seasickness, bring a non–drowsy, over-the-counter, anti-nausea medication. Anti-nausea wristbands are also a good idea. The anti-nausea patch is NOT recommended for use in the islands as it tends to impair vision in direct sunlight.

Bottled water is available throughout the trip, both in Peru and Ecuador, on board Isabela II and during onshore excursions.

Guests bringing a quantity of medication with them are advised to carry a doctor’s certificate to avoid possible problems with customs officials.

Smoking is not permitted in any interior space on board Isabela II. Smoke and open fire will activate the smoke detectors. Smoking is allowed on outside decks only, and there are ashtrays placed in specific exterior deck areas. Please do not throw your cigarettes overboard, as it is a violation of international maritime pollution laws and they can easily be blown back onto the ship. Please refrain from smoking on shore and in shore excursion vehicles and ship tenders. Smoking is also not permitted on the motor coaches.

The only islands with bathroom facilities are Baltra and Santa Cruz, where there are visitor centers. We will be returning back to the ship for lunch and dinner, and Zodiacs or Pangas will travel back and forth to the ship during shore excursions.

The infirmary on Isabela II is staffed by a licensed Ecuadorian doctor. If you avail yourself of his services, a charge will be posted to your personal shipboard account. Isabela II is registered in Ecuador. Please check with your insurer to determine if coverage applies while you are traveling, and purchase appropriate travel insurance if necessary.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

If you are a resident of the U.S. , no vaccinations are currently required for entry into Ecuador or Peru. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour, pre-recorded "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 877-394-8747 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.

If you are a resident of another country, please contact an embassy or consulate of Ecuador and Peru to determine what vaccinations may be required for you to visit.


Luggage Restrictions –

Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour

Due to space limitations aboard the motor coaches and local aircraft, we urge that only one piece of checked luggage be brought on this trip. Additionally, space constraints and weight limitations aboard the train to Machu Picchu require guests to carry limited personal belongings. Each passenger is restricted to no more than 44 lbs (20 kg) of luggage. Therefore, Tauck will provide you with a duffel bag (roughly 1 ft by 1 ft by 2 ft in overall dimensions, or 30.5 cm by 30.5 cm by 60 cm) to carry your clothing and personal items for your one-night stay in Machu Picchu. Meanwhile, checked luggage will be stored, at the Hotel Monasterio in Cusco during the Machu Picchu excursion and the Hilton Colon in Guayaquil during the cruise. Small carry-on bags are permitted, but Ecuadorian airlines will check large wheeled carry-on’s, if desired, with the larger luggage.

If you reside in the Continental United States the duffel bag will be sent to your home and should arrive approximately two weeks prior to your departure for Peru. Guests residing in Alaska, Hawaii or outside of the U.S will receive their duffels upon arrival in Lima.

Each guest is also restricted to one carry-on bag weighing no more than 22 lbs (10 kg).

Checked Luggage – General

While it is common for some airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.

Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.

Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the website, luggagelimits.com, by clicking here.

We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.

Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

 

Cell Phones - We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone while on the motor coach, during group functions, when sightseeing and when your Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There will be many opportunities to make and receive calls at times when it does not affect others.

Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine if your service extends to Peru and Ecuador.

Currency and Exchange Rates - The official currency in Ecuador is the U.S. dollar (USD); the currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol (PEN). The Nuevo Sol exchange rate floats in relation to the U.S. dollar. Cash and traveler's checks may be exchanged at any bank, the airport, at most hotels or at exchange houses, or casas de cambio. The airport will give you the official rate of exchange, the same as banks, and a small fee is usually charged for changing travelers’ checks. Many restaurants, hotels and shops in the main cities accept dollars for payment, so it is a good idea to bring U.S. dollars in small denominations for local shopping. Travelers’ checks are accepted in the larger cities, however, there is often a fee charged to cash them. ATMs are available in the cities, and major credit cards are accepted in tourist areas and at large hotels although a commission is often charged. Hotels are unable to exchange large amounts of currency.

Shipboard accounts aboard Isabela II may be paid by U.S. dollars, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. There is no foreign exchange facility on the ship.

To obtain the most current exchange rates for all national currencies, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to oanda.com by clicking here.

Customs and Tax-Free Shopping – You should familiarize yourself with each country’s specific required declarations before you travel. In general, you are not permitted to bring live plants, fresh fruits and other produce items into most countries. You may find additional information by visiting VisaHQ.com by clicking here.

Hilton Colón Guayaquil:  High speed access in room for a fee
Isabela II: Access via two computers on board the ship. Wireless access is also available at a surcharge; however, it is slow and not very consistent. 

Time Zones – Lima and Cusco, Peru, and Guayaquil, Ecuador, are 5 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time); the Galápagos Islands are 6 hours behind.  Peru and Ecuador do not have Daylight Savings Time. To determine current time in major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to timeanddate.com by clicking here.

Weather – The Peruvian coast is generally sunny and hardly ever receives any rain, but from April to November there is a heavy sea mist. The highlands have a wet season (October to April) and a dry season (May to September), when the days are clear and sunny but cold at night especially at higher altitudes.

The Galápagos Islands lie almost on the equator about 650 miles (1,046 kilometers) west of the coast of Ecuador. The islands have an unusual climate in view of their proximity to the equator; rainfall is low and temperatures are lower than would be expected. There are no extremes of heat or cold, and temperatures range from 75° to 86°F (24° to 30°C) year round. The weather is hot and sunny in the islands and sea temperatures average 67° to 72°F (19° to 22°C). For guests planning on swimming, most swimming takes place at midday hours. Although there is more rain on the larger islands which are hilly (such as Seymour Island), rainfall is low at sea level and comes during the months of January to April. Light drizzle and even fog, however, are not uncommon at other times of the year.

	Average Temperature
	Lima, Peru		Cusco, Peru
Month	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC
January	79 / 68	26 / 20	64 / 43	18 / 6
February	80 / 69	27 / 21	65 / 43	18 / 6
March	80 / 69	27 / 21	66 / 43	19 / 6
April	76 / 66	24 / 19	67 / 41	19 / 5
May	72 / 63	22 / 17	67 / 36	19 / 2
June	69 / 61	21 / 16	66 / 32	19 / 0
July	67 / 60	19 / 16	66 / 32	19 / 0
August	66 / 60	19 / 16	67 / 35	19 / 2
September	67 / 59	19 / 15	68 / 39	20 / 4
October	69 / 61	21 / 16	69 / 41	21 / 5
November	72 / 63	22 / 17	69 / 42	21 / 6
December	76 / 66	24 / 19	69 / 43	21 / 6
	Guayaquil, Ecuador		Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Month	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC	Hi/Lo ºF	Hi/Lo ºC
January	88 / 70	31 / 21	82 / 73	28 / 23
February	88 / 72	31 / 22	85 / 73	30 / 23
March	88 / 72	31 / 22	87 / 74	31 / 24
April	90 / 72	32 / 22	84 / 74	29 / 24
May	88 / 68	31 / 20	82 / 72	28 / 22
June	88 / 68	31 / 20	79 / 71	26 / 22
July	84 / 66	29 / 19	77 / 69	25 / 21
August	86 / 64	30 / 18	75 / 66	24 / 19
September	88 / 66	31 / 19	75 / 67	24 / 20
October	86 / 68	30 / 20	76 / 66	25 / 19
November	88 / 68	31 / 20	78 / 68	26 / 20
December	88 / 70	31 / 21	80 / 70	27 / 21

 

	Average Rainfall
	Lima, Peru		Cusco, Peru
Month	Inches	Millimeters	Inches	Millimeters
January	0.0	0	6.3	160
February	0.0	0	5.2	132
March	0.0	0	4.3	109
April	0.0	0	1.8	46
May	0.0	0	0.3	8
June	0.1	3	0.1	3
July	0.2	5	0.2	5
August	0.1	3	0.3	8
September	0.1	3	0.9	23
October	0.1	3	1.9	48
November	0.0	0	3.1	79
December	0.0	0	4.7	119
	Guayaquil, Ecuador		Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Month	Inches	Millimeters	Inches	Millimeters
January	9.1	231	2.7	69
February	9.5	241	3.6	91
March	9.9	251	3.7	94
April	6.0	152	2.8	71
May	2.4	61	1.3	33
June	1.3	33	0.9	23
July	0.4	10	0.6	15
August	0.0	0	0.2	5
September	0.1	3	0.2	5
October	0.1	3	0.2	5
November	0.2	5	0.3	8
December	1.3	33	1.2	30

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, noaa.gov, by clicking here.

 

Cancellation Fees –  Regardless of reason, cancellations of confirmed bookings result in our incurring costly penalties and cancellation fees from our travel and hotel providers. Therefore, if you have to cancel a confirmed booking, we will charge you a cancellation fee according to when your cancellation notice is received in our Norwalk, CT office. To help limit your liability, please refer to Tauck Travel Protection on this webpage for more information.

If you choose not to purchase Tauck Travel Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows: