Note: To minimize your chances of experiencing altitude sickness while in Quito, try to get plenty of rest before you travel, stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and fatty foods, consume high carbohydrate foods, and avoid strenuous exercise at high elevations.

Arrive To: Arrivals in Quito.

Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Road Scholar representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Road Scholar sign (only applies to Road Scholar group flights).

Transfer to the hotel and check-in.

Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check-in usually begins at 3 p.m.

Lodging: Hotel Quito

Quito -
Exploring Quito’s Historical and Cultural Legacy: From Pre-hispanic to Contemporary Times.

Breakfast: At hotel restaurant.

Morning: Program orientation session.

Uncover the cultural legacy and rich history of Ecuador's capital city during an exploration of Quito.

Quito (9,350 ft) was once the capital of the Quitu Empire before it was conquered by the Incas. The Inca rulers later razed Quito to keep its riches from the Spaniards. Today, all signs of its pre-Columbian origins have been erased. The city is now divided between beautiful colonial architecture and the clean lines of its modern section.

Visit the Museo Casa del Alabado for an introduction to Andean history and cosmology.

The Museo Casa del Alabado is a pre-Columbian art museum housed in a two-story, renovated 17th century Spanish colonial residence in Quito’s historic downtown area. Unlike most museums which arrange displays in chronological order, the Casa del Alabado has organized its exhibits based on Andean cosmology. The approximately 5000 artifacts showcased in this impressive space include 500 pieces that belong to the museum’s permanent exhibit.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant with an introduction to Ecuadorian food products and typical Ecuadorian cuisine.

Afternoon: After lunch we will visit the Capilla del Hombre, a cultural space envisioned by Ecuador's favorite artist--Oswaldo Guayasamin.

Quito’s Bellavista neighborhood is home to some important spaces dedicated to the works of Ecuador’s beloved artist, Oswaldo Guayasamin (1919-1999). The Guayasamin Foundation features various pieces from the artist’s private collection as well as a large exhibit of his paintings. A few blocks from the Guayasamin Foundation, on a hill overlooking the city, stands the Capilla del Hombre. This monument, chapel, and museum was designed by Guayasamin (he died before its completion) as a cultural space dedicated to the plight of Latin American people—from pre-Columbian times until the present—a subject featured prominently in the artist’s work.

Return to the hotel.

Lecture: Biodiversity of Ecuador.


Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Quito

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Flight to Coca/Board the Manatee Amazon Explorer/Nature Night Walk.

Note: The flight from Quito to Coca has a 44 lb weight limit, per person, for checked luggage. Consider bringing a duffel or similar in which to pack items for your river cruise. Excess luggage can be stored at the hotel in Quito.

Breakfast: At the hotel.


Morning: Transfer to Quito airport for a 45 minute flight to Coca.

The town of Coca is also known as Puerto Francisco de Orellana. This port city is the capital of the Orellana province and one of the country's gateways to exploring the Amazon. It is located at the confluence of two important rivers, the Napo and the Coca.

Arrive in Coca and transfer to the local dock. Journey by motorized canoe for approximately 2 hours to reach the Manatee Amazon Explorer.


Lunch: On board the boat.

Afternoon: Time at leisure to rest, learn your way around the boat, or begin spotting wildlife from the outer decks.
Lecture: Indigenous Communities - A Different Way of Life

Dinner: On board the boat.

Evening: Our first stop on this journey will introduce us to Amazonia's nocturnal creatures during a night walk.

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Parrot Clay Lick/Chaullacocha Black Water System/Rainforest Canopy Tower.

Breakfast: On board the boat.


Morning: After a delicious breakfast we will enjoy a field trip to a local parrot clay lick.

The parrot lick is an exposed clay bank where brightly colored parrots of several species gather in the morning hours. When weather conditions are ideal (sunny and dry) the parrots can often be seen perching on and eating the exposed clay. Witness hundreds of parrots gathering around this bank for a spectacular show of sound and color.

Return to the boat.


Lunch: On board the boat.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will explore the Chaullacocha Black Water System. Depending on the river water levels, this activity might take place on foot or by canoe. Be on the lookout for turtles, caymans, and herons.

Later in the day we will pay a visit to the rainforest canopy tower; a viewing platform 30 meters off the jungle floor. From that height, we have the opportunity to view the rainforest from a birds-eye perspective.


Dinner: On board the boat.

Evening: Cap the day with a nighttime boat excursion. Search for nocturnal animal species and revel in the rhythmic music of the forest.

The lack of light pollution in the region makes for some good star gazing opportunities!

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Pañacocha Biological Corridor - Wildlife on the Piranha River/Piranha Lake/Amazon BBQ/Nature Walk.

Breakfast: On board the boat.


Morning: This morning we will continue our journey downstream to the mouth of the Piranha River. A canoe trip will provide an opportunity to possibly spot pink river dolphins and piranhas as well as squirrel monkeys and birds in the surrounding forest.

The Piranha Lake ecosystem is seasonally flooded by white waters and is home to an interesting variety of animals. It also presents the perfect conditions to sustain water monkey fish (Arawana) and the much maligned piranha.

Take a refreshing dip in the lake before heading to a local camping site to break for lunch.


Lunch: Enjoy an Amazon-style BBQ lunch at a local camping site.


Afternoon: After lunch, take part in an exploratory forest walk to examine and learn about the local flora and fauna.

Return to the boat.


Dinner: On board the boat.

Evening: Briefing of next day's activities.

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Bird Watching on Napo River Islands/Canoe Explorations in Yasuni National Park.

Breakfast: On board the boat.

Morning: Today we will have an early start, stopping at one of the Napo River Islands for a bird watching walk in search of local species.

Return to the boat and begin navigating down the Napo River, heading towards the Tiputini River and the Yasuni National Park in preparation for our afternoon activities.


Lunch: On board the boat.

Afternoon: Free time to rest, catch up on your reading, or study the passing jungle and its wildlife from the comfort of the observation deck.

Activities during this afternoon and evening will depend on weather conditions and water levels. Possible activities include a nighttime nature walk, visit to a native dwelling, or a nature canoe ride.
Lecture: The Amazon Basin

Dinner: On board the boat.

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Flora and Fauna of the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve and Yasuni National Park.

Breakfast: On board the boat.


Morning: Early this morning we will navigate the pristine waters of the Cocaya River for activities in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve. Observe the exotic plants and unique wildlife that inhabit the reserve.

If we are lucky, we might get to see pink river dolphins and Amazon manatees. As we navigate by canoe along the jungle's edge we will also be on the lookout for red howler monkeys, black tamarins, three-toed sloths, squirrel monkeys, and hoatzins that inhabit the tree tops.
Return to the boat.


Lunch: On board the boat.

Afternoon: Our journey this afternoon will take us to the heart of the Yasuni National Park. A canoe ride and walking expedition will give us the opportunity to explore one of the region's major black water lakes in the upper Amazon Basin--the Jatun Cocha.

Although the diversity of flora and fauna in this region is impressive, the unarguable stars here are the giant otters. These amazing, agile, aquatic mammals steal the show with their playful antics.

South American otters, known as giant river otters, are the world’s largest and also the rarest. They can measure up to 6 feet in length and sport webbed feet, water-repellent fur, and have noses and ears that close once they enter water. Giant river otters are social creatures and live in family packs. They hunt as a group or alone and are able to consume anywhere from 6 pounds to 9 pounds of food per day. Their diet consists mostly of fish, though they are also known to eat snakes, crustaceans, and other river creatures.

Return to the boat.


Dinner: On board the boat.

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise -
Indigenous Community Center/Ecuadorian Cuisine and Fiber Handcrafts/Exploring the Morete Swamp.

Breakfast: On board the boat.


Morning: Enjoy a morning of cultural interaction during a field trip to a local indigenous community center. Visit a local school, meet the local residents and their children, and visit their homes. Learn about the Kichwa people, their culture, and how they survive in this fragile ecosystem.

Return to the boat.


Lunch: On board the boat.

Afternoon: Free time to rest or take part in onboard activities such as a cooking lesson with the ship's chef, learning how to make handicrafts using local fibers, or attending a lecture about the people and biodiversity of Amazonia.

Disembark for a walking exploration of the Morete Swamp. Walk over a wooden pass to look for parrots and frogs.

Return to the boat.


Dinner: On board the boat.

Lodging: Manatee Amazon Explorer

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Amazonia Cruise/Lima -
Yaku Kawsay Project/Flights to Quito/Visit to a Rose Plantation and El Quinche Town/Flight to Lima.

Breakfast: On board the boat.

Morning: This morning we will transfer to Coca for our flight to Quito. En route enjoy an excursion to Yaku Kawsay, a Kichwa community project in the Yasuni National Park. Learn about the aquatic life forms of Amazonian rivers and lakes.

Continue with transfer to Coca for our midday flight to Quito. Upon arrival, we will check our luggage for the flight to LIma and get our boarding passes and then transfer to a local rose plantation for lunch


Lunch: At a local rose plantation.


Afternoon: After lunch visit the plantation and learn about the flower industry in Ecuador. Check out the tags, the roses you are buying are most likely coming from Ecuador.

We will continue with a visit to El Quinche town to learn about the religious syncretism in Ecuador (European, Indigenous influences and paganism mixed in religion) and about one of the most important religious phenomenon’s in Ecuador, the peregrination to the Virgin Sanctuary.



Dinner: Light dinner before evening flight to LIma.


Evening: Board an evening flight to Lima, Peru.

Upon arrival, proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Road Scholar representative will be waiting outside the exit door with a Road Scholar sign.

The Hotel Costa del Sol Ramada - Lima is located within easy walking distance from Lima's international airport; directly across from the main terminal.


Lodging: Ramada Airport Costa del Sol Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Yucay/Sacred Valley of the Incas -
Flight to Cusco/Scenic Drive to Sacred Valley/Pisac Market/Introduction to Machu Picchu.

Breakfast: At the hotel restaurant.


Morning: Lecture: Introduction to Inca Culture

Walk across from the hotel to the terminal for a late morning flight to Cusco.

Traditional Inca welcome with coca tea upon arrival at the Cusco airport.

Visit the handicraft market at Pisac for a look at locally made crafts.

The traditional produce market at Pisac is held on Sundays and dates back to ancient times when people in the highlands depended on trade for survival. During other days of the week, the town hosts a large handicrafts market where all nature of locally made crafts can be seen on display.


Lunch: Boxed lunch en route.


Afternoon: Arrive at the hotel and check-in.

Lecture: Late afternoon tea with the local guide, who will discuss the spiritual and mystical significance of the Inca sites.


Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.


Lodging: Posada del Inca - Yucay

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sacred Valley of the Incas -
Chincheros Town/Andean Agriculture/ Ollantaytambo Ruins.

Note: Participants should go to bed early this evening in preparation for next day's early start and full day of activities.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Morning visit to Chincheros town including a visit to a weaving cooperative, where you will meet with locals and learn about traditional weaving styles and techniques.

Weaving is a way of life in Chincheros, as important for preserving ancient traditions as it is for earning a livelihood. Located in the Peruvian Andes on the Inca road between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Chincheros was an early Inca center built by emperor Tupa Inca as his country estate. During Inca reign, textiles were woven and offered to mark special occasions, from peace treaties and sacrifices to marriage ceremonies and puberty rites. In Chincheros, children grow up playing with their mother's spindle and loom. By age six or seven, most children learn to weave by watching their elders. They begin by weaving jakimas, or narrow ribbons, before moving on to more complicated pieces.

Learn about Andean agricultural techniques during visits to local farms.

Lecture: The Agriculture of the Incas.

Lunch: At a local restaurant

Afternoon: Field trip to Ollantaytambo Ruins with a local guide who will highlight the engineering genius of the Inca.

The Ollantaytambo Ruins are not ruins in the traditional sense. Ollantaytambo is a town with original buildings of Inca construction where the Inca retreated to make their last stand in the highlands against the Spanish. Running water still flows through the town in aqueducts and the agricultural terraces above the town are still in use. The pinnacle above the town is a small burial ground.



Dinner: Early dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Posada del Inca - Yucay

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Early morning breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Board a train to Machu Picchu (1 hr 30 mins). The train tracks run parallel to the winding Urubamba River. Passengers traveling on the left side of the train can enjoy scenic views of the Urubamba River's rushing waters, while those sitting on the right side get to enjoy spectacular views of the Andes.

Upon arrival, continue with a 20-minute bus transfer to the Machu Picchu Ruins.

Guided walk in Machu Picchu with on-site instruction on the history and culture of the Inca.

This ancient Inca city was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham, a Yale graduate and U.S. senator fascinated with Inca archaeology. Bingham found Machu Picchu, with the help of a local farmer who knew about the ruins, while searching for Vilcabamba and Vitcos. He hypothesized that the site was a "citadel," existing for strategic and defense purposes. He also speculated that the site was a refuge for Cusco's Virgins of the Sun, based upon the finding of skulls there, although not scientifically classified as female. Breakthroughs in archaeology since 1985 have, taken as a whole, supported the emerging view of Machu Picchu as a ceremonial and administrative center for a very populous region. Machu Picchu was built, flourished, and fell into demise within a period of 100 years.


Lunch: Lunch at local restaurant near the ruins.

Afternoon: Continue exploring the Machu Picchu Ruins. Participants will have the option to stay at the ruins as long as they like and then take the last bus to Aguas Calientes.

Take the bus back to Aguas Calientes and transfer to the hotel.


Dinner: At the hotel.

Lodging: El Mapi Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Guided excursion around the town of Aguas Calientes with a visit to the local market.

Participants who wish to revisit Machu Picchu, can skip the morning excursion and use that time to return to the ruins (at an additional cost) on their own.

NOTE: New regulations reduced the daily quota of visitors allowed to enter Machu Picchu and nearby archaeological sites (e.g., Huayna Picchu) and entrance tickets are no longer sold at the park. Participants wishing to visit the ruins on this day must obtain their tickets in advance. Please contact the program provider for more information.


Lunch: At the hotel.

Afternoon: Transfer to train station.

Early afternoon train journey to Ollantaytambo station (approx. 1 hr 30 mins) and bus transfer to Cusco (approx. 1 hr 30 mins).

Arrive at hotel and check-in.

Time at leisure.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Lodging: Casa Andina Private Collection – Cusco

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Field trip to the Sacsayhuaman Ruins

The fortress of Sacsayhuaman forms the head of the Puma design of old Cusco. It is a wonder of technical achievement and a testament to human will. It is a mystery how it was constructed, since the stones are not found in the region, and most of the blocks weigh more than a ton. The largest rock weighs more than 300 tons. Sacsayhuaman is constructed of huge polygonal blocks which interlock with one another. The stones are so precisely placed that a knife blade cannot be inserted between them.

Excursion through the city of Cusco.

The center of Cusco is a history lesson. Modern and colonial buildings are built on top of Inca foundations, and colonial churches dominate the central square.

Lunch: Lunch at a café in the main plaza where you can enjoy the colonial architecture of the city.

Afternoon: Afternoon at leisure.

Pre-dinner presentation by expert on the history of Inca and Andean musical instruments.

Dinner: Enjoy traditional Andean cuisine at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Casa Andina Private Collection – Cusco

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Transfer to the airport.

Mid-morning flight to Lima (1 hr 25 mins).

Arrive in Lima and transfer to a local restaurant.



Lunch: Enjoy a presentation on Peruvian cuisine at a local restaurant, followed by a farewell lunch.

Afternoon: After lunch transfer to hotel and check in.

Afternoon at leisure to explore Lima, finish packing, or rest at your hotel.

Dinner: Light dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Depending on the flight schedules, some participants might need to leave for the international airport this night. These participants will not miss any program activities.



Lodging: Casa Andina Select

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Transfer to the Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima for flight back to the U.S.

Note: Participants with independent travel arrangements and/or scheduled on later flights can keep their hotel rooms until check-out time on this day. Except for breakfast, all other meals are on your own on this day.

Breakfast: Breakfast (dependent on flight times) at the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast