The Best of Ecuador & Galapagos

Welcome to Quito! The largest, best preserved colonial city of America - declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on arrival time, you can spend the day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area.

Your first day is an acclimation and information day. Transfer is included. 

Accommodation: Swissotel or similar

Meals included: In flight 

Today, get ready to explore the most amazing archipelago in the Pacific coast and the place where Charles Darwin based his theory on the evolution of species. In the morning, board a flight from Quito to the island of Baltra and then head to the town of Puerto Ayora, the largest town in the Galapagos. From here you'll take a quick boat to the largest island in the archipelago and where most of the volcanic activity in the Galapagos is reported. The island was formed by six shield volcanoes, Alcedo, Cerra Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf; five of them are still active which makes the island one of the most volcanically active places on earth. 

As the Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles (965.6 km) from the coast of Ecuador, please be aware that you will have to take air, road and sea transportation to get there. 

Accommodation: Cormorant Beach House or similar  

Meals included: Breakfast 

Explore the amazing formations of lava created by the last eruptions of the volcanic island along the seashore. This magical place has historically been filmed by the BBC and National Geographic for their documentaries. It is a labyrinth of lava arches comprised of crystal clear water full of sea turtles, eagle rays, sea lions, sharks and more. The turtles navigate their own highway from the mangroves to the open sea through "Los Tuneles". Here, enjoy the best snorkelling opportunities and get the chance to swim with all these beautiful animals, including the curious Galapagos penguins playing around. 

Before or after the trip, you can enjoy some optional activities such as snorkelling at "Concha de Perla", biking or just relaxing on the exotic white-sand beaches of Isabela Island. We recommend you take some time to visit the giant tortoise breeding centre located walking distance from the hotel. 

Accommodation: Cormorant Beach House or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch  

 

After driving up from Puerto Villamil to the trail head, prepare your backpack for the hike into a young forest ecosystem and a world of recent geological history. Our destination is the rim of Sierra Negra Crater, an active volcano which last erupted in June 2018. 

Once you reach the rim of the crater, take in the breath-taking views and explore the circumference of the massive, lava-filled crater, a caldera that is over six miles across at its widest point. If you're feeling energetic enough, you can continue the hike to Volcan Chico, a secondary crater that has a wild landscape of puffing fumaroles and colourful lava formations; great examples of the dramatic geological events that have formed the Galapagos Islands over millennia.

In the afternoon, visit Tintoreras Islet, located at a short distance from Puerto Villamil and home to a variety of wildlife. Its turquoise, crystalline waters are inhabited by white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos Penguins, marine turtles and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves, is one of the few sites where marine iguanas can reproduce successfully. 

Accommodation: Cormorant Beach House or similar  

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch 

In the morning, traverse from Isabela to Santa Cruz Island to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. During the island crossing, you'll be on the lookout for dolphins and whales (July to October). On arrival, you'll check-in to the hotel. You'll then make your way to the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands.

The day continues as you head to the ‘El Chato’ reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the famous Galapagos tortoises. Hiking through El Chato’s beautiful landscape with these lumbering giants is an unforgettable experience! You'll also see other highland wildlife such as pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches, and frigate birds, which gather to wash the salt off their feathers at a freshwater lake.  

Afterwards, return to Puerto Ayora to spend the evening in Galapagos’ most populous town. 

What to wear today: Shorts, t-shirt, tennis shoes or sandals, hat, rain jacket (for the boat ride), sun cream. 

Accommodation: Silberstein Hotel or similar  

Meals included: Breakfast 

 

After breakfast, enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay.

Top tip: Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it.

During the tour, you will take a boat to Academy Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to approach to swim next to you underwater. Here you can also see the sought after blue-footed boobies.

Afterwards, climb to a nearby viewpoint, and if you are lucky, you can see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below. The enormous cacti, the deep, red color of the rocks and the turquoise, sparkling ocean make for great photo opportunities. 

Accommodation: Hotel Silberstein or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch 

After our final breakfast on the Galapagos Islands and you've taken the last photos of sea lions, transfer to Baltra’s airport to catch the flight back to the mainland.

Accommodation: Swissotel Quito or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast 

 

Today is yours to explore the beautiful surroundings of Quito. If you'd like a helping hand, your tour guide can help organize a day trip including visits to key landmarks such as Colonial City Tour & the Equador Line, Mindo Cloud Forest and Otavalo Market Fair.

Accommodation: Swissotel Quito or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast 

After breakfast, leave Quito and drive southwards along the gorgeous Avenue of Volcanoes reaching 12,000 feet (3,657m), getting the chance to see the colourful Andean fields.

Arrive at Cotopaxi National Park and hike around Limpiopungo lagoon at the foot hills of the Rumiñahui volcano. From here, you'll experience the best views of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world. 

In the afternoon, continue towards Llanganates National Park, known as the sacred mountain, heading to the town of Baños, located at the entrance of the Amazon. In Baños, you can enjoy the best night life, and choose to drink cocktails and dance the Salsa.

Accommodation: Casa de Luis or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch 

The adventure continues with a cross country mountain bike ride from the Llanganates National Park down to the Pastaza River Canyon, enjoying the beauty of the special cloud rain forest climate. The road brings us through some Andean farms and a great canyon with many waterfalls. 

While descending into the jungle, we will have a breath-taking view of Baños, a town well known for its spectacular location right at the foothills of the Tungurahua volcano, which has been active since 1999. The volcano is the main attraction of this region.

In the afternoon you'll have some time to explore the town and also go to The Swing of the End of the World, where the winning photo of the 2014 National Geographic photo contest was taken.  

Accommodation: Casa de Luis or similar 

Meals included: Breakfast 

This morning we will hit the road of the waterfalls. The first stop will be at the Bride's Veil waterfall, where we will take the Tarabita (cable car) to get across the Pastaza River. Then we will hike down to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall, the second highest in Ecuador. 

Later, we will go deeper into the jungle inside the Llanganates National Park. The name “Llanganates” comes from “beautiful mountain” in the local native language. Here, 600 years ago, the Incas hid their golden treasures. Many explorers have spent years looking for these treasures, some have even disappeared with no luck in this dense pristine jungle. 

During a hike through the tropical rain forest, we will climb through several waterfall canyons. Our local native guide will teach about the incredible flora and fauna that thrive in this unequaled habitat. 

We will spend the night at the Local Basic Jungle Lodge run by a kichwa indigenous family. 

Accommodation: Selina Amazon Tena - rustic boutique hotel located in the middle of the Amazon jungle. You will have your own private room and bathroom. 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you'll prepare to paddle the wild waves of the Jatunyacu River, located just a 5 minute drive from the homestead. The beauty of this river will inspire you and reveal the magic of the Amazon rainforest. After a very important safety briefing from the rafting guides, you'll start a class III rafting expedition down the Jatunyacu River, well known for its clear waters and awesome rapids. During the expedition you'll play some games and also explore one of the canyons. The journey ends with a picnic, prepared by your guides.

The day concludes with a drive back up to the Andes to a spot called Papallacta, where you'll stay the night and recharge in the volcanic hot springs high in the midst of the cool Andes. 

Accommodation: Termas de Papallacta or similar  

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch