Ecuador & the Galapagos

ARRIVAL IN QUITO

Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of America, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. Considered the Cultural Capital of South America, it’s located just south of the equator at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Our tour of the city includes the leafy Independence square, overlooked by the Presidential Palace, cathedral and Archbishop’s Palace. Just a short walk away is the baroque Jesuit church of Compania de Jesus, with its incredible gilded interior. Another of Quito’s gems is the church and convent of San Francisco, the largest religious complex on the continent.

We stay one night at the impressive five-star Swissotel with breakfast.

CROSS EQUATOR LINE

Embrace the once-in-a-lifetime experience of standing on both the north and southern hemisphere. Here you’ll learn about the interesting history of the Equator line and physics of the location.

We then continue to the little town of Mindo, set amidst lush forested hills.

Stay two nights at the charming three-star superior Septimo Paraiso Lodge, with breakfast, surrounded by the exotic cloud forest.

MINDO CLOUD FOREST

Today we explore the pristine cloud forests and hike along waterfalls of the area. At an altitude of 1,300m, Mindo lies between Ecuador’s lowlands and highlands and has a year-round mild climate. This, and the plentiful rainfall, mostly between January and April, has created lush forests, perfect for a wide variety of birdlife – with an incredible 140 species of hummingbirds recorded.

Our hotel is surrounded by the forest and has several marked trails around the property, ideal for birdwatching.

You may also try out the optional zip-line tour or learn about how the famous Ecuadorian chocolate is made.

COTOPAXI VOLCANO

Heading south on the Pan-American highway we drive along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, and into the Cotopaxi National Park for some stunning views, and at 5,900m, the highest active volcano in the world. Snow-capped year-round, the perfectly symmetrical volcanic cone is one of the greatest sights in South America.

We stay one night at the excellent four-star Cotopaxi Pungo Finca hotel with breakfast.

LOCAL MARKET & RIOBAMBA

Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter of roses and this morning we’ll visit one of the many rose farms in the area. We’ll also stop at the Pujii local market to see the wonderful traditional arts and crafts of the Andes. The local indigenous people come down from the surrounding villages to sell their wares and the market here is far more authentic here than in other more ‘touristy’ places.

We continue to the historic 250-year-old four-star Hacienda La Andaluza with breakfast.

DEVIL’S NOSE TRAIN

An early start today – we drive to the small town of Alausi where we board the world-famous Devil’s Nose train which zig-zags its way down steep gorges and was considered a huge engineering achievement when it was completed.

After the train returns to Alausi, we continue along the Pan American highway to Ingapirca, the most interesting Inca site in Ecuador, before arriving in the amazing colonial city of Cuenca.

We stay two nights at the four-star colonial Carvallo, or the new Four Points by Sheraton Hotel with breakfast.

COLONIAL CUENCA

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Cuenca is a treasure-trove of charming colonial churches, mansions and squares, which are all easily walkable. The main square is overlooked by the town’s vast cathedral, said to be modelled on St Peter’s in Rome. The city is also known for its Panama hats, which are in fact hand-made in Ecuador, not Panama!

After our included city tour, you will have the afternoon to explore this charming town on your own.

GUAYAQUIL

Leaving Cuenca, we cross the spectacular Cajas National Park and descend to the warm coastal plains and the port city of Guayaquil.

We stay one night at the centrally-located four-star Unipark Hotel with breakfast.

FLY TO SAN CRISTOBAL ISLAND

This morning we catch the 1 hour 50-minute flight to San Cristobal island in the Galapagos. As the most easterly island in the archipelago, this was the first to be visited by Charles Darwin in 1835.

After we are settled into our hotel, we explore the wildlife along nearby La Loberia’s white sand beach, with a chance to swim or snorkel. You are bound to spot marine iguanas, sea lions and plentiful birdlife.

We stay two nights at the family-run three-star Blue Marlin Hotel with breakfast, ideally located close to the centre of the island’s small main town of Puerto Moreno.

SAN CRISTOBAL & ISLA LOBOS

Today we board a small boat for the short trip to Isla Lobos, where we explore families of frigate birds and blue footed boobies. Although the path on the island is uneven and rocky in parts, the effort is worth it to see these iconic birds up close.

We then have an opportunity to swim or snorkel off the boat in the lagoon, where inquisitive seals may come and swim with us! In the afternoon we learn about conservation work on the islands during our visit to the San Cristobal Interpretation Centre.

SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

This morning we catch the speedboat ferry service to nearby Santa Cruz island, which should take between 1hr30 to 2hrs. On arrival, we’ll visit the famous giant tortoises in the beautiful El Chato highland reserve – an unforgettable experience! Within the grounds, you may also explore one of several underground lava tubes, left over from when the island’s volcano was active.

We stay three nights at the three-star Fiesta or Silberstein Hotel, both with breakfast.

SANTA CRUZ

This morning we have a boat tour of nearby Academy Bay, with an opportunity to snorkel with the Galapagos’ exotic marine life. You may see the likes of sea lions, rays and even sharks.

We continue for a tour of the famous Charles Darwin Research Station, where you will be able to see the remains of ‘Lonesome George’, stuffed and on display. There are also pens where baby giant tortoises are looked after before being released into the wild.

SANTA CRUZ AT LEISURE

Today you’re free to enjoy Santa Cruz at your own pace, where you can meander around Puerto Ayora or relax at the unspoilt Tortuga Bay. You can also personalise your trip with a pre-bookable boat trip to nearby North Seymour Island or Bartolomé Island, subject to weather and availability.

North Seymour island, just off the north coast of Santa Cruz, is known for its swallow-tailed gulls, large numbers of frigate birds and colourful land iguanas. The other trip is to Bartolomé island, with its iconic views over Pinnacle Rock and stunning volcanic landscape which provides the most scenic views in the Galapagos.

RETURN FLIGHT

We say our goodbyes to the wonderful Galapagos Islands and fly home via Guayaquil and Bogota to Heathrow, arriving the next day.

ARRIVE HOME

Arrive in the UK with wonderful memories of a fascinating trip.