Home Cities - Arrive in Quito, Ecuador

Departure from your home city to Quito, Ecuador. Upon arrival in Quito, our representative will wait for us at the airport to assist us with a transfer to the hotel.

Discover the Middle of the World Monument - The Intiñan Museum - Teleferico

Today, our guide will drive us for a spectacular view over Quito’s mountainous landscape, hop aboard this sky tram, one of the world's highest aerial lifts, that takes passengers on a 2.5km ride (10 minutes) up the flanks of Volcán Pichincha to the top of Cruz Loma.

Then, we will travel north where we will have lunch inside the crater of an extinct volcano. Afterwards, we will visit the Middle of the World Monument and The Intiñan Museum where we can experience didactic demonstrations of phenomena that manifest on the equinoctial zone. We will learn about how the Incas determined the middle of the earth, plus doing interesting science experiments such as balancing an egg on a nail and the effects of the Coriolis force on earth.

Full day of Otavalo, a Cultural Immersion Experience

Our guide will take us on an exciting adventure to Cuicocha lake, one of Ecuador's off-the-beaten-path sites. We will drive to this lake located in the crater of an extinct volcano. Cuicocha offers fascinating Andean landscapes that we will discover as we hike on its rim. Our guide will complement this experience with interesting information about indigenous cosmovision.

Later, our guide will take us to the Otavalo Market, which is a favorite for travelers. This is the largest market of its kind in all of South America, and well worth a visit. We will find some of the finest woven products in the region including ponchos, sweaters, wall hangings, shawls, souvenirs, and more. The Otavalo Market is an ideal place for shopping, but you will also learn about the origins of this tradition and about the culture of Otavalo indigenous groups. Our guide will drive us back to the hotel in Quito where we will be able to rest for the night and reload energies for the next day’s adventure.

Mindo Cloud Forest, Butterfly Farm & Chocolate Experience

Today, we will travel to Bellavista, a worldwide known lodge, recognized as a bird watching spot Located in the Choco Cloud forest of Ecuador, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It is surrounded bya large number of trails that you will explore. During these excursions, you will observe several species of hummingbirds. You will also have the opportunity to learn how the worldwide known Ecuadorian cacao is transformed into delicious chocolate. At the end of the day, you will return to the lodge for dinner and can stay in the restaurant to see if you can observe one of the latest carnivore mammals to be discovered, the olinguito.

Waterfalls Excursion

After breakfast, we will explore the pristine waterfalls. An absolutely magical adventure with fantastic landscapes that will take your breath away. In the afternoon our guide will pick us up from the lodge and drive us back to Quito.

Depart Quito - Arrive in Galapagos

After breakfast, our guide will be take us to the airport for your flight to Galapagos. Once we arrive on Baltra Island we will be met by our guide and transferred to the Monserrat. We will then sail to Bachas Beach where our first exploration of the Galapagos begins. Bachas is a great introduction to the Galapagos. Here you can relax and swim on its crystalline waters. This site also gives visitors the opportunity to see frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions.

Snorkeling - Go snorkeling or swimming right off the white sand beach of Las Bachas. Spot all sorts of marine wildlife in its shallow waters and tidal pools. Bachas is also one of the most important beaches for the green turtle as a nesting site.

Bachas Beach Landing - Head to Bachas Beach where the sand is made of decomposed coral, making it soft and white, and a favorite site for nesting sea turtles. Spot abundant Sally Lightfoot crabs on the lava rocks along the water's edge -- these crabs will eat anything they can get their claws on! Trek to see a wide range of wildlife, including flamingos, hermit crabs, black necked stilts, and sea lions.

Tagus Cove - Urbina Bay (Isabela Island)

After a long journey from the central part of the Galapagos, we will arrive to the pristine and remote West of the archipelago. Our visits today are Tagus Cove and Urbina Bay on the west of Isabela Island, where we will have our first encounters with flightless cormorants, penguins, giant tortoises and beautiful landscapes and amazing snorkeling opportunities.

Tagus Cove: Tagus Cove is located on the Northwestern coast of Isabela. It is a historical site visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, where graffiti has been carved into the rock walls by visitors over the past centuries. This spot has been frequented by whalers and pirates since the 1800s that used the area as anchorage. The name of the site dates back to 1814 when it was visited by a British ship, The Tagus, which had anchored there in search of giant tortoises to be used as food supply on the boat. Here, we will admire a variety of seabirds, such as blue-footed booby, brown noddy, terns, flightless cormorant and Galapagos penguins depending on the season. Occasionally you might see woodpecker finches, the Galapagos hawk, the yellow warbler or a large-billed flycatcher. After a dry landing one, we can climb up the trail to visit Darwin 's Lake. The lake is located on the slopes of Darwin Volcano and is, surprisingly, a saltwater lake above sea level. Our naturalist guide will tell you what the different scientific theories for this occurrence are. Meanwhile, in our snorkeling there are chances to see sharks, turtles and sea stars. You may also see various different types of colorful fish.

Urbina Bay: Urbina Bay is a fascinating visitor site that came to be as the shallow sea bottom uplifted in 1954 showing a large coral reef sticking up above sea level. Because of this, Urbina Bay is one of the newest features in the Galapagos. This visitor site is located at west of Isabela and provides spectacular views of the Alcedo volcano. The long trail starts on the beach where a wet landing is made. In this location, you will likely see wild Galapagos Giant Tortoises and Galapagos Land Iguanas. As the trail circles back towards the shoreline you'll come across colonies of the unique Galapagos Flightless Cormorant which lost its ability to fly. This is also a great spot for snorkeling, as you can come close to a Galapagos Penguin Colony and see Galapagos Marine Iguanas feeding underwater.

Espinoza Point - Vicente Roca Point (Fernandina & Isabela Islands)

Today we visit the most western visitor site of the Galapagos, Espinoza Point in Fernandina Island. This island is also one the most pristine on the archipelago as no foreign species have been introduced. On the afternoon, we will visit Vicente Roca Point, on Isabela Island, famous for its rich underwater sea life thanks to its location on the Bolivar Channel.

Espinoza Point: Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island is one of the most pristine islands in the world, with none of man’s introduced species to date. From here we can see the island of Isabela across the Bolívar Channel, an area that boasts some of the highest diversity of endemic sea fauna in the Galapagos. Fernandina is the youngest of the Galapagos Islands and a visitor favorite. When landing, check out the tidal pools where there is abundance of sea life, including small fish and mollusks. If we are lucky, a sea turtle or ray may be trapped in the pools. A little further ahead we will pass through some marine iguana burrows and sea lion colonies. The trail continues to where several flightless cormorants have their nests. This remarkable bird is only found in western Galapagos, and experts estimate that they may only be a few hundred individuals in total.

Vicente Roca Point: Vicente Roca Point has great deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth (Bolivar Channel). Vicente Roca Point is renowned for its Galápagos green turtles, which are very numerous on the bay. Although the spot is known for its high concentration of green turtles, sharks and rays can also be observed when underwater visibility is good. We take a dinghy ride along the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, flightless cormorants. The upwelling of cold-water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life. Our snorkeling will take us along the cliffs and offers the chance of exploring two shallow underwater caves with rich marine wildlife.

Puerto Egas - Buccanner Cove (Santiago Island)

Morning excursion to Puerto Egas to see the salt crater as well as a dark sand beach and tidal pools. Continue to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which boasts thick mangroves and flamingo and sea turtle nesting sites. Head to Buccaneer Cove to witness the towering cliff wall rock formations. Santiago Island has seen its share of human activity from whalers and pirates over the years, and despite the introduction of goats to the island many years ago, the wildlife of Santiago has otherwise flourished and provides outstanding viewing opportunities. The island boasts marine iguanas, sea lions, fur seals, land and sea turtles, among others. Enjoy great wildlife viewing both on land and in the water.

Puerto Egas Visit: Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Snorkeling at Puerto Egas: Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reefsharks while snorkelling. After, visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Playa Espumilla Excursion: Head to Playa Espumilla, one of the most idyllic beaches in the Galápagos Islands, which has thick mangroves and sea turtle nesting sites. Jump into the panga and cruise alongside high cliffs and rock formations on this visit to Buccaneer Cove, which was a favourite hideout for pirates looking to stock up their boats with food and water. Spot sea lions relaxing on the beach and sea birds nesting in the cove – there’s lots to see at this site.

North Seymour Island - Quito

North Seymour Island Visit (Morning): Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). See blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigate birds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks. Top off the excursion with a snorkel among sea lions and rays.

Baltra: Visit North Seymour for guided walks to observe birds and wildlife, including vast sea lion colonies. Disembark at Baltra for flight back to Ecuador mainland. Arrival on the mainland and transfer to the hotel in Quito. Free evening.

Old Town Quito City Tour - Farewell

Quito, known as the Americas’ “City of Lights”, possesses a millennium of pre-Colombian history and an impressive Hispanic Colonial legacy. The old town of Quito was declared the first UNESCO cultural world heritage site.This morning, meet our guide for a half day Quito’s city tour. Visit Independence Square (Plaza Grande), San Francisco Church and Convent as well as remarkable churches such as Basilica, La Compañía de Jesús from both the 16th and 17th centuries. Stop at the top of El Panecillo hill, where we can get a spectacular view and find the Statue of the Virgin overlooking and protecting the city. Late check out from the hotel, and private transfer to the airport for our international flight back home.

Quito to USA

Early morning departure from Quito. Afternoon arrival in our home cities.

TOUR ID#9224j03

CASH DISCOUNT of $100.00 for final payment by check

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