10 Day Luxury Ecuador And Galapagos

After breakfast, we will head out on a city tour visiting the residential neighbourhoods, the " Guapulo Mirador", the Culture House and the Legislative Palace (Congress). We will then head to the Gran Colombia Avenue to the Basilica Church, and the "San Juan Mirador" from where you will have a beautiful view over Quito. We will then head to the downtown area to visit the colonial churches and monasteries. The downtown area has been designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site due to its historical, colonial buildings. In the afternoon, we will head to the Middle of the world and experience 0 latitude while standing on both sides of the equator!

Today we will head up into the highlands to the famous indigenous town of Otavalo. We can marvel at the endless handicraft stalls from the native local people. Strolling along the narrow cobblestone streets filled with Otavalo’s indigenous people wearing their traditional blue ponchos. We can visit their handicraft market, with its wonderful textiles, native paintings, ceramics, jewellery, and tapestries. In the afternoon, we will drive to Cotacachi to see the townspeople's leatherwork and enjoy the beauty of this small village. There will be some free time for you to explore the shops or simply relax while sipping one of the best coffees in Ecuador. We will visit the town of Peguche, a small village known for its spectacular waterfalls and traditional wind instruments, before we head back to Quito for the evening.

After breakfast, we will head to the airport for our flight to the Galapagos. We must prepare ourselves to explore the most amazing archipelago on the Pacific coast and the place where Charles Darwin based his theory of the evolution of species. We will fly to the Island of San Cristobal.  In the afternoon, we will visit "La Loberia", which is the home of the Galapagos sea lions. We can see these incredible animals while we are snorkelling, and these curious creatures will come up close and personal as you are swimming. You can also see them basking on the rocks or just napping on the sandy shores. We can also see many bird species, such as the yellow warbler birds, frigate birds, and several species of Darwin’s finches along the beach. In between the rocks, we can find marine iguanas, which you can only see in Galapagos. As well as the wide variety of sea animals, we will have time to relax on the beach or explore the water with our snorkels.

Today we have a choice of 2 activities depending on how active or easy you want to take it!

Kicker Rock

After breakfast we will take a boat to Kicker Rock, just off the coast of San Cristóbal. Kicker Rock is a lava cone eroded by the waves, with 2 vertical rocks rising high above the ocean. This natural monument has become a highlight of the Galapagos due to the many tropical birds, frigate birds and boobies that fill the sky.  Under the ocean, the crystal clear waters offer the spectacle of brightly colourful fish, such as rainbow fish and sharks, like the hammerhead and white tip. After lunch, we will spend some time on the beach before we head back to the hotel. 

OR

Isla Lobos

Isla Lobos, to observe many marine animals before we even reach the island. The island is the home to frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, manta rays, sea lions and sometimes sharks who live on land or in the surrounding ocean. The white coral beaches of San Cristobal are spectacular to walk around. We can relax or swim here before heading back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.

In the morning, we will visit Santa Cruz Island and the Charles Darwin Research Station. We can learn all about the endemic species found on the islands and the ongoing conservation work on the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon, we will head to the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the famous Galapagos tortoises. Hiking through a picturesque landscape with these giant creatures is an unforgettable experience! We will also see other highland wildlife such as pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches and frigate birds. In the afternoon, we will head to the 'El Chato' reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the famous Galapagos tortoises. Hiking through El Chato's picturesque landscape with these giant creatures is an unforgettable experience! We will also see other highland wildlife such as pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches and frigate birds. We will then head back to Puerto Ayora to spend the evening in this town.

Bartolome is a small Galapagos Island located northwest of the Itabaca Channel. It’s among the most famous of all the islands, due to its impressive volcanic landscapes and the wildlife species that inhabit the island. The other-worldly landscape explain all we need to know about the origins of the island. The summit trail begins at the dock, with its accompanying sea-lions greeting us on arrival. The trail twists and turns uphill over volcanic ash and old craters. The only vegetation is the Tiquilia plant. This is one of the best snorkelling sites in the central islands of the archipelago. We can swim at the foot of the famous Pinnacle Rock and around the base, accompanied by many species of parrotfish, marine turtles, sea lions and Galapagos penguins.  In the afternoon, we will sail over to Sullivan Bay, located on the eastern coast of Santiago Island. Sullivan Bay is the most fascinating lava field in the Galapagos. A short walk on lava is a unique chance to experience these volcanic islands' origins, resembling a lunar landscape. We will then have time to snorkel and enjoy the amazing white sandy beach, the home of many different species of fish, turtles, sea lions and penguins.

After breakfast, we will walk through a dry forest to Tortuga Bay, a spectacular white sandy beach and the nesting site of marine turtles. This beautiful beach is perfect for swimming or snorkelling. In the afternoon you will have some free time to enjoy Puerto Ayora.

Today we will leave these amazing Islands to head back to the capital. There will be a final opportunity to take some photos of the sea lions before we fly back to the mainland. We will arrive at the hotel before heading out for our final evening in Quito!

Today is the final day of this spectacular 10 day luxury Ecuador and Galapagos tour.  We will collect you from the hotel to head to the airport for your flight back home or to your next exciting destination!