Duration
12 Days / 11 Nights
Package Type
Adventure
Activity Level
Moderate
Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
This truly unique adventure combines the spectacular geography of Ecuador's mainland, home of active volcanoes, deep canyons, and powerful waterfalls; with the world-famous Galapagos Islands. The Galapagos Islands offer endless opportunities to experience abundant wildlife in a setting, unlike anything you will have ever witnessed. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such intimate contact with a variety of wildlife species. The Galapagos continue to form a natural sanctuary that preserves a number of rare animal species, allowing them to evolve in their unique way, even to the present day. You may spend time on your own, exploring the stunning beaches, hike trails in the Galapagos forest, or see an amazing amount of wildlife on an additional, organized tour. By choosing this tour, you are directly contributing to the native communities in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, while you enjoy your vacation.
Special features of our 12 day Complete Ecuador and Galapagos Adventure:
Type of Tourism: Nature, Biodiversity, Adventure
Places to Visit: Galapagos, Quito, Otavalo, Cotopaxi.
Duration: 12 Days and 11 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 3 star hotels at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is your arrival day to the city of Guayaquil. Guayaquil is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador, as well as that nation's main port. The city is found on the western bank of the Guayas River, which flows into the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Guayaquil. Because of its location, the city is the centre of Ecuador's fishing and manufacturing industries. You can spend your day exploring the city. In the evening, our guide will meet you at the lobby for a welcome briefing at 6 pm, where we will discuss our tour's d...
Today, we will head to the airport for the flight to Baltra Island in the Galapagos. On arrival, we will continue to Santa Cruz, crossing the narrow Itabaca channel by ferry. From here we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. We will visit a private ranch for lunch before we go on a turtle spotting hike. We can witness some lava tubes, formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and explore this be...
After breakfast, we will visit the Academy Bay. Optional snorkel equipment is available for anyone who wants to use it. We will take a boat to the Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions. These inquisitive animals like to approach you or swim next to you underwater. We can also see the rare blue-footed boobies. From here we will head to a lookout point to see the white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below us. We will then take a walk along the P...
In the morning, we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. We can learn all about the endemic species of the islands, as well as the ongoing conservation work taking place here. In the afternoon, you will travel by speedboat to The San Cristobal Island. We can observe dolphins and whales during our island crossing if we are lucky and weather permitting! This is where we will spend the night.
After breakfast, we will head to the dock to take a short boat ride to the Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, we will be able to observe many marine animals before we even reach the island. The island is 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.
Today, we will have a free morning before we head back to the San Cristobal airport for our flight back to the mainland.
After breakfast, we will drive north of Quito to witness the “Middle of the world” equator monument. On this visit, we can stand on both sides of the planet's hemispheres, one of only a few places in the world you can do so! We will stop for a view of the Pululahua volcano crater, the third-largest inhabited volcano crater in the world, with over 400 people living there.
We will then continue to the small town of Mindo, nestled in the cloud forest. This area is filled with a wide variety of flora and fauna p...
We will explore the pristine cloud rain forest of Mindo, via cable cars and hiking to stunning waterfalls. This lush verdant forest is the habitat for toucans, hummingbirds and other colourful birds. In the afternoon, you will have some free time to enjoy the numerous optional outdoor activities offered in this area.
You can go white-water rafting or "tubing" as our guide steers you through the rapids. Or maybe a canopy zip-line over the beautiful tree canopy of the cloud forest.
We will then visit the but...
Today we will head back up into the highlands to the famous indigenous town of Otavalo. We can marvel at the endless handicraft stalls of the native local people. Strolling along the narrow cobblestone streets, we can appreciate Otavalo’s indigenous people wearing their traditional blue ponchos. We will then visit their handicraft market, with its structured textiles, native paintings, ceramics, jewellery, and tapestries. In the afternoon, we will drive to Cotacachi to see the townspeople's leatherwork and enjoy the picturesque...
After breakfast, we will head to the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve to see the breathtaking scenery around this active volcano. We will hike along the lake's shores, taking a boat ride to the middle of the crater to observe the activity of this volcano, watching bubbles rising up from the centre. We will then head to Peguche, a small village located in the heart of the Andes, where we can experience an unforgettable cultural adventure. We will help the local people prepare a delicious lunch using the fresh products from the sur...
After our last dip in the open-air hot springs, we will head south to the highest active volcano in the world, Cotopaxi. The snow-capped volcano is surrounded by its national park, home to abundant flora, fauna and Inca ruins. We will then continue to the Limpiopungo Lake. During a short walk around the lake, we can spot a number of bird species and enjoy the spectacular views of the conical Cotopaxi volcano. We will then head back to Quito for our last night in the capital city.
Depending on your departure time, our driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport, for your flight home or on to your next exciting destination.
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://adventurejourneys.com/news-about-covid-19
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Ecuador is the United States dollar (USD). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: "Women & Weaving - Sacha Warmi" project to support women from an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Andes and Pan Animalia
a project to improve the quality of life of stray dogs in Galapagos Islands.
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +593 2 255 8805
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. For an example of our sustainable projects, visit: https://adventurejourneys.com/pan-animalia/
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +593 2 255 8805. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
The tap water in Ecuador is not always friendly on the stomach for those who haven't been in Latin America for a while. There is purified water in each of the accommodations which you can use to fill up each morning, so be sure to pack a reusable water bottle or two. There will also be water in the transportation.
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