11 Day Ecuador Encompassed

After breakfast, we will head to the small town of Mindo, nestled in the cloud forest. This area is filled with a wide variety of flora and fauna, perfect for a nice introduction to Ecuador's biodiversity. Mindo and its cloud forest are a birdwatcher's paradise, especially for spotting hummingbirds! Explore the pristine cloud rain forest of Mindo via cable cars and hiking to stunning waterfalls, surrounded by a lush green forest, the habitat for toucans, hummingbirds and other brightly coloured birds. In the afternoon, we will visit a chocolate producer, where we will learn about the processing of cocoa, from harvesting the seed to the final product, with some delicious samples to be enjoyed! In the afternoon, we will visit a chocolate producer, where we will learn about the processing of cocoa, from harvesting the seed to the final product, with some delicious samples to be enjoyed!

Today we will head back 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 visit the indigenous women of Otavalo.  Be inspired by their creations and learn how to make their incomparable, handmade scarves made from 100% alpaca. We will not only learn about how these beautiful scarves are made, but we can also help promote their handicrafts when we arrive back home, safe in the knowledge that we have already contributed to the project by our visit. We will then head to a beautiful hacienda, where we will stay overnight and learn about the hacienda's history. 

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 shores of the Cuicocha Crater Lake, 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 have a free afternoon to enjoy the Hacienda at your own pace.  There is an optional horse ride through the grounds of the hacienda, admiring the stunning landscape. 

Bright and early, we head back to the city of Quito for the flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. We will head to the town of Puerto Ayora, the largest town in the Galapagos. We will take a trip to the largest island in the archipelago with the most volcanic activity in the Galapagos. The Isabela Island was formed by six volcanos, Alcedo, Cerra Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra and Wolf; five of these are still active, making the island one of the most volcanically active places on the planet. On the journey to the islands, keep your eyes open for dolphins and whales!

After breakfast, we will head out on a hike to the Sierra Negra. From the trailhead, we will hike through a young forest ecosystem to the rim of the Sierra Negra Crater, an active volcano which last erupted in October 2005. We can appreciate spectacular views from the crater and explore the massive, 10 km wide, lava-filled crater. We will continue our hike to the Volcan Chico, a secondary crater with a wild landscape of smoky fumaroles and colourful lava formations. In the afternoon, you will have time to enjoy the crystal clear water of Concha Perla and head out for some snorkelling in the area.

Today, we head out on our mountain bikes to explore the beautiful coastline on an exclusive trail, taking us through an incredible ecosystem with a wide variety of wildlife. We start with a visit to the Wall of Tears, a massive wall built with lava rocks. We will head out on bicycles along the stunning coast, riding through an incredible ecosystem, home to many bird and animal species such as flamingos, giant tortoises and sea iguanas. We will pass by the “wall of tears” built from lava rocks and once the wall of a penal colony on the island. We will then carry on passing by idyllic white beaches, lagoons and mangrove forests where we will be able to see flamingos, herons, oystercatchers and finches, as well as their bigger buddies, such as sea lions and sea iguanas. In the afternoon, we will change our bikes for a kayak to visit Tintoreras Islet near Puerto Villamil and home to a wide 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 and is one of the few sites in the world where marine iguanas can successfully reproduce.

Early today, we will head from Isabela Island to Santa Cruz Island  to the Charles Darwin Research station to 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 '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 return to Puerto Ayora to spend the evening in this town.

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. We will then head to the Shelter "Pan Animalia Ecuador" offering veterinarian services in Puerto Ayora, where we will be educated about the process of sterilization of stray dogs. In this refuge, you can play and spend time with our furry friends, changing the lives of these unfortunate animals.

After our final breakfast on these spectacular islands, we will head to the airport once more for our flight back to Quito. You can settle into the hotel and we will then meet to enjoy our final evening in the capital.

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