Ecuador And Galapagos Complete Adventure

Today, we will head to the airport for the flight to the island of Baltra 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. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. Here we will visit a private ranch for lunch before we go on a turtle spotting hike. We can witness some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and explore this beautiful Island. 

After breakfast, we will visit the Academy Bay. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes 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; they are inquisitive animals and like to approach you or swim next to you underwater. We will also see the rare blue-footed boobies. From here, we will head to a lookout point to see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below us.  We will then take a walk along the Playa de Los Perros, where sea iguanas can be found sunbathing. The enormous cacti, the deep, red colour of the rocks and the contrasting turquoise ocean are all set up for the perfect photo session. 

In the morning, we will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. We can learn all about the endemic species found on the islands, as well as the ongoing conservation work on the Galapagos Islands. In the afternoon, you will travel by speedboat to The San Cristobal Island. During our island crossing, we can observe dolphins and whales, if we are lucky and weather permitting! We will spend the night on this pristine island.

After breakfast, we will head to the dock, where you will take a short boat ride to the nearby Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, we will be able 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.

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. This is an obligatory visit, to be able to stand on both sides of the planet's hemispheres, one of only a few place 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, perfect for a nice introduction to Ecuador's biodiversity. Mindo and its cloud forest are a birdwatcher's paradise, especially for spotting hummingbirds! 

On arrival, 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!

We will 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 colourful birds. In the afternoon, you will have some free time to enjoy the several 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 butterfly nursery, where we watch enormous butterflies dry their wings after emerging from their giant cocoons. You can dip your fingers into a banana concoction and then be truly amazed as these gigantic butterflies land on your hands.

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 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. In the evening, we will arrive at the historical hacienda of Pinsaqui, where we will spend the night.

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 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 surrounding organic fields and share precious moments, getting to know these incredible people. In the evening, we will head to the volcanic hot-springs resort of Papallacta, where we can relax at the spa, surrounded by the magnificent Andean mountains. 

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 several bird species and enjoy the spectacular views of the conical Cotopaxi volcano. We will then head back to Quito for our last night in this 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.