- ✓ Wander Quito’s colonial Old Town and lively Andean markets.
- ✓ Explore Mindo’s lush cloud forests, waterfalls, and vibrant birdlife.
- ✓ Trek to the peak of Cotopaxi volcano & soak up the panoramic views
- ✓ Take a train ride through spectacular, untouched Andean landscapes.
- ✓ Snorkel with penguins, sea lions, and turtles in Galapagos.
Take in the Andean culture and dramatic landscapes of Ecuador, before island hopping in the Galapagos. With traditional towns, cloud forests, giant volcanoes and the unique, abundant wildlife of the Galapagos, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of holiday.
Days 1 & 2 – ¡Hola Quito!
One of the highest capital cities in the world, and almost on the equator, Quito’s mountain location is something to behold. The city itself has lots of Latin charm too, with colonial buildings and impressive cathedrals, as well a youthful edge which you’ll see in the street art and bars. You’ll be picked up from the airport by our local partner, will spend a couple of nights in the trendy Mariscal district.
The next day, a local guide will take you into the heart of the city, starting at a local market before exploring the UNESCO-listed Old Town, with its colonial buildings, grand churches and atmospheric plazas.
After your city tour, the rest of your time is free to enjoy Quito at your own pace before continuing your journey through Ecuador.
Days 3 & 4 – Andean traditions of Otavalo
It’s time to explore the northern highlands of Ecuador. Today you’ll be collected from your hotel in Quito by private transfer and driven to Otavalo. This journey takes around 2.5 hours. This colourful town is most famous for its market where you’ll see the very best of Andean craftsmanship. The area also gives a glimpse into everyday life in the mountains, and the surrounding volcanoes provide a spectacular backdrop.
You’ll take a tour around the surrounding indigenous villages during your stay, and will also have plenty of time to explore and enjoy the town independently.
Days 5 & 6 – Cloud forests of Mindo
You’ll be picked up by a private driver who’ll take you to Mindo. The usual drive time is around 3.5 hours, but you’ll break up the journey with a stop at Mitad del Mundo – a monument and surrounding park which marks the Equator. Admittedly it’s a little touristy, but how often do you get the chance to stand with one foot in each hemisphere?
Mindo is in the heart of the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest – a tranquil, almost mystical area full of lush green vegetation, waterfalls and hiking trails, as well as a huge variety of butterflies and birds. You’ll be staying in a cosy, rustic bungalow surrounded by tropical gardens.
During your stay we’ll arrange a visit to a spectacular butterfly house. There are also plenty of more adventurous activities on offer here like ziplining, along with hours of rural trails to explore.
Day 7 – High times at the Cotopaxi volcano
Today you’ll be transferred by private car from Mindo to Cotopaxi, this usually takes around 4 hours. You’ll spend the evening in a peaceful hacienda set on a farm in the beautiful Cotopaxi National Park, surrounded by cattle, horses and alpacas grazing on the grassy plains. Your first afternoon is free to relax and get used to the altitude, or perhaps take a walk through the countryside, before you head to the volcano cone tomorrow morning…
Day 8 – The mighty Chimborazo volcano
After a hearty breakfast, you’ll drive to the foot of the Cotopaxi Volcano. From here it’s a 300m climb to the refugio – a mountain hut where you’ll be able to see over the National Park and other nearby volcanoes. It’s a fairly tough scramble as you’re walking on volcanic ash and at altitude, but the view makes it worth the effort. If you have the energy, it’s a further 200m up to the start of the glacier!
Depart from Cotopaxi and as you travel south, you’ll stop to see the mammoth Volcán Chimborazo. At 6263m above sea level, Chimborazo is huge, but some 2.5km smaller than Everest. Set in a beautifully desolate national park, it is arguably the highest mountain on Earth due to the planet’s imperfect shape.
Next you’ll continue to the sleepy railway town of Alausi, and you’ll settle into your cosy hosteria on the edge of town
Days 9 & 10 – Train ride on the famous Nariz del Diablo railway
After breakfast, you’ll head to the station for the famous Devil’s Nose railway, an impressive feat of engineering that zigzags down the steep mountainside, dropping more than 500 metres over 12 kilometres. Enjoy spectacular valley views before visiting the small railway museum, then take the train back up to Alausí. The journey takes around 2.5 hours, so you can continue your journey after lunch.
Wheels and waterfalls in Baños
Next you’ll travel from Alausi to Baños, this takes approximately 3.5 hours. Tucked away amongst the forests, gorges, hot springs and waterfalls of the Central Highlands, Baños serves as the perfect base to explore nature and get active in the great outdoors. The town itself is pleasant, if a little touristy, but the real reason to come here is the setting. During your stay, we’ll arrange mountain bikes and a route map so you can see what the region has to offer, and there are plenty of adventure activities you can arrange locally too!
Day 11 - Return to Quito & overnight
After your adventure through mainland Ecuador, you’ll return to Quito for an overnight stay.
Day 12 – Best of Galapagos: Santa Cruz
From Quito, it’s just a three-hour flight to the famous Galapagos Islands. These islands are a paradise for wildlife spotting but also surprisingly more inhabited than you might expect. Each island has its own charm, and three of them are inhabited: Isla Isabela, Isla Santa Cruz, and Isla San Cristobal. You could easily spend a week on each of the islands, but for a teasing taster, you will visit all three over the next 8 days.
Once you arrive at the airport, you’ll be met by your driver. First, you will take the bus together to the Itabaca Channel and cross to the nearby island of Santa Cruz, which is home to around 24,000 people. Here, you’ll get in your driver’s car, and he’ll take you through the highlands to the centre of Puerto Ayora. Along the way, you’ll visit a local farm where you’ll meet giant tortoises that live here in the wild. These mighty creatures walk around freely but come to the farm to eat. After lunch, continue to your hotel in Puerto Ayora where you can relax.
A stay at the Galapagos is pricey because it’s a protected area, there is a limited number of places to stay and everything is imported. For this trip we have chosen simple hotels that are more basic than the hotels you will have experienced during the rest of your Ecuador trip. The hotels are small-scale, have friendly owners and are within walking distance of the harbour.
Days 13 & 14 – Best of Galapagos: Isla Isabela
Today, you will leave the island by speedboat. You will be returning to Santa Cruz in a few days, so don’t worry if you feel like you have spent too little time here. It’s a 2.5 hour journey Isla Isabela. On arrival, you’ll be met by our local partner who will explain your program for the next few days. At the end of the afternoon, you will have time to explore the laid-back town of Puerto Villamil. We recommend heading to the harbour pier with your snorkel and dive in. You can expect to see turtles, rays, sea lions, and even diving iguanas almost immediately. Look up, and you might catch pelicans and the island’s most famous face: the blue-footed booby, a seabird with bright blue feet.
The following day, after a tasty breakfast, get ready for a few hours of incredible snorkelling. With a guide, you’ll set off by boat to the volcanic rock formations of Tintoreras for a unique opportunity to snorkel with penguins. This is one of the few islands where you can see them up close, and with a bit of luck, they will want to play with you. You can also expect tropical fish, iguanas and reef sharks here.
Days 15 & 16 – Best of Galapagos: Return to Santa Cruz
After lunch, you’ll head to the harbour and catch the ferry back to Santa Cruz, where you’ll return to the same hotel to spend the next two nights. The following day is free for you to do as you wish and explore Santa Cruz independently.
Enjoy a short morning walk to Tortuga Bay, an idyllic beach where you’ll find loads of iguanas bathing in the sun. Don’t forget to take your snorkel, you have a good chance of spotting reef sharks. If you’re a diving enthusiasts check out Gordon Rocks. You might come across hammerhead sharks, turtles, manta rays, and barracudas. It’s easy to arrange a dive on the spot. Just make sure you bring your diving certificate. Or we can arrange a boat trip to one of the uninhabited islands: Bartolomé, Plazas or Santa Fe.
Days 17 & 18 – Best of Galapagos: San Cristobal
After a leisurely morning, make your way to the pier for the ferry to San Cristobal. The journey can be choppy, so you may want to take precautions against seasickness. In the port of San Cristobal, our local contact will be waiting to take you to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon, you have time to walk along the boulevard where you can watch the sea lions that sleep there. If you prefer to relax yourself, go to one of the nearby beaches. Later today you’ll also learn how to make ceviche at Playa Mann. Your teacher used to sell this local delicacy at the harbour, but now she’s opened her own restaurant. Her fish dish is famous across the region.
We have not planned anything for the following day, so you can spend it however you like. You could snorkel with sea lions at Playa Lobita and hike up to Cerro Tijeretas, where you’ll spot frigate birds, famous for the bright red neck pouches they inflate. If you’re all snorkelled out, a half-day tour to the highlands of San Cristóbal is well worth it. You’ll could visit Lake Junco, a breeding centre for giant tortoises, and Puerto Chino, one of the island’s most stunning beaches surrounded by mangroves
Days 19 & 20 – Departure from Galapagos and Ecuador
If your flight is scheduled for the afternoon, you have some time to enjoy the beach in the morning. Enjoy the last views of the amazing landscape and keep your eyes peeled on the road to the airport because you never know when an animal might pop up. Top tip: Make sure to stop by the shops and grab a Galapagos stamp for your passport. It’s a fun memento that proves you were really there.
You’ll catch a flight back to Quito, where you will spend one final night before flying home the following day.
Accommodation
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