Absolute Ecuador & Galapagos
Itinerary
Days 1-3 – ¡Hola Quito!
One of the highest capital cities in the world, and almost on the equator, Quito’s location surrounded by mountains is something to behold. The city itself has lots of Latin charm too, with plenty of 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, spend a couple of nights in the trendy Mariscal district, and explore the UNESCO-listed Old Town and markets with a local guide. Welcome to Ecuador!
Days 3-5 – 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.
You’ll be picked up by a private driver who’ll take you from Otavalo 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? Your driver will wait for you whilst you head into the park to explore and get that classic equator photo. There’s also an interesting museum and a place where they’ll demonstrate the different effects of gravity only metres apart.
Days 5-7 – Cloud forests of Mindo
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 more adventurous activities on offer here like ziplining, along with hours of rural trails to explore.
Days 7-8 – High times at the Cotopaxi volcano
Next, you’ll travel from Mindo to Cotopaxi by private transfer. This takes around 4 hours without stops. 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. You 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 the following morning. Your driver will wait whilst you take on the 300m scramble up the volcanic ash, to a viewpoint not far from the top where you’ll get a spectacular panorama of the national park and surrounding volcanoes.
Days 8-9 – Chimborazo and the Devil’s Nose
Depart from Cotopaxi and as you travel south, you’ll stop to see the mammoth Volcán Chimborazo. 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 by road and spend the night in tranquil Alausi, before jumping aboard the famous Nariz del Diablo railway for a train ride through spectacular, untouched Andean landscapes.
Days 9-11 – 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!
After your adventure through mainland Ecuador, you’ll return to Quito for an overnight stay before travelling over to the Galapagos Islands the following day.
Days 12-13 – 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.
Days 13-15 – 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 15-17 – 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. Enjoy the following day as you wish and explore Santa Cruz independently. Take a walk to Tortuga Bay, an idyllic beach where you’ll find lots of iguanas bathing in the sun.
Days 17-19 – 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.
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. You’ll catch a flight back to Quito, where you will spend one final night before flying home the following day.
Accommodation
For this itinerary we offer the following options
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