Ecuador and Galapagos Trips 9 Days

Price from: $2,080
Duration: 9 Days
Min age: years
Difficulty: Easy

Tour

Overview

Enjoy this exclusive 9-day packages designed for you, we will travel through the best destinations in the Andes, Sierra center, the Ecuadorian Amazon and the charming Galapagos Islands!

This trip has some of the most talked-about destinations in Ecuador at select hotels and tour sites where all safety precautions are in place, to ensure you enjoy your trip from start to finish.

Check out the detailed Itinerary for a feel of what you’ll experience on this adventure of a lifetime!

Detailed

Itinerary

1st day: Arrive in Quito. Transfer to your hotel

Upon arrival to Quito and after entrance formalities, we meet our guide and proceed to our hotel. Ecuador, South America’s second smallest country is a vibrant indigenous culture, with many natural and cultural wonders.


Meals: Breakfast

2nd day: Quito City Tour & Middle of the World

Breakfast in the hotel. First we visit is the imposing neo-Gothic church Basilica del Voto Nacional the basilic of Quito, Then we walk around the independence square; the heart of Quito surrounded by the Government Palace The façade of Cathedral church, the Archbishop's Palace, and the city hall. Our next point is the Sagrario church. The interior of the church of la Compañia de Jesus which is full covered by gold leaf and then we continue to San Francisco square in where we can admire the beauty and legends of this religious order. Then we continue to El Panecillo, a hill located at 3000m (10000 feet), where the statue of the virgin of Quito is waiting for us. From this hill we will get one of the best views of the old and new city.

A few kilometers from the city of Quito is located the middle of the world, we visit the Inti Nan museum an interesting museum, that shows experiences that occur only in this part of the planet.


Meals: Breakfast

3st day: Quito – Otavalo . Cotacachi - Quito

After breakfast. We take a short drive to the north-east on the Panamerican Highway, We continuing onward to Cayambe, best known for its snowcapped volcano, their countryside dairy farms and plentiful flower plantations. Soon after we arrive at the Plaza del Poncho in Otavalo. The Otavalo Indians are the most dedicated and prosperous craftsmen and merchants of Ecuador. This “Market” is one of South America’s most important centers of ethno-tourism, featuring a dazzling array of textiles and crafts. At Otavalo, we can also find Ponchos, wooden goods and indigenous jewelry as the perfect gift or keepsake from the city. After the market we continue to Cotacachi famous for the leather market one hour to shop. Return to Quito


Meals: Breakfast

4th day: Quito – flight. Galapagos: The highlands

Breakfast in the hotel. Our guide will pick up us from our hotel and take us to the airport in order to take our flight to Galapagos: Upon arrival to Baltra Island, our guide will be waiting for us and will take us to our hotel in Puerto Ayora. After lunch we will take an excursion to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. The Scenery will continuously change as we ascend through all seven vegetation zones of the Galapagos. We will be able to view the giant tortoises at a farm in the highlands. Then we will visit the twins (los Gemelos), a pair of large pit craters or sinkholes where we find the bright red male vermilion flycatcher. Then we visit "the tunnels", the largest lava tunnels found in Galapagos.


Meals: Breakfast

5th day: Sail to Bartolome Island

Your guide will pick you up from the Hotel at 05h50. You will be transferred to the Itabaca channel. Here you will take the yacht that will embark on the first leg of your journey. Breakfast is included on the tour and will be served on the boat. Bartolome Island has some of the most beautiful landscapes throughout the archipelago. The most famous rock formation here is the Pinnacle Rock, which resembles an obelisk raised to the edge of the ocean. Upon arrival, you are presented with a wood stairway climb of 600 meters in length, so we suggest wearing comfortable shoes. Once we reach the Summit (about 30 to 40 minutes), you are rewarded with a spectacular view of the landscape with two beautiful bays. The fascinating formations of lava and volcanic cones give this area an out-of-this-world aura, and will make you feel as if you were walking on the moon.

Bartolome Island is the perfect place to observe the Galapagos penguins swimming in these tropical waters. On the south part of the island you can also find marine turtles, stingrays and Galapagos sharks, among other unique marine species. Relax in the afternoon with 45 minutes of snorkeling at Sullivan Bay.


Meals: Breakfast

6th day: Charles Darwin Station – ferry – Isabela Island: Flamingos lake

Breakfast in the hotel. This morning, we visit The Charles Darwin Station. Scientist and park rangers make a huge effort to preserve this Unesco World Heritage Site. The unique flora and fauna of these islands helped Darwin to formulate his theory of Evolution. The research center is also a tortoise breading and rearing center, where tortoise are prepared to reenter their national habitat.

At 15h00 our speed boat leaves from the main dock from Puerto Ayora, and after a 2 hours sail we reach Islabela Island. Here, another guide welcomes us and takes us to our hotel. Then we will visit the west of Puerto Villamil where there are various salt and brackish lagoons which house an impressive variety of coastal and sea birds. Here, we can also find the largest concentration of flamingos.


Meals: Breakfast

7th day: The Tunnels. Cabo Rosa

After breakfast, our guide will pick up us from our hotel and take us to Puerto Villamil dock where we will board a boat for 45 minutes to Cabo Rosa (Tunnels). Here we can see lava formations that have cooled in contact with the sea and have formed massive tunnels full of life. We will have a tour of the arches for approximately 30 minutes where we will be able to be close to the blue footed boobies, often with chicks or sitting on their eggs. Here we will have two places to snorkel. One is El Finado and the other the Tunnels, where we can closely observe sharks, penguins, seahorses, manta rays, giant sea turtles, schools of colorful fish, sea lions and much more.


Meals: Breakfast

8th day: Isablea Island – Puerto Ayora – Baltra Island – flight – Quito

Our guide will pick us up from our hotel at 05h40 and will take us to the pier of Isabela Island in order to take our boat to Puerto Ayora. Then we drive to Baltra Island in order to take our flight to Quito. It departs at 12h30 and arrives in Quito at 16h30.


Meals: Breakfast

9th day: Quito – flight back home

Breakfast in the hotel. Our guide Will pick up mus from our hotel and take us to the airport in order to take our flight back home.


Meals: Breakfast

Itinerary

At a Glance

Price per person:

Estándar Hotel: US $ 2,080
Superior Hotel: US $ 2,370

Price

Tables

DATE ITINERARY STANDARD HOTEL SUPERIOR HOTEL
1st day Tue Arrive in Quito. Transfer to the hotel Casa Joaquin Casa Joaquin Suite
2nd day Wed Quito City Tour * Middle of the World Casa Joaquin Casa Joaquin Suite
3rd day Thu Quito - Otavalo Indian Market – Cuicocha lake - Quito Casa Joaquin Casa Joaquin Suite
4th day Fri Quito - flight - Galapagos: Tortuga Bay Dejavu La Isla
5th day Sat Sail to North Seymour Island Dejavu La Isla
6th day Sun Charles Darwin Station - ferry - Isabela Is. Flamingos lake Coral Blanco Casita de La Playa
7th day Mon The Tunnels. Cabo Rosa Coral Blanco Casita de La Playa
8th day Tue Isabela Island - ferry - Puerto Ayora - Baltra Is- flight - Quito Coral Blanco Casa Joaquin Suite
9th day Wed Quito - Flight back Home

Included

In the tour

  • All Ground Transfers: Airport - Hotel - Airport
  • Private Transportation
  • Overnight Stay in Choice of 3 or 4 Star Hotels
  • Daily Breakfast
  • Quito City Tour & Equatorial Monument
  • Visit to Otavalo Indian Market
  • Entrance to Cuicocha lake
  • Mainland English Speaking Guide(s)
  • Airfare to Galapagos
  • Ticket (Lobito). Transportation from the Pier of Baltra Island to the Airport
  • Double accommodation in Puerto Ayora & Isabela Island
  • Breakfast and Lunches in Galapagos
  • Tour to the Highlands & Charles Darwin Station
  • Sail tour to Bartolome or North Seymour Island
  • Ferry to Puerto Ayora (Sta Cruz Is.) - Puerto Villamil (Isabela Is.)
  • Tour to the Flamingos Lake
  • Tour to The Tunnels. Cabo Rosa
    Snorkeling Equipment.
  • English Naturalist Speaking Guides

Not Included

In the tour

  • International Airfare to Quito
  • Lunches & Dinners in Mainland
  • Entrance Fee to Galapagos National Park (cash $100/person)
  • Ingala Transit Card: (Payable at Quito Airport $20/person)
  • Isabela Dock Tax ($10)
  • Water taxi for the piers: Puerto Ayora & Isabela Is.
  • Tips & Gratuities
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Special Services not described above
Destinations
Mitad del Mundo
Otavalo
Quito
Amazon
Andes
Galapagos
Highlights
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