The tour starts today in Quito, the world’s highest capital city.   The meeting point is the Dann Carlton Hotel in downtown Quito, where participants should make their way to by 17:30 today.   We recommend flying with KLM and on request will be happy to hold seats on daytime flights from London via Amsterdam to meet the tour, arriving into Quito at 14:35 local time.  Those booking our recommended flights will be greeted at the airport by our local partners and transferred by road to the hotel.  Those arriving independently or on alternative flights can make their own way to the hotel or we will be delighted to quote for a private airport transfer.

Meet the group formally at the hotel at 6pm for an introduction from your guide and trip scholar, followed by a light dinner.

Overnight: Dann Carlton | Meals: D

Note: Quito is high in the Andean mountains at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters, so if arriving by air you will notice the change in altitude, which can lead to some mild symptoms of altitude sickness in some. This can manifest as a headache, slight shortness of breath when climbing stairs etc, lighteadedness, mild nausea or difficulty sleeping, but symptoms are usually mild and do not last longer than a day or two.   It is recommended that you stay well hydrated (add around 1l extra water to your daily intake), rest as much as possible, and avoid alcohol, eating too much, or strenuous activity.   A brisk walk to clear your head is likely to have the opposite effect.    Although it is uncommon, some people may experience more severe symptoms such as a bad headache or more obvious respiritory symptoms. The Dann Carlton carries oxygen for guest use, and doctors are available should one be required. Diamox or similar altitude sickness medications can be helpful but are not necessary for the majority of visitors to Quito. 

Today, after breakfast, spend the morning exploring colonial Quito, the first UNESCO World Heritage Site and South America’s best-preserved historical centre.  The plazas, elaborate churches and mansions erected by the Spanish following their conquest of the city span Baroque, Mannerist and Renaissance styles,  as well as more recent Neoclassical buildings that became popular towards the end of the 19th century. With your guide, you’ll visit the city’s gems: the gothic Basilica del Voto Nacional, Independence Square flanked by the Presidential and the Archbishop’s palaces,  the Spainish Renaissance style Metropolitan Cathedral, and the jewel in the crown of colonial architecture in Quito, the Plaza of San Francisco*. San Francisco church and monastery are the oldest in Ecuador, dating back to 1534.   The group will also head up to Panecillio Hill, a viewpoint with impressive views over the volcanoes surrounding the city and the historic centre.

Afterwards, head approximately 11 miles north of the city to the Middle of the World Complex which holds the Equator Monument situated at 0º0’0” latitude. In the eighteenth century, the French Geodesic Expedition erected one of three pyramids as landmarks, to commemorate their calculation of the middle of the Earth. Here one can put a foot in each hemisphere and see the interesting phenomenon which happens to water going down the plughole in this spot – it doesn’t swirl consistently in one direction as the Coriolis effect is negated here.

After the tour, return to the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon at leisure to rest or explore independently, followed by dinner as a group.

Overnight: Dann Carlton | Meals: B, L, D

*Note: There could be visit restrictions to the churches mentioned above due to religious services, alternatives will be visited instead.

Today you’ll venture out of the city through breathtaking Andean scenery to Otavalo, a traditional settlement south of Quito which is home to the largest indigenous market in South America.  Travel by coach along the dramatic  ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’ flanked by snow-capped volcanoes down the Andean spine, through colourful valleys covered with dense forest and tiny fields.

Along the way is San Pablo Lake, located at an altitude of 2,660m. A sturdy aquatic plant (Totora) grows here and is used by the local community to make various handicrafts and homewares such as armchairs, lamps, tables and mirrors.

Arriving at Otavalo, you’ll have time to wander through the kaleidoscopic market, where you’ll find handcrafts, textiles, and artisanal products, and can hone your bargaining skills or simply admire the skills on display.  Afterwards, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit the village of Peguche, known for traditional weaving and the handcrafted Andean musical wind instruments. Then continue to Cuicocha Lake, a wide crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano which formed more than 3000 years ago. Part of the Cotacahio Cayapas Ecological Reserve, there will be time for a short walk to some of the incredibly scenic viewpoints around the lake.  Afterwards, return to Quito and the hotel for an evening at leisure.  Dinner is not included this evening, so you can enjoy some free time and pack to get ready for departure tomorrow.  Your guide or the hotel concierge will be delighted to suggest some local restaurants for you to try.

Note: If you’d like to experience some of the city’s best food, it’s worth booking ahead. For fine dining, Nuema offers a 7-course tasting menu of modern Ecuadorian gastronomy and is one of Latin America’s 50 best restaurtants. Somos offers an interesting Ecuadorian-French fusion cuisine at reasonable prices,  Tributo serves traditional Ecuadorian cuisine with a modern twist and excellent steaks, and Zazu‘s Peruvian chef offers dishes like Octopus parrilla and excellent Pisco Sour cocktails under the Relais and Chateau umbrella.  All are under 10 minutes by cab from the hotel. 

Overnight: Dann Carlton | Meals: B, L

Today, leave colonial Quito behind, and head into the Amazon.  After breakfast and check-out,  the group will be transferred to the airport to catch a short 40 minute flight to Coca, the gateway to the Ecuadorian Amazon (domestic flight price is included in tour cost).   After landing, a five minute road transfer will take the group to La Mision Port, to board a comfortable covered motor-boat for the first section of the journey into the Amazon.

Motor along the Napo River for about two hours while enjoying a simple packed lunch and coffee,  provided en route.  Along the way, take in the majesty of the Amazon and keep your eyes peeled for all 610 species of bird that live here,  which include toucans and parrots as well as monkeys, shy tapirs and anacondas.  Reaching the lodge’s reception dock, there will be a chance to visit the restroom and stretch your legs. Next, the group will transfer to dug-out canoes (paddled by local oarsmen) for the final 90 minute leg of the journey along a stream that connects to the lake where Napo Wildlife Centre is located, set amidst nearly 2.5 million acres of lush Amazonian rainforest in Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Arrive at Napo Wildlife Center in the late afternoon, a comfortable jungle lodge with 20 cabanas, all featuring verandas with views of the Amazon. Enjoy a welcome drink followed by a briefing from the lodge manager.  You’ll be shown to your cabanas and later we’ll meet for dinner in the lodge’s restaurant.

Overnight: Napo Wildlife Centre | Meals: B, L, D

Wake up for an early breakfast and an early start to reach the most accessible parrot clay licks in Ecuador, about an hour away from the lodge. These are natural banks containing a rich density of minerals that birds and different animals feed on.  This event starts early in the morning when hundreds of vibrantly colored birds visit the licks. We aim to reach this destination just before parrot activity kicks off (between 7:30 to 8:30am) to ensure the best viewing experience.  A total of 11 species of parrots, parakeets, and macaws can be seen on a daily basis. Many other animals also visit on a less frequent basis.

Later, walk with the local naturalist guide along a forest trail to visit the Kichwa Community of Añangu and share time with a family on one of their many activities. Women of the community may show some of their rituals, handcrafts, or preparing food and drinks. Enjoy lunch at Napo Cultural Center, where you share with people of the Kichwa community. 

Then, return to the creek and walk through a Terra Firme Forest for about 30 minutes to arrive at the second parrot clay lick.  If the weather conditions permit, your guide will be able to find different species of parrots, parakeets, and even macaws. The jungle is also home to turtles, anacondas, and other reptiles; many insects and amphibians, and mammals such as monkeys, tapirs and ocelots.

Arriving back at the lodge during the late afternoon or early evening, enjoy a delicious dinner.

Overnight: Napo Wildlife Centre | Meals: B, L, D

After another early breakfast, leave the lodge to experience an amazing view of the rainforest from a 36 meter tall canopy tower. From high up in the canopy, you will get a sense of the magnificent scale of the trees, see flocks of colorful birds flying, troops of monkeys tussling, and enjoy an unobstructed view of miraculous Amazonia.   This is the second tower at the Napo Wildlife Center, located about 30 minutes from the lodge deep within the Terra Firme forest.  As you ascend the 12-floor tower, you pass through different levels of the forest and emerge at the top of a huge Ceiba tree.

Flocks of colourful tanagers pass right through the canopy of the tree. Blue-and-yellow macaws fly past while, in nearby trees, adorable spider monkeys search for fruit. Two species of large toucans call in the early mornings and afternoons, and the life of the forest canopy is laid out before you. Birds that are virtually impossible to see from the forest floor far below are suddenly right beside you, usually oblivious to your presence. The canopy tower opens a whole new world to guests of the Napo Wildlife Center!

Lunch is served at the lodge.  Should you wish to explore this afternoon, you can join a walk along another Terra Firme trail, where guests walk along primary forest to see the forest interior, with the possibility of finding lizards, colourful manakins, or the unique and endemic Golden-mantled tamarin monkey. After the walk, you’ll explore the lake and creeks in a dugout canoe paddled by the lodge guides, and perhaps enjoy meeting the lodge’s local Giant otter family on the way.

Overnight: Napo Wildlife Centre | Meals: B, L, D

Your last day in Napo will entail an early departure in order to return to Coca the way you arrived.  Check out and enjoy a scenic 90-minute dug-out canoe journey back to the Napo River along the small creek which may reveal new sights of giant otters, monk saki monkeys, and rare birds along the way.  On reaching the river, you will transfer to the motorized canoe for a two hour boat ride to Coca, after which you’ll be transferred the short distance to the airport to check in for your Coca to Quito flight (domestic flight is included in tour cost).

Fly back to Quito’s  Mariscal Sucre International Airport and check in to the pleasant airport hotel for the remainder of the afternoon at leisure, followed by dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Wyndham Quito Airport hotel or similar | Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, check in at the airport for a flight to Baltra Island in the the Galapagos (a two and a half hour flight).  Arriving in the Galapagos, our group will be met at the airport by crew members of our expedition yacht, Coral I or Coral II.  These comfortable sister ships travel through the islands of the Galapagos in tandem, and at present we don’t know which Coral we will be using, but we guarantee that all cabins for our group will be on the same yacht.

Coral I has a capacity of 36 guests in 18 cabins, whereas Coral II has a capacity of 20 guests in 11 cabins. Both feature plentiful open deck areas with cosy interior spaces which afford guests with optimal places to relax in while cruising the islands, as well as a jacuzzi.  They carry snorkelling equipment on board which guests can use at no extra cost, transparent kayaks so you can see everything in the water while you paddle,  dinghys for guided excursions, and a high ratio of staff and expert naturalist guides to guests, ensuring excellent service.

Whilst in the Galapagos you’ll take part in two guided excursions per day, which will be either a walk on one of the islands, a dinghy-ride to otherwise inaccessinble spots around the coastline looking for marine life and birdlife, a guided snorkel amidst the staggering shallow corals, or guided kayak excursion.  As Coral I has three naturalist guides and Coral II has two, there is often a choice of guided excursions available,  so guests can pick one to suit their interests and fitness level.  All meals are included on board; a buffet breakfast and lunch and a la carte dinner are served daily.

After a safety briefing, introduction to the crew, and cabin allocation, the yachts will depart Baltra. Cruise the short distance to neighbouring Santa Cruz island, right in the centre of the archipelago. Although it’s the Galapagos Islands’ most developed and has a population of over 18,000 people, there are still huge swathes of the island which are pristine and the island’s six distinct vegetation zones, including rare bush forests in the centre.

The ships will moor at Black Turtle Cove for a first excursion, which is only accessible by sea.  In this cove there are four species of mangrove in an extensive tidal lagoon system that stretches for almost a mile inland, so the group will board the ship’s rigid inflatable dinghys (pangas) to explore. Accompanied by one of the ship’s expert naturalist guides, motor through the labyrinth of mangroves and look out for turtles swimming and poking their heads above the surface of the calm waters while fish, rays and small sharks circle below.  White-tipped reef sharks and rays can often be seen beneath the boat, as well as sea birds, pelicans, herons and egrets feeding in the cove.

Afterwards, return to the ship for a little time at leisure before meeting for dinner and overnight on board.

Overnight: Coral I or Coral II expedition yacht  | Meals: B, L, D

Cruise to Isabela Island on the far western side of the archipelago and moor at Vincente Roca Point, known for its wonderful deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth, the Bolivar Channel.

The largest island of the archipelago, it has the second biggest active crater in the world and along with neighbouring Fernandina island, is still located over the hot spot, causing continuous volcanic activity and making them the youngest islands in the archipelago.  Home to penguins, flightless cormorants, marine and land iguanas and many marine Birds, Isabela also portrays the picture of the evolving process that these species went through in all different locations of the same island. Named Albermale by the English colonizers, it offers not only diverse ecosystems but also some of the most amazing landscapes and natural sights of the archipelago. There is a small human population in the south of the island.

At Vincente Roca, choose from either a dinghy excursion or a snorkelling excursion this morning. The dinghy ride will hug the coast to observe a great diversity of sea and coastal birds; Nazca and blue-footed boobies, noddies, brown pelicans, penguins, flightless cormorants.  Alternatively, take to the water with your guide – the upwelling of cold water currents in this part of the Galapagos gives rise to an abundance of marine life, which is why it is so good for snorkeling, and you may see marine turtles, sunfish and rays amongst many other species.

After lunch, the yachts will moor at Espinosa Point on Fernandina Island on the opposite side of the channel, and you’ll be invited to choose from an island walk or another snorkelling excursion.  Fernandina is probably the only island in the world without introduced species, and is the youngest island in the archipelago at only 300 thousand years old. Still active, along with Isabela it sits on top of the hot spot which creates the islands.  Since the official creation of the Galapagos National Park there have been 13 eruptions, with the last eruptions as recent as 2005 and 2009.

If you opt for the walk you’ll take a dinghy to Espinosa Point’s dock for a hike with the naturalist guides.  An unpopulated island with a terrain of mainly Pa-hoe-hoe and AA lava formations,  only mangrove zones and pioneer cacti can survive the harsh geological environment. This specie has created one of the most amazing and attractive miniature forests in the world, a place to evidence adaptation skills to the absence of soil.  The island has a large population of marine iguanas that survive thanks to its adaptation to feeding on algae, and is an ideal spot to witness the circumstances that pushed iguanas to evolve into marine animals.

From Espinosa Point, is possible to admire a wide view of Isabela Island across the Bolivar Channel, an area that boasts some of the highest diversity of endemic sea fauna in the Galapagos. Here the largest, most primitive-looking marine iguanas on the islands are found mingling with sea lions and Sally Lightfoot crabs. Fernandina displays a wonderful opportunity to encounter flightless cormorants at their nesting sites, Galapagos penguins and the “King” of predators on the islands, the Galapagos hawk. Pa-hoe-hoe and AA lava formations cover the majority of Fernandina terrain. Vegetation is scarce inland, with few brachycereus cacti. In the shore, mangroves can be found.

Return to the yachts for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Coral I or Coral II expedition yacht  | Meals: B, L, D

Returning to Isabela Island for further exploration, the two areas visited today will showcase the contrasts across the island.

In the morning, the ships will moor at Urbina Bay where you’ll first enjoy a 90 minute guided walk.  There’s no jetty at the bay, so the dinghy will land on the volcanic black sand beach and you’ll wade to shore in ankle-deep water (you can take your shoes and socks off and then put them back on when you reach land, or wear water-sandals such as Tevas).   Depending on the season, it is possible to find giant tortoises, land iguanas, and the unusual flightless cormorant in this area. After a short walk inland it´s snorkeling time, with a chance to swim with sea turtles, sea lions, and countless tropical fish off the beach. Urbina Bay features a wide variety of plants with the different range of colors in flowers, attracting different insects, birds, and reptiles. One of the highlights of the island is the uplifted coral reef that resulted from the 1954 seismic activity; here the views of Alcedo Volcano are remarkable.

Next, the ship will navigate from Urbina to Tagus Cove where there is a chance of spotting whales on the way between May and December. Tagus Cove was visited by Charles Darwin in 1835, and graffiti has been carved into the rock walls by visitors over the past centuries; this happened  before the Galapagos National Park was established in 1959-1960. This cove was a hideout for whalers and pirates, as it is protected by the surf so makes a perfect place to anchor.

At Tagus Cove the dinghy will land at a jetty for the group to explore and learn about the eruption of the five volcanoes that form the island of Isabela. The steep walking trail leads to Darwin’s salt-water crater lake and excellent views of lava fields and volcanic formations. Return by the same path for a dinghy ride along a shoreline full of marine wildlife, where you can admire a variety of seabirds, such as Bluefooted Booby, Brown Noddy, terns, Flightless Cormorant and depending on the season, a large number of Galapagos Penguins which are only 35 cm tall; the only penguin species in the world to live in the tropics. The population of penguins on the islands is about 2,000 individuals, most of which live on this western portion of Isabela; others are scattered further south.

There’s also the option to snorkel in deep water, and in this area are often found sea turtles, eagle, rays, sea lions and, if you’re lucky, dolphins swimming in the vicinity. Return to the yacht for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Coral I or Coral II expedition yacht  | Meals: B, L, D

Cruise to Santiago Island and moor at Egas Port. Santiago, formed by two overlapping volcanoes, is the fourth largest island in the archipelago and is uninhabited.  Charles Darwin spent more time on Santiago than any other island.  Already sensing that the islands were more important than they first appeared, at Santiago he stayed for two weeks and it was here that he first noticed the difference in between the tortoises from different islands, which had different shapes and sizes.    Later, various species were introduced for farming purposes, particularly goats, which brought with them rodents, and as a result the thousands of land iguanas that Charles Darwin mentioned in his diary are today sadly eradicated.  The Galapagos National Park board is working to remove all introduced species from the islands and have now succeeded in doing so on Santiago. Tortoises now have the chance to repopulate the island and can be seen more and more frequently.

The first excursion this morning will be a walk along a trail formed by volcanic ash (eroded tuff) at Egas Port. The port is named after an entrepeneur who opened a salt mine on the island in the 1930s at the foot of the volcano.  The island was known for its salt in Darwin’s day too: in his journals he describes landing at the bay now known as Egas Port and finding a group of Spaniards salting tortoise meat with the salt extracted from the area.   You’ll need to take your shoes off as there’s no dock, so the dinghy will pull up on the black volcanic sand beach, following in the footsteps of Darwin who did the same in 1835. The eroded tuff  turns into an uneven terrain of volcanic basaltic rock as we walk along. We will be able to see the vegetation from arid to humid climate zones, but they have been seriously affected by intensive foraging by introduced goats, now eradicated. The surrounding area is a prime place for spotting and observing hunting herons – namely Great Blue Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, and Lava Herons, and along the shore you can also find pelicans, blue-footed boobies, semi-palmated plovers, willets, yellow warblers, finches, and the highly territorial American oystercatchers, which usually live in pairs that can occupy large extensions of the shoreline.  Marine wildlife includes lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally light-foot crabs.  You’ll see colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water volcanic rock pools.  For those who wish to snorkel there’s a chance to explore with the curious seals off the beach.

After lunch, the ships will cruise to the southeastern coast of Santiago Island and moor at Egas Bay, where once again we’ll be transported to the shore by dinghy and land on the beach to wade to shore.  This part of the island is of great important geological interest; it features extensive lava flows which are believed to have been formed during the last quarter of the 19th century. The area is covered by Pahoehoe lava flows (Pahoehoe means “easy to walk” in Polynesian language); this type of lava is rare in the rest of the world but is common to the volcanoes of the Galapagos Islands and Hawaii, as they share the same volcanic origin. In the middle of the lava flow, older reddish-yellowcolored tuff cones appear. Mollugo plants with their yellow-to-orange whorled leaves usually grow out of the fissures. Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of been
in another planet, but can be a uneven underfoot making the walk difficult for anyone unsteady on their feet. Tree molds are found, indicating that in that position large size plants grew in small crevices, until the lava flow of past eruptions burned down the flora of the island.  After the walk, there’s time to explore the beach area or swim and snorkel with playful sea lions off two small coralline beaches.

Overnight: Coral I or Coral II expedition yacht  | Meals: B, L, D

Today, the ships return to Santa Cruz Island in the centre of the archipelago, and you’ll pack up and disembark the ship for the last time this morning. Before heading to the airport there’s one last, important excursion, to the Charles Darwin Research Center in the highlands of Santa Cruz, which have a large wild population of tortoises which walk freely both on private land and in the designated national park areas of the island.  The highlands of Santa Cruz are one of the biggest green areas of the archipelago; therefore agricultural activities started on the early 40s and grew rapidly from there. The Charles Darwin Research Station was developed in 1959 for scientific research and conservation projects There is also a tortoise breeding center,  with the objective of rebuilding the almost extinct tortoise population of Española island which had dwindled to only six individuals. Today, these efforts have restored the tortoise population to over one thousand.

The journey to the reserve offers a great opportunity to see the contrasts that the island offers in the variety of its ecosystems. The road goes from the coast through the agricultural zone and straight up to the dense and humid forests. Often, Galapagos giant tortoises are seen on the way, wandering through pastures in the paddocks. This spot is a birdwatchers’ haven, since almost every land bird present on the island lives or migrates here.  You may see tree and ground finches, vermillion flycatchers, paint-billed crakes, yellow warblers, and cattle egrets (usually standing on the tortoises’ shell).  As for the Galapagos’ most famous inhabitants, there are 15 subspecies of land tortoises in the Galapagos, four of which are extinct. They present two different tortoise shell shapes, the Saddleback and the Dome shape. At the Research Station, you’ll take a short walk among these huge, 600lb, reptiles which roam wild – Santa Cruz has tree tortoise subspecies that show both kinds of shells and allow visitors to understand the evolutionary process that shaped them into these giant prehistoric-looking animals.  The Research Station also offers the chance to spot other highland species, especially several species of Darwin’s famed finches.

Afterwards, the group will be transferred to the airport on Baltra Island to fly to Guayaquil, on the Ecuadorian mainland, where the tour ends (domestic flight from Galapagos to mainland is included in tour cost).

For those flying home on late evening flights we can arrange an optional sightseeing excursion (extra cost applies, please enquire) to downtown Guayaquil on the banks of the wide Rio Guayas, a city filled with historic landmarks, parks and gardens. Of particular interest is the Cerro Santa Ana area, a hillside enclave dotted with brightly painted homes, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. A winding path up 444 steps reaches the hilltop Fortín del Cerro.  The price of the excursion will depend on the number of group members taking part.

Note: The tour starts in Quito but ends in Guayaquil.  Guayaquil is a city in the south of Ecuador and we have chosen to end the tour here because KLM’s service to Ecuador runs a circular service Amsterdam-Quito-Guayaquil-Amsterdam rather than direct to/from Quito.  Ending the tour in Guayaquil means guests can avoid the extra stop which happens when you fly from Quito and simply fly Guayaquil-Amsterdam direct.   

Overnight: –  | Meals: B

Land in Amsterdam this morning. Catch a connecting service to London/other regional airports.