12-Day Ecuador and Galápagos Tour with Cruise and Highlands

1

Day 01

Arrival in Quito and High-Altitude Acclimatization

• Most visitors arrive in Quito in the evening or late at night.
• Do not be surprised if you are breathing heavily. This is due to the city's high altitude.
• Most visitors acclimate just fine.
• Touring begins tomorrow.

2

Day 02

Explore Quito's Colonial Heart

• Today we explore the capital of Ecuador.
• The large historical center is a jewel of South American and colonial architecture.
• Quito is fascinating not only for its architecture, but for its people as well.
• This city is still a place where indigenous women wear traditional attire and carry a child on their back, wrapped in a blanket.
• Quito is nothing short of authentic in both its appearance and its culture.

3

Day 03

Otavalo Market, Imbabura Views, and Cuicocha Crater Lake

• From Quito, we make a day trip.
• The first stop is a viewpoint overlooking Lake San Pablo and Imbabura Volcano.
• Next is a guided walking tour in Otavalo.
• The indigenous locals are famous for weaving textiles, such as handmade blankets and tablecloths.
• Although Saturday boasts the largest market, there is a very wide range of products available throughout the week.
• During the market's peak, almost one third of the town becomes full of stalls selling tagua nut jewelry, musical instruments, fake shrunken heads, traditional costumes, hand-painted platters and trays, purses, clothing, spices, raw foods, and spools of wool.
• Following Otavalo is a fascinating crater lake called Cuicocha.
• This is our final destination for today.
• The hike to the viewpoint only takes about 10 minutes, and the views are great.

4

Day 04

Quilotoa Caldera Adventure and Indigenous Home Visit

• We are making another day trip from Quito.
• Passing by an active stratovolcano called Cotopaxi, our first destination is Quilotoa Lake.
• Upon arrival, we are taken via a 5-minute walk to reach a viewpoint from where we can see the 3-kilometer (2 mile)-wide caldera.
• It was formed by the collapse of a dacite volcano following a catastrophic eruption about 600 years ago.
• Next, we hike to the lake.
• There we go kayaking.
• We return via a donkey ride.
• After Quilotoa is the Toachi River Canyon.
• It is a nice place for taking selfies.
• Lastly for today is a visit to an indigenous family's home.

5

Day 05

Fly to the Galápagos and Begin Your Cruise

• We relocate from Quito to the Galápagos Islands.
• Here we start the cruise.
• The highlight for today is snorkeling right off the white-sand beach of Las Bachas.
• We spot all sorts of marine wildlife in its shallow waters and tidal pools.
• Note that on this cruise, all meals are included. Drinks are not.

6

Day 06

Tagus Cove and Urbina Bay Wildlife Encounters

• The cruise highlights today are Tagus Cove and Urbina Bay.
• At Tagus Cove, we will admire a variety of seabirds, such as blue-footed booby, brown noddy, terns, flightless cormorant, and penguins.
• At Urbina Bay, we will likely see wild giant tortoises and land iguanas.

7

Day 07

Espinoza Point and Vicente Roca Point

• The cruise highlights today are Espinoza Point and Vicente Roca Point.
• Espinoza Point is home to the largest colony of the endemic marine iguanas.
• Other features are lava cacti, black, white, and red mangrove, sally light-footed crabs, hawks, and sea turtles.
• Vicente Roca Point has great deep-water snorkeling at one of the richest marine havens on Earth.

8

Day 08

Puerto Egas Snorkeling and Buccaneer Cove

• The cruise highlights today are Puerto Egas and Buccaneer Cove.
• We visit Puerto Egas to see the salt crater as well as a dark-sand beach and tidal pools.
• At Puerto Egas, we spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles.
• The area is home to a plethora of wildlife.
• At Puerto Egas, we go snorkeling.
• Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks.

9

Day 09

North Seymour and Puerto Ayora Stay

• Although our cruise ends today, first we visit North Seymour Island.
• It is home to a large population of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls.
• It also hosts a large population of frigate birds.
• What's more, flocks of pelicans feed offshore.
• Seasonally, Nazca boobies can also be seen.
• After North Seymour Island, we are taken to the village of Puerto Ayora.
• We are based there for a couple of nights.
• After checking into our hotel, we are taken by foot and then by a 5-minute water taxi ride to these crevices called Las Grietas.
• There we go swimming.
• Before returning to our hotel, we visit Tortuga Bay by boat.
• There we enjoy the long beach and the nearby cove.

10

Day 10

Bartolomé Island and Pinnacle Rock Snorkeling

• Today we make a day trip from Puerto Ayora to Bartolomé Island.
• It is a volcanic islet featuring two visitor sites.
• At the first one, we swim around Pinnacle Rock.
• The underwater world here is really impressive.
• We are in the water with penguins, marine turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and other tropical fish.
• The second one is the twin bays.
• It is the most famous landmark in the Galápagos Islands.
• Snorkeling and lunch are included on today's tour.

11

Day 11

Isabela Island Day Trip

• Today we make another boat day trip from Puerto Ayora, this time to Isabela Island.
• Highlights include flamingos, giant turtles, and mangrove forests.
• Snorkeling and lunch are included on today's tour.

12

Day 12

Departure via Baltra Island

• Our tour ends today.
• Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport on Baltra Island.
• From there, you can fly to the city of Guayaquil or back to Quito.
• It is your choice.
• Note that your flight from Guayaquil or Quito back home needs to depart no earlier than 4:00 pm.
• If that is not possible, then you will need a post-tour night in Ecuador.