Totally Ecuador & Galapagos Cruise - 12 Days

Arrive in Quito and make your own way to the hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

After breakfast, we enjoy a fully guided tour of Quito. We begin in the well-preserved colonial centre, visiting Independence Square, followed by La Compañia de Jesus, a 17th-century baroque church renowned for its ornate interior. We also visit the San Francisco Church and Monastery, one of the oldest religious complexes in South America, before continuing to the Virgen de El Panecillo, a towering statue with panoramic views across the city.

We then travel north to the Middle of the World, where the equator divides the hemispheres. We visit the monument honouring the French scientific expedition of the 18th century, and the Inti Ñan Museum, located on the true equatorial line. We return to Quito in the afternoon.

Quito - Otavalo - Papallacta. Today you depart Quito and drive north towards the province of Imbabura, often called the Lake Province. En route, you taste local fruits in the Guayllabamba Valley and cross the Equatorial Line near Cayambe, an area known for its clear views of the snow-capped Cayambe Volcano. This is a good place to try the region’s traditional salt biscuits with leaf cheese.

At the base of Imbabura Volcano you enjoy views of Lake San Pablo before arriving in Otavalo. Here you visit the famous Indigenous Market, the largest in South America, where vendors display colourful textiles, ponchos and artisan crafts. We continue to the small town of Cotacachi, well known for its long tradition of leather craftsmanship, before driving to Papallacta in the afternoon.

This morning you travel along the historic route taken by Francisco de Orellana as he journeyed towards the Amazon in search of the legendary El Dorado. As altitude changes, the scenery shifts dramatically. At 3,300 metres above sea level, you arrive at the Papallacta Hot Springs, where you can relax in natural thermal pools surrounded by mountain landscapes.

Papallacta - Amazon. After lunch, we continue towards Misahualli in the Napo Province, an area known for its rich Amazonian culture, wildlife and cuisine. The road ends at Punta Ahuano, a small port on the Napo River, where canoes await to take you on a short downstream journey to your lodge. On arrival, enjoy a welcome cocktail and settle into the tropical surroundings before dinner, accompanied by the sounds of the jungle.

We begin the day with an early breakfast before setting out along forest trails through primary and secondary jungle. As we walk, we look for birds, insects, medicinal plants and towering trees used in traditional construction and daily life. Along the way, there are chances to cross hanging bridges or swing from vines.

We then experience a true explorer’s tradition by building a simple raft from balsa logs and, for those who wish, floating down the Napo River back towards La Casa del Suizo. After lunch, we take a one-hour walk on a flat river island known for its plants and insects, followed by a visit to the butterfly house, where we observe the full life cycle of local species.

Amazon - Banos. After breakfast, we drive up into the Andes and continue to the town of Baños, set in a valley of waterfalls and thermal springs. The area lies at the base of Tungurahua, one of Ecuador’s most active volcanoes, and is known for outdoor adventure.

We follow the well-known waterfall route along the Pastaza River, where we see more than eleven waterfalls. Highlights include the Agoyan Waterfall, reached by cable car, the Manto de la Novia Waterfall, and the powerful Pailon del Diablo, which plunges nearly 80 metres and drenches everything in its path.

Banos - Quito. After breakfast, we travel to Cotopaxi National Park. Weather permitting, we enjoy views of Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes at 5,897 metres. Entering the park along the Pan-American Highway, we follow a dirt road through pine forest to Limpiopungo Lake, a glacial lake at 3,800 metres, with excellent views of the surrounding paramo landscape. We then continue to Quito.

Quito - Santa Cruz. You are transferred to the airport for your flight to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. As you approach, the volcanic scenery gives a first glimpse of this extraordinary archipelago. On arrival, our cruise staff welcome you and escort you to your vessel.

In the afternoon, we explore the highlands of Santa Cruz, visiting a tortoise ranch to observe giant tortoises in their natural habitat. We also discover underground lava tunnels, some more than one kilometre long, and look out for barn owls that sometimes roost inside.

Santa Cruz - Dragon Hill - Chinese Hat. This morning we travel to the west coast of Santa Cruz to visit Cerro Dragon. After landing, we walk to a hypersaline lagoon frequented by flamingos, pintail ducks and stilts before passing through a rare Scalesia forest.

In the afternoon, we visit the small island known as Chinese Hat. Here you may see Galapagos penguins, sea lions and marine iguanas, and the waters are ideal for snorkelling among tropical fish. A short hike leads to viewpoints over the island’s volcanic terrain, and there is time to enjoy the white-coral beach before returning to the vessel.

Chinese Hat - El Barranco - Darwin Bay. Today we explore remote Genovesa Island, celebrated for its large red-footed booby colony. We begin at El Barranco, also called Prince Philip’s Steps, a steep staircase leading to a plateau with superb views. Along the palo santo trail we encounter Nazca and red-footed boobies, mockingbirds, finches and, with luck, short-eared owls hunting among the storm petrels.

We then sail to Darwin Bay, formed by the flooded caldera of an ancient volcano. After landing on a small coral beach, we follow a flat trail where we may see swallow-tailed gulls, yellow-crowned night herons, lava herons, Galapagos doves and yellow warblers, as well as red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. A tidal lagoon provides opportunities to see playful sea lions before we reach a cliffside viewpoint overlooking this remote island.

Darwin Bay - Baltra - Quito. This morning we explore coastal mangroves by panga, looking for manta rays, sea turtles and whitetip reef sharks gliding through the calm waters. In the afternoon, you are transferred to Baltra Airport for your flight to Quito and your onward connection home.