Avenue of volcanoes and Galapagos island hopping

Day 1 - Bienvenidos a Quito!

Transfer from Quito Airport to the Hotel with English speaking assistance.

Overnight in Quito for 2 nights with daily breakfast.

Day 2 - Colonial City Walking Tour (3 hours)

The place to start is Colonial Quito: a city of narrow cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed walls and, rising above, the steeples and cupolas of the city´s many spectacularly decorated historic churches. The city has one of the best preserved colonial centers in all South America and its integrity was assured in 1978 when the United Nations declared Quito a World Cultural Heritage site.

We will walk through the Main Plaza, where you will see the Government Palace and some of the most important churches built around the XVI and XVII centuries, including the La Compañía, and the San Francisco Monastery which was begun 5 days after the founding of the city in 1534.

We will also visit the city’s most famous colonial street, La Ronda, where we will learn about traditional work in Colonial Quito.

Day 3 - Cotopaxi - Baños

Cotopaxi National Park

On route, pass through the Cotopaxi National Park on a panoramic tour, where you can see a wonderful panoramic view of the active volcano Cotopaxi. Weather permitting, you will be able to see the snowcapped summits of the Cotopaxi and Antisana volcanoes.

We will then carry on to Baños where you will stay for 2 nights with daily breakfast.

Day 4 - Baños

This tour begin with a tour around the city, then the chiva (a traditional bus from Ecuador & Colombia) continues up to the hill for 30 minutes till get to Bellavista viewpoint. From here you will have a stunning view of Baños city, and Tungurahua volcano

Day 5 - Baños - Riobamba

From Baños to Riobamba

Excursion Chimborazo Land of Llamas

No picture of the Andes is complete without the graceful figures of the native llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas. Their natural habitats are the “paramos” or high grasslands. From Riobamba we will join the local community of Palacio Real in their effort to preserve their “paramos” and honor their llamas by highlight their importance at the Llama Museum and the handicraft shop of the community and the llama trail.

Overnight in Riobamba for 1 night with breakfast.

Day 6 - Riobamba - Alausi - Ingapirca - Cuenca

Visit Alausi

This town nestles half-way down a steep hillside in a spectacular and vertiginous landscape where the western ridge of the Andes falls away to reveal a series of cloud-coated valleys and a road dropping away towards the coast.

Excursion Ingapirca ruins

We now drive South to Ingapirca, an Inca observatory and fortress. This is the most important Inca site in Ecuador, where the Emperor and his entourage would rest during trips to this northern segment of the Empire.

Ingapirca Ruins, is the largest and best preserved archaeological complex in Ecuador. It was built with stones perfectly carved and joined with natural mortar, this Temple served for ceremonies and rituals of the Cañari-Inca culture, also had strategic-military purposes.

Overnight in Cuenca for 2 nights with breakfast.

Day 7 - Walking tour of Cuenca

After breakfast, you will have a city tour and admire the colonial architecture. One of the first things you notice when entering Cuenca is the magnificent skyline marked by shining church domes.

Cuenca’s winding rivers, graceful ironwork balconies, and beautiful gardens are part of the pleasant atmosphere of this historic city, declared Cultural Patrimony by the UNESCO in December 1999, it’s a perfect place to discover walking and is ideal for those looking to blend into the relaxed setting of a truly romantic colonial city.

Day 8 - Cuenca - Guayaquil

Today, we will depart to Guayaquil and on the way we will visit El Cajas, a 70,000 ha. National Park that contains everything from cloud forest to rocky lunar landscapes. However, it is the lakes (more than 200 of them) scattered among jagged peaks that best characterize the reserve.

Stop at a local cocoa community to discover how chocolate is made from the humble cacao tree, the process from the cacao tree to the chocolate bar, and then taste the chocolate.

Overnight in Guayaquil for 1 night with breakfast.

Day 9 - Guayaquil - Galapagos

Transfer to the airport and domestic flight to Baltra.

Excursion Highlands Pto Ayora

The guide will pick you at the airport in order to start the visit to the highlands. You will visit shelters for the giant tortoises, lava tunnels and the twins that are geological formations formed by collapse over time.

One of our visit is El Chato that provides the opportunity to marvel at the celebrated Giant Galapagos Tortoise roaming in its natural habitat. You will have the option to visit geological formations like a natural lava tunnel or twin pit craters “The Gemelos” or both, depending on your energy level! The “Gemelos” or Twin Pit Craters, located in the Scalezia zone of the island, are a great place for bird watching. Look out for Darwin Finches, Galapagos Doves and Cattle egret.

Overnight in Puerto Ayora for 2 nights with breakfast. Lunch is also included today.

Day 10 - Santa Cruz Island and navigation to neighbour islands

Embark our motor yacht and enjoy of a daily excursion with a welcoming crew members and knowledgeable naturalist guide as you experience the remote islands in comfort and style.

Our daily excursions will take you to experience the Galapagos Islands in a safe and comfortable manner. We can visit North Seymour, South Plazas, Santa Fe or Bartolome Island.

Along the way, we might see leaping rays or other sea life, while enjoying the vastness of the Pacific. The yacht tour lets you see the Islands and their wildlife in their most pristine state. Island visited may vary according to National Park regulations

Day 11 - Santa Cruz Island - San Cristóbal Island

Enjoy the morning by exploring the beautiful island of Santa Cruz at your leisure.

In the afternoon take the public speedboat to the island of San Cristobal, passing the island of Santa Fe on the way and taking approximately 2-3 hours. Arrive on the island of San Cristobal, transfer to the hotel and overnight stay.

Overnight in San Cristobal for 2 nights with breakfast.

Day 12 - San Cristóbal Island

Today we leave early from Baquerizo Moreno Port and head to the impressive Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock, but before getting there we will try out our snorkeling gear in a small protected bay with calm water and playful sea lions.

Leon Dormido, made of two rocks in the form of an obelisk jutting dramatically out of the sea, is considered one of the top snorkel and dive sites in the Galapagos, and here we use our snorkeling equipment to explore a channel between the rocks. Stingrays, white-tipped reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, turtles, tropical fish and eagle rays all live in the waters around Leon Dormido and if you are lucky you may even get to spot dolphins and whales!

Day 13 - San Cristóbal Island - Quito

Today you will be taken to San Cristobal airport for you flight back to Quito in mainland Ecuador.

Overnight in Quito for 1 night with breakfast, in a lovely hacienda on the outskirts of the city with stunning views.

Day 14 - Departure

A private transfer will take you to the airport for your flight back after this wonderful adventure!