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Quito and the Galapagos Islands - Ecuador
11 days (12 inc. flights) - from £2345
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Incredible range of wildlife with no fear of man.
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See the islands’ famous giant tortoises.
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Fabulous endemic plants.
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Dramatic volcanic island scenery.
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Island walks with naturalist guides.
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Swimming and snorkelling – sometimes with sealions, turtles and penguins!
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Visit the Charles Darwin Research Centre.
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Explore the old colonial architecture and bustling new town of Quito.
Description
You spend a couple of nights in Quito, Ecuador's capital city, before heading off to the Galapagos. Quito is a fascinating city with a beautiful heart of old colonial villas and churches and a more vibrant new town with bustling shops and restaurants. After your long international flight to Quito, you will need time to unwind and relax before off again.
For any wildlife enthusiast or nature lover, a Galapagos Islands cruise is one of those ‘once in a lifetime' trips which, if you're going to Ecuador (or even Peru), you just HAVE to make time and budget for. It's not a cheap experience, but it is absolutely worth the money. A Galapagos Islands cruise has to be one of the very best wildlife experiences on the planet. Where else in the world does the wildlife, even the birds, have no fear of man?!
Each yacht has a highly qualified naturalist guide on board, and each day you will visit the islands. There are trails on all the islands, and you have to stick to these for the sake of the wildlife, but this is no detriment to your experience, and you still get very close to the animals and birds. Your guide will tell you all about the flora and fauna, and the history and geography of the islands.
In addition to island visits you can go swimming and snorkelling, which often attracts curious onlookers such as sealions, penguins and turtles who come and swim alongside to see what strange creature you are.
All itineraries include a visit to Santa Cruz which has the largest human population (in Puerto Ayora), and which is also the home of the Charles Darwin Research Centre. Here you can meet giant tortoises and learn about some of the conservation issues of the islands. You might also go up to the Highlands here, to see giant tortoises in the wild.
In between island visits you will be cruising from place to place. In the daytime, it is not uncommon to get dolphins swimming alongside the yacht, which is magical. Longer journeys will often be undertaken at night, so please note you will be very aware of the sound of the engine. We are using small yachts, with a maximum of 16 passengers, as you can enjoy a much friendlier and more intimate atmosphere onboard the yacht with less crowding and waiting around for visits on the mainland, as can occur with the larger yachts.
At the end of your cruise, you will fly back to Quito to board your international flight. However, Ecuador is blessed with a variety of attractions all within easy reach of Quito. You can drive north to the famous market town of Otavalo head south to the famous Avenue of Volcanoes and Cotopaxi national park, or take a short flight to the Amazon rainforest.
Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Fly to Quito (if flight selected). Transfer to your hotel.
- Day 2: Half day city tour of Quito.
- Day 3: Transfer to the airport. Fly to Galapagos to start your cruise.
- Days 4 to 9: On your Galapagos cruise
- Day 10: Fly back to Quito. Transfer to your hotel.
- Day 11: Transfer. Fly to the UK (if flight selected)
Detailed Itinerary
- Day 1: Leave London early in the morning for your flight to arrive in Quito in the afternoon (if selected). You will be met by our representative at the airport on arrival in Quito and taken to your hotel with the rest of the day free to relax or explore the city on your own. Quito is at an altitude of just under 3,000m, so you do have to be prepared for the effects of altitude - take things slowly and don't tire yourself out. If you have the energy, your hotel is within easy walking distance of the shops and restaurants of Quito's new town.
- Day 2: A half day tour of Quito's attractive colonial old town will be arranged for the morning. Quito is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in South America, with a well preserved colonial heart. Our tour will take in the palaces, mansions and churches of the old town, including the impressive cathedral on the Plaza de la Independenceia and the Monasterio de San Francisco. We'll also take you to El Pancillo, a hill in the middle of the city from which you get great views over Quito to the surrounding volcanoes - on a clear day! In the afternoon, you are free to continue you exploration of Colonial Quito, or return to the new town of La Mariscal Sucre to relax in the cafes and bars or shop for souvenirs. B
- Days 3 to 10: We'll pick you up and take you to the airport to board the morning flight to the Galapagos, arriving around midday. On arrival, you will need to pay the Galapagos National Park Fee before meeting your guide who will be waiting for you at the airport. Once everyone from your yacht has arrived, you'll be taken the short journey to Baltra harbour to begin your 8 day Galapagos cruise. B
The exact itinerary for the next week will depend on the yacht, with different yachts operating different itineraries on different weeks. The yacht's itineraries are all set by the Galapagos national park authorities. We've got a couple of different yachts and each has a couple of different itineraries! So have a look at the departure dates to see which one applies. The most common itinerary for the Cachalote which departs on a Wednesday is our itinerary A which is as follows: - Day 3 (Wed): After arrival in Baltra and transfer to the yacht, continue to Puerto Ayora: Visit El Chato or Charles Darwin Centre B,L,D
- Day 4 (Thurs): Visit South plazas and Santa Fe B,L,D
- Day 5 (Fri): Visit San Cristoba: Cerro Brujo, Galapaguera and El Jungo B,L,D
- Day 6 (Sat): Espanola: Gardner Bay and Punta Suarez B,L,D
- Day 7 (Sun): Visit Floreana: Punta Cormorant, Devil's Crown and Post Office Bay B,L,D
- Day 8 (Mon): Visit Santa Cruz: Cerro Dragon and Santiago: Sullivan Bay B,L,D
- Day 9 (Tues): Visit Genovesa: Prince Phillip's Steps and Darwin Bay B,L,D
- Day 10 (Wed): Visit Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove. Your cruise will end at Baltra, from where you will be taken back to the airport for your flight back to Quito, arriving in the early evening. On arrival, you will be taken to your hotel for a final night. B
- Day 11: If you are on an afternoon flight, you will have the morning free to relax and explore the sights of Quito. You'll need to check into the airport 3 hours before your international flight departs, and we'll collect you from your hotel and transfer you to the airport in plenty of time (if flights selected). B
Our itinerary B is also on the Cachalote and starts on a Wednesday. The following replaces days 3 to 10 above:
- Day 3 (Wed): After arrival in Baltra and transfer to the yacht, continue to Puerto Ayora and up to the Santa Cruz Highlands or Charles Darwin Station B,L,D
- Day 4 (Thurs): Visit Chinese Hat and Rabida B,L,D
- Day 5 (Fri): Isabela: Puerto Villamil: visit Tintoreras - Volcan Sierra Negra B,L,D
- Day 6 (Sat): Isabela: Punta Moreno: visit Elizabeth Bay B,L,D
- Day 7 (Sun): Isabela: Urbiba Bay: visit Tagus Cove B,L,D
- Day 8 (Mon): Fernandina: Pinta Espinosa - Isabela: visit Vicente Roca B,L,D
- Day 9 (Tues): James: Puerto Egas - Bartolome B,L,D
- Day 10 (Wed): Visit North Seymour. Your cruise will end at Baltra, from where you will be taken back to the airport for your flight back to Quito, arriving in the early evening. On arrival, you will be taken to your hotel for a final night. B
Our itinerary C is on the Beluga and starts on a Friday. The following replaces days 3 to 10 above:
- Day 3 (Fri): After arrival in Baltra and transfer to the yacht, visit to Dragon Hill B,L,D
- Day 4 (Sat): Santa Fe - Plazas B,L,D
- Day 5 (Sun): San Cristobal: visit Punta Pitt & Isla Lobos B,L,D
- Day 6 (Mon): Espanola: Visit Gardner Bay & Punta Suarez B,L,D
- Day 7 (Tues): Santa Cruz: visit Charles Darwin Starion and the Highlands B,L,D
- Day 8 (Wed): James: Visit Espumilla Beach, Buccaneer cove & Sullivan Bay B,L,D
- Day 9 (Thur): Genovesa: Darwin Bay & El Barranco B,L,D
- Day 10 (Fri): Visit Santa Cruz: Black Turtle Cove. Your cruise will end at Baltra, from where you will be taken back to the airport for your flight back to Quito, arriving in the early evening. On arrival, you will be taken to your hotel for a final night. B
Is it for you?
This is for all wildlife and nature lovers, no matter what age or fitness.
Best times to go
The Galapagos Islands is a year round destination.
Getting there
We have based this trip on Iberia flights which leave London Heathrow early in the morning to arrive in Quito the same afternoon, changing planes in Madrid. We can also offer flights with KLM which is an overnight flight from the UK and you might therefore want an extra night in Quito. If you are arranging your own flights you need to arrive in Quito any time on Day 1 and depart from Quito any time on day 11.
Gallery
Responsible Travel
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The Galapagos Islands are a very fragile and unique environment. It is a strange concept but were it not for the value of tourism in this area the islands would undoubtedly have been allowed to be plundered and destroyed decades ago. The environment is threatened by over fishing, human settlement, the introduction of rougue species of flora and fauna, and if left unchecked the removal of existing indigenous species - some sub-species were hunted to extinction.
By supporting responsible tourism in this sensitive area we are actively contributing to the massive conservation task. There is a National Parks tax of $100 per person which goes directly to the islands conservation initiatives. But most importantly, we work with a number of boats that are Ecuadorian owned and whose owners can demonstrate a positive ecological and social responsibility policy. This encompasses the broader issues of the human population on the islands as well as the more obvious wildlife conservation. |
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Inca Highlights
Venture to the very heart of the ancient Inca Empire. You'll have the opportunity to explore the area around Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Experience the fascinating mix of colonial architecture and Inca ruins, mix with the locals in traditional Andean market villages and explore Peru's vibrant capital - Lima.
Duration: 9 days (10 inc. flights), From £1200pp
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I can’t fault any aspect of the trip and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others. We did not really know what to expect in terms of the yacht but we couldn’t fault it... All services were very good and the food was excellent...We had a fantastic time and everything ran smoothly from an organizational point of view...Both [the guides]seemed passionate and responsible about their subject which helps to spread interest.
Jane Feron (March 2011)