The Galapagos and Amazon Expedition

Day by Day 

• Day 1 Arrival in Quito City, Illa Hotel 

Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of America declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. Depending on arrival time, you can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area.

• Day 2 Fly to The Galapagos – Isabela Island, Iguana Crossing Hotel

Today we get ready to explore the most amazing archipelago in the Pacific coast and the place where Charles Darwin based his theory on the evolution of species. We will take a morning flight from Quito to the island of Baltra. From here we will take a flight to the largest island in the archipelago and where the most of the volcanic activity in the Galapagos is reported.

• Day 3 Snorkel at Lava Tunnels – Isabela Island, Iguana Crossing Hotel

Explore the amazing formations of lava created by the last eruptions of the volcanic island along the seashore. The turtles navigate their own highway from the mangroves to the open sea through “Los Tuneles”. Here, we will have the best snorkeling opportunity with all these beautiful animals, including the curious Galapagos penguins playing around.

• Day 4 Hike and Kayak – Isabela Island, Iguana Crossing Hotel

After driving up from Puerto Villamil to the trail head, we will prepare our backpacks for the hike into a young forest ecosystem, a world of recent geological history. Upon arrival, we take in breathtaking views and explore the circumference of the massive, lava-filled crater, a caldera that is over six miles across at its widest point.

• Day 5 Charles Darwin Research Station – Santa Cruz Island, Royal Palm

In the morning, take a flight from Isabela to Santa Cruz Island. We will head to the ‘El Chato’ reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the famous Galapagos tortoises. We will then visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands.

• Day 6 Fly back to Quito, Illa Hotel 

After our final breakfast on the Galapagos Island and the last photos taken of sea lions, we have a transfer to Baltra’s airport in time to catch the flight back to the mainland.

• Day 7 First Amazon Exploration, Hamadryade Lodge

Today after breakfast we will take a scenery drive across the eastern range of the Ecuadorian Andes,  our first stop will be at Guango, this is a Hummingbirds Reserve located at the Cloud Forest, here we will go hiking for 2 hours searching for this beautiful colorful birds and to learn about the magnificent flora that we can find in this ecosystem.

• Day 8 Amazon Hike and Kichwa People, Hamadryade Lodge

Early in the morning with the sunrise we take a canoe up the Arajuno river to go visit the Saladero, this is how the locals call a Parrot’s clay lick, here we will have a very close wildlife encounter, as this birds come almost every morning, they like licking this clay as it is full of minerals they need to be able to digest, this is because their main diet are nuts.

• Day 9 Hot Springs, Termas Papallacta Spa Resort

Today we head back to the Andes Mountains and before going to Quito we will stop at Papallacta hot springs to soak in the volcanic pools, it is optional to take any spa treatment.

• Day 10 Departure Day and End of Services

Today our trip will end with your International departure. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this spectacular paradise. We wish you a “Buen viaje!”