Ecuador and Galapagos Islands Immersion

Upon your arrival to the international airport of Quito, our guide will welcome you and organize your transfer to the Ikala Quito Boutique Hotel located in a nice area of Quito the Capital of Ecuador and which in 1978, together with Krakow in Poland, were declared Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In the hotel you will be welcomed by our attentive hotel staff who will give you the room keys. Then, and while you enjoy a hot tea or coffee, our guide will give you a short briefing about the next day activities. Enjoy a good rest after the long flight day.

There are no activities scheduled for this day, so you can arrive anytime.

After a relaxed breakfast, our tour starts in the heart of Colonial Quito with a visit to the Independence Square where the presidential Palace, the Cathedral, and El Sagrario Church are located. We will also visit the Church of La Compañia (1605) which is considered as one of the finest examples of baroque art in America.

Afterward our visit here, we will walk to the plaza San Francisco where the Church and Monastery of San Francisco (1535) is located. This is the oldest Ecuadorian church, where the main altar inside is another spectacular example of baroque carvings. There is also a fine collection of artwork including paintings, sculptures, and furniture dating back to the 16th century.

We’ll enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and then will continue our tour with a visit to La Mitad del Mundo” (The Equator), located about 16 miles north of the city, where we find the Pyramid marking the Latitude 0’0”. This 30-meter-tall monument topped with a globe is the centerpiece of the park. It was built to commemorate the French Geodesic Mission's work in measuring the Earth's equator. You can climb to the top for panoramic views of the complex and surrounding area and the monument also houses a museum with ethnographic exhibits showcasing indigenous cultures of Ecuador.

Later we will also visit the Intiñan Museum where we will interact with exhibits that demonstrate the unique effects of the Earth's equator, such as balancing an egg on a nail and experiencing the Coriolis force. The museum also features traditional Ecuadorian huts, displays showcasing indigenous cultures, and an ancient sun dial.

Following our tour, we will be transported back to our hotel in Quito and have the rest of the day/evening free to explore on our own.

Today after breakfast, we will begin our journey towards the city of Otavalo. On the way, we will stop near the city of Cayambe to try the famous “Biscochos”, delicious biscuits which are a specialty of this area.

Once we arrive to Otavalo, our guide will take us for a walking tour of the well-known Otavalo market which is considered one of the biggest Indigenous Markets in South America. Here we will practice our haggling skills as we shop for an array of colorful handicrafts and textiles.

After our visit here, we will drive to Peguche town where we find the Peguche Wasi Taller Artesanal, an entrepreneurship started by local Otavalo Indigenous families. We will have lunch here, perhaps trying a delicious typical dish including the roasted “Cuy” (guinea pig).

After lunch, we will enjoy a weaving demonstration as the Indigenous guide proudly tells us the history of this art form.

Next, we will make a short drive to San Antonio de Ibarra, a small village often referred to as the Capital of Wood Artisans.

After exploring here, we will be transported to Pinsaquie where we will stay in a historic hacienda that has been converted to a guest house.

After breakfast at the hacienda, we will journey to the highlands and to the shoreline of Cuicocha Lake, located inside the crater of the Cotacachi Volcano. In this beautiful area, we will have the option to go for a hike along a well-maintained trail to enjoy views of the lake and of the surrounding areas.

We will have lunch in a local restaurant facing the lake. After lunch, we will take a short boat ride on the lake to take in the views from there.

Next, we will head to Cotacachi. This attractive Andean town is well known for its high quality leather goods. The town itself is beautiful and well-maintained, with the typical ambiance of an Andean village.

Finally, we will head back to our accommodation in Pinsaqui where we can relax in the gardens of this beautiful hacienda.

Note: Optionally, you can choose to go for a horseback ride at the hacienda (not included).

After breakfast, our transport and guide will take us to Cochasqui, the largest pre-Inca archaeological site in northern Ecuador. This expansive park (84 hectares / 208 acres) encompasses far more land than what visitors can explore. Cochasqui is home to 15 pyramids and numerous mounds (tolas) dating back to 850 B.C. – 1,550 A.D., built by the Caranquis, a highly developed yet lesser-known civilization. The Caranquis famously defended their territory against Inca invasion in the 15th century.

After exploring the site, we continue our journey west toward Mindo. The road will descend from the Andean highlands into the lush “Cloud Forest” on the western slope of the Andes. Along the way, we’ll pass through vibrant green landscapes where locals cultivate a variety of crops, including coffee and sugar cane, which they use to produce a potent local liquor.

Finally, we’ll arrive at the cozy Septimo Paraiso Lodge, nestled in the heart of the cloud forest. After a short rest, we’ll take a walk to observe orchids, listen to the soothing sounds of the forest, and watch graceful hummingbirds flit around the lodge area. You’ll have some free time to relax by the pool or wander through the beautiful gardens.

After breakfast, you can choose between an optional zipline adventure or a birdwatching walk through the Cloud Forest to enjoy the lush surroundings. Alternatively, you can simply relax at the lodge. The area around Septimo Paraiso offers stunning landscapes of green forests, rivers, waterfalls, and abundant wildlife, including spectacled bears, armadillos, guanacos, squirrel bats, and woodpeckers.

After lunch at the lodge, we’ll drive back to Quito and return to Ikala Hotel to prepare for our next part of our exciting adventure in the Galapagos Islands.

This morning, we will transfer to the Quito airport for our flight to Baltra Island. Upon arrival, our guide will greet us and arrange our transfer to the pier. From here, we will board our home for the next 5 days: the Yacht Catamaran Anahi. Our luggage will be handled by the crew and delivered directly to our cabins.

After we are welcomed by the cabin and crew, we will enjoy our first meal on the yacht.

After lunch, our first stop is Bachas Beach, known for its soft, white sand made of decomposed coral. This beach is also a popular nesting site for sea turtles. Nearby, we'll find a small lagoon where we can observe flamingos, black-necked stilts, thrushes, and the remains of two abandoned barges from the 1940s. Sea lions, marine iguanas, and seabirds rest on the beach, and we may even have the chance to swim with the playful sea lions.

After exploring here, we will return to the Anahi yacht and enjoy a delicious dinner. Following dinner, our guide will brief us on the next day's activities.

This morning, we will anchor in Darwin Bay located in an ancient volcanic crater that has eroded into a fascinating geographical formation with a great diversity of seabirds that nest in the mangroves and cliffs of the area. These include red-footed boobies, Nasca boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, Galapagos petrels, seabirds, Darwin finches, mockingbirds, and Galápagos doves. We will walk by the mangroves, observing the fascinating life of these marine birds.

We will return to the yacht for lunch and this afternoon, we will climb 25 meters of stairs at one of the best bird nesting sites on the islands, known as Prince Philip's Steps. Not only that, but we will have the opportunity to snorkel, kayak, hike, and take a ride in a panga, and with luck catch a glimpse of the short-eared owl, a unique owl that hunts during the daytime.

This morning, we will anchor near the Plazas Islands, where an unusual succulent called Sesuvium thrives. This vegetation gives the landscape a unique tint of red or green, depending on the season. We will go ashore, where it is possible to observe land iguanas in the shade of the giant opuntia cacti. The main attractions of the Plaza Islands include land and marine iguanas, sea lions, and swallow-tailed gulls, as well as lizards, frigate birds, and pelicans that glide down the cliffs. After our walk, we will return to the yacht for lunch and a well-deserved rest.

This afternoon, we will visit the scenic island of Santa Fe, where we will choose between two different trails. The first option leads to a beautiful viewpoint on the top of a cliff, where we will find endemic land iguanas of the island. The other option takes a small circular path close to the beach, where we can observe a colony of sea lions.

Here we will also have the possibility to kayak, snorkel, panga ride, or walk, to observe and enjoy nature. Then we will return to the yacht for dinner and a time of relaxation.

This morning, we will arrive to Punta Pitt, considered one of the most beautiful and impressive sites in the Galápagos, and a favorite nesting site for seabirds. In our morning visit, we will be able to see both species of frigate birds and boobies, and their nesting sites in the same area. Then we will return to the yacht for lunch.

This afternoon, we will navigate towards Kicker Rock an impressive rock formation known locally as ‘León Dormido’. We will circumvallate around the huge rock formation, giving as the possibility to see a multitude of blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, pelicans, and seabirds.

Later, we will head towards Isla Lobos, an islet separated from San Cristóbal Island by a narrow stretch of calm waters. On the islet, we will take a walk to observe frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, masked boobies, and a colony of sea lions. We will also be able to snorkel in the arm of the sea, probably with the company of sea lions and different kind of colorful fish. The atmosphere is one of tranquility and primitive beauty -- a typical environment of the Galapagos Islands.

This morning, our guide will take us to the Highlands of San Cristóbal Island. Our tour starts from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and includes a visit to the El Junco Lagoon. For hundreds of years, rain water and condensation have caused an accumulation of water in the caldera of an extinct volcano, creating a paradise for frigate birds.

Next, we will visit the D. Rodriguez (Cerro Colorado) Tortoise Breeding Center where we will have a pleasant walk along a path that allows us to be in close contact with the giant Galapagos tortoises. These can vary from the smallest to the oldest of giants.

After our visit, we will be transported to the airport for our flight back to Quito airport and from here, our onward departure flights.