The Best of Ecuador - 15 Days

When you arrive in Ecuador, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your charming hotel in Quito.

Accommodation: Hotel Mercure

Landing in Quito Ecuador

Quito Airport

After breakfast you will visit “Quito”, the most beautiful and colonial city in South America, declared by UNESCO part of the Cultural Heritage of mankind. First, you will explore the colonial part of the city starting at the Independence square, where the presidential palace, the city hall, the Sagrario church and the Cathedral stand. You will then visit San Francisco church and museum-monastery (1535), the San Agustin monastery and the finest example of baroque art in America, La Compañía church (1605) and its breathtaking gilded altars. After this, your next stop will be the art & crafts gallery of Tianguez and finally, a drive up to the Panecillo hill to enjoy an amazing view of Quito from above, and admire the only winged-Virgin statue in South America. This is a great spot to take pictures above Quito.

After visiting the Colonial center of Quito you will arrive to the Middle of the World Monument and Museum, which is located 25 km north of Ecuador’s capital. There you will find the monument on the equatorial line marking latitude 0° 0´0”, where you will have the opportunity to stand in both hemispheres and take wonderful pictures. Here you can also visit the ethnographic museum on site as well.

Accommodation: Hotel Mercure (Breakfast)

In the morning you will be transfered to the airport to take a brief flight east of Quito to the jungle town of Coca. After the flight, you will take a canoe ride to arrive to the Lodge, located in a Primary Rainforest. At the lodge and its surroundings, you will enjoy rare and exotic wildlife with intriguing insects, unique species of birds and butterflies and magical sceneries. During your 4 days stay you will explore one of the most diverse, unique and richest rainforest environments in the world. Explore this gigantic and mysterious jungle visiting the rain forest tower (135 ft). You will also visit Ecuador’s largest butterfly farm and the parrot clay lick, which attracts a host of colorful birds. Meet native communities that have inhabited in this land for over 10,000 years. You will find specially designed trails for bird watching with a specialist guide that will let you unveil the secrets of the rainforest making the best of your jungle journey.

Accommodation: Sacha Lodge (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

On the morning of the 6th day, you will be transfer to the airport to return to Quito.

Accommodation: Ilatoa Lodge (Breakfast)

On this day your adventure will start driving south of Quito to admire the Cotopaxi (19,347 feet), the highest active volcano on earth, and its National Park. Upon your arrival to the park you will visit the interpretation center, where you will learn about the last Cotopaxi eruption as well as information about the flora & fauna of this beautiful national park. Afterwards you will visit the Limpiopungo Lake and admire the Andean moorlands with its birds or you can start climbing up to the snow line and arrive to the first shelter of the mountain located at 15,744 ft. After lunch you will admire Ecuador’s highest mountain, the snow capped Chimborazo (20,697 ft.) in your way to Riobamba which is the birthplace of Ecuador’s first constitution (1830). You will spend the night in a nice colonial hacienda.

Accommodation: Hacienda Abraspungo (Breakfast)

Chimborazo is the highest volcano and mountain in Ecuador, and the point furthest from the center of the Earth with an altitude of 6263.47 meters above sea level. It is located in the central Andes, next to the city of Riobamba, 150 km southwest of Quito and 145 km from Guayaquil. Due to the Earth’s rotation, the diameter in the equatorial zone is the largest on the entire planet. Thanks to this, if the distance from the center of the Earth is measured, its summit is the most distant point, surpassing by more than two kilometers that of the highest mountain above sea level, mount Everest.

After this you will arrive to the Ingapirca Inca ruins; the most important religious and political complex of the Inca ruins in Ecuador. Afterwards, you will continue your driving to the beautiful city of Cuenca, Ecuador’s third largest city. In the evening you have the night free to wander through this charming city in the south of the country.

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Lucia (Breakfast)

Today you will discover one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America “Cuenca”. It is located at 2,500 meters above sea level in a valley surrounded by 4 rivers and mountains with a very colorful countryside. Cuenca is famous for its art and history; there you will be able to admire its beautiful marble Cathedral, its cobblestone streets, graceful wrought-iron balconies, flowered plazas and museums. The people of Cuenca are known for their great hospitality.

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Lucia (Breakfast)

On this day, you will travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city and one of the most important ports in the Pacific Coast of South America. Visit the living tradition of the “Las Peñas” neighborhood, walk around the riverfront Malecon 2000 with its botanic gardens, and monuments with a view to the Guayas River. Walk up to the Santa Ana hill to have a spectacular views of Guayaquil, and drive through the “9th of October” Avenue to see the “Centenario” park and discover the spirit of this cosmopolitan city and Ecuador’s economic center. After Lunch you will visit the Natural Historic Park of Guayaquil, a place where it is possible to admire local flora and fauna like Caymans, Iguanas, Arpee Eagles and a beautiful segment of mangrove forest. On the cultural side, visit a replica of a late nineteenth century Guayaquil neighborhood.

Accomodation: Grand Hotel Guayaquil (Breakfast)

After an early breakfast you will be transferred to the airport to take your flight to the magical Galapagos Islands. Here you will board your exclusive cruise for your Galapagos experience. Your flight to Galapagos will take approximately one hour. You will be greeted by the Galapagos Legend Cruise’s staff and be taken by bus to board your vessel.

Accommodation: Galapagos Legend Cruise (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Junior Suite Cabin

Galapagos Legend Cruise

Al Fresco Dinning

AM – Baltra Airport
Departure from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra (2½-hour hour flight). In Baltra, passengers are picked up at the airport by our naturalist guides and taken on a ten-minute bus drive to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend

PM – Bartolome
Dry or wet landing. Considered the most iconic landscape of the entire archipelago the view from the top of Bartolome Island, overlooking the famous Pinnacle Rock and the austere Santiago Island beyond, is well worth the climb up the wooden boardwalk. This volcanic scene has often been likened to a lunar landscape. Our subsequent snorkel here might put us face to face with Galapagos penguins, white-tipped reef sharks and playful sea lions.

Accommodation: Galapagos Legend Cruise (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

AM –  South Plaza Islet
Dry landing.  Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we spend time watching birds fly past at eye level in the up draught. These include, frigatebirds, flocks of Galapagos shearwaters and of particular note, flights of displaying red-billed tropicbirds. Back at sea level, we once again encounter land iguanas, some of which have hybridized with their resident marine cousins.

PM –North Seymour Island
Dry landing.   This flat, uplifted, island is an important spot to see both magnificent and great frigatebird males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their grossly inflated, bright red, gular pouch. We will also likely see courting blue-footed boobies displaying their unique feet while ‘dancing’ to a prospective mate. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands top off a great visit.

Accommodation: Galapagos Legend Cruise (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

AM – Pitt Point &  Islet (San Cristobal Island)
Wet landing.  Sea lions will greet us as we land on the beach and prepare for our climb to a high point on the steep eroded tuff cone. This is the only place in the islands where we will enjoy the chance to see all three of the booby species in the same place. The red-foots will be perched on the Cordia lutea and small trees, the Nazca’s on the ground near the cliff edge while the blue-foots will be a little further inland. Frigatebirds will be all around and the views are breathtaking.

PM – Cerro Brujo (San Cristobal Island)
Wet landing. From our pangas, as we head to shore, we are first humbled by the immensity of the stunning cliffs of “Sorcerer’s Hill.” We can enjoy simply sharing the beach with sea lions, snorkeling from shore or take a walk to a hidden lagoon where we might spot black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels and white-cheeked pintails.

Accommodation: Galapagos Legend Cruise (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Dry landing.  In the moist highlands of San Cristobal we will visit the giant tortoise breeding center “La Galapaguera” to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago in its various life stages. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs.
After the visit you will go to San Cristobal Airport to take your return flight to Quito.

Accommodation: Ilatoa Lodge (Breakfast)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home. (Breakfast)