Day 1 Arrival in Quito - Day at leisure in Quito Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador! Arrive at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will meet you to transfer you to your accommodation. The entire city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing at an altitude of 9,350ft (2,850m). It welcomes visitors with its picturesque plazas situated between mountain peaks. The city has an abundance of market stands, shamanistic healers, and fourth-generation hat makers, as well as a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Wyndham Quito Airport (or similar)
Day 2 Flight Quito to Coca - Transfer to Napo River & board the Manatee Cruise Today, and after a 30-minute flight from Quito to the Amazonian city of Coca, you will be transferred to the dock and board the motorized canoe for a 90-minute journey down the river, taking in the beauty of the Amazon, until we reach the Manatee Amazon Explorer and receive a warm welcome aboard. On the Manatee, we will be joined by expert local naturalist guides, who will provide us with a brief, informative introduction to the Ecuadorian Amazon; afterward, guests will have the opportunity to explore the cruise ship and admire the rainforest landscape as we glide down the Napo River. After a delicious dinner, we will take a nighttime forest walk to hear the sounds of the rainforest and observe the nocturnal wildlife. Overnight stay on Manatee Cruise.
Accommodation: Onboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer
Meals: B/L/D
Day 3 Pañacocha Adventure - The Mythical Piranha Lagoon We will travel downstream to the Pañayacu River delta, where we will embark on a canoe trip to Pañacocha Lake (“Piranha Lagoon” in the native Kichwa language), an ecosystem flooded by blackwater river water. The surrounding protected rainforest is home to primates and birds and is the perfect habitat for piranhas, the Paíche or pirarucu (One of the world’s largest freshwater fish), the white caiman, and hundreds of other aquatic animals. The surrounding protected rainforest is home to primates and various bird species, which we will be able to spot during a walk with our guides. We will then recharge our energy with an Amazon-style barbeque at a community camp, and after a short rest, we will take part in aquatic activities such as kayaking and/or swimming. Back on board the Manatee, we will build on what we learned with an interesting talk about the region given by our guides.
Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer
Meals: B/L/D
Day 4 Parrot Clay Licks and Amazon Communities Early in the morning, we will set out on our motorized canoes to witness one of the most incredible sights on this side of the Western Amazon - the famous parrot clay licks. This unique place is rich in minerals and attracts hundreds of colorful parrots, parakeets, and Amazon birds who meet up here to lick the clay which provides a healthy boost to their digestion. In the afternoon we will visit the Kichwa women’s community project, where we will learn about the indigenous lifestyle along the Napo River, their ancestral culture, and their community, and will have the opportunity to purchase handicrafts, local products, and souvenirs, as well as the opportunity to participate in the Charapas Turtle Conservation.
Overnight: Yasuni National Park
Accommodation: Onboard the Manatee Amazon Explorer
Meals: B/L/D
Day 5 Return to Puerto Providencia - Coca - Flight back to Quito This is where our adventure ends! But first, we will enjoy our return to Puerto Providencia where we will disembark the Manatee Amazon Explorer and ride back to the city of Coca in the motorized canoe. Upon arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, your driver will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Wyndham Quito Airport (or similar)
Meals: B/L/-
Day 6 Quito to Santa Cruz Flight - Highlands - Charles Darwin Research Station Your driver will be waiting for you at your hotel in Quito to take you to the Airport, so you arrive 3 hours before your flight in order to have time to purchase the TCT, get your luggage ready, and get everything neat for your flight! After arriving at Baltra Airport, your guide will already be waiting for you and take you to Santa Cruz Island. Enjoy lunch at a local farm in the highlands, followed by the observation of giant turtles in the wild. Then continue to the port in Puerto Ayora to check into the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Station, where scientists from all over the world meet and work together on environmental projects such as water analysis, animal protection, effects of tourism on nature, etc. Here you can visit the turtle rearing station, where animals are raised before being released into nature. Land iguanas can be observed here too.
Overnight: Santa Cruz Island
Suggested Hotel: Acacia Galapagos Boutique Hotel (or similar)
Meals: B/L/-
Day 7 Flight to Isabela Island & Wildlife on Las Tintoreras Islet Start your morning with a 2-minute internal flight to Isabela Island. After arriving, make your way to the Flamingo Lagoon or the Giant Tortoise Breeding Station to learn about the local wildlife.
After lunch, join a group tour for a visit to the Tintoreras Islet for a short hike and some snorkeling. See Humboldt penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions, and sharks, which rest in the natural channels formed by lava flows.
Afterward, snorkel in the turquoise water and spot different fish, sea turtles, rays, and penguins. The evening is free.
Overnight: Isabela Island
Suggested Hotel: Albemarle (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 8 Flight back to Santa Cruz Island & Kayaking Tortuga Bay Early this morning, take a flight back to Santa Cruz Island. Spend the day exploring this area on foot and on water. Start with a 45-minute hike from Puerto Ayora to Tortuga Bay, one of the Galapagos Archipelago's most beautiful beaches. Take a kayak out onto the water to see marine life up close and see the coastline from a different perspective. After kayaking, sunbathe on the beach or head back under the waves for some afternoon snorkeling. Stay the night in Puerto Ayora.
Overnight: Santa Cruz Island
Suggested Hotel: Acacia Galapagos Boutique Hotel (or similar)
Meals: B/L/-
Day 9 Day Trip to an Uninhabited Island Ride a yacht to an uninhabited island around Santa Cruz. Depending on the weather, scheduling, and permissions by the National Park, you'll visit one of the following islands: Santa Fé, South Plazas, Bartolomé, or North Seymour. Each island is unique, offering spectacular scenery and opportunities to see rare wildlife up-close. Santa Fé and South Plazas are home to endemic land iguanas, while Bartolomé is known for its beautiful lava sceneries. On North Seymour, look for frigate birds, land iguanas, and blue-footed boobies.
In the evening, return to Puerto Ayora to enjoy some free time.
Overnight: Santa Cruz Island
Suggested Hotel: Acacia Galapagos Boutique Hotel (or similar)
Meals: B/L/-
Day 10 Santa Cruz to Quito Flight - Departure back home from UIO If there is enough free time before your transfer to the airport, do some last-minute souvenir shopping or take a last stroll through Puerto Ayora.
At the designated time, your driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross on a ferry. For the last part of your trip to the airport, take the public shuttle bus to the terminal, where your program ends with your return flight to the mainland.
Upon arrival from the Galapagos Islands to Ecuador's mainland airport, you may connect on the same day with your international flight so you can return home with some everlasting memories. See you next time!
Meals: B/-/-
Ecuador.10 days $6,850.00
