15-Day Lush Ecuador

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Today, you'll enjoy a sightseeing tour to Yanacocha Reserve. Located on the northwest flank of the Pichincha Volcano, the Yanacocha Reserve is at an elevation of approximately 3,400 metres. The scenic road up through the countryside offers stunning views of the Andes Mountains and high altitude farmlands. As you walk along the trails, you can take some time to observe bird species that live in the high-elevation forest like raptors, curve-billed tinamou, hummingbirds, and many others.

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Today, you'll leave Quito and drive for approximately two hours west towards to Mindo, a small town located behind the Pichincha mountain range. On your way to Mindo, you'll stop at the Pahuma Orchid Reserve. As you walk along the trail, you'll admire over 300 native species of orchids, aroids, bromeliads, ferns, and shrubs. Then, you'll visit a butterfly farm and appreciate the colourful diversity of Ecuadorian species like the Blue Morpho and the Banana Butterfly.

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Today, you'll take a short cable car ride through beautiful Ecuador's cloud forest. On the way, you'll contemplate the lush vegetation and stunning scenery. Then, upon arrival, you'll take a short ten-minute walk to a beautiful waterfall surrounded by flora and fauna in a peaceful atmosphere. In the afternoon, you'll have some free time to relax at your lodge or explore the town on your own.

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Known as one of the top five most biodiverse places in the world, the Maquipucuna Cloud Forest Reserve encloses 4% of the world’s bird species. In November and December, South America’s only bear, the spectacled bear, can be found in the forest searching for small fruits. You'll walk along the Yumbo paths that were used centuries ago to trade salt and cotton and dive into the reserve’s swimming holes and waterfalls.

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Today, you'll travel from Mindo to Otavalo. In Plaza de los Ponchos, you'll wander around the famous handicrafts market. Here, the colourful stalls are filled with an excellent selection of handwoven crafts. You'll then continue just outside Otavalo to the quiet village of Peguche. You'll visit the waterfall and then watch the village’s weavers blend traditional and modern techniques. A gourmet dinner of homemade Ecuadorian recipes will be served at the hotel in the evening.

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This morning, you'll visit Laguna Cuicocha, a crater lake at 3,000 metres above sea level. You'll appreciate the stunning views, unique vegetation, and the volcanic islands surrounded by totora reeds. You'll take a boat ride on the lake and get closer to an island to observe its unique flora and fauna. Afterwards, you'll continue your tour towards Cotacachi, Ecuador’s leatherwork centre. You'll stroll around the small streets and admire the artisan shops filled with handmade leather objects.

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This morning, you'll visit the small village of San Antonio de Ibarra that is renowned for its wooden crafts. Then, you'll journey to El Ángel Ecological Reserve, the only wasteland in Ecuador where you can see the Frailejón endemic plant that grows with thick trunks reaching a height of six metres. During your five-kilometre hike, you'll enjoy the incomparable vegetation. In the southern part of the reserve, you'll appreciate the crystal clear waters of the Voladero and Potrerillos lagoons.

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For the next two days, you'll find yourself in the world’s most spectacular trails surrounded with flora and fauna, as you walk through two different ecosystems: the Polylepis Forest and the Paramo Frailejones. It will look like a scene out of the most impressive films. With a previous reservation and with a small additional charge, you can enjoy horseback riding through the vicinity of the hotel, an area with amazing landscapes.

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Today, you'll have another free day to make the most of the activities on offer at Polylepis Lodge. If it was hiking and horseback riding yesterday, today you can visit the Biotechnology and Digital Manufacturing Research Polylepis, a space that aims to promote knowledge-based nature that provides the El Angel Ecological Reserve by the research of biology area and others.

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On your drive to Quito, you'll stop at the ancient pyramids of Cochasquí, the largest Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Ecuador. Archaeologists believe it was an astronomic observatory and a ceremonial centre for the Quitu-Cara culture. You'll discover the vegetation-covered area with 15 pyramids and many burial mounds and learn about the site’s historical importance. In the afternoon, you'll arrive in Quito.

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This morning, you'll be transferred to the airport in Quito for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Upon arrival, you'll be transferred to board the Galapagos Seaman Journey, your water-board home for the next three nights. Galapagos Seaman Journey has been sailing the Galapagos Islands since January 2009. It is a first-class luxurious catamaran offering superior comfort, size, style and stability. The first stop on your cruise today is North Seymour Island.

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Named after the Italian city of Genoa in honour of Christopher Columbus, Genovesa Island is one of the most precious islands in the Galapagos. Covering an area of 14 square kilometres, the island is formed by a shield volcano and takes the shape of a horseshoe. Today, you'll visit this island and Great Darwin Bay, the island's caldera which is surrounded by cliffs. You'll also visit Prince Philip's Steps, named after the British Monarch who visited in 1964.

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Formed by hardened lava, South Plaza Island is home to the biggest land iguana population that can be visited. One of the smallest and most colourful islands, on South Plaza island you can hike through the small forest of pear cacti and look out for birds, such as swallow-tailed gulls, tropicbirds, frigate birds and pelicans. One of the oldest in the Galapagos Islands archipelago, the naturally beautiful Santa Fe Island covers an area of 24 square kilometres.