20-Day Ecuador Mainland & Galapagos Cruise

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Today you will visit the Middle of the World Monument, situated at 0°0’0” latitude. Take a picture with your feet on both hemispheres! Then, you'll visit the Intinan Museum. You'll enjoy lunch at the top of the Pululahua Crater or in a local restaurant. Later on, you'll discover Quito’s beautiful historic centre, understanding Quito's rich history, and unique ancient architecture. End the day with an exclusive tasting of the best chocolate in the world!

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Head towards the north of the country. The scenery is gorgeous, and if the Cayambe is not feeling shy, you will be able to see the snow-capped volcano in its full splendour. On the road, try some warm goodies, like “bizcochos” and fresh cheese. Continue your trip to Otavalos’ Ponchos Indigenous Market, considered the largest indigenous market in the Americas where you will be able to shop for artisanal textiles, jewellery and more. Enjoy a warm homemade lunch at the quaint hacienda.

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After breakfast, a local guide will pick up you at the hacienda to hit the road to the south of the Andes cordillera. If the weather allows it, you will be able to see Cotopaxi volcano. This beautiful snow-capped volcano is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. If conditions allow it, climb to the refuge, located at 4,800 metres, approximately a 45-minute hike. You will also walk around the Limpiopungo lagoon. Enjoy lunch at a traditional hacienda.

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After breakfast, your local guide will take you to the quaint city of Baños, at the bottom of the Tungurahua volcano that acts as the gateway to the Amazon Basin. After that, go through the avenue of the cascades until you reach the powerful “Pailón del Diablo.” Enjoy lunch while absorbing the beauty of the views of Baños at Café del Cielo. Continue your journey to Riobamba while you enjoy the view of the impressive Chimborazo volcano. This small city is located right in the heart of Ecuador.

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Wake up early in the morning to catch the Devil’s Nose train . During the ride, you will be able to admire the Chimborazo volcano. The train connected the coast with the Andes region, becoming an important icon of engineering at the time. The “Devil’s Nose” is a zig-zag railroad track between the mountains. Then, we continue to the fascinating ruins of Ingapirca, the largest Cañari-Inca ruins in Ecuador before continuing to Cuenca.

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In Cuenca, visit the Plaza San Francisco, the flower market at the small plaza in front of the stunning El Carmen de la Asunción church; the blue-domed cathedral; the Court of Justin; the Municipal Palace, the Governor’s Palace and the Church of El Sagrario. For lunch, you'll visit Ecuador's most acclaimed restaurant for a real gastronomic experience. After lunch, you will admire the city from the viewpoint. Then, visit some artisanal workshops to finish the day.

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On the way to the Coast, you will have a stopover at the Cajas National Park a must-see for every traveler due to its beauty Andean landscape. At El Naranjito area, you will reach the marvelous Hacienda La Danesa not only for staying this night but also enjoying some of the experiences offered here such as the Cacao & Chocolate Experience, lazy river tubing, biking, or milking.

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Continue onto Guayaquil today. Upon your arrival, you will visit one of the city’s emblems, a 1 ½ mile beautiful waterfront promenade called Malecon 2000. This picturesque walkway ends at Cerro Santa Ana, he 400 stairs that climb up one of the city’s first colonial settlements. This is also known as Las Peñas neighbourhood, with brightly coloured houses where you will find some of the best restaurants, art galleries and shops. Learn about the city’s importance to Ecuador.

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Today you will be transferred to Guayaquil's airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Then, as soon you arrive you will meet your Santa Cruz II guide, who will assist you in crossing the Itabaca channel to start the Galapagos adventure. In the afternoon, after lunch, you will visit Las Bachas Beach.

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Today you will visit Buccaneer Cove early in the morning, where you can enjoy some fantastic natural formations such as the “Elephant Rock”, “The Bishop” and an impressive natural cave. There will be opportunities for snorkelling, and a ride on the panga or glass-bottom boat. After lunch, you will visit Puerto Egas, to enjoy a swim or snorkel amid a rocky shoreline, usually in the company of marine turtles. After the visit, you'll have some more time for swimming and snorkelling.

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Some groups will go for a fascinating panga ride along the shores while others will disembark on Rabida Island’s red-coloured beach, caused by the unusually high content of iron in the volcanic material. This is a great place to snorkel from the beach. Today’s afternoon activities begin with a wet landing on the golden beach of this famous island, dominated by the imposing Pinnacle Rock.

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The morning starts with a steep climb (only 90 feet) up some stairs to reach a flat rocky plateau. Along our walk, we can observe large colonies of Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigate birds and storm petrels. Kayaking is optional. In the afternoon, we arrive at a beautiful beach to enjoy some swimming or snorkelling. Following our dip, we take an easy stroll to watch some wildlife. There is another opportunity for snorkelling, kayaking and swimming.

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After breakfast, your luggage will be taken to the airport, while you visit the Tortoise Reserve. The windward slopes of the island are home to two species of giant tortoises. These lush highlands include dense forests of Galapagos daisies, orchids and bromeliads, and several endemic land birds. After this visit, we will transfer to Baltra airport and say farewell to the Galapagos.

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Today you will travel to the Amazon Rainforest. You cannot visit Ecuador without experiencing it! After a short flight from Quito to El Coca, you will meet and greet the guide of Manatee Amazon Cruise. There is a canoe ride from the Coca Dock to the Manatee vessel to sail down the Napo River and begin the jungle adventure.

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Early in the morning, we will visit Yasuni National Park, a pristine region of the Ecuadorian Amazon, home to the legendary pink river dolphin. In this area, we can also find anacondas, river turtles, and various primate species, as well as the colourful hoatzin, a unique bird known locally as the “stinky turkey”. In the afternoon, we will take a motorized canoe to a black-water lake, home to giant otters and the elusive manatee, and enjoy a pleasant hike in the riparian gallery forest.

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We will start the day off by visiting an authentic Kichwa family on the banks of the Napo River, where we will receive the opportunity to learn directly from members of the local community. We will then board the Manatee for lunch as we continue upstream. You will participate in a cooking class with our expert chef and prepare exquisite traditional Ecuadorian cuisine. You are also invited to try your hand at traditional handicrafts or enjoy our onboard facilities.

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You can relax and enjoy the Manatee Amazon Explorer during the morning and disembark to explore the nearby forest and discover a myriad of animals and plant species endemic to the Amazon basin. In the afternoon, we will visit a canopy tower built against a giant kapok tree and take in the view from the top as we loom above the lush treetops and look down on the sheer vastness of the Amazon. In the evening we will take a canoe onto the river to search for black caimans by flashlight.

This is where our adventure ends! Enjoy the final part of the return journey, then disembark the Manatee Amazon Explorer to take the motorized canoe 90 minutes back to Coca and Quito. You'll have a private driver to transfer you to your accommodation in a hotel near the airport.