Darwin's Ecuador: Andes to Galapagos

Join the tour at the hotel late this afternoon. After freshening up at our hotel, we shall have dinner out at a local restaurant.

Departing Quito we drive northwest, taking in the views over the city. Leaving the metropolis of Quito behind us, the scenery changes dramatically becoming green and sub-tropical as we enter the cloud forest. Spending a day at Bellavista, there is plenty of time to explore the region, taking some of the well-marked trails through the forest. These span a large area around the lodge and afford us plenty of opportunity for bird watching, and learning about the medicinal plants of the forest.

We will depart Bellavista early this morning and head south, with a brief stop at the Equator monument as we cross from the northern hemisphere into the southern hemisphere. Our drive takes us along ‘the avenue of the volcanoes’ where the road is flanked by the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Andes. Passing Cotopaxi Corazon, Pasachoa, Ruminahui and Illinizas, some of Ecuador’s most impressive volcanoes, we will stop en route at the tiny town of Tigua, an important centre for local arts and crafts of the region. The final section of our journey is over a bumpy and often muddy road before we finally arrive in the Andean village of Chugchilan.

Nestled in the heart of the country, this region showcases the sheer beauty of Ecuador’s mountains and is rated as one of the hidden gems of the Andes. The region is riddled with splendid hikes, traditional highland villages and indigenous people. Today is a free day to recover from the journey and take advantage of some of the activities on offer in the area. Options include treks (of varying degrees of difficulty) and horse rides. Alternatively you could take advantage of the yoga studio and board games available at the lodge.

After breakfast we set off from our accommodation to the rim of the spectacular Quilotoa crater lake, which offers tremendous views of the surrounding peaks of Cotopaxi and Iliniza Sur, and the green, mirror-like lake below. Here we will take time to walk into the crater (or for those preferring a less strenuous experience it is possible to trek there and hire mules for the trip back) before continuing on to Banos, where we’ll spend the next two nights.

Today we have a free day to explore the spa town of Banos - indulge yourself in the hot springs. However for those of you who would be interested in some fairly strenuous activity your tour leader is able to offer an optional trek to the Chimborazo Volcano for a unique experience to participate in the ancient ‘Iceman’ tradition



This trek is not included as part of the tour, but if interested it can be arranged through your Tour Leader at an additional cost.

A very early start is required today to board the ‘Nariz del Diablo’ (Devil’s Nose) train* for a ride along the historic Trans-Andean Railroad. Travelling from Alausi to Sibambe, we pass through the most dramatic section of the railroad that once ran to the coast, where a series of steep switchbacks cut through the rock face and offer amazing views of the surrounding countryside. This afternoon we’ll visit the archaeological site of Ingapirca (15th century) - Ecuador’s most important set of Inca ruins - before continuing on to the Colonial city of Cuenca for a fairly late arrival. *Please note that the train can be unreliable - if it is not running we will visit one of the project sites supported by Inti Sisa and travel by road instead

This morning we’ll enjoy a city tour of the ‘jewel of the south’, Cuenca (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site) visiting some of the parks, churches, plazas and local landmarks. Despite being the country’s third largest city, Cuenca retains the feel and pace of a much smaller town and is a pleasure to wander around. We’ll then have the rest of the day free to explore the museums, shops and markets, or visit one of the centres that produces panama hats and other haberdashery. Dinner tonight will be at your own expense.

Heading northwest today, a 5-hour drive takes us through the El Cajas National Park, where we’ll make some photo stops and also take a scenic walk of around 2 hours. El Cajas is the lake district of Ecuador with breathtaking glacial valleys and over 200 lakes, and is also home to forests of Polylepis, the world’s highest altitude tree. We continue down through steamy banana and cocoa plantations to the city of Guayaquil, where we’ll prepare for our Galapagos adventure.

A morning flight takes us to the main airport in the Galapagos Islands. After clearing immigration we take a bus ride to Puerto Ayora where we’ll board the speedboat ferry over to Isabela. Isabela is the largest of the Galapagos Islands (4588 sq km) and home to a string of volcanoes, mangrove beaches and wildlife colonies. The boat crossing takes around 2 hours, giving us the rest of the afternoon to settle into our stunningly located hotel - our base for the next 3 nights - and relax on the white sandy beaches.

This morning we’ll take a walk in the National Park to see the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre and investigate the plant and bird life en route in the mangrove wetlands. After lunch we will take a short boat ride to visit the small islet of Las Tintoreras, where a colony of white-tipped reef sharks can often be seen resting in the black-lava canal. This area is also famed for an abundance of marine iguanas, birdlife and sea lions, and we’ll take time to snorkel in the crystal clear waters before returning to Isabela for the night.

A full day’s trekking on Isabela Island takes us to the top of the Sierra Negra Volcano (1,124m) – a geological feature that is the second widest active crater in the world and dates back approximately 535,000 years. Spotting various wildlife en route including Darwin finches and warblers, our walk up to the crater is a moderate trek of around 2½ hours (taking 1½ hours for the return journey) and on a clear day we’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the island. For the less energetic there are mules available for hire to take you up to the crater, or a relaxing day at the hotel and beach.

After breakfast we’ll take a boat back to Santa Cruz, where we’ll spend the next two nights. The remainder of the day will be free to explore Puerto Ayora, whose highlights are Tortuga Bay Beach, the Fish Market (the sea lions and pelicans cause quite a spectacle!) and shopping for souvenirs (the best boutiques/souvenir stands in the Galapagos!). Your tour leader will be able to assist you with further recommendations. Dinner tonight will be at your own expense.

Today we will take a day trip by boat to nearby South Plaza Island. South Plaza has one of the most concentrated sea lion colonies in the islands, with about 1000 shifting around as males continually vie for “harems” of about 20 females each. The island is also rich in bird life, specifically red-billed tropicbirds, swallow-tailed gulls, brown pelicans, and the odd frigate bird, and it is also possible to see both land and marine iguanas here. There is a cliff trail which we will follow and offshore you may spot Audubon’s shearwaters, Brown Noddy terns and schools of mullet and surgeonfish. The vegetation of the island belongs to the arid and littoral zones; half the island covered with saltbush, leatherleaf (Maytenus), and thorn scrub (Scutia pauciflora). The side with the trail is treeless, but covered with a rock-garden-like mat of the endemic sea purslane. This is a good place to get started on recognition of Darwin’s finches; only the medium, small and cactus ground finches live here. We will explore the island with our naturalist guide, who will explain about the wonderful wildlife we encounter en route. Also this afternoon there will be time to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station with our guide to learn more about these unique islands. The centre is responsible for conducting a number of important scientific research projects on the flora, fauna and geology of the islands and houses an informative museum, as well as a number of famous Galapagos tortoises and a hatchling centre. It should be noted that today’s planned visit is subject to National Park guidelines and it may be necessary to visit an alternative island. In addition, depending on the final group size, this may be a shared tour.

A morning flight today sees us return to Quito on the mainland for our last night in Ecuador. Quito was recognised as the very first World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO, for its beautifully ornate and well-preserved architecture, forming an important part of Ecuadorian colonial history. You will have the evening free to explore this picturesque city at your own pace, and perhaps taking in some last minute souvenir hunting. Tonight we’ll head out into town to enjoy a final group dinner together.

This morning is your chance to discover the main historic & architectural icons in Quito’s colonial old town. The tour starts with a visit to the impressive gothic style Basilica, with great views of the old town for those who are interested in climbing up into the tower. Next, we head into the heart of the colonial centre to see the many beautiful colonial plazas and churches. We will also visit the recently restored streets of La Ronda, now filled with artistic workshops. Our trip ends after lunch, with those on the group flight being transferred to the airport.