Natural paradises

Ecuador, discover this 12-day trip

Trip Description

Nature is without hesitation the most significant heritage of the country, with areas of concentrated biodiversity that make it one of the most important natural temples in the world. This 12-day program takes you to the two emblematic regions: the Amazon, certainly the wildest on the continent, and the Galapagos.

Accomodation

No accomodation information available

Stay program

day 1
Arrival in Quito
You will be greeted at the airport by your driver, who will take you right into the heart of the historic district of the capital.
day 2
Day dedicated to Quito heritage
You will take a tour of the historic district by visiting the city's iconic sites: cathedral, churches, convent. Quito is not only the richest colonial capital in South America, but it is also classified as a World Heritage site for good reason. You will discover this for yourself. To complete the colonial and republican view, you will visit an archaeological site, then finish your tour at the Mitad del Mundo, so you can put one foot on each side of the equatorial line.
day 3
Fly away to the magical archipelago
No question of lingering any longer, here you are off to the Galapagos. You will land at Baltra, the small island attached to Santa Cruz where the airport is located. After a few formalities, your guide will take you to the main island, where you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Center. There you will see a fine sample of the archipelago's terrestrial wildlife.
day 4
Isabela after Santa Cruz
Departure for Isabela, by speedboat (still a 2h30 crossing), the wildest and largest inhabited island of the archipelago (our favorite one). If you get impatient, you can quickly head to the nearest beach, Concha y Perla, and swim there with the sea lions. In the afternoon, you will go on a boat excursion to the islet called "Tintoreras," named after the sharks that come to take refuge in the submerged lava channels and that you can observe from land. Snorkeling is on the agenda to see what happens underwater and to meet your first giant sea turtles.
day 5
Cape Rose, its turtles, its blue-footed boobies.
This is THE day you will never forget: imagine yourself swimming just a few centimeters above a turtle your size, trying to imitate its languid flipper movements. It's more powerful than an hour of meditation. You will also take a tour on land to get (very) close to the blue-footed boobies. No need for a heavy lens to take beautiful photos of these unique animals, whose intensely blue feet are incredible. In the afternoon, back at the port, you can walk to the flamingo lagoon or explore the beautiful nearby beaches.
day 6
A volcano, but not just any volcano...
Certainly, you are on a volcanic archipelago, formed by hundreds of volcanoes! But today, you will go on an excursion to Sierra Negra, the second largest volcanic crater in the world, which is still active. There you will see fumaroles and a surprising rocky landscape, with a breathtaking view of the rest of the island. The afternoon will be free, giving you the opportunity to continue exploring the island on your own. We suggest the famous Wall of Tears, built by convicts in a context you can imagine.
day 7
Return to the Continent
After a crossing to bring you back to Santa Cruz, you will take your return flight to Quito. You will stay in the valley, so you are as close as possible to take your flight the next day to another natural paradise: the Amazon.
day 8
Flight to Yasuni Park
After a flight of less than an hour to reach the city of Coca, you will continue by motorboat, then the rest of the journey will be by canoe to the entrance of Yasuni Park. The adventure begins at this stage: entering in silence, with your guide paddling and pointing out animals to you through the forest canopy, is in itself a discovery that recalls childhood dreams.
day 9
The exuberance of the tropical forest
After a beautiful and peaceful first night in the tropical forest, you will take your first walk to the observation tower, which takes you above the canopy on a kapok tree (that sublime tree seen in the movie Avatar, though a bit smaller). From there, you will observe toucans, macaws, monkeys, and many other animals. You will complete this outing with a few walks in the forest, at night as well if you feel like it, to realize the richness of this site and the luck you have to discover the forest where biodiversity is certainly the richest on the continent.
day 10
The secrets of the forest
By canoe, to reach one of those curious places where hundreds of parakeets gather, sometimes with a predator lying in wait. The secret is the clay that comes out of the ground and is a treat for these birds. With patience, you will see them descend from the treetops, branch by branch, until they feel safe enough to reach the ground. And then, it's a commotion. You will then continue, still by canoe, to try to find the animals you have not yet seen: the mischievous otters, the nocturnal monkeys with big eyes, the sleeping alligators...
day 11
Back to the capital
You are back in the capital, with a little free time to... sort through the many photos you will have taken.
day 12
Last day in Ecuador
It's your last day. We will make suggestions for visits so you can make the most of your last hours in the city and do some souvenir shopping. But you can also ask us to extend this trip, as little-known Ecuador is full of treasures and small natural paradises. There are others, such as those where you can see condors or even spectacled bears.