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14-Day From the Andes to the Galapagos

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Overview

This trip from the Andes to the Galapagos Islands will allow you to discover the diversity of Ecuador's landscapes.

You will pass from almost 6,000 m above sea level in the Cotopaxi National Park to below sea level in the Galapagos. You will have the opportunity to hike in the Andes and observe some of our most pristine natural vistas, and then travel for a completely different view during the Galapagos tour where you will practice snorkeling with sea turtles.

This is a trip that will truly take you from one extreme to another, through breathtaking landscapes, and leave you with wonderful memories and photos to treasure.
Outdoors & Nature
Culture & Arts
Hiking & Trekking
Diving
Sightseeing

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival In Quito

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Arrival In Quito

You will arrive in Quito and have private transport from the airport to the hotel. Have the rest of the day to rest after your travels.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Boutique Hotel Casa El Edén4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre to Boutique Hotel Casa El Edén

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Quito

Day 2

Quito Historic Centre

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Quito Historic Centre

Today you will visit Quito's historic centre. We will begin early in the morning to have enough time to see the best highlights of the city. We will go to an overlook to get a great view of Quito and then we will visit the beautiful centre area that is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Boutique Hotel Casa El Edén4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Quito City Tour

    El Panecillo

    Church and Monastery of San Francisco

    Carondelet Palace

    Cathedral of Quito

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Quito

Day 3

Cayambe and Otavalo

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Cayambe and Otavalo

You will go to Cayambe, famous for its snow-capped volcano. Afterwards, visit a plantation of roses and learn about how Ecuador is able to produce some of the largest rosebuds, which aids with its status as one of the largest rose exporters in the world. Then, head to the famous Otavalo's indigenous market to observe where the locals shop and also buy some exciting souvenirs.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Las Palmeras Inn3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Roses of Cayambe

    Otavalo Market

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Boutique Hotel Casa El Edén to Otavalo

    Private Driver from Otavalo to Las Palmeras Inn

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Quito

    Comunidad de Cariacu

    Otavalo

    Imbabura Province

Day 4

Cuicocha Lake, Otavalo and Machachi

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Cuicocha Lake, Otavalo and Machachi

Visit the Cuicocha Lake in the ecologic reserve of "Cotacachi - Cayapas". This is one of the most beautiful natural reserves in Ecuador with shiny blue water and diverse flora and fauna. You will hike around the lake to get several different vantage points of its beauty.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hosteria Papagayo Cotopaxi

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Cuicocha Lake

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Las Palmeras Inn to Cuicocha

    Private Driver from Cuicocha to Hosteria Papagayo Cotopaxi

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Imbabura Province

    Pichincha

Day 5

Cotopaxi Park, Sigchos, Chugchilan and Isinlivi

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Cotopaxi Park, Sigchos, Chugchilan and Isinlivi

Today, visit the Cotopaxi National Park with Ecuador's second-highest summit at 5897 metres. You will walk around the Limpiopungo Lagoon with stunning views of the Cotopaxi volcano. You can appreciate the flora and some fauna, typical of the "paramo", which are the wide plains swept by the cold winds of the Andes. After driving up to the car park at 4600 metres, you will continue by foot to the José Rivas hut 200 metres higher. The most motivated can also reach the snowline.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    LluLlu Llama Mountain Lodge

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Cotopaxi National Park

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hosteria Papagayo Cotopaxi to Cotopaxi

    Private Driver from Cotopaxi to Isinliví

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Pichincha

    Cotopaxi Province

Day 6

Chugchilan, Quilotoa and Riobamba

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Chugchilan, Quilotoa and Riobamba

Visit the Quilotoa Lake and hike around its perimeter. The emerald-coloured Quilotoa Lake (3854m) lies in an active volcano, it gains its green colour the presence of sulfur. We will visit the lake, and after hiking, we will travel to the hotel in Riobamba.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Bella Casona3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Laguna Quilotoa

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Isinliví to Quilotoa Lake

    Private Driver from Quilotoa Lake to Hotel Bella Casona

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Cotopaxi Province

    Riobamba

Day 7

Balbanera & Colta, Nariz del Diablo and Cuenca

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Balbanera & Colta, Nariz del Diablo and Cuenca

Get ready for an early start today as we board a train in Alausi to pass through the Nariz del Diablo. The train is more modern than the former trains, and the trip is very safe. You will pass by the "Nariz del Diablo" (Devil's nose) with successive Andean landscapes of highlands, forests, deep gorges, and locals along the way. We will be back on the road in the afternoon to travel to Ingapirca, a site where the rock is full of legends and history.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel de las Culturas3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Train Nariz del Diablo

    Ingapirca Ruins

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel Bella Casona to Alausi

    Private Driver from Alausi to Cuenca

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Riobamba

    Alausi

    Cañar Province

    Cuenca

Day 8

Cuenca

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Cuenca

Today, you will visit the historic city of Cuenca with its great examples of Spanish colonial Renaissance architecture. Then, we will tour a Panama hats workshop established in Cuenca more than 60 years ago. You can observe the different stage of the hats' fabrication, which are an Ecuadorian speciality.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel de las Culturas3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Cuenca Historic Centre

    Old Cathedral of Cuenca

    Panama Hat Museum

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Cuenca

Day 9

Cajas Park and Guayaquil

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Cajas Park and Guayaquil

You will continue to the Western mountain range to Cajas National Park from Cuenca, where you will enjoy stunning views over the many lakes of this protected area. Then, journey onward to reach Guayaquil, Ecuador's biggest city and economic capital. Down from the mountains, you will pass by fertile lowlands with huge orchards and banana plantations before arriving in Guayaquil.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Palace4 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    El Cajas National Park

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel de las Culturas to Parque Nacional Cajas

    Private Driver from Parque Nacional Cajas to Hotel Palace

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Cuenca

    Azuay

    Guayaquil

Day 10

Baltra and Santa Cruz

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Baltra and Santa Cruz

Today, take a flight to the Galapagos. You will visit the interior of Santa Cruz Island on your way to the south of the island where your hotel is located. Once you arrive in the south, you will begin your Galapagos tour with a visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Dejavu3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Santa Cruz Highlands

    Charles Darwin Research Station

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel Palace to Aeropuerto Internacional José Joaquín De Olmedo

    Plane from Guayaquil to Baltra Island

    Private Driver from Seymour Airport to Hotel Dejavu

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Guayaquil

    Galápagos Islands

    Puerto Ayora

Day 11

Tintoreras Rock and Concha y Perla

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Tintoreras Rock and Concha y Perla

You will travel from Santa Cruz to Isabela Island aboard a public speedboat this day. You will visit "Tintoreras", which are small volcanic rock islands that in front of Puerto Villamil. They are named from the shark population "tintorera" that are abundant in the turquoise waters bordering these islands.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    The Wooden House Lodge3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Las Tintoreras Islet

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel Dejavu to Puerto Ayora

    Boat from Santa Cruz Island to Isabela Island

    Private Driver from Puerto Villamil to The Wooden House Lodge

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Puerto Ayora

    Ecuador

    Puerto Villamil

Day 12

Puerto Villamil and Rose Cape

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Puerto Villamil and Rose Cape

You will visit Los Tuneles, one of the best places to practice diving since it offers calm, transparent waters. This area is unique because it has geological formations made up of lava, which over time formed a large number of arches and tunnels in and out of the water.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    The Wooden House Lodge3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Diving in Los Tuneles of Lava

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from The Wooden House Lodge to Puerto Villamil

    Private Driver from Puerto Villamil to The Wooden House Lodge

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Puerto Villamil

    Ecuador

Day 13

Sierra Negra and Puerto Ayora

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Sierra Negra and Puerto Ayora

Visit the Volcano Sierra Negra today, the second-longest crater in the world. The crater is about 10 kilometres in diameter and 100 metres deep, and it constitutes one of the most spectacular views of the Galapagos. You will travel from Isabela to Santa Cruz aboard a speedboat to reach your hotel for the evening.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Dejavu3 star

    Note: We will endeavor to book the aforementioned hotels. If, however, we are unable to secure them due to circumstances out of our control, we will replace them with hotels of similar value and standard.
  • activities icon
    Activities

    Sierra Negra Volcano Hiking

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from The Wooden House Lodge to Puerto Villamil

    Boat from Isabela Island to Santa Cruz Island

    Private Driver from Puerto Ayora to Hotel Dejavu

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Puerto Villamil

    Galápagos Islands

    Puerto Ayora

Day 14

Transfer to Guayaquil Airport

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Transfer to Guayaquil Airport

Finish your Galapagos tour today and return to mainland Ecuador for your onward flight.

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel Dejavu to Seymour Airport

    Plane from Baltra Island to Guayaquil

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Puerto Ayora

Included in Price

  • 13 nights accommodation
  • 21 activities
  • 13 breakfasts
  • Airport transfer
  • Domestic flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

Not Included in Price

  • Alcohol beverages
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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