Ecuador tours

Tortuga Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: International Flights
Today we depart from London and arrive into Quito late afternoon. The tour leader, will be waiting to escort us to the hotel. Once we’re settled in we’ll have a welcome drink and briefing about the following days activities.

Day 2: Cloud Forest
Driving past the Equator line monument and nearby extinct crater of Pululagua, we head down the steep western slopes of the Andes, where the misty microclimate supports rare tropical flowers (e.g. giant ferns and orchids). Many colourful birds like Tanagers can be observed. Visit to orchid reserve. Arrive at Sachatamia forest lodge for lunch. We will gently explore the area around the lodge, which has lots of easy trails and is literally buzzing with hummingbirds (with up to 20 different species spotted in a single day).

Day 3: Cloud Forest
For those early risers, a magical treat, we will be visiting a nearby Cock of the Rock lek, with a chance to see and photograph these extraordinary red birds with huge crests. We spend the day exploring the cloud forest and its flora and fauna with a local expert naturalist. The location of our lodge also allows us to visit some of the best reserves in the area like Mindo and Milpe.

Day 4: North of Quito
We take another opportunity for hummingbird-watching in front of the lodge. Drive back to the central valley of the Andes and north to the province of Imbabura. Visit Otavalo the most famous Indian market town in Ecuador, where the Indian communities from the region trade their produce. This is the best place for purchasing colourful hand-woven textiles, sweaters, or jewellery. We visit a weaving workshop and watch local musicians. We arrive at Hacienda Cusin. In the attractive gardens enjoy the flowers, birds and llamas.

Day 5: Volcanoes and Condors
Drive the rim of Cuicocha, a lake-filled crater in the Cotacachi natural reserve. A marvel for botanists with orchids and alpine plants, in the skies above the odd bird of prey (eagles, Kestrels perhaps a Condor). Walk part way along crater rim. We enjoy a picnic or lunch in a typical local restaurant. Visit the town of Cotacachi, whose inhabitants specialise in leather crafts and visit to Condor Sanctuary and bird of prey rescue centre.

Day 6: Andes
Visit to a unique dry forest reserve, a new eco-tourism project run by a local family. Driving south through the Andes through the Avenue of Volcanoes, we pass Volcan Cayambe (the highest place on the equator). Heading south we pass volcanoes of Pasochoa, Corazon, Iliniza and Cotopaxi. We arrive at a Hacienda in the heart of Ecuador’s dairy and flower farming region.

Day 7: Cotopaxi National Park
We take an exciting day excursion to Cotopaxi National Park, walking, bird-watching or just enjoying the scenery. There are rare high-altitude plants, like puyas and smaller ‘alpines’ like gentians. It is also home to llamas, deer, wild horses, Andean gulls and lapwings, not to mention a chance of spotting a Condor! There is even a high-altitude hummingbird, the Andean hillstar. After a picnic lunch we return to Quito. For evening meal you can sample one of Quito's various restaurants, or relax in the hotel.

Galápagos Cruising

Spend 8 wonderful days cruising the Galápagos archipelago in our own chartered luxury motor yacht, Reina Silvia. The speed and size of the boat enables us to visit the more isolated bays and coves and the freedom to enjoy them at our own pace with the highest category naturalist guide. The small group enables us to spend longer ashore and see more of the wildlife. At this time of year we will be fortunate to see the spectacular albatross courtship on land.

Day 8: Arriving Galápagos - Santa Cruz Island
We traverse the highlands of Santa Cruz island, with stops to see Giant Tortoises in the wild, finches and fly catchers. Then visit the Charles Darwin Research Centre, which is a scientific station with captive breeding of tortoises, land iguanas and native plants. The last tortoise from Pinta, Lonesome George has his own corral and we can view him from the elevated walkway through the area.

Day 9: Española Island
The morning is spent on the idyllic beach of Gardner Bay, miles of pure white sand inhabited by many sea lions, turtles and iguanas and finches. You will have time to enjoy a long walk, jog in the surf, swim, snorkel, or stretch out on the sand for a snooze. Two nearby islets provide great snorkelling opportunities.

Later the spectacular site of Punta Suárez, where birds are everywhere — boobies and gulls on the trail, tropicbirds overhead, diving into the sea, albatross taking off from cliffs, engaging in ritual mating dances, or sitting quietly hatching eggs. Tangles of marine iguanas are present as we go back on the dinghy.

Day 10: San Cristobal Island
Isla Lobos is about an hour by boat from Port Baquerizo Moreno. There is a small population of blue-footed boobies and common frigate birds nesting on this site. You can observe the two species of sea lions present in the archipelago. Further offshore, Leon Dormido is a huge monolith that split apart creating a narrow passage that only the most skilful yacht captains can negotiate. Blue Footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds nest along the ledges. Near the village of Baquerizo Moreno we will visit the Interpretation Centre and afterwards the green highlands where there is a lake El Junco, fed by rainfall and mist and home to many finches.

Day 11: Santa Fe and South Plaza Islands
Santa Fé is home to a small population of very large land iguanas, and the largest of the giant prickly pear cacti. The anchorage lagoon is ideal for swimming and snorkelling; sea lions and colourful fish abound here and sometimes we see sea turtles. The climb to the bluff is challenging but the payoff comes when you spot a couple of huge land iguanas.

South Plaza is a small, but very rewarding island to visit. Here there are many land iguanas munching on leaves or defending territories. On the the windward side, swallowtail gulls nest. Galápagos Shearwaters nest along the cliff face and tThe shrieking Red-billed Tropicbirds, flying overhead will linger in your memories.

Day 12: Genovesa Island
Genovesa is a beautiful but remote northern island home to thousands of seabirds. We spend the whole day here visiting two sites. We anchor within the spectacular Darwin Bay, a huge sunken volcanic caldera, home to Galápagos fur seals, hammerhead sharks and tropicbirds. Along the cliffs behind Darwin Bay nest red footed boobies, great frigate birds (often with their huge red display pouches inflated), herons, gulls and pelicans can also be seen. After a snorkel and then dinghy ride, we traverse the crater and climbing ‘Prince Philip’s Steps’ is one of the best opportunities to see red-footed and Nacza boobies and a large storm-petrel breeding colony plus short-eared owls.

Day 13: Sullivan Bay and Bartolomé
At Sullivan Bay you will walk on recent, black pahoehoe lava flows. Observe some of the early colonizing plants struggling to gain a foothold in tiny cracks in the lava. Small cinder cones stand out where this black blanket flowed around them. Occasionally, a colourful Galápagos Grasshopper (actually a locust) flits over the flow.

Bartolomé Islet is the most photographed landscape in the islands due to the dramatic view from the summit. The Pinnacle that leans into the bay is an eroded cone. A small family of Galapagos penguins lives in the shadows of the rock, and surprise bemused swimmers as they ‘fly’ around in the waters of the bay. A short walk across dunes takes one to the beach (reef sharks, rays and Ghost crabs). Often a juvenile Galápagos hawk hovering overhead. From January to March you may see marine turtles coming ashore to nest in the sand.

Day 14: Rábida Island and Sombrero Chino
This is a small red island, the colour of the volcanic cinders. The red beach is usually well populated with sea lions and pups, the salt bushes are loaded with nesting Brown Pelicans. Just behind the beach, in a brackish lagoon, we usually see the White-cheeked Pintail Ducks, migratory shore and wading birds, and Greater Flamingos. If lucky we will be able to observe their highly entertaining mating ritual. Two species of boobies nest along the cliffs. The snorkelling is very good along the cliff face where Galápagos Penguins may swim with you; you can count on swimming with sea lion youngsters.

Sombrero Chino is a tiny island just off the southeast tip of Santiago. Its name (Chinese Hat) describes the island's shape. Though not often visited this island is a delight to land upon. The path skirts around the striking red rust sides of this mini-volcano, and offers some spectacular views of the waves crashing below. White-tipped sharks frequent the area, as do the playful Galapagos Penguins and sea lions.

Day 15: Baltra to Quito
Transfer to Baltra airport for your flight. There will be a stop in Guayaquil before arriving in Quito.

Day 16: Quito fly home
Tour of Quito old city visiting the historic, colonial parts with hidden monasteries; churches laden with gold; tranquil plazas and Indian street markets bustling with life. Transfer to airport.

Depart Quito on return flight.

Day 17: Home
Arrive UK.

Extend your trip with an Amazon Rainforest extension — contact us for details.

Please note: This itinerary is intended as a guide, and is subject to alteration as local conditions and circumstances dictate, with always the passenger's best interest and safety in mind. The tour escort will advise actual timings. We reserve the right to use alternative airlines for logistical reasons.