Ecuadorian Adventure

Arrival to the Quito International Airport. Transfer in a private vehicle to the hotel with a tourist guide.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Link to Casa Aliso

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for a city-tour in Quito which starts through the modern section of Quito, and then arrive to the historical area of the city. the tour will take you along the narrow cobble stoned streets of the 16th century. Take a walk and visit the colonial temples and monasteries of this urban jewel, designated by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, starting at the Independence Square, flanked by the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and City Hall. Stroll past El Sagrario church, and marvel al the exquisite stone façade and the interior of La Compañía Jesuit church (one of the most notable of Latin America due to the gold leaf decor and its baroque style). Continue to the church of San Francisco, one of the great religious buildings of the New World; its impressive façade and atrium lead to its gilt interior, in a Baroque style influenced by Moorish style, with the winged Virgin of Quito at its main altar. Ride up the road to the top of the Panecillo hill for a breathtaking view of Quito.
Lunch on your own. In the afternoon, travel northwards out of the city towards the Equator Line, 22 kms from Quito, established by a French expedition in the 18th Century. The line is now marked by a monument and museum. Return to Quito. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

Link to Casa Aliso

Breakfast at hotel. Private transportation to Quito’ s Airport in order to take your fligt destination to Coca. A 30 minute flight over the Andes Mountains leads you to a bustling oil town called Coca located in the Amazon Basin. A quick lunch in Sacha´s private house and then its off to the town docks where you will board Sacha´s private canoes for the 2 hour journey down river to Sacha´s Lodges property. A 30 minute hike through the rainforest leads you to lake Pilchicocha. Here, you are met by native workers to paddle you across the lake to your final destination. Arrive at Sacha Lodge and installation.
A refreshing swim in the Lake Pilchicocha, after arriving may be just what you need after being in the equatorial heat all day. The mini tower offers guests an excellent opportunity to observe several species of birds which is also a great place to watch the sun set. Visit the butterfly house with your naturalist guide to view the beautiful colors of many different species of butterflies. After dinner, accompany your naturalist guide on a night walk through the rainforest to view the hundreds of different species of animals that can only be found at night. Or maybe a canoe ride on the lake to view the spectacled and black caimans with their glowing orange eyes as you silently paddle across the lake to get a closer view.
Overnight in the lodge.

Link to Sacha Lodge

Breakfast at the lodge. The day strats with a walk on the Liana Chica’s trail to reach the canopy walk, to enjoy spectacular views of the rainforest canopy and the many different species of vibrantly colored birds. Designed to be a self-standing rigid suspension canopy walk, it is one of only a few in the world! Located within Sacha´s private reserve, 2 miles from the shores of the Rio Napo and 1 mile from the lodge, the bird walk gives guests the opportunity to get an up close and personal view of the rainforest canopy. Two of the three towers have observation decks every 12 meters making towers accessible for everyone. The canopy walk is designed as a sturdy walkway enabling guests to casually move along while enjoying the spectacular views. After the canopy walk, explore the Liana Grande and igapo forest habitats where native guides will explain many different species of medicinal plants that have been being used in their culture for hundreds of years. Liana Grande will turn into the trail Higueron, which will take you through pristine primary forest with huge Kapok and Fig trees towering hundreds of feet above your head. After lunch, you may choose to take a leisurely hike along the Rio Napo, or choose a little more challenging hike on the trail Leoncillo to try spotting the elusive dusky titi monkey. Either way the trails will lead you back to the main boardwalk for your final hike and canoe ride back to the lodge.

Link to Sacha Lodge

Leaving the lodge after breakfast, you will begin your hike on trail Lagartococha. This trail offers you the chance to learn more about the native people and their relationship with the forest. Arrival at lake Lagartococha and canoe ride through a natural swamp, which is the home of anacondas, caimans, and capybaras.Then, walk on the other side of Largatococha may give you the opportunity to spot capuchin or squirrel monkeys playfully jumping through the trees. Go back to Sacha’s lodge to climb up the 135-foot wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree. Get close up views of vibrantly colored birds through Sacha ́s powerful scopes, and watch the sun set with an amazing view of Mount Sumaco. Meals included. Overnight at the lodge.

Link to Sacha Lodge

Breakfast and departure from the lodge at 07:30am. One last walk on the boardwalk to the river, and from there a 2 hour canoe ride back to Coca. Flight back to Quito. Arrival in Quito and private transportation to your hotel. Dinner on you own. Overnight at hotel.

Link to Casa Aliso

Breakfast at the hotel. Early in the morning, transfer to Quito’s Airport to take your flight to Galapagos islands. Arrival in Baltra and welcome by you naturalist English-speaking guide. Transfer from Baltra Airport to Puerto Ayora where the Galaxy II will be waiting for you. Welcome onto the Eco-Galaxy: welcome drink and installation in the cabins. Lunch onboard.
In the afternoon, visit the Charles Darwin Station which is home to turtles ranging from 3-inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet long. Sub-species of turtles interact with one another and many of the older turtles are accustomed to humans, stretching out their heads for a pet. The babies are kept until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own. Beside giant turtles, you will also be able to observe land iguanas, giant cactus and hopefully some surprising and colorful birds. Dinner and overnight onboard of the Galaxy II.

Link to Eco Galaxy II

Breakfast onboard. Then, visit of Punta CORMORANT: wet landing, snorkeling and short trekking. This point is located at west of Floreana Island and it is famous to has a dark green beach due to the great quantity of olivine crystals. You can see many marine invertebrates, as well as sea lions, sea iguanas, frigates and pelicans. Visit of Devil´s Crown: panga ride and optional swimming. Panga ride around of a small island, this place was a satellite islet of the island Floreana. Here, we will find a group of rocks that seem to a crown, due to the constant erosion caused by the sea. It is one of the best places to do snorkeling. Lunch onboard. In the afternoon, visit of Post Office Bay: Wet landing. Short walk, swimming, snorkeling, and review of the mail… Post Office Bay is situated in the north of Floreana Island. Its name comes from Capitan James Colnett installed an empty Ron barrel, to use it as post office for the whaling fleets that frequented for a long time the Galapagos Islands. You can send some postcards from here to your friends and relatives or interchange letter to deliver in their destiny. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Link to Eco Galaxy II

Breakfast onboard. Visit of Suarez Point: dry landing, walking. There is not color more amazing and outstanding in this tropical desert island that the blue-foot boobies; they have an impressive form to « greeting » and it is a real spectacle to see the ritualistic parade of the entourage. In this place we will be able to observe the Albatros with a weight from three to four kilograms, one of the largest birds of the islands. Around twelve thousand couples have their nests in the Española Island. This specie is considered endemic from this island.
Lunch onboard. In the afternoon, visit of Gardner Bay: wet landing, short walking, swimming, snorkeling, and observation of seals colony. The sea lion is one of the animals in Galapagos which gets the total attention of the visitors: they are curious and playful but also lazy. In Gardner Bay, we are going to find many of them relaxing in the beach enjoying of the sun. Snorkeling in the area where we will be able to swim with them, besides you observe these fascinating animals, we will swim with the sea turtles, diversity of tropical fish, marine iguanas etc. We will return to the ship, to sail toward the following island. Back onboard and navigation to the next island passing by Gardner & Osborn Islets. Dinner and overnight onboard.

Link to Eco Galaxy II

Breakfast onboard. Visit of the Interpretation Center: Dry landing. Located in the main port, the Interpretation Center of San Cristobal is the most modern and sophisticated architectural space destined for the natural interpretation of Galapagos, where you can know from the volcanic formation of the islands, the evolution of the species, passing for the history of the human settlements to come to understand its complex systems and model of management.
End of the cruise and transfer to the San Cristobal Airport. Checking of luggage and passengers with the help of your guide . Local flight back to Guayaquil or to Quito.