This 15 day tour includes an 8-day Galapagos cruise on a 100-berth ship; and visits Quito, the capital of Ecuador surrounded by volcanoes in the Andes.
Itinerary in brief |
| Day 1: | Fly from UK to Quito overnight. |
| Day 2: | Arrive in Quito, optional Colonial Quito excursion (2 night). |
| Day 3: | Optional Otavalo excursion. |
| Day 4: | Fly to the Galapagos islands and transfer to your ship, the Galapagos Explorer (7 nights). |
| Day 5: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 6: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 7: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 8: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 9: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 10: | Galapagos excursions. |
| Day 11: | Final excursion on the Galapagos before your flight back to Quito (3 nights). |
| Day 12: | Optional Bellavista Cloud forest excursion or Papallacta Spa excursion. |
| Day 13: | Free day in Quito. |
| Day 14: | Flight back to the UK. |
| Day 15: | Arrival in the UK. |
Overview
The Galapagos Islands are one of the world’s great destinations and a visit to the remote islands is an incredible wildlife experience. As you sail around the archipelago, visiting the different volcanic islands, each unique, you have the opportunity to observe different land and marine creatures at incredibly close quarters. The islands were never connected to the mainland, so the animals that did make it here were completely isolated. As there are no natural predators on the islands, the animals have no fear, allowing you to walk right up to them.
The Galapagos Explorer II is a comfortable cruise ship, with 100 passengers. The 8-day cruise visits a range of islands, allowing you to see the bird and animal life on the islands, as well as snorkel in the surrounding seas.
Quito, the elegant capital of Ecuador, is situated high in the Andes at 2,800m, and has a beautiful colonial centre. From here, you can visit the traditional market town of Otavalo and explore the nearby Bellavista cloud forest, home to toucans and hummingbirds. The nearby Quilotoa area is excellent for trekking, with a beautiful emerald-green volcanic crater lake, canyons and traditional villages. The hot springs of Papallacta are an excellent spot for relaxing in volcanic waters or for walking in the mountains. Quito is only 15 miles from the equatorial line, and ‘the middle of the world’ can be visited.