Ecuador with the Galapagos Islands - Itinerary

Day 1: Departure

Depart from Sweden. We meet and get to know each other as well as our tour guide prior to boarding the plane that will be taking us to Quito.

Day 2: Quito

In the morning, we will land in Quito, once the Inca Empire’s northern capital and a lively center in the 1200s. The city is on UNESCO's World Heritage List and is very stunning in its fine colonial style. It is located right on the equator at the foot of the volcano Pichinca sitting at an altitude of 2,800 meters. We will check into our hotel in Mariscalom district and have lunch there. We will start our tour with a visit to Guapulo. It is here that the first expedition to the Amazon began with the Spanish conquistadors. We will enjoy the beautiful view facing east if it is a clear and pleasant day. We will continue to the Old Town where we will start with the presidential palace on Plaza Grande, and then continue onto the cathedral, the city hall, and the Episcopal palace. We will walk to La Compania, the golden church with incredible carvings and craftsmanship from floor to ceiling all covered with gold. Plaza San Francisco is next with its beautiful church. In ancient times, this square was a marketplace where people could buy everything from food to clothing. We will take the bus to the Panecillo, a statue of the Virgen de Quito. It stands on an incredible vantage point with a 360 degree view over the city.

Overnight at the hotel in Quito. All meals included.

Day 3: Quito

The bus will go to the scenic town of Otavalo that is surrounded by lakes and snow-capped volcanoes. Here they have had marketplaces long before the Incas. The market is one of South America's most famous and largest with a great Indian atmosphere and lots of beautiful crafts. In the small town of Cotacachi, which is famous for its leather products, there is a rich abundance of textiles and other crafts. After lunch, we will browse the markets and maybe even buy a jacket or wallet of leather. When the shopping is complete, we will go to Cuicocha, a crater lake with a fantastic atmosphere. We will enjoy the view and a cup of coffee before returning to Quito.

Overnight at the hotel in Quito. All meals included.

Day 4: Amazon

We will fly to Coca to continue onto the river. Here we will get fitted with boots for the awaited adventure in the Amazon jungle. We will travel by motor canoe to our lodge where we will stay for three nights. After lunch, we will take a trek through the jungle to see all that nature has to offer in this unique environment.

Overnight at the Yarina Lodge. All meals included.

Day 5: Amazon

We will start the day with a hike where we will search for monkeys and birds all while experiencing the abundant wildlife as we learn more about the different plants. Those who dare might try such local delicacies as living ants. After lunch at the lodge, we take a short trip by canoe to a nearby lagoon where we will try to see the caiman and tapir that live along the river and lagoon.

Overnight Yarina Lodge. All meals included.

Day 6: Amazon

A new hike in the jungle awaits us. This day we will learn about medicinal plants and look for edible plants and fruits suitable for the afternoon barbecue. After lunch at the lodge, we will try piranha fishing by canoe. Back again, while preparing the grill, we will have the opportunity to try and use the blowgun, a traditional Indian weapon. If successful while fishing, we will also prepare and taste some piranha.

Overnight at the Yarina Lodge. All meals included.

Day 7: Quito

In the morning, we will hike to a bird-watching tower from where we will get a nice view on top of the jungle. In this tropical setting, we hope to see more of the wildlife and bird species as well as the beautiful butterflies. After lunch, we will take the motor canoe back to Coca and then fly to Quito and get back to our hotel.

Overnight at the hotel in Quito. All meals included.

Day 8: Quito

We will take our bus to the northern part of Quito where we will visit the equator museum. Here is the world's centerline where we can have a one foot in the Southern hemisphere and one foot in the north. Before this, we will visit the museum of Inti-Nan to see how the various Indian tribes in the Amazon region live. We will take part in a few different experiments to see how Earth's gravitational forces affect us before it is time to see the official monument. After the mandatory photo at the equatorial line, we will go to the top of the monument to get an overview of the area. We will eat lunch at one of the restaurants and after returning to the hotel , those who wish can continue to explore the Mariscal. It is a Western tourist area with hotels, shops, restaurants and cafes.

Overnight at the hotel in Quito. All meals included.

Day 9: Puerto Ayora (Galapagos Islands)

We will fly via Guayaquil to the island of Baltra in the Galapagos, 1,000 km off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The Galapagos Islands are unique in their seclusion and tranquility, mild climate, and incredible wildlife. Galapagos consists of several islands, but only four of them are inhabited. The entire archipelago is a national park and the landscape is volcanic and barren, where it is almost desert-like in the lowlands but green and rich in the highlands. Many endemic species can be found here and the origin to the unique wildlife can be explained by the fact that the islands were not discovered until 1535. The animals have basically always been alone and are therefore quite fearless. It was here that Charles Darwin worked on the theory of evolution. We will transfer to Santa Cruz and our hotel in Puerto Ayora. We will walk to the National Center for lunch, where we will learn about the work they are doing with giant tortoises and, in particular, the famous giant tortoise, Lonesome George.

There will be also time to explore the little town and observe the wildlife in the harbor.

Overnight at the hotel in Puerto Ayora. All meals included.

Day 10: Bartolome Island

Early wake up as we will travel to another island where we will take the boat again. We will have breakfast on board and enjoy the views during the two-hour journey to the island of Bartolome. There, we will go to the volcanic part of the small island and have an easy 30-minute walk to the top. The view from here is famous and one of the most photographed. We will continue by boat along the island to try to get a glimpse of the penguins and sea lions that live here. We will end the tour on the beach where we can relax or snorkel. If we are lucky, there might even be some small sharks. We will continue our boat ride back to Santa Cruz and the hotel.

Overnight at the hotel in Puerto Ayora. All meals included.

Day 11: Isabela Island

On this day, we will be taken to the island of Isabela where there will be hiking in the crater of Sierra Negra volcano. It is one of the largest of its kind and, on a clear day, the view from the top is breathtaking. We will check in at our hostel and have lunch at a local restaurant. We will take a couple of small boats to the island of Las Tintoreras, which is just outside the harbor, to hopefully see the penguins, the Blue-footed boobies, and possibly even the turtles. We will walk around the island and afterwards take the boats to a great snorkeling spot where we will be on the lookout for the White-Tipped Reef Shark.

Overnight at the hostel on Isabela Island. All meals included.

Day 12: Isabela Island

We board a new boat, this time visiting the island of Floreana. If we are lucky, we may see some dolphins on our way there. We will observe the iguanas and sea lions that inhabit the harbor as we wait for the local bus, chiva. It takes us up to the higher part of the island. Here, we will trek to see the giant tortoises that live in a compound because they are old pets of families living in the area. The turtles come from different islands and are thus a mixture of different species. We will later walk to the area where the first inhabitants lived to hear about their lives and their destinies. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will go down in the harbor again to snorkel. If there are better alternatives further out in the water, we may take the boat.

Overnight at the hostel on Isabela. All meals included.

Day 13: Puerto Ayora

After an early breakfast, we will return to Santa Cruz and Puerto Ayora and go into the highlands where we will walk through a lava tunnel. After this, we will visit a park with giant tortoises. We will probably also have some time left to enjoy a cup of the Galapagos coffee before it's time to return to Puerto Ayora. We will walk through nature to Tortuga Bay, which has one of the finest beaches in the Galapagos. This is an easy hike that takes about 45 minutes, which is well worth it once you get to take in the beauty of this wonderful site. If we are lucky, we will have the chance to see marine iguanas and the occasional Blue-footed boobies before we get to enjoy a swim or a bit of quiet time on the beach.

Overnight at the hotel in Puerto Ayora. All meals included.

Day 14: Quito

We will fly back to Quito via Guayaquil and Baltra. You will have some time to explore the city at own leisure. Or it might also be a good time to relax and embrace all the experiences from the Galapagos as you browse through your pictures.

Overnight at the hotel in Quito. All meals included.

Day 15: Departure

We will depart from Quito and take a flight back home.

Day 16

Arrival in Sweden.

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