Multisport Galapagos & Ecuador Highlands 12D/11N

Our private transportation will be waiting for you at International Arrivals and take you from Quito's Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Tababela to your hotel in the city of Quito.

The drive will be approximately 45 minutes long.

Arrive at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), at 2,850 meters (9,350 ft) above sea level, Ecuador’s dramatic capital city is the second highest in the world after Bolivia’s La Paz. Built on the ashes of the northern Inca capital following the 1533 Spanish conquest, Quito is nestled in a valley surrounded by majestic Andean peaks, among them the restless Volcán Pichincha.

The entire city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing at an altitude of 9,350 feet (2,850 m). It welcomes visitors with its picturesque plazas situated between mountain peaks. The city has an abundance of market stands, shamanistic healers, and fourth-generation hat makers, as well as a vibrant and sophisticated culinary and nightlife scene.

Your private driver will meet you for approximately a 45-minute transfer to your accommodation in the city center. Along the way, you'll get a short introduction to Quito´s history and a quick briefing on the next day's activities.

Meals included: -

Overnight:  Quito

Private group

Today, after breakfast, your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a morning walking city tour of Quito and in the afternoon, you will defy gravity by visiting the Middle of the World (Mitad del Mundo).

The colonial center of Quito was already named world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1978 and is home to many beautiful, historic buildings and squares. You will visit the Plaza Grande and the beautiful churches La Compañía and La Basílica and walk down the oldest street of Quito—La Ronda.

After lunch, you will visit the equatorial monument, Mitad del Mundo, located just 26 km (16 miles) north of Ecuador’s capital city, Quito.

Here, French scientists determined the position of the central line many years ago. Ecuador is the place to come to stand on the Equator line, nowhere else on the planet is it easier to visit the Equator line or strike a pose with one foot in each hemisphere. Even Ecuador’s name was born of its location at latitude zero. You will visit the museum exhibits including a planetarium, ethnographic museum, art exhibits, a small-scale model of Quito city, an old train station, a beer museum, cocoa & chocolate exhibits, and a small chapel, for an unforgettable experience today.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight:  Quito

Hike, Horseback, & Hacienda in Cotopaxi National Park

Private group

After breakfast, head south to Cotopaxi National Park. Stop at Limpiopungo Lagoon for a short hike to take in the panoramic mountain views. You'll also see the El Salitre Inca Ruins, located in the park highlands. Keep an eye out for wildlife—Lake Limpiopungo is home to a variety of birds and occasionally even wild horses.

In the afternoon, explore the national park on horseback. Ride through beautiful páramo (typical Andean landscape) before enjoying the rest of the evening in front of the chimney in the cozy traditional hacienda.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight:  Cotopaxi Area

Exploring and Kayaking at Quilotoa Lagoon

Private group

Wake up early in the morning, after a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you will visit Quilotoa Lagoon, which is a blue-green volcanic crater lake, that sits in the rugged Andean countryside south of Quito.

Your expert guide will lead you through tropical forests to one of the area's most beautiful lagoons. Make stops at a quiet village and local markets as part of this incredible day away from the city. Once you arrive at this magical place, you have the option to walk along the crater’s rim to enjoy the splendid view or hike down a path to the crater lake. After about 45 minutes of hiking down the Lagoon, you arrive at the crater. From where the water shimmers in another, greener color and kayaks will be waiting for you to explore the lake and enjoy the beautiful weather.

If you wish, there is a jetty there that you can walk on, or you can just sit on the beach and enjoy the view instead. The return can become a bit longer, so you have the option to rent a mule for the uphill hike.

In the afternoon, you will arrive at Baños where you will spend the night.

Altitude: 3878 mt.

Difficulty Level: Moderate.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Baños

Canyoning in Baños

Small group

The guide will pick you up after your breakfast to start your day with some adventure: today, canyoning is on your agenda! Leave Baños around 09:00 AM and spend the morning canyoning at Casahurco. Enjoy a wet, wild, and fun day full of adventure! Casahurco is one of the most thrilling sites in Ecuador and it is known as one of the world’s top locations for canyoning. The tour will be accompanied by a professional and certified guide, and we will provide all the equipment and the round-trip transportation from and back to Baños.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Baños

Pailon del Diablo - Baños - Quito

Private group

In the morning, you will drive along the "Avenue of Waterfalls." Driving south from Baños, you will follow the Pastaza River on its way through the valley of the same name. Passing several waterfalls, you will reach the village of Rio Verde, where you will stop to visit the well-known El Pailon del Diablo (The Devil's Cauldron) waterfall. After visiting the thermal pools of Baños or the famous "Casa del Arbol", you will return to Quito.

Difficulty Level: Low.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight: Quito

The big day is here! Today you will be taken to the airport to catch your flight to the Galapagos Islands! Your private transportation will be waiting for you at your hotel to take you to the Airport, so you arrive 3 hours before your flight, so you have time to purchase the TCT, get your luggage ready, and get everything neat for your flight!

Welcome to San Cristobal Island! Visit to the Interpretation Center, Tijeretas Hill or La Lobería

Private group

Welcome to the beautiful Galapagos Islands! After checking in to your hotel in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, you will head to the northern limit of town, towards the local Interpretation Center, which was built in 1998 by the Galapagos National Park Management and the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. Here you will have the chance to learn about wildlife through exhibition and conference rooms, a natural history room that explains the origin of the islands, a human history room that describes the presence of man since the discovery of the Galapagos and of course about the conservation and how to protect and preserve the fragile environment.

Afterwards, we will visit Las Tijeretas Hill, located within walking distance of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. It takes its name from the large number of frigates or "tijeretas" that inhabit and nest in this area. You will be able to have viewpoints along the route from where you can observe the passage of whales, mainly between the months of June and October.

If time allows, you will also visit La Loberia, which is a great site to view colonies of sea lions and marine iguanas. Here you can see the coastal vegetation and dry where is common mangrove, salt marsh, muyuyo and palo verde.

In the evening, return to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno for your next day of adventure.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight:  Puerto Baquerizo Moreno- San Cristóbal Island

The Treasure of Galapagos: Snorkeling at Kicker Rock

Small group

An exciting day awaits you, after an early breakfast, on the agenda is a day trip to Kicker Rock, which is one of the most emblematic places in the Galapagos.

A comfortable speed boat navigates along the coast of San Cristobal until we arrive to Kicker Rock, it is composed of compacted volcanic ash, not rock, towers up almost 500ft / 150m from the ocean floor, splitting into two above surface structures, but they’re connected below the surface, with a channel running between them.

It is home to many birds, you will be able spot Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds and tropicbirds, and is the underwater world will make this day extra memorable as it is a real "hot spot" for underwater wildlife!

Since Kicker Rock is a snorkeling site, get ready for a wet landing! You’ll be getting directly into the water to experience everything that Kicker Rock has to offer.

After lunch on the boat, head to a beautiful, pristine beach, where you can relax and defrost in the sunshine before heading back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno in the afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast, Box Lunch

Overnight:  Puerto Baquerizo Moreno- San Cristóbal Island

Speedboat from San Cristobal to Santa Cruz

You will catch a speedboat from San Cristobal Island to Santa Cruz Island.

Kayaking on Tortuga Bay

Small group

Early this morning, take a shared speedboat ride to Santa Cruz Island, where you'll spend your day exploring the island by foot and water.

You will start with a 45-minute hike from Puerto Ayora to the heavenly Tortuga Bay, famed for its soft coral sand and spectacular scenery, this stretch of coast is considered one of the archipelago's most picturesque spots.

Take a kayak out onto the water to see marine life up close and admire the coastline from a different perspective—observing colonies of marine iguanas and marine birds, as well as mangroves, cacti forests, and fascinating coastal flora. You may spot interesting array of bird residing here; pelicans and finches are locals here, and near the salt lagoon that backs onto the mangroves, you even may spot flamingos wandering.

After kayaking at the nearby cove, sunbathe on the beach or head back under the waves for some afternoon snorkeling before returning to Puerto Ayora for the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight:  Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Island

Exploring an Uninhabited Island

Small group

After a very early breakfast, today you will enjoy an amazing day trip to an uninhabited island.

Depending on the weather, scheduling, and permissions granted by the National Park, you'll visit one of the following islands: Santa Fé, South Plazas, Bartolomé, or North Seymour where you will follow trails to discover their richness, while in the afternoon you will have the opportunity to explore the waters around.

Santa Fé and South Plazas are home to endemic land iguanas, while Bartolomé is known for its beautiful lava flows. On North Seymour, look for frigate birds and blue-footed boobies. Each island is unique, offering spectacular scenery and opportunities to see rare wildlife.

Lunch is included onboard, as well as walking and a snorkeling activity to maximize your experience. In the evening, return to Puerto Ayora to enjoy some free time.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight:  Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Island

Adventure: Cycling at Cerro Mesa Reserva & Kayaking at Garrapatero Beach

Private group

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up to enjoy a day at beautiful Garrapatero Beach on this eco-day trip from Puerto Ayora.

Bike across a lovely stretch of Santa Cruz Island to the protected Cerro Mesa Ecological Reserve, where you can enjoy a guided nature walk and fantastic island views from a lookout, afterward enjoy a delicious lunch (included).

At Garrapatero Beach, relax with a waterfront picnic on the pristine white sand, venture into the crystalline waters on an optional kayak ride and soak up the serene, unspoiled landscape populated by birds like flamingos and mallards. It is a perfect site with a white sand beach, you can see the flora and fauna native and endemic to the area, has a spectacular landscape and is surrounded by mangroves

You will return to your hotel for a well-earned rest for the night!

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight:  Puerto Ayora - Santa Cruz Island

Transfer to Airport on Baltra Island for your flight back to Mainland

If there is enough free time before your transfer to the airport, do some last-minute souvenir shopping or take a last stroll through Puerto Ayora.

At the designated time, your driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the Itabaca Channel, which you will cross on a ferry. For the last part of your trip to the airport, take the public shuttle bus to the terminal, where your program ends with your return flight to the mainland.

Connect with your flight back home (Galapagos - Departure)

Upon arrival from the Galapagos Islands to Ecuador's mainland airport, you will connect on the same day with your international flight so you can return home with some everlasting memories.

See you next time!

Meals included: Breakfast

Overnight:  -