12-Day Ecuador and Galapagos Adventure with Volcanoes and Amazon

Welcome to Quito, the largest and best-preserved colonial city in America - declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is considered the Cultural Capital of South America and is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano.

Depending on your arrival time, you can spend the day exploring Quito's old town and the surrounding area. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help organize a day trip for you if requested in advance. In the evening, one of our trip leaders will meet you in the hotel lobby for a welcome briefing at 18:00. At this time, we will discuss the details of the adventure and answer any questions you may have. Our first day is an acclimation and information day.

Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar

Meals included: In flight

Today we get ready to explore the most amazing archipelago on the Pacific coast and the place where Charles Darwin based his theory on the evolution of species. We will board a morning flight from Quito to Baltra Island. Once we arrive, we head to the town of Puerto Ayora, the largest town in the Galapagos.

From here, we will take a quick boat to the largest island in the archipelago, where most of the volcanic activity in the Galapagos is reported. The island was formed by six shield volcanoes - Alcedo, Cerra Azul, Darwin, Ecuador, Sierra Negra, and Wolf. Five of them are still active, which makes the island one of the most volcanically active places on Earth.

The Galapagos Islands are located 600 miles (965.6 km) from the coast of Ecuador, so it is important to understand that you will need to take air, road, and sea transportation to get there.

Accommodation: Albemarle Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast

Explore the amazing lava formations created by the last eruptions of the volcanic island along the seashore. This magical place has historically been filmed by the BBC and National Geographic for their documentaries. It is a labyrinth of lava arches in crystal-clear water, full of sea turtles, eagle rays, sea lions, sharks, and more.

The turtles navigate their own highway from the mangroves to the open sea through "Los Tuneles." Here, we will have the best snorkelling opportunity with all these beautiful animals, including the curious Galapagos penguins playing around.

Before or after the trip, you can enjoy some optional activities such as snorkelling at "Concha de Perla," biking, or simply relaxing on the exotic white-sand beaches of Isabela Island. We also recommend taking some time to visit the giant tortoise breeding center, located within walking distance of the hotel.

Accommodation: Albemarle Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

After driving up from Puerto Villamil to the trailhead, we will prepare our backpacks for the hike into a young forest ecosystem - a world of recent geological history. Our destination is the rim of Sierra Negra Crater, an active volcano that last erupted in June 2018.

Upon arrival, we take in breathtaking views and explore the circumference of the massive lava-filled crater, a caldera that is over six miles across at its widest point. If we feel energetic enough, we can continue our hike to Volcan Chico, a secondary crater with a wild landscape of puffing fumaroles and colorful lava formations - great examples of the dramatic geological events that have formed the Galapagos Islands over millennia.

In the afternoon, we will visit Tintoreras Islet, located a short distance from Puerto Villamil and home to a great variety of wildlife. Its turquoise, crystalline waters are inhabited by white-tipped reef sharks, Galapagos penguins, marine turtles, and sea lions. One of its beaches, surrounded by mangroves, is one of the few sites where marine iguanas can reproduce successfully.

Accommodation: Albemarle Boutique Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

In the morning, travel from Isabela to Santa Cruz Island to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. Once we arrive, we will check in at the hotel. We will then visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about many of the endemic species seen in the wild, as well as the ongoing conservation and management efforts on the Galapagos Islands.

In the afternoon, we will head to the El Chato reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz, home to the famous Galapagos tortoises. Hiking through El Chato's beautiful landscape with these lumbering giants is an unforgettable experience. We will also see other highland wildlife such as pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, finches, and frigatebirds, which gather to wash the salt off their feathers at a freshwater lake.

Afterwards, return to Puerto Ayora to spend the evening in the Galapagos' most populous town.

Accommodation: La Isla Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

After our final breakfast on the Galapagos Islands and the last photos of sea lions, we transfer to Baltra Airport in time to catch the flight back to the mainland.

Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

Today is a free day to explore the beautiful surroundings of Quito on your own. ADVENTURE JOURNEYS can help you organize a day trip.

Optional ideas include:

• Colonial City Tour & the Equador Line
• Mindo Cloud Forest
• Otavalo Market Fair

Accommodation: Sheraton Quito Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

After breakfast, we leave Quito and drive south along the gorgeous Avenue of Volcanoes, with the chance to see the colorful Andean fields. On our way, we will reach 12,000 feet (3,657 meters). After arriving at Cotopaxi National Park, we will go hiking around Limpiopungo Lagoon at the foothills of the Rumiñahui volcano. From here, we have the best views of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world.

In the afternoon, we continue our drive toward Llanganates National Park, known as the sacred mountain, until we reach the town of Baños, located at the entrance to the Amazon. Here, we can enjoy the nightlife by drinking cocktails and dancing salsa.

Accommodation: Casa de Luis Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

This morning, we cross-country mountain bike from Llanganates National Park down to the Pastaza River Canyon, enjoying the beauty of the special cloud rainforest climate. The road takes us through Andean farms and a great canyon with many waterfalls.

While descending into the jungle, we will have a breathtaking view of Baños, a town well known for its spectacular location right at the foothills of the Tungurahua volcano, which has been active since 1999. The volcano is the main attraction of this region.

In the afternoon, we will have some time to explore the town and also visit the Swing of the End of the World, where the winner of the 2014 National Geographic photo contest took his photo.

Accommodation: Casa de Luis Hotel or similar

Meals included: Breakfast.

This morning, we will hit the road of the waterfalls. Our first stop will be at the Bride's Veil waterfall, where we will take the Tarabita (cable car) to cross the Pastaza River. Then we will hike down to the Pailon del Diablo waterfall, the second-highest in Ecuador.

Later, we will go deeper into the jungle inside Llanganates National Park. The name "llanganates" comes from "beautiful mountain" in the local native language. Here, 600 years ago, the Incas hid their golden treasures. Many explorers have spent years looking for these treasures, and some have even disappeared without luck in this dense, pristine jungle.

During a hike through the tropical rainforest, we will climb through several waterfall canyons. Our local native guide will teach us about the incredible flora and fauna that thrive in this unequaled habitat.

We will spend the night at the local basic jungle lodge run by a Kichwa indigenous family.

Note: This is very basic accommodation. You will have your own room but will share the bathroom. The rooms are very clean, and all beds have mosquito nets. There is no electricity in the room, but there is a social area where you can access power to charge your batteries.

Accommodation: Amazon Homestay

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We greet the day by preparing our gear to paddle the wild waves of the Jatunyacu River, located just a 5-minute drive from the homestead. The beauty of this river will inspire you and reveal the magic of the Amazon rainforest.

After a very important safety briefing from our rafting guides, we will begin our class III rafting expedition down the Jatunyacu River, well known for its clear waters and awesome rapids. We will have a lot of fun playing some games and also exploring one of the canyons. At the end of the journey, we will stop for a picnic prepared by our guides.

We conclude our day with a drive back up to the Andes to a place called Papallacta, where we will spend the night and recharge in the volcanic hot springs high in the cool Andes.

Accommodation: Papallacta Spa Resort

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

International departures, end of services. Take with you memories and photos, and leave a piece of your heart behind, as you will want to return to Ecuador soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a "buen viaje".

Meals included: Breakfast.