Day 1 Arrival in Quito - Day at leisure in Quito Welcome to Quito, the capital of Ecuador! Arrive at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), where your driver will meet you to transfer you to your accommodation. The entire city of Quito is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, standing at an altitude of 9,350ft (2,850m). 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. Welcome dinner awaits you tonight at your hotel.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Wyndham Quito Airport (or similar)
Meals: -/-/D
Day 2 Flight from Quito to Baltra – Board your Luxury Cruise – Black Turtle Cove Morning flight from Quito or Guayaquil to Baltra, Galapagos Islands.
You will arrive at Baltra Island in the morning. After passing through immigration and baggage claim, you will be met by an Infinity staff member and transferred to the yacht. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing.
Visit Black Turtle Cove in the northern part of Santa Cruz. This inlet is surrounded by mangroves and is only accessible by dinghy.
The shallow cove is a haven for young marine life. Black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, and a variety of rays are often spotted here
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 3 El Barranco and Bahia Darwin – Genovesa Island El Barranco, also known as Prince Phillip’s Steps, is a steep, rocky path that leads up a high cliff rock face. A marvelous view can
be appreciated from here. This site is also home to Palo Santo vegetation as well as red-footed boobies, short-eared owls,
Galapagos storm petrels, and Galapagos doves.
Visit the white-sand coral beach of Darwin Bay which includes a half-mile trail (0,75km) that winds through mangroves filled with
land birds. Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, and swallow-tailed gulls can easily be spotted here. Further down the path,
we’ll find tidal pools where sea lions swim playfully. At the end is a spectacular view of a cliff.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 4 Bahia Sullivan – Rabida You will visit Sullivan Bay located in the southeast part of Santiago. This place is interesting for its geology because the area is
covered by lava flows. This place has elevations in the form of small volcanoes formed by the lava flows.
You will visit Rabida Island (or Jervis) which is one of the most colorful and volcanically varied islands in the archipelago as well as a
great snorkeling site. We will start on Rabida’s famous maroon/red sand beach, and after an easy hike, you will arrive to a stunning
lookout to enjoy the amazing landscapes. The island is a birdwatcher’s delight. Some species are abundant such as a few varieties
of finches, Galapagos vermilion flycatchers, Galapagos hawks and brown pelicans.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 5 Fausto Llerena Breeding Center – El Chato You will visit the “Fausto Llerena” Tortoise Breeding Center in Puerto Ayora, where giant tortoises are bred in captivity. This is home to
tortoises ranging from 3 inches (new hatchlings) to 4-feet-long adults. Subspecies of the giant tortoises interact with one another,
and many of the older tortoises are accustomed to humans stretching out their heads for a photo opportunity. The babies are kept
until they are about four years old and strong enough to survive on their own.
El Chato Reserve is divided into two areas: Caseta and Chato. The trail begins at Santa Rosa (13.7 miles / 22 km) from Puerto Ayora, with the Caseta route being the most challenging. The reserve allows visitors to observe giant tortoises in the wild during the dry season and is also a good place to spot short-eared owls, Darwin’s finches, yellow warblers, Galapagos rails and paint-billed crakes.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 6 Dragon Hill – Bachas Beach The visitors’ site at Dragon Hill is located in northwestern Santa Cruz Island and consists of a 1,600 m long trail that runs through three different environments. The beach is very rocky. At high tide it’s a nice place for snorkeling. At this visiting site you can find vegetation of the typical intertidal zone and dry zone.
Bachas Beach is located on the north shore of Santa Cruz and is a beach for swimming. One of the few remnants of the U.S. World
War II presence in the Galapagos, a floating pier, can be seen here. You may see flamingos, Sally Lightfoot crabs, hermit crabs,
black-necked stilts, and whimbrels. Sea turtles also nest on the beach.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 7 Post Office Bay – Cormorant Point – Devil’s Crown You will land on a beach and head to a spot where 18th-century whalers placed a wooden barrel used as an unofficial mailbox. The custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don’t forget your postcards, and don’t be surprised if the post card arrives at its destination before you even get home! Cormorant Point hosts a large flamingo lagoon where other birds such as common stilts and white-cheeked pintails can also be seen. The beaches on this island are distinct: The Green Beach is named so due to its green color, which comes from a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand, and the Flour Sand Beach is composed of white coral.
You will have a chance to snorkel around Devil’s Crown which is the rocky remains of an offshore volcano sticking out of the water.
This is a great location to spot a wide range of marine creatures.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 8 Suarez Point – Gardner Bay, Gardner Islet & Osborn Islet On the trail to Suarez Point you will have the chance to spot blue-footed boobies, albatrosses, and Nazca boobies. This island is the breeding site of nearly all of the world’s 12,000 pairs of waved albatrosses. You will also visit a beautiful site on the ocean front where there is a cliff that the large albatrosses use as a launching pad! You will have the chance to see the famous blowhole that spurts sea water into the air. The landscape is great for photography.
This excursion takes you to the spectacular Gardner Bay. After landing, you can walk across a lovely white-sand beach amongst a busy sea lion colony or dive into the water to swim with sea lion pups. You may also see curious mockingbirds on the beach.
Overnight: Cruise Ship (the Galapagos Islands)
Accommodation: M/Y Infinity (or similar)
Meals: B/L/D
Day 9 Gianni Arismendy Interpretation Center – San Cristobal airport departure – Flight to Guayaquil This site is part of an environmental project. The tour of this center will explore the natural history of the islands including human interaction and conservation efforts. The Museum of Natural History explains the volcanic origin of the archipelago, ocean currents, climate, and the arrival of endemic species. The Human History exhibit chronologically describes significant events such as the discovery and colonization of the islands. After this final visit, you will be transferred to the San Cristobal airport in time for your flight back to the mainland. Upon arrival at Guayaquil Airport, your private driver will be waiting for you to greet you and take you to your hotel.
Overnight: Guayaquil
Suggested Hotel: River Garden Hotel (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 10 Guauaquil City Tour – Cajas National Park – Cuenca After breakfast, your guide/driver will pick you up from your hotel in Guayaquil, you have the chance to buy last-minute souvenirs to remind you of the Pearl of the Pacific, before starting your journey toward the colonial city of Cuenca.
On the way there, you will visit the Cajas National Park. The Cajas National Park is a system of more than 200 interconnected high-altitude lagoons. The Cajas is not only the source of many rivers but even connects to the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. After a hike (up to 3 hours) around the most prominent lagoon, you will continue to Cuenca to spend the night there.
Overnight: Cuenca
Suggested Hotel: Mansión Alcazar (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 11 Cuenca City Tour – Ingapirca Ruins – Riobamba This morning, your guide will pick you up for a city tour. The beauty and colonial ambiance of Cuenca is best experienced on foot. Our three to four hours Cuenca city tour weaves its way through the old town center, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, to give you a short introduction to the city before heading to Turi to enjoy the incredible view. The day continues with crossing the páramo (typical Andean landscape) following what was once the ancient Inca Trail and will be able to explore the pre-Incan period Ingapirca ruins which are the most important ruins in Ecuador. Here you can start a short hike to reach the Inca's Face. If conditions and the weather allow it, you can make a stop at the small dunes of Palmira. Late afternoon you will continue your journey to Riobamba where you will spend the night at a gorgeous Hacienda!
Overnight: Riobamba
Suggested Hotel: Hostería La Andaluza (or similar)
Meals: B/-/D
Day 12 Riobamba – Chimborazo – Baños Today you will leave Riobamba after breakfast and make your way to the impressive volcano Chimborazo. You should already be able to spot it several times along the way. If the altitude does not affect you, take a walk to the refuge Carrell on 4.800 m and enjoy the splendid view of surrounding valleys and mountains. Afterward, continue your journey towards Baños, a small Andean town filled with adventure and relaxation where you will spend the night.
Overnight: Baños
Suggested Hotel: Samari Spa Resort (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 13 Pailon del Diablo – Baños – Quito 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.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Hotel Patio Andaluz (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 14 City Tour Quito – Mitad del Mundo – Quito Today, after breakfast, your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you on a walking city tour. 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. Afterward, you will visit the equatorial monument Mitad del Mundo, where French scientists determined the position of the central line many years ago.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Hotel Patio Andaluz (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 15 Quito - Cuicocha Lagoon - Otavalo This morning, you will explore the surroundings of the Cuicocha Lagoon during a short hike through the vivid flora of the Andean highlands, where blue waters and an awe-inspiring scene await you.
The lagoon is one of Ecuador's hidden gems, sitting just outside of Otavalo, where you can sometimes hike around the whole thing without ever running into another person. In the afternoon, you will continue to your Hacienda in the area of Otavalo to check-in, rest, and it enjoy its properties.
Overnight: Otavalo
Suggested Hotel: Hacienda Pinsaqui (or similar)
Meals: B/-/D
Day 16 Otavalo Market – Cotacachi - Back to Quito Today, you will visit the market of Otavalo. Otavalo features one of the most important traditional markets in South America. Here, the indigenous people of the surrounding areas gather to trade anything from animals over handicrafts to fresh vegetables and fruits. Take a stroll through the streets and maybe try some of the local street food such as salted mango or fritada con mote, and fried pork with cooked corn. Afterward, you will enjoy a traditional lunch in Cotacachi, where you will visit its leather market and a small archaeological museum, before returning to Quito.
Overnight: Quito
Suggested Hotel: Hotel Patio Andaluz (or similar)
Meals: B/-/-
Day 17 Day at leisure until departure (Quito) Today, you are free to explore Quito on your own before being picked up for your transfer to the airport. After spending a lot of time in the city already, you might think that there is not much more to see. This could not be further from the truth as there are a few more points of interest to visit to make you feel completely satisfied before your departure.
Overnight: -
Suggested Hotel: -
Meals: B/-/-
Ecuador.17 days $14,200.00
