Featuring activities from cycling to hiking to snorkeling, this exciting 12-day itinerary is perfect for outdoor adventurers. Discover Quito on a bike tour, then soak in the hot springs of Papallacta. Hike and canoe in the rainforest in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve before catching a flight to the Galápagos Islands. Spot giant tortoises in the wild, snorkel with sea lions, and explore an uninhabited island to end the trip.
Highlights
- Explore Quito on a bicycle tour
- Spend the night at a rainforest lodge
- Spot monkeys and other animals in the wild
- Snorkel at Kicker Rock in the Galápagos Islands
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Quito & Tour Mitad del Mundo | Quito |
| Day 2 | Enjoy a Bike Tour & Cooking Class | Quito |
| Day 3 | Soak in Papallacta Hot Springs, Transfer to Cosanga | Cosanga |
| Day 4 | Travel to Rainforest Lodge & Night Walk | Cuyabeno |
| Day 5 | Hike in the Jungle & See a Parrot Clay Lick | Cuyabeno |
| Day 6 | Canoe on the Río Cuyabeno & Cultural Activities | Cuyabeno |
| Day 7 | Visit Observation Tower, Transfer to Quito | Quito |
| Day 8 | Fly to Isla San Cristóbal, Interpretation Center, Frigate Hill & Snorkeling | Isla San Cristóbal |
| Day 9 | Snorkel at Kicker Rock | Isla San Cristóbal |
| Day 10 | Boat to Isla Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station | Isla Santa Cruz |
| Day 11 | Go on an Excursion to an Uninhabited Island | Isla Santa Cruz |
| Day 12 | Transfer to Isla Baltra & Depart |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Quito & Tour Mitad del Mundo
Welcome to Quito! You'll arrive at the airport and then head to your hotel in the city center. Standing at an altitude of 9,350 feet (2,850 m), this is the world's second-highest capital, and it welcomes visitors with its picturesque plazas between mountain peaks. After taking some time to get settled in, get your bearings and stretch your legs with a stroll around the city's UNESCO-listed historic center. Start on La Ronda, one of the oldest streets in the city, see the Monastery of San Francisco (circa 1535), the oldest church in Ecuador, or head to El Panecillo for spectacular views over Quito.
In the afternoon, you'll visit the equatorial monument at Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World). It's located just 16 miles (26 km) north of the capital city in the spot where French scientists determined the position of the central line many years ago. You'll have the chance to stand on the line of the equator and strike a pose with one foot in each hemisphere! Visit the adjacent museum, featuring a planetarium, cocoa and chocolate exhibits, and a small-scale model of Quito.
Day 2: Enjoy a Bike Tour & Cooking Class
Today you'll explore the northern neighborhoods of Quito on two wheels. Follow your local guide on a four-hour bike tour through La Floresta, Carolina Park, and Iñaquito to see urban art and architecture. This is a great way to get to know Ecuador's capital from a different vantage point. After working up an appetite, you'll head to a cooking class inside a colonial house in Quito's historic center. Learn to prepare various traditional Ecuadorian dishes alongside your knowledgeable hosts, then sit down and enjoy a memorable meal.
Day 3: Soak in Papallacta Hot Springs, Transfer to Cosanga
Day 4: Travel to Rainforest Lodge & Night Walk
Continue along the river and deeper into the rainforest, where you'll spend the night in a jungle lodge. During this journey, you'll have great chances to spot wildlife, including pink and gray freshwater dolphins. Upon arrival, go on a short night walk to spot giant insects, spiders, and snakes, and enjoy the sounds of nocturnal life in the Amazon before dinner at the lodge.
Day 5: Hike in the Jungle & See a Parrot Clay Lick
Continue the day with a hike in the Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on earth. During the walk, your experienced naturalist guide will explain the use of medicinal plants in the local Indigenous community, and you'll stop to admire a giant tree that towers over the surrounding forest. Cool off after the hike with a refreshing swim.
Plan your trip to Ecuador
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
After lunch, you'll have some time to relax back at the lodge, before setting out once again on the Río Cuyabeno looking for new species of wildlife until the sun sets over the jungle. As you navigate back to the lodge after dark, discover the sights and sounds of nocturnal wildlife like birds, snakes, bats, caimans, frogs, and more.
Day 6: Canoe on the Río Cuyabeno & Cultural Activities
For lunch, enjoy maito, a delicious Kichwa dish that consists of fish and vegetables wrapped in bijao leaves. Discover more untouched ecosystems with an afternoon trip down the Río Aguas Negras in a motorized canoe. As night falls, don't miss the chance to take a short hike into the forest after dark to look for more nocturnal life in the Amazon.
Day 7: Visit Observation Tower, Transfer to Quito
Early in the morning, get back out on the river for a trip to a local observation, the highest in the Cuyabeno Reserve. Built around a vast ceibo tree, this ecotourism destination was created by the local Kichwa people, and offers a bird's-eye view of the rainforest canopy, as well as sweeping views over the surrounding landscapes.
After breakfast, it's time to say goodbye to your rainforest paradise. A boat trip will take you back to the Río Aguarico, stopping en route for a delicious picnic lunch with a local Secoya family. Upon arrival at the dock in Tierras Orientales, a driver will be waiting to take you to Coca, then on to Quito, where you'll spend the night.
Day 8: Fly to Isla San Cristóbal, Interpretation Center, Frigate Hill & Snorkeling
When you're ready to start exploring, begin with a visit to the Interpretation Center to learn more about the archipelago. Then your local guide will take you on a short hike through the island's typical brush forests to reach Frigate Hill (known as Cerro Tijeretas in Spanish), a viewpoint over the island and a prime spot to see distinctive frigatebirds nesting. Afterward, you can spend the rest of the afternoon in the water, snorkeling with sea lions, sea turtles, and colorful fish as you get your first glimpse of the Galápagos' underwater world.
Day 9: Snorkel at Kicker Rock
Finish the day trip with a visit to a pristine beach, where you can relax, swim, and do some more snorkeling. In the afternoon, you'll return to Isla San Cristóbal, where the rest of your evening is free—though you won't want to miss a quick trip to Playa Mann to catch one of its famous sunsets.
Day 10: Boat to Isla Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station
After enjoying a healthy meal on a farm in the highlands, your guide will bring you back to Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Foundation and its research station, home to many giant tortoises and iguanas. Witness conservationists' inspiring efforts and learn how they are helping to repopulate the island with different species of endangered tortoises.
Day 11: Go on an Excursion to an Uninhabited Island
Each island has a different landscape and its own unique flora and fauna. On Santa Fé, you'll find the endemic Santa Fé iguana, while colonies of sea lions, frigatebirds, and blue-footed boobies are common on Seymour Norte. After an al fresco lunch on the yacht, spend the rest of the afternoon snorkeling at a nearby bay or beach, then return to civilization in Puerto Ayora, where you can savor your final night on the islands however you choose.
Day 12: Transfer to Isla Baltra & Depart
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