Tour Overview
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Ecuador — Galapagos + Amazon Rainforest + Andes (South America) |
| Price From | $3,895 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Multi-Ecosystem Adventure — The Complete Ecuador Experience |
| Data Source | Intrepid Travel / G Adventures 2026 verified pricing |
Itinerary Highlights
Days 1-2: Quito — Colonial Jewel & Middle of the World
Explore Quito’s UNESCO-listed Old Town — the best-preserved historic center in Latin America. Visit the Basilica del Voto Nacional, climb to La Compañía de Jesús (the “golden church” with 7 tons of gold leaf), and stand at the Equator Monument (Mitad del Mundo). Optional: cable car to Pichincha Volcano (4,100m) for views of the entire city. Overnight in Quito.
Days 3-5: Galapagos Islands — Darwin’s Laboratory
Fly to Baltra. Three full days exploring the Galapagos: North Seymour (frigatebirds, boobies), Santa Cruz (giant tortoises in the wild, Charles Darwin Station, Tortuga Bay), and a day trip to a nearby island (Bartolomé or Santa Fe) for snorkeling with sea lions, penguins, and reef sharks. Overnights in Puerto Ayora.
Days 6-8: Amazon Rainforest — Yasuní National Park
Fly to Coca and transfer by motorized canoe 2.5 hours down the Napo River into the Amazon. Yasuní National Park is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth — a single hectare contains more tree species than all of North America. Three days at an eco-lodge: canoe through blackwater creeks looking for pink river dolphins, hike the rainforest with indigenous Kichwa guides (spotting monkeys, toucans, macaws, and poison-dart frogs), climb the 40m canopy tower for sunrise over the treetops, and visit a Kichwa community to learn about traditional medicine and blowgun hunting. Night walks reveal frogs, insects, and caiman along the riverbanks. Overnights: Amazon eco-lodge.
Days 9-11: Andes Highlands — Cotopaxi & Quilotoa
Drive into the Avenue of the Volcanoes. Hike in Cotopaxi National Park, approaching the base of Cotopaxi (5,897m), one of the world’s highest active volcanoes. Continue to the Quilotoa Crater Lake (3,900m), a stunning emerald-green volcanic lake 250m deep in a 3km-wide caldera. Optional: hike down to the lake shore or kayak on the crater lake. Visit Saquisilí or Otavalo indigenous market (depending on day) for Andean textiles, panama hats (actually Ecuadorian, not Panamanian), and traditional foods. Overnights in Cotopaxi region hacienda.
Day 12: Return to Quito & Depart
Transfer back to Quito. Free afternoon for last exploration before international departure.
Inclusions
- 11 nights: 3 Quito + 2 Puerto Ayora + 3 Amazon lodge + 3 Andes hacienda
- Daily breakfast + 7 dinners
- Galapagos: flight Quito-Baltra round trip, Park fee, 3 guided tours + snorkeling
- Amazon: canoe transfers, all excursions, rubber boots, bilingual naturalist + Kichwa guide
- Andes: Cotopaxi NP hike, Quilotoa crater, market visit
- English-speaking guide throughout except Galapagos (separate naturalist guide)
- All domestic flights (Quito-Baltra, Quito-Coca round trip)
