Day 1 Arrive Quito
Arrive Quito. Airport transfer to Casa Aliso, a 10-room boutique hotel centrally located.
Day 2 Quito's colonial center and the Middle of the World
Explore Quito’s colonial center; the best preserved historic center in America. Learn about Quito’s history and artistic legacy. Admire the wonderful architecture of its colonial buildings and the uniqueness of religious art pieces. Continue to the famous Middle of the World and celebrate the ability to be in both hemispheres at the same time.
Day 3 Isabela Island - Sucre's cave & Mirador de Mango
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Transfer to Quito's airport for flight to Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. Flight from Baltra to Puerto Villamil. Transfer to Scalesia Lodge. Scalesia is situated in the highlands of Isabela Island on the slopes of a volcano, about 20 minutes from the town of Puerto Villamil. The modern, luxurious, safari-style tent resort is in the middle of 16 hectare (40 acre) property of a magical forest with a spectacular view of the coast of Isabela Island, the Pacific Ocean, and other Islands of Galapagos dotting the horizon. In the afternoon, visit the Sucre's cave, and enjoy a short walk to appreciate the typical vegetation and endemic plants. Continue to Mirador de Mango from where you have panoramic views of southern Isabela and the agricultural area. This is also a place for finch birds’ observation.
Day 4 Isabela Island - Sierra Negra, Chico Volcano & Concha Perla
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Visit some of Isabela's best attractions: the Sierra Negra and Chico Volcano. Sierra Negra is one of the most active volcanoes of the archipelago, The volcano’s crater is considered the second largest in the world with a diameter of 10kms. Volcan Chico is also an active volcano, sulfur vents can be seen in this area. This is an approximately 6-hour walk tour to appreciate all the splendor of the volcanoes. For those who do not wish to do the hike, an alternative activity is visiting the Tuneles: a 30-minute ride on a small fast boat that takes visitors to this unique place where lava flow has been impacted for many years by the oceans waves. This visiting site is a marine paradise for white tipped reef sharks, Galápagos green sea turtles, the Galápagos sea lions, manta rays, parrot fish, yellow tail surgeon fish among many others. (Please let us know when booking which option you would like to book).
Return to the Lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy Concha Perla, where you can swim and snorkel alongside tropical fish, sea lions, penguins and turtles and it is also possible to observe up to 20 bird species.
Day 5 Isabela Island - Tintoreras, Humedales & turtle breeding center
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Morning visit to the Tintoreras, an islet formed by lava flows located 10 minutes by dinghy from Puerto Villamil. Its name comes from the white tip reef sharks called in Spanish as “tintoreras” which are frequently seen in this area. Different species of animals can be seen in the area as sea lions, marine iguanas and penguins. This is a perfect place to practice snorkeling. Return to the hotel by lunch time. In the afternoon visit los Humedales, a complex with various trails where you can find the four species of mangroves existing in Galapagos. This area is characterized by solitary beaches, lava tunnels, natural pools and estuaries where you can see flamingos and other birds. You will also visit the Turtle breeding center where the National Park is breeding turtles in danger of extinction. Some of this giant turtles have been released by the park and can be found on the trails.
Day 6 Santa Cruz Island - Las Grietas & Tortuga Bay
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Early in the morning, transfer to the airport to take your flight back to Baltra. Pick up and transfer to Puerto Ayora. Visit to Las Grietas. Las Grietas means “the Crevasses,” a simple name for one of the Galápagos Islands’ most enchanting locations – a series of three elongated, almost rectangular pools amid tall lava cliffs. In the afternoon, visit Tortuga Bay beach. Tortuga Bay is located to the southwest of Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island. Its name means turtle, since it is the favorite place for sea turtles to lay their eggs. After the visit you will be taken to Finch Bay Hotel.
Day 7 Day trip navigation
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Day trip navigation to one of these islands: Bartolome Island (Saturday, Sunday), Santa Fe Island (Wednesday), South Plazas Island (Tuesday, Friday) or North Seymour Island (Monday, Thursday). Over- night at Finch Bay Hotel.
NOTE: Itineraries in Galapagos subject to change without notice. The sequence of visits might be altered depending on arrival of flights to Baltra or Isabela, weather conditions, or other unexpected circumstances beyond our control.
Day 8 Return Quito
After breakfast, transfer to Baltra to take your flight back to Quito. Arrive to Quito in the afternoon. Airport transfer to Casa Aliso Boutique hotel.
Day 9 Transfer to Sacha Lodge
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Transfer from hotel to Quito airport. Embark on a 30-minute flight and arrive to Puerto Francisco de Orellana, locally known as Coca to meet the naturalist guide and board a larger motorized canoe for a 2-hour ride down the Rio Napo to Sacha Lodge. Upon arrival to Sacha Lodge’s private reserve, guests take their first walk along a raised boardwalk through dense flooded palm forest where several species of monkeys are often sighted. Dugout canoes await to carry you across the Pilchicocha lake to the Lodge. You arrive with time to settle in, bird-watch, swim, or take a walk under the canopy before dinner.
Day 10-11 Sacha Lodge - Explore rainforest
- Hotel
- 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Activities are spread out over a wide area and allow visitors to explore several distinct but equally fascinating habitats. Visit to the butterfly farm is not to be missed. One of Sacha Lodge’s highlights is the Canopy Walk. It is one of only a few rigid, self-standing suspension canopy walkways in the world. Two of the three towers have observation platforms every 12 meters, making the towers accessible for everyone. The 275 meters, (900 feet) long canopy walkway is suspended at 36 meters (120 feet) above the forest floor.
The Treetop Walk, allow visitors explore the rich life of the rainforest understory. We have built 5 observation platforms around tree trunks under the canopy, at heights between 20 and 65 feet, all connected by bridges. The Treetop Walk leads us on a 240 feet long path through this rainforest layer so rarely observed by human beings before.
A favorite activity of our guests is to paddle dugout canoes along tannin-rich black-water creeks and lakes, where luxuriant lianas, bromeliads and palm trees thrive. There is also a 43 meter (135 feet) observation tower that allows guests to climb into and above the rainforest canopy for a magnificent view of the surrounding area.
Located ten minutes across de Napo River, the Nueva Providencia Interpretation Center, an offers our guests the opportunity to share with the women from the community and learn about the Kichwa lifestyle. The visit culminates with a tasting of the local cuisine!
For adventurous souls, the day does not necessarily end with dinner. Night walks and canoe trips, with the aid of flashlights, often reveal creatures such as caimans that are seldom seen during daylight.
Day 12 Napo River - Return Quito
- Hotel
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch
After breakfast, walk back out to the Napo River along the boardwalk. The motorized canoe waits at the shore of the Napo for the trip to Puerto Francisco de Orellana to fly back to Quito. Overnight at Casa Aliso Boutique Hotel.
Day 13 Return home
Enjoy one last breakfast in Ecuador before heading to the airport for your flight home.
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