AMAZON RAINFOREST AND GALAPAGOS
Discover the magic of Ecuador by getting into the compelling natural world of the Amazon, one of the true wonders of the planet. You barely have to leave the hotel to enjoy the incredible biodiversity of the River Napo. On your journey learn all about the different local tribes and their cultures. The Ecuador & Galapagos Wonders is the perfect combination of wildlife spotting, adventure activities and natural wonders that make Ecuador one of the most highly diverse countries on the planet.
Experience the Galapagos Islands from the comfort of a land-based expedition! The islands offer endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of wildlife in a setting unlike any other on the planet. This is one of the few places on earth that allows such close and intimate contact with the wildlife. The Galapagos form a natural sanctuary that preserves species, this allowed them to evolve their unique features for countless millennia. This vacation also provides flexible time to spend on your own and explore the sand beaches, trails in the Galapagos forest, and the lots of wildlife. The tour also provides many benefits to local communities and is socially and environmentally responsible.
Unique Experiences:
- Visit a native local family in the middle of the Amazon jungle and look for monkeys.
- Snorkel with sea turtles, sea horses and rays and sea lions.
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DepartureQuito / Ecuador
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IncludedActivitiesDomestic flightsLand TransportationMeals detailed in the itinerary
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Not IncludedFees and entrances to parks and museumsAirport tranfer in & outInternational flight
FROM OUR GALLERY
DAY 1: QUITO ARRIVAL DAY
Welcome to Quito! The largest, best-preserved colonial city of 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.
Meals included: none.
DAY 2: BAÑOS DE AGUA SANTA – ROUTE OF THE WATERFALLS
This morning, after breakfast, we will take our way to the South to reach the amazing Baños de Agua Santa town, on the way we will have the opportunity to admire the volcanoes avenue and the stunning landscape of the Andes.
Meals included: Breakfast.
DAY 3: AMAZON RAINFOREST
This day we will appreciate the magic and beauty of the Amazon rainforest traveling along a zig-Zag river in the jungle like a giant snake, considered the main system of the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth). Once we get to the lodge area, our staff will welcome you. From there we will continue to relax in the lounge with a fresh tropical snack, and a brief briefing that will contain the general information about the accommodation and activities, provided by one of our naturalist guides, and thus proceed to Lunch.
Accommodation: Amazon Eco-lodge
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
DAY 4: AMAZON RAINFOREST
On this day it is time to enjoy a cultural activity. An Amazonian Kichwa community will receive us and learn about their way of life and the interaction they have with the Forest. This meeting will show that part of the Amazon that is not in the maps: the Amazonian peoples in their daily lives. Part of our visit to the community is to share the famous "chicha", a fermented cassava beverage that has become part of their holiday and daily Consumption. We will participate in the preparation of this drink and try some of the traditional dishes. We will finish the visit with a traditional dance made by the children of the community and also have time to buy some handicrafts made by the natives of the Area. This small business is very helpful in supporting the daily life of the indigenous people of the AREA.Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
DAY 5: AMAZON RAINFOREST
We take the canoe for about 40 minutes to visit the "Anaconda island". We can observe the prehistoric bird "Hoatzin", the woolly monkeys, squirrel monkeys, just to mention a few. We also visit a family in one of the indigenous communities to know their cultivation habits, medicinal plants, as well as the ancestral form of hunting with blowguns and handmade traps in the Forest.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
DAY 6: RETURN TO QUITO – STOP AT GUANGO LODGE
After breakfast, we will reach to Guango Lodge, located near the paramo and hot springs of Papallacta, a paradise for hummingbird lovers. Seeing 14 species of hummingbirds within an hour is not uncommon, and the Sword-billed hummingbird with it's unique, long bill is sure to amaze you. This scenic vista and variety of trails will offer us great opportunities to hike in a beautiful setting surrounded by forest-covered mountains.
Meals included: Breakfast.
DAY 7: QUITO AT LEISURE
On this day you will have time to explore this charming city by your own.
Meals included: Breakfast.
DAY 8: ARRIVE IN GALAPAGOS
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Island of Baltra in the Galapagos Islands. On arrival you will be picked up and transferred to Santa Cruz a nearby island, crossing the narrow Itabaca channel by ferry. From here we will continue by car to our first stop in the highlands of Santa Cruz. The highlands are home to the iconic giant Galapagos tortoises. Here you will visit a private ranch where you will enjoy lunch before heading out for a walk in search of the giant tortoises. During this visit, you will also visit some lava tubes, which are formed when the surface of a lava stream solidifies. After this tour, you will continue by private vehicle to your hotel. Here you will have a meet and greet with your local guide who will explain the following days itinerary to you. Enjoy the rest of the evening at leisure to relax and introduce yourself to this beautiful Island.Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
DAY 9: BAY TOUR EXPLORATION
Today after breakfast you will enjoy a half-day tour of Academy Bay. Be sure to pack everything you need for this trip. Optional snorkel equipment will be provided free of charge to anyone who wishes to use it. During the tour, you will take a boat to the Bay where you can swim and snorkel with all kinds of exotic fish and marine life, as well as the famous sea lions; they are very curious animals and like to approach to swim next to you underwater. Here you can also see the sought-after blue-footed boobies. Afterwards, climb to a nearby viewpoint, and if you are lucky, you can see white-tipped reef sharks swimming in the ocean below.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
DAY 10: CHARLES DARWIN RESEARCH STATION
In the morning, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. 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.
Meals included: Breakfast.
DAY 11: ISLA LOBOS EXCURSION
Today after breakfast you will be met and transferred to a dock where you will take a quick boat ride to the nearby Isla Lobos. During this boat trip, observe many marine animals before even setting foot on the island. Upon arrival, enjoy a guided tour where you will have the chance to observe frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, manta, sea lions and sometimes sharks that all inhabit the island and its surrounding waters. The white coral beaches of San Cristóbal are great to walk around, relax and swim at before you return back to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.
Accommodation: Blue Marlin or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
DAY 12: SAN CRISTOBAL TO QUITO
Enjoy some more free time this morning before transferring to the airport of San Cristóbal. From here, you will take a flight back to Ecuador's mainland. Upon arrival in Quito, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel for one more evening at leisure before saying goodbye.
Meals included: Breakfast.
DAY 13: DEPARTURE
Today our trip will end and you will have your International departures. Take with you your memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, 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.
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What's Included?
- Transportation: Domestic flights Quito – Galapagos – Quito, comfortable land and sea transportation, motorized canoe, sea transportation Santa Cruz – San Cristobal, airport transfers (national & international flights).
- Accommodation based in double occupancy: 5* hotel in Quito, 3+ star hotel in Baños, Amazon Basin Eco-lodge, 3+ star hotels in Galapagos.
- Meals: 12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 3 dinners.
- Activities: Easy hike to the waterfalls, encounter with indigenous people, trekking and wildlife observation in the Amazon, AmazOOnico Animal Rescue Center, chocolate making with indigenous people, hiking in Santa Cruz highlands, snorkeling, Isla lobos, Bay day tour.
- Gear: Snorkeling mask and fins, life vest.
- Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and local guides.
What is not included?
- International flights.
- Single supplement: USD $934.
- Galapagos National Park Entrance Fee USD 100 per person.
- INGALA Transit control card USD 20 per person.
- AmazOOnico Rescue Center Entrance Fee USD $5 per person.
- Lobito bus USD 10 per person (Santa Cruz Dock).
- Travel insurance (mandatory).
- Meals not described in the itinerary.
- Tips for guides and drivers.
IMPORTANT DETAILS
FLIGHT TIME: 2h 45 min each way from Quito to Galapagos. Regular size aircraft: about 140 passengers.
BOAT TRAVEL TIME: 2 hours each way from Isabela to Santa Cruz.
DRIVING TIME:
2 - 3 hours a day while in mainland.
PROVINCE: Pichincha, Napo and Galapagos.
TERRITORY: Quito City, Galapagos Islands National Park and Amazon Rainforest.
TREKKING TIME:
ALTITUDE:
Quito: 2800 m (9,186 ft.).
AVG. TEMP. : Day 15-34ºC / 59-93ºF - Night 12-17ºC / 53-62ºF
KAYAKING TIME: 2 hours.
WEATHER TEMPERATURES: December to May: 80ºF to 90ºF / 25ºC to 30ºC. June to September: 60ºF to 70ºF / 15ºC to 20ºC. October to December: 70ºF to 80ºF/ 15ºC to 25ºC.
WATER: The waters of the Galapagos Islands are a unique mixture of warm and cold water, ranging between 65ºF and 85ºF.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Moderate: The hiking in Sierra Negra is moderate but long (muddy during the wet season from July to November). The sea-kayaking on Isabela Island is easy as well as the snorkelling. The jungle walks are moderate, mostly on flat terrain. The trekking in the cloudforest is easy.
GEAR: Snorkels, masks and fins, sit on top double kayaks, dugout canoes with outboard motor, rubber boots, hiking sticks.
ACCOMODATION: All prices are based on double-occupancy. If you are traveling solo, you will be matched with another participant of your same sex. If you prefer to have a single room, please contact AJ prior to your departure to arrange your accommodation at an extra cost.
MEALS: Traveling with Adventure Journeys you will have the possibility to experience and taste local food and snacks. Your guide will help you identify typical food and suggest the best places to enjoy it. Some meals are not included in order to give you some flexibility about where, what and with whom to eat. You have the option to share these meals with the group, however there is no obligation to do this. If you have any allergies or food restrictions, please inform AJ prior to your departure.
YOUR TRIP LEADERS AND GUIDES: All AJ guides and trip leaders are highly experienced, licensed from the Tourism University to operate in Ecuador and certified as Wilderness Adventure First Aid respondents. They all have approved several extra training courses for kayaking, rafting, biking and horse riding, besides this they all are Ecuadorian and have a fantastic personality. We always carry a complete first aid kit in our trips.
SUSTAINABLE ECO AND CULTURAL TOURISM: Clients receive interpretation and education about the ecology and conservation of the Andes, Amazon Rainforest and Galapagos Islands, and learn about the factors that threaten it. We aim to promote long-term conservation of both local people cultural identity and the environment. We transport out and recycle all non-organic garbage and we prefer to work with local suppliers. Your visit will encourage the local communities to support responsible eco-tourism as a sustainable alternative for their living.
HEALTH INFORMATION: Please inform AJ of any existing medical conditions (i.e. pregnancy, diabetes, etc). Yellow fever, Hepatitis B vaccination and Malaria Medication are recommended when traveling to the tropics. Please ask your doctor for advice.