Enchanted Isles

Days 1-2
Quito, Ecuador

Meet in Quito and explore on your own in the colonial center, with its grand plaza, mansions, and baroque churches.

Days 3-4
Galápagos Cruise / North Seymour / Santa Cruz

There’s a world of wonder in Darwin’s bewitching islands—on land as well as in the sea. We fly out to the islands and sail to North Seymour Island for a hike among prehistoric-looking marine iguanas, Darwin’s “imps of darkness.” On Santa Cruz, we visit the town of Puerto Ayora and the Darwin Research Station, with its museum and tortoise breeding facility, then head up to the lush highlands for a chance to see Galápagos tortoises in the wild.

Day 5
Española

At remote Española (Hood), we discover a jewel of an island known for its high number of endemic species. Marine iguanas are inky black on most Galápagos islands, but on Española, they are brightly colored, with a reddish tint. At Punta Suarez, we find spectacular cliffs inhabited by colorful lava lizards, the indigenous Hood mockingbird, and cactus and warbler finches. We enjoy great snorkeling on the northeast coast at Gardner Bay, where sea lions laze on long white beaches. Between April and November, Española is famed for its colonies of nesting waved albatross. These giant birds use the island’s steep cliffs as runways to take off for their oceanic feeding grounds.

Days 6-8
Floreana / Isabela / Fernandina

Rich flora abounds on Floreana, and the snorkeling is out of this world at Devil’s Crown, the remnant of a volcanic crater whose pinnacles rise up from the sandy bottom. Red-billed tropicbirds nest in the crater’s rocky crevices, while schools of king angelfish and beautiful marbled rays swim below. On Punta Cormorant, we watch elegant pink flamingos wade in the shallows, and on Isabela Island, we snorkel among tiny Galápagos penguins who seem to fly through the water. We look for flightless cormorants at Punta Espinosa and marine turtles at Urbina Bay. On pristine Fernandina, we hike Punta Espinosa to see the biggest colony of marine iguanas in the islands. We can often see them diving in the intertidal areas.

Days 9-11
Santiago / Bartolomé / Quito

Santiago (James) Island has numerous shorebirds, including lava herons, Galápagos doves, and Galápagos hawks. Our hike up the volcanic cone called Pinnacle Rock on Bartolomé Island offers top-of-the-world views. We explore by panga in Black Turtle Cove, a red mangrove lagoon that is a nursery for many sharks and rays. Fly to Quito and depart on Day 11, or extend your journey to Machu Picchu, Ecuador’s mountain highlands, or the Amazon.

This is the Itinerary-at-a-Glance. For the complete trip description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Optional Extensions

If you would like to extend your adventure, we offer the following options:

• Otavalo & Hacienda Zuleta Extension (3 days)
• Amazon Rainforest Extension: Napo Wildlife Center (4 days)
• Amazon Rainforest Extension: Sacha Lodge (4 days)
• Cusco Machu Picchu Extension (6 days)

Extension Accommodations

If you would like to view the accommodations offered with our extensions options:

• Otavalo & Hacienda Zuleta Extension (3 days)
• Amazon Rainforest Extension: Napo Wildlife Center (4 days)
• Amazon Rainforest Extension: Sacha Lodge (4 days)
• Cusco Machu Picchu Extension (6 days)

Note: Listed above are our signature accommodations for this trip. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.