Galapagos & Amazon Tour Comfort 12D New

Arrival to Quito - Our driver will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Free time to relax and acclimatize to your new surroundings

Flight to Coca, Amazon Rainforest - Departing from Quito, 30 minute flight to Coca where we start a canoe ride along the Napo River for about 2 hours, lunch box in route. After arriving at the Napo Wildlife Centre's entry dock we then take a majestic and peaceful 1 hour dugout canoe ride surrounded by trees overhead, paddling along a narrow creek that connects to the lake where the lodge is located. Late afternoon arrival to the NWC lodge, welcome drink and tour of facilities. After dinner optional cayman (alligator) observation around the lake.

Amazon Rainforest - An early start to visit the parrot clay licks in Ecuador; a total of 11 species of parrots, parakeets and macaws can be seen. Later, we hike along a forest trail to visit the Quichua community of Añangu and share time with a family during their traditional activities. Return to the creek and hike through a Terra Firme Forest for about 30 minutes until we arrive to the second parrot clay lick  Box lunch at the parrot clay lick observatory. Late afternoon arrival to the lodge.

Amazon Rainforest - Morning visit to the 36m tall canopy tower on the Napo - a great way to experience the life above the forest floor. As you ascend the 12-story tower, you pass through different levels of the forest and emerge on top of a huge Ceiba tree. Here you cross onto a wooden platform that is actually built into the tree and experience the view formerly reserved only for the birds. Lunch is served at the lodge. Afternoon trekking in the primary forest to discover the forest interior and then a dugout canoe ride with great chance of running into a Giant otter family on the way.

Amazon Rainforest - Return journey to Coca with wildlife spotting opportunities along the way in the dugout canoe. Flight back to Quito and transfer to the hotel.

Quito Tour - A full day to acquaint yourself with the best sites of the city of Quito. In the morning you will enjoy a tour of the colonial highlights including the cathedral and most impressive churches and pretty plazas. After lunch we head north to the equator - stand literally in the middle of the world! We also visit the unique Inti ñan museum where you can prove (or disprove) various scientific phenomena that only hold true at the equator. Don´t forget to take your passport along if you want a special equator stamp in it!

Galapagos: Santa Cruz - An early flight to the Galapagos Islands where your English-speaking guide will be waiting for you at the airport in Baltra. He/she will take you to the port of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz Island). In the afternoon y our guide will take you the Giant Turtle Reserve – Rancho El Manzanillo located in the upper part of Santa Cruz. Here giant tortoises can be found wandering freely. Lunch at Rancho El Manzanillo. Afterwards we visit the Charles Darwin Station to learn about the ongoing conservation efforts on these Enchanted Islands. The Research Station rears endemic Galapagos plants, land iguanas, and Giant Galapagos Tortoises for educational, scientific and conservation purposes.

Galapagos: Day tour - by Yacht to one of the following destinations:

*Bartolome Island

*Plazas Islands

*Floreana Island

*Santa Fe Island

After breakfast, you will take a boat ride to one of the islands listed above. All of them offer fascinating insights into the plant and animal life of the Galapagos Islands where your natuaralist guide will explain all about the flora and fauna that you encounter. Note: The destinations depends on availability. 

Galapagos: Isabela - After breakfast we will take the Public speedboat to Isabela Island (7:00 aprox), which lasts approximately two and a half hours. On arrival at Isabela we will take a brief rest at the hotel and then head to the Concha de Perla lagoon where you can swim with sea lions, colorful varieties of fish, and with luck sea turtles. After lunch we visit Tintoreras Islet - the name of the islet derives from the sharks that live in the waters surrounding the islet that have whittipped fins, which are known as “Tintoreras”. The islet is one of the most fascinating places on Isabela Island and in fact all of the Galapagos. In this one area we can see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, Sally Lightfoot Crabs, sea turtles, pelicans, and Galapagos Penguins. As the island is one of the main breeding sites for the marine iguanas it is an excellent place to see a large community of these creatures close-up. After the hike through the islet we will get back on the boat and cool off by snorkeling in the waters nearby where with luck we may see multicolor fish, starfish, sea-urchins, and with luck manta rays, sharks, and sea lions that may swim with us close up. After this fascinating experience we will return to the hotel.
 

Galapagost Isabela - Today you have 2 options available:

OPTION 1. CAPE ROSE TUNNELS - After breakfast we will prepare ourselves to depart for snorkelling at the Cape Rose Tunnels located 40 minutes by boat southwest of Puerto Villamil. The sighting of birds and marine animals from the lava platform is one of the most important attractions. While snorkeling at this site you may experience up-close encounters with many species of fish, rays, sea turtles, penguins and sea lions.

OPTION 2: HIKE VOLCAN SIERRA NEGRA & VOLCAN CHICO - Early in the morning (7:00 am aprox.), after breakfast, we will prepare ourselves for the Sierra Negra Volcano hike by putting on comfortable walking shoes and possibly a rain jacket, making sure to bring sunscreen, water, and hats, and finally by preparing our box lunch at the hotel to take with us. We will then travel approximately 45 minutes by truck or bus to begin the 12 km hike (appx. 3 hours). The hike is long in terms of distance, but not very difficult as the inclines and declines are quite gradual. Sierra Negra Volcano has the second largest crater in the world, measuring approximately 6 miles in diameter and 300 feet deep. We can then continue to see spectacular moon-like terrain of Volcan Chico before heading back.

During the rest of this day we suggest visits to the Tortoise Breeding Center and the wetlands on your own.

Return to Santa Cruz & flight back to Quito - At 5:00 a.m. we head to the dock to take the public speedboat back to Santa Cruz Island (timing subject to change). From Puerto Ayora we will transport you across the highlands and to Baltra Airport. Depending on the timing of your flights we may have time for a quick visit to the twin crater sunken “holes”. These craters were formed by the collapse of the earth beneath which lava had passed and created giant tunnels, which facilitated the collapse and creation of the craters.
On arrival to Quito our driver will transport you to your hotel.

Transfer out - Our driver will transfer you back to the airport in time for your international flight out.