Galapagos
Day One - Lima to Quito
This morning we'll pick you up and take you to the airport in Lima for a flight up the Pacific Coast to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. You'll arrive too late to head on to the Galapagos so we'll take you to a hotel in the trendy Mariscal area of the city to relax and enjoy your first night here in Ecuador.
Day Two - Arrival in the Galapagos Islands
After breakfast we'll take you back to the airport for a flight out across the Pacific to the fabulous Galapagos Islands. You’ll touch down on the island of Baltra and here we will meet you and take you to your yacht! We’ll be heading off straight away for the Bachas beaches of Santa Cruz Island. The soft sand is actually decomposed coral and is a favourite nesting site for sea turtles. To the side of one of the beaches is a small lagoon, where you can see flamingos and other coastal birds.
Day Three - Floreana
This morning we will head on to Floreana Island and Punta Cormorant, with its olivine-crystal beach, for an easy walk that includes a brackish water lagoon where bird species like Greater flamingos, pintail ducks, common stilts, herons, sandpipers, and others may be observed. Then we will head to Post Office Bay, where pirates and whalers used to leave messages for each other in a floating barrel.
Day Four - Bartolome
Arriving at the island of Bartolomé, we will climb to the summit of the island, from where you can admire the spectacular panorama of Sullivan Bay and the famous needle shaped "Pinnacle Rock". The beaches at the foot of the Pinnacle Rock boast some fine snorkeling spots where you can enjoy the marvelous underwater world with a good chance of encountering penguins or the softly gliding sea turtles. Later today, we will anchor at Santiago Island's wonderful Sullivan Bay. During turtle hatching season, these beaches are covered with little turtles and it is also a favourite swimming and sunning spot for sea-lions.
Day Five - Española
Today we will sail south to the island of Española and the headland known as Punta Suarez. This rocky point of land is home to one of the most impressive colonies of sea-birds in the Galapagos. Along the southern shore, huge cliffs rise up from the sea, giving you spectacular views of soaring birds and an enormous blowhole, where water spouts up to 15m in the air! Then, in the afternoon, we will sail around to Gardner Bay to visit a friendly sea-lion colony.
Day Six - Back to Quito
In the morning we will visit the Plazas Islands which, despite their small size, are home to some of the most interesting species to be found anywhere in the Galapagos. You will be able to see iguanas, sea-lions, and large colonies of sea-birds such as frigate birds, pelicans, mullets and shearwaters. Then it's time to head to Baltra to catch your flight back to the mainland.
Day Seven - Last day in Ecuador
Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and after some free time to explore Ecuador's lovely capital city, we'll pick you up and take you to the airport to catch your international flight back to the UK.
Ecuador
Quito
Ecuador's capital city is divided into the elegant colonial Old Town, with its winding streets, ornate architecture and beautiful squares, and the modern, buzzing New Town where the cafe culture invites you to just sit back and watch the world go by...
Cotopaxi National Park
One of the most beautiful parts of Ecuador, the Cotopaxi National Park is also suprisingly accessible, just a few hours drive from Quito along the "Valley of the Volcanoes"...
Cuenca
Generally felt to be Ecuador's prettiest city, Cuenca is a colonial gem set in the Andes. Pleasant tree-lined streets and shady squares lie between stunning churches and grand mansions, while the clear, crisp Rio Tomebamba runs through it all...
Ecuador's Pacific beaches
Just a short drive from Guayaquil - Ecuador's second city - Salinas is a thriving, up-market beach resort with five-star hotels and top-class facilities located in the heart of the picturesque Salinas Bay.