Ecuador Expedition

Galápagos Islands and Mindo Cloud Forest

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Overview

Explore the wonders of Ecuador on this memorable journey from the Galápagos Islands to the Mindo Cloud Forest, with ample time in vibrant Quito in between. Named for the equator over which it straddles, Ecuador holds one of the continent’s oldest cities, tropical rain forests, the highest volcano in the world, and those infamous offshore islands that were Charles Darwin’s scientific muse.

Your days are filled with wildlife viewing, nature walks, museum visits, city wandering, and immersive activities distinctive to each destination. Unique accommodations take you to the heart of Quito’s Old City, on a catamaran floating among the Galápagos, and into the mist of the cloud forest. Fresh, delicious meals – always with a view – punctuate active days spent outdoors.

Quito is your landing pad upon arrival and between adventures, with time available to see some of the city’s magnificent sights. Travel on you’re an intimate luxury catamaran through the Galápagos Islands, with an itinerary that features a number of islands, each exciting in its own right and full of unique wildlife species. Back on land, immerse into Ecuador’s biodiverse cloud forest.

Visit Ecuador for the Galápagos, stay for so much more!

Price From*

$15,600 USD
Trip Type

Custom-Made Travel
Best Months for Travel

January, February, March, September, October, November, December
Duration

13 days / 12 nights
Trip begins/ends
Quito, Ecuador / Quito, Ecuador

*Price per person based on sample itinerary detailed. Pricing will vary depending upon number of travelers, rooming configuration, and other planning details specific to your trip.

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How Can We Customize This Sample Itinerary For You?

If this sample itinerary looks intriguing, let us know and we can begin the process of tailoring it for you and yours! Call or email us today: [email protected].

Trip Details

Trip Highlights

Galapagos sally lightfoot crab in the sand

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

Wildlife Galore: Some of the world’s finest and most unique wildlife viewing in the Galapagos Islands and Mindo Cloud Forest.
Exceptional Lodging: Spend each night of the journey in the most enviable locations – on a catamaran, in the heart of the cloud forest, and in Quito’s Old Town.
Activity Rich: Opportunities for kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, ziplining, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, and – of course – wildlife viewing.
Interpretive Guides: Expert local guides are at your fingertips as you explore the islands and cloud forest, interpreting the exotic landscape and wild things that surround you.

The Essentials

Ecuador Expedition

Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel

Territory: South America

Region: Ecuador

Trip Price: $15,600

Duration: 13 days/12 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Quito, Ecuador / Quito, Ecuador

National Parklands:

Select Terms & Conditions

All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Ecuador Expedition

The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process

Make It Private

How custom-made travel works at Off the Beaten Path

We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.

The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.

The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!

Trip Highlights
The Essentials
Energy Index
How Custom Travel Works

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

Wildlife Galore: Some of the world’s finest and most unique wildlife viewing in the Galapagos Islands and Mindo Cloud Forest.
Exceptional Lodging: Spend each night of the journey in the most enviable locations – on a catamaran, in the heart of the cloud forest, and in Quito’s Old Town.
Activity Rich: Opportunities for kayaking, snorkeling, swimming, ziplining, stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, and – of course – wildlife viewing.
Interpretive Guides: Expert local guides are at your fingertips as you explore the islands and cloud forest, interpreting the exotic landscape and wild things that surround you.

Ecuador Expedition

Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel

Territory: South America

Region: Ecuador

Trip Price: $15,600

Duration: 13 days/12 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Quito, Ecuador / Quito, Ecuador

National Parklands:

Select Terms & Conditions

All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Ecuador Expedition

The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process

How custom-made travel works at Off the Beaten Path

We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.

The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.

The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito

Arrive this evening in Quito, meet your driver outside the terminal and transfer to your boutique hotel in Quito’s vibrant Old Town – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Days 2-8: Galápagos Islands

This morning, fly to the Galápagos Islands – one of the most incredible destinations in the world – to board a fully staffed, amenity-rich, catamaran. This week will be one to savor and remember, taking you from island to island, to see the amazing wildlife. Spend your week aboard the catamaran spotting diverse wildlife and enjoying hiking, snorkeling, and kayaking adventures. Onboard dining is excellent, and sweet dreams are to be expected! Highlights include snorkeling with seahorses, sea turtles, and the strange yet fascinating Mola mola (or sun fish) and walking past marine iguanas and sea lions to see a flightless cormorant nesting site. Hike to beautiful vistas and spot pink flamingos, white-cheeked pintails, and common gallinules in brackish water pools. Make a special stop at “Sea Lion Island” to see sea lions and blue-footed and Nazca boobies. Visit two special centers that are protecting the Galápagos tortoises. And, don’t forget your postcards for a special visit to Post Office Bay. *Please note that all cruise itineraries are subject to changes due to inclement weather, sea currents, or National Park restrictions and regulations.

Day 9: Galápagos Islands to Quito

Come ashore on San Cristóbal Island for your flight back to Quito. Tonight, stroll the cobblestone streets and enjoy a delicious dinner.

Days 10-11: Exploring the Mindo Cloud Forest

It’s time to explore Ecuador’s amazing cloud forest from your base at a remote lodge. After getting settled, meet with a local naturalist guide for a guided hike into the surrounding cloud forest. Spend your time at the lodge hiking to waterfalls, birdwatching, exploring the reserve’s butterfly farm, and strolling the tropical fruit garden. Each step of the way, naturalist guides are available to help share their extensive knowledge.

Day 12: Quito

This morning, after a final cloud forest stroll, you’ll transfer to Quito. Explore picturesque plazas, ornate churches, and enjoy delicious cuisine and warm Ecuadorian hospitality as you celebrate the last night of your journey.

Day 13: Departures Home from Quito

On your last day in Ecuador, a local guide will join you to make the journey north to the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve to walk the scenic rim of the extinct Pululahua volcanic crater. Then, because of its proximity, you’ll visit Ciudad Mitad del Mundo where you can stand in two hemispheres at the same time. Before your flight, indulge in a chocolate tasting experience and learn about the 3,500-year history of Ecuador’s world-renowned cacao. Then, it’s time to return to the Quito Airport for evening homebound flights.

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Lodging

Casa Gangotena

The three-story Casa Gangotena Boutique Hotel in Quito is situated in a newly restored historic mansion overlooking Plaza San Francisco. The hotel and its 31 rooms are a beautiful mix of classic architecture, contemporary interior design, antiques, fine furnishings, modern technology, and quintessential comforts. Enjoy the dining room, glassed-in patio, garden, and panoramic third-floor terrace.

M/C Athala II

The M/C Athala II is an outstanding catamaran that combines adventure with comfort. She can accommodate 16 passengers in 8 spacious fully air-conditioned cabins. There are four cabins on the Upper Deck, which have interconnecting doors, and four cabins on the Main Deck with private balconies.In addition to an indoor dining room and lounge, the Athala II provides ample outdoor space, including a large sun deck, an open-air bar and an al fresco dining area, where you can take in the islands’ spectacular scenery. On board, the atmosphere is relaxed, intimate and friendly. Cabins are well-appointed, meals delicious, and the service reminiscent of a private yacht.

Mashpi Lodge

Mashpi is a one-of-a-kind travel experience where the features of the property complement the surrounding biodiverse ecosystem which is now protected as a nature reserve. The lodge has 24 guest rooms and suites designed to completely immerse you in forest life.

Hotel Mama Cuchara

Welcome!Following a meticulous renovation, this antique Spanish-colonial house was resurrected and modernized into what is now Hotel Mama Cuchara. The hotel offers guests all the charisma of a historic hotel, the deeply individual charm of a boutique hotel and the effortless comforts, services and contemporary elegance of 5 star accommodations. The hotel has 26 rooms with a private bath, cable/satellite TV, coffee/tea maker, bathrobes and complimentary WIFI, and is located near the base of Panecillo Hill, where the Virgen of Quito statue looks over the historical center. Location of Hotel Mama CucharaHotel Mama Cuchara is located at Vicente Rocafuerte E 3-250 Luis Chávez, Quito 170103 Ecuador