Galápagos Islands and Mindo Cloud Forest
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:
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.
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
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
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!
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.
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.
Come ashore on San Cristóbal Island for your flight back to Quito. Tonight, stroll the cobblestone streets and enjoy a delicious dinner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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
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