Best of Ecuador & Galapagos-Cruise 12D/11N Departure day: every Monday Day 1 (Monday): Arrival to Quito Arrival & transfer to hotel, depending on the time of arrival an activity in Quito can be organized (visit to a museum, visit to a botanical garden or nocturnal tour of town). Day 2: Full day City tour & the middle of the world monument. First we visit the imposing neo-gothic church Basilica del Voto Nacional, Then we walk around the independence square; the heart of Quito surrounded by the Government Palace, The Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace,and the city hall. Our next point is the Sagrario church, we visit the interior of the Church of la Compañia de Jesus which is full covered by gold leaf and then we continue to San Francisco square in where we can admire one of the biggest monasteries in South America. Then we continue to El Panecillo, a hill located at 3000m (10000 feet), where the virgin of Quito is waiting for us. From this hill you will get one of the best views of the old and new city.
After lunch we travel a few kilometers from the city of Quito to the middle of the world, we visit the Inti Nan museum, later we will make a quick stop to see the historical monument that symbolizes the visit of the French Geodesic Mission during the eighteenth century and its great contribution to the world history. Return to your hotel in Quito. Day 3: Otavalo Market full day The Highlight of this day is the visit to the Otavalo Market. Along the way, you will make a few stops that will give you the opportunity to learn more about the incredible cultural & gastronomic richness of the area. You will first visit a traditional biscochos bakery and watch how these traditional snacks are made. After, you will visit our good friend, Jose Cotacachi s wool spinning workshop. Jose has an exhibition room where you will be able to see how he makes beautiful Andean-style wool fabrics. One of the most impressive things about his workshop is the fact that Jose uses only natural dyes. You will also visit a music workshop where you will learn about the making of traditional Andean wind musical instruments!. After lunch we will arrive to the Otavalo market and you will have time to see and buy the beautiful handicrafts made by the skilled artisans of this area. Return to your hotel in Quito. Day 4: Amazon At around 7.30 am you will catch a short flight to Coca, an eastern Ecuadorian city that is located on the banks of the majestic Napo River. Upon arrival in Coca, you will board the passenger transport boat at the Río Napo Port in Coca. The boat ride will last approximately 2 hours, at which time you will arrive to the Chaullayacu, the small stream connecting the Napo River to the calm lagoon at the amazon Lodge.
Upon arrival, the lodge staff will welcome us with snacks and drinks, and after this we will settle down in your comfortable cabins. You will reconvene shortly thereafter to eat lunch and listen to an introductory speech by the lodge s guides. In the afternoon, you will hike through the forest, getting to know some of the incredible variety of plant and animal species that the area has to offer. After dinner you can enjoy a peaceful canoe ride around the lake looking for Caimans. Day 5: Amazon After an early breakfast, our guides will bring you in canoes to the Chorongo Trail. During the 45-minute canoe ride across the lagoon, you will be able to observe and listen to the morning activities of the birds and monkeys in the area. Once on the trail, you will do a 3 4 hour hike looking for wildlife & learning about the plants of the rainforest. You will enjoy a picnic in the middle of the forest. In the afternoon you will do some piranha fishing in the lagoon before returning to the lodge at around 5 PM. After dinner you will discover the night life of the rainforest as you take a hike looking for frogs, insects and other elusive nocturnal animals! Day 6: Amazon After an early breakfast you will depart to the 37-meter Canopy Observation Tower located on top of an old Kapok Tree. To get there you will take a 45 minute canoe ride across the lagoon enjoying the morning activity of birds and monkeys. You will stay on the observation tower for about an hour and after you will take a hike on a trail looking for more wildlife.
On the afternoon you will visit the Sani Isla community center where you will be greeted by SANI HUARMI(Women s group). The women of Sani Huarmi will share indigenous foods with you and you will get to see & buy the beautiful handicrafts made by the members of the community. Day 7: Amazon-return to Quito After breakfast you will get ready to leave the lodge and return to the city of Coca in order to catch your plane back to Quito. You will be arriving to Quito at around 11:45 AM. You will have the rest of the day on your own to relax in your hotel or do some sightseeing in Quito and prepare for your Galapagos trip. Day 8 Galapagos San Cristobal Island You will depart early morning to catch the flight to the Galapagos, upon arrival to San Cristobal Island your guides will meet you, collect your luggage, and escort you on the short bus ride to the harbor. Motorized rafts, called "Pangas will transport you to the cruise ship and our crew will welcome you onboard. After departure and lunch, the first island visit is made. PM: La Lobería: The beach is 10 minutes from the airport of San Cristobal. It is a coral sand beach with sea lions. La Loberia is a piece of coast that has been named for the large number of sea lions resting on the rocks and sand. Besides the sea lions, yellow warblers, frigates and various species of finches can be seen. On the rocks, large Galapagos marine iguanas can be found, unique in the world. Highlands: The steep road narrows as it climbs the sides of the extinct volcano. At the summit visitors are treated to a spectacular view of the El Junco Lagoon. Rainwater and condensation have collected in
the caldera for hundreds of years creating this haven for frigatebirds. Hiking around the lake offers views of practically the entire island including San Joaquin Hill the island's highest point. Day 9 Española Island AM: Punta Suarez This rocky land spot sustains one of the most impressive and varied colonies of sea birds in the Galapagos. Along its southern shore, high cliffs rise up from the sea affording the visitor spectacular views of soaring birds and of the blow whole where water spouts up to 50-75 feet into the air according to the intensity of the surf. PM: Gardner Bay Located on the north-eastern coast of Hood, Gardner Bay provides an excellent beach for relaxing, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and the opportunity to observe sea lions. Here we can also observe sharks in the crystal clear ocean waters. Day 10 Galapagos - Floreana Island AM: Cormorant Point This site offers probably the best flamingo lagoon in the Galapagos; it is also one of the largest in the islands. It s situated between two tuff lava cones that give the area a special atmosphere.. It is very interesting to see the two distinct beaches: "The Green Beach" (due to its high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand) and the "Flour Sand Beach" which is made up of coral. Devil's Crown The Devil's Crown, located just off Punta Cormorant, offers some of the best snorkeling in the Galapagos. In fact, the only way to see the Crown is by water; it is termed a Marine Visitor Site, and no
landings are allowed. Sometimes referred to as Onslow Island, this is an almost completely submerged volcano, and erosion has transformed the cone into a series of jagged peaks; as a result, this site really does look like a devil's crown. PM: Post office bay & Baroness Lookout Historically, this site is the location of a wooden barrel that wasplaced in the 18th century by the crew of a whaling ship. It has been used since this time by mariners and tourists as a post office. The idea is to carry letters or postcards to their destination by hand. Apart from being the Post Office Barrel, this site was the landing area for some of the first colonists. We will continue to the north of the island and will ascent to an elevated slope to enjoy a beautiful vista at the Baroness lookout. It is said that Baroness Eloisa Von Wagner loved this place and spent several hours watching the horizon. Within walking distance (30 m) are the ruins of what is known as her house. From this lookout, the landscape covers the coastline from the Enderby islet to Post Office Bay, as well as Cerro Pajas, the pool of flamingos and wide forest of Palo Santo. Day 11 Galapagos-Santa Cruz Island AM: Charles Darwin Station Although the great majority of Galapagos visitors come here to observe and appreciate natural wonders, it is also interesting to learn how the protection and conservation of the islands are carried out. One of the main attractions are the National Park information center, the Van Straelen Exhibition Hall, the Breeding and Rearing Center for young and adult Galapagos tortoises in captivity. After this visit you will be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back to Quito, arrival at 16:00. Transfer to your hotel Day 12 Depending of the time of your flight you will have some free time to do some last minute sightseeing or shopping on your own. Transfer to airport. End of services.
Includes Lodging Daily activities Bilingual guides Meals except dinners on nights spent in Quito In country transportation: o Transfers to and from the airport in Quito o Transportation from Quito to all the places visited with a private driver o Internal flights to Amazon & Galapagos Excludes Alcoholic beverages & souvenirs International flights Galapagos entrance fee (park tax) (USD 100 adults, USD 50 Kids under 12 years) Galapagos Transit control card fee (USD 10) Gratuities to guides and crew Lunches on days 7 & 11 Thank you for choosing Greentrek!