Day 1

On arrival in Quito you will be met and transferred from the airport to the Café Cultura Hotel for two nights.

Day 2

Full Morning City & Centre of the World tour. Visit the Parliament Building, St. Augustine Convent, Independence Plaza, the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Church of San Francisco, one of the greatest religious buildings of the New World. Continue to the Equatorial Monument, just north of Quito, which marks the exact Middle of the World, where you can stand with a foot in each hemisphere.

Day 3

Quito/Cotopaxi by Chiva Express, then continue by bus to Riobamba. From the roof of the one car Chiva Express, which resembles a bus that runs on metal wheels along the train tracks, there are panoramic views of the stunning Andean region. From El Boliche continue the journey by bus along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Riobamba. Overnight Hotel Abraspugo.

Day 4

Take the Chiva Express to Alausí. Twist and turn over the Andes, tunnelling through rocky impasses, bridging ravines and river gorges. On arrival at Alausí prepare to go down the Devil’s Nose switch backs, one of the most impressive feats of rail engineering in the world, and back to Alausí. Continue by bus to Ingapirca and visit the Inca ruins. Continue on to Cuenca to arrive at dusk. Two nights at Santa Lucia Hotel.

Day 5

Full day sightseeing in Cuenca – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is a walking tour in the colonial downtown area of Cuenca, and an opportunity to enjoy the warmth and hospitality of its people, the colourful parks and plazas, religious monuments and handicraft shops. In the afternoon, visit a workshop where best quality Panama straw hats are made.

Day 6

In the morning visit El Cajas National Park. Although it can be very cold, the scenery surrounding the glacial lakes is splendid. Transfer from the hotel to airport to take the flight to Guayaquil. On arrival transfer to the Hampton Inn for 2 nights.

Day 7

City tour of Guayaquil including Bolívar Park, the open market of La Bahía, and the Spanish shipyard, now a Naval Museum. To the north of the waterfront is Santa Ana Hill and the oldest neighbourhood of Guayaquil, Las Peñas, which has been beautifully restored with brightly coloured wooden constructions housing many art galleries.

Day 8

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, Galapagos. On arrival transfer to the Finch Bay Hotel for 6 nights.

Named after the giant Galapagos tortoises, the archipelago 600 miles off Ecuador’s Pacific Coast was formed from undersea volcanic activity six million years ago and is part of Ecuador’s National Park system. In 1835, the English naturalist Charles Darwin visited the islands and discovered this living laboratory which inspired his writings on the Theory of Evolution.

Day 9

At leisure.

Day 10

Excursion to Bartolome, one of the most photographed locations in the Galapagos. Hike to the summit and admire the famous pinnacle rock. The boat will also travel along the coast in search of penguins, and a stop at the beach offers an opportunity for snorkelling and swimming.

Day 11

Excursion to Seymour and Las Bachas. Visitors will be able to see land and marine iguanas and tropical birds including frigate birds, nesting blue-footed boobies (seasonal) and nasca boobies (seasonal). A colony of sea lions is located on the north side of the island where they often enjoy surfing the waves. There are also opportunities to see small groups of fur seals. This island is an excellent location for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Day 12

At leisure.

Day 13

Excursion to South Plaza. The abundance of Sesuvium plants provide the island with its lush green colour during the rainy season and a reddish hue during the dry season. Wildlife on the island includes sea lions, land iguanas and hybrid iguanas which have resulted from a cross between male marine iguanas and female land iguanas.

Day 14

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Quito. Overnight Café Cultura.

Day 15

Transfer to the airport for your flight to El Coca. 4 nights at the Sacha Lodge.

Ecuador’s rainforest is located in the Amazon Basin, a unique ecosystem. Enjoy environmentally-conscious programmes in the company of experienced naturalist guides. Explore the rain forest along boardwalks crossing palm swamps and up observation towers for a close look at the forest canopy. Board native silent dugout canoes up rivers and streams and enjoy early morning outings for birdwatching. Sacha Lodge features 10 double cabins, with high thatched roofs and private shaded terraces, constructed with traditional materials.

Days 16 & 18

3 days to enjoy the Amazon rainforest.

Day 19

Fly back to Quito. On arrival you will be met and transferred to Otavalo for two nights at Estancia Pinsaqui, a restored colonial hacienda first built in 1790. Among its famous guests was General Simón Bolívar, who usually spent the night at Pinsaquí on his trips back and forth to Bogotá. An important treaty between Colombia and Ecuador was signed at the Hacienda and much history is held within its walls.

Day 20

Full day to visit the market at Otavalo and also some of the handicrafts villages. This is a treat of brilliant scenery and artisan villages which produce bread dough figurines, woodcarvings, fine leather products and textiles. Visit the market of Otavalo, piled high with ponchos, woollen goods, tapestries, sweaters, jewellery and many handicrafts.

Day 21

Return to Quito for overnight at Café Cultura.

Day 21

Transfer to the airport in time for your return flight to the UK.