Expand All Collapse All

1. Day 1 Welcome to Quito, Ecuador!

   Meet your Andean Discovery guide and transfer to your hotel.

   Quito, Ecuador, is a spectacular city positioned just a few miles shy of the equator in a narrow valley surrounded by volcanoes. At 9,350 feet above sea level, it is the second highest capital city in Latin America and maintains a pleasant spring-like climate all year round. Quito is also the cultural epicenter of Ecuador, with a plethora of museums, expansive outdoor parks, and colorful festivals and fairs. Upon evening arrival into Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport, you will be met by Andean Discovery staff and transferred to your hotel to relax after the long flights.

   Meals: On your own

   Standard Lodging: NH Hotel Quito

   Superior Lodging: Swissotel Quito

2. Day 2 Fly to the Amazon Rainforest

   The following shows the Napo Wildlife Center itinerary. Fly to the small town of Coca and canoe down the river to your lodge.

   This morning a 30-minute flight takes you to Coca, a small town located in the upper Amazon Basin. From there embark on a 2-hour motorized canoe ride along the Napo River. Look for marine birds, including herons and kingfishers, along the way. Next board traditional, dugout canoes for a majestic and peaceful 1- to 2-hour ride surrounded by trees overhead. You will be paddled along a narrow

   creek that connects to the lagoon where your lodge is located. Keep your eyes out for monkeys,
   toucans, parrot, and macaws. After arriving at the lodge and enjoying dinner, opt to look for caimans around the lake as you take in the evening sounds of the jungle.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Standard Lodging: Sacha Lodge

   Superior Lodging: Napo Wildlife Center

3. Day 3 Activities in the Amazon Rainforest

   Visit two parrot clay licks, hike through the forest, then relax and listen and spot various wildlife back at your lodge.

   A native Anangu guide and a bilingual naturalist guide lead you during todays excursions, including visits to two parrot clay licks. Back at the lodge you may see a group of giant otters investigating near the dock, a large black caiman crossing the lake, a capybara looking for rest near the waters edge, or blue and yellow macaws soaring overhead.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Standard Lodging: Sacha Lodge

   Superior Lodging: Napo Wildlife Center

4. Day 4 Activities in the Amazon Rainforest

   See the Amazon canopy from a bird’s-eye view atop an observation tower, hike in the forest, and explore by canoe.

   After an early breakfast, climb a 120- foot canopy observation tower and emerge on top of a huge Ceiba tree. Here you cross onto a wooden platform that is built into the tree to experience the view formerly reserved only for the birds. Flocks of colorful tanagers pass through the tree canopy, Spider Monkeys search for fruit in nearby trees, and toucans call in the early mornings and afternoons. This afternoon hike into the forest interior where you may see lizards, colorful manikins, or the unique and endemic Golden mantle tamarin monkeys. Afterward, explore the lake and creeks by dugout canoe with great possibilities of running into a Giant otter family.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Standard Lodging: Sacha Lodge

   Superior Lodging: Napo Wildlife Center

5. Day 5 Canoe Ride / Fly to Quito / City Tour

   Conclude your Amazon stay with a canoe back to Coca where you will catch your flight to Quito and enjoy a private city tour.

   This morning board the canoes for a paddle upstream back to Coca for your flight to Quito. Meet up with your guide for a tour of Quito’s colonial center, commonly referred to as “old town,” and enjoy a delicious lunch made with locally grown ingredients. Visit the striking La Compan?ia church, with an ornate baroque facade built entirely out of volcanic stone. Equally impressive is the Church of San Francisco, Quito’s largest colonial structure. Its adjacent museum houses much of the church’s original artwork, some of which dates back to the early 1600s. See the Virgin of Quito (El Panecillo), an enormous statue of an elegant winged woman who watches over the city from an impressive vantage point atop a 650- foot peak. Later this afternoon relax and prepare for another exciting wildlife adventure in the Galapagos Islands.

   Meals: B, L

   Standard Lodging: NH Hotel Quito

   Superior Lodging: Swissotel Quito

   Options & Add-ons: If you prefer a nature day opt for the Mindo Cloud Forest, where you can zipline or go on a nature walk and try some of the world’s best chocolate.

6. Day 6 Fly to Galapagos / Begin wildlife cruise

   Begin Coral I & II Itinerary “C”. Arrive at Santa Cruz Island and visit the Charles Darwin Research Station.

   This morning you will be met by Andean Discovery staff and transferred to the airport in time for your morning flight to Baltra Island, Gala?pagos. Upon arrival, you will be met by your Galapagos naturalist guides and transferred to the pier to board the Coral I or II yacht. First stop this afternoon visit the Darwin Research Station where the famous Lonesome George (the last surviving specimen of his species) lived for decades. The station is run by Galapagos National Parks staff with the collaboration of scientists. Admire a prickly-pear cactus forest and variety Darwin Finches and other land birds. The Darwin Station also works providing environmental education to communities and schools within the Islands, and to travelers visiting the Galapagos Islands.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Lodging: Coral I & II – Standard Cabin

   Cabin Upgrades: Standard Plus Cabin, Junior Cabin

   Options & Add-ons: Upgrade to a luxury 16- passenger catamaran or yacht

7. Day 7 Wildlife cruise: Mosquera / North Seymour

   Explore the coral sands of Mosquera Islet and observe blue- footed boobies, frigate birds, and sea lions on North Seymour.

   Wet Landing on Mosquera Islet. This tiny islet, between North and South Seymour Islands, is covered in coral sands. It is home to a group of sea lions that soak up the sun on the soft white sand. It is a good spot to observe shorebirds as well as herons, lava gulls, and boobies. Snorkeling or diving here you can often see sharks, rays, and barracudas. Visit North Seymour Island this afternoon, a flat, uplifted, island where you can see both Frigate bird species, magnificent and great, males courting the females by clicking, bill-clapping, shuddering and flapping their wings, all while showing off their bright red inflated pouch. You will likely also see blue- footed boobies displaying their unique feet and ‘dancing’. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands top off a great visit.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Lodging: Coral I & II – Standard Cabin

   Cabin Upgrades: Standard Plus Cabin, Junior Cabin

8. Day 8 Wildlife cruise: Santa Fe and South Plaza

   Snorkel with sea lions, explore a cactus forest with land iguanas, and observe shore birds at a lookout on South Plaza.

   Snorkel in the turquoise waters of the protected bay, where you will enjoy time with sea lions, turtles, reef sharks and spot eagle rays. Afterwards, wet landing onto a sandy beach on Santa Fe Island, you may immediately notice the abundant sea lions there with us. You will begin a walk past a forest of giant Opuntia cacti and another island-endemic, the Santa Fe land iguana, paler than its cousins on other islands. Galapagos hawks and even endemic rice rats are also things to look out for. Later, you will visit South Plaza Islet. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, and land iguanas are all present at the landing site. The small island is covered with a carpet of a red succulent studded with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff’s edge, you will spend time watching birds, such as frigate birds and Galapagos shearwaters, fly past at eye level. Back at sea level, you will once again encounter land iguanas, due to their proximity with marine iguanas, this is the only place on Earth where you will find the Galapagos hybrid iguana.

   Meals: B, L, D

   Lodging: Coral I & II – Standard Cabin

   Cabin Upgrades: Standard Plus Cabin, Junior Cabin

9. Day 9 San Cristóbal Island / Fly to Quito

   Boat by Kicker Rock, spend time with giant Tortoises in the highlands of San Cristo?bal, then begin the journey to Quito.

   The ancient and eroded volcanic tuff lava named Leon Dormido or Kicker Rock can be seen directly from your vessel. It serves as home to many Galapagos sea animals, such as birds, sea lions, blue and Nazca boobies and frigate. With rare sightings of swallow turtle gulls, tropic birds, and pelicans. Afterwards, In the highlands of San Cristobal, you will visit the giant tortoise breeding center “La Galapaguera” to witness the most iconic creature of the archipelago. The tortoises wander in a semi-natural habitat which lends itself to good photographic opportunities. The aim of the reserve is to help restore populations of the threatened San Cristobal tortoise back into the wild. In town, there are shops to purchase local handicrafts and souvenirs. Later, you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Quito. A light lunch/snack will be served on the flight. Additional lunch and dinner not included. Upon arrival in Quito, Andean Discovery staff will transfer you to your hotel.

   Meals: B

   Standard Lodging: Rincon de Puembo

   Superior Lodging: EB Hotel Quito Airport

10. Day 10 Depart

    This morning you will be transferred to the airport for your international flight.

    Meals: B

11. Coral I & II Yachts Itinerary C