Ecuador & Galapagos Islands: See & Experience Almost it ALL in 11 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours
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Overview
Highlights
- 6-Day Cruise Around the Galapagos Islands
- Daily Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner on Your Yacht
- Going to Centuries-Old & Indigenous Markets
- Seeing Animals Found Nowhere Else on Earth!
- Donkey-Riding Around a Caldera
- Kayaking Inside a Lake
- Exploring the Colonial Capital That is Quito
- Checking Out Volcanos, a Crater & a Canyon
- Looking Over Postcard-Perfect Bartolomé Island
- Visiting Amazing Snorkeling Sites
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- International Airfare *For VIP members only (ask us for details)
- Lodging *Some restrictions apply
- English-Speaking Tour Guides
- All Ground & Water Transportation
- All Activities in Itinerary Below
- Almost All Entry Fees
- Your Own On-Call Concierge
- Breakfasts
- Lunches x 5
- Dinners x 5
Popular Trips
Itinerary
Our tour starts in Quito. Upon arrival, do not be surprised if you are breathing heavily. This is due to the city’s high altitude. Most visitors acclimate just fine. If you are not jetlagged and bothered by the altitude, then it is time to sightsee. The large historical center is a jewel of South American and colonial architecture.
From Quito, we make a daytrip. The first stop is a viewpoint overlooking Lake San Pablo and Imbabura Volcano. Next is a guided walking tour in Otavalo. The indigenous locals are famous for weaving textiles, such as handmade blankets and tablecloths. Although Saturday ...
We are making another daytrip from Quito. Passing by an active stratovolcano called Cotopaxi, our first destination is Quilotoa Lake. Upon arrival, we are taken via a 5-minute walk to reach a viewpoint from where we can see the 3-kilometer (2 mile)-wide caldera. It wa...
We have the whole day to explore Quito with a private and English-speaking tour guide. The capital of Ecuador is fascinating not only for its architecture, but for its people as well. This city is still a place where indigenous women wear traditional attire and carry a child on their back, wrapped in a blanket. Quito is nothing short of authentic in both its appearance and its culture.
Today we relocate from Quito to the Galapagos Islands, staying for the evening in Puerto Villamil. Its harbor is frequently filled with sailboats and private yachts. Tomorrow we start our 6-day cruise. We see animals not found anywhere else on Earth! We snorkel. We hike. We create unforgettable memories.
This morning we check out Sierra Negra Volcano and Volcano Chico. Sierra Negra is one of the most active of the Galapagos Islands’ volcanoes. We traverse the rim of the caldera along its east side before heading into the fresh lava fields north east of the main crater...
Cruising along the archipelago, Moreno Point (a.k.a. Punta Moreno) and Elizabeth Bay are the destinations for today. Moreno Point has a desolate and pristine landscape of very impressive black lava flows, featuring a unique system of lagoons which serve as a magnet fo...
Urbina Bay and Tagus Cove are the destinations for today. Giant tortoises and iguanas are the highlights on Urbina Bay. Tagus Cove is home to ground and tree finches, penguins and flightless cormorants. There is an occasional sighting of a woodpecker finch as well. Other potential sightings include hawks, yellow warblers and flycatchers.
Fernandina Island’s Espinoza Point (a.k.a. Punta Espinosa) and Isabela Island’s Vicente Roca Point are the destinations for today. Punta Espinosa is one of the most popular visitor sites in all the Galapagos, featuring marine iguanas, lava lizards, penguins, flightles...
Santiago Island’s Egas Port and Bartolomé Island are the destinations for today. The easy walk along Egas Port’s wide trails and scenic shoreline gives us the chance to see birds, marine iguanas, sea lions, Sally Lightfoot crabs and fur seals. Bartolomé Island offers ...
Although our tour ends today, first we visit North Seymour Island. It is home to a large population of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. It also hosts a large population of frigate birds. What’s more, flocks of pelicans feed offshore. Seasonally, Nazca boobies can also be seen. After visiting North Seymour Island, transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport on Baltra Island.
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Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Charlie The Traveler.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Charlie The Traveler Reviews & Ratings
The trip to the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador included everything I loved
I’ve always been interested in natural landscapes, so the trip to the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador included everything I loved. I appreciated that CharlieT...
The trip to the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador amaze
The trip to the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador amazed me at every turn! The accommodations, including the travel to and from each activity, made for a great ...
Loved it.
I have never taken a vacation with a tour group, so I had no idea what to expect. I chose CharlieTheTraveler as a friend of mine had recently returned from a tour th...
Fantastic
I was teetering on the fence about going abroad, but what helped me make the decision to do so was how well-prepared CharlieTheTraveler seemed to be. They had all po...
Galapagos Islands were beautiful
I knew the Galapagos Islands were beautiful, but I had no idea the mainland Ecuador was just as beautiful and also had so much to do! CharlieTheTraveler managed to p...
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Thank you guys for setting up this trip.
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Our trip to Iceland was absolutely stunning and Charlie the Traveler curated an amazing and adventurous trip for us that kept in mind all of the attractions that were on our list and many other gems this beautiful country has to offer.
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Tour Operator
Discovering the world through CharlieTheTraveler is a life-changing experience, one which leaves customers with memories to last a lifetime. Few of us have the time and patience to research where to go and what to do and where to eat and how to get around. We, at CharlieTheTraveler, figured out the ins and outs of traveling without the stress and exhaustion that accompany it. We take care of it all so you can spend your time enjoying rather than ‘planning’, plus we know how to not waste time and money. If you want to truly see and do it all and not miss worthwhile destinations and activities, then we are the right company for you.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Flights
- Although airfare is not included in the price, we will find you the exact flights you need. Just ask.
- Below are the domestic flights needed for this tour:
- Day 5: Quito to Baltra Island
- Day 11: Baltra Island to Quito or Guayaquil
- Insurance
- Although travel insurance is not included in the price, we can recommend a company which provides comprehensive coverage. Note all customers are required to have travel insurance for this tour.
Accommodation
What Happens If I Cancel This Trip?
To confirm your tour, full payment is needed at the time of your purchase. However, refunds are offered. You will receive a full refund if canceling at least 91 days in advance from the departure date. Cancelling between 90-60 days prior to departure entitles you to a 50 percent refund. Cancelling between 59-31 days prior to departure entitles you to a 25 percent refund. Canceling 30 days or less prior to departure is not eligible for a refund. Cancellation requests need to be made by email and become effective on the date received by CharlieTheTraveler.
What Happens If You, CharlieTheTraveler, Cancel This Trip?
In the unlikely event CharlieTheTraveler needs to cancel this trip, such as because of very poor weather conditions, we will give you a full refund for the tour within 14 business days of the cancellation. Note: We are not a participant in the California Travel Consumer Restitution Fund, nor is this transaction covered by the Restitution Fund.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included while on the Galapagos cruise. We do our best to ensure you are being offered healthy and tasty local cuisine.
Although we get customers of all ages and from several countries, our statistics show most people who book are 30 to 65 years old and from USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We welcome your kids specifically and only when the tour is exclusive to you and your group-meaning other customers are not joining you. We define kids as anyone under 18 years old. In order to make the tour exclusive to you and your group, your booking would need to be for 4 persons or more for any of our tours except Iceland. For our Iceland tour, your booking would need to be for 8 persons or more. Regarding the cost of bringing a non-adult, we do deduct from the total based on the amount of activities you request we remove from the tour. Note that reducing the total price of the tour by removing activities is something offered for non-adults only. Adults can opt out of activities but the total price does not change.
Our tour guides/drivers are licensed, speak English and know how to bring excitement to your day. What we deliver is the complete opposite of the cookie-cutting tours the big corporations offer, leaving you in complete boredom. Although our tour guides/drivers are attentive, accommodating and engaged, they also know when to give you your private space and free time. It's a perfect balance. *Female guides are available upon request.
Note that although virtually all activities on this multi-day tour are shared with other travelers, we can at least make the land tours (exploring the city of Quito and the 2-day trips from there) completely private, per your request. The Galapagos cruise is always shared. The sightseeing tour of Quito is always private. The 2-day trips from Quito are sometimes private and other times, shared. It depends on several factors.
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