Day 1: Quito, 3 nights

Arrive in Quito and transfer to Hotel Patio Andaluz, our home for the next two nights. Surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes, Quito offers a dramatic welcome to Ecuador. We meet our guide upon arrival and settle in for the night.

Day 2: Mindo Cloud Forest

We leave Quito early in the morning and head to the Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve, sitting at 1,250 metres above sea level. Our first stop is Alambi Reserve, a family-owned eco-project dedicated to conservation and home to about 500 bird species, including toucans, parrots, pheasants, herons, kingfishers and hummingbirds. From there, we visit Mariposario de Mindo, a butterfly sanctuary, where we see species such as the Banana Skipper butterfly, and Blue Morpho and learn about their life cycles. Our final stop is the Rio Mindo, a river that shares the town’s name. We take a cable car, called a ‘tarabita’, crossing the river valley to Santuario de Cascadas. There, we stretch our legs with a gentle walk. After lunch, we head back to the hotel to relax for the rest of the day.

Day 3: Quito

Delve into Quito’s UNESCO-listed Old Town on a guided walking tour. Highlights include Independence Square, the cathedral, the Presidential and Bishop’s Palaces, and the magnificent Jesuit Church, La Compañía. We also stop to indulge in rich Ecuadorian chocolate at a cacao museum before visiting the Equatorial Monument – where you can straddle the equator with one foot in each hemisphere!

Day 4: Galápagos Cruise, 3 nights

Today we transfer to the airport for our flight to Baltra Island Airport where we join the MV Galápagos Legend, our comfortable expedition ship. Our cruise includes all meals, guided daily excursions, and optional activities like snorkelling and kayaking. This afternoon, we explore North Seymour, a low, rugged island alive with activity. Magnificent frigatebirds puff out their crimson chests in courtship displays, while Blue-footed boobies dance nearby. Sea lions rest along the shore, and swallow-tailed gulls wheel above the surf.

Day 5: Bartolomé & Santiago Islands

We begin the day on Bartolomé Island, climbing to its famous viewpoint for sweeping vistas of Pinnacle Rock and the lava fields of Santiago Island. Afterwards, we snorkel in the clear waters below, with chances to encounter Galápagos penguins and playful sea lions. In the afternoon, we land at Sullivan Bay to walk across striking, rope-like pahoehoe lava flows – an otherworldly terrain shaped by recent volcanic activity and dotted with pioneering plant life.

Day 6: San Cristobál

Punta Pitt on San Cristobál Island is an unforgettable birdwatching spot. It’s the only place where all three Booby species can be seen. Red-footed boobies rest on small branches of Cordia lutea trees, while Nazca boobies gather along the cliff edges. As we travel further inland on this non-volcanic island we find the famous Blue-footed boobies. In the afternoon, we visit Cerro Brujo (or Witch Hill) and step onto the beach, sharing it with playful sea lions. There is also a chance to snorkel or walk to a hidden lagoon to spot shorebirds like Black-necked stilts, Ruddy turnstones, and White-cheeked pintails.

Day 7: Return to Quito

Our island voyage comes to a close today, but not before visiting the Cerro Colorado Tortoise Reserve this morning. Walk amongst the famous wild Giant tortoises and watch their leisurely daily routines at close quarters. This afternoon, we head to San Cristóbal Island Airport for an afternoon flight back to Quito, where we transfer to Hotel Patio Andaluz or Sheraton Quito Hotel.

Day 8: Depart Quito, arrive Lima

After breakfast, we leave our hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight to Lima, where we are met on arrival and transferred to Sol de Oro Hotel & Suites to join our fellow travellers on Distant Journeys’ ‘Very Best of South America’ tour.