Tour Overview
Ecuador, named for its position astride the line that divides the planet into north and south, offers a fabulous range of flora and fauna, with one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. For lovers of orchids this is paradise – one in every four plants here is an orchid and the variety is bewildering, as we will see when we discover countless species, both cultivated and in their natural habitat. And what a habitat this is - the cloud forests of the Andes, where still-active volcanoes add to the sense of drama here in one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth. Alpine plants and epiphytes such as bromeliads feature alongside more familiar cultivated species in a selection of gardens, national parks, jungle and forests as we journey from north to south and take in some of the highlights of a captivating country - including the opportunity to stand with a foot in either hemisphere!
We begin in the attractive capital city Quito, at an altitude of around 3000m above sea level, where a visit to the Botanic Garden provides a good introduction to the flora of the northern Andes. We also visit the beautiful gardens of Pakakuna and Hacienda Cusin and El Pahuma Orchid Reserve. We cross the equator on our way to Mindo, an area of pristine cloud forest with a staggering abundance of flowers and wildlife. From here we turn south, travelling down the Avenue of Volcanoes and through awesome mountain scenery to Baños, where we will enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the rain forest, learn about the indigenous cultures and with a bit of luck see wild llamas, alpacas and vicunas. On the way to Cuenca we visit the Inca ruins of Ingapirca, the most important monument of pre-Spanish Ecuador, and we conclude with a visit to the country’s biggest Orchid Centre and spend a day exploring El Cajas National Park, where a variety of grasses and bizarre ‘paper trees’ can be found.
We are delighted that Chris Bailes of RHS Rosemoor will be leading this tour. Chris is an authority on orchids and will enjoy the challenge of identifying the wide range of species here in their natural habitat.
Saturday 15 January 2011
We depart this evening from London on an overnight flight via Madrid to Quito in Ecuador.
Sunday 16 January 2011
On arrival in Quito we will be met by our local coach and guide and transfer to our comfortable hotel here in Ecuador’s capital city, the 4-star Hotel Dann Carlton. The remainder of the day is free to relax after the flight and acclimatize – please note that Quito is 5 hours behind GMT, lies at an altitude of around 3000m (9500ft) above sea level and is just 22km (14 miles) from the equator.
Dinner (not included) is available in the hotel’s own restaurant.
Monday 17 January 2011
Enjoy your breakfast. We begin today with a guided tour of our host city of Quito, which is set in a hollow at the foot of the volcano Pichincha, surrounded by hills and several snow-capped mountains. It is known for its treasure trove of colonial churches, monasteries, paintings, sculptures and carvings and an eclectic blend of Spanish, Flemish and Moorish architecture, which has been formally recognized by UNESCO.
First, we will be taken to a viewpoint called Guapulo, a natural terrace from which to admire the spectacular views of the Pichincha volcano, the Valleys of Cumbayá and Tumbaco and the eastern mountain chain. On a clear day the snow-capped Cayambe and Puntas volcanoes can be seen.
We continue on a guided tour through the old part of the city, where the colonial heritage of Ecuador is very much in evidence and the culturally diverse history of Quito itself will be explained. Notable sights include Independence Square, the Government buildings and the Bishops Palace. We will visit the Cathedral and its museum and see the church of La Compañia, which has the most ornate and richly sculptured façade and interior – with so many beautiful 16th and 17th century churches and monasteries, Quito is known as the “Convent of America”.
Later we visit the Botanical Garden of Quito, which is located in the capital’s popular La Carolina Park. Plants from all the different ecosystems of the country, such as the rare Frailejon and the Espelitia from the high paramo regions of the northern Andes, are exhibited, giving us a good introduction to some of the plants we may see in the wild later in the tour.
Evening at leisure in Quito.
Tuesday 18 January 2011
After breakfast we depart by coach for Otavalo, travelling along a section of the Pan American Highway (La Panamericana). The road descends into the spectacular Guayllabamba gorge and with a bit of luck we should see the snow-capped peak of Cayambe. The Equator goes directly through the glacier of this immense volcano and in doing so reaches its highest point on earth. We break our two-hour journey to Otavalo with a visit to the Hacienda Cusin, a restored 17th-century Andean estate and now a hotel with beautiful gardens. Subsequent erosion of a large, melt-water fed lake created the rich, black lake-bed soil of Cusin's present gardens. That rich soil, cool nights and a predictable equatorial sun have conspired with avid gardeners to create several acres of continuously blooming gardens. Among the plants here are: belladonna, bougainvillea, agapanthus, acanthus, foxgloves, mauve, hollyhocks, roses, cosmos, daisies, aztec lily, cala lily, paws, orchids, hydrangea, lantana, fuchsia, ferns, lycheness, heliotrope, buddleia, pyrocanthus; a variety of vines including jasmine & thumburgia; many succulents; avocado, banana, palm, eucalyptus, datura, magnolia, cedro, walnut, laurel, jacaranda, brazilian pepper, broom, arayan, grapefruit and lemon – whew!
After enjoying a walk around the gardens and a lunch of typical local fare, we continue to the market town of Otavalo, world-renowned for its crafts. The town consists of rather functional buildings with the Plaza de los Ponchos as the focal point at its centre. The indigenous residents of the area, whom you will hear speaking Quichua as their first tongue and Spanish as their second, have achieved economic prosperity as a result of their skill in weaving a tremendous variety of designs in belts, tapestries, ponchos and other clothing items. It will be hard to resist picking up a few souvenirs to take home.
On our way back to Quito we will visit one of the local rose plantations operating under the Flower Label Program, which promotes the socially and environmentally responsible flower, fern, plant and foliage cultivation by setting universal standards. The objective is to improve especially labour, social, health and safety standards, use of pesticides and chemicals and environmental protection standards.
After a long but interesting day we return to our hotel in Quito.
Wednesday 19 January 2011
After breakfast this morning we visit Pakakuna Gardens. Pakakuna is a newly designed senior resort which lies within an estate comprising some 30.000m2 of gardens, one of the largest and most gorgeous of all private gardens in South America. The gardens, with more than 500 species of flowers and plants from all over the world, have thrived thanks to the favourable climate and the daily dedication of their owners. Visitors from around the world have marvelled at the species which have adapted so well to the soil irrigated by melted water and where fuchsias, brugmansia, bromeliads, orchids, roses among many others, bloom almost permanently. An expert botanical guide will lead us through the gardens.
Later we return to Quito and visit of the show room and two small greenhouses of the Ecuagenera Orchid Centre, which specializes in the cultivation, reproduction and sale of native Ecuadorian orchid species, and has its head office close to Cuenca (we will visit this on 26 January).
Evening at leisure in Quito.
Thursday 20 January 2011
After breakfast we check out of our hotel in Quito and depart for the Equatorial Line Monument, known as Mitad del Mundo – the Middle of the World. Here we have the truly rare experience of standing in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres simultaneously. The Equatorial Monument, located as focal point of the park, marks the spot where an 18th century French scientific expedition established the exact position of the Equator. The area has been built as a typical colonial town, with restaurants, gift shops and Post Office which issues commemorative stamps. We also visit the Ethnographical Museum, which shows the history of the Indian cultures of Ecuador.
From here we transfer to El Pahuma Orchid Reserve, a 650 hectare (1600 acre) cloud forest reserve. The lush vegetation is fed by abundant moisture from the mist-laden air and provides home to a multitude of epiphytes (air plants) including bromeliads, orchids, mosses and ferns. The botanical garden celebrates the forest as habitat; no trees were cut to create it. Plantings of hundreds of native species of orchids, aroids, bromeliads, ferns and shrubs are interspersed within the trees, highlighting the diversity and beauty of the region's flora. The garden is a good place to see native orchids in bloom and learn about the diversity of montane forest plants with the aid of informative signs.
Later we continue to our comfortable accommodation in Mindo, the 3-star Hotel Mindo Garden. Dinner is included this evening.
Friday 21 January 2011
Enjoy your breakfast. Our heads will be in the clouds today, as we set out on a full day tour of the Mindo Cloud Forest, which has one of the world’s greatest diversities of flora and fauna, and we will be able to enjoy an abundance of plants and flowers. Tour leader Chris Bailes will be in his element here and you are more than welcome to test the extent of his knowledge of native orchids and countless other plants!
Lunch is included today and dinner is served back at our hotel in the evening.
Saturday 22 January 2011
After breakfast, we leave the hotel in Mindo and head back towards Quito, and then continue southwards, along the “Avenue of the Volcanoes”, which was given its name by Alexander von Humboldt. Travelling once again on the Pan American Highway, which winds its way through the Andean mountain chain, we should have a spectacular view of the snow-capped volcano Cotopaxi, at 5897m one of the highest volcanoes of the world. The 33.000 ha highland zone, protected since 1975, belongs to one of the most attractive ecological reserves of the country. On a walk near the shallow lake ‘Laguna de Limpiopungo’ at an altitude of almost 4000m, we will learn about the typical vegetation of the so-called ‘Páramo’ region, with stunning views of Cotopaxi in the background.
We continue our way south in the direction of Baños, passing wonderful landscapes featuring some of the highest and most beautiful mountains and volcanoes of the Andes, arriving late in the afternoon at our accommodation at the Hacienda Leito de los Llanganates, in the Patate River Valley. Dinner is served in the evening.
Sunday 23 January 2011
Enjoy your breakfast. This morning we tour the town of Baños, known as ‘Gate to the East’ as it is barely 60km from the Amazonian rain forest and has an almost tropical vegetation and climate. Attractions include the Cathedral, where one of the nation’s miraculous virgins is venerated; small street cafés, restaurants and inviting gift-shops. The volcano Tungurahua (5016m) provides an impressive backdrop.
Later we travel east of Baños following the Pastaza Canyon, where spectacular waterfalls are to be seen, on our way to Puyo. Here we will visit the Omaere Ethno Botanical Park - Omaere means “nature of the rainforest” in the Waorani language, one of the indigenous groups of the Ecuadorian Amazon. The Park was founded in the year 1993 by an indigenous Shuar woman with the help of two companions from France. They formed the Omaere Foundation and bought 15 hectares of land close to the town of Puyo. Now, years later, the plants have grown and the forest has been cared for with a focus on useful and medicinal plants. We will learn about the importance of these plants to the indigenous cultures of the Amazon, as well as enjoying the peace and tranquility of the rainforest. Dinner is served in the evening.
Monday 24 January 2011
After breakfast we leave Baños and visit the Chimborazo National Park, named after Ecuador’s highest mountain (6221m). As we climb higher the vegetation will change and we should see a number alpine plants. With a bit of luck, we may also see wild llamas, alpacas and vicuñas.
We will break our journey south in Riobamba, the capital of the province of Chimborazo where a great number of indigenous communities live. Overnight accommodation has been arranged in one of the atmospheric hosterías or lodging houses of the region, the 3-star Hosteria Abraspungo. Dinner is served in the evening.
Tuesday 25 January 2011
Following breakfast we continue on our way to Cuenca, stopping en route for a visit to the Inca ruins of Ingapirca, the most important monument of pre-Spanish culture in Ecuador. The ruins are located on a grass-covered hill at an altitude of about 3100m and even before the construction of the sun-temple (1450-1480) this place is thought to have had an important spiritual significance for the Incas. In 1470, Yupanqui, the king of the Inca, subjugated the local Cañari tribe and built the town of Ingapirca. On a walk through the ruins where the Incas formerly lived and held their ceremonies, we will learn about their beliefs and rituals as well as the way the buildings were constructed – no mortar was used, instead the stones were cut to size and chiselled so that they fitted perfectly together. The most significant building, the temple of the sun, is aligned so that on the solstice the sun would fall directly on the doorway of a small chamber on top of the temple.
Later we continue to Cuenca, the third largest city of Ecuador, with some fine early 19th century architecture. Accommodation has been arranged at the 4-star Hotel Carvallo, where the evening is at leisure. Dinner (not included) can be taken at the Eucalyptus restaurant across the street and room service is also available.
Wednesday 26 January 2011
After breakfast, we are taken for a city tour of Cuenca, which was founded in 1557 on an Inca settlement, is redolent of the colonial period of Ecuadorian history. Many Ecuadorians themselves regard it as the most beautiful of their cities and it is noted for its arts, ceramics, panama hats and gold and silver products. Among the sights are the historical buildings located along the Tomebamba River, the ‘Todos los Santos’ ruins, the flower markets and the main square with the old and new Cathedral. We will also visit a panama hat factory – as every schoolboy knows, the MCC member’s favourite headwear comes not from Panama but from here in Ecuador!
In the afternoon we will visit the biggest orchid centre of Ecuador and have a tour through the green houses and show room. Ecuagenera was born out of the search for the proper use and preservation of a natural resource of incalculable value for Ecuador and the world: the orchid. Recent field research suggests that more than 4000 orchid species live in the wilds of Ecuador.
We return to the Hotel Carvallo where the evening is at leisure.
Thursday 27 January 2011
Enjoy your breakfast. On this, our final day of touring, we visit El Cajas National Park, located to the west of Cuenca. The Park has an area of 28,544 hectares (70,500 acres) and was legally established on June 6, 1977. Humidity, relatively low temperatures, high altitude with low atmospheric pressure create an ecosystem that accumulates water-retentive organic material in the soil. The high grassland ecosystem (páramo) contains plants typical for high grasslands, 19 of them endemic to El Cajas, the dominant species being Calamagrostis intermedia (straw grass). Above 3300m the quinua or "paper tree" (Polylepis) forest can be found - unusual trees with papery, continually-shedding bark. We also hope to see some of the bizarre puya bromeliads, whose flower spikes can grow up to 3m tall and support colourful flowers surrounded by protective ‘wool’.
We return to the Hotel Carvallo where the final evening is at leisure.
Friday 28 January 2011
Following breakfast we transfer to Cuenca airport for our domestic flight to Quito, where we connect with our onward flight back to London this evening.
Saturday 29 January 2011
We arrive in London where the group will disperse or make onward connections.
Galápagos Islands Extension
28 January – 4 February 2011
From £2395.00
Having travelled all the way to Ecuador, it is hard to resist the temptation to extend your holiday with a visit to one of the most remarkable group of islands in the world. The Galápagos archipelago is a unique living museum of evolutionary changes, home to an astonishing variety of plant and animal species, some of which are found nowhere else on earth. Mangroves, tree ferns and cacti; marine iguanas, penguins, fur seals and the famous giant tortoises – the list is endless.
Our tour of the Galápagos takes the form of a cruise aboard the Galápagos Explorer II, a comfortable, modern ship with classic lines, rich panelling and marble baths. In addition to the shore excursions with expert naturalist guides, guests may join informative daily lectures about the islands or borrow a book or video from the library.
Itinerary
Friday 28 January 2011
After breakfast we will be transferred to the airport for our flight from Cuenca to Guayaquil, and upon arrival transfer to our hotel, the 4-star Hotel Unipark. All rooms have private facilities together with air-conditioning, electronic safety locks, minibar and cable TV. Ecuador’s largest city Guayaquil is the industrial and commercial centre of the country. It lies on the western banks of the Río Guayas, about 56 km from its outflow into the Gulf of Guayaquil. The Pacific Ocean enters through the gulf of Guayaquil into the city’s harbour, which is the trade centre for 90% of all Ecuadorian imports as well as the half of all exports and therefore, the most important port of transhipment of the South American Pacific coast.
Evening at leisure.
Saturday 29 January 2011
After breakfast we will be transferred to the airport to take our domestic flight to the Galápagos Islands. From the airport we transfer to the pier and board our cruise ship.
Our first shore visit is to Dragon Hill, on Santa Cruz Island. Recently opened by the Galápagos Islands National Park administration, Dragon’s Hill is located on the northwestern side of Santa Cruz Island and got its name from the various colonies of land iguanas which inhabit the island. After a dry landing at a dock, we go for a short walk that takes us to a hypersalinic (ie saltier than the ocean) lagoon behind the beach, often frequented by flamingos, common stilts, pintail ducks and other species of birds. There is a short walk to the hill, which rewards with a great view of the bay with Rabida Island in the west and Santa Cruz Island in the east. Many of the Iguanas that nest here have been repatriated by the Charles Darwin Research Station.
Lunch and dinner are provided aboard the Galápagos Explorer II.
Sunday 30 January 2011
Following our buffet breakfast on board, we visit Bartholomew Island and Puerto Egas on Santiago Island.
The volcanic island Bartholomew, characterized by a 114m high volcanic crater, is 1.2 km² in size and located close to the east coast of Santiago. The landscape of the island is breathtaking, with black lava fields and grey-brown cinder cone contrasting with the lush green vegetation of the island and the lurid white sand of the beaches. The more energetic may wish to walk to the summit, for where you can enjoy an impressive view of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone of Pinnacle Rock, one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Galápagos Islands and home to the Galápagos Penguin, the only existing species of penguin in the equatorial area. During the walk, you will often see large colonies of marine iguanas, lava lizards, tiquilla, bushes, and various cacti.
Santiago is the third highest island, behind the younger islands Isabela and Fernandina. Rising to a height of over 900m, Santiago is large enough for an endemic subspecies of giant tortoise to have evolved, although we are unlikely to see it at the visitor sites. Puerto Egas (South James Bay) was a buccaneer’s supply base and the remains of abandoned 20th-century salt-mining operations are scattered over the site - these days Galápagos hawks use the derelict buildings as a vantage point. The landing is on a black beach with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail crosses the dry interior and continues along the coast, where intertidal pools are home to a variety of invertebrate organisms. Land iguanas are scattered around feeding on exposed algae while oyster catchers try to capture Sally Lightfoot crabs, the characteristic red rock crab of the South American coast. The trail leads further to the fur seal grottos, one of the few places of the archipelago where fur seals can be seen. On this beach you can swim and snorkel in search of octopuses, sea horses, starfish and other sea life.
Lunch and dinner are served aboard our ship.
Monday 31 January 2011
Buffet breakfast on board. Today we visit Punta Espinosa, on Fernandina Island and Punta Vincente Roca, on Isabela Island.
Fernandina is the youngest and westernmost island of the archipelago. Eons of uplifting and lava flows issuing from the massive domed cone of Volcano La Cumbre have formed the most volcanically active island in the Galápagos. Punta Espinosa is a narrow stretch of land where hundreds of marine iguanas gather in large groups on black lava rocks. The famous flightless cormorant inhabits this island and penguins, pelicans and sea lions are also abundant. Numerous mangrove beds extend into the sea, depicting a healthy and thriving eco-system. You can follow two trails on this island. The trail east heads past large marine iguana breeding areas, Galápagos sea lions lazing on various small beaches and flightless cormorants nesting at the edge of the lava at the northern tip. You can also see small groups of Galápagos penguins here. The trail west takes you inland onto a lava flow that stretches up the slopes of Volcan La Cumbre. Here you can see Galápagos lava lizards and if you’re lucky, a Galápagos racer in pursuit, as well as Galápagos land iguanas, Galápagos doves and mockingbirds.
Monday 31 January 2011 (continued)
Isabela is the biggest island of the archipelago and occupies about 60% of all the land area of Galápagos. It was formed by the volcanoes Cerro Azul, Sierra Negra (Santa Tomás), Alcedo, Ecuador, Darwin and Wolf. Sierra Negra volcano last erupted in October 2005 and at 10 km in diameter it is the world’s second largest volcanic crater. Isabela has several unique animals, including the world’s only surviving population of mangrove finch, and giant tortoises that have been isolated long enough on their respective volcanoes to evolve into distinct subspecies.
Punta Vicente Roca is located in the north-east of Isabela Island and is only accessible by boat. During a ride with a small boat you can observe hundreds of nesting blue-footed boobies as well as pelicans, sea turtles, basalts, numerous sea lion colonies and land iguanas. Snorkelling at the cave offers you a view of a great variety of marine life, especially marine invertebrates.
Lunch and dinner are served aboard ship once again.
Tuesday 1 February 2011
Buffet breakfast on board. Today we visit North Seymour Island and the highlands of Santa Cruz Island with its lava tunnels and wild Giant Tortoises.
North Seymour is a small flat island surrounded by low cliffs, located about 40 km north of Puerto Ayora, and separated by a small channel from Santa Cruz Island. We land near a long sandy beach, where sea lions and marine iguanas hang out next to the rocks. The interior has a small forest of Palo Santo trees and Opuntia cactus which is a major nesting site for blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigate bird colonies, and home to various endemic species of iguana.
Santa Cruz Island is located in the middle of the archipelago and hosts the largest human settlement on the islands, Puerto Ayora. The Rancho Primicias supports the largest population of giant tortoises (about 3000) after Isabela, and the Giant Tortoise Reserve near Santa Rosa is an ideal place to see them in their natural surroundings. There is a lagoon, ample grassland and cloud forest where also short-eared owls, Darwin finches, vermilion flycatchers, yellow warblers, Galápagos rails and paint-billed crakes can be seen. Giant tortoises can be encountered almost anywhere on the trails and the huge males make an impressive sight. There is also an opportunity to walk through lava tunnels, which were naturally formed by hot lava continuing to flow after the lava on the outside already had cooled off.
Lunch and dinner is served aboard the Galápagos Explorer II.
Wednesday 2 February 2011
Buffet breakfast on board. Depending on flight schedules, weather conditions and National Park Regulations, there are several alternative visits which may be offered today. These include Isla Lobos, El Junco or the Interpretation Centre on San Cristóbal Island. The final itinerary will be confirmed once we have boarded the ship.
Isla Lobos is situated less than an hour’s boat ride from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and got its name from the sea lion colonies that inhabit it. During a round-trip of the Island you can observe these friendly and inquisitive creatures. Lobo’s islet is also a seasonal nesting location for the blue-footed boobies and a good place to encounter the incredible marine life while snorkelling. It’s one of the best sites to get in among the sea lions underwater and you can safely watch marine iguanas feeding among the jumble of submerged boulders.
The freshwater lake El Junco is located on an altitude of 700-meters above sea level in the highlands of the Island. It’s the only permanent freshwater lake in the Galápagos, and you can normally see White-cheeked pintails, common gallinules and frigate birds gathering around the lagoon, which is surrounded by Miconia bushes and endemic tree ferns.
San Cristóbal is one of the few islands that have permanent settlements. At the south end of the island there is the sleepy capital of the province Galápagos, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. At the dock you are greeted by the loud calling of sea lions and if you look closely you can see Sally Lightfoot crabs, marine iguanas, frigate birds and the endemic Chatham mocking bird not far from the town. The Galápagos National Park Interpretation and Visitor Centre here presents a complete and documented history of the Galápagos, its ecosystems, flora and fauna. During the visit you can obtain information that will help you understand more the natural history of the Galápagos with a great emphasis of human history and conservation. The grounds of the Interpretation Centre are a good place to see the endemic Chatham mockingbird and San Cristóbal lava lizard.
Later we transfer to the airport for our domestic flight to Quito. Upon arrival we will be transferred to our hotel, the Dann Carlton. All rooms have private facilities together with minibar and cable TV.
Evening at leisure.
Thursday 3 February 2011
Enjoy your buffet breakfast. We have some time at leisure in Quito before we transfer to the airport for our international flight back London.
Friday 4 February 2011
We arrive in London where the group will disperse or make onward connections.
• 12 nights accommodation in 3- and 4-star hotels: 4 nights bed and breakfast at the Hotel
Dann Carlton in Quito; 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Hotel Mindo Garden in
Mindo; 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfast at the Hacienda Leito de los Llanganates in
Baños; 1 night dinner, bed and breakfast at the Hosteria Abraspungo in Riobamba; 3 nights
bed and breakfast at the Hotel Garvallo in Cuenca (or similar); 2 lunches
• Return flights from London to Quito and domestic flight Cuenca-Quito. First-class upgrades
and regional connections available on request
• Comfortable coaching throughout
• City tour of Quito; visits to Quito Botanical Gardens, Otavalo Indian Market, Hacienda Cusin
Gardens, Pakakuna Gardens, El Pahuma Orchid Reserve, the Equatorial Line
Monument, Mindo Cloud Forest, Cotopaxi National Park and the Avenue of the Volcanoes,
Omaere Ethno-botanical Park, Chimborazo National Park, Ingapirca, the Ecuagenera
Orchid Centres in Quito and Cuenca and El Cajas National Park
• Services of Chris Bailes of RHS Rosemoor as tour manager and local English-speaking
guides
Galápagos Islands Extension
1 night bed and breakfast at the Hotel Unipark, Guayaquil; 1 night bed and breakfast at the Hotel Dann Carlton, Quito (or similar)
• 4 nights full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on board the MV Galápagos Explorer II in a
Classic (standard) cabin (cabin up-grades available on request)
• Flights from Cuenca to Guayaquil, Guayaquil to Galápagos and Galápagos to Quito
• All shore transfers, excursions and visits as described in the itinerary (subject to change)
• Services of a local English-speaking guide
• Fuel surcharge, Galápagos entrance fee and transit control card
• Single room £300.00
• Insurance
• International departure tax
Galápagos Islands Extension
• Supplement for single hotel rooms and shared cabin on board: from £100.00
• Supplement for single hotel rooms and single cabin on board: from £1725.00
• Insurance
London