Tour Duration : 8 Nights And 9 Days
Destinations Covered: Quito - Otavalo - Galapagos Island - Quito
Package Inclusions:

superior accommodation with breakfast

• quito city tour

• overnight excursion to the indigenous market and cultural sites

• a ride on the messenger train "chaski antawa" from mysterious mount imbabura to tropical salinas

• galapagos legend / luxury class: accommodation in a double cabin

• all 3 meals on the cruise

• arrival & departure transfers

• sightseeing with english speaking guide in ecuador

• galapagos transit card

• shore expeditions as per cruise itinerary

• internal flights quito/baltra/quito

Package Exclusions:

• meals at hotels except those listed in above inclusions

• galapagos national park entrance fee & ingala tax• usd 110 per person pyment in cash

• international airfare

• expenses of personal nature such as tipping, porters, laundry etc

• airport departure tax

Day 1- Thu: Arrive Quito

Arrive in Quito. You are welcomed at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Quito.

Day 2 – Fri: Quito

Today enjoy a colonial city tour, exploring the bustling streets and squares of the largest historical center in the Americas. Visit some of its most important churches such as the majestic La Compañía and iconic San Francisco, guardians of a stunning multi-ethnic artistic and cultural heritage. Overnight in Quito.

Day 3 – Sat: Quito - Otavalo

Today’s tour includes visits to Calderón, a village known for its decorative bread dough figurines, the valleys of Guayllabamba and Cayambe, landscapes of towering volcanoes with amazing opportunities for taking pictures, Cuicocha crater lake and finally the leather-making village of Cotacachi. Overnight at a hacienda.

Day 4 – Sun: Otavalo - “Chaski Antawa”- Quito

The Chaski Antawa Train (messenger train) runs on the railway built at the beginning of the 20th century connecting the northern highlands to the tropical coast. From Ibarra, the train climbs down to the warm, dry valley of Ambuqui, through sugarcane plantations, magical landscapes, and tunnels and crossing bridges that span deep canyons and gullies. Enjoy a unique lunch at the community restaurant and support a social project which is our way of helping the Valley of Salinas and its surrounding area become a tourist destination and raising the standard of living of its inhabitants. Other sites include Otavalo and its famous indigenous arts and crafts market, the largest in South America. Back to Quito for your overnight.

Day 5 - Mon: Quito - Galapagos (Baltra Airport) – Cruise embarkation

Depart from Quito to Baltra by plane (2 ½ hour flight). Passengers will be picked up at the airport by our guides and taken to the pier to board the M/V Galapagos Legend. North Seymour Dry landing. Guests will encounter swallow tailed gulls and sea lions. This site is a major nesting colony of blue footed boobies, and has the largest colony of the magnificent frigate bird. Travellers will also spot both the marine iguanas and land iguanas.

Day 6 – Tues: Cruise: Santa Cruz (Dragon Hill)

Dry landing. Passengers walk to a saltwater lagoon behind the beach, where on occasion many pink flamingos can be observed. This trail leads up to Dragon Hill, which offers a lovely view of the bay. This is a nesting site for reintroduced land iguanas, and there is also a Holy Stick Forest. Floreana (Cormorant Point) Wet landing on a greenish colored sand beach. Visitors will hike from the black mangrove beds to a large, brackish lagoon, which holds one of the biggest flamingo populations in the Galapagos. This island features endemic plants such as Scalesia villosa, Galapagos daisies, white and black mangrove, and holy stick. Novice snorkelers can practice on the main beach with the playful sea lions. Please keep in mind this is an open-water activity; there is nothing to step on.

Day 7 – Wed: Cruise: Española (Suárez Point)

Dry landing. Visitors will learn more about the lava terrain and cross the inactive lava fields. Besides the sea lion colonies, this is a very important site for bird watching. Various bird species such as the mockingbird of Española, Nazca booby and tropic bird can be spotted and observed from very close. You will also see a large colony of marine iguanas, lava lizards, and rally light foot crabs. After a short trek visitors encounter colonies of Nazca and blue-footed boobies. The nesting grounds sometimes overlap the trail. Visitors will also find Galapagos doves, hawks and swallow-tailed gulls and then reach the world’s largest colony of waved albatross. A major highlight is their mating season, from May through December. You’ll visit the famous blowhole, where water shoots into the air about 23 m (75 ft). San Cristóbal (Interpretation Center or La Galapaguera) Dry landing at Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Passengers will visit San Cristóbal breeding centre and learn about the National Park’s breeding program with the giant tortoises. Passengers will observe some animals in their natural environment. Passengers will also have the opportunity to the visit the town and go shopping for souvenirs and arts and crafts.

Day 8 – Thu: Cruise - Santa Cruz (Carrión Point) - Quito

Today, passengers can choose either a ride in an outboard motorboat to observe the Galapagos fur seal, seabirds and marine wildlife or go snorkeling to see a variety of tropical fish, manta rays or even harmless white-tipped reef sharks. Return to the Galapagos Legend, check-out and transfer to the airport. Return flight to Quito.

Day 9- Fri: Depart Quito

Depart Quito for next destination this morning. (B)

Places	Nights	Standard	Superior	Deluxe
Quito	4	-	Mercure Alameda Or Dan Carlton Hotel	-
Otavalo	1	-	Hacienda Pinsaqui	-
Galapagos Island	3	-	Galapagos Legend Or Coral I & II	-

DEPARTURE DATES

TOUR RATES & DATES

Currency	From	To	Tour Category	Twin	Single	Single Supplement
USD	01-May-10	31-Dec-10	Superior	2,245.00	-	1,278.00

Ecuador And Galapagos At A Glance Group