Luxury Galápagos Voyage: Ecuadorian Highlights & Archipelago Cruise - 14 Days

Highlights

• Visit Quito's finest museums and soar over the Andes in a helicopter
• Board a luxury catamaran for a week cruising around the Galápagos 
• Walk next to penguins, iguanas, giant tortoises, and much more
• Explore hidden coves, secluded beaches, and kayak off the coast

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Old Town Historical Walking Tour

Welcome to Ecuador! One of the first places in South America settled by the Spanish on their journey to the New World, Ecuador is also a hotbed of rich Indigenous history and culture. Its varied landscapes are also famous, none more so than the Galápagos. The unique ecosystem of this island archipelago did more to advance humans' understanding of natural history than perhaps any other environment on Earth. You'll cruise these islands soon enough—for now, it's time to explore Ecuador's dynamic capital of Quito.

A driver will pick you up at the airport for the 45-minute ride into the city and Casa Gangotena. This luxurious 5-star hotel is located in a beautifully restored mansion overlooking Plaza San Francisco in Quito's historic Old Town. Each of its elegant rooms and suites is outfitted with mod-cons and luxury amenities, from flat-screen TVs to plush bedding. You can dine at the hotel's gourmet restaurant, which celebrates traditional Ecuadorian cuisine, enjoy a smart cocktail at the classic mahogany bar, or relax in the garden amid lush greenery.

After checking in, you'll meet a bona fide historian for a private guided tour around Quito's UNESCO-listed Old Town. This jaunt will take you down cobblestone streets to famous landmarks, including the neo-Gothic Basilica del Voto Nacional and the 17th-century San Francisco church and convent. During the tour, you'll also see famous works by renowned local artists, like Oswaldo Guayasamín, who left an indelible mark on Quito's (and Latin America's) artistic heritage. And your guide will be there every step of the way to offer insight and historical perspective.

Day 2: Discover the Art of Oswaldo Guayasamín, Visit Mitad Del Mundo

This morning, discover Ecuador's artistic side with a visit to Casa Museo Guayasamín, located in the former residence of Ecuador's most famous artist, Oswaldo Guayasamín. Nicknamed the "Painter of Ibero-America," Guayasamín was of Indigenous heritage and became famous for his Cubist-styled depictions of Latin American people. This museum features a comprehensive collection of Guayasamín's works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints, spanning various periods of his prolific career.

Afterward, travel just north of Quito to Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City), a park dominated by the 98-foot (30 m) tall Monument to the Equator. It marks the precise location of the equator, the invisible line that divides the Earth into the northern and southern hemispheres. You can straddle the yellow line here, which means you'll have one foot in each hemisphere. Later, visit the Inti Ñan Museum to learn about equator-related ancient Ecuadorian culture. Another highlight is the Planetarium, which houses a small-scale model of Quito and various exhibitions.

Day 3: Day Trip to Cotopaxi: Helicopter Ride & Rose Farm Tour

Leave Quito after breakfast on a 1.5-hour ride south to Cotopaxi National Park, a pristine nature reserve covering 129 square miles (334 sq km) in the Andean highlands. When you arrive, you'll leave the car and take to the skies on a private one-hour helicopter ride over these awe-inspiring highland landscapes. Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the soaring peaks and snowcapped cone of the iconic Cotopaxi volcano, as well as other landmarks like Laguna La Micacocha and Laguna Muertepungo.

Later, on a private guided tour, step into the colorful world of Ecuador's renowned rose farms this morning. This country is one of the world's leading exporters, and on a visit to a rose plantation, you'll see firsthand the process of cultivating these prized blossoms. Gain insight into the meticulous care that goes into nurturing these captivating flowers, known for their vibrant colors and exceptional fragrance. You'll return to Quito and your hotel at the end of the day.

Day 4: Fly to the Galápagos, Transfer to Cruise Ship, Visit Wildlife Sanctuaries

You're off to the islands! Return to the airport this morning for the two-hour flight to Baltra islet adjacent to Santa Cruz, one of the Galápagos' 13 main islands. At the airport, a driver will pick you up for the ride to Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz's south side. At the port there, you'll hop aboard the M/C Cormorant II, a luxury catamaran that will be your home for the next few nights.

And "luxury" is an apt description. This sleek, twin-hulled vessel would be right at home cruising along the French Riviera. All suites on this elite luxury catamaran are spacious, comfortable, and well-appointed; each has panoramic windows affording sweeping ocean views and a private outdoor balcony. It's the perfect place to relax and recharge after a day spent discovering the wonders of the Galápagos.

After settling into your stateroom, you'll meet a guide and transfer to the highlands outside Puerto Ayora and El Chato Reserve. In this wildlife sanctuary, you can hike alongside iconic Galápagos tortoises in their natural habitat. Other exotic animals you might spot here include pintail ducks, egrets, flycatchers, and finches. You'll also visit the breeding station at the famous Charles Darwin Research Station, where you can see baby tortoise hatchlings. Later, return to Puerto Ayora and your cruise ship.

Day 5: Cruise to Isla Isabela: Visit Las Tintoreras & Wetlands

Enjoy an al fresco breakfast as the ship cruises west to Isla Isabela, the largest of the Galápagos Islands. You'll arrive at Tintoreras Islet, located a short distance from the port town of Puerto Villamil on the island's southeast side. It's an excellent place for a nature hike, as it's home to a great variety of wildlife. Also, the turquoise waters here are inhabited by white-tip reef sharks, penguins, marine turtles, and sea lions. One of its beaches features a mangrove ecosystem, one of the few sites where marine iguanas can reproduce successfully.

Later, you'll explore the island's wetlands. Characterized by sandy beaches, rocky shores, and mangroves, the area has several trails where you can see all four species of mangroves found in the Galápagos and a great variety of migratory birds. Your last stop for today is the Wall of Tears. The wall was constructed between 1946 and 1959 when Isabela was a penal colony. As punishment, the prisoners were forced to build this wall from huge blocks of lava. At the end of the afternoon, you'll return to the ship.

Day 6: Day Trip to Moreno Point & Elizabeth Bay

See Isabela's west coast today as you head out in the morning to Moreno Point. Lava from many years ago has left craters in this area, forming crystal tide pools that are now natural habitats for pink flamingoes, white-cheeked pintails, and common gallinules. If you peer more deeply into the pools, you may see white-tip reef sharks and sea turtles.

In the afternoon, you'll cruise to Elizabeth Bay. Within this secluded inlet, you'll pass many small, rocky islets which are home to many spectacular species of Galápagos birdlife, including penguins, Galápagos hawks, Nazca boobies, finches, flightless cormorants, warblers and more. Look for thriving marine life in the clear sea below, including schools of fish, spotted eagle rays, sea lions, and marine iguanas.

Day 7: Cruise to Isla Fernandina: Visit Espinoza Point & Vicente Roca

First thing this morning, the ship will cruise west to Isla Fernandina, located adjacent to Isabela. At Espinoza Point, you'll witness some of the world's most incredible animal species—so have your camera ready! A highlight is the flightless cormorant, which, after thousands of years of isolation in these islands, lost the ability to fly and evolved to use its wings like fins for swimming. This species was integral to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, and it remains a strong symbol of the Galápagos' unique ecosystem.

In the afternoon, you'll cruise north back to Isabela and its northwestern coast. Here, you'll enter a dark cave below a spectacular arch at Vicente Roca Point in the northwest part of Isabela. The calmer waters inside this cave are well-protected and are a brilliant spot for snorkeling. Expect to see various species of sharks, penguins, seahorses, and the giant mola (sunfish).

Day 8: Cruise to Isla Santiago: Puerto Egas, Playa Espumilla & Buccaneer Cove

You're in for another wildlife treat today, as in the morning, you'll travel to Puerto Egas on Isla Santiago. This is the best place in the archipelago to observe Galápagos fur seals, though if you're lucky, you may also spot marine iguanas, crabs, and various birds such as herons and hawks.

Later in the day, you'll cruise a short way north to Playa Espumilla. At either end of this beach, trails lead through mangroves to a salty lagoon, where lucky visitors may see flamingoes, pintail ducks, stilts, and other wading birds. There's good snorkeling and kayaking off the coast here, as well.

You'll also cruise along the coast, where you can marvel at the impressive sea cliffs near Buccaneer Cove. This inlet is home to many marine birds, sea lions, and intertidal organisms. Interesting rock formations here include The Bishop and Elephant Rock. There's also the option to do some snorkeling or ride on a glass-bottom boat.

Day 9: Day Trip to Isla Bartolomé & Sullivan Bay

Today, the ship will cruise to uninhabited Isla Bartolomé, an islet off the east coast of Santiago. From a viewpoint here, you'll look out over Bartolomé's wild, romantic landscape of spatter cones and craters to the Galápagos stretched out below. You can also hike over to Pinnacle Rock, located on the island's north side next to a beautiful, peach-colored beach. This area enjoys a reputation as one of the best snorkeling sites in the Galápagos, not only because of its clear and calm water but also because of the abundance of Galápagos penguins.

Later, cruise a short way back to Santiago and Sullivan Bay, which features a sandy shore surrounded by lava fields. The lava is relatively recent, only about 100 years old, and though it appears desolate, you can find animals here like green sea turtles, blue herons, and oystercatchers. After a hike, you can enjoy a refreshing swim with the option to do some snorkeling.

Day 10: Visit Chinese Hat, Cruise to Isla Santa Cruz & Dragon Hill

Continue exploring the islets around Santiago this morning as you sail to Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat). This 170-foot (52 m) volcanic cone lies right off the rocky southeast coast of Santiago, where a small colony of Galápagos penguins has settled. Approaching the gently sloping mountain from the north, you'll understand the meaning of the name. This is an excellent place to learn about volcanoes, lava bombs, and lava tunnels. It also abounds with colonies of Galápagos sea lions and countless marine iguanas.

Later, return to Isla Santa Cruz and Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), an aptly named boulder-strewn slope that's one of the best places on the island to see land iguanas. Watch these creatures sun themselves on the rocks as you wind along a trail between cactuses and palo santo trees. Nearby is a lagoon home to pintail ducks, flamingoes, and endemic birds like flycatchers and warblers. At the end of the afternoon, you'll return to the ship.

Day 11: Cruise to Isla Seymour Norte, Return to Isla Santa Cruz, Disembark 

Spend some time this morning at Isla Seymour Norte, north of Baltra and Santa Cruz. It's a great place for a nature hike and to spot blue-footed boobies performing their famous mating dance while swallow-tailed gulls perch on the sides of coastal cliffs. Land iguanas are common inland while their marine cousins bask in the rocks by the sea, close to sea lions who like to body surf in the waves.

Later, you'll say goodbye to the M/C Cormorant II as you cruise back to Puerto Ayora, disembark, and check into your land-based accommodation. Finch Bay Galápagos Hotel offers resort-style luxury on the islands, featuring an eco-friendly design and a gorgeous freshwater pool. The spacious rooms and suites offer private terraces with hammocks, plus modern baths with rainfall showers. The hotel offers kayaks and bicycles for guest use, and when you get hungry, you can grab a bite at the Finch Bay Restaurant, which specializes in fresh seafood utilizing locally sourced ingredients.

Day 12: Visit Tortuga Bay, Kayaking at Divine Bay

After breakfast, enjoy a half-day tour of the heavenly Tortuga Bay Beach. Famed for its soft coral sand and spectacular scenery, this stretch of coast is considered one of the archipelago's most picturesque spots. The first part of the beach has strong waves, so it isn't recommended for swimming, but continue walking west to reach a tranquil bay of calm, welcoming water. Here, you can observe colonies of marine iguanas and birds, mangroves, cactus forests, and fascinating coastal flora.

Later, head to Divine Bay and hop in a kayak as you paddle out along the turquoise water to see marine life and admire the coastline. Look for colonies of marine iguanas, exotic birds, mangroves, cactuses forests, and fascinating flora. Pelicans and finches are local to the area, and near the salt lagoons and mangroves, you may even spot flamingoes. After kayaking, sunbathe on the beach or snorkel below the waves before returning to Puerto Ayora.

Day 13: Morning Wellness, Visit Coffee Farm, Dinner at Almar

This morning is all about relaxing and recharging your batteries. At your hotel's on-site spa and wellness center, you'll enjoy a suite of therapies that rejuvenate your body, mind, and soul. Let the highly qualified therapists help you find balance and revitalization using ancient techniques and natural products for a holistic experience in paradise.

Also, you can't leave the Galápagos without sampling its famed coffee. The plants thrive in the volcanic soil here, producing beans that make the perfect cup of joe. See the production process on a visit to a genuine coffee farm near Puerto Ayora. And make no mistake—this is no commercial plantation. The farm is part of a social responsibility program that promotes land conservation. While here, you'll meet the growers, stroll the fields, and witness the process of harvesting, drying, and roasting the beans. There will, of course, be a tasting, and you can pick up a bag or two to take home.

Dinner this evening is a memorable affair to celebrate your last night in the Galápagos. Head into town and Almar Restaurant, where your table awaits on a spacious deck right overlooking the water. Here, you'll enjoy a meal of Ecuadorian and international favorites, including the freshest seafood on the islands. Even better, the dinner is complemented by gorgeous sea views and the lulling sounds of the ocean.

Day 14: Free Morning in Puerto Ayora, Fly to Quito, Depart

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, spend the rest of the morning strolling the pleasant streets of Puerto Ayora. With its charming cafés and boutiques, it's a great spot to grab a coffee and do some last-minute souvenir shopping. Then, at the appropriate time, you'll transfer to the airport and catch your flight home. ¡Buen viaje!

More Great Galápagos Itineraries