Galapagos & the Amazon

Day 1: Quito

You arrive with own flight to Quito’s International Airport, situated at 9300 ft above sea level and flanked by the snow-capped peaks of the Andes. We check in to the charming Hotel Cultura Manor and have our first dinner together, the first of many more to come. We spend the night at Hotel Cultura Manor. A PolarQuest guide will escort us throughout the trip and in Galapagos two knowledgeable National Park guides will also join us. We will also be joined by other local guides throughout the trip.

Day 2: Quito

We explore the old town of Quito, listed as an UNESCO's World Heritage site. We also visit El Panecillo, from where we have an excellent view of Quito. Afterwards, we will head back to Hotel Cultura Manor to enjoy dinner together and spend the night.

Day 3: Sacha Lodge, The Amazon rainforest

In the morning we join a 30-minute flight from Quito over the Andes Mountains to a bustling little town called Coca, located in the Amazon Rainforest. Here we are invited for lunch in a private house and then we are off to the town docks where we will board a motorised canoe for a spectacular 2-hours journey down the river. Followed by a nice 30-minutes hike (mostly flat terrain) through the rainforest to lake Pilchicocha, a black water lake home to many species of fish and animals. At the lake we are met by native guides who will paddle us in canoes across the lake, bringing us to our destination, Sacha Lodge.

After we have checked in at Sacha Lodge we will have a refreshing swim in the lagoon of lake Pilchicocha. We can do some bird observing from the mini tower at the lodge, an excellent opportunity to view several species of birds common in the area. Also, a great place to watch the sunset. We can also visit the butterfly house with a naturalist guide to view the beautiful colours of many different species of butterflies.

After dinner, we will join the naturalist guide on a night walk through the rainforest to view the hundreds of different species of animals that can only be found at night. Or for those who want a canoe ride on the lake to view the spectacled and black caimans with their glowing orange eyes as we silently paddle across the lake to get a closer view.

Day 4: Sacha Lodge, The Amazon rainforest

Today we start with a hike on the trail Liana Chica to get spectacular views of the rainforest canopy and the many different species of vibrantly coloured birds. We will get an up-close and personal view of the rainforest canopy. The canopy walkway is at a height of 36 meters, giving us a bird’s-eye view of all the wonders and beauty of the tropical rainforest.

Day 5: Sacha Lodge, The Amazon rainforest

Today we will do a hike on trail Lagartococha. We will learn about the trees where native people believe the spirits of their ancestors live, and the mysterious “dwende” or devil-man of the forest. After arriving at lake Lagartococha, we will take a tranquil canoe ride through a natural swamp, which is the home of anacondas, caimans, and capybaras. We will then continue our walk on the other side of Largatococha, which give us the opportunity to hopefully spot capuchin or squirrel monkeys playfully jumping through the trees. Our native guide will teach us how to fish for the infamous razor-toothed piranha, while being surrounded by troops squirrel, capuchin, and howler monkeys. We keep our eyes peeled for the shy and elusive river otter as well as the incredibly well camouflaged three-toed sloth.

After our eye-popping ride through the flooded forest, we will arrive back at Sacha Lodge and walk up in the 40 metre wooden tower built around an ancient Kapok tree. Here we will listen to the symphony of frogs and insects as we navigate through the arrow flooded forest trail, keeping our eyes open for caimans. Watch the several species of bats flying over our heads and listen to the many species of nocturnal birds making their eerie nighttime calls.

Day 6: Sacha Lodge - Quito

After breakfast we will check out from Sacha Lodge and make a last walk on the boardwalk to the river, and from there the 2-hour canoe ride back to the town Coca for our short flight back to Quito. We will arrive back to Quito in the afternoon and check back in to Hotel Cultura Manor.

Day 7: Quito - Baltra - Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos

We fly from Quito to Baltra in Galapagos early in the morning and board our comfortable motor yacht Coral II. We start off our journey in Galapagos with the island of Santa Cruz. We have a dinghy ride at the entry of the Itabaca Channel in a lagoon with turquoise water, where we can observe sharks, blue-footed boobies and different kinds of fish. In the evening we will enjoy our first dinner on board.

Day 8: Isabela Island & Fernandina Island

Today we get familiar with Isabela, the largest island in the archipelago, formed by six young and still active volcanoes. As we cruise along the cliffs at Punta Vicente Roca we hope to spot the Nazca boobies, blue-footed boobies and the endemic flightless cormorant.

Later, on our way to Fernandina, we cross the Bolívar Channel and keep a look out for whales and dolphins. Fernandina is the youngest island of the Galapagos and has no introduced animal or plant species. Punta Espinoza is famous for its large colonies of marine iguanas. It is also the habitat of Sally Lightfoot crabs and sea lions as well as several unique species such as the flightless cormorant, Galapagos penguin and Galapagos hawk - the king of the predators on the islands. The landscape is dominated by cactuses, mangrove areas and different types of lava flows.

Day 9: Isabela Island

We return to Isabela and go ashore at the black volcanic beach of Urbina Bay. During a walk we hope to encounter the colourful land iguanas. This is also one of Galapagos’ many great snorkelling sites and we have the chance to swim with sea turtles, sea lions and countless tropical fish.

Close to Urbina Bay is Targus Cove, a natural harbour, where whalers and pirates from centuries ago painted and carved their ships’ names on the rocks. From here we make our way up to Darwin’s crater, which today is a salt-water lake, to enjoy the rewarding views of lava fields and volcanic formations. Afterwards, we enjoy a panga (rubber boat) ride along the shoreline to admire a variety of seabirds such as blue-footed boobies and flightless cormorants. If we are lucky, we may also encounter the little Galapagos penguin – the only penguin species in the world living in the tropics.

Day 10: Santiago Island

Egas Port is a black volcanic sand beach, visited by Darwin in 1835. The unique, truly striking layered terrain of Santiago shore is home to a variety of animals including the bizarre yellow-crowned night heron and marine wildlife including lobster, starfish and marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside Sally Lightfoot crabs. It is also common to see colonies of endemic fur seals swimming in cool water volcanic rock pools.

On the South-eastern side of Santiago Island we find Sullivan Bay, named after Bartholomew James Sullivan - a lieutenant on Darwin’s vessel, the Beagle. Here we take a walk through a fascinating moon landscape, where the young pa-hoe-hoe lava flows were formed during the last quarter of the 19th century.

Day 11: Santa Cruz Island & North Seymour Island

Named for some wrecked World War II barges whose ribs are still visible in the sand this visitor site at Bachas Beach offers great swimming, a lovely walk along the shore, and a visit to a lagoon behind the high tide line with wading birds, marine iguanas and sometimes even flamingos. The two beaches are also favorite nesting sites for green turtles which often leave tractor-like tracks in the sand.

We continue to North Seymour Island, a low-lying, uplifting island that offers excellent opportunities to observe male magnificent and great frigatebirds displaying to attract females. We are also likely to see blue-footed boobies courting. Sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls, crashing surf and distant views of the Daphne Islands round off a wonderful visit.

Day 12: Santa Cruz Island

This morning we visit the Charles Darwin Research Centre, where giant tortoises and land iguanas are bred. During our exciting tour we learn more about these fascinating pre-historic animals. Also in the central highlands of Santa Cruz Island, we have our best opportunity to interact at close quarters with totally wild, Galapagos giant tortoises. A short walk among these huge, 6001b, reptiles will also offer the chance for more species, especially several species of the famed finches.

We spend the afternoon at Mosquera Island, a low-lying islet made up of coral sand, situated between North and South Seymour Islands. The islet is home to a colony of sea lions that come ashore to laze on the soft white sand. It is also an excellent spot for observing shorebirds, herons, lava gulls and boobies. Snorkelling or diving in the surrounding waters often offers the chance to see sharks, rays and barracudas.

Day 13: South Plaza Island & Santa Fe Island

We arrive at South Plaza Island, where sea lions, swallow-tailed gulls and land iguanas can all be seen. The small island is carpeted with red succulents, interspersed with Opuntia cacti. At the cliff edge, we spend time watching the birdlife, including frigatebirds, flocks of Galápagos shearwaters and, most notably, red-billed tropicbirds soaring past in spectacular courtship displays.

We continue to Santa Fe Island for some fabulous snorkelling in the turquoise waters of its sheltered bay. Here, we may have the chance to swim alongside sea lions and spot turtles, reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. After landing on a sandy beach, we spend time observing the sea lions resting and playing around us. We then set off on a walk through a forest of giant Opuntia cacti, endemic to the island, where we may also encounter the Santa Fe land iguana.

Day 14: San Cristobal Island

In the morning, we visit Lobos Island for a hike along an 850-metre trail that combines rocky sections with easier sandy paths. The island is home to a small population of blue-footed boobies, as well as nesting great frigatebirds.

After our visit to Lobos Island, we transfer to San Cristobal Airport for our flight back to Quito on the mainland. We return to the charming Cultura Manor hotel, where we enjoy our last dinner together for this time, before spending the night.

Day 15: Fly home

We say goodbye to our new friends and make our way to Quito airport and our flights back home.

Please note: Our exact route and port calls will depend on local authorities and might be subject to change.