Day 1: Quito, Ecuador
Arrive Quito and transfer to your hotel for overnight. SwissotelDay 2: Quito
Ecuador’s capital is situated high in the Andes in the lush green Guapulo Valley, surrounded by rugged volcanic peaks reaching close to 20,00 feet. Quito is lively, scenic and cosmopolitan. Its one and a half million inhabitants tend to be helpful and friendly. The colonial section of Quito is a living museum of grand Spanish colonial architecture; UNESCO has declared its mansions, cathedrals and squares a World Heritage Site.
After a visit to the Parliament Building we go to the colonial center for a walking tour along its cobblestone streets. We’ll have the chance to view buildings from the 16th to the 18th centuries, including the San Agustin Church and Chapter Hall. We’ll also visit Independence Square where the Presidential Palace is located, and marvel at the ornate interior of the Baroque/Moorish Church of San Francisco. The last part of our tour takes us far above the colonial section where the guardian of the city—the winged Virgin of Quito—keeps watch over her 12,000-year-old city. The view is spectacular, not only of the city far below but also of the skyscraping Andes above and beyond.
About 30 minutes away from the northern part of Quito stands the Middle of the Earth Monument, built to mark the meridian arch of the planet at 0º latitude—better known as the Equator—and to commemorate this surveying feat in the 18th century. It’s also the site of a small colonial town crowded with craft shops and restaurants.
This excursion includes a visit to the marvelous Ethnographic Museum, which traces the history and archeology of Ecuador’s native peoples back to the Pleistocene. The tour ends with a panoramic view of the nearby Pululahua volcanic crater.
A stop will be made for you to enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. (Not included
Return to your hotel and enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Breakfast Swissotel Day 3: Quito - Baltra - Galapagos National Park
Transfer to Quito airport to board your flight* to Baltra. Arrive Baltra and transfer to the pier for embarkation. While settling into your cabin and surroundings, meet your guide and crew, and then set out on your first landing. Breakfast, Dinner Overnight on boardDays 4-9: Galapagos National Park
No matter which yacht you choose, the next 7 days will be among the most memorable of your life as you cruise the Galápagos Islands, visiting many of the same places Charles Darwin did over 150 years ago. You will be amazed at just how many memorable experiences you will have each day in this fabled archipelago. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Overnight on boardDay 10: Baltra - Quito
Disembark at the port and transfer to the Baltra airport for the return flight* to Quito. Arrive Quito and transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight. Breakfast SwisshotelDay 11: Quito - Depart
Transfer to Quito International Airport. Breakfast*Flights priced separately.
