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9 days from $2,550  Visiting
 Arrive in Quito today where you will be met and transferred to the Swissotel The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Swissotel Day 2 Quito (B) The day begins exploring the bustling streets of Quito with stops at some of the city’s most important churches like La Compañia and iconic San Francisco. Your drive takes you to El Panecillo, which looks like a bread roll (from which it’s name is derived). Then it’s on to the Middle of the World City, where you’ll visit the monument that celebrates the equatorial line or parallel 0, latitude 0° 0’0”. The tour ends at El Crater Restaurant, perched on the edge of a spectacular volcano crater. Swissotel Day 3 Quito-Chaski Antawa Train Excursion (BL) An easy drive takes you north of Quito today to Otavalo, undoubtedly one of South America’s most famous indigenous markets. Continue by road to Ibarra where you board the Chaski Antawa Train for a delightful 2-hour ride through the countryside from Ibarra to Salinas. Disembarking in Salinas (Mascarilla) gives you an opportunity to see some of the local clay masks being made. Back to Quito later this afternoon. Swissotel Day 4 Quito-Galapagos (Santa Cruz) Embark (BLD) A short flight takes you to Baltra today where you are met and escorted to the pier to embark on the M/Y Coral. A wet landing on Santa Cruz is the starting point for a walk up to Dragon Hill for stunning views of the bay below. A dinghy ride takes you along the coast to Venice, where along with land iguanas, you’ll observe white tipped reef sharks and pacific green sea turtles. M/Y Coral I/II Day 5 Rabida/Santiago (BLD) First stop this morning is a wet landing at Rabida, one of the most volcanically diverse of the islands. Your walk takes you behind the dark-red beach along a path to a saltwater lagoon where you should be treated with sightings of pink flamingos, common stilts and Bahama Pintail Ducks. Rabida is an excellent place to see pelicans nesting (July through September). Continue on to Santiago, also known as James and San Salvador for a wet landing. Santiago is a great place to observe marine iguanas grazing on algae beds alongside red sally light-foot crabs. M/Y Coral I/II Day 6 Fernandina (BLD) At 700,000 years old, Fernandina is the “baby” of the Galapagos archipelago. There are no introduced mammals on the island and its shores boast hundreds of marine iguanas along with sea lions, penguins and the flightless cormorant. Then on to the largest of the islands, Isabela for a dry landing. Formed by the eruption of 5 volcanoes, Isabela has fascinating volcanic formations. It also has its very own “grafitti” believed to have been made by 19th century pirates. M/Y Coral I/II Day 7 Bartolome (BLD) A dry landing at the small island of Bartolomé gives us a chance to make the steep climb up Cerro Bartolomé for breathtaking views. Later, enjoy a panga ride around Pinnacle Rock and take time to swim or snorkel on the beach. On to Santa Cruz for a dinghy ride on the north side of the island. You’ll glide along silently, close to the marine turtles, white tipped reef sharks and spotted eagle rays. M/Y Coral I/II Day 8 Santa Cruz-Quito (B) This morning visit the Charles Darwin Research Station to learn about the various conservation projects on the islands. Then disembark and fly back to Quito. Swissotel Day 9 Quito-Depart Transfer to the airport for your flight home today.
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