8-Nights Ecuador Galapagos Adventure Cruising on Western Loop from $9,365

MT Sobek: Ecuador Galapagos Adventure Cruising on EcoGalaxy Western Loop

Day 1 Arrive in Quito
1-hour private van transfer
Welcome to the historic city of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. An MT Sobek representative will meet you outside customs at the airport and escort you to your hotel. After settling in at the hotel, the rest of the day is free to unwind, take advantage of the hotel's pool and spa services or begin your exploration of this dynamic city. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Accommodation: Swissôtel Quito


Day 2 Tour Quito’s Old Town
1-2 hours/1 mile of walking in Quito's Historic Center
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before setting out on a half-day guided tour of colonial Quito. The city's UNESCO-listed old town contains the best examples of Colonial Baroque architecture in South America! After lunch, you are free to explore more of the old town, return to the hotel, or shop for handicrafts made by local artisans. Gather in the hotel at 6:30 pm for a briefing with your fellow travelers and MT Sobek representative, who will discuss tomorrow's flight to the Galapagos Islands and the adventure ahead. Dinner is on your own tonight.
Accommodation: Swissôtel Quito
(B, L)

Day 3 Fly to the Galapagos Islands & See Giant Tortoises in the Wild
2-hour flight transfer and 1-hour private vehicle transfer
1.5-2 hours/1 mile of easy walking
Rise for breakfast and an early transfer flight from Quito to Baltra Island in the Galapagos. After meeting your naturalist guide, take a short transfer from Baltra to Santa Cruz Island. Here a private vehicle awaits to take you to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz for a special opportunity to see giant tortoises in their wild and natural habitat. The Galapagos Islands are named after these magnificent, ancient creatures and the experience with them is magical. Having gotten to know the islands' endearing namesake, transfer to Puerto Ayora this afternoon and board your private catamaran. Enjoy a welcome dinner onboard.
Accommodation: EcoGalaxy
(B, L, D)

Day 4 Discover Flightless Cormorants at Isabela’s Elizabeth Bay
AM 2 hours/1.5 miles of moderate hiking, Zodiac cruise, and snorkeling; PM Zodiac cruise
In the morning, disembark at Moreno Point on the west coast of Isabela Island. As you glide along the striking rocky shores by Zodiac, begin to watch for the abundant birdlife that makes this island a birdwatcher's paradise! Once on land, follow a scenic path through lava rocks leading to mangroves and tide pools, where green sea turtles and white-tip sharks can be spotted. Then snorkel in search of sea turtles, diving cormorants, and even penguins. In the afternoon, explore the sheltered beauty of Elizabeth Bay, surrounded by large mangroves and rippled lava fields. Take a Zodiac cruise to explore many channels, pools and coves teeming with life. This is one of the best locations in the islands to see Galapagos penguins. Flightless cormorants also nest in the area and blue-footed boobies and pelicans often fish in these shallow and rich waters. Rays and sea turtles are also abundant. Return to the boat for cocktail hour and dinner.
Accommodation: EcoGalaxy
(B, L, D)

Day 5 Swim With Penguins at Isabela’s Urbina Bay & Tagus Cove
AM 1.5-2 hours/1 mile of easy walking plus snorkeling; PM 1.5-2 hours/2 miles of moderate walking plus panga cruise or kayak, and snorkeling
After breakfast, make a wet landing to explore Urbina Bay, on the southeast side of Isabela. Volcanic activity in the 1950s uplifted the seabed, remarkably exposing corals and invertebrates in its strata. Follow your guide on the trail to look for Galapagos land iguanas, Galapagos hawks, finches, and (mostly between January and June) giant tortoises. Snorkel from the beach to see sea turtles, cormorants, penguins, and an abundance of colorful fish. In the afternoon, look for whales and dolphins as you navigate north along Isabela's coast toward Tagus Cove. Plunge into the sheltered waters, a great place to snorkel with penguins and plentiful fish. Head inland on a guided walk to see inscriptions left by whalers in the 1800's and stunning saltwater Darwin Lake, After the walk, cruise by Zodiac or paddle by kayak to look for penguins, cormorants, marine iguanas, and the endemic Galapagos martin, one of the most endangered species on the island.

(B, L, D)

Day 6 Snorkel with Sea Turtles & Marine Iguanas at Pristine Fernandina
AM 2-2.5 hours/1.5 miles of moderate hiking plus snorkeling; PM 1 hour/0.6 miles of easy hiking
Awake at Fernandina, the archipelago's youngest island and a true highlight of the journey. Step ashore at Punta Espinosa into a dramatic volcanic landscape where hundreds of marine iguanas—the largest colony in the Galapagos—bask in the sun. Sea lion pups splash in tidal pools, flightless cormorants dry their stubby wings, and Galapagos hawks perch in mangroves, scanning for prey. Snorkel among sea turtles and marine iguanas, with the rare chance of spotting a cormorant underwater as it chases fish through the reef. In the afternoon, land at Albemarle Point on the remote northern tip of Isabela Island, a site seldom visited by other groups. Walk across stark lava fields among some of the archipelago's largest marine iguanas, as well as Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, and shorebirds. See the remains of a former US radar base from World War II. If tides allow, finish with a Zodiac cruise in search of penguins, sharks, sea turtles, and rays along the mangroves.

(B, L, D)

Day 7 Hike, Snorkel, & Kayak at Santiago Island
AM 2-2.5 hours/1.5 miles of easy walking plus snorkeling; PM 1.5-2 hours/1.4 miles of easy hiking plus snorkeling and kayaking
Step onto the dark, volcanic sands of Santiago's Puerto Egas after a wet landing and follow the rugged shoreline to tide pools where sponges, hermit crabs, and fish dwell—including the world's only four-eyed blenny. Sea lions bask on lava rocks alongside marine iguanas and shorebirds, and a colony of Galapagos fur seals frequent a grotto at the trail's end. Snorkel from the beach to see fish, sea turtles, and reef sharks glide over the rocky bottom, often joined by curious sea lions. This afternoon, make another wet landing on Santiago's sandy Espumilla Beach. Walk along the coastal lagoon framed by mangroves and native dry forest, home to raptors and a great diversity of finches. Then set out by Zodiac or kayak to explore historic Buccaneer Cove, once a 17th- and 18th-century pirate hideout. Snorkel among angelfish, parrotfish, and snappers while spotting reef sharks, turtles, and playful sea lions below cliffs and volcanic cones in one of the Galapagos' most scenic bays.

(B, L, D)

Day 8 Return to Quito
2-hour flight transfer and 5-minute transfer
AM 1-1.5 hours/1 mile of easy hiking
Wake up early for one last excursion in the islands, exploring one of two remarkable sites—Dragon Hill on Santa Cruz, where flamingos gather at a saltwater lagoon, or Daphne Major, home to nesting seabirds and groundbreaking finch evolution research. Snap some final photos before returning to the ship for breakfast and preparing to disembark at Baltra for your flight back to Quito. An MT Sobek representative will greet you at Quito airport and provide assistance to your nearby hotel.
Accommodation: Wyndham Quito Airport
(B)

Day 9 Depart Quito
Use the complimentary airport shuttle to transfer to the airport in time for your outbound flight, or opt to stay on in Quito to join us for one of our extensions in Ecuador or Peru!
Accommodation: Wyndham Quito Airport
(B)