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 A11 ALL REGIONS (21 days) In those 21 days we visit all the regions of the country, the Andes mountains, Amazon, Pacific coast and the Galapagos islands. We visit major towns like Quito, Cuenca and Guayaquil and get to know many cultural attractions, like old churches, monuments, Inca ruins and Indian markets. But we also get to know many nature sites by undertaking trips to high volcanoes or through the rainforest and mangroves. In Galapagos we undertake a 5-day cruise to various national park visitor sites to experience the amazing and unique wildlife of the islands. Day 1 Arrival at Quito airport and transfer to hotel in Quito. Depending on your arrival time, a visit to the old colonial center or another attraction in Quito are scheduled. Day 2 Today we explore Quito and its surroundings. We start our trip by driving up to Panecillo, the hill in the middle of the city. From there we have a great view of the town with the old colonial center just lying at its feet, which we visit next. After a walking tour to the old squares and churches we stop for lunch. In the afternoon we visit Mitad del Mundo, famous equator line monument, 1 hour north of Quito. There we visit museums and you take the famous pictures, straddling the meridian. Rumicucho, an old Inca fortress site is our last stop on the tour before heading back to Quito. Day 3 On this day we visit the famous Indian market in Otavalo. The Indians of the region are famous for their weavings and offer their many wares around the Plaza del Poncho, the heart of the trade. After admiring and shopping, we continue to Cuicocha crater lake, a beautiful water-filled volcanic caldera located at 3300m. We return then to Quito by way of Cayambe where we stop shortly at another line monument. Day 4 We start our Amazon adventure by flying from Quito to Coca. Arriving there we head straight to the docking places at the river Napo to get into a motorized river canoe which brings us to our rainforest lodge located downriver. Day 5 In the morning we explore for the first time the primary tropical rainforest with its bountiful fauna and flora. A native guide accompanies us and gives us explanations about the medicinal and other traditional uses of the various plants. In the night we undertake a short hike into the forest to experience and observe nocturnal animals. Day 6 Early in the morning we head out to the small rivers and lagoons in small dugouts for bird watching and return then for breakfast. Afterwards we undertake another hike in the forest to learn more about the vegetation and get also to know about the fauna. After lunch we visit a native family, where we learn about the daily life of the native Indians. In the evening we go out by canoe to look for caimans. Day 7 In the morning we hike to an observation tower and climb the 35 m high observation tower to observe the life in the forest trees canopy, which otherwise could not be seen. After lunch we go out in dugouts to the lagoons and try our hand at fishing piranhas, catfish and others. Day 8 Early in the morning we leave the lodge and head back by motorized canoe to coca to catch the plane back to Quito, where we arrive early afternoon. The rest of the day is spent for you to relax and get ready for next part of the trip. Day 9 We leave Quito and head south on the Pan-American highway to Riobamba. On the way there we stop at Ambato and visit a colonial estate or garden hacienda , once belonging to Juan Leon Mera, a poet and important historic personality of Ecuador. Then later we stop at Salasaca, a small Indian market, a little bit off the highway. Arriving in Riobamba we get our train tickets and embark on a short evening city tour. Day 10 At 7 am the train leaves for Alausi and from there you go down the famous Devil's Nose and return later to Alausi by the same way. After that exciting adventure, which lasts till 1.30 pm we continue by jeep on towards Cuenca, with a stop at the Inca ruins of Ingapirca, Ecuador's most famous Indian heritage site. Day 11 We spend the whole day in Cuenca, Ecuador's most charming colonial town, visiting the old colonial center with its churches and old grand houses. In the afternoon we visit a Panama Hat factory to learn about the production and marketing of this world famous hat. We stay a second night in Cuenca. Day 12 We leave early in the morning and drive to El Cajas National Park, where we stop to hike this high paramo region with its many lakes. Later we continue on and head to Guayaquil, where we spend the last three nights of our excursion. Day 13 We spend the day sightseeing in Guayaquil, Ecuador's largest city by visiting its modern Malecon district at the bay and the old colonial district of Las Peņas. Day 14 In the morning we drive to Churute to get to know a dry tropical forest. We first ascend up the hill called El Mate, where we get to know the native plants and animals. With luck we observe some howler monkeys but certainly hear them. In the afternoon we undertake a boat ride through the mangroves of the reserve to observe birds and other animals. Day 15 Transfer to airport and flight to Galapagos. Arrival at Baltra at noon and direct transfer to the boat. After lunch a land visit to North Seymour island, where blue-footed boobies, frigates and other birds, marine iguanas and sea lions can be observed. At night the boat moves from North Seymour to the Plazas islands. Day 16 In the morning we visit South Plaza, a small island covered by a typical dry coastal vegetation. Many seabirds nest here like the red-billed tropicbirds, gulls and shearwaters and there is sea lion bachelor colony. Afterwards we set sail to Santa Fe farther south. Before we land however, we take the opportunity to practice some swimming and snorkeling in the bay. Sea lions which abound there swim and play with us and schools of sardines can be observed in the clear shallow waters. After that we land on shore and take a short hike below especially tall opuntia cacti and watch the Santa Fe land iguanas. In the evening we set sail to Espaņola island. Day 17 After breakfast we visit Gardner Bay which boasts of a white coral beach. Sea lions abound on the beach and the bay is also great for snorkeling. After lunch we sail to Punta Suarez on the same island. There we hike along the rocky shore and observe many sea birds, like the boobies and albatrosses we have nesting colonies there. Other animals seen are sea lions, lava lizards, marine iguanas and land birds. In the night while you are sleeping the boat moves from Espaņola to Floreana islands. Day 18 In the morning we undertake another wet landing to visit Punta Cormorant. There on an easy hike we can observe flamingoes feeding in a nearby lagoon. Later we go snorkeling around Devil's Crown which has very interesting underwater life with marine turtles and white-tipped reef sharks. After lunch we sail Post Office Bay where we visit a lava cave and spend sometime around the wooden barrel to leave or receive mail. At night we move north again to reach Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz island. Day 19 Today we visit the Charles Darwin Station, the scientific research station located near Pto. Ayora. There we also can observe the giant tortoise, which are bred there in captivity and released later. In the afternoon we hike to Tortuga Bay, a beautiful white sand beach half hour outside the town. We spend the night in a hotel in Puerto Ayora. Day 20 We leave early in the morning and take a bus to Baltra. On the way there we stop at the twin craters of Los Gemelos, two volcanic sinkholes in the highlands. At noon flight back to Quito. Day 21 Depending on your departure time, a visit to the old colonial center or to another sightseeing attraction in Quito are scheduled. Transfer to the airport and return to your country.
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