Spirit of Ecuador & the Galápagos Islands

Today we'll fly to Baltra Island and then travel by ferry across the Itabaca Canal to Santa Cruz Island. We'll drive through the highlands of Santa Cruz, seeing the enormous change in vegetation from dry areas full of cacti to rainforest and fern zones. The green landscape of this island is a welcome contrast to the arid scenery of the smaller, lower islands. This afternoon, we'll visit the Charles Darwin Research Center to understand how conservation initiatives are conducted, and the huge efforts to preserve this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site. This evening, we'll sit waterside and enjoy dinner at our hotel as we watch the sunset.

Today, we'll enjoy a full-day boat excursion to one of the following islands: North Seymour, South Plazas, Bartholomew, Santa Fe, or Dragon Hill. Each of these islands has its own unique beauty to offer. North Seymour is a flat Island and home to magnificent frigate birds like the Blue-Footed-Boobies. South Plazas Island is home to a large colony of sea lions and offers excellent examples of the typical flora like towering cacti “trees.". Bartholomew Island is a tiny island with one of the most spectacular views of the Archipelago from Pinnacle Rock. Santa Fe is one of the oldest islands of the Galápagos and in its tranquil bay, one can find green sea turtles and spotted eagle rays while sea lions bask in the sun on the beach. We'll enjoy lunch onboard.

Today, explore the highlands of Santa Cruz. We'll stop at the Twin Craters, which are located one in front of the other on both sides of the road connecting Puerto Ayora to Baltra. These craters were formed as a result of the collapse of the crust. This area is dominated by Scalesia Trees, making the site a beautiful green landscape. We'll visit a lava tunnel, and see the famous giant tortoise in its natural environment. After lunch, we'll continue to El Trapiche to learn more about life as a resident of the Galápagos. Here, we'll get to know how cane liquor and coffee are produced. We'll see how a rustic, mule-driven sugar cane press operates, and get to know the secrets and techniques of cane alcohol distilling. At the end of our visit, we'll enjoy a liquor cane tasting and learn some coffee roasting tricks!

Today, we'll enjoy a full-day boat excursion to one of the following islands: North Seymour, South Plazas, Bartholomew, Santa Fe, or Dragon Hill as described on Day 4. We'll enjoy lunch onboard and dinner at our hotel this evening.

Today we say goodbye to the Galápagos as we fly back to the mainland. Upon arrival, we'll drive north to Otavalo. The road descends into the spectacular Guayllabamba gorge and village. With a bit of luck, the skies will be clear enough that we'll see the snow-capped Cayambe volcano. The Equatorial Line goes directly through the glacier of this volcano. Depending on our timing, we'll also see the Lago San Pablo with its beautiful backdrop, the Imbabura volcano. Once we reach Otavalo, we'll check into our hotel and enjoy dinner this evening.

This morning we'll take a one-hour walk at the Crater Lake of Cuicocha, taking in the beautiful landscape. Next, we'll visit Cotacachi's leatherwork center. We'll stroll around the small streets and admire the artisan shops filled with handmade leather objects. After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll return to Otavalo and visit the Plaza de los Ponchos with a chance to shop the colorful handicrafts and textiles. The indigenous residents are skilled weavers and have a long tradition as artisans and traders, creating and selling a variety of designs in belts, tapestries, ponchos, and more. During our visit, we'll see families wearing their colorful clothes and speaking Quichua, which is often their first language with Spanish as their second language.

After breakfast, we'll visit the village's weavers and see how they blend traditional and modern techniques. We'll also learn about traditional Andean Music and how the local instruments are made. Later, we'll meet an indigenous family from Otavalo who share Kichwa culture with travelers through their traditional cuisine. We'll learn about the local ingredients grown in their garden and their lives, and see a cooking demonstration before we taste the delicious dishes prepared by Claudia and her mother. Later today we'll return to Quito, and this evening we'll share a special farewell dinner.

After breakfast, our tour comes to an end.