Ecuadorian Amazon Cruise Adventure

Overview

Itinerary at a Glance

• 1 Depart USA/Arrive Quito, Ecuador
• 2 Quito, Coca & Napo River
• 3 Yasuni National Park
• 4 Quechua family & life on board
• 5 Forest adventure & canopy observation tower
• 6 Coca & Quito
• 7 Quito
• 8 Quito & Otavalo, depart Quito

Galapagos Islands Post-Tour Optional Extension

• 8 Quito & Otavalo
• 9 Quito, Baltra Island & Santa Cruz Island
• 10 Sailing to North Seymour
• 11 Tortuga Bay
• 12 Galapagos, Quito & Departure

Dates & Prices

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Depart USA/Arrive Quito, Ecuador

• Depart the USA for your flight bound for Quito, Ecuador
• Upon arrival in Quito this evening, meet our representative and transfer by hotel shuttle service to your hotel for check-in

Wyndham Quito Airport

Full Day Itinerary

This evening, arrive in Quito (9,350 feet above sea level), and after customs formalities, you will be met and transferred by scheduled shuttle service to your hotel for check-in and overnight.

Day 2 Quito, Coca & Napo River

• Transfer to the airport for your flight to Coca
• Short transfer to the dock to board a motorized canoe
• Journey down the river to reach the Manatee Amazon Explorer
• Experience the sounds and aromas of the forest during a night walk

Manatee Amazon Explorer Breakfast & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your short flight to the Amazon city of Coca. Upon arrival, drive to the dock and board a motorized canoe which will take you to your riverboat on the Napo River. Relax, and enjoy your first experience of the sights and sounds of the Amazon!

After settling in, expert local naturalist guides will join you and provide a brief and informative introduction to the Ecuadorean Amazon. Then, you can discover the different features of the ship, such as the observation deck, where you can admire the changing rainforest landscape as you glide down the Napo River.

After dinner, immerse yourself in the Amazon during a guided nighttime forest walk to observe the nocturnal activity and experience the thrill of the vivid sounds from such biodiversity.

Day 3 Yasuni National Park

• Visit the habitat of the legendary pink river dolphin
• Canoe in a black water lake, home to giant otters and the elusive manatee
• Enjoy a pleasant hike through the riverside forest

Manatee Amazon Explorer Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Early this morning, visit Yasuni National Park. This pristine area of the Ecuadorean Amazon is home to the legendary pink river dolphin. Other wildlife includes anacondas, river turtles, various primate species, and the colorful Hoatzin, a unique bird species.

Later this afternoon, go canoeing in a black water lake, home to giant otters and the magnificent but elusive manatee. Then, enjoy a pleasant hike in the riparian forest for a chance to spot a flock of birds and marvel at the intricate organization of a colony of leafcutter ants by the “Giant Fig Tree,” a majestic tree that is home to an abundant diversity of life.

Day 4 Quechua family & life on board

• Visit a local Quechua family
• Participate in a cooking class
• Enjoy the amenities of the ship

Manatee Amazon Explorer Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Start the day by visiting an authentic local Quechua family on the banks of the Napo River. Immerse yourself in the culture as you learn about life in the Amazon directly from local community members.

Then, return to your ship for lunch and leisure time as you sail upstream. Enjoy a cooking class with the ship’s expert chef, who will share recipes and techniques using fresh, organic ingredients to prepare delicious Ecuadorian food that you can replicate at home. You will also have a chance to try your hand at making traditional crafts. Or, enjoy any of the onboard facilities: be pampered at the Rainforest Spa, soak in the scenery from the hot tub on the observation deck, sip a delicious cocktail at the bar and lounge, or admire the sunset and the night sky from the observation deck lounge. For those looking for something more active, you can explore the surrounding nature by kayak!

Day 5 Forest adventure & canopy observation tower

• Walk through the forest to look for various plants and animals
• Visit a canopy tower for a breathtaking view of the Amazon basin
• Search for black caimans from a canoe at night

Manatee Amazon Explorer Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Enjoy a leisurely morning aboard your ship. Later, explore the forest on foot, discovering many plants and animals endemic to the Amazon basin.

In the afternoon, visit a canopy tower built against a giant Kapok tree. This observation tower offers a glorious view above the lush treetops, offering a glimpse of the vastness of the Amazon basin.

This evening, canoe down the river to search for black caimans with the help of a flashlight!

Day 6 Coca & Quito

• Return to Coca by motorized canoe
• Flight to Quito, transfer to your hotel for check-in

Swissotel Quito Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Your river adventure ends as you return to Coca by motorized canoe. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Quito.  Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Day 7 Quito

• City tour of Quito and Equatorial Monument

Swissotel Quito Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Full Day Itinerary

Today, enjoy a city tour of Quito. Arguably one of the loveliest South American cities, Quito offers a spectacular setting surrounded by mountains and several snow-capped volcanoes, including the still-active Mt. Pichincha. Begin your walking tour at the Presidential Palace. Continue to the Monastery of San Francisco, Quito's oldest church and the most significant colonial building constructed in Latin America. Next, visit the largest neo-gothic basilica in the Americas, noted for its gargoyles in the form of native Ecuadorian animals such as iguanas, armadillos, and Galapagos tortoises. The next stop, La Compañía de Jesús, has an ornate and richly sculptured facade and interior with colored columns, 10-sided altars, and gilded balconies.

After lunch, drive north of Quito to the Equatorial Monument, the Mitad del Mundo ("Middle of the World"), commemorating the exact place where Charles Marie de la Condamine established the Equator, where you can stand with one foot in the northern and one in the southern hemisphere.

For those interested in seeing a spectacular panoramic view over Quito and the snow-capped surrounding volcanoes of Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Chimborazo, take a ride on the Teleférico. This gondola lift transitions to approximately 13,285 ft above sea level for a breathtaking experience. Those who opt out of the Teleférico can enjoy visiting the Quito National Museum. NOTE: The Teleférico experience reaches high altitudes and may not be suitable for all passengers. Warm clothes are suggested.

This evening, dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Day 8 Quito & Otavalo, depart Quito

• Explore the Otavalo Market
• Visit the Peguche Waterfall
• Transfer back to the airport for your overnight flight home

Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, travel to Otavalo, the land of the "Otavaleños" Ecuadorian community, where all families speak Quichua as their first language and Spanish as their second. See women in colorful embroidered clothing and men in broad-brimmed hats with blue ponchos.

Explore the Otavalo Market located around the Plaza de Ponchos, Ecuador's most famous indigenous market. The Otavaleños travel to the town to sell a multicolored variety of handicrafts, including sweaters, ponchos, hats, necklaces, and other handmade products.

Following lunch, visit the Peguche Waterfall. The area includes a park with a hiking trail and several bridges, which offer good views of the falls.

Later today, transfer back to Quito Airport. Enjoy the comforts of the Layover Stay lounge before your international flight back to the USA that will depart late tonight.

Or, take advantage of your already included international airfare and extend your trip to the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos Islands Post-Tour Optional Extension

Day 8 Quito & Otavalo

• Explore the Otavalo Market
• Visit the Peguche Waterfall
• Transfer back to Quito and check in to your airport hotel

Wyndham Quito Airport Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, travel to Otavalo, the land of the “Otavaleños” Ecuadorian community, where all families speak Quichua as their first language and Spanish as their second. See women in colorful embroidered clothing and men in broad-brimmed hats with blue ponchos.

Explore the Otavalo Market located around the Plaza de Ponchos, Ecuador's most famous indigenous market. The Otavaleños travel to the town to sell a multicolored variety of handicrafts, including sweaters, ponchos, hats, necklaces, and other handmade products.

Following lunch, visit the Peguche Waterfall. The area includes a park with a hiking trail and several bridges, which offer good views of the falls.

Later today, transfer to your hotel near Quito Airport.

Day 9 Quito, Baltra Island & Santa Cruz Island

• Transfer via hotel shuttle to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands
• Flight from Quito to Baltra Island, gateway to the Galapagos
• Take a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island
• See Los Gemelos lava chambers
• Explore a 600-acre private giant tortoise reserve
• Continue to Puerto Ayora for check-in and welcome drink

Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Baltra, the gateway to the Galapagos Islands. Next, take a short ferry across Itabaca Channel to Santa Cruz Island, then drive through the various micro climates on your way to the village of Puerto Ayora on the island's south side.

Today you'll see Los Gemelos (The Twins), two enormous collapsed lava chambers - an awe-inspiring visual reminder of the power of nature. The path to the lava chambers is an excellent introduction to the incredible biodiversity of the Santa Cruz Highlands, teeming with endemic flora and fauna, including a Scalesia Forest, draped in liverwort and mosses, as well as numerous birds such as Darwin Finches.

Afterward, drive to a 600-acre private reserve where giant Galapagos tortoises freely roam, graze and sleep. Feel free to mingle with these gentle giants. But, as prehistoric as these creatures look, wait until you hear what they sound like! Galápago is Spanish for tortoise, and the islands were named for these fantastic creatures. There will be a selection of field boots for your use if conditions are muddy.

Next, you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the remnants of an illuminated lava tunnel. Created by ancient lava flows, the tunnel is 1350 feet long with a ceiling nearly 20 feet high in most places, adorned with stalagmites & stalactites, mineral-colored walls, and a rippled lava floor. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station before continuing to Puerto Ayora to check into your hotel.

Day 10 Sailing to North Seymour

• Sail aboard a yacht from Itabaca Channel to North Seymour Island
• Enjoy the variety of bird life
• Hike along the trail to one of the largest sea bird colonies on the Galapagos

Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast & lunch

Full Day Itinerary

Leave your hotel early morning and head to Itabaca Channel to board your yacht. Depending on the winds, the trip to North Seymour takes about 45 minutes.

North Seymour is a beautiful island to hike on. The island is mostly flat and arid. The vegetation consists primarily of palo santo (incense stick), cactus, and saltbush. The island is also breeding grounds for a wide variety of seabirds, including blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls, and frigatebirds.

Enjoy lunch on board the yacht as you return to Santa Cruz Island and your hotel.

Day 11 Tortuga Bay

• Hike to the beach at Tortuga Bay for a chance to observe marine iguanas, sea turtles and pelicans
• Return by speedboat to Puerto Ayora
• Enjoy the afternoon at leisure

Hotel Solymar or similar Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

Take a leisurely hike along a comfortable footpath for about 45 minutes to reach Tortuga Bay. Here you can relax on the beach, rest on the white sand or take a swim. In this area, you may also encounter iguanas, sea turtles, and pelicans. Return by speedboat to Puerto Ayora and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Additional full-day trips to other islands are available locally.

Day 12 Galapagos, Quito & Departure

• Fly from Baltra airport to Quito
• Relax at the Layover Stay lounge until your overnight return flight to the USA

Breakfast

Full Day Itinerary

After breakfast, drive back to Itabaca Channel, cross by ferry to Baltra Island, and take your flight back to Quito. At Quito airport, relax and enjoy the amenities at the Layover Stay lounge until it is time to board your overnight return flight to the USA.

Hotels & Ship

Hotels

Wyndham Quito Airport

First Class

Experience the warmest of welcomes when you visit the 4-star Wyndham Quito Airport hotel. With a prime location at the Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO), the Wyndham Quito Airport is your top choice for an overnight stopover or day-room in transit. From the moment you step into the lobby, you will find impeccable services and amenities. Relax in your well-appointed room, indulge in the finest international dishes at the onsite restaurant or meet up with friends at the lobby bar for a signature cocktail.

More information

Swissotel Quito

Superior First Class

Swissotel Quito is one of the city’s top luxury hotels, located in the commercial and residential area of the Floresta neighborhood.

More information

Hotel Solymar

First Class

Hotel Solymar is centrally located on Puerto Ayora's main street and within walking distance of a variety of cafes, restaurants, and shops. The hotel features ocean access on Pelican Bay, and a beautiful patio for guests to enjoy the nature of the Galapagos.

More information

In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.

Cruise Ship

Manatee Amazon Explorer

The Manatee Amazon Explorer provides a beautiful way to explore and discover the Ecuadorian Amazon. With cruises from Coca, on the Napo River, this expedition vessel allows you to reach many parts of the jungle that would otherwise be inaccessible, and discover the vast biodiversity that inhabits this part of the world’s largest rainforest.

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Reviews & Photos

Trip Details

• What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
• Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
• Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
• Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at time of travel.
• Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
• What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
• What should I know about Ecuador? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
• What should I know about the Galapagos? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.

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