Ultimate Luxury Galapagos & Ecuador

The Trip

Day 1: Quito – Arrive Quito transfer to hotel / Hotel Casa Gangotena
Day 2: Quito – Quito City tour and Equator / Hotel Casa Gangotena
Day 3: Zuleta – Otavalo market and Imbabura / Hacienda Zuleta
Day 4: Zuleta – Free day for activities and sightseeing / Hacienda Zuleta
Day 5: Quito – am. at hacienda then transfer to Quito / Hotel Casa Gangotena
Day 6: Galapagos – Fly to the Galapagos and transfer to lodge / Pikaia Lodge
Day 7: Galapagos – Full day yacht cruise to uninhabited island /  Pikaia Lodge
Day 8: Galapagos – Full day land exploration of Santa Cruz Isalns/  Pikaia Lodge
Day 9: Galapagos – Full day yacht cruise to uninhabited island /  Pikaia Lodge
Day 10: Quito – Return flight back to mainland / Hotel Casa Gangotena
Day 11: Fly home – Transfer to airport for homeward flight
Day 12: Arrive UK

Day 1 – Fly to Ecuador
Arrive in Quito and private transfer with bilingual guide and drive to hotel.

Stay at Casa Gangotena – Double Luxury plus room.

Day 2 – Quito
Explore the colonial heart of Quito. Walk down quaint cobbled streets lined with brightly coloured colonial houses, terracotta tiles and balconies dressed in flowers. On the Plaza Grande lies one of the oldest cathedrals in South America, an impressive building with green-glazed domes. The Iglesia de la Compañia, is a Jesuit church overflowing with Baroque art covered in gold. The great Plaza de San Francisco and its church have been a centre of market activity since pre-Inca times. We can include more off the beaten path experiences like local food markets, chocolate tasting, herbal remedies. We also usually include a trip to the Equator line. Afternoon at leisure.

Stay at Casa Gangotena (B)

Day 3 – Otavalo, Zuleta
Enjoy a full day trip to Otavalo and the north. Stop at Quitsato sundial to learn about pre-hispanic astronomical knowledge. Visit Otavalo a vibrant market town steeped in indigenous culture. Then go behind the scenes to a weaving workshop. Lunch is included in a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit the Cotocachi ecological reserve, with a huge crater lake. Drop off at the wonderful hacienda Zuleta, a historic working estate and now boutique hotel.

Stay at Hacienda Zuleta (Junior Suite). (B, L, D)

Day 4 – Colonial Hacienda Zuleta
Take a walk around the historic farm at Zuleta. Back at the ranch, visit the cheese factory and embroidery workshop and learn all about the estate’s purebred horses. The historic 4,000-acre hacienda is still working with general agriculture, forestation, and dairy farming operations. The remainder of the day is free to relax or visit the beautiful grounds of the hacienda. At Zuleta you may visit the organic garden, feed baby calves, count sheep, talk to the cowboys (vaqueros), enjoy the embroidery museum, or relax in the garden and visit the hacienda surroundings.

Stay at Hacienda – Zuleta (Junior Suite). (B, L, D)

Day 05 – Condor Project – Quito
Today hike to the hacienda’s condor reintroduction project. From Zuleta take a hike in the spectacular Andean Mountain scenery to the hacienda’s condor reintroduction project. Stop along the way to see some pre-Inca mounds. Horse-riding is available with extra cost. Lunch included and afternoon private transportation from back to Quito.

Stay at Casa Gangotena – or airport hotel. (B, L)

Day 06 – Welcome to Pikaia Lodge Galapagos
Private transfer from hotel to Quito airport with bilingual guide and driver. Your journey to the Galapagos begins in Quito, where all flights to the islands originate. There is a brief stop in Guayaquil to accommodate more passengers. The flight from Quito to Guayaquil takes approximately 40 minutes. From Guayaquil, it’s a 1 hour and 40-minute flight to Baltra island Airport in the Galapagos. As soon as you arrive at Baltra island Airport, our guides will be there to meet you. They will then accompany you to the Itabaca Channel for a short ferry ride to Santa Cruz Island. From there, you will embark on a scenic journey to the enchanting Pikaia Lodge.

Once you’ve completed the check-in process at the lodge, savour a delightful light lunch at either the Evolution Restaurant or on the Pool Terrace. Unwind and familiarize yourself with the surrounding beauty of the lodge. Explore one of the trails within our property, go for a swim in the pool. If relaxation is what you seek, a visit to Sumaq spa is highly recommended.

In the afternoon, go over the exciting activities and unique features that await you throughout your stay at Pikaia Lodge and in the Galápagos. After dinner, for those who wish to delve deeper into the wonders of this extraordinary place, watch a screening a captivating 3D HD documentary on the Galapagos, by the renowned Sir David Attenborough, in the Explorers Lounge.

Stay at Pikaia Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 7 – Galapagos Islands yacht trip
Take a private shuttle to the port. Board the exclusive Pikaia I yacht for a full-day tour to one of the uninhabited islands like Bartolomé, Sullivan Bay, North Seymour, or northern Santa Cruz. All these can be reached within relatively short navigation times on board our large, comfortable, safe, and stable yacht Pikaia I. You’ll have use of a private cabin for the day. Enjoy breakfast and buffet lunch on board. On arrival at the first island take a guided walk, or optional kayaking or snorkelling activities, until early afternoon.

During lunch, the yacht sails to another island, for an afternoon of walking, kayaking, or snorkelling. Two hours before sunset the yacht sets sail for home. While sailing, our guests can rest, or freshen-up in air-conditioned cabins, soak in the Jacuzzi, watch a Galapagos documentary, join a discussion with guides, sunbathe or watch for dolphins and seabirds.

Stay at Pikaia Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 8 – Galapagos Islands land tour
Each morning we plan a land exploration option based on weather, wildlife seasons and tide charts. Depending on the climate and time of year, you may visit a variety visitor sites. These include beaches, volcanic craters, or lava tunnels. Search for wild giant tortoises and endemic wildlife like the vermillion flycatcher. A must see is the Charles Darwin Research Centre, where tortoises are captive bred. Alternatively, visit organic coffee farms in the highlands to see how settlers live. Activities on offer are kayaking, snorkelling, fishing, or cycling.

Stay at Pikaia Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 9 – Galapagos Islands yacht trip
Visit another of the uninhabited islands by private yacht. On arrival at the island take a guided walk, or optional kayaking or snorkelling activities. While sailing, our guests can rest, or freshen-up in air-conditioned cabins, soak in the Jacuzzi, watch a Galapagos documentary, join a discussion with guides, sunbathe or watch for dolphins and seabirds.

Stay at Pikaia Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 10
Take the hotel’s transport to Baltra island. Fly back to the mainland. Arrive in Quito and private transfer to Hotel Casa Gangotena or airport hotel.

Stay at Hotel Casa Gangotena (B)

Day 11
Private transfer from hotel to Quito airport with bilingual guide and driver. Take your international flight home.