9 Day Galapagos Islands and Ecuador

Pricing listed on our site DOES NOT include air travel. Any reference to air travel below, is based on land only + airfare being additional. Due to the fluctuations in air pricing, and the fact that you can fly from all major U.S. airports, it is not possible to quote airfare in the dates & prices tab. Please contact one of our travel agents for land+air package pricing from your Gateway.

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  Other departure cities available. Click on date of departure for selection and prices
• Airline taxes & fuel surcharges
• Intra flights
• 8 nights First Class accommodations
• 2 nights <, Guayaquil
• 4 nights <, Galapagos Islands
• 2 nights
• All transfers
• 16 Meals: 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
• Services of English speaking local guides in the Galapagos
• Shore Excursions
• Galapagos National Park fee of $100
• Galapagos Transit Control Card fee of $10

Special Features

• City Tour of Guayaquil
• Galapagos Islands
• Charles Darwin Research Station
• Historic Quito City Tour

Day DAY 1: Depart the USA/Guayaquil
Depart the USA for Ecuador. Arrive and transfer to your hotel. Balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Guayaquil

Day DAY 2: Guayaquil City Tour
Begin your tour of Guayaquil by visiting el Parque Centenario, home of the Monument of the Independence Heroes. Continue to Seminario Park, or Parque de las Iguanas as it is popularly known, a favorite place of bird watchers and home to arboreal Iguanas. Next, experience the many ethnological influences present in Ecuadorian culture by viewing the contrasting architecture of a Neo Gothic Cathedral, a Moorish clock tower, and the Rotonda Monument, which portrays Simon Bolivar and Jose San Martin shaking hands. Also stop at the Mercado Plaza del Sur, or Crystal Palace, a metallic structure designed by Gustave Eiffel in the early 1900's. Departing from the banks of the river, the bus will take you to admire the beautiful Garden of Malecon and Santa Ana Hill, the area where the city Santiago de Guayaquil was founded in the 16th century. On the way back to the hotel, pass by the second largest cemetery in South America that contains remarkable mausoleums and sculptures that harken back to Guayaquil's wealth over the last century
Overnight: Guayaquil
Meals: Breakfast

Day DAY 3: Fly to the Galapagos Islands
This morning, transfer to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos Islands. Arrive at Baltra Island, and then cross the Itabaca Channel to the island of Santa Cruz. Via coach, travel to the Santa Cruz highlands to visit the Rancho Primicias reserve, where you will see the Giant Tortoises in their natural habitat. A stop will be made to view Los Gemelos (Spanish for "The Twins"), great depressions of sunken lava formed thousands of years ago. Afterwards, enjoy a box lunch en route to the Finch Bay Eco Hotel, where you will spend your next four nights. Balance of the day at leisure
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day DAY 4: Sail to Santa Fe Island
Visit Santa Fe Island (Barrington), one of the oldest islands in the Galapagos archipelago. Enjoy a short trek through the island's shrubby terrain where it is possible to sight land iguanas (endemic to Santa Fe), lava lizards, and other land dwellers native to the island. Enjoy time to swim or snorkel from the beach
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day DAY 5: Sail to Plaza Island
After breakfast, travel by yacht to Plaza Island. Full of fascinating wildlife along the shores and rocky cliffs, this small island is home to Opuntia cacti and other types of vegetation which change colors with the seasons. Enjoy time at leisure on the island
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day DAY 6: Sail to Bartolome Island
Today, visit Bartolome Island, whose 350 foot peak offers 360º views of five other islands in clear weather. A steep climb up wooden steps leads to the summit, where you can observe the island's unique lava formations and tuff cones. Afterward, continue to the beach to see the Galapagos Penguins, the only penguins north of the Equator, fishing near Pinnacle Rock. Here you will have free time to swim or snorkel from the beach
Overnight: Galapagos Islands
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day DAY 7: Charles Darwin Research Station
Early morning departure to visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a specialized breeding and rearing center for the endangered Galapagos Giant Tortoise. The Darwin Station is a working branch of the international, non profit Charles Darwin Foundation which works to protect and maintain the Galapagos' precious ecosystems. Following your visit, transfer to the airport in Baltra for your flight to Quito. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Quito
Meals: Breakfast

Day DAY 8: Historic Quito City Tour
Depart from your hotel to begin your tour of historic Quito. Start by visiting the Plaza Grande, where a large monument dedicated to the independence fighters from 1809 resides. Admire the numerous historic buildings such as the Carondelet Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, and the Municipal Palace, all of which reside around the plaza. Continue on to visit the Metropolitan Cultural Center to gain a new appreciation for Ecuadorian culture and its rich history. Finally, visit the Compania of Jesus Church and the San Francisco Church, the former of which is one of UNESCO's 100 most important World Heritage Site Monuments in the world. Balance of the day at leisure
Overnight: Quito
Meals: Breakfast

Day DAY 9: Depart for the USA
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight
Meals: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/21/2012 - 5/30/2012	$2,699
6/4/2012 - 6/13/2012	$2,649
6/11/2012 - 6/20/2012	$2,699
6/18/2012 - 6/27/2012	$2,649
7/9/2012 - 7/18/2012	$2,699
7/16/2012 - 7/25/2012	$2,749
7/23/2012 - 8/1/2012	$2,749
8/13/2012 - 8/22/2012	$2,699
9/3/2012 - 9/12/2012	$2,649
9/10/2012 - 9/19/2012	$2,649
9/24/2012 - 10/3/2012	$2,649
10/8/2012 - 10/17/2012	$2,649
10/15/2012 - 10/24/2012	$2,649
10/22/2012 - 10/31/2012	$2,649
11/5/2012 - 11/14/2012	$2,649
11/12/2012 - 11/21/2012	$2,699
11/26/2012 - 12/5/2012	$2,649
12/3/2012 - 12/12/2012	$2,699
12/10/2012 - 12/19/2012	$2,699
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Hotel Information:

Finch Bay Hotel
Hotel Oro Verde
Grand Hotel Mercure Alameda Quito

*Not Included:
Gratuities.

Additional Information:
Land only price does not include arrival/departure transfers, but does include flights Guayaquil Galapagos Quito.

Passport numbers for all passengers must be submitted before documents can be issued.

The route and program may vary according to weather conditions, seasonal changes, safety issues and wildlife migration patterns. Wildlife and visits listed in the itinerary are based upon optimal conditions and therefore subject to change.

Sturdy shoes are recommended for this program.

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