Day 01: Quito, Ecuador
Arrive Quito International Airport. You are met and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Situated on the Avenue Repulica Del Salvador in the heart of the expanding business sector and close to the financial district. The Dann Carlton is an exceptional masterpiece of architecture, featuring modern facilities to meet the needs of today’s traveler. The remainder of the evening is free to relax and adjust to the altitude of this capital city. Dann Carlton HotelDay 02: Quito
Half-day Quito city tour. Ecuador’s capital is situated high in the Andes in the lush green Guapulo Valley, surrounded by rugged volcanic peaks reaching close to 20,00 feet. Quito is lively, scenic and cosmopolitan. Its one and a half million inhabitants tend to be helpful and friendly. Begin your tour in the colonial section of Quito, a living museum of grand Spanish colonial architecture; featuring mansions, cathedrals and squares which have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
After lunch, transfer 20-minutes from the northern part of Quito to visit the Middle of the Earth Monument, built to mark the meridian arch of the planet at 0º latitude—better known as the Equator—and to commemorate this surveying feat in the 18th century. It’s also the site of a small colonial town crowded with craft shops and restaurants. Return to your hotel and enjoy the balance of your day at leisure. Dann Carlton Hotel (B,L)Day 03: Quito - Galapagors National Park
Transfer to the Quito airport for your flight (not included) to Baltra or Santa Cruz. You will be met upon arrival by hotel staff and transferred to your hotel. Airport transfers - buses meet flights from the mainland at Baltra: one runs to the port or muelle (10-minutes) where the cruise boats wait; the other goes to Canal de Itabaca, the narrow channel which separates Baltra from Santa Cruz. It is 15-minutes to the Canal, then cross on a small ferry, another bus waits on the Santa Cruz side to take you to Puerto Ayora (45-minutes.) The Red Mangrove Inn is one of the unique places on earth where beauty, tranquility and ambiance merge. This hotel is situated in a grove of wild red mangrove perched on the edge of the blue sea, the Inn is peacefully removed from the hustle and bustle of town, yet only a stone's throw from the Charles Darwin Station and downtown Puerto Ayora. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. We suggest booking an activity from your resort, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, or stroll through the town of Puerto Ayora – the largest town in the Galapagos. Buy souvenirs, mail postcards and absorb local charm in the social heart of the Islands. Red Mangrove Inn (B)
Day 04: Galapagos National Park
Daylight yacht excursion. Walk (7 blocks) or transfer by taxi (on own) to the municipal dock and check-in with the boat guide, who will be holding a sign and board a dinghy for transfer to your cruise. Sample itinerary: Cruise to Bartolome, the island with famous Pinnacle Rock, a towering spearheaded obelisk that rises from the ocean’s edge and is the best-known landmark in the islands. Galápagos penguins—the only species of penguin found north of the equator—walk precariously along narrow volcanic ledges at its base. Sea lions snooze on rocky platforms, ready to slide into the water to play with passing snorkelers. Just below the surface, shoals of tropical fish dodge in and out of the rocks past urchins, sea stars and anemones. A perfectly crescent, pink-and-white sandy beach lies just to the east of the pinnacle. Enjoy a full day of exploration and lunch on board. Return to Puerto Ayora and transfer to the hotel. Your boat guide will be happy to assist you find a taxi, although taxis are waiting just by the pier. Red Mangrove Inn (B,L)Day 05: Galapagos National Park
Daylight yacht excursion. Transfer (on own) to the dock for you second full day cruise. Sample itinerary: Cruise to North Seymour Island, an island lifted from the ocean floor by a seismic event, its origins as a seabed give the island its low, flat profile. Cliffs only a few meters high form the shoreline, where swallow-tailed gulls sit perched in ledges. A tiny forest of silver-grey Palo Santo trees stand just above the landing, usually without leaves, waiting for the rain to bring them into bloom. Enjoy a full day of exploration and lunch on board. Return to Puerto Ayora late afternoon. Red Mangrove Inn (B,L)Day 06: Galapagos National Park
Enjoy a full day at leisure. Guests typically start their day on the Inn's waterfront terrace, often in the company of sun-basking marine iguanas, scuttling Sally Lightfoot crabs and soaring Frigate birds. Following breakfast, an array of activities (fees may apply) can be enjoyed such as 4x4 jeep tours in the highlands, horseback riding, mountain biking, bay tours, kayaking, or just relaxing on the terrace with the sun, the sea, and salty-fresh island breeze. Red Mangrove Inn (B)Day 07: Galapagos National Park - Quito
Return transfer to the airport for your flight (not included) to Quito. You are met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the balance of your day at leisure in Quito. Dann Carlton Hotel (B)Day 08: Quito - Depart
Transfer to the Quito International Airport for your homebound flight. (B)
