10 DAYS Quito, Antisana National Park, Galapagos Islands Cruise

Day 1 Sun: Depart North America
Depart North America tonight for Quito, Ecuador.

Day 2 Mon: Arrive Quito
Arrive in Quito. You are welcomed at the airport and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 3 Tue: Quito – City Tour, Archaeological Museum & Equatorial Monument
This morning’s tour offers the best of Quito, with its rich cultural legacy, ornate façades and dazzling gilt altars. Visit Independence Square, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral as well as other very representative samples of colonial art and architecture. Continue to visit and relive the history of Ecuador’s most ancient cultures in one of the finest archaeological and gold artifact collections in the Americas. There are over 1,800 pieces, beautifully arranged in chronological corridors with explanatory panels and dioramas. This afternoon, drive a few miles north of town and visit the famous Equatorial Monument, marked by geographers as latitude 000’00”. You will have the opportunity to straddle the two hemispheres at the same time. (B)

Day 4 Wed: Quito – Antisana National Park
Enjoy a full-day tour of Antisana National Park. The Antisana Volcano is the fourthhighest mountain in the Ecuadorian Andes. Massive glaciers feed water to the lakes and rivers in the reserve, which sustain the abundant wildlife of the region. Fifty percent of the Andean Condors that live in Ecuador, as well as many other species of highland birds, have chosen Antisana as their home. (BLD)

Day 5 Thu: Quito / Baltra – Galapagos Islands Cruise – Bartolome
You will be assisted and transfered to the airport for your flight to Baltra. Upon arrival, transfer to the pier to board the MV GALAPAGOS LEGEND. This afternoon, visit to Bartolomé, which is famous for its Pinnacle Rock, the most representative andmark of the Galapagos. Precariously walking at the base of Pinnacle Rock are the Galapagos Penguins, one of the smallest species of penguin and the only species of penguin found north of the Equator. Climb to the highest point of the island for
panoramic views. (BLD)
(Note: Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice)

Day 6 Fri: Galapagos Islands Cruise – Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island / Tagus Cove, Isabela Island
This morning, visit Fernandina, the youngest and westernmost island in the Galapagos. Travel around Punta Espinoza, a narrow stretch of land where some of the most unique Galapagos species can be seen. Marine iguanas congregate here in larger groups than on any other island. You will take the train inland and find two different types of lava flows. At the tip of one of the small peninsulas, flightless Cormorants are to be found. This afternoon, visit Isabela Island, the largest island in the archipelago. It is made up of six shield volcanoes that have merged into a single land mass. The highest point of the islands is Wolf Volcano. Your boat will sail through Bolivar Channel to reach this site. Whales and dolphins are usually seen in the waters surrounding the island. Also visit Tagus Cove, which was historically used as an anchoring site for pirates and whalers. The trail is an upward climb that goes through the typical dry vegetation zone and offers spectacular views of Darwin Lake, a saltwater crater lake. (BLD)

Day 7 Sat: Galapagos Island Cruise – Puerto Egas, James Island & Rabida Island
In the morning, visit Puerto Egas (James Bay), located on the northwestern side of James Island. The landing is on a black beach, with eroded rock formations in the background. The trail crosses the dry interior, where the remains of a salt-mining enterprise can still be seen, and then continues along the coast. Inter-tidal pools are home to a variety of invertebrate organisms. In the afternoon, continue to Rabida Island. One of the special features of Rabida Island is its remarkable red color, which is a result of the high percentage of oxidized iron in the composition of the lava. Flamingos and white-cheeked pintail ducks can be seen in a saltwater lagoon near the beach. In the saltbushes that encircle the lagoon, brown pelicans build their nests. Walking up to the southeastern part of the island, there is an observatory from which the startling red color of the beach and the rocks can be appreciated. (BLD)

Day 8 Sun: Galapagos Islands Cruise – Charles Darwin Research Station & Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz Island
Today’s excursion takes you to Santa Cruz, the second-largest island in the Galapagos. The small town of Puerto Ayora is the economic center of the archipelago. The Charles Darwin Research Station and the Galapagos National Park offices are based here. Scientists and park rangers equally contribute to the conservation of the islands and make a huge effort to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The research station is also a tortoise breeding and rearing center, where tortoises are prepared to reenter their natural habitats. In the afternoon, visit Cerro Dragon (Dragon Hill), a flamingo lagoon that gives a colorful touch to the scene. You will then follow a trail that leads to a small hill where land iguanas live and nest. (BLD)

Day 9 Mon: Galapagos Islands Cruise – Baltra / Quito
Arrive in Baltra this morning. Transfer to the airport for your flight back to mainland Ecuador. Upon arrival in Quito, transfer to your hotel. The rest of your day is at leisure. Enjoy a farewell dinner this evening at a local restaurant. (BD)

Day 10 Tue: Quito / North America
Depart Quito for North America this morning. (B)