An excursion to remember in the magical ecuadorian  Andes,  then Guayaquil the gateway  to the  Galapagos islands ending with  the enchanting  Galapagos islands

MINIMUM 4 PARTICIPANTS

 The airport  of Quito  is located outside the city  itself.

We will  have trasports  to  take us to  our hotel located in the middle of the city, which (depending on the arrivl´s time)will enable us to have a stroll a round the neighborhood.

Early in the morning we prepare for the first excursion in  QUITO a world cultural heritage city  Enjoying its  colonial  arquitecture,  a traditional fruits  market  Quito´s  awesome churches and a high view point right  in the outskirts  of  the Pichincha volcano. 

 The Capilla del Hombre is an art museum, built in Quito, Ecuador on the initiative of the Ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín in tribute to human beings.

The project was conceived in the 1980s by the artist Oswaldo Guayasamin and the studio of Architect Luis Felipe Suarez Williamson who carried out the design at the request of the teacher Guayasamin. Later (in 1995) the Guayasamin Foundation hired Architect Handel Guayasamin Crespo to carry out the Architectural Project of La Capilla del Hombre. The execution of the work was contracted to Engineer Diego Robalino and began in 1996, concluding in 2002, three years after the artist's death, on March 10, 1999. This emblematic building for its architecture and the pictorial and mural work that it contains, was inaugurated on November 29, 2002. It is part of the Cultural Complex of the Guayasamin Foundation, located in the Bellavista sector in the northeast of Quito, which currently has: The Man's Chapel, the House Guayasamin Museum—residence where the Master lived his last years—; and, the archaeological site, with 13 pre-Hispanic tombs discovered on the same day that Master Guayasamin died in the United States. For its architectural value, La Capilla del Hombre was awarded by the Municipality of Quito as the best work in the city in 2003.

It was declared by UNESCO as a "Priority Project for Culture", and by the National Government as "Cultural Heritage of the Ecuadorian State".


This museum is dedicated to the people of Latin America as a "call" (word used by Guayasamín himself)
to their unity from Mexico to Argentina. Inside is "The Eternal Flame" for Human Rights and Peace.

After  we will  visit  another  museum

But the HIGHLIGHT of the day  will  be lunch. 

CASA ANGUS will  prove to be  paradise  for those who  enjoy steak 

 We start  our trip to Mindo via  la mitad  del  Mundo

That is the middle of the earth  monument  and center .

Then  we continue  our trip.

 Mindo is a cosmopolitan community whose population is shaped by settlers who came from distinct places in the country, generating a mix of cultures.
The parish is located 79km north-east of Quito, and is recognized as one of the most biodiverse in the canton of San Miguel de Los Bancos, in the province of Pichincha. If it is at an altitude of 1,250 m (4101.05 feet), the temperature will vary between 18C and 24C throughout the year. The rainy weather goes from December to May, and the dry and warm from June to November.
Mindo is especially known at the national and global level for the beauty of its nature, which appeals to lovers of ecotourism, flora and fauna. The village is located in a valley, of which 19,200 hectáreas are protected in what is called the Bosque Protector Mindo Nambillo. There are more than 550 species of birds, more than 200 species of orchids, as many as 101 species of amphibians and reptiles, as well as 148 species of mammals and a great variety of plants.

 Papallacta is a locality in the canton of Quijos, province of Napo, Ecuador. Located 67 kilometers east of the city of Quito, it is the main source of the drinking water that this city consumes. Also available for your spa complexes.

The main economic activity of the parish of Papallacta is the tourism  to the thermal springs, which include a publicly owned spa of the autonomous government of Papallacta and various privately owned spas, as well as accommodation and sights. 

The gastronomic offer includes platters with products from the area.​ 

They also explore the practices of hiking and recreational fishing in the Tuminguina and Potrerillo lagoons, on the slopes of the Antisana volcano

Cuenca is perhaps one of the most  fascinating cities in the South-american Andes

Upon arrival, we´ll have several alternatives:

The city tour is a magical stroll  around town,  visit  some of the churches, parks the hat museum.

Late afternoon we´ll have a choice between:

A visit to  the very  best  spa  in town for  a thermal  bath  with  massages.

or

An  evening/ night photo-safari  

City  tour  in Cuenca

We will beging the adventures visiting Pumapungo archaeological  site, 

• Parque Calderon
• Flower Market
• Cathedral 
• Museum of Hat
• visit El Turi high      view-point 

 Departure towards the city of Guayaquil, on the way we will enjoy an enchanting trip where we´ll get to know the transition between the coast and the mountains and pass through the moorlands of "El Cajas National Park” with its beautiful scenery and unique vegetation , great opportunity for photography .

We´ll enjoy a charming hike through the moorlands with countless breathtaking views, a 3000+ years old forest, several lakes and one of the rarest  astronomical  fenomenons: the site of a micro meteorite Impact.

Arrival  in Guayaquil and check  in  on our  hotel 

 The Most amazing city of South America. 

Are you  coming to Ecuador and NOT visiting Guayaquil?

Let me share with you  just  a few  reasons why  cacao farm trip  IS A MUST VISIT!!

CACAO FARM  This fascinating adventure  goes even  deeper into  our culture we will learn firsthand the lifestyle and traditions of the "Culture montubia" of the coastal region of Ecuador,  where we´ll learn in absolute detail how chocolate is produced, from harvesting and sampling the fresh fruit, to the process of fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding and refinement into chocolate. 

As we walk through the farm we´ll admire the flora of the countryside, also sample approximately a dozen fruits harvested by ourselves, enjoy the history of cocoa beans and traditional and modern processes used to obtain the best chocolate 

(Ecuador is one leading producer of high quality cocoa in the world).

This tour includes a visit to the cocoa plantation, learning the process

From: seed - plants - through graft - harvesting - drying in the sun - roasting - until obtaining cocoa paste.

In addition to a traditional lunch in the cottage in the actual cacao farm, we will enjoy a chocolate tasting.

Afternoon:

We return to THE GATEWAY  TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS:  Guayaquil 

to  enjoy  the afternoon at  our hotel´s terrace by  the pool .

An alternative for some, will  be a birdwatching session by  the river

 We´re  soon to  start our trip  to  the Galapagos islands

and What  better to  do  than  to  visit  the city  known as THE GATEWAY  TO  THE GALAPAGOS  ISLANDS?

Guayaquil is the most  cosmopolitan  city  of this country,

With breathtaking views  of  mangroves forests and dry  tropical  forests both  within  the city.

Guayaquil, a true  paradise for birdwatchers right  within  the city (more than  100 species)

Awesome architecture, spectacular historical  buildings, gastronomy and wildlife

We will  learn  about the the oceanic  and wind  currents that  brought  most  of the fauna and flora to  the Galapagos islands

Guayaquil, the city that  impresses the most.

The perfect introduction  to  the Galapagos islands

MORNING FLIGHT TO  THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

We will trasnfer  from our  hotel  to  the airport

After  a 100 minutes flight  we arrive in the island of  Santa Cruz

As drive across the island, we will visit the Giant Tortoises Sanctuary and the Lava Tube. Then we continue our trip towards town and transfer to Isabela island, arriving at 5:00 pm, check in on our hotel and then a shrot stroll to the beach to enjoy our first Galapagos sunset.

Today´s the adventure involves a long walk whose reward is a landscape that will leave us breathless and without words to describe it.

 A bus will take us to the foothills of the SIERRA NEGRA VOLCANO We start an ascending walk towards the crater of the volcano (5km) later we will be at the very edge of one of the largest calderas on the planet.

 We start a walk then we continue with a descending walk of 3km to reach Volcán Chico: In this place, we are going to admire an overwhelming landscape: On the one hand we are between lava rivers, on the other from a viewpoint we can see looking north : Elizabeth Bay, Alcedo Volcano, Darwin Volcano and Ecuador Volcano and a little to the west Fernandina Island with its homonymous volcano. At the Chico volcano site you can see fumaroles and sulfur flows. 

Afternoon free time to  spend at  the beach and rent a kayak or Stand-up  paddle board.

Or Go snorkeling  at  Concha Perla bay. 

A.M. EXCURSION 

Early in the morning we prepare for the first excursion in ISLET TINTORERAS, a fabulous walk between the lava flows, they allow us to learn the difference between lava A-A- and lava PAHOIHOI, Blue-footed Boobies, Penguins,Pelicans, marine iguanas, sea-lions are some the inhabitants of this islet.

Beaches of different colors until you reach some cracks where sea lions and sharks share the space. Our adventure continues with a snorkeling session. Our swimming partners are often Penguins, Sea-Lions, Sea Turtles and Sharks

P.M. EXCURSION 

In the afternoon a ten miles bicycle; A ride towards the historical site of a penal colony known as El Muro de las Lágrimas “The Wall Of Tears”. The adventure is not only the actual penal colony remains, on our way we will enjoy several beaches, will learn about the formation of the “LAVA TUNNELS” and lava flows this is particularly relevant when we consider the adventure planned for the next day:THE TUNNELS OF ISABELA these lava flows, or rather under these lava flows is where we will snorkel the next day sharing the space with white tip reef sharks, turtles, and penguins. There are many other surprises but I don´t really want to spoil the surprise in this description. 

When  people  visit  the Galapagos islands,

It is  a trip  that  leave people exhausted at  the  end

This day on the morning we will transfer to SANTA CRUZ island and then ralaxation day at TORTUGA BAY BEACH

We choose to  give one leisure day in which the participants will  be able  to  rent  a kayak, a paddle board,  bikes,  or simply  bask  in one of the several beaches all  of them  at  walking  distance

The following  day  will prove to  be an exhilarating experience.

So, a relaxing  day  will fit perfectly here

 The most epic trip in one glorious day

FLOREANA

Today´s excursion is  an AMAZING.experience. early sailors´vestiges, Pirate´s stories, the first inhabited island of the archipelago. And then perhaps the most incredible story of pioneering spirit, lust deceit and murder: The legend of the Baroness. We will visit the very iosalnd where this story happened.

Then for contrast we will have a snorkeling session with sealions.

On this day  if we wake up  early in the morning  and depending  on our flight´s itinerary. We´ll have a final  stroll  around town. 

We can  visit  one of the beaches for a last  dip in the Galapagos ocean, then  back  to  our hotel to get  ready  to  depart

Then  a transfer  to  the airport located across the island 

Arrival in Guayaquil or  Quito, where you will get  your flight back  home.