Independent Galapagos at the Finch Bay Resort with Ecuador's Amazon
Independent Galapagos at the Finch Bay Resort with Ecuador's Amazon
Independent Galapagos at the Finch Bay Resort with Ecuador's Amazon
12 Days Starting in Quito, Ecuador and ending in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Visiting: Quito, Amazon Rainforest, Galapagos Islands, Santa Cruz, Guayaquil
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ISQ2-2024
Group Type:
Independent
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
How deep is your love of adventure? Is it deep enough to follow the course of Charles Darwin to discover your own love affair with the wildlife paradise of the Galápagos Islands? If so, this Globus Independent tour in Ecuador is pointing you in the right direction. Ignite your independent spirit on a canoe trip downriver from Coca to the comfort of your lodge the Amazon Rainforest, where you’re in good hands with a Naturalist guide to explore the jungle from its rainforest canopy to the forest floor. Be awestruck by the wealth of wildlife that thrives in this tropical wilderness. Explore the historic heart of Quito and depart for parts unknown where blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises, and diving iguanas of the Galápagos give new meaning to mind-blowing discoveries. You’ll stay at the award-winning Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos, offering a private, seaside location to kayak, snorkel, bike, and take boat excursions to the various Galápagos Islands with expert Naturalists. Sail upon pristine waters to discover the perfectly evolved creatures who thrive on this volcanic archipelago. Stroll the sand where sea lions bask and albatross brace against the updrafts above the cliffs. Sail, snorkel, and simply stay in a state of astonishment through the sanctuaries of spectacular species on North Seymour, South Plaza Island, and Santa Cruz Islands. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station where conservationists work to protect the gentle giants for which the islands are named. You’ll also find the I-time you deserve to fall in love with adventure again!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Quito,Ecuador
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.ARRIVE IN QUITO, ECUADOR Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day 2: Quito,Coca,Amazon Lodge
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Sacha Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
QUITO–COCA–AMAZON LODGE • Fly to Coca where you will be met by your Naturalist. • Travel by motorboat down the Napo River with opportunities to spot birds like herons, kingfishers, and others. • Next, transfer to a canoe and float through narrow channels looking for monkeys as well as large birds like toucans, parrots, or even macaws.• Arrive at your Amazon lodge located on Añangu Lake surrounded by pristine rainforest. • Tonight, enjoy a welcome drink, briefing, and dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Amazon Lodge
Location: Amazon Rainforest
Accommodation Name: Sacha Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
AMAZON LODGE • After an early breakfast, journey to a parrot clay lick where 11 different species of parrots, parakeets, and macaws can be seen on a daily basis. • Later, walk to a local community where you are invited to join families of the Anangu indigenous community on their daily activities, such as harvesting bananas, coco, and manioc. • Take a Naturalist-guided walk through the jungle in search of interesting plants and vibrant or well-camouflaged insects.(B,L,D)
Day 4: Amazon Lodge
Location: Amazon Rainforest
Accommodation Name: Sacha Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
AMAZON LODGE • This morning, ascend a canopy tower over 100 feet above the forest floor at the top of a Ceiba tree. From here, you can view spider monkeys, aracaris, toucans, blue and gold macaws, numerous species of tanagers, and the red-rumped cacique. • After lunch at the lodge, explore lakes and creeks on a dugout canoe in search of river otters, potoos, kingfishers, hoatzins, jacamars, hawks, and monkeys. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Amazon Lodge,Coca,Quito
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast
AMAZON LODGE–COCA–QUITO • Depart your Amazon lodge and fly from Coca to Quito today. • The remainder of your afternoon is at leisure. (B)
Day 6: Quito
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast
QUITO • Your included private city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows. (B)
Day 7: Quito,Baltra,North Seymour,Santa Cruz
Location: Galapagos Islands
Accommodation Name: Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
QUITO–BALTRA–NORTH SEYMOUR–SANTA CRUZ • Fly to Baltra in the Galápagos. • Upon arrival, board a yacht bound for North Seymour, an island teeming with life. You might have to give way to a passing sea lion, marine iguana, or blue-footed boobies that nest here. As you walk along the shore, see large flocks of pelicans in a dive-bomb feeding-frenzy, and one of the Galápagos’ largest nesting sites of the magnificent frigatebird. In the bushes you can see the males up close with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacs. • Return to the yacht and continue to the Finch Bay Hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 8: Santa Cruz. Excursion To The Highlands
Location: Santa Cruz
Accommodation Name: Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
SANTA CRUZ. EXCURSION TO THE HIGHLANDS • Transfer to the lush highlands of Santa Cruz to a farming area called El Manzanillo on the edge of the Giant Tortoise Reserve. Here, tortoises can be seen grazing year-round, along with woodpecker finches, mockingbirds, and flycatchers. • After lunch, visit a local farm, where coffee, sugar cane, and cocoa beans are grown, harvested, and prepared. • Return to the hotel and perhaps spend time on the private beach. (B,L,D)
Day 9: Santa Cruz. Excursion To Punta Carrion & South Plaza Island
Location: Santa Cruz
Accommodation Name: Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
SANTA CRUZ. EXCURSION TO PUNTA CARRION & SOUTH PLAZA ISLAND • This morning, travel to Punta Carrion on Santa Cruz Island for some time to snorkel. The shallow reefs and mangroves make this an ideal site to snorkel with plenty of reef fish as well as occasional sea lions and sharks. • Next, sail to South Plaza Island, a small island full of fascinating wildlife, both along its shore and along its dramatic, wind-swept cliffs. Here you will see large, yellow land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, masked and blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and much more during your guided walk. • Return to the hotel this afternoon.(B,L,D)
Day 10: Santa Cruz. Excursion To Divine Bay
Location: Santa Cruz
Accommodation Name: Finch Bay Eco Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
SANTA CRUZ. EXCURSION TO DIVINE BAY • Today’s adventure takes you to wildlife-rich Divine Bay on Santa Cruz Island. Marine iguanas, herons, noddy terns, blue-footed boobies, and tropicbirds are commonly seen here. You may explore by boat or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can take to the sea by kayak. Keep an eye out for sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks as you cruise the tranquil waters. • Return to the hotel for lunch, followed by an afternoon visit to the Charles Darwin Research Station, established to help conserve the Galápagos’ natural habitats and protect the area’s famous giant tortoises. (B,L,D)
Day 11: Santa Cruz,Baltra,Guayaquil
Location: Santa Cruz
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Meals Included: Breakfast
SANTA CRUZ–BALTRA–GUAYAQUIL • Depart the hotel this morning for the airport in Baltra. Then, fly to Guayaquil on Ecuador’s Pacific coast and transfer to the hotel for your final night in Ecuador. (B)
Day 12: Guayaquil
Location: Guayaquil
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Meals Included: Breakfast
GUAYAQUIL Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)
What's Included
-
Accommodation
Accommodation in Hilton Colon Quito, Sacha Lodge in Coca, Finch Bay Eco Hotel in Santa Cruz Island, and Hilton Colon Guayaquil.
-
Meals
Buffet breakfast daily; 7 lunches; 7 three-course dinners.
-
Transportation
Transportation as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary, including private airport transfers to/from intra-vacation flights. Internal flights to/from the Galápagos and the Ecuadorian Amazon are included.
-
Guided Tours
Local guide service in Quito, a Naturalist in the Galápagos, and the Amazon.
-
Excursions
Various excursions including visits to parrot clay licks, local communities, canopy towers, and wildlife-rich areas like North Seymour, South Plaza Island, and Divine Bay.
-
Welcome Drink and Briefing
Welcome drink, briefing, and dinner upon arrival at the Amazon lodge.
What's Not Included
-
Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, laundry, and additional food and drinks not included in the itinerary.
-
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and should be purchased separately.
-
International Flights
International flights to and from Ecuador are not included.
-
Optional Activities
Optional activities not listed in the itinerary are not included.
-
Gratuities
Gratuities for guides, drivers, and hotel staff are not included.
UNESCO Sites
City of Quito|Galapagos Islands
Meals
Buffet breakfast daily; 7 lunches; 7 three-course dinners
Notes
Transportation is as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary and include private airport transfers to/from intra-vacation flights. Internal flights to/from the Galápagos and the Ecuadorian Amazon are included. Local guide service is provied in Quito. A Naturalist in the Galápagos & the Amazon are also provided. For the Amazon adventure, guests should be prepared for eco-lodging due to their remote nature in the rainforest. Further, guests should be prepared for sustained walking, possibly muddy conditions, and have the ability to jump in/out of small water crafts such as canoes and small fishing boats. Terrain is rocky and uneven. On the Galapagos Islands, we use a small vessel (20 guests) that has 3 crew members, emergency washrooms and a snack bar. The excursions are day cruises with landings on the islands, some of which are wet landings. Departure times vary depending on what islands we visit. At times we may visit 1 island but we land on different parts of it. These sailings are subject to change and weather related depending on what island we are visiting. The day sailings are around 5 to 6 hours per day which includes the landings and sightseeing. Maximum elevation on tour is 9,350 ft.
Accommodation
Quito: Hilton Colon Quito - MET, Coca: Sacha Lodge, Santa Cruz Island: Finch Bay Eco Hotel - Finch Bay Room, Guayaquil: Hilton Colon Guayaquil - Metro
Check out our Q&As
-
What kind of wildlife can I expect to see during the Amazon Lodge stay?
During your stay at the Amazon Lodge, you can expect to see a variety of wildlife including herons, kingfishers, monkeys, toucans, parrots, macaws, spider monkeys, aracaris, blue and gold macaws, river otters, potoos, hoatzins, jacamars, hawks, and more.
-
What activities are included during the visit to the Amazon Lodge?
Activities at the Amazon Lodge include a motorboat ride down the Napo River, a canoe trip through narrow channels, a visit to a parrot clay lick, a walk to a local community to join in daily activities, a Naturalist-guided jungle walk, and an ascent of a canopy tower for wildlife viewing.
-
What can I expect during the visit to North Seymour Island?
On North Seymour Island, you can expect to see sea lions, marine iguanas, blue-footed boobies, pelicans, and magnificent frigatebirds. The island is teeming with life, and you will have the opportunity to observe these animals up close.
-
What will I experience during the excursion to the highlands of Santa Cruz?
In the highlands of Santa Cruz, you will visit El Manzanillo on the edge of the Giant Tortoise Reserve to see tortoises grazing year-round. You will also visit a local farm where coffee, sugar cane, and cocoa beans are grown, harvested, and prepared.
-
What kind of snorkeling experience is offered at Punta Carrion?
At Punta Carrion, you will have the opportunity to snorkel in shallow reefs and mangroves, where you can see plenty of reef fish, sea lions, and occasionally sharks.
-
What wildlife can I see on South Plaza Island?
On South Plaza Island, you can see yellow land iguanas, swallow-tailed gulls, masked and blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and more during your guided walk.
-
What activities are available at Divine Bay on Santa Cruz Island?
At Divine Bay, you can explore by boat or kayak, and you may see marine iguanas, herons, noddy terns, blue-footed boobies, tropicbirds, sea turtles, rays, and reef sharks. You will also visit the Charles Darwin Research Station.
-
What should I be prepared for during the Amazon adventure?
For the Amazon adventure, be prepared for eco-lodging, sustained walking, possibly muddy conditions, and the ability to jump in and out of small water crafts such as canoes and small fishing boats. The terrain is rocky and uneven.
-
What is the maximum elevation on this tour?
The maximum elevation on this tour is 9,350 feet.
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
For over 90 years.
-
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
-
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
-
What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
-
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
The Globus Lighthouse Project - an illuminating initiative where we can all come together to tread lightly and give generously for the globe's greater good. Globus, along with sister companies Avalon Waterways and Cosmos, invite our travellers and partners to help us in supporting causes that provide for a more sustainable planet and a brighter tomorrow.
Reviews of this operator
Save on this tour
Request your exclusive discount code now and unlock savings for your next adventure!
Send me one now.Book with Confidence
-
Low Deposit
Globus requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of globus charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Enquire for huge savings
Rated 5* on Trust Pilot & ABTA Protected.