12 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour: Andes, Amazon and Island Hopping

This 12 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour covers the Andes and the Amazon from Quito, then a week of island hopping on Santa Cruz and Isabela with a yacht day. Prices start at $2,690 per person.

A 12 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour with the Andes and the Amazon

This 12 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour starts with five days in the Andes and the Amazon from Quito and ends with a full week of island hopping on Santa Cruz and Isabela, including a yacht day to an uninhabited island. It is a trip that starts at USD 2,690 per person for two travelers, flights not included.

This is the trip we recommend most often to travelers with two weeks off. The mainland part shows you the volcanoes, an Indigenous community, the waterfalls of Baños and the rainforest without a single domestic flight. The Galápagos part gives you two islands, the best snorkeling of the land-based routes at Los Túneles and a day on a yacht, while you sleep in hotels instead of a cabin.

Your 12 Day Route at a Glance

Who This Trip Is For

• Travelers with about two weeks who want the classic Ecuador trip: volcanoes, the Amazon and the Galápagos.
• Snorkelers and wildlife lovers who want more than one island.
• Couples, families and small groups who want a local guide on the mainland and hotels on the islands.

The mainland part follows our 4 day Amazon tour from Quito and the islands part is our 7 day Galapagos island hopping tour. With less time, see the 9 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour; to add Cuenca and Chimborazo, see the 14 day tour.

Price for the 12 Day Tour

From USD 2,690 per person for two travelers in a double room, with 11 hotel nights, transport and a bilingual guide on the mainland, speedboats between the islands, the yacht day and every guided excursion.

Not included: international flights, the round-trip flight to the Galápagos (usually USD 350 to 600 per person, depending on season), the Galápagos National Park entrance fee (USD 200 per foreign adult, paid on arrival) and the Transit Control Card (USD 20, bought at the airport in Quito or Guayaquil). Two travelers should budget about USD 3,300 to 3,500 per person in total for the land tour, the island flight and the fees.

Best Time for This Trip

You can do this trip in any month. For the clearest volcano views choose June to September; for warm water and calm crossings in the Galápagos choose December to May. The yacht days to Bartolomé and North Seymour have daily visitor limits, so booking three to six months ahead gives you the best choice. More in our guide to the best time to visit the Galapagos.

12 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour FAQ

How much does the 12 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour cost?

From USD 2,690 per person for two travelers sharing a double room. It includes 11 hotel nights, transport and a guide on the mainland, and hotels, speedboats, the yacht day and guided excursions in the Galápagos. Flights and the Galápagos National Park entrance fee (USD 200 per foreign adult, paid on arrival) and the Transit Control Card (USD 20, bought at the airport in Quito or Guayaquil) are separate.

What is included and what is not?

Included: 11 hotel nights, breakfast on most days, four lunches on the mainland, box lunches on Los Túneles and Sierra Negra, lunch on the yacht day, transport and bilingual guide on the mainland, all entrances, speedboats between Santa Cruz and Isabela and the Isabela entry fee. Not included: international flights, the flight to the Galápagos, the park fee, the Transit Control Card, dinners, tips and insurance.

Is island hopping better than a Galapagos cruise?

For most first-time travelers, yes: you sleep in a hotel every night, the boat rides are shorter, and the price is far lower than a cruise of the same length. A cruise is the better choice only if you want the remote western and northern islands.

How fit do I need to be?

A normal level of fitness is enough. The longest walks are the Cotopaxi refuge (about 45 minutes uphill at altitude) and Sierra Negra (about 18 km on gentle terrain), and both can be skipped. The speedboat to Isabela takes about two hours and can be bumpy.

Can you book the flights for us?

Yes. We quote the Galápagos flight separately and book it together with the tour so the dates and times match.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancellations must be requested in writing. For packages of 9 to 30 days you get a 70% refund more than 7 days before departure, 50% between 3 and 7 days, and no refund within 3 days. The full policy is in our terms and conditions.

Check dates and get your quote and we will reply with availability, hotel options and a total price.

Highlights

• Cotopaxi, Quilotoa and the Route of the Waterfalls with your own guide
• A night in the Amazon rainforest and the Papallacta hot springs
• Snorkel with turtles and reef sharks at Los Túneles
• Hike the rim of Sierra Negra, one of the largest calderas on Earth
• A full yacht day to Bartolomé, Santa Fe, North Seymour or South Plaza
• Hotels every night: no cruise cabin, no long days at sea

Itinerary

1. Day 1Arrival in Quito

   

   We meet you at Mariscal Sucre airport and drive you to your hotel in the colonial Old Town, about 45 minutes away. Quito sits at 2,850 m, so the rest of the day is best kept easy: a walk to Plaza Grande and the Compañía church, a coffee on La Ronda street and an early night. How the day runs: arrival at any time; your guide briefs you on the route and checks your documents for the Galápagos flight. Guide's tip: drink plenty of water and go slowly on the stairs; the altitude is felt most on the first evening.

   Overnight: Patio Andaluz or similar, Quito Old Town

2. Day 2Quito to Cotopaxi National Park

   

   We drive south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cotopaxi National Park. From the upper car park you walk about 45 minutes to the José Rivas refuge, close to 4,800 m, with the glacier above you, then circle the Limpiopungo lagoon, where wild horses, Andean foxes and, with luck, a condor appear. How the day runs: about two hours from Quito to the park gate; lunch after the refuge. Bring: warm layers, gloves, a hat and sunscreen. You sleep in Hacienda La Ciénega, a 17th-century estate at the foot of the volcano. Full details of this leg are on our 4 day Amazon tour from Quito.

   Overnight: Hacienda La Ciénega or similarMeals: lunch

3. Day 3Quilotoa Crater Lake to Baños

   

   In the Kichwa community of Zumbahua a family shows you a traditional adobe and straw house and how they farm at 3,500 m. Then comes Quilotoa, a crater lake whose turquoise water changes with the light. You can walk down to the shore in 30 to 45 minutes and ride a mule back up if you prefer. In the afternoon we drop about three hours to Baños, at 1,800 m, where the evenings are mild. Bring: a windproof jacket for the crater rim and shoes with grip.

   Overnight: La Floresta Hotel or similar, BañosMeals: breakfast, lunch

4. Day 4Baños Waterfalls to the Amazon

   

   The morning starts at the Tree House swing above Baños, facing Tungurahua volcano. We follow the Route of the Waterfalls down the Pastaza canyon, cross the gorge by open cable car at Manto de la Novia and walk the stairs to the Pailón del Diablo, the most powerful waterfall in the country. By afternoon the road reaches the rainforest near Puyo, where the Yana Cocha rescue center cares for monkeys, tapirs and birds. Bring: a light rain jacket, insect repellent and a dry layer, because you will get wet at the falls.

   Overnight: Banana Lodge or similar, AmazonMeals: breakfast, lunch

5. Day 5Misahuallí, Chocolate and Papallacta Hot Springs

   

   In Puerto Misahuallí, on the Napo River, wild capuchin monkeys roam the town square. A local family shows you how cacao becomes chocolate, from the pod to the cup, in about an hour and a half. The road then climbs back through the Andes to the Papallacta hot springs at 3,300 m for a soak before the last hour and a half to Quito. Bring: a swimsuit and towel. Guide's tip: you fly to the Galápagos tomorrow, so we plan an early dinner and have your bags ready tonight.

   Overnight: Hotel in Quito (Patio Andaluz or similar)Meals: breakfast, lunch

6. Day 6Flight to the Galápagos, Santa Cruz Highlands

   

   A morning flight takes you from Quito to Baltra in about two and a half hours, including the stop in Guayaquil. You pay the park entrance at the airport, cross the Itabaca Channel by ferry and drive up into the Santa Cruz highlands, where giant tortoises graze freely in the mist. We walk through a lava tunnel formed by ancient flows before settling in Puerto Ayora. Bring: your passport, the Transit Control Card and cash for the park fee.

   Overnight: Deja Vu Hotel or similar, Puerto Ayora

7. Day 7Charles Darwin Station and Tortuga Bay

   

   We start at the Charles Darwin Research Station, where the tortoise breeding program brought several island populations back from near extinction. Then a 45-minute paved trail through cactus forest leads to Tortuga Bay, a long white beach where marine iguanas nest, and the calm lagoon of Playa Mansa for a swim. Guide's tip: go early; the beach is quieter and the sun softer before 11 am.

   Overnight: Deja Vu Hotel or similar, Puerto AyoraMeals: breakfast

8. Day 8Speedboat to Isabela: Wetlands, Wall of Tears and Las Tintoreras

   

   An early speedboat takes about two hours to Isabela, the largest island. We walk through the lagoons behind Puerto Villamil, where flamingos feed, visit the tortoise breeding center and see the Wall of Tears, built by prisoners in the 1940s. In the afternoon a short boat trip reaches Las Tintoreras, a lava islet where white-tip reef sharks rest in a narrow channel and penguins stand on the rocks. Bring: seasickness tablets for the crossing.

   Overnight: San Vicente Hotel or similar, Puerto VillamilMeals: breakfast

9. Day 9Los Túneles Snorkel at Cabo Rosa

   

   A full-day boat trip along the south coast to Los Túneles, arches and channels of collapsed lava. We watch blue-footed boobies from the boat, then snorkel with sea turtles, reef sharks, rays and seahorses in clear, shallow water. Box lunch on board; back in Puerto Villamil in the late afternoon. Guide's tip: from July to November the water is cool, so ask us for a wetsuit.

   Overnight: San Vicente Hotel or similar, Puerto VillamilMeals: breakfast, box lunch

10. Day 10Sierra Negra Volcano and Back to Santa Cruz

    

    We hike to the rim of Sierra Negra, one of the largest volcanic calderas in the world, and continue to the red and ochre cones of Volcán Chico. The walk is about 18 km and six hours on gentle terrain, and anyone who prefers can stay in town and swim at Concha Perla instead. In the afternoon the speedboat takes you back to Santa Cruz. Bring: closed shoes, a hat and two liters of water.

    Overnight: Deja Vu Hotel or similar, Puerto AyoraMeals: breakfast, box lunch

11. Day 11Yacht Day to an Uninhabited Island

    

    A full day by yacht to one of the uninhabited islands: Bartolomé with its Pinnacle Rock and penguins, Santa Fe with its giant cactus forest and endemic land iguanas, North Seymour with nesting blue-footed boobies and frigatebirds, or South Plaza with its sea lion colony. Lunch is served on board. Good to know: the National Park limits daily visitors to each island, so we confirm the island when you book; the earlier you book, the better the choice.

    Overnight: Deja Vu Hotel or similar, Puerto AyoraMeals: breakfast, lunch

12. Day 12Departure from Baltra

    

    Time for a last walk along the Puerto Ayora waterfront before we take you across Santa Cruz and the Itabaca Channel to Baltra airport for your flight to Guayaquil or Quito and your connection home. Guide's tip: keep your international departure for the evening or the next day, since Galápagos flights can be delayed.

    Meals: breakfast

Prices per person