9 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour: Andes, Amazon and Santa Cruz

This 9 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour combines Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Baños and the Amazon with four days on Santa Cruz in the Galápagos, with hotels, guides and transfers. Prices start at $1,990 per person.

A 9 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour, From Quito

This 9 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour combines the Andes, the Amazon and the islands in one trip: Cotopaxi volcano, the Quilotoa crater lake, the waterfalls of Baños and the rainforest on the mainland, then four days on Santa Cruz with giant tortoises, Tortuga Bay and a snorkeling bay tour. It starts at USD 1,990 per person for two travelers, flights not included.

Nine days is the shortest trip that still shows you the three worlds Ecuador is known for without rushing. You drive the mainland with your own guide and driver, sleep in a historic hacienda, a mountain town and a jungle lodge, and then fly to the Galápagos for three nights in one hotel, so you never pack and unpack on the islands.

Your 9 Day Route at a Glance

Who This Ecuador and Galapagos Trip Is For

• First-time visitors with about ten days of vacation who want the volcanoes, the jungle and the Galápagos in one trip.
• Families and couples who prefer one hotel on the islands and short boat rides.
• Travelers who want a local guide and driver rather than a group bus.

If you have more time, the 12 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour adds Isabela Island and a yacht day. The mainland part of this trip is our 4 day Amazon tour from Quito, and the islands part follows our 4 day Santa Cruz Island tour.

Price for the 9 Day Tour

From USD 1,990 per person for two travelers in a double room. The price includes 8 hotel nights, transport and a bilingual guide on the mainland, all entrances, and hotels, transfers and guided excursions on Santa Cruz.

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). As a guide, two travelers should budget about USD 2,600 to 2,800 per person in total for the land tour, the island flight and the fees.

Best Time for This Trip

Ecuador works all year. June to September are the driest months in the Andes, with the clearest views of Cotopaxi. From December to May the Galápagos have warmer water and calmer seas. The Amazon is wet in every month, so a light rain jacket always goes in the bag. Read more in our guide to the best time to visit the Galapagos.

9 Day Ecuador and Galapagos Tour FAQ

How much does the 9 day Ecuador and Galapagos tour cost?

From USD 1,990 per person for two travelers sharing a double room, with hotels, transport and guides on the mainland, and hotels, transfers 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 paid separately. Groups of three or more pay less per person; ask us for a quote.

What is included and what is not?

Included: 8 hotel nights, breakfast on most days, four lunches in the Andes and the Amazon, transport and a bilingual guide on the mainland, all mainland entrances, Galápagos airport transfers, the Charles Darwin Station, Tortuga Bay and the Santa Cruz Bay Tour with snorkel gear. Not included: international flights, the round-trip flight to the Galápagos, the park fee, the Transit Control Card, dinners, tips and travel insurance.

Can you book the flight to the Galápagos for us?

Yes. Fares change daily, so we quote the Quito to Baltra and Baltra to Quito or Guayaquil flight separately and book it with your tour so the dates match.

Is this trip suitable for children or older travelers?

Yes. Walks are short and optional, the Galápagos days are based in one hotel and there is no long boat crossing. The highest point is the Cotopaxi refuge at about 4,800 m; anyone who prefers can wait at the lagoon below.

Can we make it longer or change the order?

Yes. It is a trip, so we can add a night in Quito, swap Santa Cruz for Isabela or add a yacht day to an uninhabited island. The 12 day tour below adds a full week of island hopping.

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.

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

Highlights

• Walk to the José Rivas refuge on Cotopaxi, close to 4,800 m
• See the turquoise Quilotoa crater lake with a Kichwa community
• Follow the Route of the Waterfalls to the Pailón del Diablo
• Meet capuchin monkeys in Misahuallí and make chocolate from the pod
• Watch giant tortoises in the wild in the Santa Cruz highlands
• Swim at Tortuga Bay and snorkel at Las Grietas

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. Swim in the calm lagoon of Playa Mansa, where you may see baby sharks and pelicans. Guide's tip: go early; the beach is quieter and the sun is softer before 11 am.

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

8. Day 8Santa Cruz Bay Tour: Sea Lions and Las Grietas

   

   A half-day boat tour around Academy Bay: marine iguanas on Playa de los Perros, blue-footed boobies and sea lions on the rocks, and a snorkel in the Canal del Amor. The tour ends at Las Grietas, a crevice of clear water between lava walls where you swim among fish. The afternoon is free in Puerto Ayora to see the fish market, where sea lions and pelicans wait for scraps. Bring: reef-safe sunscreen and a rash guard.

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

9. Day 9Departure from Baltra

   

   After breakfast we take you back across Santa Cruz and the Itabaca Channel to Baltra airport for your flight to Guayaquil or Quito, where you connect with your international flight home. Guide's tip: book your international departure for the evening or the next day; Galápagos flights can run late.

   Meals: breakfast

Prices per person