Galapagos Escape
Saturday 10 am - 6 pm ET
Sunday 12 pm - 8:30 pm ET
Let "The Enchanted Islands" mesmerize you
Make your journey to Ecuador unforgettable by adding in a stop at the amazing Galapagos Islands. Start in Quito, dotted with churches and monasteries, visit the famous crafts market of Otavalo, and spend a few nights in the Galapagos seeking out its wildly unique wildlife.
What's Included
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Quito (UIO), out of Baltra (GPS)
- All airport transfers
- 4 nights in Quito at the Mercure Alameda Hotel, or similar
- Quito City Tour with Equatorial Line Monument (6-hours)
- Otavalo Indian Market Tour (full-day)
- One-way, economy-class flight from Quito (UIO) to Baltra (GPS)
- Santa Cruz Highlands Tour with lunch (en-route to Puerto Ayora hotel)
- 3 nights in Puerto Ayora at the Fiesta Hotel Galapagos, or similar
- Full-day boat excursion, with lunch*
- Visit to Tortuga Bay
- Visit to Charles Darwin Research Station
- Breakfast daily
**Please note additional fees to be paid in destination:
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee - $100.00 (USD) per person
- Galapagos Transit Control Card - $20.00 (USD) per person
Great Ways to Explore
- Visit the Galapagos out in the Pacific Ocean to see some of the worlds most fantastic wildlife.
Marvel at amazing landscapes like the dramatic Twin Craters and swim alongside sea lions in Tortuga Bay on spectacular included tours.
- Wander through Quit's historic center, stand on the equatorial line, and journey to the top of Panecillo Hill all in an included tour.
- Peruse through the ancient and famous handcrafts market found in Otavalo, where Ecuador's indigenous people go about their daily lives.
- You could visit the City Museum or take a cable car up Cruz Loma hill on your free day in Quito!
Explore the capital of Ecuador, and the amazing Galapagos islands on a 7-night trip that can change your whole world view!
Start in Ecuador's capital, Quito, nicknames the Convent of America for its many monasteries and churches lining the streets, and see the best of them on a guided tour. Enjoy the highlights of the city before heading off to Otavalo, where you'll get the chance to shop through its famous and ancient crafts market, which dates back before the Incas.
Then catch your flight out to the Galapagos, where you can observe an amazing variety of exotic animals only found on the tiny archipelago where Charles Darwin devised his theory of evolution.
Watch as giant Galapagos tortoises inch their way along, penguins, dolphins, sea lions and whales swim about, dragon-like iguanas scurry across your path, and so much more! Pick out unique flora among the thriving fauna as well.
Helpful links for travel to Ecuador:
- Round-trip economy class airfare into Quito (UIO), out of Baltra (GPS)
- All airport transfers
- 4 nights in Quito at the Mercure Alameda Hotel, or similar
- Quito City Tour with Equatorial Line Monument (6-hours)
- Otavalo Indian Market Tour (full-day)
- One-way, economy-class flight from Quito (UIO) to Baltra (GPS)
- Santa Cruz Highlands Tour with lunch (en-route to Puerto Ayora hotel)
- 3 nights in Puerto Ayora at the Fiesta Hotel Galapagos, or similar
- Full-day boat excursion, with lunch*
- Visit to Tortuga Bay
- Visit to Charles Darwin Research Station
- Breakfast daily
**Please note additional fees to be paid in destination:
- Galapagos National Park entrance fee - $100.00 (USD) per person
- Galapagos Transit Control Card - $20.00 (USD) per person
- Visit the Galapagos out in the Pacific Ocean to see some of the worlds most fantastic wildlife.
Marvel at amazing landscapes like the dramatic Twin Craters and swim alongside sea lions in Tortuga Bay on spectacular included tours.
- Wander through Quit's historic center, stand on the equatorial line, and journey to the top of Panecillo Hill all in an included tour.
- Peruse through the ancient and famous handcrafts market found in Otavalo, where Ecuador's indigenous people go about their daily lives.
- You could visit the City Museum or take a cable car up Cruz Loma hill on your free day in Quito!
Explore the capital of Ecuador, and the amazing Galapagos islands on a 7-night trip that can change your whole world view!
Start in Ecuador's capital, Quito, nicknames the Convent of America for its many monasteries and churches lining the streets, and see the best of them on a guided tour. Enjoy the highlights of the city before heading off to Otavalo, where you'll get the chance to shop through its famous and ancient crafts market, which dates back before the Incas.
Then catch your flight out to the Galapagos, where you can observe an amazing variety of exotic animals only found on the tiny archipelago where Charles Darwin devised his theory of evolution.
Watch as giant Galapagos tortoises inch their way along, penguins, dolphins, sea lions and whales swim about, dragon-like iguanas scurry across your path, and so much more! Pick out unique flora among the thriving fauna as well.
Helpful links for travel to Ecuador:
Day 1. Welcome to Quito!
Arrive in Quito and enjoy a transfer to your first accommodation. Quito is set at the foot of the volcano Pichincha and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The city is known for its colonial churches, monasteries, paintings, sculptures and the magnificent blend of Spanish, Flemish and Moorish architecture. Quito has a total of 86 churches and monasteries, giving it the name of the “Convent of America."
Spend your first night in Quito trying the local cuisine like hornado (roasted pork) or for the more adventurous eaters, cuy (guinea pig)!
Transfer to Quito hotel
Check-in - Hotel Mercure Alameda
Day 2. Quito
Wake up and enjoy a 6-hour tour of Quito's highlights including Panecillo Hill and the “Middle of the World” - the Equatorial Line.
Later, head to Quito's Old Town and admire its picturesque plazas and magnificent churches. San Francisco Square is a great place to get a true sense of the city!
Quito city tour with Equatorial Monument (5.5 hours)
Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Quito through the historical center of this culturally diverse city! See the Independence Square with the Government Palace and the Cathedral (outside), admire the facade of church La Compania de Jesus. Afterwards, visit the famous hill of the old town, Panecillo (little bread) where you will see the angel statue “Virgen de Quito.”
Later, visit the Equatorial Line Monument called “Middle of the World” where you get a truly rare experience to stand in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres simultaneously!
The Equatorial Monument marks the spot where an 18th-century French scientific expedition established the exact position of the Equator. The area has been built as a typical colonial town, with restaurants, gift shops and Post Office with philatelic sales. Visit the monument and Ethnographic Museum, which shows the history of the Indian cultures of Ecuador.
Day 3. Quito - Otavalo - Quito
Take an approximately 2-hour bus ride today to Otavalo, a town in the Andes that hosts a famous crafts market dating back to pre-Incan times.
Once in Otavalo, visit the traditional Indian market and be amazed at the colorful textiles, clothing and more on display! Then head to Cotacachi village, famous for its leatherworks.
Otavalo Indian Market Tour (full-day)
Discover the world-famous Indian handicrafts market in Otavalo. Otavalo's indigenous residents have achieved economic prosperity as a result of their skill in weaving a tremendous variety of designs in belts, tapestries, ponchos and other clothing items. Residents have a long tradition as artisans and traders and they commonly travel to Europe and other countries in the Americas to sell their wares.
See families wearing their colorful clothes and speaking Quichua as their first tongue and Spanish as their second in this typical indigenous city. Enjoy the unique variety of handicrafts at the giant market and take some new souvenirs with you.
Continue to the town of Cotacachi, known as Ecuador’s center for leatherworks. Here you can stroll along the small streets and pop into the various shops to pick up a unique leather souvenir.
Day 4. Quito
Today is yours to explore Quito on your own. For spectacular views over Quito's mountainous landscape, hop aboard the cable car known as TelefériQo, which takes you on a 10-minute ride to the top of Cruz Loma.
For a dose of art and culture, see the magnificent works of pre-Hispanic and colonial religious art at Ecuador's National Museum or learn more about Quito's history at the City Museum.
In the evening, head to Plaza Santo Domingo to watch the street performers along with quitenos (as Quito's residents are known). This plaza is absolutely breathtaking at night!
Day 5. Quito - Baltra Island - Santa Cruz Island
Depart Quito and fly to Baltra Island! From the airport, take a bus to the Itabaca Canal where you will board a ferry to the other side of Santa Cruz island.
Santa Cruz is the second largest island of the Archipelago and is the most important harbor. Colonized since the 1920s, Puerto Ayora is the main tourist hub and is home to the Galapagos National Park headquarters and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
En route to your accommodation, enjoy a tour of the Santa Cruz highlands where you will see the Twin Craters (Los Gemelos)!
Transfer to Quito airport (UIO)
Fly to Baltra!
Transfer to Puerto Ayora hotel
Check-in - Hotel Fiesta Galapagos
Enjoy your down time in the game room or munch on snacks at the bar while staying at the Hotel Fiesta Galapagos. This hotel features a restaurant, and free Wi-Fi, and is only 500 feet away from the diving centers.
Rooms boast private bathrooms, balconies, room service, air conditioning, cable TV, and a safe. Some balconies look out over the pool. Tortuga bay is just a quarter mile away from the hotel, while the Baltra airport is a 45-minute drive.
Santa Cruz Highlands Tour with lunch (en-route to Puerto Ayora hotel)
Visit the Santa Cruz highlands and see the Twin Craters, also known as Los Gemelos. Located side by side and connecting Puerto Ayora to Baltra, the magnificent Twin Craters were formed as a result of the collapse of the crust into the crater. There are many craters of this type in this area, signaling the possibility that these craters are all elements of the same fissure.
The vegetation of this area is dominated by Scalesia trees, giving the whole landscape a lush green feel. See a lava tunnel and take a short walk where you can observe the famous giant tortoise in its natural environment. Have lunch in the highlands.
Day 6. Santa Cruz Island
Pack lots of sunscreen and water because today you are going on a full-day boat excursion to one of the Galapagos Islands! Depending on time of year and availability, you will visit either North Seymour, South Plaza, Bartholomew, Santa Fe or Dragon Hill. Each island is unique and offers plenty of opportunity for exploration.
Full-day boat excursion, with lunch
On this full-day boat excursion, visit one of the Galapagos islands and witness the astonishing wildlife all around you. Enjoy lunch on board.
You will visit one of the following islands:
- North Seymour: Located North of Baltra, North Seymour is one of the best places to see blue-footed boobies and Frigatebirds. Blue-footed boobies are found on the flat area near the coast and nest from May to November. Continuing the trail to the interior, stumbles upon the biggest congregation of Frigatebirds in the island. While on North Seymour, there is a high chance of seeing a Frigatebird robbing a booby, a gull or even another Frigate bird for food.
- South Plaza: This island is famous for its extraordinary flora like the towering cacti "trees" that form the principal diet for both the land iguanas and the cactus finch. Other birds that may flutter by include lava gulls, yellow warblers and red-billed tropicbirds with their elaborate tails. You also might see a large colony of sea lions lounging in the sun!
- Bartholomew: A tiny island of just 0.5 square miles, Bartholomew offers one of the most spectacular views of the Archipelago. Located near the west coast of James, on the other side of Sullivan Bay, the island is famous for its Pinnacle Rock, which is the representative characteristic of Bartholomew. The climb to the high peak is both challenging and worth-doing. On your way up, you will encounter different formations of volcanic origin like spatter and tuff cones, lava flows and lava tubes. Once on the summit, admire the spectacular view of the surroundings.
- Santa Fe: The island of Santa Fe is one of the oldest islands of the archipelago. Its age and isolation have allowed several endemic animals to evolve, including species of land iguana, rice rat and gecko. On the northern coast, visit Bahía Barrington, a small tranquil bay where you can observe green sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, brown pelicans, blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and Frigatebirds. Sea lions are the most obvious sight on Santa Fe with two large colonies on the beaches and pups playing with snorkelers in the bay.
- Dragon Hill: This rocky, low-lying hill on the northwestern side of Santa Cruz Island is home to an impressive population of Galapagos land iguanas, or miniature dragons. Explore the desert-like landscape, pass through forests of cacti and fragrant Palo Santo trees and see flamingos at the lagoon!
*The excursion is shared with international travelers and accompanied by an English-speaking guide.
Day 7. Santa Cruz Island
A scenic 45-minute walk from Puerto Ayora will lead you to Tortuga Bay, a paradisaical beach and one of the longest white sandy beaches in the archipelago. The magnificent setting is worth the walk! Spend some time snorkeling in the bay or relaxing on the beach - either way, you're bound to run into a friendly iguana or two!
You'll then visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, a biological research station and breeding center housing an extensive collection of preserved specimens of Galápagos plant life and the famous giant tortoise.
Visit to Tortuga Bay
Tortuga Bay is arguably one of the most beautiful beaches in South America. Be sure to keep an eye open for the marine iguanas, sea turtles, sharks, pelicans and the occasional flamingo. A western rocky edge divides the beach, resulting in a calm small cove and beach surrounded by mangroves. Here you'll have the opportunity to swim and snorkel around the bay.
Visit to Charles Darwin Research Station
When Charles Darwin came to the Galapagos Islands in 1835 he found some truly incredible species of animals and in turn, became inspired to develop his theory of evolution. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Station and find the famous giant tortoises, the baby-tortoise house, iguanas and more!
See how the conservation of the islands is conducted and understand the huge efforts of scientists, park rangers and park managers to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Above all, the reduction of brought-in animals is very important to the natural balance of the archipelago. The Research station supports scientists all over the world with their work at Galapagos.
Day 8. Depart Ecuador
Sadly, your Ecuador adventure ends today. In the morning, transfer to Baltra airport for your flight home. Relive all the incredible memories and start planning your next vacation!
Transfer to Baltra airport (GPS)
Fly home!
We have selected the most economical flight schedule for you. Please note that shorter and more convenient flight options may be available at an additional cost.
Advertised vacation package prices are per person based on two people traveling together, unless otherwise noted. Advertised package rates are based on select departures as noted on the booking calendar above, were available via the Perfect Escapes website and may not represent current prices.
Vacation packages include round-trip economy class airfare on valid international carriers as noted in specific package inclusions and as indicated on booking engine calendar, which may also include code share flight agreements between carriers as indicated during the booking process. Carriers may vary based on city of origin.
Air fares are based on a 14-day advance purchase and include round-trip economy class airfare, including carrier and government-imposed taxes and fees, and the September 11th Security Fee of $5.60 per enplanement originating at a U.S. airport. Fluctuations in exchange rates may affect some taxes or fees. Other departure dates and origins are available at slightly higher rates. Fares apply to North American originating passengers only, and are not eligible for accrual of frequent flyer points/mileage. Seats are limited and fares may not be available on all flights. Child/infant discounts are not available, and stopovers are not permitted. Advance seat selection is controlled by the carrier(s), and may not be available on all flights. Baggage fees may apply; please check with carrier for specific policies.
Vacation packages are subject to availability, are capacity controlled, may not be available on every date or on all flights, and may be restricted to certain hotel room and car categories. Higher rates may also be available throughout travel period. Full payment is required at the time of reservation. Rates cannot be combined with any other discount/promotion, and are valid for new bookings only. Offers may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice. Website contains special pricing that is exclusively for Internet sale only. Bookings made through our call center may incur a concierge fee of up to $25 per person.
Escorted vacation packages are per person based on two travelers (unless otherwise specified), and typically include hotel accommodations; transportation with professional driver/guide; sightseeing as listed, some meals, local taxes, hotel service charges and porterage of one (1) suitcase per person, due to limited capacity on motor coaches. Space is limited and prices may be restricted to certain travel dates, length of stay or room type. Driver and guide gratuities are not included, and are at the discretion of the traveler. Terms and conditions apply. Minimum child ages and handicapped traveler restrictions may apply on escorted tours; please call for details.
Promo Code Offer Details: All promotions are subject to availability, valid for new bookings only, cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, voucher or any other offers, and are not redeemable for cash. Offers are available for phone bookings via our reservation agents as well as online. This promo code can be input online on the payment screen. The call center is open Monday through Friday 9AM – 9PM ET, Saturdays 10AM – 6PM ET. Discounts will apply only once per passenger and are not valid for airfare only, or any other products or services. If a flight reservation is changed or cancelled, the original fare basis rules apply (plus any increase in fare). Additional restrictions may apply.
Cancellations/Changes: Rates are non-refundable. Substantial restrictions apply for cancellation/change, and depend upon the package type. Trip protection is recommended.
Call 1-800-495-1679 or go to http://www.perfectescapes.com/content/terms-and-conditions for full details on change/cancellation policy.