Solo Traveler Adventure: Ecuador and Galapagos

Quito’s Historic Center – the largest and best-preserved Colonial Quarter in South America – is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On this day, we will take a stroll through the Independence Plaza, which itself is flanked by the Cathedral, the Presidential Palace, the Municipal Building and the Archbishop’s Palace.

After that, we will visit the La Compañia de Jesús Church and admire its gilded interior before continuing onwards to the San Francisco Church and Convent – one of the largest architectural structures within a historic center in the Americas. Its impressive façade and atrium lead into its equally impressive Baroque interior.

At the end of the tour you’ll be taken back to the JW Marriott Hotel. Overnight in Quito.

Baltra Island

You will land in Baltra Island by plane in the morning and then take a guided transfer to the dock to board the Santa Cruz II. After an introductory briefing onboard, all passengers will partake in an emergency boat drill and then lunch.

Las Bachas Beach (Santa Cruz Island)

This beautiful visitor site is located on the northern shore of Santa Cruz Island, where a glorious white beach awaits along with a couple of brackish lagoons that are just a few steps away from the sea. These lagoons actually serve as the feeding grounds of various wading birds, from stilts to flamingos. You are more than welcome to enjoy swimming and snorkeling activities at this beach, too.

Buccaneer Cove

Explore the coastline along the impressive cliffs of Buccaneer Cove, all while learning about the area’s history. This cove is home to a large number of marine birds, sea lions, and inter-tidal organisms. We will also get to marvel at the fantastic geological formations. Here, you will have the chance to go snorkeling, take a ride on the dinghy or the glass-bottom boat.

Puerto Egas

Enjoy a swim or snorkel along the rocky shorelines, typically in the company of marine turtles. After, a walk will give us the opportunity to see both land and marine birds as they skitter about a landscape that consists of tuff-stone layers and lava flows.

Rabida Island

The color of this beach is the result of the unusually high levels of iron that are found within its sand. The walk here will bring guests close to a colony of sea lions, marine iguanas, and many more creatures. A nearby saltwater pond, too, is occasionally seen hosting American flamingos. Snorkeling along the beach is offered.

Bartolome Island

This island is home to Pinnacle Rock and is a great place for all of us to go for a swim and snorkel from the beach. Guests will get to go for a hike to the summit of Pinnacle Rock on this relatively small island, the viewpoint of which boasts fantastic views of the archipelago.

Prince Philip’s Steps

A flight of stairs reach a flat and rocky plateau. Once there, you can walk along comfortably and check out large colonies of Nazca boobies, red-footed boobies, great frigatebirds and storm petrels. Otherwise, you can opt for enjoying a longer dinghy ride along the cliffs, weather permitting. Kayaking here is optional.

Darwin Bay

In the afternoon, we will land at the beautiful beach that lines this bay to enjoy some swimming and/or snorkeling. Following this refreshing dip, the excursion will head out to take a stroll and observe hundreds of different birds. Opportunities for snorkeling, kayaking and swimming are available here.

Tortoise Reserve

You will begin your last morning on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island, where you will head out for one last visit over at the Giant Tortoise Reserve, where one of the final highlights of this itinerary awaits: giant tortoises roaming around in the wild. These lush highlands include dense forests consisting of Galapagos daisies, orchids and bromeliads as well as several endemic land birds.

Baltra Island

After this final visit, you will take your transfer vehicle to Baltra airport and say farewell to Galapagos!