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Please note that the Quito international airport (UIO, Mariscal Sucre) will be closed on the following dates for preventative maintenance on the runway: May 11, 18, June 1, July 6, 13, 20, September 7, 14, and 21, 2024 between the hours of 2am and 12pm. The airport will also be closed on June 8, 15, 22, and 29, 2024 between the hours of 2am and 2pm. For passengers flying in or out of Quito on these dates, please double-check flight schedules with your airline in case of changes. Internal flights within Ecuador and Galapagos will be adjusted accordingly and any changes to schedules will be communicated at the welcome briefing.

Galápagos — West & Central Islands aboard the Eden

8 days, Quito to Quito

Map of the route for Galápagos — West & Central Islands aboard the Eden
Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Itinerary

Day 1Quito

Arrive at any time.

Opt to pre-book the "Quito City Tour & Equator Line" activity on the checkout page ahead of time to include this optional on your tour.

Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting with G Representative

The adventure begins today. Feel free to explore, but make sure you're back in time to meet the group. Your G Representative will review the details of your tour.

2

Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow

Cotopaxi Volcano - Full Day Trip
Cotopaxi – Alausí

Enjoy a spectacular 2 hour drive to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park to see the highest active volcano in the world (5,897m/ 19,347 ft). Visit a museum in the park and hike around a lagoon at the bottom of the volcano to learn about the flora and fauna found at this altitude. Continue by car up the volcano to the parking lot, at over 4,500m/14,763 ft. Walk for an hour and a half to the refuge and after a short break, continue to the glacier (if the weather holds out). Return to Quito in the afternoon. **Park entrance fee is not included and is split among the number of travellers in the group**

Quito City Tour and Equator
Quito

Enjoy a city tour of Quito. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, La Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, Plaza Grande and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city. Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Please note that this tour starts at 8 a.m.

Accommodation

Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.

Hotel Hilton Colon (or similar)
Hotel

Day 2Quito/Santa Cruz Island

Take an early flight to the Galápagos Islands and transfer to Puerto Ayora and board the Eden. Spend the afternoon in the highlands seeing giant tortoises in the wild.

The Consejo de Gobierno (local government council) have implemented a system of Transit Control Cards at a fee of $20 USD per person. This card is to be purchased in CASH at a counter in the Quito airport before boarding the flight to the Galápagos. Please retain this card along with your passport as you will be required to present this upon arrival to the Galápagos Islands. Please note that this applies to all tourists entering the Galápagos Islands and is a supplement to the existing entry fee to the National Park and is not controlled by tour operators or travel agencies. It is the first of a number of initiatives to track, control, and maintain the sustainable tourism targets set out by the Galápagos National Park and the Ecuadorian government in an attempt to preserve the fragile environment of the archipelago.

The Ecuadorian government currently levies a Galápagos Islands Park entry fee of USD100 per person. This is payable at the airport upon arrival in the park. It is not included in the cost of the tour, and must be paid in CASH. This fee funds park maintenance and supervision in the Galápagos as well as ecological study, conservation, and infrastructure development in Ecuador's other National Parks. Entry fees and the funds they generate for the National Park System are among measures taken by the Ecuadorian government to protect its natural heritage.

Plane
Mariscal Sucre International Airport – Seymour Airport2h

Flights from Quito to Baltra depart between 6:40am and 9:40am depending on the day of the week. These will arrive into the Galápagos between 9:30am and 12:30pm with a short refuelling stop in Guayaquil (you will not disembark the plane). You will generally arrive at the boat in time for lunch on Day 2 before the afternoon activity.

Highlands Giant Tortoises Visit
Santa Cruz Island

Head to Santa Cruz’s verdant highlands. This is a perfect place to hike through the grounds and see giant tortoises in their natural environment, before savouring an included lunch.

Eden
Santa Cruz Island – Isabela Island

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 3Isabela Island

Stop off in the small town of Puerto Villamil before hiking to the rim of the Sierra Negra volcano. In the afternoon, visit the wetlands and the tortoise breeding centre in the Puerto Villamil area.

Sierra Negra Volcano Hike
Isabela Island1h-2h

Hike to the rim of the 10km (6 mi) wide crater of the Sierra Negra volcano, which has the largest basaltic caldera in the Galápagos. Trek across the moon-like landscape of the lava fields and fumaroles, and enjoy spectacular views looking north toward Fernandina and the rest of Isabela Island. The volcano last erupted in June 2018, making it the most recent eruption of the Galápagos. This hike is 7km in total (3.5 km each way).

Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre Visit
Isabela Island2h-3h

Walk through the town’s wetlands to visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre. With the giant tortoise on its way to extinction in the late 1950s, this program was established to protect these noble creatures.

Flamingo Lagoon Visit
Isabela Island

Spend some time exploring Isabela's natural attractions. Enjoy a walk to the largest coastal lagoon in the Galápagos, also a principal breeding ground for flamingos. Make stops along the way at a lookout point, and to visit natural pools, beaches, and mangrove swamps. Also stop along the way at the Giant Tortoise Breeding Centre to see how these fascinating creatures are hatched, cared for and released into the wild in the ongoing efforts to protect the species.

Eden
Isabela Island – Punta Moreno

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 4Isabela Island

Pay a morning visit to Punta Moreno on the southwest coast of Isabela to see lava formations, flamingos, and amazing views of the three most active volcanoes in the Galápagos Islands. In the afternoon, visit Elizabeth Bay which offers amazing bird and marine life viewing opportunities. Head out on the pangas and explore the shallows and mangroves to look for sea turtles and penguins.

Punta Moreno Visit
Punta Moreno

Visit Punta Moreno and explore its interesting landscape, which is home to black lava flows and a unique system of brackish lagoons that draw in a wide range of wildlife. Spot Darwin’s finches, Galápagos doves, penguins, and more! Be sure to bring your camera for shots of the island’s amazing scenery. Punta Moreno boasts a panoramic viewpoint of three of Isabela’s imposing volcanoes: Alcedo, Sierra Negra, and Cerro Azul.

Elizabeth Bay Panga Ride
Elizabeth Bay

Head out by panga to explore, keeping an eye out for wildlife hiding among the mangroves. Search for marine turtles, rays, and flightless cormorants in the sheltered waters. Also spot blue-footed boobies, penguins, and pelicans feeding on the abundant marine life.

Eden
Punta Moreno – Tagus Cove

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 5Tagus Cove/Fernandina Island

Stop for a visit at Tagus Cove and hike to a lookout to get a stunning view of the bay. Spot old graffiti on the cliffs from whalers and pirates who once visited the the cove. Continue to Punta Espinoza on Fernandina, the youngest of the Galápagos Islands. Witness the large colony of marine iguanas and a variety of bird life.

Tagus Cove Visit
Tagus Cove

Visit Tagus Cove, an Isabela Island anchorage site that was popular among whalers and pirates. Tour the area on foot for spectacular views of Darwin Lake (a spherical saltwater crater), the bay, and Darwin and Wolf volcanoes. Upon landing, take the wooden stairway to the trail entrance, and follow the trail through a dry vegetation zone. Opt to continue on an ascent to a promontory made up of spatter cones (small volcanic cones) or explore the area by dinghy.

Punta Espinoza Visit
Punta Espinoza

Tour a number of different trails at this not-to-be-missed landing site that’s home to some of the largest colonies of marine iguanas and sea birds. Follow the path along the beach and across lava flows for a unique opportunity to explore one of the least-visited areas of the Galápagos.

Eden
Punta Espinoza – Puerto Egas

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 6Puerto Egas/Rábida Island

On a morning excursion to Puerto Egas, walk on a dark sand beach studded with rock formations and tidal pools. Take a refreshing dip in turquoise waters and search for fish and sea turtles in the protected bay. Later, visit Rábida Island for a visit to a saltwater lagoon and sea lion colony.

Puerto Egas Visit
Puerto Egas

Explore the spectacular shoreline of Puerto Egas, also known as James Bay. Spot a great number of shore birds and reptiles – the beach area is home to a plethora of wildlife.

Snorkelling (Puerto Egas)
Puerto Egas45m-1h

Grab a snorkel and jump into the water right off the beach to explore Puerto Egas' interesting underwater world. Keep your eyes peeled for rays, turtles, and reef sharks while snorkelling. After, visit the large tidal pool area – marine iguanas and Sally Lightfoot crabs are everywhere.

Rábida Island Visit
Rábida Island

Arrive at a red sand beach at Rábida to explore its trails. A short trail leads to a saltwater lagoon; another trail goes past the lagoon to the interior, where the revered palo santo trees grow. (When burned, the branches of this tree give off a pleasing aroma and ward off mosquitoes.)

Eden
Rábida Island – Santa Cruz Island

When it comes to our fleet of Galápagos vessels, the Eden is made for both great value and great service. The luxury of local and international cuisine, daily excursions to explore the islands, and picturesque views of the Galápagos from the outdoor sundeck.

Meals included:

Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner

Day 7Santa Cruz Island/Quito

Visit North Seymour for guided walks to observe birds and wildlife, including vast sea lion colonies. Disembark at Baltra and fly back to Quito.

North Seymour Island Visit
North Seymour

Have an amazing wildlife experience visiting North Seymour Island – this island is teeming with life! Follow trails to see all the action (you may need to give way to a passing sea lion or marine iguana while walking). Depending on the season, see blue-footed booby nests where mating pairs perform their courtship dance. Head to a rocky shore to see flocks of pelicans having lunch in a dive bomb feeding frenzy, then turn inland to a large nesting site of magnificent frigatebirds. These huge, dark acrobats have two-metre (6.5 ft) wingspans, and males, with their puffed-up scarlet throat sacks, sit precariously perched in low bushes to watch over their equally large chicks.

Plane
Seymour Airport – Mariscal Sucre International Airport2h

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.

Accommodation

Hotel Hilton Colon (or similar)
Hotel

Meals included:

Breakfast

Day 8Quito

Depart at any time.

Departure Day

Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

2

Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow

Cotopaxi Volcano - Full Day Trip
Cotopaxi – Alausí

Enjoy a spectacular 2 hour drive to Cotopaxi Volcano National Park to see the highest active volcano in the world (5,897m/ 19,347 ft). Visit a museum in the park and hike around a lagoon at the bottom of the volcano to learn about the flora and fauna found at this altitude. Continue by car up the volcano to the parking lot, at over 4,500m/14,763 ft. Walk for an hour and a half to the refuge and after a short break, continue to the glacier (if the weather holds out). Return to Quito in the afternoon. **Park entrance fee is not included and is split among the number of travellers in the group**

Quito City Tour and Equator
Quito

Enjoy a city tour of Quito. Visit the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with stops at the Basilica del Voto Nacional, La Compañia Church, San Francisco Square, Plaza Grande and the Panecillo, a towering statue of the virgin of Quito who looks out over a stunning view of the city. Drive 25km (16 mi) north of Quito to the Middle of the World, latitude 0º. Stand with one foot in each hemisphere.

Please note that this tour starts at 8 a.m.

Meals included:

Breakfast

Galápagos — West & Central Islands aboard the Eden

| 8 days - Quito to Quito - from $4149 USD