Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Quito’s UNESCO-recognized historic center
- One-of-a-kind animal encounters
- Snorkeling with sea lions & penguins
- Dramatic volcanic landscapes
- Flightless cormorants & fearless hawks
Short Description
Ecuador puts new meaning behind the saying, “good things come in small packages.” In terms of flora, fauna and opportunities for adrenaline-packed adventure (think zip lining through cloud forests and swimming alongside sea turtles), South America’s second smallest country runs the gamut. Journey to Quito for a taste of Ecuadorean culture and Incan legend. Then, island hop through the Galápagos, where you’ll move from mangrove swamps to lava flows to sunny shorelines, encountering scores of exotic creatures along the way.
Destinations
EcuadorActivities & Interests
Bird watching Culture Historic sightseeing Nature Snorkeling Whale watching Wildlife viewingItinerary
Day 1: Flight & late-night arrival in Quito
After your flight, arrive late this evening in Quito and settle into your hotel.
Day 2: Sightseeing tour of Quito
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Today, embark on a guided sightseeing tour of Quito before meeting your fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.
Enjoy a walking tour of Old Town, passing by the Legislative Palace, Independence Square and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito
Enter La Compañia, the city’s Baroque church, to view its gold leaf interior
Step inside the 16th-century Monastery of San Francisco
Drive up Cerro Panecillo hill for views of the city and surrounding volcanoes
Day 3: Free day in Quito
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a full free day in Quito or add an excursion.
Optional Excursion - Mindo Cloud forest $119pp* Details
Galápagos Islands 4 nights Hotel info
Day 4: Galápagos Cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, fly to the small island of Baltra to board your cruise.
Boat aross the narrow channel separating Baltra from Santa Cruz Island
Cruise to Black Turtle Cove, where you may see turtles, rays and sharks swimming among the mangroves
Day 5: Santiago Island & Rabida Island
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a wet landing, you’ll enjoy the southeastern portion of Santiago Island before continuing to Rabida Island.
Spend the morning exploring the extensive lava flows, swimming and snorkeling in Sullivan Bay and spotting flamingos, sea turtles, sea lions and migratory birds
Transfer to Rabida Island, where the volcanic geology creates red sand beaches
Take a dinghy ride along the cliffs to snorkel and observe nesting seabirds
Day 6: Isabela Island
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After a wet landing, begin your exploration of Isabela Island, the largest in the Galápagos archipelago.
Snorkel with the sea turtles that swim just off the shore of Urbina Bay
See the giant tortoises that live on the slopes of the nearby Alcedo Volcano
Tour Tagus Cove and see the blue-footed boobies that nest there
Go on a dinghy ride and enjoy the option of deep sea snorkeling
Day 7: Espinosa Point & Vicente Roca Point
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today’s dry landing is at Espinosa Point, formed by lava flows over thousands of years.
View the area’s marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs and the fearless Galápagos hawk
Take a dinghy ride to Vicente Roca Point and the Bolivar Channel, where you can snorkel with sea lions, sea turtles and penguins
View dolphins and whales that are attracted to the Bolivar Channel by the cold waters of the Cromwell Current (seasonal, June to September)
Otavalo 1 night
Day 8: Transfer to Otavalo via Quito
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Disembark the ship to further explore Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos before making your way to Otavalo, a market town in the Andes Mountains.
Journey to the Santa Cruz highlands, northwest of Puerto Ayora, to visit a giant tortoise nature reserve
Walk through the humid forest landscape to see these slow-moving reptiles in action
Return to Baltra and board your flight back to Quito on the mainland
On the way to Otavalo, stop to see the Quitsato Sundial, a monument located on the equator, where you’ll view a demonstration of equatorial effects
Later, enjoy a farewell dinner with your fellow travelers.
Day 9: Otavalo market visit & departure
Meals: Breakfast
Visit the Otavalo market to browse the stalls, shop for indigenous crafts and attend a local weaving demonstration. Later, transfer to the airport for a late-night or early-morning flight or continue your adventure in Peru.
Overnight Flight 1 night
Day 10: Arrival in the U.S.
Arrive home.
Please note: Due to varying flight schedules, some travelers may depart on the morning of day 10, arriving home later that evening.
Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Go Ahead Tours.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click
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the final trip price.
150 Go Ahead Tours Travel Reviews & Ratings
The Galápagos Islands & Ecuador
Company Reviews
Will Refuse to Refund
When I called on last Thursday (11/16/2023) to place my reservation, the agent (Kathy) I talked to stressed about she "cannot" guarantee that I will be able to go on the trip. Before I provided the payment information, I specifically asked if I will be able to get the refund because the trip is coming up so soon. The agent ensured that I will be able to get a full refund back within 60 days if I decided to cancel the trip. I was also told that I am basically on a wait list and someone will contact me once I can go on the trip. No one contacted me about whether the agency was able to process my information at all, so I've been left in the dark about this trip since the beginning.
I called the help line this morning (11/20/2023) around 9:00 Eastern Standard Time to cancel my reservation. I was informed by the agent that I will not be able to get my full refund back since it's too close to the trip date. Basically I was told that Kathy gave me the wrong information, so I will have to pay the cancellation fee. The only reason I provided my payment information is because Kathy specifically stated that I will be able to cancel the trip and receive a full refund.
I've never been so frustrated with a traveling agency. I made sure to ask this agent regarding the refund policy twice before giving her my payment information, and she still couldn't provide me with the correct information. It's unbelievable that such a big traveling agency cannot uniformly train their employees with the correct set of information.
Stay Away - Class Action lawsuit for ripping off children
Wouldn't Refund Full Payment of Tour They Cancelled
I took every additional tour and the tour guides were excellent!
Amazing trip of a lifetime!
By far the BEST Trip EVER
Details
Ship Name
M/V Galápagos Legend
Ship Description
Enjoy the Galapagos Islands paradise in a 100 passenger, fully air conditioned cruise ship. The Galapagos Legend has all the amenities of a cruise liner yet it's small enough for that intimate experience with nature. Guests will enjoy the added comfort of extra space in fully carpeted luxurious cabins. The ships facilities include an auditorium for conferences, spacious social areas, culinary delights at the dining room, 24 hour coffee bar and swimming pool with broad sun decks and observation platforms. At night guests can enjoy live music at the piano lounge or cocktail bars.
Trip Photos (affiliate link)Optional Activities
Extension to Peru $1,799 pp
Please note: Extension is not available on all departure dates.
Experience Peru in all its diversity. Wander the colonial cities that display the legacy of Spanish conquistadors, explore the ancient Inca capital of Cuzco and visit the lost city of Machu Picchu.
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Maximum Number of People in Group: 35
Maximum tour group size: 35 travelers
Accommodations
Mercure Alameda Quito
The Mercure Alameda Quito hotel offers guests all facilities necessary for business or leisure trips, as well as cultural information about the city. Our 147 comfortable roomswith WIFI provide the perfect setting for combining business and leisure, while our 41 Privilege Rooms will give you a more personalized service, adapted to each guest's individual requirements.
Ship: M/V Galápagos Legend
Cancellation policy
If you cancel your reservation, the cancellation fee schedule below will apply. If you are booked in a double/twin room and your roommate cancels his or her tour more than 45 days prior to departure, you will be responsible for paying the single supplement fee. Upon notifying GAT of your cancellation, you will be given a confirmation number that verifies your cancellation. If you purchased travel protection and are cancelling for a reason covered under the policy guidelines, cancellation fees will be reimbursed to you directly from the insurance company. In the event that you have to cancel your tour on the day of departure, you must notify GAT prior to the departure of your first flight. Any penalties for supplemental services/guarantees (including, but not limited to, flights, hotels or late additions) resulting from cancellations made at your request will be your responsibility, and all service fees are non-refundable. Substitution of travelers is not permitted. If you choose not to travel, but fail to cancel your tour prior to the departure date or if you return home before the scheduled completion of your tour, you will not be eligible for any refund or reimbursement from GAT for any unused portion of your trip or costs incurred by leaving your trip early.
For travelers with the travel protection policy (goaheadtours.com/travelprotection), Go Ahead Tours will reimburse the participant in the form of a credit voucher in the event the participant wants to interrupt their tour due to reasons not covered by their travel protection policy. The voucher is valid for one year from the day of the interruption of the tour and represents the value of the missed time on tour including any unused air, land or sea arrangements already paid for by the participant up to a maximum of $1,000 as determined by Go Ahead Tours. The voucher is personal and non-transferable and may be applied towards a future Go Ahead tour and is not exchangeable for cash. The participant is responsible for any additional costs incurred by interrupting the tour including but not limited to the return flight and other transportation costs due to the interruption. Reservation fees, rebooking fees, change fees, late and returned check fees, revision fees, supplemental fees for international deliveries and special arrangement fees are considered Used Fees once incurred and will not be refundable.
- If Days Prior to Departure is 71 days or more, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is $ 450
- If Days Prior to Departure is 70–46 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is 30%
- If Days Prior to Departure is 45–8 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is 50%
- If Days Prior to Departure is 7–0 days, then Cancellation Fee (Includes reservation fee) is 100%
*Percentages listed above are of the total tour cost, including reservation fee. Listed cancellation fee is applicable per traveler.
Trip ID#:
GalIslGoa
What's excluded
- International flight charges
- Passport and visa charges
- Tipping and gratuity
- Any kind of insurance
- Personal expenses
Meals Included
8 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 4 Dinners
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