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Ecuador; Quito and The Galapagos Islands
  • Andrew's Travels
  • Andrew's Travels

Ecuador; Quito and The Galapagos Islands

A trip to Ecuador to visit the Nortth and Central Islands of the Galapagos wirh G-Adventures via small vessel cruising "aboard the Eden." Leia mais
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  • Inicio da viagem
    23 de outubro de 2026
    Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Plaza de San Francisco; Church and Convent of San Francisco
    En route to Quito; Outskirts of QuitoView down to Gualapo ChurchQuito; Basilica del VotoInside the Basilica del VotoView of Panecillo from inside the BasilicaThe other sidePanecillo; a towering statue of the virgin of Quito with stunning views of the city around itView north from PanecilloView west from PanecilloThe CemeteryView of Panecillo from Quito Old TownThe site of Yumbos Chocolate FactoryPlaza de San Francisco; Church and Convent of San FranciscoInside the Church

    Quito; City Tour 1

    23–24 de out., Equador ☀️ 14 °C

    We fly to Quito via Amsterdam; we transfer to the hotel with a stop off to get a view of the Gualapo Church.

    Next day (Friday) , we are booked on a CarpeDM Adventures Quito City Tour to the Equator Line; this covers most of the city's main sites in a full day; these are described on the captions on the groups of photos.Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Panga, a small motorised skiff
    Bachas BeachPanga, a small motorised skiffMarine IguanaNo flamingos todayTurtle seen whilst snorkellingSally Lightfoot CrabsSunset on the EdenA seal joined the tour later on...

    The Galapagos; Santa Cruz Island 1 - Bachas Beach

    25 de outubro, Equador ☁️ 30 °C

    We join our G-Adventures group (15 people) last night; today we have an early morning flight from Quito to Baltra Island - from here, we board our small cruise boat, The Eden (maximum 16 passengers in 8 rooms), and head to Santa Cruz Island.

    We have lunch on the boat, sort out suitable snorkelling kit for everybody, and then sail to Bachas Beach, a 1km stretch of white coral sand; we are taken from the boat to the beach by panga (motorised skiff). We have a walk along the beach to the small lake and back before the snorkelling; this goes well, and we see lots of small fish and a turtle. Then it's back to the boat, shower, briefing for tomorrow, and dinner.

    The Eden sails overnight to our next destination - Genovesa Island.    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Seals
    One of the two Panga boats taking us snorkellingSnorkelling in Darwin BayThe beach followed by the beach walkSealsNazca Booby with eggBed footed BoobyMagnificent Frigate BirdThe saltwater Lake Arcturus

    Genovesa Island 1 - Darwin Bay Beach Trail

    26 de outubro, Equador ☁️ 27 °C

    Genovesa Island is horse-shoe shaped and has a volcanic caldrea whose wall has collapsed, forming the Darwin Bay, surrounded by cliffs.

    We go snorkelling and then return to the Eden for showers. Later in the morning, we go to the beach in order to follow the trail to the saltwater Lake Arcturus (a crater lake); there are many interesting birds here.Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Prince Phillip's Steps
    Cliffs along Darwin BayA Sea Lion is guarding the landing spot...Prince Phillip's StepsSunset on the Eden

    Genovesa Island 2 - El Barranco Walk

    26 de outubro, Equador ☁️ 28 °C

    After lunch, we reboard the panga boats and head across Darwin Bay to Prince Phillip's Steps, a steep path that leads up to cliffs that are 25 metres (82 feet) high; at the top, the we follow the El Barranco Trail inland, passing more seabird colonies.

    Then it's back for the briefing and dinner; the Eden travels overnight to our next destination; the Bartolomé Islet.    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    An iconic view of the Galapagos
    Bartolomé Islet Walk; Galapagos PenguinBlue footed BoobyPinnacle RockLava CactusAn iconic view of the GalapagosCalderaCalderaSnorkelling; White Finned Reef Sharks

    Bartolomé Island - Walk

    27 de outubro, Equador ⛅ 28 °C

    Bartolomé Island is an uninhabited 1.2 square kilometres volcanic islet located in Sullivan Bay, just east of Santiago Island. The island, along with the bay it sits in, are named after naturalist Sir Bartholomew James Sullivan, who was a lieutenant aboard HMS Beagle, which Charles Darwin travelled on to the Galapagos Islands.

    After an early breakfast, we go on the Islet Walk to see the various volcanic features, not least the dramatic Pinnacle Rock. One of the highlights of the Galapagos is the famous view from the top of the boarded walk.

    Later, we went snorkelling; this went very well as we saw a couple of small sharks as well as many other interesting species.    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Our boat, The EdenPinnacle Rock and the EdenPahoehoe LavaPahoehoe LavaPahoehoe Lava1The only place in the world where you can climb into lava rockThe only place in the world where you can climb into lava rockHornitoDolphinPart of the podPelican on the PangaaPelicans on the Panga on the other side of the boat

    Santiago Island - Sullivan Bay

    27 de outubro, Equador ⛅ 28 °C

    Sullivan Bay is noted for its lava formation; this was formed by a late 19th-century eruption (around 1897). The landscape resembles a lunar surface with vast, hardened black lava fields. We enjoy a walk to see the beautiful formations and views.

    Before dinner, whilst we are en route to our next overnightstop near to Santa Cruz Island, we are treated to a display by a pod of dolphins and, incredibly, after dinner, the Eden is visited by a couple of Pelicans.

    Another fabulous day!    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Green Sea Turtle
    2Black Turtle CoveGreen Sea TurtleWhite-tipped reef sharkRaoul, our guideWhite coral beachCacti growing on the lava field

    Santa Cruz Island 2 - Black Turtle Cove

    28 de outubro, Equador ⛅ 28 °C

    After breakfast on the Eden, we are taken by panga boats to Black Turtle Cove; this is a mangrove estuary on the northern shores of Santa Cruz Island (to protect the pristine environment, the national park does not allow boats with motors here). It is a natural sanctuary for Galápagos green sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, rays, pelicans, herons, and egrets.

    We have a good look round by panga, seeing lots of marine life; then it's back to the Eden to navigate to Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragon) to see land life.....    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    Dragon Hill
    Dragon HillBeach at the landing pointView to the mountainHypersaline pondMarine IguanaFlooded pathwayHypersaline pondHypersaline pond with flamingosLand Iguana

    Santa Cruz Island 3 - Dragon Hill

    28 de outubro, Equador ☁️ 30 °C

    Dragon Hill (Cerro Dragón) is on the northwestern coast of Santa Cruz Island and famous for its population of yellow-orange land iguana. The site suffered a near-collapse in 1975–1976 when feral dogs wiped out the local population of land iguanas; survivors were rescued and bred by the Charles Darwin Research Station, and the population was successfully repatriated by 1991.

    We transfer from the Eden to the coast by panga and then start the trail along the Dragon's tail; there has been a lot of rain recently, which meant that the trail was flooded in parts. We manage to pass behind the beach near hypersaline ponds where we see a few Galápagos flamingo. The group continues to the mound known as Dragon Hill; it is here where the colourful Land Iguanas can be seen. After that, the group doubles back to retrace the same walk back to get the panga back to the Eden for tomorrow's briefing and dinner.

    Another interesting day.    Leia mais

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  • Andrew's TravelsEcuador; Quito and The Galapagos IslandsViajante
    1Giant Saddleback Tortoise
    Puerto Ayora1Good bye, Eden Group!Charles Darwin Research StationGalapagos National ParkGiant Saddleback TortoiseBaby tortoises in the CDRS1Giant Saddleback TortoiseGiant Saddleback TortoisesCharles Darwin Exhibition HallTaxidermied display of Lonesome George, the last Pinta Island tortoise1Charles Darwin and Helen

    Santa Cruz Island 4; Puerto Ayora and CDRS

    29 de outubro, Equador ☁️ 27 °C

    Puerto Ayora, sometimes referred to as Santa Cruz, is on the southern shore of Santa Cruz Island. It is the home to Galápagos National Park; this was established in 1959 and began operation in 1968 - it is Ecuador's first national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also home to the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS).

    After an overnight stay in the port harbour and saying goodbye to the rest of the group, as we are on the short Eden tour, we visit both of these sites with another guide. It is a wonderful place to visit, and we see the giant tortoises, albeit not in their natural habitat.

    After that, it is a drive over Santa Cruz Island to transfer to Baltra and the flight back to Quito (we overnight here and continue to Colombia the nest day!).

    The next morning, we visit La Mariscal Artesanal Market; these photos have been appended to the Quito; City Tour 2 footprint.

    The end of our Quito and Galápagos trip to Ecuador; what a fantastic experience it has been, and thoroughly recommended.    Leia mais

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    Final da viagem
    30 de outubro de 2026