Independent Galapagos cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend with Ecuador's Amazon
Independent Galapagos cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend with Ecuador's Amazon
Independent Galapagos cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend with Ecuador's Amazon
11 Days Starting in Quito, Ecuador and ending in Guayaquil, Ecuador
Visiting: Quito, Coca, Amazon Rainforest, Yuturi, North Seymour Island, Bartolomé Island, San Cristobal, Guayaquil
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ISK2-2025
Group Type:
Independent
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable adventure with the Independent Galapagos cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend, combined with an exploration of Ecuador's Amazon. Begin your journey in Quito with a private city tour, then fly to Coca for a motorboat ride down the Napo River, spotting exotic birds along the way. Stay at the Napo Wildlife Center and enjoy nature excursions, canopy walks, and night canoe rides with a Naturalist. Visit the lodge’s butterfly house and cruise through the flooded forest in search of monkeys and sloths. Continue to the Galápagos Islands for a 3-night cruise, exploring North Seymour, Bartolomé, and San Cristobal Islands, where you’ll encounter blue-footed boobies, sea lions, and giant tortoises. Conclude your trip in Guayaquil, reflecting on the diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes experienced.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive In Quito,Ecuador
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Welcome to Quito, where your hotel is available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day 2: Quito,Coca,Amazon Lodge
Location: Coca
Accommodation Name: Napo Wildlife Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Fly to Coca where you will be met by your Naturalist. • Travel by motorboat down the Napo River with opportunities to spot birds like herons, kingfishers, and others. • Arrive at your Amazon lodge located on the banks of Napo River Lake surrounded by pristine rainforest. • Tonight, enjoy a welcome briefing and dinner.
Day 3: Amazon Lodge
Location: Amazon Rainforest
Accommodation Name: Napo Wildlife Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• During your stay, enjoy nature excursions with a Naturalist who introduces you to the Amazon. Activities each day vary based on weather conditions. • On the suspended rainforest canopy walk, your Naturalist points out many different species of vibrantly feathered birds. • Jungle walks show off the immense biodiversity and medicinal plants that have been used by the native cultures for hundreds of years. • Take a night walk or canoe ride with your Naturalist to discover creatures that can rarely be seen during the day!
Day 4: Amazon Lodge
Location: Yuturi
Accommodation Name: Napo Wildlife Center
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Continue your Amazon exploration. • Visit the lodge’s butterfly house, one of Ecuador’s largest. • You will also cruise through the flooded forest in search of troops of squirrels, capuchin, and howler monkeys—and maybe even the incredibly well camouflaged 3-toed sloth. • After fishing for piranhas, arrive at the Kapok Tree tower, perched 150-feet high. Get close-up views of birds as the sun sets on volcanic Mount Sumaco and the Andes.
Day 5: Amazon Lodge,Coca,Quito
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast
• Depart your Amazon lodge and fly from Coca to Quito today. • The remainder of your afternoon is at leisure.
Day 6: Quito
Location: Quito
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Quito
Meals Included: Breakfast
• Your included private city tour showcases the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. See Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows.
Day 7: Quito,Baltra (Embarkation),Galápagos Cruising: North Seymour Island
Location: North Seymour Island
Accommodation Name: Galápagos Legend
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Fly to Baltra and transfer with your expert Naturalist to the Galápagos Legend for your 3-night cruise. • Sail to North Seymour, a landmass formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, which deposited layers of lava on the ocean floor. Take a walk amidst large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls for an in-depth encounter with sea bird breeding cycles. You will also encounter sea lions, land iguanas and, on a lucky day, you might even come across the endemic Galápagos snake.
Day 8: Cruising: Bartolomé Island & Santiago Island
Location: Bartolomé Island
Accommodation Name: Galápagos Legend
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Wake up at Bartolomé Island to discover a fascinating moonscape formed by volcanic parasitic cones. Hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands and Pinnacle Rock. You will also encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies. Bartolomé offers some of the best spots to snorkel, thanks to clear waters and abundant sea life, including sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and maybe even Galápagos penguins. • This afternoon, sail to Sullivan Bay on Santiago Island and take a walk on young Pahoehoe lava flows formed during the last quarter of the 19th Century. See the reddish-yellow tuff-cones with various flora growing from the fissures. Walking on the solidified lava gives the impression of walking on another planet. After your guided walk, spend time snorkeling from the white sand beach where you may see penguins, sea lions, sharks and rays.
Day 9: Cruising: San Cristobal Island
Location: San Cristobal
Accommodation Name: Galápagos Legend
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
• Arrive at Pitt Islet on San Cristobal and walk to the top of a volcanic tuff to be rewarded with several magnificent viewpoints. This is one of the few sites where the Galápagos’ three booby species (blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca) can be seen together. You will also find the two species of frigate birds and a sea lion colony. The island waters are excellent for dinghy rides to see a range of seabirds—and a great spot to snorkel! • At Cerro Brujo, visit a lagoon where migratory bird species can be seen: black-necked stilts, ruddy turnstones, whimbrels, other sandpiper species, and white-cheeked pintails. Cerro Brujo offers beautiful views of Kicker Rock, the southern part of San Cristobal, and the adjacent coast. Your visit includes time to swim with the sea lions and other marine life.
Day 10: Cruising: San Cristobal (Disembarkation),Guayaquil
Location: San Cristobal
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Meals Included: Breakfast
• After breakfast, disembark in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and visit the Giant Tortoise Reserve on San Cristobal. Learn about the national park’s conservation and breeding programs to protect the endangered tortoise species. • Also, visit the port village for a last chance at souvenirs before bidding farewell to the enchanted Galápagos Islands. • Transfer to San Cristobal Airport and fly to Guayaquil, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day 11: Guayaquil
Location: Guayaquil
Accommodation Name: Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Accommodation in Quito at Hilton Colon Quito, in Coca at Napo Wildlife Center, and in Guayaquil at Hilton Colon Guayaquil.
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Meals
Buffet breakfast daily; 6 lunches; 6 three-course dinners.
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Guided Tours
Guided nature excursions with a Naturalist in the Amazon and guided city tour in Quito.
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Cruise
3-night cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend.
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Flights
Flights from Quito to Coca, Coca to Quito, Quito to Baltra, and San Cristobal to Guayaquil.
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Transfers
Transfers between airports, hotels, and cruise ship.
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Activities
Various activities including nature walks, canopy walks, night walks, canoe rides, snorkeling, and visits to the Giant Tortoise Reserve and butterfly house.
What's Not Included
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Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, laundry, and phone calls are not included.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
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Optional Activities
Optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary are not included.
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Gratuities
Gratuities for guides, drivers, and cruise staff are not included.
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Visas and Entry Fees
Visas and entry fees to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands are not included.
Meals
Buffet breakfast daily; 6 lunches; 6 three-course dinners
Notes
Transportation is as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary and include private airport transfers to/from intra-vacation flights. Internal flights to/from the Galápagos and the Ecuadorian Amazon are included. Local guide service is provied in Quito. A Naturalist in the Galápagos & Amazon are also provided. In the Galápagos, there will be “wet landings” meaning guests will need to be able to jump in the water, out of the boats/zodiacs and walk a couple of meters to the beaches. Terrain is rocky and uneven. Itinerary in the Galápagos are subject to change. For the Amazon adventure, guests should be prepared for eco-lodging due to their remote nature in the rainforest. Further, guests should be prepared for sustained walking, possibly muddy conditions, and have the ability to jump in/out of small water crafts such as canoes and small fishing boats. Itinerary is subject to change in low or high water situations. Maximum elevation is 9,350 ft.
UNESCO Sites
City of Quito|Galapagos Islands
Accommodation
Stay at the Hilton Colon Quito in Quito, the Napo Wildlife Center in Coca, and the Hilton Colon Guayaquil in Guayaquil. Enjoy a 3-night cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend.
Mode of Transport
Travel includes flights to Coca and Baltra, motorboat rides on the Napo River, and a 3-night cruise aboard the Galápagos Legend.
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of wildlife can I expect to see during the Amazon excursions?
During the Amazon excursions, you can expect to see a variety of wildlife including herons, kingfishers, vibrantly feathered birds, monkeys such as squirrel, capuchin, and howler monkeys, and possibly even a 3-toed sloth. Night walks or canoe rides may reveal nocturnal creatures that are rarely seen during the day.
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What activities are included during the stay at the Amazon lodge?
Activities at the Amazon lodge include nature excursions with a Naturalist, a suspended rainforest canopy walk, jungle walks, night walks or canoe rides, a visit to the lodge’s butterfly house, cruising through the flooded forest, and fishing for piranhas. You will also visit the Kapok Tree tower for close-up views of birds.
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What can I expect during the private city tour in Quito?
The private city tour in Quito will showcase the rich legacy left by the Incas and the Spaniards. You will see Independence Square, dominated by its formidable cathedral, San Francisco Plaza Church, and the Basilica with its marvelous stained-glass windows.
-
What kind of landings should I expect in the Galápagos Islands?
In the Galápagos Islands, there will be 'wet landings,' meaning guests will need to be able to jump in the water, out of the boats/zodiacs, and walk a couple of meters to the beaches. The terrain is rocky and uneven.
-
What wildlife can I see on North Seymour Island?
On North Seymour Island, you can see large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, magnificent and great frigate birds, swallow-tailed gulls, sea lions, land iguanas, and possibly the endemic Galápagos snake.
-
What activities are available on Bartolomé Island?
On Bartolomé Island, you can hike to the summit for impressive views of the surrounding islands and Pinnacle Rock, encounter marine iguanas, lava lizards, and blue-footed boobies, and snorkel in clear waters with abundant sea life including sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and possibly Galápagos penguins.
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What can I expect to see and do on San Cristobal Island?
On San Cristobal Island, you can walk to the top of a volcanic tuff at Pitt Islet to see the Galápagos’ three booby species (blue-footed, red-footed, and Nazca), two species of frigate birds, and a sea lion colony. At Cerro Brujo, you can visit a lagoon to see migratory bird species and enjoy beautiful views of Kicker Rock. You will also have time to swim with sea lions and other marine life.
-
What is included in the visit to the Giant Tortoise Reserve on San Cristobal Island?
The visit to the Giant Tortoise Reserve on San Cristobal Island includes learning about the national park’s conservation and breeding programs to protect the endangered tortoise species. You will also have time to visit the port village for a last chance at souvenirs.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
For over 90 years.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
The Globus Lighthouse Project - an illuminating initiative where we can all come together to tread lightly and give generously for the globe's greater good. Globus, along with sister companies Avalon Waterways and Cosmos, invite our travellers and partners to help us in supporting causes that provide for a more sustainable planet and a brighter tomorrow.
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