Ecuador holiday: Andes & Iguanas

An exciting Ecuador holiday taking in the diversity of this charming country, from cloudforest to Andes to the Galapagos Islands. You'll get a real feeling for authentic Ecuador on this trip.

From Quito you travel into the Ecuadorian highlands, staying in a charming hacienda near Otavalo. You'll visit the town on market day, which is a lively and colourful sight. This is a great opportunity to mingle with the local people and maybe pick up some gifts and souvenirs. Back at the hacienda there's a full day to relax and revel in the mountain scenery, maybe strolling in the gardens or for the more energetic taking a hike in the hills or exploring by bike.

From here you travel to the cloudforest with time to explore this fascinating environment with your personal naturalist guide or at your leisure on the miles of trails. Horse riding is another excellent way to explore this area. Head back to Quito and get to know the city better with a guided tour of the main highlights.

Next you fly from the mainland to the famous Galapagos Islands. You have a 5 day cruise on the Anahi, taking in several islands. You'll have your own guide, an expert on the flora and fauna of the islands, to help you make the most of your time here. There'll also be time to relax onboard and go swimming in the sea - perhaps alongside curious sealions!

Random Facts of Kindness!

Hacienda Cusin in Otavalo is a great place with an organic veggie garden (which you will definitely taste the produce of!) and they strongly back conservation of Intag cloudforest. You're staying with some good people!

Your yacht, the Anahi, is also known for their care of the flora, fauna and inhabitants of the Galapagos Islands. So you can rest assured that your visit to the islands will have minimal impact and hopefully bring some benefit instead. For all wildlife and nature lovers like you, our many other travellers and us, it means a lot that we are not adding to the issues faced by this most sensitive of unique ecosystems.