Welcome to Quito, the highest capital in the world (2,850m/9,350ft; over 2.2mln inhabitants).

The historic centre of Quito is one of the largest, least-altered, and best-preserved in the Americas. 

It was the first World Cultural Heritage Site declared by UNESCO, and one of the places with the highest concentration of churches per square kilometre in the world. 

You will be picked up from the airport by your guide and brought to your hotel.

AM - Arrival in Galapagos and boarding the yacht

Upon arrival at Galapagos, you will pass through an airport inspection point to ensure that no foreign plants or animals are introduced to the islands, as well as to pay the park entrance fee of $200 (unless it has been prepaid). A guide will meet you, help you collect your luggage, and escort you on a short bus ride to the harbour, where you will board the Tribute cruise.

You will be assigned to your cabins, and lunch will be served shortly after.

AM: Lobos islet, San Cristobal

Lobos Islet harbours a colony of Galapagos sea lions. As in other colonies in the archipelago, you can approach nurturing females within a few metres. During breeding season this colony is also visited by territorial males, defending and mating their harem. 

There are two other emblematic species breeding here: male blue-footed boobies and great frigate birds who try to impress the females (and tourists) with clumsy dances, heaving their feet or blowing up their balloon-sized scarlet pouches.

AM - Santa Fe island

During your excursion at Santa Fe island, you will get surprised at how close to you some curious sea lions waddle. Likewise approachable for a close-up are Galapagos hawks that usually perch at their outlooks, ready to snatch away a baby marine iguana or lava lizard.

We start next a cactus forest trail, that gives a close-up view on how these surrealistic, house-high giant opuntia prickly pears have grown out larger than on any other island and tell a fascinating evolutional story. At the calm, turquoise Barrington Bay, you can swim in close company with Galapagos sea lions, fluorescent blue chin parrot fishes, yellowtail surgeon fishes, whiptail stingrays, Pacific green turtles, whitetip reef sharks, and more. 

PM - Black Turtle Cove

AM: Darwin Bay (Genovesa)

As one of the outer islands and most exclusive places on the Galapagos, Genovesa is well worth last night’s longer navigation. This compact site in the heart of its flooded crater shows the extremely varied coastal ecosystems of the Galapagos in miniature; nearly too much for a single day.

Whimbrels and wandering tattlers forage actively along the surf, next to resting Galapagos sea lions. Impressive frigatebirds and red-footed boobies nest in the mangroves, where you can also see vocalists such as the yellow warbler, Darwin’s finches and the Galapagos mockingbird. Uniquely, two subpopulations of the same species of large cactus finch differ in their singing

PM: Prince Philip's Steps (Genovesa)

Not only because of its historical English name (Tower) Genovesa has a royal touch. Follow in the footsteps of Prince Philip – Galapagos lover for many years – and visit this favourite birding spot with the largest breeding colonies of red-footed and Nazca boobies, and look for the remarkable short-eared owl that hunts on foot!

AM - Rabida island

This morning you have a ‘wet landing’ on the remarkable red beach of Rabida island. Oxidised iron particles give the rocks and sand an intense rusty colour. The beach wall holds a shallow green-fringed lagoon; this oasis is the most fertile place on the otherwise arid islet, which is overgrown with aromatic palo santo trees. The salty pool attracts all kind of aquatic birds, like pintails and sometimes American flamingos. Between the evergreen foliage of the surrounding mangrove bushes many species of songbirds hide and breed. One of the most outstanding attractions is the major breeding colony of brown pelicans, the only ones in the world that plunge-dive. On return you will be picked up by the inflatable dinghies, to get ready for snorkelling. 

PM - Chinese Hat

Chinese Hat is a 52m/170ft high volcanic cone, forming another islet off the rocky coast of Santiago, where a small colony of Galapagos penguins has settled. Because its primordial fire has been extinguished recently, this is an excellent place to learn more about volcanoes, lava bombs and lava tunnels. Many structures found on this islet have recently emerged from the sea bottom. Galapagos sea lions and countless marine iguanas contribute to fertilizing these new aerial ecosystems.

AM - Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz island

The dinghies will bring you to the touristic pier of Puerto Ayora, in Santa Cruz island, from where you will be brought to the Charles Darwin Research Station. This institution was named after the British naturalist who developed his Theory of Evolution after visiting these islands in 1835, and works on the conservation and restoration of the Galapagos ecosystems, as well as for the sustainable development of its communities. 

There is an interpretation centre about the National Park and its Marine Reserve. The most memorable part of your visit will probably be the successful breeding centre and the enclosures with Galapagos giant tortoises. 

Transfer to Baltra airport and flight back to Quito. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and transferred to the hotel.

Today you will be picked up from the hotel and brought to discover the highlights of historic Quito. Starting at the Independence Square, you will be able to appreciate side by side the architectural wealth of Quito with the modern folklore of the concurrence. 

You will then continue to admire the colonial church of San Francisco, the elegant façades of the Carondelet presidential palace, the former Archbishops palace and the Jesuit church of La Compañia de Jesús. The latter is the major and best example of Latin American baroque architecture. Besides its elaborate façade, masterly carved out of volcanic rock, you probably will get overwhelmed by its completely gold-leafed interior, a fusion of Spanish, Indigenous, Moorish, Italian and Flemish influences. The city tour finishes with a visit to the top of Panecillo hill, which offers panoramic views of Quito and surrounding volcanoes, and is crowned by a giant replica of the city’s Madonna patron saint.

Now you are going to visit the place crossed by the equatorial line, which divides Earth into two hemispheres -and gives the country its name- at the Middle of the World complex & museum. The first thing you will be able to do there is to stand with one foot in the northern hemisphere and the other in the southern, and take a memorable photo!

Then, at the Inti Ñan Solar Museum (Inti Ñan means "Path of the Sun" in Kichwa), you will travel back in time to learn about the history of the peoples who inhabited these valleys thousands of years ago, who were vastly knowledgeable in astronomy. Their legacy is preserved in the museum collection to help everyone understand the physical phenomena unique to this place. Return to Quito.