Andes and Galapagos Tour
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STARTING MONDAY:
Day 1 - Monday: Transfer Airport / Hotel in Quito. Accommodation. Day 2 - Tuesday: Breakfast at hotel befote daily excursión to Otavalo. Departure from Quito vía the "Panamericana Norte" with at brief stop in Calderón, town wehre the "mazapán" dolls are made, another brief stop in Guayabamba were you can devoure some of the typical fruit of the town "chirimoyas". Short visit of the view point on the way to Cayambe where you can admir and photograph the beautiful valleys and the snow peaked mountains that surround the area. As we continue the journey we will cross the equator line through Cayambe, passing through Guachala where the old monument of the middle of the world used to be. Before getting to Otavalo we make a stop in Mira Lago (viewpoint in San Pablo) in order to take some pictures of the San Pablo Lake and take in its beauty. Then we will continue to Otavalo where the "Otavalos" proceed with their elaborate knittings. Then we will visit the Otavalo Market, where artisians exibit their crafts and other merchandise. Continuing the trip, we will visit to the leather shopping stores at Cotacachi before returning to Quito through the Cajas-Tabacundo road. Day 3 - Wednesday: Breakfast at hotel before your City Tour and visit to Middle of the World. Starting the tour by going to the Basillica church where you will have the chance to get out and take pictures whil e our guide provides you with interesting details, some history and infromation of the church. Next we will g o to the San Juan viewpoint where you will have a great view of Colonial Quito. We will then proceed to the Independence plaza through colonial, where we will get out and take part of the tour by foot visiting the Catedral, the Gobiemo and Arzobispal Palace, the Compaña church where you will be able to apréciate all the detailed decorations and gold alters, the Sagrario, and the San Francisco built in the XVII century. (Does not include entrance to churches). Then we continue our trip to viewpoint in the Panecillo which overlooks colonial Quito and modern Quito. We then continue north to the Middle of the World (entrance included). Here you will visit the monument that divides the northern hemisphere from the south of the globe which was built in the XVIII century where the French Scientific expedision defined the exact location of the line that divides the world. You will also be ablo to visit the Etnografic Musuem (entrance not included). Day 4 - Thursday: Breakfast in hotel. Excursion through the Avenue of the Volcanoes. Depart from Quito where you enjoy the journey to the highlands of Ecuador admiring the beautiful view, ideal for taking pictures, brief stop Cotopaxi National Park (entrance not included), lunch included, arrival at Riobamba city, and accomodation in one of the typical ranches in the area where you will enjoy a dinner that is included. Day 5 - Friday: Breakfast at hotel. Depart by train to the Devil´s nose an genious piece of architecture in the middle of the Andes. ( the trip is about 7 hours long and includes boxed lunch. Continue to Cuenca visitin the Inca ruins in Ingapirca (does not include entrance), arrival and accomodation in Cuenca. ** Operation of the train is subject to modifications with our previous notice. Day 6 - Saturday: Breakfast at hotel before a city tour around Cuenca. Drive through the city, we will travel through the city visiting the Calderon Park, the New and the Old Cathedral, the Flower Market, Modern Arts Museum. We continue the tour to the Homero Ortega Panama Hat factory to observe the complete process of manufacturing. We will also observe the "broken bridge" and finally visit the tourist balcony of "Turi" where we can see a panoramic view of the whole city of Cuenca. Day 7 – Sunday: Breakfast. Transfer Cuenca / Guayaquil. We leave from Cuenca to “Cajas National Park” known for its glacial lakes and high mountain vegetation. Here we will walk through this beautiful place to see some of the lakes and primary forest. We will also visit “3 Cruses” which forms the continental water division. We will walk to observe this curious place. From this point we will begin a dramatic decline to reach the coast of Ecuador. Starting we will begin observing the Andean mountain scenery and then ending up seeing totally different vegetation of the Ecuadorian Coast with large plantations of bananas and cocoa beans. A box lunch will be provided on the way. Arrive to Guayaquil. Accommodation. Day 8 – Monday: Breakfast at Hotel before your transfer to the airport for your flight to Galapagos. Welcome at the Baltra airport and free transfer by bus to the tip of the Itabaca canal, where you will proceed by a public ferry service in the Island of Santa Cruz. Transport will be waiting in order to transfer you to Puerto Ayora, area where the hotels are located on the Island. On the way, you will have the opportunity to visit the lava tunnels and a Turtle reserve. Visit to the Scientific Charles Darwin Station, where you can learn more about the Galápagos Islands; the species that live in this enchanted place, its origin, the theory of Evolution, the conservation programs, and observe some Giant Turtles in captivity. Accommodation. Day 9 – Tuesday: Breakfast at Hotel Excursion in yacht to one of the following Islands: Plazas, Seymour, Bartolomé, Santa Fe o similar ones. Lunch included and return to Puerto Ayora to accommodation. ** Tour Operations in Galápagos, may change due to climate conditions, operations, and logistics and are also subject to availability and itinerary changes, days of excursions, etc. However, GRAY LINE Guarantees the number of excursions and visits to be met, but does not guarantee the itinerary or specific place to visit. Day 10 – Wednesday: Breakfast at Hotel. In the morning excursion to Tortuga Bay Beach, after 40minute walk (approx.) we will arrive to this magic place, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Galapagos, with white sand and green mangroves. “Playa mansa” is where we can swim and enjoy of the beach. Free time for lunch (not included). In the afternoon, tour around the bay on board a yacht, starting with a visit to “La Lobería”, named because of the presence of sea lions. Here you will be able to swim or snorkel. Then we proceed with our tour to the “Canal del Amor”, a marvelous site where nature gives us an unforgettable view; at the end of this channel, just a few meters forward, a viewpoint where we can observe reef sharks; from here we continue with a short walk to see the marine iguanas that inhabit in “Playa de los Perros”. Punta Estrada will also be visited. Return to Puerto Ayora. *Note: shipping used in this excursion is a boat engine with capacity for 12 people. This tour only takes place Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Day 11 – Thursday: Breakfast at Hotel. Our tour guide will pick you up at your hotel to go to the canal of Itabaca, where a ferry will take you to Baltra Island. At the port you will board a bus of your airline that takes you to the airport. En route you are going to visit a coffee plantation which is part of a social responsibility program. The encouragement for the organic coffee cultivation contributes to the conservation of plants and soil and therefore is deemed to be a perfect model of sustainable tourism. |
2017 Prices per person in US$
Includes:
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