13D12N Fascinating Ecuador & Galapagos Exploration

13 Days Ecuador 2 to Go

Discover the cultural and natural wonders of Ecuador on this 13-day journey, beginning in the UNESCO-listed colonial capital of Quito. Travel through the Andes to the emerald crater of Quilotoa Lake, the waterfalls of Baños, and the highland landscapes near Chimborazo and Ingapirca. Continue to the charming colonial city of Cuenca and vibrant Guayaquil, with scenic stops at El Cajas National Park and local cacao communities. Fly to the extraordinary Galápagos Islands, exploring Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal islands with opportunities to see giant tortoises and remarkable marine wildlife. A perfect blend of Andean culture, dramatic volcanoes, colonial heritage, and unique island biodiversity.

DepartureQuito
ReturnQuito
Min. travellers2
Booking period1 Aug till 31 March 2027
Travel period1 Aug till 31 March 2027

Tour Highlights

  • Explore the beautifully preserved colonial centre of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site rich in history and architecture.
  • Visit the breathtaking emerald crater of Quilotoa Lake and journey through the dramatic Andean highlands.
  • Experience the powerful waterfalls of Baños along the famous Avenue of the Waterfalls, including Pailón del Diablo.
  • Discover Ecuador’s most important Inca ruins at Ingapirca Ruins and the charming colonial city of Cuenca.
  • Encounter giant tortoises and unique wildlife in the extraordinary Galápagos Islands, exploring Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal islands.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Quito

Upon arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Quito with English-speaking assistance.

Overnight in Quito.

Day 2 Quito | Colonial City Walking Tour

After breakfast, enjoy a guided walking tour of historic Quito, one of South America’s best-preserved colonial centres and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since 1978. Stroll through narrow cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed buildings and magnificent churches. 

Highlights include Main Plaza (Independence Square), Government Palace, La Compañía de Jesús Church, San Francisco Monastery, and La Ronda.
Overnight in Quito.

breakfast

Day 3 Quito - Quilotoa Lake - Baños

Depart southbound through Cotopaxi National Park, enjoying panoramic views of Cotopaxi Volcano and, weather permitting, Antisana Volcano. 

Continue to the spectacular Quilotoa Lake, an emerald-green volcanic crater lake, and enjoy a walk along the crater rim (approx. 1.7 km). 

On the way, visit the indigenous community of Tigua to explore local art galleries and meet renowned Andean painter Julio Toaquiza. Continue to Baños.
Overnight in Baños.

breakfast

Day 4 Baños - Avenue of the Waterfalls

Explore the famous Avenue of the Waterfalls. Stops include Agoyán Waterfall, Manto de la Novia (Bride’s Veil) Waterfall optional cable car ride, and Pailón del Diablo (Devil’s Cauldron), one of Ecuador’s most powerful waterfalls. 

Return to Baños.Overnight in Baños.

breakfast

Day 5 Baños – Riobamba - Chimborazo Land of Llamas

Travel toward Riobamba for a cultural experience near Chimborazo Volcano. 

Visit the local community of Palacio Real to learn about llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas, and their role in Andean life. Explore the Llama Museum, handicraft shop, and scenic llama trail across the highland páramo.
Overnight in Riobamba.

breakfast · lunch

Day 6 Riobamba – Alausí – Ingapirca – Cuenca

Visit the charming Andean town of Alausí, perched dramatically along a steep hillside. Continue to Ingapirca Ruins, Ecuador’s most significant Inca archaeological complex, known for its finely carved stone architecture and ceremonial importance. 

Proceed to Cuenca, one of Ecuador’s most beautiful colonial cities. The remainder of the day is at leisure to explore its waterfront and historic plazas.
Overnight in Cuenca.

breakfast

Day 7 Cuenca - Guayaquil

Depart for Guayaquil, stopping at El Cajas National Park, known for its dramatic high-altitude lakes and rugged landscapes. Visit a local cacao community to learn about the chocolate-making process from bean to bar, followed by tasting. 

Continue to Guayaquil.
Overnight in Guayaquil.

breakfast

Day 8 Guayaquil – Santa Cruz Island

Transfer to the airport for your flight to the Galápagos (local flight included). 

Upon arrival, visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island. Explore giant tortoise reserves, lava tunnels, and Los Gemelos (Twin Craters), an excellent birdwatching site.
Overnight in Puerto Ayora.

breakfast · lunch

Day 9 Santa Cruz Island - Leisure Day

Day at leisure to explore independently.

 

Overnight in Puerto Ayora.

breakfast

Day 10 Santa Cruz – San Cristóbal Island

Morning at leisure. 

In the afternoon, take a public speedboat (approx. 2–3 hours) to San Cristóbal Island.
Overnight in San Cristóbal.

breakfast

Day 11 San Cristóbal Island - Leisure

Day at leisure. 

Optional (additional cost):

Snorkeling excursion to Kicker Rock (León Dormido), one of the Galápagos’ top marine wildlife sites.
Overnight in San Cristóbal

breakfast

Day 12 San Cristóbal – Quito

Transfer to the airport for your flight back to Quito (local flight included). 

Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and at your own leisure.
Overnight in Quito.

breakfast

Day 13 Departure from Quito

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

breakfast

What's included

Included

  • Accommodations
  • Meals as per itinerary
  • Sightseeing as per itinerary

Not included

  • International air ticket
  • Travel insurance
  • Others not mentioned above

Prices & dates

Tap a package to load it into the price calculator.

Your hotels

Reina Isabel

★★★

Quito Av. Río Amazonas N23-44, Quito 170143, Ecuador

Set in the buzzy entertainment district of Mariscal, this sleek hotel is a 7-minute walk from Plaza Foch and 4 km from the iconic baroque Compañía de Jesús church. Polished rooms feature bespoke fabrics and original artwork, plus flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi. Suites add iPod docks, minifridges and separate living rooms. Upgraded suites offer whirlpool tubs.

Rumipamba de las Rosas

★★★

Salcedo Panoramica Sur Km 100, Salcedo, Ecuador

Off Highway E 35, this relaxed hotel is a 10-minute walk from Salcedo Central Park. The warm, cozy rooms offer wooden furnishings, en suite bathrooms, and ceilings with exposed wood beams. Amenities include a rustic restaurant, an outdoor pool and playgrounds, along with event space and a business center. Horseback riding and bike rentals are also offered.

Socialtel Baños

★★★

Baños de Agua Santa 12 de Noviembre 468, Baños de Agua Santa 010151, Ecuador

Hotel Brio Centro is set in Baños, 6 km from Tarabita Cable Car. Facilities include a terrace and free WiFi is accessible. At the guest house, all rooms have a wardrobe. Certain rooms contain private bathroom. Staff at the 24-hour front desk can help guests with any queries that they may have

Hotel Casa Real

★★★

Región Metropolitana Cam. Padre Hurtado 695, Alto Jahuel, Buin, Región Metropolitana, Chile

Región Metropolitana Breakfast is available. There's also a quaint lounge and a billiards room with a piano. Other amenities include an ornate chapel, and gardens with fountains.

Socialtel Cuenca

★★★

Cuenca Calle Larga 7-93 y, Cuenca 010150, Ecuador

Surrounded by shops and eateries, this hip hostel is a 6-minute walk from baroque Old Cathedral of Cuenca and 1 km from Inca ruins at the Museo Pumapungo. Mariscal Lamar International Airport is 3 km away. Relaxed, colorful dorms offer free Wi-Fi, bunk beds and lockers, plus shared bathrooms. Private rooms, some with en suite facilities, sleep up to 4 guests. Suites add sitting areas. Bed linens are provided. There's a trendy bar/restaurant with a billiard table. Other amenities include a yoga room and a TV lounge, as well as a rooftop terrace.

Hotel Ramada

★★★

Guayaquil Simon Bolivar Palacios 606 y, Guayaquil 090306, Ecuador

Opposite the Jardín Mágico Malecón 2000, a garden on the riverfront boardwalk, this informal hotel is a 6-minute walk from the Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo. José Joaquín De Olmedo International Airport is 6 km away. Airy, understated rooms have flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, minifridges and kettles. Some feature river views.

Deja Vu

★★★

Santa Cruz Island 7M6Q+2Q9, Fragata y Daphne (junto al parque El Eden), Santa Cruz 200350, Ecuador

Basic rooms in a laid-back hotel offering a bar, a lounge & an outdoor pool, plus free Wi-Fi.

Pimampiro

★★★

San Cristóbal Island venida Quito 20101, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Ecuador

Comfortable Accommodations: Hotel Pimampiro in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno offers family rooms with private bathrooms, air-conditioning, and sea views. Each room includes a balcony, work desk, and free WiFi. Exceptional Facilities: Guests enjoy a year-round outdoor swimming pool, lush garden, and outdoor seating area. The property features a family-friendly restaurant serving continental breakfast with juice, cheese, and fruits. Additional amenities include a 24-hour front desk, daily housekeeping, and a tour desk. Prime Location: Located 1.2 mi from San Cristóbal Airport, the hotel is near Playa de los Marinos (less than 0.6 mi), Oro Beach (13-minute walk), and Mann (0.9 mi). Scuba diving opportunities enhance the surrounding area. Highly rated for its breakfast, attentive staff, and family-friendly environment.

Hotel Mercure

★★★★

Quito C/Ramón Roca, y, Quito 170526, Ecuador

In the tourist district of Mariscal, this understated hotel is a 9-minute walk from Plaza Foch's restaurants and bars, and 2 km from the imposing Basílica del Voto Nacional. Unfussy rooms offer free Wi-Fi and flat-screens, in addition to minibars and safes. Upgraded rooms add iPod docks and rainfall showers. Suites have pull-out sofas; 1 includes a whirlpool tub, a dining room and a balcony. Room service is on offer. Kids age 12 and under stay at no extra cost with an adult. Parking is complimentary. There's a warm restaurant, a casual cafe, a sushi bar and a bar, plus a business center and a gym - both open 24/7. Meeting rooms are available.

Chilcabamba Lodge

★★★★

Quito Loreto de Pedregal, Quito, Ecuado

Warm thatched hotel offering rooms with wood-burning stoves, plus mountain views & a restaurant.

La Floresta

★★★★

Baños de Agua Santa Corner Juan Montalvo and, Thomas Halflants, Baños de Agua Santa, Ecuador

Set less than a kilometer from the E30 highway, this colorful, casual hotel is a 4-minute walk from El Bosque Encantado, a theme park, and 6 minutes’ walk from the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Holy Water. The laid-back rooms provide cable TV and Wi-Fi. Some rooms feature balconies. Suites add sofabeds, whirlpool tubs and kitchenettes. Amenities include a garden, and a warmly decorated restaurant with exposed-brick accent walls. A breakfast buffet is available.

Hacienda Abraspungo

★★★★

Riobamba Vía Riobamba Guano, Guano, Ecuador

With a stay at Hacienda Abraspungo in Riobamba, you'll be within a 5-minute drive of National University of Chimborazo and Pro Bici. This family-friendly country house is 1.2 mi (1.9 km) from Carmen and 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from Museum of Religious Art. Pamper yourself with onsite massages or enjoy recreation amenities such as a fitness center. Additional features at this country house include complimentary wireless internet access, an arcade/game room, and gift shops/newsstands. Grab a bite to eat at Abraspungo, a restaurant where you can enjoy drinks at the bar/lounge and dine alfresco. Or stay in and take advantage of the room service (during limited hours). A complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily from 4:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Featured amenities include complimentary wired internet access, a business center, and limo/town car service. Planning an event in Riobamba? This country house has 22 square feet (2 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center and 2 meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite. Stay in one of 38 guestrooms featuring LCD televisions. Your bed comes with down comforters and premium bedding. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with showers feature rainfall showerheads and complimentary toiletries.

Hotel Victoria

★★★★

Cuenca y, Calle Larga &, Cuenca, Ecuador

Housed in a brick-and-stone building with views of the Tomebamba River, this understated, Colonial-style hotel is a 7-minute walk from the Museum for Religious Art at the Old Cathedral of Cuenca and a 9-minute walk from the New Cathedral of Cuenca. Featuring wood-paneled walls and/or wood floors, the warm, traditionally furnished rooms feature flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi. Suites feature living rooms, and/or private terraces with river views. Room service is offered. There's a cozy bar and a restaurant. Breakfast is available.

Hotel Unipark

★★★★

Guayaquil Clemente Ballén 406 y, Guayaquil 090313, Ecuador

Facing Seminario Park, this modern business hotel is a minute's walk from Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral and 2 km from modern art at Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo. Featuring wood floors, and city or park views, the unfussy rooms offer minibars, cable TV and Wi-Fi. Upgraded rooms add soundproof windows, laptop-sized safes, and tea and coffeemakers. Suites have separate living rooms. Room service is available.

Mainao

★★★★

Santa Cruz Island Matazarnos e, Puerto Ayora 200102, Ecuador

Relaxed hotel close to the beach, offering down-to-earth quarters & complimentary breakfast.

Blue Marlin

★★★★

San Cristóbal Island 39XR+64G, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Ecuador

The Blue Marlin Hotel is a 4-star, 14-room hotel in the center of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal Island, Galapagos. Offering a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere, it features an outdoor pool, jacuzzi, free WiFi, and is located within walking distance to the boardwalk, beaches, and local restaurants

Casona de la Ronda

★★★★★

Quito Juan de Dios Morales Oe1 160 y, Quito 170130, Ecuador

On a pedestrianized street in the Centro Histórico, this charming hotel in a 1738 house is an 11-minute walk from the Plaza de la Independencia, 1 km from Carondelet Palace and 2 km from Chimbacalle train station. Featuring parquet floors, handmade wooden furniture and murals, the cozy rooms come with Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, plus patios or balconies. Suites add living areas and sofabeds. Room service is available. There's a rustic regional restaurant and a leafy interior courtyard. Breakfast is available.

Hacienda Porvenir

★★★★★

Cotopaxi Volcano A 4k Ingreso Norte Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, Machachi 171110, Ecuador

Modest thatched-roof huts & airy quarters on a laid-back ranch with a warm restaurant & ecotours.

Sangay Spa Hotel

★★★★★

Baños de Agua Santa Plazoleta Isidro Ayora 100, Baños de Agua Santa 180301, Ecuador

With a mountain and forest backdrop, this relaxed spa hotel in a European Renaissance-style building next to Virgen de Agua Santa waterfall is a 6-minute walk from Museo Fray Enrique Mideros. The bright rooms offer free Wi-Fi, TVs and desks or tables. Suites add fireplaces, minibars and balconies with waterfall views. Family cabins have extra beds; some feature bunk beds. Free amenities include a breakfast buffet and parking. Additional amenities include a restaurant and a spa with saunas, Jacuzzis and Ayurvedic treatments. There's an outdoor pool, a fitness room, a playground and a tennis court, in addition to pool tables.

Boutique Santa Lucia

★★★★★

Cuenca Calle:Presidente Borrero Exterior: 8-44, Cuenca 010101, Ecuador

Built in 1859, this upscale hotel is a 2-minute walk from the Old Cathedral of Cuenca, a 5-minute walk from the Museo Remigio Crespo Toral and an 11-minute walk from Madre Park. The traditionally furnished, elegant rooms offer Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and desks, along with minibars, and tea and coffeemakers. Room service is available. Parking is complimentary. Breakfast is offered. There's also an Italian restaurant in an interior courtyard, a casual eatery, and cozy bar serving snacks, plus a living room with a fireplace.

Wyndham Guayaquil

★★★★★

Guayaquil Numa Pompilio Llona S-N 5934, Guayaquil 090313, Ecuador

This polished hotel overlooking the confluence of the Babhayo and Guayas rivers is 2 km from the Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo and 3 km from the Malecon 2000 boardwalk and urban park. José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is 5 km away. Airy rooms feature free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks and minibars; some have river views. Suites add living rooms, kitchenettes and/or whirlpool tubs. Room service is available 24/7. There's a stylish restaurant and a casual bar. Other amenities include a free airport shuttle, a heated outdoor pool, a sauna and a steam room, plus a fitness room.

Ikala Galapagos

★★★★★

Puerto Ayora Tomás De Berlanga 110 y, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador

Miconia

★★★★★

San Cristóbal Island Av charles Darwin, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno 200201, Ecuador

Laid-back hotel offering an open-air restaurant with a terrace & bay views, plus an outdoor pool.
Tags & Interests
#Banos #Cuenca #Guayaquil #Quito #Riobamba
From MYR 20,550 Tap for price options

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