Amazon & Galapagos Islands

Today a representative of Haugan Cruises will meet guests at Tababela airport located 40 km from Quito. After a 50 minute drive clients will arrive to the capital of Ecuador, Quito, located 2,830 meters above sea level and  the first World Cultural Heritage Site declared by Unesco in 1978.

During this route you will receive an overview about all the programs during your stay in Ecuador as well as important information about the country. Once in the selected hotel the representative of Haugan Cruises will provide assistance during the check in. 

After a pick up by a Haugan Cruises representative in the selected hotel,you will have the opportunity to visit a real colonial city, the first World Cultural Heritage Site. Quito shows its colonial architecture, culture as well as its charming citizens.You will stroll in special and important corners of the city like Independence Square with its awe inspiring Cathedral, Presidential Palace and Archbishop's Palace.

You will also admire the church of La Compañia, regarded as the finest example of baroque architecture in America, not forgetting the church and monastery of San Francisco. Your tour will then take you to Panecillo Hill, an ideal location for a panoramic view of this historic capital.  

After a walk in colonial Quito, you will be taken on a 40 minute drive north to Pomasqui, known as the middle of the world where an invisible line is located, first called the Equator by Charles Marie de La Condamine in 1736 during the French Geodesic Mission. To honor this you will find the “Mitad del Mundo” monument, where you can stand with one foot in both hemispheres.  
Lunch is served at one of the best Ecuadorian cuisine restaurants to complete the sensorial experience of this day.  

Today a representative of Haugan Cruises will meet you at your hotel Quito. After a 50 minute drive you will arrive at Tababela International Airport. During this route you will receive an overview about your flights.  Once at the airport a representative of La Selva lodge will provide assistance during the check in and luggage registration. 

After a short (35 minute) flight to Coca, you will be met by another English-speaking representative of La Selva Amazon Ecolodge, who will welcome you to Coca, help you with your luggage and transfer you and your fellow guests to the pier, where your motorized canoe is waiting. The canoe is covered, in case of inclement weather such as rain or strong sunshine. The ride itself is fun and interesting.A box lunch is provided for guests on the ride.

The motorized canoe cannot go into the lagoon where the lodge is located, so you will disembark on the river for a short walk and a ride in another, smaller canoe. Your luggage will be handled for you. Once you reach the lodge, there is a welcome cocktail and brief orientation meeting. Then you’ll be shown to your spacious rooms and given the chance to rest and explore a bit before dinner at 7.30. During dinner, your group and guide will discuss the activities for the following day.

After dinner, depending on the weather and the will of the group, there may be a short activity such as night wildlife walk or canoe ride near the lodge to see some wildlife. Many guests prefer to relax in the lounge with a cold drink from the bar or have a soothing massage in the spa.   

Breakfast is served early because there is so much to see and do today. There are a number of activities that you might do, including a visit to the parrot clay lick, a trip to a local community, or an excursion to the observation tower to see birds and monkeys.  What activity you do will depend on many factors, including the weather and what the group wants to do. If you do not wish to do the morning activity, you are under no obligation to do so. Many guests prefer to remain in the lodge and relax.

A delicious lunch is served in the dining room at 12.30. After lunch, guests can try their hand at fishing for piranhas, take a nap or read a book during the hottest hours of the day. Afternoon activities tend to be more low-key than morning ones. You might go for a canoe ride around the lagoon, take a short trail to hopefully see pygmy marmosets, or visit the nearby butterfly farm if it is raining very hard. Again, the activity will be decided at the last moment by the guide, depending on weather conditions.

A gourmet dinner awaits you in the dining room as afternoon turns into evening. After dinner, depending on the weather and the will of the group, there may be a short activity such as a night wildlife walk or canoe ride near the lodge to see some wildlife. Many guests prefer to relax in the lounge with a cold drink from the bar or have a soothing massage in the spa. On your last evening, you will be asked to clear up your bill in case you had any extras, such as alcoholic drinks or a massage. You’ll also leave tips if you wish for the staff and guides. You may use your credit cards.  

Although you must depart the lodge early in order to get to Coca in time for your flight, breakfast will be served before you leave. You’ll go out the way you came: a canoe ride, followed by a short walk, and then a two-hour ride on the motorized canoe to Coca. An English-speaking representative will accompany you. Once you reach Coca, you will be taken to the airport, checked in and directed to the waiting room for your return flight to Quito. That will be the end of your Amazon Rainforest adventure. 

Once in Quito airport, a representative of Haugan Cruises will meet you and accompany you during the transfer to your hotel in the city.

A representative of Haugan Cruises will meet you at your hotel in Quito. After a 50 minute drive you will arrive at Tababela International Airport. During this route you will receive an overview about your flights.Once at the airport the representative of Haugan Cruises will provide assistance during the check in and luggage registration. 

You will arrive at San Cristobal Island in the morning. After passing through immigration and baggage claim you will be met by the Ocean Spray staff and transferred to the yacht. You will be shown to your cabin where you will have some time to settle in before lunch and a welcome briefing. In the afternoon you will visit Lobos Island. The name of this island means "Sea Lion Island". This appropriately named island is ripe with noisy, frolicking, jolly sea lions who will welcome you to their home with open fins. This island also offers great snorkeling opportunities as well as the chance to see blue-footed and Nazca boobies. 

A dinghy ride and snorkeling around Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido) can be also be done in the afternoon. Known as the Sleeping Lion because of its shape, this site is located off the coast of San Cristobal. There are remains of a lava cone eroded by the sea, two vertical rocks rising 500 feet above the ocean. This Galapagos Islands natural monument has become a favorite sight for cruises due to the many tropical birds, frigate birds and boobies that fill the surrounding air. Beneath the sea the crystal waters offer a brilliant show of colorful tropical fish and invertebrates. 

Today you will visit Pitt Point in the morning, the northeastern most site on San Cristobal. After an easy hike, you will be rewarded with a unique treat. Herein lays the only nesting site which hosts all species of Galápagos boobies. Photographers will be thrilled with this intimate natural experience. The attractive volcanic tuff formations will have geologists and laymen alike imagining the forces of nature that possessed the Earth to create this land. 

In the afternoon you'll visit Witch Hill (Cerro Brujo) where you will explore one of the nicest beaches in the Galápagos. You'll be tantalized by the texture and sight of the powdered, soft white sand. With a colony of sea lions and blue-footed boobies, this scenic place is bustling with life. Just beyond the beach is a lagoon, thriving with egrets and great blue herons. The turquoise water and abundant marine life will invite you to snorkel their midst. 

Today you will visit two sites on Floreana Island. In the morning, you will visit the famous Post Office Bay. You will land on a beach and head to a spot where 18th century whalers placed a wooden barrel for use as an unofficial mail box. The custom continues to this day with Galapagos visitors. So, don't forget your postcards, and don't be surprised if the post card arrives to its destination before you get home.

In the afternoon, you will head to Cormorant Point. Here you can enjoy a hike to a salt-water lagoon which is home to flamingoes. You'll also be amazed by the green colored beach, caused by a high percentage of olivine crystals in the sand. You will also get to swim in the crystal clear waters of Devil's Crown. This extinct volcano peaks out of the waters just off of Floreana's coast and offers a magnificent snorkeling experience.  

Today you will see Black Turtle Cove, located on the north side of Santa Cruz Island and only accessible by boat and with a guide. This shallow inlet is surrounded by mangroves and provides natural protection for a variety of marine life, attracting the vulnerable juveniles of many species. Below the surface of the water, you can see both black-tip and white-tip reef sharks, sea turtles, golden cow-nose rays, spotted eagle rays, and an occasional hammerhead shark. Pelicans and boobies hunt here, diving gracefully into the water. 

Please keep in mind that on departure days, your morning visit will be early and short since we need to be prepared before heading back toward the airport for your returning flight to Ecuador's mainland. Itineraries and activities are subject to change without prior notice. Depending on weather conditions and water currents, some wildlife described above may not be visible. 

You'll then fly back to Quito, where a representative of Haugan Cruises will meet you at the airport and accompany you to your hotel in the city.

Today your tour ends. A representative of Haugan Cruises will meet you at your hotel. After a 50 minute drive you will arrive at Tababela International Airport. During this route you will receive an overview about your departure flight.